Chapter 293
Insect Spirit Beasts’ Nemesis, God Level Eight Spider Lances
(TL by Bagelson)
The three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors now all performed a strange motion, bending forward together, their six legs all raised, just lying there on the ground without moving, just like when they waited for Tang San to attack before, motionless.
Waiting for another chance? Tang San laughed involuntarily. With a thought, golden light broke out of his back, Eight Spider Lances suddenly extending behind him. The solid and dignified feeling from his back increased all of Tang San’s attributes, and he also quietly fell to the ground. Since you’re waiting for a chance, then me too.
Bang bang bang, three muffled echoes resounded the instant Tang San fell. The Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor brothers’ six legs struck the ground simultaneously, terrifying force propelling them with an extremely powerful counter force, they shot towards Tang San like three cannonballs. The speed they reached in that instant wasn’t inferior even to the Dark Devilgod Tiger’s rush ability. They had reached Tang San in practically just an instant.
This time they were feeling the ground while waiting. Even though Tang san fell lightly, he would still produce faint vibrations, and they drew on this to judge and charge towards Tang San’s direction. They were trying to directly tackle Tang San.
The three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors were too fast. Even though Tang San reacted quickly, his Seagod Trident could only block two of them, the last still barrelled towards him.
Bang bang, with two muffled sounds, two Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors struck the Seagod Trident and were directly flung away. Not a step slower than them, under Gravity Control, the area within range of the Seagod Trident had tenfold gravity, making its weight reach an astronomical figure. Even though the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors were enormously strong, they still couldn’t reach that frightening a level. The Seagod Trident rang with the strike, and the two Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors flew back.
But that last Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor still lunged. Tang San shifted sideways, using his back to take its attack. With a blast, Tang San was sent stumbling forward. If not for the terrifying weight of the Seagod Trident, he might have been knocked flying.
But, the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor that hit him wasn’t any better off. It was flung back like a golden glittering bolt of lightning, rolling across the ground. Even though it didn’t fly as far as its two brothers, it still caused a crater.
Originally, the place Tang San had it hit was the center of where the Eight Spider Lances emerged from his back. This was where Tang San self felt was the hardest. Ever since the Eight Spider Lances evolved, Tang San had always wanted to try just how strong the defense was of this external spirit bone that constantly transmitted a sensation of hardness.
Of course, he was prepared in advance, Mysterious Heaven Skill inner strength instantly condensed on his back. If the defense of the condensed energy of the Eight Spider Lances couldn’t take the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor’s attack, the Mysterious Heaven Skill inner strength could minimize the damage.
The enormous impact made him fall forward, but Tang San was happy rather than alarmed. Even though he’d taken some chances with this way of defending, the result was still perfect.
The impact from the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor’s attack could be imagined, but even though its strike knocked Tang San forward, he didn’t experience too much of a jolt. He just felt his back heat up. That impact force spread out across his back, and the previously solid feeling turned into countless fine scorching eddies, quickly melting away the force without letting a trace penetrate the Eight Spider Lances’ defense. By observing with mental strength, Tang San discovered that the skin all over his back had turned golden, there vaguely was a strange bulge, protecting him like armor. That Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor rebounded, ripples of golden lightning over its body, caused by the scorching heat on Tang San’s back transmitting into its body. It was clearly an effect similar to damage reflection.
Tang San understood that his estimate was perfectly correct. The Eight Spider Lances should have truly reached that level. Even if it had just entered, without completely becoming an ability on that level, it was still a huge benefit to him right now. These three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors might not be much, but next he would face the strongest spirit beast of the ocean, the Deep Sea Demon Whale that had already surpassed the hundred thousand year spirit beast category. That big fellow definitely wouldn’t be so easy to deal with.
Last time he faced it, Tang San relied on the Eight Spider Lances to cause it some minor losses. Now the Eight Spider Lances had evolved once again, and Tang San was naturally also a bit more confident in fighting it.
“I won’t play with you.”
The corners of his mouth rising into a sneer, Tang San didn’t chase after the rebounding Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor, but rather flew into the air once again, fading into the Blue Silver Domain. The reason he didn’t pursue ant attack really wasn’t that he didn’t want to divide and conquer, but rather that he saw a mental link from the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors actions. If he attacked one of them, the other two could come to its aid even when impaired by the Blue Silver Domain, uniting once again. Don’t regard these three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor as ninety thousand year spirit beasts, the three of them together were like three powers with a fusion ability. Even if it wasn’t a spirit fusion ability like the Golden Iron Triangle, it was still quite difficult to deal with. Unfortunately, their weak point was clear. Especially when he controlled them in the strength they specialized in. This battle no longer held any suspense.
In midair, the Eight Spider Lances fully stretched out, extending perfectly straight and evenly behind Tang San. Glittering golden Eight Spider Lances plus the Seagod Trident Tang San held, as wellas the Seagod Trident brand on his forehead, made him look like almost like the Seagod.
Eight lines of golden light shot out from the Eight Spider Lances practically simultaneously. Covered by the Blue Silver Domain, they instantly fell on the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor that was hit by Tang San’s Eight Spider Lances backlash.
Dangdangdangdang…… Eight brittle sounds erupted. Under the attack of the eight golden rays, a series of sparks struck off that Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor’s back. The god level Eight Spider Lances attack actually couldn’t directly penetrate its armor, only leaving behind eight craters in the carapace.
Such powerful defense. Tang San exclaimed in admiration. Only, powerful defense didn’t mean there was no way. Eight surging golden threads shifted as the Eight Spider Lances adjusted, instantly winding around the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor like ropes.
Ear piercing sounds of friction accompanied a faintly golden mist rising from the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor, shrill screams making it erupt with all its strength tow violently twist its body, apparently trying to pull free of the Eight Spider Lances’ swallowing golden threads.
Unfortunately, the swallowing golden threads weren’t Blue Silver Emperor, they formed completely from energy rather than substance. No matter how the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor struggled, it could at most make the light of the swallowing golden threads strengthen a bit, making them a bit longer. None of its pulling strength reached Tang San, much less let it pull free.
The golden smoke rising from the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor was caused by its contact with the swallowing golden threads. After evolving, they didn’t just possess formidable piercing power, but at the same time also had quite frightening corrosive strength. The Man Faced Demon Spider’s poison, plus all the previous toxins of the Eight Spider Lances and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well’s ice and fire poison mixed together, absolutely wouldn’t be inferior to Bibi Dong’s Death Spider Emperor Death Domain, and even surpassed it slightly. Even though the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor’s defense was formidable, corroded by the numerous toxins, the pain it felt was still excruciating. Even if the swallowing golden threads couldn’t melt its carapace quickly, they still constantly corroded its body. The more time passed, the more serious the corrosion would be. Moreover, the other swallowing property also appeared now. As the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor struggled, its strength was bit by bit absorbed by the swallowing golden threads and sent to Tang San. The rate the energy was absorbed was far faster than Tang San’s exhaustion from maintaining the swallowing golden threads and the Blue Silver Domain. Even his Mysterious Heaven Skill showed signs of slowly increasing.
The other two Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors immediately discovered what was going on, and unable to find and attack Tang San, they quickly leapt over to their brother to help get it free.
Unfortunately, just as they arrived, the Eight Spider Lances behind Tang San each produced another two sharp tips, spitting out another sixteen swallowing golden threads, making them immediately follow in the steps of the last Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor, and were also tightly tied.
What shocked Tang San a bit was that these three ninety thousand year strong spirit beasts seemed a lot weaker when bound by the swallowing golden threads. Not even with the strength to run, they only constantly rolled around in place, trying to break free. None of the speed they showed before was on display.
What was going on? These were three ninety thousand year cultivation spirit beasts! Could the god level Eight Spider Lances be that strong?
Actually, what Tang San didn’t know was that at the god level, the swallowing golden threads could admittedly trap the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors, but even more important was that the Eight Spider Lances restrained them.
The Eight Spider Lances was an external spirit bone from the Man Faced Demon Spider, and the Man Faced Demon Spider was the nemesis of all insect type spirit beasts. If common Fifteen Ton Ants were infected by the aura of a Man Faced Demon Spider, they wouldn’t even be able to move. Indeed, these three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors really had ninety thousand years of cultivation. But Tang San’s Eight Spider Lances also wasn’t the aura of a common Man Faced Demon Spider. After several evolutions, his Eight Spider Lances distributed an aura equivalent to a god level Man Faced Demon Spider. The swallowing golden threads twisted around their bodies, and like this completely suppressed their auras and immediately made them unable to show even half their strength.
The three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors had three strongest capabilities, namely strength, defense and speed. Even though they had no powerful spirit abilities, relying on these three characteristics, the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors were invincible. It was very difficult for other spirit beasts to defeat them. They directly ignored physical attacks by relying on their solid carapace, and nor were energy attacks able to break their defenses, and with their fast powerful attacks, they could frequently crush their enemies. Even if they encountered spirit beasts with control type abilities, they could still break free with their strength and attack again.
But Tang San’s swallowing golden threads could be counted among energy attacks, but also control type energy attacks. Breaking free was difficult to the extreme. They also had draining effects and corrosive toxin effects. This put the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor brothers in a huge crisis.
Only, if it was just the swallowing golden threads, they could still scatter in three directions with their speed, and two would invariably be able to escape the attack. After all, Tang San’s Eight Spider Lances swallowing golden threads couldn’t possibly extend infinitely. Unfortunately, they unluckily met a Man Faced Demon Spider’s god level aura, which suppressed their six legs to numbness, leaving them basically unable to escape. They were suppressed to death, the swallowing golden threads constantly absorbing their strength, corroding their carapace. Tang San basically didn’t need to attack for them to lose all chances of escape.
At the start, Tang San was still afraid these three fellows would be acting weak like the Dark Devilgod Tiger did, looking for a chance to attack. But the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors gradually grew unable to endure the toxin from the swallowing golden threads, their struggling growing weaker and weaker. At the same time the energy absorption speed grew faster and faster. Tang San was then sure that they no longer stood a chance.
Cautiously floating forward, sure enough, the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors basically didn’t react at all. Tang San then removed his Blue Silver Domain.
He hadn’t expected killing these three fellows would be so much easier than killing the Dark Devilgod Tiger. It seemed his Eight Spider Lances completely restrained them. Their strength and cultivation was enough to become his Clear Sky Hammer’s sixth, seventh and eighth spirit rings. Strength addition was clearly the most suitable for the Clear Sky Hammer. Once he absorbed their spirit rings, his business in the Star Dou Great Forest this time would be complete, and he could go meet his comrades by the sea and leave for Seagod Island.
Even though he’d met danger in the Star Dou Great Forest this time, to Tang San, it went rather smoothly. It used much less time than he planned for.
He was in no hurry to completely kill the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors. Right now Tang San’s body already felt unwell, the energy the swallowing golden threads gave him was too enormous. He didn’t need to release spirit abilities. He might as well sit on the ground and release his Blue Silver Domain to guard him again, and absorb this foreign energy.
Through this absorption, Tang San immediately discovered the swallowing golden threads were different from before. Besides absorption speed, what made Tang San most shocked was that the energy passing through the swallowing golden threads was no longer as simple as just absorption. After being filtered through the Eight Spider Lances once, even though it wasn’t the same energy as the Mysterious Heaven Skill, it still didn’t have any attributes. It was extremely pure energy. Absorbing it didn’t require using his Mysterious Heaven Skill to filter it, and it could be directly fused with his existing spirit power.
This discovery not only made Tang San very pleasantly surprised, if this was the case, the afterwards when he faced enemies and used the swallowing golden threads, he could turn the absorbed energy into his own in battle without any wear. Adding in the Blue Silver Domain’s ultimate ability All Rivers Run Into The Sea, without a doubt, his continued fighting strength would reach a frightening degree. And when the enemies faced the swallowing golden threads, they would find it even more difficult to break free. The poison of the swallowing golden threads was an all new ability after the Eight Spider Lances evolved. Being able to pass poison via its energy form, it was worthy of a god level external spirit bone!
Rich white mist spread all over Tang San as he breathed. Three flowers reappeared above his head, and a soft fragrance spread from his body. The six spirit bones within him grew hot simultaneously, and his internal spirit power slowly increased as the foreign energy was bit by bit turned into his.
Rank ninety five was a Title Douluo bottleneck, and even with the astonishing energy absorbed from three ninety thousand year Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors, after being refined by the Mysterious Heaven Skill, disappeared like a clay ox in the sea. It just made Tang San feel minute growth, and the growth speed was slow.
Tang San was in no rush. The one-level gap between rank ninety five and rank ninety six was one that eighty percent of Title Douluo were unable to cross in their lives. How would it be that easy to rank up? But each increase in spirit power would be a bit more of a guarantee in the future. Just what is called dripping water will bore through rock, and pulling up sprouts to speed up growth would easily cause trouble.
The three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors’ struggle grew weaker and weaker. Their solid outer shells were gradually crushed and melted by the swallowing golden threads, and the breath of life gradually waned as their strength was stolen bit by bit. As the last bit of strength within them was taken away by the swallowing golden threads, the intensely corrosive poison simultaneously also took away their lives.
Tang San didn’t dare delay. He had to absorb three spirit rings within a couple of hours, time was of the essence. Sensing the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors passing, he immediately withdrew his swallowing golden threads. But he still didn’t withdraw the Eight Spider Lances. In his ideal condition, he began to absorb their spirit rings.
But, something unexpected happened. As Tang San brought out his Clear Sky Hammer spirit and beckoned one of the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor spirit rings, three black lines of energy shot out simultaneously from the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors, turning into black spirit rings with a rosy tint and moved towards the Clear Sky Hammer.
This scene made Tang San jump. He’d clearly only summoned from one of the Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors, but all three actually answered, what was going on?
Only, he very soon understood the reason. He now already possessed fourteen spirit rings, so his pull on spirit rings was enormous. Adding in that the Clear Sky Hammer also cultivated the Great Sumeru Hammer, it was somewhat overbearing on its own. Even though he’d only summoned from one Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor’s corpse, the three bodies were very close, and they all reacted to the overbearing power of the Clear Sky Hammer. Under absolute suppression, they flew towards the Clear Sky Hammer at the same time.
What now? Seeing those three reddish black spirit rings flying up, Tang San now only had two choices. One, immediately give up on the three spirit rings, letting them scatter in the air and going to find new spirit beasts that suited him. Two, to absorb them to the Clear Sky Hammer simultaneously.
Absorbing three spirit rings simultaneously was unprecedented in the entire spirit master world, and only spirit masters with twin spirits like Tang San and Bibi Dong could encounter such circumstances. Spirit masters were supremely cautious when absorbing spirit rings, and two or more spirit rings that could be absorbed appearing simultaneously was oh so rare. Before this, one might say that it had basically never happened. Tang San suddenly faced a very difficult decision. What would happen when absorbing three spirit rings at the same time was unknown. But if he gave up on these three spirit rings and went searching for fifty thousand year cultivation spirit beasts, it would definitely take him a lot of time. Luck wouldn’t always be on his side. Fifty thousand year spirit beasts weren’t that easily found either, let alone when they had to suit the Clear Sky Hammer.
Recalling the Eight Spider Lances’ complete suppression of the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperors before, and seeing the Seagod Trident next to him, Tang San fiercely clenched his teeth and let the three spirit rings cover his Clear Sky Hammer simultaneously. His powerful strength was the source of his confidence. So what if it had never been done before? With his half god body, would he be afraid of three spirit rings that hadn’t even reached a hundred thousand years of cultivation?
If it was before, Tang San might not have made such a choice, but ever since Tang Hao taught him the Great Sumeru Hammer, as he cultivated it, Tang San’s aggressiveness grew by the day. Now that he would give the Clear Sky Hammer more spirit rings, the Clear Sky Hammer’s own heavy aura made him affirm his choice.
The instant those three spirit rings covered the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang San only felt an explosion, an incredible surging energy bursting from the Clear Sky Hammer into him. That was fully strength attributed spirit power, battering him like a wave, just like the time on Seagod Island. Tang San’s body completely left the ground under the impact, flung several dozen meters back before landing.
The black Clear Sky Hammer suddenly turned completely red, like a red hot branding iron. The intense energy fluctuations made the ground around Tang San crack inch by inch.
Spirit rings were a reforging of the spirit. If it was some slightly lower quality spirit, absorbing three spirit rings at the same time might cause the spirit to collapse. But the Clear SKy Hammer was different. What kind of existence was it? The prized asset of the world’s number one sect. Under that enormous energy impact, even though it turned completely fiery red, it still forcefully accepted all the energy of the three spirit rings. At the same time the five spirit rings it already had brightened, radiating five enormous rings of light to protect it. No matter how enormous the three energies struck, they were still suppressed and unable to leave the hammer, and even more unable to break it.
Meanwhile, the Deathgod Domain carved into the Clear Sky Hammer released blood colored light. Potent killing intent merged with the Clear Sky Hammer’s overbearingness, cooperating with the five spirit rings’ energy to completely suppress the three new spirit rings. Just letting these energies merge into Tang San.
The Clear Sky Hammer was fine, but Tang San faced a large problem. The energy that suddenly rushed into him really was terrifying, scattering his Mysterious Heaven Skill inner strength in practically one go. Even prepared, Tang San’s eyes still darkened, almost knocked unconscious from the strike.
Tightly clenching his jaw, Tang San fiercely fixed his eyes and roared, spitting out a mouthful of bloody mist. He was like a glowering guardian deity. He couldn’t use the Blue Silver Domain right now since he had released the Clear Sky Hammer spirit. Otherwise, relying on the Blue Silver Domain’s ultimate All Rivers Run Into the sea, it would be a bit easier with the help of the blue silver grass in the forest. But now he could only endure.
Come, Tang San roared in his mind. His left hand rose, pushing over his heart, gathering the Mysterious Heaven Skill to protect his heart meridians. His right hand gripped the Seagod Trident, a ray of Seagod’s Light directly pouring into the Seagod’s Heart. He was instantly connected with the Seagod Trident. Meanwhile, the Eight Spider Lances on his back fully stretched out, dyed with golden light. The powerful Eight Spider Lances aura was guided by Tang San’s boundless level mental strength into him, cooperating with his Mysterious Heaven Skill inner strength to block those three violent attacks.
Tang San’s body became the battleground for both sides. The energy of three spirit rings simultaneously was too enormous, but fortunately Tang San’s meridians had already risen to the half god level and didn’t collapse. Every vessel was dilated to the limit, the intense pressure making Tang San’s blood speed up tenfold, his heart pumping forcefully to admit the flow.
Stubborn conviction and incredible domineering spread through his heart. It was at this moment that Tang San suddenly understood the true essence of the Great Sumeru Hammer. And also understood how his father could use it to defeat those stronger.
The true essence of Great Sumeru Hammer, if it moved, there could only be one conviction, victory. In the presence of the Great Sumeru Hammer, there were no powerful enemies, only enemies yet to be smashed. Extremely stubborn conviction and obsession could bring out the full aggressiveness of the Great Sumeru Hammer, and deeply integrate it.
Just like using the Great Sumeru Hammer within him, facing the energy attack of the three brothers’ spirit rings, Tang San didn’t have any intent of guiding it. Just like that he urged all his strength to incomparably aggressively clash with it. It was also at just this moment that his Great Sumeru Hammer was truly completed.
Boom—— With the first strike, Tang San immediately bled from the apertures of his head, his entire body violently shot from the ground, then again heavily falling to the ground with the Seagod Trident. Two huge impact areas shattered at least one main artery and more than ten smaller veins. Violent pain instantly spread through his entire body, making Tang San’s skin turn the color of blood.
But even so, even if he could no longer stay seated, he basically didn’t care about the damage. He instantly urged his remaining energy to form a second strike, so much that the energy that had rushed into his body hadnät formed the next strike before Tang San’s second wave already hit it.
If someone saw this scene, they would definitely think Tang San was insane. This was using his own body as battlefield! In doing so, first of all his own body would be damaged. But some things couldn’t be explained with reason. Tang San was just doing this. The tyrannical collision erupted once again. This time, all of Tang San’s energies were completely fused into one under that domineering pressure, being refined, just like the Clear Sky Hammer, and exploded once again.
In the first strike, the combined energy of the three Fifteen Ton Ant Emperor spirit rings was blasted back and scattered, and not much was absorbed into Tang San. But, they still needed time to recondense. Tang San basically didn’t give them that time. Before that surging energy had erupted a second time, his attack had already arrived.
A violent explosion echoed once again. In Tang San’s mouth, nose and ears, faintly golden blood mist suddenly sprayed out. Where it passed, even the surrounding trees were wrecked by the blood mist. And his body was once again shocked back, again falling heavily to the ground.
This time, Tang San’s right leg brightened quietly. Red light suffused with golden blue instantly spread out. The Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone’s restoring ability launched automatically. This showed what state Tang San was in right now.
Right now Tang San was completely immersed in the Great Sumeru Hammer state, abandoning all apprehension, without even reflecting on what to do if another spirit beast showed up now. But it was just because of this completely unworried second attack that the previously so incredibly powerful spirit energy was suppressed, weakening the frightening impact considerably. After being scattered again, its condensation speed also slowed.
But this time Tang San stopped rather than launch a third attack. Not because his blood vessels were damaged or because he didn’t have the strength to follow up, but rather stood in the place of a king, looking down from above on that unruly spirit ring energy with a kind of disdain.
Absorbing you like this is just bullying. Weren’t you condensing? Then fine, I’ll let you condense. So what?
This was the reason Tang San stopped. He had already completely entered an overbearing state, the stubborn conviction made all his energies fuse together, and the deep red Clear Sky Hammer in his left hand seemed like an extension of his arm, its surface constantly brightening with lines of golden patterns, as if shouting with excitement.
……
“Little San, what do you think of spirits? What do you believe spirits are?”
Grandmaster looked with a smile at the disciple he had just accepted, raising a question.
The not yet seven year old Tang San blinked,
“Teacher, I feel that spirits are a part of us, or that it’s another shape for oneself.”
Grandmaster looked astonished at him,
“It seems I really didn’t pick the wrong disciple. You’re a genius. To think of this at your age really is shocking. You’re right, spirits are a part of us. To be more precise, our bodies and spirits are a twin existence. Only the physical body is dominant. And cultivating spirits lets them grow together with our bodies. This is the best way to treat these brothers of ours. Understand?”
Tang San nodded,
“But, Teacher, if spirits are a twin existence with our bodies, how come we can think and the spirits can’t?”
Grandmaster shook his head, smiling:
“No, you’re wrong. Spirits aren’t unable to think. On the contrary, spirits also have their own souls, we just can’t feel them. In order to truly make them powerful, first you have to understand it. One day when you are able to find the heart of your twin existence, using your actions to prove yourself to it, letting it completely accept you, then you can truly gain its approval and make you brothers inseparable again. You can also truly display its strength.”
“Then Teacher, how should I do it, how do I understand what my spirit truly wants?”
Grandmaster shook his head,
“I don’t know either, each spirit has its own properties, you’ll have to figure it out on your own. I can only show you the road, I can’t walk it for you. Understand?”
……
Tang San could completely grasp the Blue Silver Emperor because of the Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone Ah Yin gave him, as well as the emperor’s bloodline revealing its heart. But the Clear Sky Hammer? At this moment, Tang San’s inner world overflowing with mad aggression had also finally roused its spirit heart, gaining him the approval of the world’s number one sect’s premier spirit.
