Chapter 194: Spirit Hall vs. Star Luo—Adding Fuel to the Fire!
When the investigation ended, they discovered that Xiao She was a clansman of Dugu Feng's.
That revelation left everyone speechless.
If this young serpent spirit master was already so powerful, then just how terrifying must Dugu Feng himself be?
Minutes later, the match concluded.
Even though the Nether Tiger Team unleashed their full strength, Captain Dai Xing, at level forty-five, ended up poisoned and gasping for breath, his face turning blue. He could only concede defeat helplessly.
Nether Tiger Academy was eliminated in the first round.
Gemstone Academy advanced.
Meanwhile, the first round of the Continental Spirit Master Tournament was drawing to a close, leaving eighteen teams remaining.
Gemstone Academy would have a bye in the second round, giving Dugu Feng's team a chance to rest and observe others.
In that same round, the Star Luo Royal Team, Heaven Dou Royal Team, and Spirit Hall Team were all scheduled to battle.
Perhaps to demonstrate fairness in their so-called random draw, Spirit Hall arranged yet another "shock match."
Two of the seeded teams were paired against each other again.
This time—Spirit Hall versus Heaven Dou's Royal Team.
Dugu Feng could only sigh.
Heaven Dou's team was led by none other than Dugu Yan, the strongest among them with a current level of forty-four.
Her progress had been impressive.
With Dugu Bo's help, she had obtained a spirit bone that not only boosted her power but also curbed the toxic backlash of her martial soul. Combined with Dugu Feng's influence as motivation, her cultivation had soared.
However, a gap of one level—or even a few—was nothing before the overwhelming might of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.
Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue stepped onto the stage.
Their aura surged like a blazing wave, brimming with triumphant confidence that made every other competitor feel insignificant.
Three Spirit Kings—mere presence sufficed to dominate the field.
On the surface, Dugu Yan's expression was calm, but inwardly she clenched her teeth.
She couldn't help but think of Dugu Feng. "If it were him," she thought, "even against three Spirit Kings, he'd still be composed… and probably defeat them!"
But she wasn't him. Facing these three, her confidence wavered before the battle even began.
Still, as captain, she couldn't show fear.
When the referee announced the match's start, Dugu Yan immediately unleashed her Jade Phosphor Finger Force to buy time.
Her technique was fluid, accurate—and yet, she was facing Xie Yue.
With an easy flick of his wrists, crescent blades of light—the Moon Blades—streaked out in equal number, stopping every one of her attacks midair.
"Celestial Fox!"
Hu Liena's husky, enchanting voice rang out.
The charm was instantaneous. The entire Heaven Dou team froze, stunned mid-motion.
Even Dugu Yan's eyes clouded over briefly.
The result was obvious.
"You're far weaker than Dugu Feng. If not for your grandfather's reputation, you'd already be beyond recovery."
Xie Yue clapped his hands dismissively, savoring the fading resonance of his attack.
His voice carried lightly across the stage, but the words struck Dugu Yan harder than any blow.
Blood trailed down her lips as she staggered back into her team's formation, pale and defeated.
Then, hearing his taunt, she coughed up another mouthful of blood—
It was devastating.
"Yan Yan, are you all right!?"
Healing light enveloped her as Ye Lingling rushed forward to support her.
Dugu Yan glared at the Spirit Hall trio one last time, then turned to limp off the stage, trembling with humiliation.
The gap was too vast for words—or for pride.
"Strange," Dugu Feng muttered from the stands. "They didn't even use their Martial Soul Fusion skill."
He remembered the events of the original match—Spirit Hall's team had immediately opened with the fusion technique against Heaven Dou's team.
At the time, he had thought, Idiots!
There wasn't a single Spirit King among the royal team; the difference in power was colossal. They could have won easily without using their ultimate technique.
Now he understood better.
Xie Yue was simply arrogant.
Excessively so.
Even victory became a performance for him. Theatrics, taunts, unnecessary gestures—it was his style.
Dugu Feng chuckled dryly. Apparently, even while sitting out, he couldn't escape being the target of a jab.
With that, the second round's highlight battle concluded.
Heaven Dou's seeded Royal Team—their empire's pride—was gone.
Spirit Hall's team had obliterated them with crushing power.
Three Spirit Kings. The sheer strength was unimaginable.
Except for Gemstone Academy, none of the remaining teams could hope to resist.
Only Shi Nian, Ning Rongrong, and the other six gem-attribute spirit masters waited with burning anticipation for the finals—they would give the world a spectacle unlike any other.
After the second round came the third.
And, as if by design, another "seed match" appeared—Spirit Hall's team had drawn the Star Luo Royal Team as opponents.
At this point, no one could claim coincidence anymore. Spirit Hall was clearly staging this tournament to establish supremacy.
Their message was unmistakable: crush the strongest of both empires, then claim the crown—leaving no room for doubt.
If they defeated Heaven Dou's royals and then Star Luo's, sweeping to the final victory, it would mark Spirit Hall's perfect domination of the tournament.
Dugu Feng's eyes glinted sharply.
"So that's how it is, huh? Then allow me to spice it up a little."
On the day of the match, the Great Spirit Arena overflowed with spectators—thousands of Spirit Hall-affiliated spirit masters filled every seat.
This was the event everyone awaited—the championship before the championship.
Wherever one looked, excitement pulsed through the crowd; even other matches paled in comparison.
It was for good reason.
This tournament featured four Spirit Kings in total:
Three from Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, and one—Zhu Zhuyun—from the Star Luo Royal Team.
She was level fifty-two, the strongest spirit master in Star Luo's history under twenty, and the only one the world considered capable of challenging Spirit Hall.
Zhu Zhuyun's name carried weight across both empires—hailed as the future queen of Star Luo, its top prodigy, and perhaps one day its famed female Douluo.
Her strength even eclipsed that of her fiancé, the First Prince Dai Weisi. Many whispered that Star Luo's future throne would lie with her instead.
At the arena, curious whispers filled the air: How strong is she really?
In the exclusive seating area, Dugu Feng and his teammates observed quietly.
The Star Luo Royal Team's aura dwarfed that of Heaven Dou's.
Zhu Zhuyun stood at the center—tall, mature, her fair skin glowing like polished jade, exuding a composed, sensual confidence. Her faint smile suggested she viewed her opponents as little more than a curiosity.
Beside her stood Dai Weisi, his golden hair catching the light, handsome yet grim. His features resembled Dai Mubai's, but his eyes flickered with barely veiled resentment.
As the empire's crowned prince, he despised being weaker than his betrothed. No one mocked him aloud, but he could feel the nobles whispering behind his back.
It had turned his once-noble pride into silent bitterness.
(END CHAPTER)
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