The Soul Bone Trap: Two Douluo Close In for the Kill and the Golden Crow's Tragedy
After they ventured deep into the heart of Sunset Forest, the mist gradually thinned, revealing an eerie black swamp. A rock rose from its center, giving off a faint, seven-colored glow-it was the unmistakable presence of the Azure Lotus Soul Bone fragment.
"The Soul Bone is right there." Tang San's Blue Silver Grass swayed gently, sending him a warning. "But it's too quiet around here. There isn't even a trace of a Soul Beast."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin stared at the swamp, his brows tightly furrowed. "There are fluctuations of Soul Power beneath the swamp. They're well hidden, as if some kind of formation has been laid down."
Tang Chen tightened his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer and said in a low voice, "Should I go scout ahead?"
"Don't be rash." Tang San stopped him. "Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo must be hiding nearby, waiting for us to walk into their trap."
Lin Ye activated Golden Crow Perception, trying to see through the swamp's barrier, but all he felt was an icy pull, as if it meant to devour his Soul Power. "There's something wrong with this swamp. The water is corrosive, and it can absorb Soul Power too."
Just then, the swamp began to bubble. Black mud churned as countless barbed vines burst from the muck and coiled toward the group like venomous snakes!
"They've made their move!" Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword flashed from its sheath. Sword Qi crisscrossed the air, severing the vines one by one. "Tang San, take the others and get the Soul Bone! Leave this to me!"
"Be careful, senior!" Tang San hesitated no longer. He directed his Blue Silver Grass to build a makeshift bridge across the swamp. "Tang Chen, protect Oscar and Xiao Wu. Lin Ye, Dai Mubai and I will clear the way!"
The Clear Sky Sect disciples immediately formed a defensive formation, swinging their Clear Sky Hammers to smash the vines that slipped through to pieces.
Tang San, Lin Ye and Dai Mubai were the first to step onto the Blue Silver Grass bridge, charging toward the rock in the center. The closer they got, the stronger the seven-colored glow became, and the clearer the Azure Lotus Soul Bone's presence grew.
"It's right on top!" A flicker of joy passed through Lin Ye's eyes. Golden Crow Fire danced in his palm, ready to deal with anything unexpected.
When they were ten meters from the rock, the swamp exploded, and two figures sprang from the mud-Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei!
"At last, you're here!" A golden chrysanthemum bloomed in Yue Guan's hand, its highly poisonous petals shooting at them like darts. "Let's see who can save you this time!"
Gui Mei, meanwhile, turned into a black shadow and struck straight at Tang San's back with Netherworld Ghost Claw, moving too fast for anyone to react!
"Look out!" Lin Ye roared and shoved Tang San aside, meeting Gui Mei's ghost claw himself. Golden Crow Fire formed a suit of blazing armor around him, trying to resist the claw's corrosion.
"Screech-"
Netherworld Ghost Claw collided with the flaming armor with an ear-piercing sound. Lin Ye felt an icy force invade his body, frantically devouring his Soul Power. He could not suppress a grunt as the impact sent him flying backward, and he crashed heavily onto the Blue Silver Grass bridge.
"Lin Ye!" Tang San's eyes nearly split with rage. Blue Silver Grass burst forth, binding Gui Mei, while Tang San turned to help Lin Ye up. "How are you?"
Lin Ye's face turned pale in an instant, and black blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. "His Soul Power... can devour flames..."
Dai Mubai seized the chance to unleash the speed of the Hell Spirit Cat, his sharp claws aimed straight at Yue Guan's throat, but Yue Guan blocked them with his chrysanthemum. The two immediately fell into battle, the light of their clashing Soul Power illuminating the sky above the swamp.
"Getting distracted will get you killed!" Gui Mei sneered and unleashed his Soul Power, breaking free of the Blue Silver Grass before pouncing on Tang San again.
Chen Xin wanted to help, but dozens of Netherworld Shadow Clones suddenly emerged from the swamp and tied him down. Though his Seven Kill Sword was fierce, even he could not break through the clones' encirclement quickly.
Tang Chen and the Clear Sky Sect disciples were also entangled by vines and shadow clones, unable to get close at all.
Tang San looked at Gui Mei pressing relentlessly closer, then at the injured Lin Ye. A trace of resolve flashed in his eyes. He entrusted Lin Ye to Xiao Wu, who had rushed over, and pulled out a black cylinder-the Hidden Weapon he had secretly forged in Gengxin City, the Torrential Pear Blossom Needles!
"Try this!" Tang San roared. The Torrential Pear Blossom Needles fired in an instant, sending hundreds of poisonous needles as fine as ox hair shooting toward Gui Mei.
Gui Mei had not expected Tang San to have such a weapon and hurriedly released Netherworld Fog to block it. The poisonous needles pierced the fog. Though they missed his vital points, they left several bloody holes in his arm.
"Despicable!" Gui Mei shouted furiously, swinging Netherworld Ghost Claw again. This time, his target was the completely defenseless Xiao Wu!
"Xiao Wu!" Tang San and Lin Ye cried out at the same time.
Lin Ye struggled to his feet, and Golden Crow Fire erupted once more. This time, he held nothing back, condensing all his Soul Power into a golden pillar of fire and sending it toward Gui Mei. He knew this was the only way to buy Xiao Wu time.
"Golden Crow... burn the heavens!"
The pillar of fire collided with Gui Mei's ghost claw with a heaven-shaking boom. The force of the flames drove Gui Mei back, and he stared at Lin Ye in surprise. "Burning your Soul Power? Have you gone mad?"
Lin Ye's hair turned gray in an instant, and the color drained from his skin, but a resolute light shone in his eyes. "For my companions... it's worth it!"
He used the last of his strength to drive the Golden Crow Fire toward Gui Mei, shouting to Tang San as he did, "Get the Soul Bone! Go!"
Tang San watched Lin Ye's burning figure, his heart twisting as if cut by a knife. He knew what Lin Ye intended, and he also knew this was no time to hesitate. Gritting his teeth, he turned and charged toward the rock in the center, using his Blue Silver Grass to push his speed to its limit.
"Don't even think about it!" Yue Guan sensed his intention and broke away from Dai Mubai, sending his golden chrysanthemum crashing toward Tang San.
Dai Mubai roared and chased after him, only to be blasted away by Yue Guan's Soul Power. He crashed heavily into the swamp, and black mud instantly swallowed him up to his chest.
"Dai Mubai!" Xiao Wu cried out and tried to save him, but a shadow clone held her back.
At that critical moment, an aged yet commanding voice rang out. "You scum from Spirit Hall dare hurt my Clear Sky Sect's people!"
Tang Hao appeared in the sky above the swamp as if he had descended from the heavens. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand came crashing down on Yue Guan and Gui Mei with the power to destroy heaven and earth!
"Tang Hao?!" Yue Guan and Gui Mei's expressions changed drastically, their eyes full of disbelief. "How are you here?"
"I'm the man who's come to take your worthless lives!" Tang Hao roared. The power of his Clear Sky Hammer made the entire swamp tremble. Yue Guan and Gui Mei did not dare take the blow head-on and hurriedly dodged.
During that brief opening, Tang San finally reached the rock and seized the seven-colored Soul Bone. It felt warm in his hand and resonated with the Life Soul Bone on his back. A pure force instantly flowed through his entire body.
"I've got it!" Tang San shouted.
"Retreat!" Seeing this, Tang Hao no longer lingered in battle. He swung the Clear Sky Hammer, forcing Yue Guan and Gui Mei back, then grabbed the injured Lin Ye and Dai Mubai. "Tang San, take the others and go!"
Tang San did not hesitate. Directing the Blue Silver Grass bridge, he led Xiao Wu, Oscar, Tang Chen and the surviving Clear Sky Sect disciples toward the outskirts of the forest.
Tang Hao covered their retreat, bringing the Clear Sky Hammer down on Yue Guan and Gui Mei like a furious storm, leaving them unable to give chase.
After escaping Sunset Forest, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Tang San immediately examined Lin Ye's injuries and found that the Soul Power inside him had been almost entirely devoured. His vitality was also rapidly fading, and his face was as pale as a paper doll's.
"Lin Ye! Hang on!" Tang San held the Soul Bone he had just obtained close to Lin Ye's body, trying to use the Azure Lotus Soul Bone's power to heal him. "I won't let anything happen to you!"
The Azure Lotus Soul Bone's seven-colored light flowed into Lin Ye, resonating with the Golden Crow Fire remaining in his body. A little color returned to his face, but he remained unconscious.
Tang Hao looked at the unconscious Lin Ye, a trace of sorrow in his eyes. "To save you, he forcibly burned his Golden Crow origin. Even if he survives, his Soul Power may remain at its current level forever..."
"We still have to save him!" Tang San's voice choked with emotion. "He's my companion!"
Xiao Wu and Oscar's eyes reddened as well. Dai Mubai clutched his chest, filled with self-reproach. "It's all because I was too weak. I couldn't protect him..."
Tang Hao sighed and took a red fruit from his robes. "This is a Blood Dragon Fruit from Holy Soul Mountain. It might preserve his vitality. Let's return to Heaven Dou City first and ask Yu Luomian and Ning Fengzhi to find a way."
Tang San took the Blood Dragon Fruit and carefully fed it to Lin Ye. It melted as soon as it entered his mouth, turning into a warm current that flowed through his body. His breathing gradually steadied.
The group did not dare delay and immediately set out for Heaven Dou City. The setting sun stretched their shadows long, and sorrow and heaviness hung in the air.
They had obtained the Soul Bone, but paid a bitter price. Lin Ye's fate remained uncertain, weighing on everyone's heart like a massive stone.
Tang San gripped the Azure Lotus Soul Bone tightly, feeling the power it contained, and a cold killing intent flashed in his eyes. He knew this was far from over. For Lin Ye, for his companions, for the entire continent, he had to become stronger-strong enough to utterly crush Spirit Hall's plot and protect everyone he held dear.
Meanwhile, beside the swamp in Sunset Forest, Yue Guan and Gui Mei stared in the direction the others had fled, their faces dark.
"We let them get away..." Yue Guan said through gritted teeth.
Gui Mei snorted coldly. "The monk may run, but the temple can't. The Three-Legged Golden Crow is crippled. Even if Tang San has the Soul Bone, he won't be able to stir up much of a storm. Let's return and report, then prepare for the next phase of the plan."
The two figures vanished into the thick mist, leaving only the eerie black swamp, which gave off an ominous presence in the darkness.
The struggle over the Soul Bone had drawn to a close for the moment, but everyone knew this was only the prelude to a greater storm. Lin Ye's sacrifice would forever be a source of pain in Tang San's heart, and his greatest driving force to grow stronger. In the alliance's main camp in Heaven Dou City, a decisive battle that would determine the continent's fate was quietly brewing.