Chapter 172 – Subduing the Army

"Roar!"

Golden Crocodile began thrashing wildly, soul power surging violently across his body as golden light radiated from the scales along his spine. The light beams shot toward Xu Yang's face like the sharpest blades in the world, attempting to force him to retreat.

But all it did was make Xu Yang release his left hand. Then he spread his fingers and pressed downward.

Golden-red radiance gathered in Xu Yang's palm—the power of the Pure White World surged and condensed. As soon as those brilliant blades of soul power touched his hand, they disintegrated into pure, harmless soul energy and vanished.

Then, Xu Yang clenched his left fist—and began punching down.

"Argh!"

With each blow, Golden Crocodile's massive body jolted violently, and agonized screams echoed from his throat. It wasn't that his will was weak, or that he couldn't endure pain—Xu Yang's punches didn't just strike physically, but also pierced into the soul itself. The soul force from his other hand threaded through Golden Crocodile's meridians like needles, threading deep into his dantian and targeting even his soul core.

He couldn't even activate his Spirit Avatar anymore.

Worse still, those golden-red threads were slowly decomposing his soul power, his meridians, muscles, and bones. The process was slow—but the feeling of powerlessness, of waiting for death, was unbearable.

Despair began to creep into Golden Crocodile's heart. No matter what he tried, he couldn't break free from Xu Yang's grasp, and his injuries were growing more severe by the second…

High above the military camp, Qian Renxue's heart suddenly seized, as a wave of unease crashed over her. She turned toward the direction of Heaven Dou Royal Academy and extended her spiritual sense, trying to probe what was happening there—but she sensed no fluctuations in the surrounding heaven and earth spiritual energy.

That's when she understood.

Tears rolled uncontrollably down her face.

"Grandfather…"

Qian Renxue couldn't believe it—Xu Yang, a mere Soul Sage, had actually killed Golden Crocodile Douluo. Based on her own analysis, even if Golden Crocodile couldn't defeat Xu Yang, he certainly shouldn't have lost. Yet reality had flipped her expectations completely. Xu Yang's power exceeded even her grandfather's.

There was no time for grief. She turned her gaze toward the battlefield outside the military camp, where Sword Douluo Chen Xin's fierce sword aura and violent elemental energy were raging. Her heart sank deeper. That was where the remaining five elders of Spirit Hall were jointly fighting Chen Xin.

She understood now.

This was a two-pronged operation by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Xu Yang went to stall Golden Crocodile at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, while Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin moved to win over the military. Even if they gained control of only a portion of the army, it would be enough to shake her hold on the empire.

And the mastermind behind all of it—was Xu Yang.

"Xu Yang… I won't let you go!" Qian Renxue gritted her teeth, her eyes blazing with hatred—but beneath the fury was another emotion she couldn't quite name.

Still, she dared not delay. She rushed toward the battlefield with all her strength. Now that Golden Crocodile was gone, she couldn't afford to lose any more of her elders. She could feel that Chen Xin's strength wasn't beneath her grandfather's—in fact, in terms of pure offense, he was likely stronger. Her five remaining elders stood no chance if they were dragged into a prolonged battle.

As the daughter of the previous Supreme Pontiff and granddaughter of Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue understood the realm of Titled Douluo better than most. Level 99 was a chasm. Anyone who reached that height was considered half-God, and thus no longer truly mortal.

Even if her five elders were powerful, they could only stall for time. If they fought too long, they would fall. They were risking their lives for her—if not for that, they wouldn't have lasted this long.

"Looks like things are going well for Yang'er. Golden Crocodile didn't come with Qian Renxue."

Watching the figure streaking across the sky, Ning Fengzhi instantly recognized her and smiled. Though he had never seen Qian Renxue's true form before, the iconic golden wings of the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul were unmistakable.

"Clan Master Ning, just now that was…?" the middle-aged man beside him asked in confusion.

"That was Qian Renxue—the one impersonating Xue Qinghe. I suppose she's rushing off to rescue the others," Ning Fengzhi said with a smile.

When they had first arrived at the military camp, all five of Spirit Hall's elders were present. Ning Fengzhi hadn't wasted time talking—he simply had Chen Xin strike first. One-on-one, none of them were a match for him, and so they could only join forces to resist. Their duel had gradually shifted outside the camp to avoid harming the soldiers.

Ning Fengzhi used this window to enter the camp and found General Chai Sang, a mid-ranking commander who, while not the highest in authority, held command over 30,000 elite cavalry. Most importantly, Ning Fengzhi was personally acquainted with him—and Chai Sang hadn't yet pledged allegiance to Spirit Hall.

As for the top-ranking generals—two had sided with Spirit Hall, and the rest had already been killed.

"So the rumors were true after all…" Chai Sang gave a bitter smile. When Spirit Hall's elders appeared earlier, he had already suspected the truth—but part of him had clung to hope that perhaps the new emperor was only cooperating with Spirit Hall to cleanse political enemies.

But now that he had seen Qian Renxue's true appearance, he was completely disillusioned.

"Well then, General Chai, what do you think?" Ning Fengzhi asked with a warm smile.

"I agree. From this day forward, I—Chai Sang—and my 30,000 cavalry are at your command."

As he spoke, Chai Sang knelt on one knee, his expression full of respect.

"Please rise, General Chai," Ning Fengzhi quickly stepped forward and helped him up. "But not at my command. You'll be under the command of my disciple, Xu Yang."

"Huh?" Chai Sang blinked, visibly confused.

"You're aware of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's position in the world of soul masters. Founding a nation ourselves is impossible. So instead, I plan for us to become a protectorate clan of the empire—and as for the throne, that will go to my disciple Xu Yang. Do you understand now?"

"I see!" Chai Sang nodded firmly. To him, serving Ning Fengzhi or Xu Yang made little difference. What mattered was the path forward.

More importantly—he had heard of Xu Yang. He knew the youth was a prodigy. Following such a figure, he believed, would lead to great things.

Just then, a terrifying aura burst from the battlefield as Qian Renxue arrived, ordering the remaining elders to retreat. But Sword Douluo Chen Xin, unwilling to let them escape, unleashed the full extent of his power to hold them back.