The South Sea force was caught off guard by the sudden suicide attack, and its formation fell into disarray.
Just then, a figure burst out of the chaos near the center of the explosion.
Ao Can clutched his left shoulder, where a sharp shard of shell had carved a wound deep enough to expose bone. He surveyed the chaos and made an immediate decision, his voice carrying a surge of Soul Power: "Hold the formation! Release your Soul Power and raise a defensive barrier!"
The order was like a shot of adrenaline. The South Sea force found its footing, and the leaders of each unit reacted first, shouting Ao Can's command at the top of their lungs: "Hold the formation! Release your Soul Power! Now!"
Pillars of Soul Power in every color rose from across the force and wove together into a thick energy barrier that enveloped them all.
Still clutching his wounded shoulder, Ao Can walked over to Sea Spear Douluo. "Are you all right?"
Sea Star Douluo answered for him. "He's fine. The shock wave shook him up, that's all. Give him a moment to catch his breath."
Ao Can nodded and looked over the South Sea Soul Beasts reforming their ranks. "Good. That explosion cost us at least a hundred fighters of ten-thousand-year strength, with many more wounded. If they strike like that a few more times, I'm afraid our morale won't hold."
Sea Star Douluo steadied Sea Spear Douluo, then looked at the wound on Ao Can's left shoulder, so deep it showed bone. "Commander Ao, thank you for what you did. If you hadn't pushed me out of the way, that explosion would have left me badly wounded."
Ao Can waved him off. "It was nothing. Please don't give it another thought, Lord Sacred Pillar.