Chapter 294: The Battle of Jialing Pass
The battle between Tang San and Bibi Dong at Jialing Pass was incredibly intense, with immense momentum. The two of them fought as if their lives depended on it.
From the moment they first encountered each other, they had sensed something unusual between them.
Though their martial souls were different and their types varied greatly—Bibi Dong's Death Spider Emperor and Soul Devouring Spider Emperor were top-tier beast martial souls, while Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was a plant martial soul, and Haotian Hammer was a weapon martial soul—they discovered that their soul power attributes were remarkably similar when they began their real confrontation.
Normally, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had an ultimate life attribute. However, due to the soul rings he absorbed, which contained high levels of poison and darkness—especially after Haotian Hammer absorbed the Evil Demon Tiger's soul ring—his body began to undergo a gradual change.
This transformation caused Tang San's Blue Silver Grass to absorb the ninth soul ring, which although granted by the gods, adapted to the best attributes for his martial soul and body, eventually evolving into the Dark Blue Silver Grass with dark and bloodthirsty properties.
As for Tang San's Haotian Hammer, after absorbing seven dark and evil soul rings, it too began to change. The originally pure power attribute started to shift toward dark and evil attributes.
In contrast, Bibi Dong's Soul Devouring Spider Emperor and Death Spider Emperor were extremely evil soul beasts. They not only had immense devouring power but also possessed potent toxins.
Once they truly engaged in battle, both realized that their soul power attributes were almost identical.
It seemed as though they had discovered something extraordinary. Considering their talents and current power, they had reached their level not only because of hard work and fearlessness, but also due to the inherited trials they had faced.
After undergoing certain trials, both had gained some form of the Rakshasa God's attributes.
If it weren't for the Rakshasa God, Tang San would not have become so strong in such a short time, nor would he have been able to absorb so many soul rings in such a short period.
Since entering the Star Dou Forest, Tang San had only been there for a few months. During this time, he had increased from level 87 to level 96, absorbing eight soul rings and multiple soul bones.
Bibi Dong, on the other hand, had been cultivating for many years, particularly after reaching Title Douluo, a period lasting at least twenty years. Yet, she had only absorbed seven soul rings for her Soul Devouring Spider Emperor. This was because there was some repulsion between her two martial souls.
Similarly, Tang San also experienced some rejection between his dual martial souls, no matter how strong his body was. But after absorbing two soul rings from the Evil Demon Tiger, he started to accept the Evil God King's influence. The Evil Demon Tiger's effect on his body far exceeded any normal 100,000-year evil soul ring.
Bibi Dong let out an angry shout: "You little brat, you dare to covet the Rakshasa God's inheritance? Today, I will tear you apart and show you that I am the true heir of the Rakshasa God."
Tang San's eyes glinted with disdain: "Bibi Dong, put away your lofty attitude. The world's treasures are earned by those with the strength to take them. I am valued by the Evil God King, and no mere Rakshasa God heir like you can compare."
Bibi Dong was furious: "Tang San, do you think I have only this level of strength? Today, I will make you pay the price. You will die by my hand!"
Tang San replied, "Are you the one making me pay the price, or am I here to seek revenge on you? After all, your Spirit Hall destroyed my mother, attacked my Haotian Sect, forced us into hiding, and led to the downfall of Haotian Sect."
"You even killed Xiao Wu's mother. Whether for myself or for Xiao Wu, I will make you pay for the blood debts of the past."
The true mastermind behind the conflict between Haotian Sect and Spirit Hall was Bibi Dong. She was the one who had forced Haotian Sect into seclusion. This made Bibi Dong the true enemy of Haotian Sect.
It was also due to her success in this endeavor that Bibi Dong, despite coming from a foreign family, ascended to the position of Pope of Spirit Hall. She was the only Pope in history not born from the Six-Winged Angel martial soul.
Tang San and Bibi Dong fought like bitter enemies, unleashing every skill at their disposal, trying to destroy one another.
However, what no one saw was that their battle also had new elements from the Rakshasa God trial.
Although Tang San had accepted the Evil God King's invitation, it was actually the Rakshasa God who had initiated the trial. There was no information about the Rakshasa God in the world, and even when Tang Chen had been controlled by the Rakshasa God, no one knew of its existence.
Tang Chen had always thought that the issues he faced during his trial were due to the Shura God. He had no idea that the Rakshasa God had been involved. Therefore, he had not given Tang San any special instructions or means to help him.
As Tang San and Bibi Dong fought more intensely, their bloodthirsty and evil attributes started to resonate with the battlefield.
The Blue Silver Grass possessed extreme devouring abilities and a strong dark attribute. On this endless battlefield of slaughter, it began to absorb the blood and corpses around them. The energy surged into Tang San's body, and within the energy, there was even a special mental force.
Although Dark Blue Silver Grass was incredibly powerful, absorbing the blood and souls affected Tang San's body, making him increasingly bloodthirsty and uncontrollable, much like when Yang Xiong had emerged from the Hellish Slaughter Grounds.
Bibi Dong, who had mastered the Killing God domain, also possessed immense devouring capabilities with her Soul Devouring Spider Emperor. She could devour both the dead and the living.
As their battle raged on, both became more ferocious, and the scene was becoming uncontrollable. They continuously used various soul techniques.
Ultimately, Bibi Dong had the upper hand. After all, she was at the peak of level 98, while Tang San was only at level 96. Even though Tang San's Dark Blue Silver Grass had strong poison, it was still no match for the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor's innate poison.
By evening, they had been battling for an entire day. Even though both sides were pushing themselves to the limit, neither could gain a significant advantage.
The Heaven Dou Empire, relying on its powerful army, could only contend with the Spirit Hall Empire's formidable soul master legions, but it was unable to break Jialing Pass.
While the Spirit Hall Empire's soul master legions were strong, they lacked two Title Douluo compared to the Heaven Dou Empire. Despite the Spirit Hall Empire having more Soul Douluo, their auxiliary abilities were weaker than Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong's, so they could not break the Heaven Dou Empire's line.
Seeing that this would become an endless war of attrition, both sides knew that if it continued, their main forces would be exhausted. In that case, it would be difficult to even maintain their own safety, especially with the powerful Star Luo Empire also standing against the Spirit Hall Empire.
When both sides finally called for a ceasefire, Tang San and Bibi Dong, though reluctant, had no choice but to end the battle.
At this moment, Tang San was badly wounded, with a lethal poison lingering within him. The pincers of the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor were not only incredibly sharp but also flexible and powerful. The Dark Blue Silver Grass had been shattered many times, and he had a terrifying wound on his shoulder, from which black energy leaked.
Bibi Dong was slightly better off, but she had still suffered numerous broken bones from Tang San's Haotian Hammer, which was even more overwhelming than Tang Hao's.
Once both sides withdrew to their original positions, everyone could not help but sigh at the brutal intensity of the battle. They were all relieved to leave the battlefield alive.
This battle was the largest soul master war in nearly a thousand years and the most brutal in recent history. Both sides suffered countless casualties, and even many of the powerful experts had fallen.
Even Title Douluo who survived had sustained injuries. Sword Douluo, for example, had taken several strikes from Golden Crocodile Douluo. His previously composed and meticulous face was now stained with blood.
As for the ordinary soldiers, their death toll was even higher.
The Heaven Dou Empire had mobilized 1.6 million troops, with over 8,000 soul masters, including more than 3,000 from the three major sects.
After this war, the Heaven Dou Empire had lost 400,000 ordinary soldiers, and 2,000 soul masters, including more than 20% of the three major sects. Even the Haotian Sect, with the smallest number, had lost many people.
Among the younger generation, Ning Rongrong and others performed exceptionally well.
In terms of support ability alone, Ning Rongrong had surpassed Ning Fengzhi. Without her strong control ability and the immense amplification from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the Heaven Dou Empire's soul masters would have suffered even greater losses and would not have been able to contend with the Spirit Hall Empire's soul master legions.
Even the fact that many Title Douluo were able to contend with the Spirit Hall Empire's Title Douluo was due to the full assistance of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda soul masters.
The Spirit Hall Empire, in order to counter the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's many soul masters, had many soul masters risking their lives in attacks. Fortunately, Yang Wei, Qin Shuang, and others were very strong, and even Feng Xiaotian and others fully protected Ning Rongrong and the others.
Now both sides began to take the younger generation of the Heaven Dou Empire more seriously. These young talents had performed so exceptionally that it seemed they were just a hair's breadth away from becoming true top-tier experts.
Among the younger generation of the Heaven Dou Empire, Tang San could hold his ground against Bibi Dong, while Ning Rongrong, Oscar, Yang Wei, Qin Shuang, Feng Xiaotian, Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, Yu Tianheng, and Dugu Yan were all much stronger than the young generation of the Spirit Hall Empire.
Especially the Body Sect, where everyone had seen the brilliance of their next generation. Not to mention that the leader of the Body Sect, Yang Xiong, had not yet appeared. He was truly recognized as the top young expert.
In comparison, the Spirit Hall Empire also suffered significant losses during this great war.
Originally, the Spirit Hall Empire had 1.2 million troops. Among them, 800,000 were stationed at Tianmen Pass in the Star Luo Empire, while only 400,000 were stationed at Jialing Pass along with 40,000 soul masters.
The reason they managed to repel the Heaven Dou Empire's attack was the power of the soul master legions, but their losses were also extremely severe. They lost 30% of their 400,000 troops, leaving less than 300,000 remaining.
Of course, the Spirit Hall Empire still had something crucial left: the five worshippers of the Spirit Hall.
The Lightwing Douluo was the world's only long-range attacking Title Douluo. With his Wuhun, the Lightwing Bow, his destructive power on the battlefield was immense. One arrow could easily pierce through a Soul Douluo's defense, and even a Title Douluo would not dare to underestimate him.
Even Tang Hao and Tang Xiao were nearly hit by his ice arrows. Lightwing Douluo was like a sniper on the battlefield, creating a powerful deterrent across the entire battlefield.
However, despite the strength of the soul master legions, they still lost 5,000 soul masters.
This was still with the protection of the towering walls of Jialing Pass, or the losses would have been even greater.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10