DD Spiritual Sword [531-33] (Patreon)

Chapter 531: Star Luo in Chaos — The Camp Assassinations

"What's going on?" Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun had just washed up and were about to sleep when waves of screams rang out outside. They didn't even have time to put on armor and rushed out in their nightclothes.

"Your Highness, it's bad! An invisible troop is slaughtering people throughout our camp. Anyone with even a bit of rank—from centurions to generals—they're sparing no one!" A panicked soldier dropped to his knees to report.

"What? Where are the three Titled Douluo?" Dai Weisi roared.

"Fire Dragon Douluo and Mad Bull Douluo have gone out searching, but Twin Serpent Douluo is missing."

"Could Twin Serpent Douluo have been killed?" Dai Weisi thought instinctively.

"Zhuyun, you stay here. I'll go take a look around."

"Alright. Be careful." After a quick reminder, Zhu Zhuyun returned to her room and changed out of her black gauze nightdress. She knew there was probably going to be a tough battle tonight.

Just as she finished changing, a pitch-black figure suddenly lunged at her.

"Second soul skill, Nether Hundred Claws!"

Zhu Zhuyun's six soul rings—two yellow, two purple, two black—flared as she immediately counterattacked. Her opponent, however, merely met her with a soul-power-infused palm. In the end, Zhu Zhuyun was blasted back to the edge of the tent while the attacker didn't take a single step back.

Even using a soul skill, she was at a disadvantage. It was obvious the intruder's strength far surpassed hers. If the other party had also used a soul skill earlier, Zhu Zhuyun would likely already be dead.

"Zhu Zhuyun, it's been years. Seems your strength hasn't improved much."

"That voice—you're Zhu Zhuqing? No… impossible. Zhuqing is already dead." Zhu Zhuyun was incredulous. Back then, Zhu Zhuqing had severed her own heart meridian, and Zhu Zhuyun had even struck her to shatter her heart. How could she still be alive?

Zhu Zhuqing lifted her mask and looked at Zhu Zhuyun. "You're not wrong. The old Zhu Zhuqing is dead. That life was given by your Zhu family—taking it back was only natural. But this new life comes from my two best friends. I'm not here for revenge tonight—only for two things: first, to settle the score with you; second, for my friends, to defeat your Star Luo!"

"Given by friends?" Zhu Zhuyun was shocked. Back then, it was Ning Rongrong and Jun Tianlin who took Zhu Zhuqing's body away. They actually had the ability to bring someone back? No wonder Jun Tianlin made that bet with Dai Weisi.

Damn it, the Star Luo Empire had been completely played by Jun Tianlin.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on it. The enemy was at the gates, and the current Zhu Zhuqing was entirely different from before—confident and powerful, a true life-long nemesis.

"If you had used a soul skill just now, you could have killed me," Zhu Zhuyun said.

"I told you—I want to settle this fair and square, so I won't use sneak attacks. That palm was only to test your strength. But now, you won't have another chance." Zhu Zhuqing released her soul rings: two yellow, two purple, four black—Soul Douluo.

She had barely returned when Tianlin used Illusory Water Thunderstorm to help her break through, stabilizing her at level 80 with her newly acquired soul ring.

Now Zhu Zhuqing outclassed Zhu Zhuyun by two major realms. Killing Zhu Zhuyun would be easy. But beyond her own reasons, both Ning Fengzhi and Tianlin had instructed: in the Star Luo camp, kill whoever you can, but try to capture Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun alive. Star Luo's clan policies did cultivate successive generations of exceptional heirs, but it also had a major flaw.

Previously no one dared offend Star Luo, so that flaw never surfaced.

"Zhuqing, you've really become strong." Zhu Zhuyun was terrified inside, but on the surface she remained calm. Her pride wouldn't allow her to show fear before someone who had once been the loser.

"Nether Slash!"

They unleashed the same move. Two blades of shadow collided, and the fierce saber aura ripped the tent to shreds.

…

Elsewhere, after searching around, Dai Weisi finally found Twin Serpent Douluo's corpse—head severed, martial soul shattered, the death gruesome.

"Damn it—who did this? They dare kill a Titled Douluo of my Star Luo Empire!" Dai Weisi raged.

Fire Dragon Douluo and Mad Bull Douluo arrived and examined the body. "Old Snake died from a sneak attack, cut down by a sword. The assailant severed his right arm first, then used overwhelming attack power to split his tool-type martial soul true body, and finally decapitated him. I suspect it's a powerful sword-type martial soul user. In this world, only two people could do this."

"Sword Dao Chen Xin and Sword Lord Jun Tianlin!" Dai Weisi blurted out. Among Titled Douluo who wield swords, it was those master and disciple.

Fire Dragon Douluo shook his head. "No, it wouldn't be them. They pursue the pinnacle of the sword. Even if they wanted to kill Old Snake, they wouldn't use a sneak attack. Even if Old Snake was fully prepared, he couldn't block a single sword from them. They wouldn't destroy their reputations."

"The assailant is extremely fast, tremendously strong in offense, and proficient in assassination. Strange—I've roamed the continent for decades and never heard of such a figure."

"Honored Douluo, debating this is pointless now. The priority is finding the killers. They're roaming freely through our camp, slaughtering at will. They're so fast we haven't caught a single one, and no one has even seen their faces clearly," Dai Weisi urged.

"Hmph. If searching one by one won't work, then use wide-area attacks and destroy this whole sector. I'll see where they can run." Mad Bull Douluo possessed the Titan Mad Bull and prepared to cut the Gordian knot.

Fire Dragon Douluo hurried to stop him. "No, Mad Bull, we can't do that! Our soldiers and officers are here. You'll get them killed."

"Relax, Wu Zhao. I already issued secret orders and quietly relocated a portion of important officers. The ones left in camp are minor officers and common soldiers." Mad Bull Douluo was simple, not stupid. If he had a strategy, he'd make preparations.

"Are the lives of minor officers and ordinary soldiers not lives?" Fire Dragon Douluo demanded.

"Honored Douluo, we can't worry about that now. Mad Bull's plan is sound. Casualties of a few thousand won't cripple us. They'd die to those assassins anyway. Dying for the country is a worthy end. I'll posthumously honor them as heroes," Dai Weisi said, persuading Wu Zhao, then nodding to Mad Bull to proceed.

Mad Bull didn't hesitate. His sixth soul ring lit. "Sixth soul skill, Mad Bull Quake!"

In an instant, violent tremors wracked this section of the camp. The ground split open; countless soldiers fell into the fissures.

Bai Chenxiang and the others hadn't expected the Star Luo people to be so ruthless. You can't evade such indiscriminate, large-scale attacks with speed alone.

With no choice, the Speed Clan members flew high, which exposed them all.

"In the sky—Needle-Tailed Swift martial souls—it's the Speed Clan!" A sharp-eyed soul master recognized them.

Dai Weisi's gaze went cold. "Hmph, the mere Speed Clan dares attack my Star Luo army. All troops, seize them! Kill all who resist!"

Chapter 532: Situation Dire

The Star Luo army swarmed to encircle and kill. A storm of arrows filled the sky.

For ordinary soldiers, bows and arrows are the only way to harm flying soul masters. Unfortunately, common arrows lack the force of Godly Zhuge Crossbows. Those could barely hurt a Soul Ancestor; common arrows can't even hurt a two-ring soul master.

But that's in general. Dripping water wears through stone—when tens of thousands of arrows fly at once, even Soul Kings and Soul Emperors can be turned into pin cushions. The Douluo Continent's power system isn't so high that bodies are truly invulnerable to blades and fire.

"In this situation, did you think I wasn't prepared? Eighth soul skill, Gale That Fells Towers!" Yu Feng suddenly beat his wings. He had advanced to Soul Douluo not long ago. His eighth soul skill is a large-area wind-type attack.

It works wonders against hidden weapons and arrows. In the roaring gale, even a hundred thousand arrows couldn't get through.

"Yu Feng, now—use fire!" Oslo shouted from the ground.

"Got it! Scorching Wind!" After taking the Wind-Fire Seven-Leaf Flower, Yu Feng had long become dual-attribute wind and fire, though his fire lagged behind his wind.

But wind fans fire. His wind can amplify flames, and with his self-created simultaneous dual-skill release, the advantage is maximized.

Following the gale, a fiery wind swept through. Flames erupted across the camp. Lit by firelight, something rare on a moonless night appeared—shadows.

"Perfect. Soul bone skill: Shadow Meld!" Oslo channeled all his soul power, enveloped the entire Speed Clan, and merged them into the shadows of the soldiers below.

With the tacit teamwork of the Emperor Team duo, they successfully broke everyone out of the encirclement.

And the assassinations became even eerier—killing from within shadows. Who could stop that?

"Kill that one first! If we take him down, those hiding in shadows will be forced out!" Five soul masters suddenly surrounded Oslo. He'd focused on saving others and couldn't escape himself.

But he was unafraid, smiling faintly. "Heh, five Soul Douluo. As expected of the great Star Luo Empire—impressive foundation. All five of you, come. I'll finish you in one go."

"Oslo, I'll help!" Yu Feng didn't hide in shadows either. He landed by Oslo's side. How could he watch his brother get besieged? Besides, it had been a long time since the Emperor Team's two agility attackers had teamed up.

Bai He hadn't shown himself; he was looking for a chance. When everyone's attention was drawn away, he finally couldn't hold back, launching a surprise strike at Dai Weisi. Capture Dai Weisi alive, and everything would be solved.

But right then, a mad bull and a fire dragon—seemingly prepared—simultaneously unleashed large-area attacks, forcing Bai He back.

"Heh, finally came out, eh? The one hiding in the dark—you're the one who killed Old Snake, aren't you?" Mad Bull Douluo asked.

"No doubt. This speed—Old Bull, he should be Bai He. Looks like I misjudged it. His ease in killing Old Snake wasn't because his martial soul's attack is strong, but because his sword is too special. I didn't know such a weapon existed in this world," Fire Dragon Douluo said in surprise. A master who relied on a weapon's power rather than martial soul—this was a first for him on the Douluo Continent.

These two Titled Douluo hadn't attacked the Speed Clan disciples because they knew that group couldn't possibly instant-kill Twin Serpent Douluo. There had to be a stronger expert hidden in the dark. Dai Weisi deliberately stayed put to lure Bai He out.

"Sigh, this is my first time doing assassination work—my experience is lacking," Bai He realized he'd been baited and regretted his impulsiveness.

"Your Highness, please leave immediately. It's too dangerous here," Mad Bull urged. Since Bai He had taken the bait, Dai Weisi no longer needed to remain.

"Fire Dragon, you go too—protect the prince, and while you're at it, burn those little bugs out one by one. As for this guy, I can handle him alone."

"Mad Bull, are you sure? He's someone who instant-killed Old Snake," Fire Dragon Douluo hesitated.

"Hmph, just a sneak attack trick. A mere Soul Douluo. My wide-area skills and locking skills counter speed types. Don't worry." Mad Bull was supremely confident. He had a lock-on skill that was a speed-type's bane.

"Fine. Let's go!" Fire Dragon Douluo grabbed Dai Weisi and withdrew. Bai He wanted to leave—he was an assassin, not someone who'd go head-to-head with a thick-skinned ox-type Titled Douluo.

"Trying to leave? Ninth soul skill—Arena of Dark Bulls!" A strange black miasma sealed the surroundings. Bai He lost all vision. No matter how he flew, he couldn't escape the shroud.

"Heh, you can't escape. My ninth soul skill is a field-type control skill—you've never seen this before, have you? In here we follow the rules—neither of us leaves until we decide the winner," Mad Bull Douluo's eerie chuckle echoed through the space.

"In that case, I'll kill you first," Bai He gripped the Shetian Divine Sword. With this blade in hand, he was confident he could cut through Mad Bull's tough body.

Outside the black fog, Oslo and Yu Feng were besieged by five Soul Douluo. With Oslo's six full soul bones and Yu Feng's wind-fire power, they weren't gaining the upper hand, but they wouldn't lose quickly either.

Bai Chenxiang, however, was in trouble—Fire Dragon Douluo had arrived. With a Titled Douluo's perception, he could precisely locate each Speed Clan soul master hiding in shadows.

They weren't Oslo himself and couldn't completely conceal their aura.

"Damn it—everyone fall back! I'll hold him off." Bai Chenxiang mustered her courage and charged the Titled Douluo.

"Miss!" The Speed Clan disciples couldn't just watch their lady face a mighty foe alone and moved to help.

Bai Chenxiang shouted, "All retreat! That's a military order—disobey and be executed!"

"Yes!" They no longer hesitated. They were all speed-type. If they focused on escaping and weren't surrounded, common soldiers couldn't catch them.

They didn't flee aimlessly, though. They flew toward Gengxin City. They'd killed many officers tonight, even a Titled Douluo. It was time to have Tuoba Xi send troops.

…

Elsewhere, Dai Weisi returned to his tent and stumbled upon Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun's battle. Zhu Zhuyun was already covered in wounds. Fortunately, she held out until Dai Weisi returned, and the Nether White Tiger began to counterattack.

But that was what Zhu Zhuqing wanted. If she truly wished to finish Zhu Zhuyun, she could do it in a couple of moves. Only by defeating both Zhu Zhuyun and Dai Weisi together would she truly avenge her past self. This time she didn't need to rely on Dai Mubai. With her Spirit Cat true body activated, she was confident she could break their Nether White Tiger alone.

…

"Brave girl," Fire Dragon Douluo said appreciatively to Bai Chenxiang in the sky. "If we weren't enemies, I'd be happy to be your friend. I respect someone willing to sacrifice for subordinates."

"Thank you, senior. I'm only doing my duty as the Speed Clan's young lady. Since they follow me, it's my job to ensure their safety. I could never approve of sacrificing one's own people the way you did," Bai Chenxiang said earnestly.

"Well said. In truth, I don't approve either. Out of respect, I'll give you a clean end. Eighth soul skill, Blazing Dragon Body." Fire Dragon Douluo's eighth ring lit. Using an eighth ring against a mere Soul Emperor was giving her face.

"Many thanks, senior. But I won't sit and wait for death. Please take my strike!" Knowing she couldn't block it, Bai Chenxiang decided to fight to the last, charging with twin swords. She faced death calmly.

At that moment, not far away, a streak of flame like a meteor hurtled toward the unfavorable battlefield.

Chapter 533: Fire Phoenix vs. Fire Dragon

Watching Bai Chenxiang charge with her blades, Fire Dragon Douluo couldn't help but sigh. What a brave girl.

He didn't hold back. Enveloped in blazing flames, a massive fire dragon rushed toward Bai Chenxiang. If they collided, she would die without a doubt.

"Damn it, I won't make it!" Ma Hongjun, flying at top speed, saw them ahead. His eyes were red. His Fire Phoenix was strong, but its flying speed didn't match the Needle-Tailed Swift.

"If that's the case—then I'll leave it to you, Raging-Prairie Spear!"

He poured all his strength into throwing the Fire God's divine spear. At the moment of collision, the spear passed right between them.

In an instant, all the flames on Fire Dragon Douluo's body vanished. Before the Fire God's divine weapon, even the Ultimate Fire must bow.

Thud.

Bai Chenxiang was still knocked flying. Even without Blazing Dragon Body, a Titled Douluo's physical strength far surpassed hers. But without a soul skill, a simple body check wasn't fatal.

She wore the Black Heaven Treasure Armor under her clothes—the protection fee Tang Hao gave to Yin Yang back then. It originally belonged to Ning Rongrong, but with her current strength she didn't need it, so it was given to the relatively weaker Bai Chenxiang. It proved invaluable today, leaving her only slightly injured.

Bai Chenxiang's tumbling body was wrapped by crimson flames—mysterious fire that didn't harm her but healed her wounds.

The flames took human form. Ma Hongjun caught her and sighed in relief. He'd barely made it. Any later, and all his struggle to become a god would have been meaningless.

Looking at the man, Bai Chenxiang felt a strong sense of familiarity. The phoenix flames also declared his identity. "You're… Hongjun?"

"Heh, worthy of being my Xiangxiang. Even with my looks changed, you still recognize me at a glance." Ma Hongjun grinned. "How about it, Xiangxiang? Am I handsome now? Sometimes I look in the mirror and stun myself. Sigh, how many maidens will I ruin? You'll have to keep a close eye on me."

A tic mark popped on Bai Chenxiang's forehead. No mistake—this punchable expression and tone was that dead fatty from back then.

"You jerk! You come back after so long and start spouting nonsense—the enemy's right here!" She pounded his chest with her small fists.

Ma Hongjun's face turned serious as he looked at Fire Dragon Douluo. "Don't worry, Xiangxiang. He dared lay hands on you—I won't let him off. Go rest. I'll finish him and then protect you."

"Who are you? And what was that thing just now? It erased my flames in an instant," Fire Dragon Douluo asked gravely. This Fire Phoenix soul master seemed to have power that countered him.

"If you want to see it again, I'll oblige." Ma Hongjun beckoned, and the spear flew back to his hand.

"Phoenix Nods!" He thrust straight forward—the first form of the Fire God Spear Arts, which he'd mastered to perfection.

"Ninth soul skill, Dragonfire That Scorches the World!" Feeling the danger, Fire Dragon Douluo used his strongest ninth soul skill.

Flames strong enough to boil seas and burn the sky spewed from the dragon's mouth. Ma Hongjun simply spun his spear as he charged, like a tornado. No matter how fierce the flames, they couldn't touch him.

The scattered flames escaped Fire Dragon Douluo's control, falling into the camp. In an instant, the Star Luo encampment became a sea of fire, with heavy casualties.

The spear finally pierced Fire Dragon Douluo's shoulder. With a single move, Ma Hongjun decided the fight. Against other attributes, it wouldn't be so easy. But now, no fire-type soul master could be his match.

Grievously wounded, Fire Dragon Douluo fell, unable to believe he'd been beaten in one strike by a mere Soul Douluo.

Three figures approached—Oslo, Yu Feng, and Tianlin. While Ma Hongjun saved Bai Chenxiang, Tianlin had helped them, wiping out the five Soul Douluo besieging Oslo and Yu Feng.

Elsewhere, Zhu Zhuqing used her martial soul true body plus her eighth soul skill to break the two Soul Emperors' fusion skill, capturing Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun alive.

As for the 700,000 troops, now leaderless, they fell into chaos. After the Speed Clan informed Tuoba Xi, he unhesitatingly dispatched the Holy Dragon Legion and 160,000 troops.

"Kill!" With Tuoba Xi's roar, the Holy Dragon Legion launched a frenzied assault.

Tianlin stepped before Fire Dragon Douluo. "Senior, you're bold indeed, to dare strike at Xiangxiang. Do you know her master is Sword Dao Chen Xin, and her senior brother is me—Sword Lord Jun Tianlin? You should thank Ma Hongjun for saving you just now. Otherwise, two soul masters with Ultimate Douluo-level strength would hunt you to your death."

"Heh, quite the background. But I don't understand—Star Luo is at war with the Spirit Empire. Why is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect helping the Spirit Empire?" Fire Dragon Douluo clutched his bleeding shoulder. Without the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, they wouldn't have lost.

"Hmph. Why should I tell you? Take your doubts to hell. You almost killed Xiangxiang—I'll poke ten or eight holes straight through you."

Ma Hongjun hadn't cooled down. He raised his spear to strike when Bai Chenxiang flew over to stop him. "Stop, Hongjun—you must not insult this senior."

"Why, Xiangxiang? He nearly killed you!"

"Hongjun, this is war, not a personal vendetta. In war, me killing him is proper; him killing me is also natural. Besides, he meant to let me die with dignity." Bai Chenxiang admonished.

Tianlin hadn't expected Bai Chenxiang to understand war so deeply—more mature than Ma Hongjun.

He'd worried that while Ma Hongjun's power had increased, his temperament hadn't matured. With Bai Chenxiang's constant reminders, he could relax.

Ma Hongjun lowered his spear and bowed to Fire Dragon Douluo. "I'm sorry, senior. I was rude."

"Haha! Thank you, young lady. Since you won't answer my first question, at least tell me: what exactly am I to die to?" Fire Dragon Douluo asked, staring at the spear in Ma Hongjun's hand.

Ma Hongjun didn't hide it. "Senior, this is one of the legendary Fire God's divine weapons—the Raging-Prairie Spear."

"Fire God's divine weapon? The legendary god of flames?" Fire Dragon Douluo first started, then laughed in delight. "Wonderful—truly wonderful! Young man, kill me quickly. As a fire-type soul master, to die beneath the Fire God's divine weapon—what an honor for me, Wu Zhao!"

"Forgive me, senior!" Ma Hongjun raised his spear again—this time to give a clean end. War is merciless. Respect is respect, but an enemy must still be killed—at most, allow him to die with dignity.

"Fire Dragon martial soul, surname Wu?" Hearing the name Wu Zhao, Tianlin thought of something and hurriedly stopped him. "Hongjun, don't strike!"

"What is it, boss?" Ma Hongjun was puzzled. Had the boss gone soft?

Tianlin didn't answer him, but turned to Wu Zhao. "Senior, join my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."