Tang San moved forward.
Dugu Feng and Dugu Shuo stood beside Meng Shenji.
Eight Spirit Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—quietly rose around Meng Shenji.
His entire body became covered in a layer of black fur.
The fur was pitch-black and glossy, turning Meng Shenji completely dark.
Only his two eyeballs remained, emitting an orange-blue glow.
Simultaneously, a silent ripple spread out, covering the surrounding area.
Dugu Feng clearly sensed with his spiritual power that this ripple covered a range of several miles.
It enveloped the entire area around the Man-faced Demon Spider.
Then, it began probing underground.
Deeper and deeper it went.
This was Meng Shenji's Black Demon Dreamland.
"The Evil Soul Master who appeared before mastered the Earth Escape Technique. This time, even if he emerges from underground, he will immediately fall into my dreamland!" Meng Shenji said leisurely, exuding strong confidence.
"Oh, Dugu, your spiritual power is quite remarkable!" Meng Shenji suddenly praised.
He had detected Dugu Feng's probing spiritual power, which far exceeded that of an ordinary Soul Emperor.
"Senior, this is the innate Soul Skill of my Azure Phosphorus Serpent Spirit, the Azure Phosphorus Scarlet Venom. It is a type of spiritual toxin and can also be considered toxic spiritual power. Through the Dugu Family's research, we have developed this Soul Skill as a method to cultivate spiritual power," Dugu Feng explained.
"Remarkable!" Meng Shenji marveled. Had the Dugu Family even incorporated poison into spiritual power?
"Senior, with us being so heavily guarded, I actually think this Evil Soul Master won't show up!" Dugu Feng sighed.
He truly had no intention of appearing.
Whether Tang San's sixth Spirit Ring produced an External Soul Bone or not, he would not make a move this time.
He wasn't a fool.
With top-tier experts like Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo present, no matter how fast the Emerald Dragon Snake was, could it possibly outpace Sword Douluo's sword?
If he revealed himself, facing Sword Douluo's ultimate sword light, he would either die or be severely injured, and the identity of the Emerald Dragon Snake would surely be exposed.
Thus, Dugu Feng decided to remain hidden.
He wanted to see if Tang San would still produce an External Soul Bone.
"No matter. Eliminating Evil Soul Masters is the responsibility of the Spirit Hall. It's best if he doesn't show up.
We just need to ensure Tang San's safety!" Meng Shenji was quite open-minded.
A genius like Tang San was the key reason Meng Shenji had agreed to intervene.
The growing strength of the Spirit Hall was evident to all. Only with the rise of a powerful Twin Soul Spirits expert like Tang San could they resist the Spirit Hall and ensure the safety of the Heaven Dou Empire.
As they communicated, the battle between Tang San and the Man-faced Demon Spider had already begun.
This Man-faced Demon Spider was 26,000 years old.
Its millstone-sized body, eyes shimmering with a faint purple light, and eight spider legs covered in fine fur.
It moved with great agility, and both its Spiderweb Restraint and Spider Leg Attack were formidable.
But how could it compare to Tang San?
Just like the last time he hunted a Man-faced Demon Spider, Tang San first provoked this one.
Then, he exhausted its three uses of Spiderweb Restraint.
Finally, he brought out the Clear Sky Hammer to clash head-on with the Man-faced Demon Spider.
The only difference was that Tang San did not plan to use hidden weapons to kill the Man-faced Demon Spider.
He intended to defeat the Man-faced Demon Spider head-on with the Clear Sky Hammer.
Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer bore no attached Spirit Rings, yet even so, this Weapon Soul weighed five hundred jin.
It was wielded by Tang San with exceptional proficiency.
By this time, Tang San had already undergone two years of hammer training beneath the waterfall.
Moreover, having missed the trials in Slaughter City, he had been continuously studying the Clear Sky Sect's hammer techniques at the sect, such as the Nine Secret Skills of the Clear Sky and the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique.
His mastery of the Weapon Soul had already taken on a distinguished style.
This genuinely surprised Dugu Feng.
To be fair, the Clear Sky Sect's hammer techniques were quite formidable, having been refined over generations.
Tang Chen's victory over Qiandao Liu and Tang Hao's triumph over Qian Xunji were proof enough.
However, after Tang San attained godhood, he was no match for Bibi Dong.
The fundamental reason lay in his failure to cultivate any single path to its utmost limits.
With the Blue Silver Emperor Spirit, he failed to comprehend the attribute of life.
As for the Clear Sky Hammer Spirit in Tang San's hands, only the Ring Detonation technique saw occasional use.
The skills of the Sea God went without saying—what oceanic attributes did Tang San possess at all?
But now, due to his own machinations, Tang San had not ventured to Slaughter City and instead trained at the Clear Sky Sect, advancing his Clear Sky Hammer cultivation even further.
At least from Dugu Feng's perspective, his hammer skills had surpassed those of most Tool Soul Masters.
"That little brat Xiao San truly has a solid foundation, with the essence of his previous life's cultivation in the Mystic Heaven Skill, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps, and Tang Sect Hidden Weapons, plus training from childhood in this life."
If he settles his mind and focuses on cultivating one ability, his progress is quite rapid!
Unfortunately, he rises by the Twin Soul Spirits and falls by them.
Now he's obsessed with the External Soul Bone of the Man-faced Demon Spider—greed will only lead to indigestion!"
Dugu Feng sneered coldly in his heart.
Of course, Tang San would not see it this way. He delightedly confronted the Man-faced Demon Spider's Spider Lance attacks head-on with his Clear Sky Hammer.
The spider's eight legs moved like phantoms, their rhythmic motions making its actions indistinct.
But Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer was even faster, agile in a way utterly unbefitting a heavy weapon.
He employed the Nine Secret Skills of the Clear Sky, the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, and even hammer skills like the Soaring Strike, one after another.
This was the result of years of training under the supervision of Tang Xiao and Tang Hao, no less accomplished than any Soul Master of the Clear Sky Sect.
Thus, man and spider battled, sparks flying in all directions.
The clanging sounds rang out distinctly in the quiet forest.
Dugu Feng glanced at Tang Hao, Tang Xiao, and Yu Xiaogang in the distance. From their expressions, he could clearly discern their relief and joy.
The three of them were thoroughly satisfied with Tang San's strength.
This was the Clear Sky Hammer, and it hadn't even been attached with Spirit Rings yet.
If the Clear Sky Hammer were to be fully equipped with Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, or even a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring in the future,
the power of the hammer techniques unleashed would surely ensure that any enemy struck would meet their end on the spot.
Tang Hao was the most excited among them.
With just one Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, he could make his Soul Skills so formidable.
How powerful would his son become in the future?
He dared not even imagine.
After all, his son was certain to possess at least one Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
"Xiao San, you love Xiao Wu deeply, and she loves you too. You two are a match made in heaven.
Just like me and A Yin—our relationship withstood the test, and now she is with me forever.
Xiao San, you must also be together forever.
"Then Xiao Wu will never leave you, and you will also have a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. You will definitely surpass your grandfather and become the new invincible on land!"
A flash of madness crossed Tang Hao's eyes. In his view, his son was getting closer and closer to his goal.
"Bang!"
After a long while, following a heavy blow.
The Man-faced Demon Spider fell to the ground, never to rise again.
Upon closer inspection, the Man-faced Demon Spider's Spider Legs were covered in cracks, and the human face on its abdomen was completely disfigured.
Tang San had achieved victory and was about to absorb the Spirit Ring.
(End of Chapter)