Before the words were even finished, Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo and the others shot out like arrows, their six-colored Soul Ring pulsating wildly, and their powerful Soul Skill instantly materialized.
Tang Xiao's eyes sharpened, and he shouted, "Follow me to meet the enemy!" He took the lead and charged forward with his hammer, followed closely by the five elders of the Clear Sky Sect and the three Titled Douluo of the Star Luo Empire. The eight figures were like angry dragons emerging from the sea, and the shockwaves stirred up by their Soul Power almost overturned the clouds.
The moment the two sides made contact, a deafening collision resounded. The ferocity of the Clear Sky Hammer, the eeriness of the Azure Phosphorous Purple Mist, the chilling aura of the Ghost Shadow, the domineering power of the Star Luo Empire experts... all sorts of Soul Skill intertwined and collided, as if the world was being torn apart by turbulent energy currents, and the walls of Heavenly Star Pass trembled under the aftershocks.
Tang Xiao's gaze swept over the crumbling pass, and without hesitation, he channeled his Soul Power into his voice. "This place is not suitable for a prolonged battle. Follow me to regroup!"
As he spoke, he suddenly exerted his strength, knocking his opponent back half a step, and his figure took the lead in rushing towards the open field ten miles away from Heavenly Star Pass. Seeing this, how could the Douluo of the Spirit Hall Empire allow them to escape their control? They immediately gave chase.
The powerful figures from the Clear Sky Sect and the Star Luo Empire quickly followed, and the two sides, like two torrents, engaged in an even more brutal battle in the sky above the wilderness.
Ten miles away, on the battlefield, every clash was enough to crack the earth and change the color of the mountains and rivers. Everyone knew that the outcome of this earth-shattering battle would directly determine the survival of Heavenly Star Pass —the victor would firmly control this strategic stronghold; the loser would only be able to watch helplessly as the pass fell into the hands of the enemy.
Several hours of fighting had already turned the wilderness into a scorched wasteland. Broken fragments of Soul Bone and blood-stained robes were scattered everywhere, and the air was filled with a heavy smell of blood and the burnt smell of colliding Soul Power.
The Spirit Hall Empire suffered heavy losses: the Porcupinefish Douluo was hit head-on by Tang Xiao's Ninth Soul Skill, the Clear Sky Hammer, and his body exploded; no matter how fast Ghost Leopard Douluo was, he could not escape the encirclement of the Star Luo Empire experts and died after exhausting his Soul Power; Snake Lance Douluo perished in a deadly battle with the Seventh Elder.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo survived by sheer luck, but they were exhausted and their ghostly shadows could no longer be formed. They were clearly seriously injured and on the verge of death. Golden Crocodile Douluo had deep claw marks on his chest that revealed the bone, and most of his golden scales had fallen off. His breath was as weak as a candle flickering in the wind. The other Douluo were also injured, and their fighting strength was less than 30%.
The three Titled Douluo of the Star Luo Empire also failed to escape unscathed: two of them were surrounded and killed by several Douluo while covering Tang Xiao, and the only survivor lost an arm and was exhausted of his Soul Power, already at his last gasp.
The situation at the Clear Sky Sect was even more dire. Tang Hao was covered in blood, with deep, bone-revealing claw marks on his back. His hand, gripping the Clear Sky Hammer, was trembling. Had it not been for his sheer willpower, he would have collapsed long ago. Tang Xiao's left shoulder was pierced by Soul Skill, and his face was ashen, yet he still desperately protected the remaining elders. The Fifth and Sixth Elders lay dead on this land forever. The Second, Third, and Seventh Elders survived, but they were also badly wounded and their breathing was disordered.
In this bloody battle, there were no true winners, only devastation and a heavy price to pay. The survivors looked at each other, their eyes filled with only exhaustion and solemnity—the fate of Heavenly Star Pass seemed to still hang on the edge of a knife.
The fierce battle ten miles outside Heavenly Star Pass was witnessed by a pair of eyes hidden in the shadows.
Yu Tianheng, clad in black armor, stood quietly on the watchtower of the Heaven Dou Army camp, toying with a jade pendant in his hand, his gaze never leaving the battlefield where energy surged.
During this period, the Heaven Dou army remained inactive, and he did not leave the military camp at all, as if the attack and defense of Heavenly Star Pass and the deadly battle of the Titled Douluo had nothing to do with him. While the strongmen of the Spirit Hall Empire fought on the front line, the Heaven Dou side just watched from the sidelines.
As the smoke of battle gradually subsided, the auras of the various Douluo were either extinguished or as faint as candles in the wind— the Spirit Hall Empire suffered heavy losses, and the Star Luo Empire and Clear Sky Sect were also severely weakened. Those who survived were already at their last gasp and could no longer pose a threat.
A cold smile curved Yu Tianheng's lips as he tucked the jade pendant back into his robes, a resolute glint in his eyes. "It's time."
He turned and walked down from the watchtower, heading straight for the elite camp next to the central command tent. Outside the tent, three thousand vanguard soldiers of the Divine Martial Army were already fully equipped and ready to go. These soldiers were all battle-hardened troops carefully selected by the Heaven Dou Empire. Their armor was gleaming, their aura was chilling, and their long spears were pointed diagonally at the ground, their silence exuding a murderous intent.
" Divine Martial Army, heed my command!" Yu Tianheng drew his longsword, the tip pointing directly at Heavenly Star Pass. "Follow me to breach Heavenly Star Pass and end this battle!"
"Yes!"
Three thousand roars echoed through the military camp, then transformed into a torrent of steel, charging fiercely towards the pass that had endured numerous battles and was now most vulnerable in defense.
The night was as dark as ink, and the cold wind whipped up sand and gravel that lashed against the armor of the Divine Martial Army, making a soft, clattering sound. Yu Tianheng reined in his steed, his scarlet cloak fluttering in the night wind. Behind him, the three thousand Divine Martial Army stood like lurking beasts, their breaths filled with a chilling aura of killing intent.
At the very front of the group, besides Yu Tianheng, stood another figure. The person was wrapped in a black cloak from head to toe, and even the surrounding light seemed to be absorbed by the cloak, leaving only a blurry outline that blended into the night.
" Heavenly Star Pass is just ahead." Yu Tianheng's eyes were sharp as an eagle's as he looked at the majestic pass standing among the mountains not far away. The city walls were brightly lit, and the figures of armored soldiers moved back and forth between the crenellations. The giant crossbows mounted on the city towers could be vaguely seen, exuding a chilling sharpness.
He slowly turned to the side, solemnly clasped his hands in a salute to the black-cloaked figure beside him, and said in a very low voice, yet with unmistakable respect, "Thank you for your help, Senior Dugu."
The person under the cloak did not respond immediately, only a very soft chuckle was heard, like the night wind passing through a gap. The next moment, the hood was lifted by a hand with distinct knuckles, revealing a pale yet somewhat sinister face. The old man had silver hair, long and narrow eyes, and an eerie purple glint in his pupils. He was none other than the lone wolf among the titled Douluo—Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.
"Young Yu, stop with the formalities." Dugu Bo cracked his knuckles, his tone somewhat nonchalant. "Without me, no matter how many of you come to Heavenly Star Pass, you'd just be easy prey."
Yu Tianheng's expression remained unchanged, but he already had a plan in mind. He knew better than anyone that Heavenly Star Pass, as the first pass of the Star Luo Empire, was not only strategically important and heavily fortified, but more importantly, the Star Luo Empire would never allow such a formidable pass to be left unguarded by top-tier combat forces.
A powerful figure at the Titled Douluo level would undoubtedly be present. Such beings could annihilate thousands of troops with a mere gesture. Even with Yu Tianheng's exceptional talent, he could only barely hold his own against two or three Titled Douluo, let alone break through the barrier—a pipe dream indeed.