Chapter 43: Xiao Wu's Sacrifice!
Tang San, watching from the sidelines, recognized her as well, and a complex, indescribable mix of emotions surged within his heart.
The future Xiao Wu seemed to possess impressive strength herself, and she was currently trying to fight side by side with him.
Hearing her call out, the "Tang San" in the simulation flashed a gaze of tenderness and resolve. The Blue Silver Emperor in his hand erupted with brilliant light as he barked, "I'm fine! Xiao Wu, stay close to me. Let's deal with these two first!"
The battle grew increasingly fierce.
While observing, Tang San felt the masterful execution of soul skills and the effortless control over the Blue Silver Emperor displayed by his future self. He couldn't even comprehend the principles behind many of those techniques. At the same time, he couldn't resist casting part of his attention toward the decisive Titled Douluo battlefield in the distance.
"The future... has really changed!
And it seems to be heading down an even more magnificent, yet far more difficult and perilous path--"
The observing Tang San felt his blood boil from witnessing the immense power of himself and his elders, but he also sensed a heavy pressure weighing down on him.
The strength of the Spirit Hall was far beyond imagination; the future conflict had actually reached such a violent pitch!
Meanwhile, the situation on the battlefield shifted in the blink of an eye!
Just as the eighteen-year-old "Tang San" and "Xiao Wu" in the simulation were straining to fight off the two Spirit Duos, and while the battle in the distance raged at its peak, a cold, sharp aura suddenly slithered into the fray surrounding "Tang San" like a venomous snake!
The newcomer wore the robes of a Spirit Hall Elder, holding a strange, pitch-black pike with a split tip that resembled a serpent's tongue. Around his body, nine soul rings flashed brilliantly--he was actually a Rank 91 Titled Douluo, and his martial soul was the Serpent Pike!
The pressure of a Titled Douluo was by no means comparable to a Spirit Duo. The arrival of the Serpent Pike Douluo caused the tide of battle to turn disastrously in an instant!
The observing Tang San could now clearly see the soul rings rising from beneath his future self:
Yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black!
A six-ringed Spirit Emperor!
Xiao Wu, on the other hand, had yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black--a five-ringed Spirit King.
The soul ring configurations for both of them could be considered top-tier, especially "Tang San's" logic-defying combination.
Yet, in front of a Titled Douluo, they still appeared powerless.
"Xiao Wu! Go! Get out of here!!"
The "Tang San" in the simulation looked ready to burst a blood vessel. He frantically channeled his soul power, expanding his Blue Silver Domain regardless of the cost. Innumerable vines grew wildly and intertwined, attempting to construct a barrier to temporarily block the sharp edge of the Serpent Pike Douluo and buy a sliver of hope for Xiao Wu's survival.
His voice was hoarse with urgency, filled with absolute determination.
However, Xiao Wu stubbornly shook her head, tears and resolve intermingled within her pink eyes. "No! San-ge! I won't leave you behind!"
Right at this hair-raising, life-or-death moment, an abrupt change occurred on the critical Titled Douluo battlefield in the distance!
Fu Shiyan, who had been continuously besieged by Bibi Dong and three other Rank 97 Titled Douluos, seemed completely infuriated by the crisis on Tang San's side, or perhaps he had decided to stop holding back.
With a clear cry, the terrifying aura of the five black and four red soul rings around his body suddenly collapsed inward. A completely different, destructive, and violent wave of soul power violently erupted from within him!
He made a grasping motion with his left left hand, and out of thin air appeared a halberd! It was deep purplish-black, fierce and domineering in design, with its shaft wrapped in countless arcs of wild purple lightning.
The moment the halberd materialized, the surrounding air let out a sharp pop, as if it couldn't withstand the destructive power contained within it!
A twin martial soul!
This realization slammed into the minds of everyone witnessing it like a meteorite crashing into a calm lake, setting off tempestuous waves!
"What?!! Twin martial souls?!!"
Tang Hao, who was in the middle of a fierce battle with the Golden Crocodile Douluo, couldn't help but have his attention seized by this sudden turn of events. The offensive of the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand suffered an extremely brief stagnation!
His eyes were filled with unbelievable shock.
He had always believed Fu Shiyan to be a peerless genius who specialized in the path of life through the Blue Silver Grass. He never imagined that the man actually possessed twin martial souls as well, and that the aura of this second martial soul was so incredibly powerful!
Similarly, his opponent, the Golden Crocodile Douluo, and indeed every Titled Douluo on the field--including Bibi Dong and the others besieging Fu Shiyan--were so shaken by this mind-boggling sight that their spirits trembled!
This was especially true when soul rings slowly rose above that purplish-black halberd: Red, red, red, red, red!
A full five dazzling, soul-shaking 100,000-year soul rings hovered around that halberd of destruction like five bloody suns!
"Fi--five 100,000-year soul rings?! And it's on a second martial soul?!!"
The observing Tang San felt a loud buzzing in his head, and his mind went completely blank in an instant, shocked beyond words!
Never in his wildest dreams did he expect that his master was also an owner of twin martial souls, just like him!
Furthermore, his master's soul ring configuration for this second martial soul simply shattered the absolute limits of imagination!
Following the shock was an unparalleled sense of excitement and longing.
To think that the path of twin martial souls could be taken to such heights!
He remembered from the previous two simulations that the cultivation method for twin martial souls had always been his greatest bottleneck. He hadn't expected his master to have already successfully paved this path!
The person with the biggest reaction was the Supreme Pontiff, Bibi Dong.
The elegance and coldness on her face vanished entirely, replaced by a boundless, sinister killing intent and a trace of... dread!
She was also an owner of twin martial souls, and a successor to a divine seat. She understood better than anyone what the talent Fu Shiyan displayed at this moment truly signified!
Both of Fu Shiyan's martial souls were of extremely high quality; his potential was likely even greater than her own two Spider Emperor martial souls!
Add to that his miraculous soul ring configuration and the faint imprint of a divine trial on his forehead...
If they failed to smother him here today, given this brat's growth speed, he might very well attain godhood a step ahead of her. When that time came, Spirit Hall would face total annihilation!
"Kill him, no matter the cost!!" Bibi Dong's shrill scream was filled with madness and finality.
However, the mysterious halberd-wielding powerhouse fighting alongside Fu Shiyan showed no surprise whatsoever upon seeing Fu Shiyan's suddenly revealed second martial soul and five 100,000-year soul rings, as if he had known all along.
He merely spoke in admiration, "Young Master, your Abyssal Heaven-Destroying Halberd can finally taste blood!"
The offensive of the pitch-black halberd in his hand grew even more ferocious, locking down his opponent completely.
At this point, from the gaps in the fierce combat and the mysterious powerhouse's form of address toward Fu Shiyan, the observing Tang San finally understood his identity--he was a follower of Fu Shiyan, or rather, a powerhouse from the faction backing him!
The title "Young Master" undoubtedly cast a layer of mysterious background color over Fu Shiyan's staggering talent and strength.
Yet, the crisis on the simulated "Tang San's" side had not been resolved. Instead, it became even more fatal due to everyone's momentary shock and standoff!
The Serpent Pike Douluo was the first to snap out of his shock. A vicious light flashed in his eyes as he seized the split second where "Tang San" was slightly distracted by the distant commotion. Like a venomous dragon leaving its cave, his serpent pike thrust straight toward "Tang San's" heart with a lethal, icy gleam!
The two Spirit Duos also took the opportunity to unleash their strongest soul skills, completely sealing off all avenues of retreat!
"San-ge--!!!"
Seeing that "Tang San" was already unable to dodge, Xiao Wu let out a piercing, agonized shriek!
In the next instant, without any warning, a burst of red light, brilliant to the absolute extreme, erupted from her body!
The red light instantly enveloped Xiao Wu and the nearby "Tang San" within it.
"This is...?"
The observing Tang San didn't understand what was happening, but he instinctively felt a wave of palpitations and unease.
"No--!! Xiao Wu! Don't!!"