While Ning Fengzhi and the others were still marveling at the terrifying might of the Evil Spirit Orca King, the beast itself had already spotted the distant ship.
Originally, the Evil Spirit Orca King had been leading its subordinates out to hunt. On their return, they suddenly caught the scent of blood in the water.
As one of the overlords of the sea, the Evil Spirit Orca King deduced that a battle between sea soul beasts had likely taken place.
Thus, it gathered its followers and surged forward, accelerating toward the source of the blood.
"Humans..."
As a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the Evil Spirit Orca King's intelligence was not lacking.
In fact, any creature capable of reaching that level could not only speak human language but also possessed intellect on par with an average human.
The Evil Spirit Orca King could clearly see that the lone little ship was trying to avoid it.
"Heh. How naive."
"Since we've crossed paths, you might as well stay here forever!"
Whether human or otherwise, all were mere weaklings before the king.
The Evil Spirit Orca King had never been a benevolent creature, and humans and sea soul beasts were natural enemies. If they hadn't met, fine but now that they had, how could it let them leave?
The ocean was the domain of sea soul beasts. What right did humans have to tread here?
With a flick of its fin, the Evil Spirit Orca King signaled its three hundred warriors to fan out in formation, advancing menacingly toward the "tiny" human vessel.
Suddenly, an icy chill ran down the king's spine an overwhelming sense of danger flooded its entire being.
"Not good! A trap!"
The Evil Spirit Orca King's expression changed drastically. There wasn't even time to warn its subordinates.
Its thirty-meter-long body trembled slightly as countless mirror-like fragments rapidly condensed across its skin.
These watery mirrors emitted a faint red glow.
"Mirror Annihilation of the Evil Spirit Orca!"
Countless mirror shards linked together, forming what looked like a suit of armor made entirely of reflective plates.
At that moment, a terrifying aura pierced the heavens. A colossal sword-shadow tore through the sky.
The sea churned violently, and the very space around them seemed to tremble.
The sheer force of this presence distorted the surrounding magnetic field, warping reality itself.
The Evil Spirit Orca King even felt as though the seawater had lost its weight, shooting outward in all directions and creating massive ripples.
A crack slowly split the clouds apart.
The sky itself was forcibly torn open, and from this rift descended an unimaginably enormous sword-shadow.
Carrying the momentum of ten thousand thunderbolts, the sword-shadow seemed capable of annihilating everything in its path.
The Evil Spirit Orca King's pupils contracted slightly as it noticed the tall, sword-like figure in the sky the source of this terrifying sword intent.
There was no time left to dive into the depths.
"Ninth Soul Skill Divine Demon Severing Strike: Sword Heart of Dust!"
The colossal sword-shadow descended from the heavens, the ancient Seven Kill Sword radiating an aura of apocalyptic destruction.
The ocean split apart along a visible line, the seawater forcibly divided to reveal a bottomless chasm.
Originally at Rank 97, Chen Xin now amplified by Ning Fengzhi's Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and its seven soul rings had reached the terrifying might of Rank 98.
In a sense, his current combat power had surpassed even that of his father.
Where the sword-shadow struck, the sea erupted.
Dozens of ten-thousand-year soul beasts perished instantly.
From the position of the Evil Spirit Orca King and its pack came agonized screams.
The king's massive body convulsed several times mid-air before crashing heavily into the water, sending up towering waves.
The surging tides were dyed crimson by the blood gushing from the Evil Spirit Orca King's wounds.
"Damn you! Damn you humans!" the king roared, its eyes bloodshot as it witnessed the deaths of over a dozen subordinates.
Before it could even begin to counterattack, the entire sky was enveloped in a green radiance!
A slightly weaker Title Douluo-level soul power surged forth, yet the emerald mist carried a far more sinister feeling than the Sword Douluo's attack.
"Ninth Soul Skill Jade Phosphor Divine Light!"
A thirty-meter-long serpent coiled through the sky, leaving behind a trail of virulent green mist.
The blood-red seawater turned emerald in the blink of an eye.
"STOP THIS!"
The Evil Spirit Orca King bellowed in fury as it watched its subordinates those who had only been stunned, not yet dead begin foaming at the mouth, their bodies rapidly dissolving.
Even those who had avoided the initial sword-light were now convulsing, collapsing lifelessly onto the water's surface.
The king's rage knew no bounds.
"Dugu Bo's soul skill?" The Sword Douluo's expression shifted slightly he could actually feel his own spirit avatar being lightly corroded.
"What terrifying poison!" he thought inwardly.
Though his Divine Demon Severing Strike was devastating, its range was limited.
Apart from wounding the Evil Spirit Orca King (leaving that ghastly gash on its back), it had only killed a few Soul Douluo-level Evil Spirit Orcas and about a dozen Soul Sage-level ones.
It was nothing compared to the horrifying spectacle of Dugu Bo's attack where entire groups dropped dead in an instant.
It was like watching an entire pond of fish suddenly turn belly-up.
The Evil Spirit Orca King itself showed minor signs of poisoning. The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's venom seeped into its body through the wounds, though as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, it suffered no immediate critical damage.
"Bastards! Damned human soul masters!" The king's crimson eyes grew even more terrifying.
Three hundred loyal followers wiped out in an instant.
Who wouldn't be enraged? This was the foundation of its dominance over the seas!
Do you know how many years it took to gather this force?!
"Fine then! You'll ALL die here!"
The Evil Spirit Orca King opened its maw wide, its overwhelming soul power causing the surrounding waters to churn violently.
A pitch-black energy beam condensed within its throat, aimed directly at Dugu Bo the weakest of the two Title Douluo to obliterate him in one strike.
"Look out!" The Sword Douluo immediately flashed to Dugu Bo's side, preparing to block the attack.
But then
A voice rang out abruptly.
"Illusion Wisdom Spirit Bone Phantom Space!"
"Eighth Soul Skill!"
"Mirror Replication!"
"Fengzhi...?"
Both Dugu Bo and the Sword Douluo turned to see the Purple Pearl sailing toward them.
Ning Fengzhi stood at the bow, the eighth soul ring of his Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda glowing brightly.
An exact replica of the Sword Douluo materialized in the air above the Evil Spirit Orca King.
The duplicate raised its Seven Kill Sword the ninth soul ring flaring to life before bringing down another colossal sword-shadow upon the king.
It was the Divine Demon Severing Strike: Sword Heart of Dust, unleashed once more!
Having learned from its earlier carelessness, the Evil Spirit Orca King noticed the figure above.
Though confused, it had already resolved to endure the pain and take at least one or two of them down in revenge.
But then
The king suddenly twisted its body, redirecting its charged attack toward the distant Purple Pearl.
"Let you taste my suffering!"
"DIE!"
"Evil Spirit Orca's Demonic Wrath!"
The black energy beam erupted forth, tearing across the sea's surface and piercing through the turbulent waters.
"NO!"
Both Dugu Bo and the Sword Douluo paled they hadn't expected the Evil Spirit Orca King to feint!
There was no time left to shield the ship.
The black light engulfed the Purple Pearl, swallowing it whole.
At the same moment, the replicated Sword Douluo's ninth soul skill struck the king once more, dealing another grievous blow.
Even as blood gushed from its maw, the Evil Spirit Orca King felt a sliver of vengeance had been achieved.
It prepared to dive into the depths to recover and fight another day.
But just as it moved
A lethal premonition struck.
The king looked up.
Both the Sword Douluo's ninth soul ring and Dugu Bo's eighth were alight.
Most terrifyingly, the Sword Douluo's Divine Demon Severing Strike: Sword Heart of Dust normally requiring a lengthy charge was already fully prepared.
The colossal sword hovering above its head might as well have been the scythe of death itself.
"Im... impossible!" the Evil Spirit Orca King roared in disbelief. How could they have activated their skills so quickly?
Did that ship not contain anyone they cared about?!
Not even a moment's hesitation?!
The king desperately tried to dive, but its body suddenly slowed to a crawl.
A voice like the tolling of a death knell echoed in its ears.
"Eighth Soul Skill Temporal Solidification."
"Ninth Soul Skill Divine Demon Severing Strike: Sword Heart of Dust!"