The Sea God Appears

"Who are you?"

Golden light flared from Tang Wulin's right arm, and the Golden Dragon Claw attached itself to his hand.

Ziyang continued walking with Na'er, showing no sign of stopping. He directly asked Gu Yue, "Are you Gu Yue?"

Gu Yue looked up at Ziyang, then at Na'er. Her eyes froze slightly; she had never expected to see Na'er here.

Finally, her gaze shifted to the two gigantic beasts. Her brow furrowed slightly. A Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, and another soul beast she did not recognize.

"I'm Gu Yue. Who are you? I don't think I know you." Gu Yue had already guessed their identities, but she still needed to confirm it one last time.

"Ziyang of the Spirit Pagoda. I came specifically to test your strength." Ziyang's voice was calm. "The user of the seven elements."

"Exactly." Na'er raised her Silver Dragon Spear, her eyes filled with schadenfreude. "Defeat us, or—"

Before she could finish, a figure stepped in front of Ziyang and Na'er.

The black-haired boy's Golden Dragon Claw had yet to fade from his right arm, its scales glinting with dangerous light amid the forest.

"Gu Yue is our companion. You can't touch her."

Ziyang looked at him, his gaze pausing briefly on the Golden Dragon Claw. He recalled the original story and remembered that the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core was sealed within this boy.

"Is that so? What if I insist?" He delivered the classic line of someone about to turn the tables.

"That's right. Gu Yue is our companion." Three other voices rang out at the same time.

Yet Gu Yue's response remained cold, and she was still distant toward the four of them. She had come here in the first place to obtain the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core from Tang Wulin.

"Move." Her voice was soft, yet carried an overwhelming penetrating force.

Tang Wulin froze for a moment and turned back in confusion. "Gu Yue, what are you doing?"

"This is my business." Gu Yue's gaze fell on Ziyang. "I've already joined the Spirit Pagoda, so I have to take part in this test."

At that moment, Austin Griffin drooled as he stared at Tang Wulin. "Boss, that boy smells delicious. He looks so crispy."

"Huh?"

Ziyang was somewhat puzzled by that. Tang Wulin smelled delicious? Was it because of the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core?

He looked toward Tang Wulin and the others. "Since the four of them are so united, let's deal with them first."

"Little Black, Little Evil, take care of them."

Austin Griffin raised its head, and the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger spread its wings. Both entered combat mode.

Tang Wulin thrust out his Golden Dragon Claw, like five sharp blades. Blue Silver Grass also surged from his palm, carrying a trace of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline aura as it tried to entangle the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's limbs.

But the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger merely leaped lightly, clearing every obstacle. Its Evil God Hook shot straight for Tang Wulin's throat.

Tang Wulin hastily twisted aside and blocked with his Golden Dragon Claw. The sound of metal crashing echoed through the forest, and he was knocked back several steps, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"Capture the leader first. Watch this."

Xie Xie charged out directly, the Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger flashing in his hands. He moved with incredible speed, like true lightning, striking straight for Ziyang's back.

Ziyang showed no hint of panic. Austin Griffin moved before him, the head of annihilation opening its jaws and releasing a violet-black beam of light.

It struck the ground directly. The shockwave alone sent Xie Xie flying. He spun through the air before finally smashing into a large tree.

"Yangzi! Jinxi!" Tang Wulin shouted, extending his Golden Dragon Claw again in an attempt to draw the two gigantic beasts' attention.

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi exchanged a glance, then released their martial souls at the same time.

Black wings spread from Zhang Yangzi's back, and the aura of the Dark Illusion Demon Eagle filled the air.

Wang Jinxi's bones cracked loudly as a layer of invisible skeletal armor covered his body.

They knew they were no match for Ziyang and the others, so they immediately said, "Martial Soul Fusion Skill—Dark Eagle Dragon!"

Black light surged as their figures fused within the glow, transforming into a massive monster. Eagle wings, a dragon's body, bony claws—the aura of darkness swelled wildly, devouring all the surrounding virtual light.

Their cultivation was only at two rings, and their martial soul fusion skill was not yet mature. Yet the pressure it unleashed at that moment had already reached the level of a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger tilted its head, finding it rather uninteresting.

With a light beat of its wings, it arrived above the Dark Eagle Dragon.

It brought down a single tiger paw.

Boom—

The black light exploded like a punctured balloon. Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi were forced out of their fused state and sent flying in opposite directions.

They crashed onto the grass, rolled, and coughed up blood. Their martial soul fusion skill had been forcibly interrupted, and the backlash of soul power rampaged through their bodies, leaving them without even the strength to stand.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger landed between them, its Evil God Hook swaying gently as it found the fight rather dull.

Tang Wulin dropped to his knees, the light of his Golden Dragon Claw dimming. He looked at the two gigantic beasts, then at the boy standing where he was and commanding them. He was simply too powerful.

Like a monarch surveying his own territory, while they were merely ants that had wandered into it.

The next moment, Na'er attacked with her spear. She swept past Ziyang's side like a streak of silver lightning.

The Silver Dragon Spear spun in her hands, its tip shooting straight for Xie Xie. Before he could steady himself, the spearhead pierced his chest.

Xie Xie instantly turned into data and vanished into the woods.

The next moment, Na'er swung her spear toward Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi. The two boys still lay on the grass, unable to move even a finger due to the backlash from their martial soul fusion skill. They could only watch helplessly as that silver light closed in.

In the end, they too turned into data and vanished into the forest.

At that moment, Austin Griffin's attention was entirely fixed on Tang Wulin. That was right—it had been completely drawn in by the Golden Dragon King's Divine Core.

Nothing else interested it much, though the Annihilation Divine Core was quite significant.

Its black head exhaled darkness, which spread directly through the woods. Shadows surged toward Tang Wulin like a tide.

The head of annihilation lunged down and bit him directly. The sweet aura of the Golden Dragon King rushed into its mouth.

It nearly caused the Golden Dragon King's seal to shatter.

But in the next instant, a sea-blue radiance burst forth from Tang Wulin's forehead.

Time seemed to stop.

The virtual forest froze, fallen leaves suspended in midair. Yet time had not actually stopped; everything had merely slowed down.

Neither Ziyang nor Austin Griffin was affected in the slightest. Austin Griffin continued biting Tang Wulin viciously, devouring the energy within him.

A phantom figure condensed within the golden light.

Sea-blue hair, ancient robes, and a golden trident clutched in his hand. His face was indistinct, yet he carried a majesty that seemed to transcend time and space.

"Damn it, how can such a monster exist in this world!"

He snorted coldly, pointing the Sea God Trident forward. "But whether it truly is one or not, let me show you the gap between gods."

Sea God's Thirteen Halberds, Unfixed Storm!