Heaven Dou in Peril: Luring the Tiger from the Mountain and the Shadow Sect Master's Fangs
Heaven Dou City's walls gleamed coldly beneath the setting sun. The streets, once bustling, were now deserted. Only the alliance Soul Masters on patrol walked with heavy steps, while the oppressive feeling of an approaching storm hung in the air.
That was the sight that greeted Tang San and his companions when they hurried back to the city gates. The Ice Plains Ancient Dragon's scale was shining with a dazzling light, and the sense of danger it carried had become almost palpable, making Tang San's heart clench again and again.
"Something's wrong." Lin Ye's Golden Crow Perception pierced through the city walls, and his face instantly turned deathly pale. "There are two powerful sources of dark energy inside the city. One of them... is even more terrifying than the Shadow Priest! And... Sect Master Ning and Sect Master Yu's presences are very faint!"
"What?!" Tang San's pupils contracted sharply. Blue Silver Grass spread wildly, slipping through the cracks in the city wall. "Open the gates, quickly!"
The Soul Masters guarding the city recognized them and hurriedly lowered the drawbridge. As soon as the group entered the city, they were stunned by the sight before them-
The main avenue was littered with the corpses of alliance Soul Masters, and black corrosion marks were everywhere. The disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan were being driven steadily back by a group of Soul Masters in black battle armor. Their Martial Souls all carried a dense darkness, clearly marking them as the Shadow Pavilion's core fighting force.
More alarming still, the sounds of violent Soul Power clashes came from the direction of the imperial palace. Two figures could vaguely be seen locked in battle in midair. One wielded Tang Xiao's Clear Sky Hammer, while the other... was a figure shrouded in black mist. Every one of his attacks carried enough force to tear through space, driving Tang Xiao into one desperate situation after another.
"Is that... the Shadow Sect Master?" Oscar's voice trembled.
"Uncle Tang Xiao!" Tang San roared. His Blue Silver Grass instantly transformed into countless spikes and shot toward the dark Soul Masters attacking the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's disciples. The power of the Chaos Azure Lotus flowed into them, and wherever the seven-colored light passed, the dark energy melted away like ice and snow.
"Tang San? Why have you come back?" Ning Fengzhi leaned on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, his face as pale as paper. The light at the top of the pagoda had dimmed, a clear sign of how much he had expended. Beside him, Yu Luomian's left arm was twisted at an unnatural angle, and blue lightning flickered weakly around him. He, too, was clearly badly injured.
"We fell into their trap!" Tang San supported Ning Fengzhi and stuffed a Recovery Sausage into his mouth. "The Shadow Pavilion's target was Heaven Dou City!"
"They were too cunning." Yu Luomian panted heavily. "A large number of dark Soul Masters appeared in the city as soon as you left Sunset Forest. The man in the black mist leading them was unfathomably powerful. General Meng Zhi has already..." His voice choked, and he could go no further.
Tang San's heart sank to the bottom of a valley. Meng Zhi was the Heaven Dou Empire's Guardian Douluo, his strength comparable to Tang Xiao's at his peak. Even he had fallen victim, which showed just how fierce the battle had been.
"Xiao Wu, take Sect Master Ning and Sect Master Yu somewhere safe!" Tang San made a snap decision. "Lin Ye, come with me to help my uncle! Dai Mubai, Tai Long, Oscar, clear out the dark Soul Masters in the city and protect the civilians!"
"Okay!"
With their tasks assigned, Tang San and Lin Ye immediately rushed toward the imperial palace. In midair, cracks had already appeared in Tang Xiao's Clear Sky Hammer, and sweat had soaked his clothes. Against the man in the black mist's attacks, he could barely defend himself and had no strength to strike back.
"Tang Xiao, I'm your opponent. Let your attention wander, and you'll die." The man's voice sounded like countless vengeful spirits howling, making their scalps prickle. With a casual wave, he sent a black energy whip lashing toward Tang Xiao's back, too fast for anyone to react.
"Uncle, watch out!" Tang San's Blue Silver Grass arrived just in time, weaving a seven-colored shield of light behind Tang Xiao.
"Bang!"
The energy whip struck the shield, making it tremble violently as the Blue Silver Grass snapped inch by inch. The impact made Tang San spit out a mouthful of blood, but he had managed to block the fatal blow.
"Little San?!" Tang Xiao was both shocked and delighted, but then he shouted angrily, "Who told you to come back?! This is a trap!"
"We know it's a trap!" Lin Ye had already condensed his Lotus Flame into a spear. Taking advantage of the moment when the man in the black mist was distracted by Tang San, he thrust it viciously at the man's back. "But we can't just stand by and watch Heaven Dou City be destroyed!"
The man in the black mist seemed to think nothing of Lin Ye. He neither dodged nor evaded, allowing the Lotus Flame spear to strike him. Yet the moment it touched the black mist, a powerful suction gripped it. The golden flames actually began flowing backward, turning on Lin Ye!
"Watch out!" Tang San hurriedly wrapped Lin Ye in Blue Silver Grass and pulled him back. The flames of the Lotus Flame spear had already turned black. They exploded in midair, several times more powerful than before.
"Oh? The Three-Legged Golden Crow's Core Flame? How interesting." The man in the black mist slowly turned around, revealing a pair of golden eyes beneath his hood, identical to those of the mysterious figure in Gengxin City and Sunset Forest. "A pity it fell into the hands of a greenhorn who doesn't know how to use it."
"Who are you?" Tang San clenched his fists. The Chaos Azure Lotus spun wildly inside him as he guarded against his opponent's attacks.
"Who I am doesn't matter." The man chuckled, his voice carrying a strange penetrating power. "What matters is that it's time you returned the three keys in your possession to me."
He extended his right hand, his fingers forming a claw. A terrifying suction came from his palm, and Tang San and Lin Ye immediately felt their Soul Power flowing uncontrollably out of their bodies. The Angel Divine Sense Crystal, Core of Life, and Ice Plains Ancient Dragon's scale in their storage bags all trembled violently, as if they were about to burst out.
"Dream on!" Tang San roared. The power of the Chaos Azure Lotus erupted at full force, forming a barrier of seven-colored light that blocked the suction. "You're the master of the Shadow Pavilion? You used the trick of luring the tiger away from the mountain to draw us away, then seized the chance to launch a surprise attack on Heaven Dou City, all to seize the keys?"
"Clever." A flicker of approval passed through the Shadow Sect Master's golden eyes. "Unfortunately, you're too late. I've already destroyed Heaven Dou City's defenses, and more than half the alliance's main Soul Master force is dead or wounded. Even if you've returned, you can't change the outcome."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the ground suddenly shook violently, and screams rose one after another throughout the city. Tang San looked down to see countless black tentacles burrowing up from underground. They wrapped around the surviving alliance Soul Masters and civilians, ceaselessly draining their vitality and feeding it into the Shadow Sect Master.
"What are you doing?!" Tang San's eyes nearly split with rage. The tentacles' power came from the same source as the Nine-Headed Ice Serpent's dark energy, but it was more concentrated and terrifying.
"Just collecting a little 'nourishment,'" the Shadow Sect Master said lightly. "Opening the Shadow Gate requires a great deal of vitality. The hundreds of thousands of people in Heaven Dou City are just enough."
"Madman!" Tang Xiao roared. His Clear Sky Hammer, bearing the force of ten thousand weights, smashed toward the Shadow Sect Master. "I'll kill you!"
The Shadow Sect Master neither dodged nor evaded. With a casual wave of his right hand, he blocked the Clear Sky Hammer's attack. Black energy spread along the hammer's handle, and Tang Xiao felt an icy force invade his body. Unable to suppress a grunt, he was sent flying backward by the impact.
"Uncle!" Tang San hurriedly caught Tang Xiao and found that his arm had already been corroded by the dark energy. The wound was still spreading.
"Little San... go..." Tang Xiao said weakly. "You're his target... take the keys... and leave..."
"I'm not leaving!" A flash of resolve appeared in Tang San's eyes. "If we go, we go together!"
He entrusted Tang Xiao to Xiao Wu, who had just arrived, then turned to face the Shadow Sect Master. The Chaos Azure Lotus shone brighter than ever before. "Lin Ye, use Lotus Fire Blazing Sun!"
"Understood!" Lin Ye knew this was their only chance. He burned a portion of his Soul Power, and a Golden Crow phantom spread its wings in midair, emitting a dazzling light. "Golden Crow: Blazing Sun!"
Brilliant light instantly engulfed all of Heaven Dou City. The dark tentacles recoiled painfully in its radiance, and the black mist around the Shadow Sect Master churned violently. A flicker of discomfort appeared in his golden eyes.
Now!
Tang San poured all his power into the Chaos Azure Lotus. The seven-colored light transformed into a gigantic lotus that slowly bloomed toward the Shadow Sect Master. It contained the power to purify everything, and wherever it passed, the dark energy retreated.
"The Chaos Azure Lotus's origin power?" For the first time, a trace of surprise entered the Shadow Sect Master's voice. "You're more interesting than I imagined. Unfortunately... it's still not enough!"
A pair of enormous black wings suddenly unfurled behind him. They were covered in golden patterns and radiated a suffocating pressure. As soon as they appeared, the surrounding space began to warp, and the purifying power of Tang San's lotus was forcibly held at bay.
"Those are... the God of Darkness's wings?" Lin Ye cried out, having seen similar accounts in ancient texts. "You're not human! You're an emissary from the Dark Plane!"
"You could say that." The Shadow Sect Master gave a gentle sweep of his wings, sending a black storm surging toward Tang San and Lin Ye. "I've come to reclaim what belongs to the Dark Plane. The Chaos Azure Lotus was always a union of light and darkness. The God of Light took it away long ago, and now... it's time to return it to its rightful owner!"
The black storm contained a terrifying devouring force. Tang San's lotus was instantly torn apart, and he and Lin Ye were struck by the storm at the same time. They flew backward like kites with their strings cut, slammed heavily into the imperial palace wall, and spat out large mouthfuls of blood.
The Shadow Sect Master walked toward them one step at a time, greed glittering in his golden eyes. "Hand over the keys, and I can give you a quicker death."
Tang San struggled to stand, only to find that the storm had devoured almost all the Soul Power in his body. The light of the Chaos Azure Lotus had also dimmed. He looked around. The corpses of alliance Soul Masters lay everywhere, Dai Mubai and Tai Long were still fighting desperately to hold on, Oscar was using the last of his Soul Power to make sausages and treat the wounded, and Xiao Wu was supporting Tang Xiao and Ning Fengzhi, her eyes full of despair.
Were they... really going to lose?
Just then, the Ice Plains Ancient Dragon's scale on Tang San's chest suddenly erupted with an unprecedented radiance. A soft beam of white light shot from it and merged into the Chaos Azure Lotus. At the same time, the Angel Divine Sense Crystal and Core of Life flew into the air, forming a triangle with the Chaos Azure Lotus and emitting a brilliant light.
"Hmm?" The Shadow Sect Master's expression changed. "The Ice Plains Ancient Dragon's presence? And the Angel God's lingering will and the Core of Life... Are they resonating?"
Tang San felt an unprecedented power pour into him. The powers of the Chaos Azure Lotus, the Angel Divine Sense, the Core of Life, and the Ice Plains Ancient Dragon's scale merged perfectly, forming a gigantic phantom behind him. Its upper body was human and its lower body a lotus. A pair of Golden Crow wings grew from its back, and it held a longsword made of ice dragon scales and angel feathers. It was sacred and majestic.
"Is this... the power of balance between light and darkness?" The Shadow Sect Master's voice was filled with incredulous terror. "Impossible! How could you possibly control such power?!"
Tang San slowly stood, feeling the immense power flowing through him. An unprecedented determination shone in his eyes. "You're wrong. Power has never belonged to light or darkness. It belongs to everyone who protects the balance."
He raised the longsword in his hand, and the ice dragon scales and angel feathers on its blade lit up at once. "Today, I'll show you what true power is!"
Looking at the phantom behind Tang San, the Shadow Sect Master showed fear for the first time. He frantically channeled his dark energy, sending the black storm sweeping in again. But when it touched the phantom's light, it melted away like ice and snow.
"No-!"
Tang San slashed down with his sword. A seven-colored sword light tore across the sky, instantly severing the Shadow Sect Master's black wings. He let out a shrill scream, the black mist churning violently as his body began to disintegrate.
"I'll be back!" The Shadow Sect Master's voice was filled with unwillingness and venom. In the end, he turned into a wisp of black smoke and vanished into the air.
As the Shadow Sect Master dissipated, the dark Soul Masters and tentacles also collapsed, and Heaven Dou City's crisis finally came to an end.
Tang San watched the longsword in his hand gradually fade away. His body went limp, and he fell backward. Lin Ye hurriedly caught him and found that he had fallen completely unconscious, though a faint, relieved smile rested on his face.
The last rays of the setting sun fell over the ruins of Heaven Dou City, leaving a scene of devastation. The surviving alliance Soul Masters and civilians supported one another as they looked at the unconscious Tang San, their eyes full of gratitude and awe.
Dai Mubai walked over to Lin Ye and looked at Tang San's pale face. "Did we... win?" he asked softly.
Lin Ye looked up at the sky, where the dark clouds were dispersing to reveal a stretch of clear blue. "Yes, we won."
Though they had paid a heavy price, they had ultimately protected Heaven Dou City and stopped the Shadow Pavilion's plot to open the Shadow Gate. Yet Lin Ye knew the Shadow Sect Master's final words were no empty threat. The danger from the Dark Plane had not been completely eliminated, and their battle might still be far from over.
But for now, looking at the companions beside him and the people who had survived, Lin Ye's heart was full of hope. As long as they were still together, as long as their conviction to protect the balance remained, they could face whatever wind and rain the future held, hand in hand.
The bells of Heaven Dou City rang out once more. This time, they were no longer a battle horn, but a prelude to new life.