Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

The gazes of all the experts from the Spirit Hall were drawn to Xiao Wu, but Yue Guan and Gui Mei, the two Title Douluos, were fixed on the Titan Giant Ape at her feet. Although this 100,000-year-old soul beast was not deliberately releasing its pressure, its silent crouching posture alone gave people an indescribable sense of oppression—as if it were not a body of flesh and blood, but an ancient, towering black mountain, so heavy that it was suffocating.

The ghostly black robes billowed without wind, and a voice, hoarse as sandpaper, said, "This beast is more terrifying than the rumors say."

The Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum in Yue Guan's hand bloomed unconsciously, its golden petals trembling violently.

Bibi Dong's scepter glowed faintly, and a glint of fervor flashed in her eyes. She could sense that within the seemingly calm Titan Ape lay a terrifying power capable of shaking the heavens and earth, which was one of her targets.

A ripple of emotion flickered in Xiao Wu's clear eyes, tinged with a hint of disappointment at her unfulfilled desire. She gazed silently at Bibi Dong, her voice as soft as a breeze through the forest: "It really is you. All these years, you've been searching for me, haven't you?" Her slender fingers gently brushed the Titan Ape's fur. "Then today, let's settle this here."

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong let out a disdainful chuckle: "Just these two beasts?" She tapped her scepter lightly on the ground, producing a crisp sound. "Or perhaps," she deliberately paused, "you think your mere Soul Emperor can cause any trouble before me?"

Xiao Wu stared silently at the Spirit Hall members, a resolute glint in her eyes. Her slender fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, already knowing in her heart that today was likely to be a perilous day.

Suddenly, the Titan Ape beneath her feet unleashed a deafening roar, its golden eyes flashing with blinding light, shining like two blazing suns even in broad daylight. A majestic aura, as imposing as a mountain, erupted, causing the lake before her to tremble violently, rippling out in waves of fury.

"Roar—human! Today I will avenge Sister Xiaowu's blood debt!"

The Titan Ape's massive body suddenly straightened up, its fifteen-meter-tall form blotting out the sky, and its terrifying pressure instantly caused towering waves to surge across the entire lake. Xiao Wu remained firmly perched on its shoulder, her long black hair flying wildly in the raging air currents, her white clothes fluttering in the wind, like an unyielding white lotus in a storm.

Despite the overwhelming pressure, Bibi Dong's gaze remained calm and serene. She slightly turned her head and exchanged a glance with the two Douluo, Ju and Gui. Understanding each other, they simultaneously released their martial souls, and the eighteen soul rings shone brightly on the lakeside.

A ghostly, hoarse voice rang out: "Chrysanthemum Pass."

Yue Guan frowned, the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum in his hand shimmering with light: "Old ghost, watch your address in front of the juniors." The moment their eyes met, years of tacit understanding allowed them to communicate perfectly.

The golden chrysanthemum in Yue Guan's hand bloomed in the wind, and his seventh spirit ring suddenly lit up: "Martial Spirit True Body!" Facing an opponent like the Titan Giant Ape, he dared not hold back in the slightest and went all out from the start.

Ghost turned to Hu Liena and the others, his black robes billowing even without wind: "Everyone, stand by where you are." Before he finished speaking, his figure had already risen into the air like a ghost, his whole body turning into a blurry black mist, even the soul rings around him became illusory and unclear.

A hint of disdain flashed in the Titan Giant Ape Erming's beastly eyes, which were as bright as the sun. Facing the attack from two Title Douluos, it lightly shrugged its shoulders, and Xiao Wu rose into the air like a light feather, landing steadily on the tree behind it.

The instant Xiao Wu left, the 100,000-year-old soul beast suddenly lunged forward! Gui Mei and Yue Guan both paled—they clearly felt that the air around them suddenly became as thick as mud the moment the Titan Ape pounced. Their bodies felt as if they were filled with lead, their originally lightning-fast movements suddenly slowed down, and even the scenery in their vision began to distort and deform.

"Domain!" Ghostly figure was terrified, his black robe billowing violently.

The Titan Ape's mountain-sized fist slammed down, and the two Title Douluos were shocked to see the surrounding earth element frantically gathering, as if the power of the entire earth was concentrated in this single punch. Yue Guan's Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum instantly burst into dazzling golden light, and his seventh spirit ring flashed wildly: "Old Ghost, join forces!"

Even before the fist arrived, the terrifying pressure caused the ground beneath their feet to crack inch by inch. The power of this punch seemed capable of overturning an entire lake!
"Hmph! How dare you!"

Bibi Dong let out a cold shout, slamming her gilded scepter heavily onto the ground. In an instant, a divine pressure that transcended the mortal realm erupted, and the earthen-yellow gravity field receded like a tide under the impact of this aura, its range suddenly shrinking.

The loosening of the domain's suppression brought a huge sigh of relief to Kiku and Oni. Their figures instantly transformed into two streaks of light, one gold and one black, narrowly avoiding the earth-shattering punch. The Titan Ape's fist grazed past their afterimages and slammed into the ground with a deafening roar, causing the entire lake to tremble.

Feng Yao's pupils contracted slightly, his heart churning with shock. Bibi Dong's current strength far exceeded his expectations—this pressure, this effortless domain suppression, had probably reached level ninety-six, or even ninety-seven! Much stronger than in the original story at the same stage.

He silently observed Bibi Dong's back; her papal robes fluttered without wind, and she exuded a suffocating aura of oppression. Could this strength mean that the Rakshasa God's inheritance was progressing faster than expected?
At this critical moment, the lake surface suddenly erupted with a towering spray of water. Countless glistening water droplets refracted the sunlight into a rainbow of colors, and a moist mist instantly filled the air. A gigantic bull's head, over four meters in diameter, burst from the water, its dark blue scales gleaming with a cold light. The colossal creature, with its bull's head and snake's body, soared into the sky, unleashing a devastating blue breath that hurtled straight towards Hu Liena and the others.

Bibi Dong remained calm and composed, as if everything was under her control. Her nine spirit rings pulsed gracefully, and her fifth spirit ring suddenly burst forth with a dazzling black light: "Fifth Spirit Skill, Thousand Edges and Ten Thousand Shields!"

In an instant, countless black energy shields condensed in the void, layer upon layer forming an impenetrable defensive barrier. The azure breath, powerful enough to melt metal, struck the shield array, only to be completely neutralized as if it had vanished into thin air, leaving behind only distorted ripples in the air.

Feng Yao noticed that Bibi Dong didn't even raise her scepter when she used her soul skill. This effortless control once again proved her unfathomable strength. What was even more alarming was that she seemed to have anticipated that the Azure Bull Python would launch a surprise attack at this moment.

"Second brother, kill them!" The Azure Bull Python spoke in human language, its chilling gaze sweeping over the crowd on the shore like a sharp blade. In an instant, the entire world seemed to be dyed azure, and all the members of the Spirit Hall, including Feng Yao, felt their bodies suddenly sink, their movements slowing by at least 30%.

"Roar—" The Titan Ape roared in response, its massive hind legs straining to propel itself forward. Its mountain-like body, seemingly effortlessly lifted by the gravity control field, hurtled towards the Spirit Hall members like a meteorite. This illogical scene was chilling—a fifteen-meter-tall behemoth soared into the air, yet felt as light as a feather; only its terrifying shadow hinted at its destructive impact.

“How arrogant!” Bibi Dong sneered, the gems on her scepter gleaming with an eerie purple light.

"Old ghost!" Yue Guan suddenly shouted, and the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum in his hand burst into dazzling golden light.

"Hmm," the ghostly voice responded in a hoarse voice, its black robes fluttering even without wind.

In an instant, the black and gold lights blended together like milk and water. The eighteen spirit rings on the two of them lit up simultaneously, weaving into a dazzling golden and silver halo in the void. The halo grew longer in the wind, transforming in the blink of an eye into a huge wheel of light with a diameter of a hundred meters, suspended in the sky.

The world seemed to freeze at that moment—the Titan Ape, leaping into the air, became a shadow, and the azure light spewed by the Azure Bull Python was as still as a mosquito trapped in amber. Even the swaying shadows of the trees by the lake stopped moving, and the whole world was left with only the slowly rotating golden and silver halo.

"A bipolar static domain!"

Time and space seemed to be paused at this moment—the massive body of the Titan Ape was frozen in mid-air, its muscular limbs still in a leaping posture; the huge body of the Azure Bull Python, which had just emerged from the water, was also frozen, the water droplets dripping from its blue scales still in the air, refracting a crystal-clear light.

Bibi Dong seemed to have anticipated this. Holding her scepter, she walked gracefully and calmly towards Xiao Wu. Her gilded robes trailed an eerie path in the frozen space, and the sound of her scepter striking the ground became the only sound in this solidified world.

"Sister Xiaowu!" Titan Giant Ape Erming roared in anguish, but even his voice was trapped within this static domain. "Run!" Azure Bull Python Daming struggled to break free, his azure eyes filled with anxiety. But within this extremely static domain, even the power of a 100,000-year-old soul beast seemed utterly powerless.

Xiao Wu stood rooted to the spot, her white skirt billowing in the wind. She watched Bibi Dong approach step by step, but her eyes held no fear, only an indescribable calm. It was as if she were silently saying goodbye.

She did not choose to run away because she knew better than anyone else what cruel fate her companions would face if she left.

"Mistress, how are you doing now?"

She gazed at the distant horizon, her eyes filled with tender ripples. The face she longed for seemed to be right before her eyes, making her both want to see him immediately and wish he would never appear here.

A single, glistening tear slid down her cheek, refracting the sunlight into a rainbow of colors. She longed to know what the boy who had combed her hair looked like now, whether he still kept that wooden comb, but even more, she hoped he would never step into this deadly predicament.

Feng Yao followed silently behind Bibi Dong, his gaze complex as he looked at Xiao Wu not far away. The girl's slender figure appeared so fragile in the wind, yet it carried a resolute determination.

He wasn't a saint, but he understood that every life has the right to strive for survival. The despair emanating from Xiao Wu at that moment pierced his senses like a tangible reality. It was a stubbornness that knew death was inevitable yet still held its head high, a dignity that refused to bow down before absolute power.

Bibi Dong's scepter struck the ground with a crisp sound, each step like a countdown to fate.

"Release them, and I'll go with you." Xiao Wu stared at Bibi Dong, a hint of resentment flashing in her clear, autumn-water-like eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness.

Bibi Dong lightly tapped the ground with her scepter, a cold smile playing on her red lips: "Do you think you have the right to negotiate?"

"Is that so?" Xiao Wu murmured softly, her fingertips unconsciously digging into her palm.

"Sister Xiaowu! Don't worry about us! Killing us won't be that easy!" Da Ming's voice boomed in her mind.

However, Xiao Wu remained rooted to the spot. She knew better than anyone—just as Bibi Dong had said—that she had no room for negotiation. The image of her mother lying in a pool of blood resurfaced in her memory; that terrifying soul skill, unforgettable and still chilling to the bone, still lingered in her mind. She knew perfectly well what awaited Da Ming and Er Ming if they didn't comply.

Xiao Wu's gaze slowly shifted to Feng Yao. For some reason, the aura emanating from this unfamiliar man made her feel inexplicably close to him—that gentle and refined feeling was somewhat similar to Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.

"He seems to have the same aura as the other woman." A thought flickered in her mind, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Perhaps... he's a good person?"

But in an instant, her gaze hardened again. Whether the person before her was good or evil, it wouldn't change the choice she had to make.

Bibi Dong stared at Xiao Wu's unusually resolute gaze, her brows furrowing slightly. Just as she was about to speak, Xiao Wu suddenly whispered, "You took my mother's life. Now my life is in your hands."

Bibi Dong's scepter paused slightly, thinking that the Soft-Boned Rabbit was finally about to plead for its companion. However, the next second—

Xiao Wu's eyes suddenly turned blood red, and her shrill voice was like a cry of blood: "But you will never get everything you want!"

Before she finished speaking, a blinding red light suddenly erupted from her body, and the primal power of a 100,000-year-old soul beast began to burn wildly. This resolute scene even caused the Titan Giant Ape, which was imprisoned within the domain, to let out a heart-wrenching roar.

"ah------!"

A heart-wrenching shriek suddenly erupted from Xiao Wu's throat, the sound wave causing the canopy of the entire Starry Sky Forest to shake violently. In an instant, a blinding blood-red light exploded from between her brows, transforming into a crimson halo that rapidly spread.

Wherever the crimson light passed, everything was stained crimson, and time and space seemed to freeze completely. Even the falling leaves remained suspended in mid-air, retaining their crimson appearance.

Bibi Dong's pupils constricted sharply; the powerful fluctuations of soul power instantly made her understand Xiao Wu's intentions. But when she tried to stop her, she discovered that the absolute stillness generated by this crimson domain was something even she, a level 97 Super Douluo, couldn't break free from. The gems on her scepter flashed wildly, yet she couldn't mobilize even a trace of soul power.

In this blood-red world, only Xiao Wu's figure slowly rose. Her snow-white dress had been stained a tragic red, and her black hair danced wildly in the blood, like a spider lily blooming in despair.

"roar--!!!"

The Titan Ape and the Azure Bull Python roared simultaneously, their bodies erupting with dazzling light. Thick blood mist spewed from their mouths, and the violent energy surge instantly shattered Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo's Martial Soul Fusion Technique. The golden and silver static domain shattered like fragile glass, dissipating into countless specks of light.

Within this crimson realm, only Xiao Wu, at the center of the red light, could move freely. Her entire body had transformed into a translucent dark red, as if sculpted from the purest ruby, with every inch of her skin radiating heart-stopping energy fluctuations.

As Feng Yao felt the immense energy continuously surging into his body, an unprecedentedly complex expression appeared on his face. He had imagined countless possible outcomes, but he never expected that Xiao Wu would choose to entrust her life and cultivation to him as a sacrifice.

"Although I don't know who you are," Xiao Wu's voice echoed softly in the crimson light, her gaze fixed on Feng Yao, a gentle light in her eyes, "the aura emanating from you makes me feel very at ease."

A sudden burst of bright light illuminated Xiao Wu's pale face, revealing a startling radiance. A relieved smile graced her lips, as if all her burdens had been lifted.

Crimson flames rose from beneath her feet—no ordinary flames, but sacrificial fire fueled by blood, life, and ten thousand years of cultivation. The flames gradually turned from bright red to dark red, and Xiao Wu's body became transparent, like a melting red crystal, every inch of her skin shimmering with a heartbreaking luster.

A massive red halo slowly contracted around her, distorting even space itself in its wake. In these final moments, Xiao Wu's gaze pierced through the crimson light barrier, looking into the depths of the forest, as if bidding farewell to a figure she would never see again.

(End of this chapter)