Caught in Their Own Trap, Beating Up Da Ming

"Who's here?" the gray-masked man asked, irritation in his voice. A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring was almost within their grasp, and someone had chosen this moment to interfere.

"No idea. They stopped," the silver-masked man said, shaking his head. "Let's deal with this oversized worm first!"

As his words fell, the four released their Martial Souls. Each radiated evil, and fear crept into Da Ming's eyes.

The silver-masked man's Martial Soul was the Sky-Horned Ghost; the black-masked man's was the Mountain-Horned Ghost; the white-masked man's was the Unicorn Ghost; and the gray-masked man's was the Bald Ghost. The moment all four appeared, Da Ming felt as though he was no longer in the Star Dou Great Forest.

"A hundred-thousand-year-old worm dared to pick a fight with us, the Sakura Four Ghosts? Sorry, but we'll have to send you to meet the ghosts..." the gray-masked man said, excitement in his voice.

"Die..." Da Ming roared angrily. He spat a high-pressure jet of water and swept it across all four of them, trying to drive them farther away. He felt cold.

Boom! The Tribulation Lightning that had long gathered in the sky descended upon the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. A bolt as thick as a barrel slammed toward Da Ming.

"Is Tribulation Lightning supposed to be this spectacular? I think I can see my great-grandmother..." Before the white-masked man could finish, a lightning serpent struck his head. He collapsed, twitching.

The Tribulation Lightning had been meant to strike Da Ming alone. But when it saw the Sakura Four Ghosts' Martial Souls, it took up its duty to uphold righteousness and drive out evil. Four lightning serpents split off and struck the four Ghosts, scorching them black outside and cooking them tender within.

Da Ming had never imagined these four humans could serve such a purpose. The lightning serpents he had prepared split the heavenly bolts apart, leaving him to endure only their residual force. He suffered little harm.

"Humans, you're good people..." Da Ming looked at the Sakura Four Ghosts with his enormous, two-meter-wide eyes and spoke with utter sincerity. "Now die..."

Before he had even finished speaking, Da Ming swung his tail and smashed it toward all four of them.

Though the heavenly lightning had struck them, the four still had the strength of Titled Douluo. They reacted quickly, scrambling and rolling out of the way.

"You oversized worm! That's playing dirty..." Blood seeped out from behind the gray mask.

"Fourth Brother, stop wasting words on him. Let's attack," the black-masked man said. "We'll capture him with Four-Sided Ghost Suppression first..."

The four exchanged a glance, then swiftly separated and took positions on all four sides of Da Ming. "Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul True God! Fusion Soul Skill: Four-Sided Ghost Suppression!"

Four ugly ghosts, each three meters tall, formed identical hand seals. Death Aura surged from beneath their feet toward Da Ming. As their Death Aura collided, it tangled together and became black chains, link after link layering upon one another until a massive cage trapped Da Ming inside.

Da Ming had been on guard against their attacks, but he had focused on physical blows and paid no heed to the harm their Death Aura might do. By the time he realized his mistake, he was already trapped in the cage.

"Big Brother, we've trapped the worm. What now?" the white-masked man asked. "Didn't you say more people were coming? Do we kill him first, or wait for them?"

"We wait for them, of course. They're from Spirit Hall," the silver-masked man said loudly. "Your Holiness the Pope, since you've arrived, why not come out and meet us?"

Qian Xunji flew at the front, with five Titled Douluo behind him. Huang Batian had Huang Tieyi tucked under one arm. Ling Yuan Douluo had taken Bibi Dong back and had not come with them.

"Only four of you?" Qian Xunji said, looking utterly relaxed. "I made such a show of coming here that I thought you Evil Soul Masters might actually take me seriously. I never expected just the four of you."

"Your Holiness the Pope, you jest. How could the Holy Spirit Cult fail to take you seriously? You simply arrived too quickly. Many of our companions haven't reached us yet," the silver-masked man replied evenly.

"Oh, so that's it. I thought I might have been flattering myself!" Qian Xunji gave a slight wave of his hand. "Since the others aren't here yet, you four can die first."

Golden Crocodile Douluo released his Martial Soul, the Golden Crocodile King. Qian Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo released their Coiling Dragon Staffs. Huang Batian let go of Huang Tieyi, stepped through the air, and activated his Silver Saint Body Martial Soul. In an instant, the four surrounded the Sakura Four Ghosts.

"Thank you for showing us such respect, Your Holiness. We're only three Titled Douluo and one man on the verge of becoming one, yet you've brought out such a force." The silver-masked man's tone shifted. "Unfortunately, it still isn't enough..."

As if by shared instinct, the Sakura Four Ghosts darted backward at once. In an instant, they had surrounded Qian Xunji and the others. The Death Aura cage that had imprisoned Da Ming now enclosed them as well.

Qian Xunji and the others calmly gathered together and watched the Sky Azure Bull Python struggle against the Death Aura chains. "Your Holiness, these four Ghosts really did lock us in with the Sky Azure Bull Python. He's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that just survived his tribulation, and he has the lightning attribute, too. What a windfall."

"Your Holiness, Golden Crocodile, please finish off the Sky Azure Bull Python quickly. This environment is draining my Soul Power," Huang Tieyi said. His Golden Sacred Body Martial Soul could dispel all evil influences. With Martial Soul Possession active, he shone like a beacon inside the Death Aura-filled cage, driving back the aura and protecting Qian Xunji and the others.

"I know. Young people are so fussy..." Golden Crocodile Douluo activated his Martial Soul Avatar, becoming a giant golden crocodile. He charged the Sky Azure Bull Python and opened with a sweeping lash of the Golden Crocodile King's tail. It struck the python hard. Da Ming opened his mouth to bite back through the pain.

Lei Zhenyun seized the chance. In his Martial Soul Avatar form, a black panther, he flashed past Da Ming and left clear claw marks across his body.

"Argh... Damn you humans! I'll kill you! Kill you all..." The Sky Azure Bull Python opened his mouth and sprayed Thunder Serpent Beams across the cage, but every blast was dodged.

"Third Soul Skill: Tathagata Heavy Punch!" Huang Batian descended from above and drove his fist hard between the Sky Azure Bull Python's eyes. The python's sweeping Thunder Serpent Beams veered into the surrounding Death Aura Barrier as he recoiled in pain. The barrier shook, but not a single crack appeared.

"Eighth Soul Skill: Qian-Jun Strike!"

"Sixth Soul Skill: Demon-Subduing Coiling Dragon Pillar!"

Qian Jun Douluo's and Demon Subduing Douluo's Coiling Dragon Staffs slammed into the Sky Azure Bull Python with their Soul Skills. He promptly forgot the pain between his eyes: the staffs had forcibly broken off both his horns.

Agony wracked the Sky Azure Bull Python, and as his horns broke, the Dragon Qi within his body began to slowly drain away...