Golden Crocodile Douluo forcibly suppressed the shock roiling in his heart and gave a cold snort.
He had lived for over two hundred years and had never believed in anything supernatural.
If one strike failed, he would simply try again!
The third Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up, and he launched a fierce attack!
Driven by Golden Crocodile Douluo's Level 98 Soul Power, the power of this Soul Skill had long since surpassed the limits of its Soul Ring's rank.
His golden crocodile tail turned into a sky-filling web of lashes, striking from above, below, left, and right. Every lash carried enough force to shatter forged steel, completely enveloping Er Ming's massive body.
A flash of lightning flickered in Er Ming's eyes.
He had never been a Soul Beast who excelled at defense.
The Titan Giant Ape's way of fighting could be summed up in one word: head-on.
The Dark Gold Bone Wings snapped inward, and Er Ming's enormous body hurtled straight into the storm of lashes like a meteor.
He unleashed Thunderlight Fist with both hands, each punch landing precisely on the trajectory of the crocodile tail's attack.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The dense collisions rang out like a rainstorm pounding war drums, one after another without pause.
The onlookers saw only a mass of lightning and a golden blur locked in a furious struggle in midair. Each collision burst into dazzling sparks.
They fought from the ruins of the main hall to the broken walls of the side hall, then from the side hall to Spirit Hall's plaza. Everything in their path was ground to dust.
The remaining Soul Masters in the spectator stands watched, dazzled and spellbound.
They had never seen such a savage way of fighting.
There were no flashy Soul Skills, no underhanded tactics—just the purest collision of strength against strength, fist against tail, Soul Power crushing Soul Power.
Even a distant glimpse of a battle at this level was enough to set their blood racing.
The longer Golden Crocodile Douluo fought, the more alarmed he became.
The intelligence report had been crystal clear:
Titan Giant Ape, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the peak of strength-type Soul Beasts—but that was the limit of its capabilities.
It might pose a threat to an ordinary Titled Douluo, but before a Level 98 Titled Douluo, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was nothing more than a slightly larger ant.
So what in the world was this?
This Titan Giant Ape's strength, speed, reflexes, and toughness—how could any of them be on the level of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?
When Golden Crocodile Douluo's tail struck, his opponent didn't budge an inch. Instead, the recoil left his own arms numb.
Even more outrageous were those Dark Gold Bone Wings. Since when did a Titan Giant Ape grow wings?
The thunder coursing around those wings stirred the very heavens every time they spread. It was no ordinary lightning.
Damn it, did "Hundred-Thousand-Year" mean hundreds of thousands of years now?
In his heart, Golden Crocodile Douluo cursed the steward responsible for compiling the Soul Beast intelligence until he was blue in the face.
When this fight was over, he would send every last one of those good-for-nothings to scrub the latrines.
They collided once more.
Golden Crocodile Douluo used the recoil to retreat, his feet gouging two deep furrows into the plaza's flagstones.
He steadied himself and shook out his already-numb arms. His dark green eyes fixed on the Titan Giant Ape opposite him, no trace of contempt remaining in his gaze.
He didn't attack again. Even if he kept fighting, he would have a hard time taking this fellow down.
Instead, Spirit City would become a living hell.
He himself didn't care, but someone else did—and that person was even stronger than him.
Er Ming didn't give chase either.
The lightning dancing over his fists gradually died down. He lowered his head and looked at them.
The bloodstains on his knuckles had already dried. Aside from that, he was fairly satisfied with the result of the fight.
The Demon Emperor Bone modified by that esteemed lord, combined with Thunderlight Fist, had indeed allowed him to hold his own in a direct clash.
But Golden Crocodile Douluo was still a mighty Level 98 expert. Er Ming could match him, but he couldn't defeat him.
The two faced each other from a distance in midair.
Behind one, the golden phantom of the Golden Crocodile King surged with Soul Power, poised to strike.
Behind the other, the Dark Gold Bone Wings beat slowly as lightning flowed endlessly across their surface.
A brief stalemate settled over the battlefield.
Er Ming glanced back at Xiao Wu and Golden Light Eagle, then at the Soul Beast army blocked from approaching the battlefield's edge by Dugu Bo's poison. A contemplative look flashed through his bell-like eyes.
He hadn't come here to fight Spirit Hall to the death.
That esteemed lord had said, "Bring my daughter back," not "Tear Spirit Hall apart."
Golden Crocodile Douluo was powerful. If the fighting continued, another old monster from the Worship Hall might emerge.
By then, getting away might not be so easy.
Er Ming made his decision.
He raised his thick arm and let out a deep, mighty roar at the sky.
The roar boomed like an ancient war drum, rolling through every corner of Spirit Hall's battlefield.
At the sound, the flying Soul Beasts folded their wings and headed toward the still-open spatial rift.
The ground-dwelling Soul Beasts surged toward the rift's entrance like a receding tide, orderly and unhurried.
Golden Light Eagle looked sadly at the few feathers left on his body, then at the spatial rift. In the end, he sighed and took flight.
Whatever else happened, he, Golden Light Eagle, had been the first to arrive today and had protected Xiao Wu from beginning to end. That performance would surely earn him a place near the top in the eyes of that esteemed lord.
Before leaving, Golden Light Eagle looked back at Xiao Wu, nestled in Er Ming's palm, his eyes full of smug pride.
Lord Eagle had been the first to arrive. No one could take that credit away from him.
Er Ming carefully settled Xiao Wu onto his broad shoulder and cupped his massive hand around her slender frame. The warmth from his palm sheltered her completely.
Sitting on Er Ming's shoulder, Xiao Wu looked down at the devastated Spirit City.
The shattered dome, toppled pillars, flagstones fractured in every direction, and Spirit Hall stewards sprawled across the ground.
The city that had once symbolized Spirit Hall's supreme authority now lay in ruins.
Then her gaze passed over the wreckage and landed on the dignified figure atop the raised platform.
Bibi Dong.
The Pope of Spirit Hall.
And the enemy who had murdered her mother.
Xiao Wu gripped the fur on Er Ming's shoulder tightly, her knuckles whitening with the force of her hold.
She had imagined countless times what it would be like to face her mother's murderer. She had thought that day was still far off, never expecting it to come so soon—so soon that she still had to be sheltered behind someone else, without even the chance to punch that woman herself.
But she wouldn't stay this weak forever.
"I'll come back for you!"
Xiao Wu's voice rang down from Er Ming's shoulder, filled with stubbornness and deep-rooted hatred.
It wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the entire ruined hall, reaching the ears of everyone on the raised platform.
Bibi Dong lifted her head, the corners of her mouth slowly curling into a cold smile.
Her Papal Robes snapped in the wind, and the golden light of the Martial Soul behind her still burned fiercely.
She looked at the slender girl on Er Ming's shoulder, then at the Soul Beast army retreating through the spatial rift. In the end, she held back the urge to pursue them.
Even Golden Crocodile Douluo hadn't acted rashly. She wasn't foolish enough to charge in alone.
But Bibi Dong had never lost a battle of words.
Did they really think a mutated Titan Giant Ape could shake Spirit Hall's standing?
Once they recovered, perhaps they would go storm Star Dou Forest themselves!
With that thought, Bibi Dong raised her head proudly.
"Fine. I... I'll be waiting for you!"
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