Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San-Chapter 885: A Battle in the Sky

“Mm.” The Adamant Nymph Emperor nodded. Among the seven Nymph Emperors, the strongest four were all plant-type, and the Parasol Tree Nymph Emperor and the Soul Capturer Nymph Emperor were both tree-type nymphs with deep connections to the Ancestral Tree. That was not to say that these powerful Emperors had never targeted the Blue Gold Tree clan, but they were obligated to openly support this ancestral lineage, and they did make good on that obligation. Otherwise, the Blue Gold Tree clan would not have been able to hold their position as a main city’s rulers once they lost their Emperor.

If he were to strike at Tang San today, the Soul Capturer Nymph Emperor would likely try to intervene. But the Adamant Nymph Emperor had absolute confidence. Once the fight started, killing a Great Nymph King or gravely injuring him wouldn’t be difficult.

To the Adamant Nymph Emperor, Tang San’s challenge seemed utterly foolish. If Tang San had left today and accepted compensation, he would have gotten away with it. But by choosing to challenge an Emperor, he was jumping into the fire of his own free will.

The Adamant Nymph Emperor cast a cold glance at Tang San and said, "We’ll fight in the sky." As it spoke, it soared upward, transforming into a ball of golden light as it shot into the sky.

Choosing to battle in the sky was, of course, to prevent the aftershocks from affecting the city. In truth, the Adamant Nymph Emperor, being a pure earth-attribute nymph, could only exert its full strength on the ground. But did it really need its full strength to fight a mere Great Nymph King? Especially since the Blue Gold Tree clan was not known for their combat prowess.

Tang San bowed slightly to the Soul Capturer Nymph Emperor once again and said, "Thank you for your assistance, Your Majesty Soul Capturer."

He then turned to the elders of the Blue Gold Tree clan, whose faces were filled with a mix of sadness and resolve. For a moment, they were at a loss for words. Jin Miaosen sobbed uncontrollably. "Big Brother, you must come back safely. Don’t push yourself. Your life is what’s most important for the Blue Gold Tree clan."

"Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Elders, please take your seats and pray for me in the traditional way of the Blue Gold Tree clan. This battle is our clan’s just cause."

As he spoke, he threw the second and third elders a meaningful gaze.

The two elders, who had been filled with sorrow, sensed Tang San’s unspoken message. Their hearts stirred as they recalled the time Tang San had guided them while meditating before the Ancestral Tree in Skytree City. They quickly nodded and bowed respectfully to him.

Only then did Tang San rise into the air, eight blue spikes extending from his back as he slowly floated upward toward the sky.

Jin Miaosen, overwhelmed with emotion, nearly tried to follow Tang San into the sky but was held back by the second elder. The elder whispered something to her, and though Jin Miaosen was momentarily stunned, she quickly calmed down. The twelve Blue Gold Tree clan elders sat down cross-legged where they stood, closing their eyes in unison.

The second elder spoke in a low voice, "Let us pray for our clan leader. Justice will prevail."

The other eleven elders shouted in unison, "Justice will prevail!"

As they spoke, a faint blue glow appeared around them, and their life force began to radiate outward.

These were twelve god-level members of the Blue Gold Tree clan! Their life energy was so powerful that even the Soul Capturer Nymph Emperor felt his entire body invigorated by the life force they emitted. The sensation of renewed vitality was even more pronounced for the Adamant Nymph powerhouses present.

The Soul Capturer Nymph Emperor sighed inwardly. It was no wonder everyone wanted a Blue Gold Tree around the house—their life energy was far too precious, and such wealth inevitably brought disaster. Even he had felt a tinge of greed in that brief moment, and if it hadn’t been for the Ancestral Tree’s awakening, he might have considered acting on those impulses. The life energy of King-level Blue Gold Tree clan members would be immensely nourishing for someone like him. He made a mental note to visit Skytree City to assess the Ancestral Tree’s awakening firsthand.

His gaze flickered as he stood there in deep thought, but by now, Tang San and the Adamant Nymph Emperor had already ascended to a height of a thousand meters, facing each other in mid-air.

The Adamant Nymph Emperor glared coldly at Tang San. "I’ll give you one last chance. Give up now, take your people back to Skytree City, and I’ll act like nothing happened. Yes, we captured your clan members, but you came to Adamant City and caused chaos, and you even dared to kill my people. We can call it even. Otherwise, I’ll kill you today. Even if the other Emperors hold me accountable, I won’t hold back."

Tang San simply smiled, "Are you saying this because you’re worried the higher-ranking Emperors will be displeased with you, or are you afraid you can’t beat me?"

"You insolent brat, it seems you really do want to die." The Adamant Nymph Emperor was enraged. Its earlier words had indeed been meant to avoid creating tensions with the other Emperors, and it was also still wary of the Ancestral Tree. The blow it had received from the Ancestral Tree had left a deep impression on it, and significant damage. Even though more than a month had passed, and it had sought help from other Emperors, it had still not fully recovered.

If the Ancestral Tree were to fully awaken, it would undoubtedly become the most powerful Emperor in the world, by a good margin. Although the chances of that happening were low, low chances didn’t mean impossible. If this situation could be resolved without escalating things, the Adamant Nymph Emperor was willing to take some losses. The expenses could always be recouped later.

Tang San’s body shimmered with blue-golden light. “Enough talk. I’ve already said it—this kind of blood feud can only end with death. If you’re capable, then kill me. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”

"Kill me? You and what army? Since you’re so eager to die, then come on. You’re the junior, so I’ll let you make the first move." The last trace of hesitation in the Adamant Nymph Emperor’s heart vanished. Only by killing this brat could it quell the hatred festering in its soul.

Tang San didn’t hold back. After all, he was facing an Emperor! His blue-golden light suddenly burst forth, and a vast surge of life energy, immensely pure and potent, exploded outward. The eight deep-blue spikes on his back suddenly turned a brilliant golden color. A colossal figure appeared behind him—the image of the Ancestral Tree!

Seeing the projection of the Ancestral Tree, the Adamant Nymph Emperor’s eyes narrowed for a moment, but then it actually relaxed. While the aura Tang San was emitting was unquestionably powerful, it was still within the confines of the Great Nymph King level. The difference was immense. Sure, there was only one step between the eleventh and the twelfth orders, but that step was as high as heaven itself.

In the next instant, Tang San moved. A flood of life energy surged forward, accompanied by the rapid expansion of the eight spikes on his back, which turned into long, sharp vines that rushed straight toward the Adamant Nymph Emperor. At that moment, the entire sky turned into a sea of blue and gold.

It seemed that Tang San’s overflowing life energy was impacting the twelve Blue Gold Tree clan elders on the ground as well. The life energy radiating from their bodies grew even stronger.

The Soul Capturer Nymph Emperor glanced at the elders on the ground, then back at Tang San, who was launching his attack in the sky. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind. Are they...

In the face of Tang San’s assault, the Adamant Nymph Emperor floated motionless in mid-air, its disdain evident. In terms of physical defense, it was the absolute best on the entire continent, even superior to the Golden Mammoth Demon Emperor. It had a smaller body, which allowed for its energy to be more concentrated, and the golden crystal armor it wore was its life-bound divine artifact, a part of its body that he had been refining since the very day it became a nymph. Not even other Emperors were capable of breaking through its defenses on a normal basis, let alone a mere Great Nymph King.