Everyone's eyes widened in shock. The sight of the nine Spirit Rings struck fear into their hearts. They had never received any information that a Titled Douluo was in charge of this place.
The pressure from his Dark Aura alone was even stronger than the Bear Clan's Gravitational Pressure.
"This power... he should be the Bishop of the Holy Spirit Cult, the Fog Douluo," Qian Douliu said, his voice strained. "Everyone, brace yourselves!"
In this dire situation, Qian Douliu activated his Seraphim Transformation. His body radiated divine light, and soon he stood up as he managed to withstand the crushing pressure of the Fog Douluo's Dark Aura. He then unleashed his sixth Spirit Ring.
"6th Spirit Ring: Angelic Descent!"
Radiant Angels appeared around him, their divine aura spreading over the entire group. The angelic light enveloped them, boosting their attributes tremendously and enabling them to stand against the heavy Dark Aura pressure.
The Fog Douluo observed them with a twisted smile, as if amused by their struggle. "Interesting," he murmured, his voice carrying a sinister edge as he disappeared into the fog. "Let's see how long you can last."
He activated his eighth spirit ability. "8th Spirit Ring: Scepter of Fog's Domain!"
The fog around them thickened exponentially, becoming so dense that it was nearly impossible to breathe. Visibility dropped to almost nothing, and even the faintest glimmers of light were swallowed by the oppressive fog.
Luckily with Qian Douliu's Angelic Descent, the negative effects of the Fog Domain could be negated. Even though the fog couldn't be completely removed, at least for the group it was still bearable.
"Stay close!" Chen Jianjin called out, his voice barely audible through the fog. He turned to Xu Xan. "We need to locate him. Xu Xan!"
Xu Xan nodded. She summoned her Star Crown Martial Spirit and activated her first spirit ability again. "1st Spirit Ring: Starguiding Technique!"
Glowing threads of light extended from the star over her head, but they faltered and dissipated in the thick fog. Xu Xan's face tightened as she realized she couldn't spot the Fog Douluo.
Qian Douliu clenched his fists. "Fog Douluo's domain is nullifying our detection skills. be careful."
Yu Tianwu, his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon crackling with energy, he then lashed out with his claws and delivered a lightning slash through the air. But the lightning slash was absorbed by the fog, dissipating before it could reach anywhere. "D*mn it, even my attacks aren't quite effective here... I think he's playing with us!"
The realization hit them all at once: they were trapped. Knowing that the Fog Douluo was not doing anything to them and just slowly watching them suffer while effortlessly maintaining his domain.
Chen Jianjin took a deep breath and made a decision. "We have to get out of his domain while he doesn't take us seriously."
Then, Chen Jianjin glanced at Xu Xan and gave her a sign. Xu Xan nodded and activated her Martial Spirit again.
"6th Sprit Ring: Sta- " bzzt~
Xu Xan shook her head as she was unable to activate the ability of her 6th Spirit Ring: Stargate Teleportation. Seeing that they couldn't use Xu Xan's teleportation, they sighed helplessly.
Tang Chen clenched his fists, "If only the seven of us move together, we might be able to leave this place"
Chen Jianjin nodded. "Agreed. Let's move now."
Xie Rin's retorted. "W-wait, what about the children? We can't leave them! They're still inside the house!"
The group fell silent. Xie Rin's plea was heartfelt, but the harsh truth of their situation couldn't be ignored.
Yu Tianwu stepped forward, his expression furious. "Hey, wake up! We're facing a Titled Douluo. I don't even know if we can return in one piece, so we have to prioritize escape, and inform the Alliance. Even if it costs us several lives, at least some of us must survive to convey the message!"
The reality of Yu Tianwu's words hung heavy in the air. They were three realms apart from the Titled Douluo. They couldn't afford to be reckless.
Dai An said with a gloomy expression. "He's right. We can't save the children if we're all dead. We need to retreat and call for reinforcement."
They all knew they were in dire situation, but it was their best chance. With a nod, the group started to move.
As they tried to find the entrance of the village, the Fog Domain seemed to press down even harder.
Yu Tianwu who had sharp senses said while grumbling. "Ugh... It's becoming hard to breathe. Tch... How are we supposed to get out of this domain? Kill the Titled Douluo? Find the edge of the domain? We can't even see sh*t now!"
The oppressive fog seemed to grow thicker and more malevolent as the group began to find it difficult to breathe and see their surroundings.
Realizing they needed to do something about the fog, Chen Jianjin resolutely stepped forward. His eyes burned with determination as he drew upon his deepest reserves of spirit power. "It seems that finding the edge of the domain is the most feasible way for us since we cannot win a fight against a Titled Douluo with our current strength. Please cover me, I will do something about the fog." he declared, his voice steady despite the dire circumstances.
Soon, he activated all six of his Spirit Rings, the light from each ring shimmering around him. "Reaching Wind Swordsmanship, First Move" he intoned, his voice filled with resolve.
This swordsmanship had four powerful moves, but Chen Jianjin had only mastered the first two. He began with the first move, his swords dancing like a meteor blazing through the sky. "Meteor Chases The Moon! Twinkling 19 prefectures."
Swoosh~ Swoosh~~
The enchanted swords, buffed by Qian Douliu's Angelic Descent and Xu Xan's Starglory Spell, it cut through the dense fog, paving a long straight line path within the Fog Domain.
The group felt a brief respite as the thick fog seemed to part before them, allowing them to breathe more easily. However, that was not enough for them to leave the domain.
Although Offensive Tool Martial Spirit was not comparable to the pure power of a Beast Martial Spirit, but with sufficient Spirit Rings and the right Technique, Offensive Tool Martial Spirit could even extract a huge amount of power that was even greater than a Beast Martial Spirit's strongest attack.
Chen Jianjin's face turned pale, and he coughed violently. Xie Rin immediately rushed to his side, the Nine Heart Flowering Apple Martial Spirit shining as she attempted to heal him. However her healing power seemed to have only little effect on Chen Jian as Xie Rin's abilities were unable to replenish Chen Jianjin's nearly depleted Concentration and Spiritual Energy.
Despite in his weakened state, Chen Jianjin struggled to his feet, determination etched on his face. He prepared to use the second move of the "Reaching Wind Swordsmanship, Second Move" his voice unwavering. "Edge Hidden in Thousands of Swords! Do Not Trouble the Red Earth! The Sword is Free! Thousands of Miles Chilling Light! Cut The Demon with Rage!"
All the swords under his control turned a blazing red, moving with unparalleled speed and precision. They disintegrated the fog, carving a clearer path through the domain. The group could finally see the edge of the Fog Domain at the village entrance they had entered earlier. a glimmer of hope in the distance.
Thud~
But the effort took its toll. As the final sword strike cleared the path, Chen Jianjin collapsed, unconscious. The group rushed to his side, their respect for his sacrifice evident in their eyes.
Yu Tianwu, his expression grim yet respectful, nodded in acknowledgment of Chen Jianjin's strength. "Not bad, captain." he murmured.
However, their relief was short-lived. As they reached the edge of the Fog Domain, they were confronted by a powerful barrier.
"Let's try destroying it first." Tang Chen said.
Boom~ Boom~ Boom~
Despite their combined efforts, their attacks left no mark on the barrier's shimmering surface.
"How could this thing be so hard? Even our combined strength cannot leave a scratch." Dai An said in disbelief.
Tang Chen clenched his fists, his Clear Sky Hammer radiating with spirit energy as he swung it with all his might at the barrier. But even his formidable strength was unable to make a dent.
Yu Tianwu's eyes flashed with determination. "I don't believe it's indestructible."
"Let me try break that barrier," Tang Chen said, his voice resolute. He planned to use his Family Battle Technique: Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.
Without waiting for further argument, Tang Chen began to activate his Spirit Rings. Each ring glowed brilliantly, enhancing the power of his Clear Sky Hammer. The group watched in awe and concern as he prepared to destroy the barrier.
"Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer!" he roared, lifting his hammer high.
The technique allowed him to swing the hammer eighty-one times, each blow stronger than the last by accumulating momentum. When used with the Clear Sky Hammer, it produced a gravitational effect that shook the very ground beneath him.
Bam~ Bam~ Bam~
Each swing of Tang Chen's hammer reverberated through the air, the sheer force shaking the barrier. The ground trembled with every impact, but the barrier held firm, showing no sign of breaking. Sweat poured down Tang Chen's face, his muscles straining with the effort.
As Tang Chen approached the final swing, the barrier began to tremble more violently, but it still showed no sign of destruction. The other could only watch, their hope waning with each failed attempt.
Tang Chen clenched his teeth, his resolve unwavering. "This isn't over yet," he muttered to himself. He knew he had one last technique that could turn the tide, but it was a risky move, one that could cost him dearly.
"Great Sumeru Hammer," he whispered, steeling himself for the ultimate sacrifice.
The Great Sumeru Hammer was a secret technique of his family, taught only to one person in each generation due to the immense physical and spiritual demands it required. The technique involved condensing all spirit rings into the Clear Sky Hammer, channeling them into pure strength and attack power. It was a life-risking move, one that could only be fully utilized at the God level, but Tang Chen believed he could execute it at least once.
He focused all his energy, sacrificing his ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring. The power of the ring surged through him, merging with the hammer. His body trembled with the immense force, his spirit power reaching its peak.
"Great Sumeru Hammer!" he shouted, swinging the hammer for the eighty-one times.
Boom~~
The impact was cataclysmic. A blinding light erupted from the hammer, enveloping the entire barrier. The ground shook violently, and the air seemed to crackle with raw power. The barrier, which had withstood all previous attacks, shuddered and began to crack.
The group shielded their eyes from the blinding light, their hearts pounding with anticipation and fear. The Fog Douluo's smile faded, replaced by a look of surprise.
With a final, earth-shattering boom, the barrier shattered into a thousand pieces, the fragments dissipating into the fog. The oppressive weight lifted, and the group could finally breathe freely.
"T-The barrier shattered!!" The whole group was elated to see the unbreakable barrier destroyed.
Tang Chen fell to his knees, his body trembling with exhaustion. His spirit power was nearly depleted, and the sacrifice of his Spirit Ring left him feeling fragile and vulnerable. But he had done it. He had broken the barrier.
As the group regrouped, the Fog Douluo's voice echoed through the dissipating fog, his tone a mix of excitement and intrigue. "Impressive. Very impressive."