Chapter 375: Chapter 355: Su Yue's Anger
"Yes, it's really quite the coincidence," Su Cheng remarked with a mocking laugh. "Unless all external forces are completely taken into account and eliminated, situations like this are hard to avoid. There's always a chance for something to intervene and save the day."
He turned to Su Yue and asked, "By the way, is all of the power of destiny on Douluo Star really tied to that Three-Eyed Golden Lion?"
"Of course." Su Yue could hear the implication in his words and added, "But today's events shouldn't have anything to do with that."
"Alright then," Su Cheng nodded. He didn't fully understand these things anyway.
"But even so, the Spirit Hall will still win."
"You said the same thing earlier. However, winning and killing are two different matters."
"…"
Seeing that Su Yue had nothing more to say, Su Cheng didn't press further. He turned his gaze to the battlefield ahead. "Let's keep watching."
In the short time during their conversation, the battle in the field shifted once more.
With Bibi Dong and her people now personally entering the fray, the Death Domain unfurled, instantly putting tremendous pressure on the two soul beasts.
Although Bibi Dong's current power was suppressed due to the divine trial, her spirit quality and deep strength were undeniable. The essence of her domain was extremely high, and even under the dual pressure of the Gravity Domain and the Slow Domain, she could still exert significant restrictive power.
The Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python exchanged glances, their expressions grim.
Even before, they had struggled to deal with the combined might of the Elders of Douluo Hall. Now, with Tang Hao assisting through his repeated use of spirit ring explosions, they still couldn't swiftly take down these two Rank 96 pinnacle Douluo.
Moreover, at this point, blood was gushing from Tang Hao's nose and mouth like a fountain. His torn clothes revealed ruptured blood vessels, and his entire body was coated in a thick layer of dried blood, clearly indicating that he could no longer hold on for much longer.
Seeing this, the two soul beasts began contemplating retreat.
They weren't foolish; their main goal this time was to rescue someone. As for avenging Xiao Wu's mother by killing Spirit Hall's titled Douluo, that was never on their agenda.
However, Bibi Dong acted faster than they could!
"Chrysanthemum Elder, Ghost Elder!" she shouted sharply.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo immediately understood her command. Golden flames erupted from Chrysanthemum Douluo while silver flames burst from Ghost Douluo. The nine spirit rings around each of them lit up simultaneously, casting a brilliant radiance.
The two stood facing each other, their four hands tightly clasped. Their bodies merged together, and the combined force of eighteen spirit rings condensed into a massive golden-silver spirit ring that floated into the air, causing their figures to disappear.
In a blink, the giant ring expanded to over a hundred meters in diameter, turning the entire world into a realm of gold and silver. Everything in the surroundings came to a complete halt.
The Titan Giant Ape, Azure Bull Python, and Tang Hao were all frozen in place.
This was the Spirit Fusion Skill: Polar Stillness Domain!
It was because of this fusion skill that these two combat-weak and lower-ranked Titled Douluo held a status in Spirit Hall higher than ordinary elders.
However, maintaining the fusion skill was strenuous for the two of them.
After detonating three ten-thousand-year spirit rings and one hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, Tang Hao's strength had already approached Rank 97. Combined with the relentless struggle of the two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo clearly wouldn't be able to hold them much longer.
But it wasn't just them in the field—Bibi Dong, and other two Peak Douluos, three of Spirit Hall's top powerhouses, were also present.
If the three struck now, they could kill Tang Hao in one blow and seriously wound the two soul beasts.
However, Bibi Dong didn't target them. Her gaze immediately shifted to the two figures in the rear—Xiao Wu and Tang San!
By this point, her strategy had changed.
To her, attacking the two soul beasts was now a less efficient choice.
Both the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python far outclassed Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo in strength, and suppressing them was already difficult. Additionally, both of the beasts had thick hides, making it hard to deliver a lethal blow.
Attacking now would likely cause the already fragile Polar Stillness Domain to collapse.
She could, of course, deal significant damage to them, but it wouldn't be worth much.
Defeating weaker opponents is easy, but killing them outright is much harder. Even with their current numbers, it wouldn't be enough, especially since Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo would be out of the fight once their fusion skill depleted their spirit power.
In a three-on-three fight, they couldn't prevent their enemies from escaping. The only one they could kill was Tang Hao, who was already at death's door.
Instead of targeting Tang San or Tang Hao, there was a far more important and rewarding target—capturing Xiao Wu!
Though Bibi Dong couldn't immediately attach a spirit ring to her Soul Devouring Spider Emperor due to the strain of using a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, she could still capture Xiao Wu as a reserve.
Compared to the Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python, Xiao Wu—who also had a hundred-thousand-year cultivation—lacked the strength of such a beast. She was merely a newly promoted Spirit Ancestor, a weak soul master.
Without hesitation, Bibi Dong's figure flashed, and she appeared right in front of the two, reaching out to grab Xiao Wu.
"Watch out!"
Seeing the sudden figure, Tang San didn't have time to think. His first instinct was to turn his body and shield the girl in his arms, using his back to block the fierce attack.
Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow but didn't hesitate. Her hand shifted, forming a knife with her fingers, which pierced through Tang San's back and tore into his heart. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed him aside.
From the moment Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo used their fusion skill, to Bibi Dong's sudden change in target, to Tang San's instinctive reaction, everything happened in the blink of an eye.
As Tang San's life force ebbed away, Xiao Wu finally snapped out of her shock.
She looked toward the broken figure that had been thrown aside, watching as his lips moved slightly...
"Run..."
"!"
Her eyes instantly turned blood red. She threw her head back and screamed, "Ah—"
A sharp, anguished wail erupted from her throat.
The next moment, a dazzling red light burst from her forehead, rapidly expanding into a crimson ring that spread outward.
Wherever the red light passed, the forest and everything in it were dyed in blood. In that instant, everything came to a complete standstill. The Polar Stillness Domain cast by Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo shattered in an instant.
The gold and silver lights cracked like glass.
With muffled groans, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo spat blood and separated, frozen in midair.
Stillness. At that moment, everything in the blood-red glow came to an absolute halt, even the energy fluctuations in the air.
The only one able to move was the figure at the center of the red glow.
Xiao Wu's entire body had turned crimson, her clothes incinerated, revealing her perfect, translucent form, gleaming like a radiant ruby.
But at this point, everyone else's consciousness had been completely frozen. Only Bibi Dong, with her nearly evolved mental strength, could still barely think.
This was the power of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, fully burning its soul and life.
Its power was far beyond that of a typical peak Douluo.
Of course, Su Cheng was an exception.
He quietly watched the scene unfold from a distance.
He knew that Spirit Hall's pursuit had completely failed this time.
If the Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python were just helping earlier, now that Xiao Wu was dead, they would go berserk.
In a desperate situation, if Bibi Dong didn't want to see too many casualties on the Spirit Hall's side, they would have to retreat.
Even if they didn't retreat, it would be hard to keep these guys here. After all, both Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had completely lost their combat capabilities.
Su Yue, who was enveloped in Su Cheng's domain, was similarly unaffected by the powerful surge from Xiao Wu's sacrifice.
"What do you think?"
As Su Cheng pondered over the series of events that had transpired today, he casually asked out of curiosity.
After all, she could be considered one of his people. As the co-ruler of the spirit beasts, the Silver Dragon King would likely have mixed feelings seeing a fellow spirit beast sacrifice herself for a human.
To be honest, such a scene was rarely seen even among humans.
Many couples exist, but how many of them would truly be willing to die for one another?
So, as Su Cheng had mentioned when he took her to observe the Shrek Academy members back in Fenghua Town, watching the emotional changes in these people was far more meaningful than observing ordinary humans.
Their emotional depth was indeed different from most others, in every way.
"..."
Upon hearing Su Cheng's question, Su Yue fell silent, unsure of what to think.
Should she condemn Xiao Wu for betraying the spirit beast race?
After all, she was a spirit beast, but she not only fell in love with a human, she also sacrificed herself for him, burning her cultivation in the process.
Yet, despite knowing her identity, Tang San was still willing to die for her, to shield her from an attack by a Titled Douluo that he had no chance of blocking, risking his life to gain a sliver of a chance at escape, one that barely even existed.
If they could go so far for each other, did the difference in species really matter anymore?
Thinking of this, Su Yue instinctively glanced at the man standing beside her.
She saw him, after asking her the question, still quietly watching the scene of Xiao Wu's sacrifice, his gaze completely calm, as if he was simply contemplating something.
A trace of mockery flashed in Su Yue's eyes.
Heh, he's probably calculating some new plan again, isn't he?
It made sense. This man might seem easygoing and indifferent to any race or life form, but in reality, he was extremely cold inside.
After being with him for so many years, she had long known what kind of person he was.
He was kind to spirit beasts, just as he was kind to passersby or even to cats and dogs.
He held no prejudice against others, but he never gave anyone special treatment either.
Perhaps Zhu Zhuqing was an exception to some extent, but that was only because he casually gave her a few pointers.
It was merely something he did in passing and didn't take to heart at all.
He was like the heavens, gazing down equally on all living beings.
And it was precisely this equality that made him seem so cold.
He would never cherish or treasure anyone due to pity or some special emotion, just as he wouldn't kill spirit beasts simply because he was human.
Even helping her, traveling with her all this time, was only because, as he had once said himself, "disrupting the balance of the world would benefit me greatly," and because it was "quite interesting and gave a sense of accomplishment," nothing more.
Now Su Yue was completely convinced.
This man was a passerby in this world, coming from a time and space unknown to any dragon, and thus, he would never get lost in it...
To her, Su Cheng was the first human to free her from her shackles and show her the world, the only human who was exceptionally special.
But to Su Cheng, she was no different from other ordinary beings, "friends" or "enemies."
A trace of complexity and confusion flashed in Su Yue's eyes.
She didn't answer Su Cheng's earlier question. Instead, she softly asked in return, "If one day you faced the same situation, would you willingly sacrifice yourself for your lover?"
"Of course," Su Cheng answered casually.
"..."
Su Yue's expression froze upon hearing this, then she turned her head to scrutinize his face.
She found that he still had the same nonchalant look, his eyes reflecting the distant scene before them.
It was such a serious question, yet he answered with calmness and speed, as if it required no thought at all.
And that casual, indifferent tone, coupled with his detached expression, made it impossible to sense any sincerity or warmth from his response. It was extremely unsettling.
"Lies," Su Yue said coldly.
Unless one had truly faced such a situation, anyone who encountered this kind of question would always pause and seriously consider it, trying to put themselves in that position before finding an answer.
And even if they thought about it, when the time came, they might still be unable to give a definitive answer.
But Su Cheng neither thought about it nor hesitated. He didn't even have a lover, so how could he be so certain?
He didn't even bother to pretend to think about it!
This was arrogance to the extreme, utterly insufferable!
Although Su Yue was not human, at this moment, she couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
"You will never sacrifice yourself for anyone because you only care about yourself!"
Su Cheng glanced at her, somewhat surprised by her anger, but he didn't argue. There was no point in explaining such things.
He simply smiled and said, "The show's over. Let's get ready to leave."
"..."
Su Yue lowered her head, her bangs falling to cover her eyes.
"The show..."
Indeed, to him, this was nothing more than a show.