Declaring His Resolve

"Grandpa, can you bring my mom and dad back?"

Mu Tian'en's question was so soft that, beyond the shelter held open by Golden Crocodile Douluo's Soul Power, the storm would have blown it away in an instant.

Not a single word would have remained.

Yet Mu Tian'en's question was also so heavy that Golden Crocodile Douluo could not bring himself to lie to this young disciple.

Even after living for 130 years, Golden Crocodile Douluo still could not quite let go of matters of life and death.

If a Titled Douluo truly had the almost miraculous power to reverse life and death, he would have given up every shred of dignity back then to bring his old wife back to life.

Unfortunately, he did not have the power to cross the boundary between life and death.

After so many years alone, he had almost forgotten what his old wife looked like.

A trace of melancholy on his face, Golden Crocodile Douluo reached out and stroked Mu Tian'en's head without answering his question.

But that gesture had already told Mu Tian'en the answer.

The tears he had wiped away began to flow once more.

Looking at the little fellow before him, Golden Crocodile Douluo could not help recalling one of the legends of the Angel God.

"Legend has it that the Angel God once brought someone back to life."

"No, I should say that the history passed down through the generations of our Spirit Hall explicitly records that the Angel God resurrected her subordinate."

Golden Crocodile Douluo's murmurs were like thunder exploding beside Mu Tian'en's ears.

A god?

A being a level above a Titled Douluo, spoken of in legend?

And there was an explicit record of it, not merely a rumor.

Mu Tian'en did not know whether such a being could exist.

But now, like a man clutching at his last straw, he placed all his hopes in the direction of Spirit Hall.

"But, little fellow, what qualifies you to make the Angel God pay a great price to resurrect your parents?" Golden Crocodile Douluo's words held a hint of coldness.

After speaking, Golden Crocodile Douluo saw the beach Xiunuo had mentioned. Sensing signs of Soul Beast activity there, he silently restrained his Soul Power fluctuations and lowered his flight until he landed.

He set Mu Tian'en down from his arms.

Once Mu Tian'en was standing steadily, he fixed his eyes on the boy's.

Golden Crocodile Douluo swore that if even the slightest trace of hatred for Spirit Hall appeared in Mu Tian'en's eyes, he would personally wipe out this once-in-an-age genius.

He would not be as indecisive as his elder brother.

When Bibi Dong had succeeded to the position of Pope, Golden Crocodile Douluo had already seen the madness in that woman's eyes.

Her subsequent series of arrangements had not only confirmed Golden Crocodile Douluo's suspicions, but also convinced him that Bibi Dong still harbored an almost laughable love for that so-called Grandmaster.

Someone like that, as Pope...

Heh.

If his elder brother had not stopped him, spouting nonsense like "She did give birth to Xiao Xue'er, after all" and "The Qian Family did wrong her, after all," news of the current Pope's sudden death should have spread by now.

"I..." Mu Tian'en was somewhat taken aback by Grandpa Golden Crocodile's stern question.

These days, the elders of Spirit Hall had been quite fond of Mu Tian'en. Even Grandpa Xiunuo and Grandpa Ma, who were usually rather stern, showed him a gentleness unlike their usual selves.

Mu Tian'en had thought Golden Crocodile Douluo would be the same.

But now...

Mu Tian'en suddenly remembered something Grandpa Beita had once taught him.

Uncle A Niu from the fishing village had married into a family in the city.

Whenever he came home, he always put on a proud and happy face, but Mu Tian'en had seen Uncle A Niu and Grandpa Hei Niu holding each other and weeping bitterly with his own eyes.

Only after he told Grandpa Village Chief about it did the old man put down his pipe and say something about how every gift had a price marked on it by unseen hands.

Now was just such a time.

For no apparent reason, Mu Tian'en suddenly grew calm, shedding his childishness.

Under Golden Crocodile Douluo's undisguised gaze, Mu Tian'en put away his pampered-child demeanor and revealed a maturity beyond his years, that of a child who had followed Grandpa Village Chief out to sea to make a living at just three years old.

"I have talent." Mu Tian'en spoke each word deliberately, his eyes full of an almost manic flame. "I have the desire and conviction to turn my vision into reality."

"As long as I'm given time, I'll definitely be able to reach a point where the Angel God takes notice of me. I'll definitely be able to make him perform the miracle of bringing my parents back to life."

At present, this was the only way Mu Tian'en knew to bring his parents back.

If this method required him to pay an enormous price and reach great heights, then he would do it, would seize what he needed, placing everything within the scope of what he would take, for Spirit Hall.

"For Spirit Hall," Golden Crocodile Douluo said in a low voice.

"For Spirit Hall!" Mu Tian'en stared into Golden Crocodile Douluo's chilling gaze, so intense it seemed almost tangible, and nodded in promise.

After receiving Mu Tian'en's promise, Golden Crocodile Douluo's Soul Power erupted.

His glittering Golden Crocodile King Martial Soul also completed Martial Soul Possession at that moment.

Dense golden scales began to grow around his eyes and across his body. The Titled Douluo, who could be called first under heaven in physical cultivation when Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Hammer was absent, roared at the sea of sand, which had begun to surge into turmoil from the eruption of his Soul Power and his Martial Soul Possession.

Finding the so-called Sinking Sand Water Turtle he wanted in this vast sea of sand was no simple task.

But...

Golden Crocodile Douluo's Martial Soul was the Golden Crocodile King.

The Golden Crocodile King could command nearly any crocodile weaker than himself.

And Golden Crocodile Douluo did not believe that such an excellent hiding place as this sea of sand would be devoid of crocodile-type Soul Beasts.

The beastly pressure that could only arise from a top-tier Beast Martial Soul spread out, and in an instant suppressed the movements of the Soul Beasts in the sea of sand, which had grown unusually restless at the arrival of a strange Soul Master.

At the same time, however, the presence of a being at the pinnacle of crocodile-type Soul Beasts could not suppress the true top predators lurking in the sea of sand.

It even drew these creatures out, their forms slowly appearing, and among them were no few crocodile-type Soul Beasts.

Bubbles rose to the surface and burst in an instant. Across the surface of the sea of sand, numerous crocodile-type Soul Beasts awoke from sleep and began to rise.

One, two, three...

A group of two hundred Sand Sand Crocodiles slowly emerged. To secure better positions, the cruel creatures even crushed some of those around them that tried to seize advantageous spots between their teeth.

Fresh blood gave off a thick, bloody stench.

Gurgle...

Gurgle...

The crocodiles seemed to relish this bloody slaughter, even inviting the crocodile king who gave off that terrifying presence to join in.

But when they saw that the one exerting such pressure was not a crocodile-shaped Soul Beast at all, but a person, a vicious desire to devour him flashed through their beastly eyes.

They wanted to eat the one who still carried the scent of a crocodile king.

Swishing their tails, the crocodiles slowly closed in.

But...

Before they could attack, the crocodiles that had been eager to take a bite out of Golden Crocodile Douluo caught Mu Tian'en's faint scent in the air.