Part I — When the Arena Became a Battlefield (Revised)
The arena no longer resembled a tournament stage.
Only minutes earlier, the same battlefield had been filled with cheers, applause, and the excitement of the final match.
Now—
It had become a war zone.
Cracks ran across the marble floor where violent clashes of soul power had struck moments earlier. Sections of the arena wall had collapsed under the impact of powerful attacks, leaving shattered stone scattered across the battlefield.
Above the arena, several defensive formations shimmered faintly, maintaining the structural stability of the stadium.
The pressure in the air was overwhelming.
Multiple high-level soul masters had unleashed their full power at the same time.
Soul rings burned like miniature suns across the battlefield.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Red.
Purple.
Nine rings.
Title Douluos.
Unlike what one might expect, the massive stands surrounding the arena were not filled with civilians.
The Continental Elite Tournament had never been an event meant for ordinary people.
The spectators watching from the towering seats were themselves soul masters.
Delegations from powerful academies.
Leaders of sects.
Veteran cultivators.
High-level instructors.
Even among them—
Many had never witnessed a real battle between Title Douluos at such close distance.
And now they were watching it unfold before their eyes.
Near the eastern side of the stadium, the delegation of the Star Luo Empire stood in tense silence.
Princess Xu Jiujiu's gaze never left the battlefield.
Her usually calm expression had grown noticeably more serious.
"…This was planned."
One of her teammates frowned.
"You mean the attack?"
Xu Jiujiu shook her head slightly.
"No."
Her eyes moved toward the center of the arena.
"The response."
Beside her, Shen Ce tightened his grip on his spear.
The oppressive spiritual pressure spreading through the stadium made even breathing feel heavier.
"…Those people…"
He glanced toward the Sun Moon team.
"They weren't fighting seriously earlier."
Xu Jiujiu nodded.
"Yes."
Her gaze drifted briefly toward Lin Huang.
"They were preparing."
On the opposite side of the stadium, Yu Tianlong leaned against the stone railing.
His attention was fixed on one person.
Qiu'er.
Even from a distance, the pressure of her Golden Dragon bloodline could be felt faintly in the air.
"…That dragon aura."
One of his teammates asked quietly,
"You mean the masked guy?"
Yu Tianlong shook his head.
"No."
His eyes remained locked on Qiu'er.
"The girl."
Meanwhile, in the Shrek section, several of the younger students watched the battlefield with pale expressions.
Wu Ming clenched her fists.
"…So this…"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"…is what real combat looks like."
Beside her, Ling Luochen nodded slowly.
"…No referee."
"…No restrictions."
Chen Zifeng exhaled.
"And no mercy."
Han Ruoruo stood slightly ahead of them.
Her expression remained calm.
But her eyes had sharpened.
"This is the world of the truly strong."
Back in the arena—
The battle raged.
Ma Xiaotao surged forward like a blazing comet.
Her phoenix spear collided with a Contra Douluo's attack, the impact detonating in a wave of fire that scorched the arena floor.
Nearby, Meng Hongchen lifted her staff.
Her Ice Domain expanded instantly.
Frost spread across the battlefield as towering constructs of enchanted ice formed around her, charging toward the enemy.
Ji Juechen vanished.
His sword flashed through the air like a streak of lightning as he intercepted another opponent mid-strike.
Tang Ya's vines erupted from the shattered ground.
Within seconds, an entire forest rose from the battlefield, trapping one of the enemies within a prison of roots and branches.
Jiang Nannan moved like a shadow.
Spatial distortions flickered around her body as she reappeared behind another attacker, her twin daggers cutting through the air.
Xu Tianzhen's bow glowed brightly.
Each arrow she released streaked across the arena like a miniature sun.
Above them all—
Ning Tian's Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda shone brilliantly, amplifying the power of every ally around her.
Across the arena, two battles had already separated themselves from the chaos.
Qiu'er clashed with the Abyss Raven Douluo.
Violent winds tore through the air as dark feathers formed a storm around the Title Douluo.
But the golden aura surrounding Qiu'er only grew brighter.
Each movement of her body carried overwhelming draconic power.
Not far away, Zhang Lexuan faced the Bone Emperor Douluo.
Silver moonlight illuminated the battlefield around her.
Her Moon Domain expanded silently, washing over the arena like the calm of night.
Wherever the pale light touched—
The enemy's dark energy weakened.
And at the center of the battlefield—
Two figures had not yet begun their fight.
The Rank 95 Title Douluo stood motionless.
Blood-red energy coiled around his body as the massive phantom of the Blood Abyss Serpent twisted behind him.
His gaze remained fixed on a single opponent.
Lin Huang.
The young man stood calmly amid the chaos of battle.
Honghong rested on his shoulder.
Her ten cerulean tails swayed slowly behind him.
The fox's golden eyes watched the battlefield quietly.
Neither of them moved.
Not yet.
Because both of them understood the same thing.
The real battle—
Had only given rise.
The battlefield had fractured into several wars at once.
Flames clashed with darkness.
Ice shattered against corrupted soul power.
Vines erupted from broken stone as Tang Ya's forest continued expanding across one side of the arena.
Explosions of spiritual energy shook the stadium again and again.
But above all the chaos—
One clash quickly began drawing the attention of every powerful soul master present.
High above the arena floor, violent winds spiraled like a storm.
Dark feathers filled the sky.
Each one carried a razor edge of spiritual energy.
At the center of the storm hovered the Abyss Raven Douluo.
His nine soul rings burned like black suns around his body as the massive phantom of a raven spread its wings behind him.
Every flap of those wings tore through the air with terrifying force.
Wind blades screamed across the battlefield.
The attack zone stretched across dozens of meters.
Below him—
Qiu'er stood alone.
Golden light surrounded her body like living sunlight.
Her long hair flowed behind her as the aura of the Golden Dragon bloodline surged outward.
The pressure alone forced the surrounding wind currents to distort.
The Raven Douluo stared down at her with cold amusement.
"…A Soul Emperor."
His voice carried easily through the battlefield.
"And they sent you to face me?"
His wings spread wider.
Dark winds intensified.
"You children truly believe talent can defeat experience."
Qiu'er didn't answer.
Her golden eyes simply watched him.
Calm.
Unmoving.
The Raven Douluo's expression twisted slightly.
"Arrogant."
He lifted one hand.
The storm exploded.
Thousands of black feathers shot downward like a rain of blades.
Each feather spun with compressed wind energy capable of slicing through steel.
The attack covered the entire area.
But the moment the storm descended—
Qiu'er moved.
Her body vanished from the ground in a blur of golden light.
The feathers struck empty space.
Then she reappeared directly above the arena floor, her foot slamming into the ground.
The impact cracked the marble beneath her.
A shockwave of draconic power erupted outward.
Several incoming feathers shattered instantly.
Gasps spread through the surrounding spectators.
"That speed—"
"She crossed the entire arena in one step!"
Above her, the Raven Douluo's eyes narrowed.
"…Five Steps."
His tone had changed slightly.
"So you know that technique."
Qiu'er lifted her head.
Her voice was calm.
"You talk too much."
The Raven Douluo laughed coldly.
"Good."
His wings spread wider.
The storm around him grew darker.
"Then let's see how long that confidence lasts."
He disappeared.
The wind exploded.
In an instant, dozens of shadowy afterimages surrounded Qiu'er from every direction.
Each one carried a cutting blade of compressed air.
The first strike arrived from behind.
A black wind blade slashed toward her neck.
But Qiu'er's body twisted mid-motion.
The attack missed by centimeters.
Her fist shot forward.
The air detonated.
The afterimage shattered.
Another strike came from above.
Then another from the side.
Wind blades rained down continuously as the Raven Douluo attacked from every direction.
Each strike carried enough force to slice through reinforced armor.
Yet Qiu'er moved through the storm like a golden phantom.
Every step she took shattered the ground beneath her.
Each punch carried overwhelming force.
The clash of wind and draconic power echoed across the arena.
From the stands, Yu Tianlong's eyes widened.
"…That pressure."
His voice was low.
"That's not just draconic bloodline."
Indeed—
Something else had begun to appear.
Within the golden aura surrounding Qiu'er—
A faint new light flickered.
At first it was barely visible.
Just a soft glow beneath the golden radiance.
But as the battle intensified—
That glow grew brighter.
The Raven Douluo noticed it too.
His next attack slowed slightly.
"…What is that?"
Qiu'er raised her hand.
Golden dragon scales briefly appeared across her arm.
Then—
The new light burst outward.
Not gold.
Not fire.
But something purer.
A radiant brilliance that felt completely different from ordinary soul power.
Light.
Pure light.
The atmosphere of the battlefield shifted instantly.
Several elders in the stands leaned forward.
"…Light attribute?"
"No…"
One of them whispered.
"…That's purification."
The Raven Douluo's expression darkened.
"Impossible."
The corrupted spiritual energy surrounding his body reacted violently to the light now radiating from Qiu'er.
The storm around him began destabilizing.
Qiu'er stepped forward.
Her golden aura and the radiant light merged into a single blazing presence.
Behind her—
The phantom of a Golden Dragon appeared.
Massive.
Majestic.
Overwhelming.
For the first time since the battle began—
The Raven Douluo felt something unfamiliar.
Pressure.
Qiu'er looked up at him.
Her voice was calm.
"You're done."
She moved.
One step.
Then another.
Each step shattered the arena floor.
Her body shot upward like a golden comet.
The Raven Douluo unleashed everything he had.
Dark winds exploded outward as the entire storm collapsed toward her.
Thousands of blades of wind descended simultaneously.
But Qiu'er didn't stop.
Her fist ignited with radiant light.
Golden dragon scales covered her arm.
The phantom dragon behind her roared.
"Golden Dragon Descent."
Her strike tore through the storm.
The wind blades shattered instantly.
The Raven Douluo barely raised his arms in time.
The impact detonated.
The explosion of golden light illuminated the entire arena.
For a moment—
Everyone lost sight of the battlefield.
When the light faded—
One figure remained standing.
Qiu'er.
Her golden aura slowly settling.
Several meters away—
The body of the Abyss Raven Douluo crashed into the arena floor.
The corrupted energy surrounding him dissolved rapidly under the lingering radiance of purification.
Silence spread across the stadium.
A Title Douluo—
Had just fallen.
The fall of the Raven Douluo sent a ripple across the battlefield.
Even in the chaos of dozens of ongoing clashes, the death of a Title Douluo could not be ignored.
Several soul masters in the stands instinctively leaned forward.
Others inhaled sharply.
Because this was not a tournament elimination.
A Title Douluo had just died.
Across the arena, another battle had already escalated.
Silver light spread across the ground like the reflection of a full moon on still water.
Where that light touched—
The oppressive darkness of corrupted soul power weakened.
At the center of that silent radiance stood Zhang Lexuan.
Her silver hair moved gently in the wind created by the surrounding battle, and above her palm floated the quiet brilliance of her Moon Domain.
The light of that domain did not explode violently like Ma Xiaotao's flames or crash like Qiu'er's draconic force.
Instead—
It was calm.
Still.
Unavoidable.
Opposite her stood the Bone Emperor Douluo.
His skeletal martial soul towered behind him like a monstrous throne of white bone.
Nine soul rings rotated slowly around his body as countless jagged bone structures erupted from the arena floor.
Spikes.
Blades.
Claws.
Each one formed from condensed death energy.
The Bone Emperor Douluo stared at the silver-haired young woman before him.
His voice carried a hint of disbelief.
"…A Soul Sage."
His skeletal throne shifted behind him.
"And they expect you to kill me?"
Zhang Lexuan did not answer.
Her calm blue eyes simply watched him.
Her expression remained unchanged.
The Bone Emperor Douluo laughed darkly.
"Very well."
He raised his hand.
The entire battlefield around him erupted.
Hundreds of bone spikes shot upward from the arena floor like a forest of spears.
Each one aimed directly at Zhang Lexuan.
But the moment the spikes reached the edge of the Moon Domain—
They slowed.
The pale lunar light washed over them.
The jagged white bone began to crack.
Then crumble.
From the stands, several elder soul masters narrowed their eyes.
"…Moon attribute."
"No."
Another shook his head slowly.
"Look closer."
Indeed—
The Moon Domain was not simply suppressing the enemy.
It was purifying the corrupted energy flowing through the bone constructs.
Every spike that entered the domain weakened.
Every attack lost power.
The Bone Emperor Douluo's expression darkened.
"…Troublesome."
He slammed his hand downward.
The skeletal throne behind him exploded outward as massive bone constructs formed instantly.
Two enormous skeletal giants rose from the arena floor.
Their empty eye sockets burned with dark spiritual fire.
The giants roared.
Then charged.
Each step shattered the arena floor beneath them.
Zhang Lexuan moved.
Her steps were light.
Almost graceful.
She walked forward calmly as the Moon Domain expanded around her.
Silver light flowed across the battlefield like quiet water.
The first skeletal giant swung its massive arm downward.
The attack carried enough force to collapse half the arena.
But the moment its arm entered the Moon Domain—
Its speed dropped.
The dark energy binding its bones began dissolving.
Zhang Lexuan raised her hand.
Moonlight gathered instantly.
A thin silver blade formed in her grasp.
Not a physical weapon.
But pure lunar energy condensed into shape.
The skeletal arm descended.
Her blade moved.
One single slash.
The entire arm shattered.
Fragments of bone exploded outward like broken glass.
Gasps echoed across the stands.
"That control…"
"A single strike…"
The second skeletal giant roared and lunged forward.
Zhang Lexuan stepped forward as well.
The Moon Domain pulsed once.
The battlefield grew brighter.
The Bone Emperor Douluo's eyes narrowed.
"…Enough."
He lifted both hands.
The skeletal throne behind him reformed instantly.
This time, the entire structure condensed into a massive bone spear.
The weapon pulsed with terrifying spiritual pressure.
Dark energy spiraled around its surface like a living storm.
"This ends now."
The spear launched.
It tore through the air like a falling meteor.
Even the Moon Domain trembled slightly under its pressure.
Zhang Lexuan stopped.
Her eyes closed briefly.
The Moon Domain expanded fully.
Silver light covered the entire battlefield.
For a moment—
It felt as if night itself had descended upon the arena.
Then she opened her eyes.
The moonlight intensified.
The bone spear entered the domain.
Its dark energy immediately began dissolving.
The weapon slowed.
Then cracked.
Zhang Lexuan raised her blade.
Moonlight gathered along its edge.
Her voice was soft.
Almost gentle.
"Moonlight Severing."
She stepped forward.
The blade fell.
The bone spear shattered instantly.
The attack continued forward.
A single line of silver light crossed the battlefield.
For a moment—
Nothing moved.
Then the Bone Emperor Douluo's eyes widened.
The skeletal throne behind him split apart.
His body froze.
A thin line of silver light appeared across his chest.
Then—
His body collapsed.
The corrupted energy surrounding him dissolved instantly beneath the moonlight.
The Moon Domain slowly faded.
Zhang Lexuan stood calmly at the center of the arena.
Her breathing remained steady.
Her expression unchanged.
Across the battlefield—
A second Title Douluo had fallen.
And the balance of the battle had shifted once again.
The fall of the second Title Douluo sent a shock through the stadium.
Even those already engaged in battle felt the shift in the atmosphere.
Two of the Holy Spirit Church's strongest combatants—
Dead.
Within minutes.
Across the arena floor, the remaining Contra Douluos suddenly realized something terrifying.
The "young geniuses" they had come to assassinate were not prey.
They were predators.
Ji Juechen's sword cut through the air again.
A thin line of silver flashed.
The Contra Douluo fighting him staggered backward as blood sprayed across the cracked stone.
Ji Juechen did not pursue immediately.
His gaze remained calm.
Cold.
Measured.
His sword intent had sharpened completely now.
No hesitation.
No restraint.
The next movement of his blade ended the fight.
Nearby, Ma Xiaotao's phoenix flames erupted violently.
Her spear pierced directly through the defensive barrier of her opponent, the impact exploding in a wave of crimson fire that engulfed the entire section of the battlefield.
The Contra Douluo screamed once.
Then the flames swallowed him completely.
When the fire faded—
Nothing remained but blackened stone.
Meng Hongchen's battlefield looked entirely different.
The ground beneath her feet had become a frozen wasteland.
Massive ice constructs moved like soldiers, intercepting every attempt by the enemy to escape.
Three separate spells formed around her at once.
A fourth slowly gathered above her staff.
Her voice remained calm.
"Freeze."
The entire section of the arena turned white.
Tang Ya's battlefield had become a forest.
Vines thicker than a man's body erupted from the shattered arena floor, twisting around one of the infiltrators like living serpents.
Wooden dragons formed above the battlefield and slammed downward with crushing force.
Roots pierced through the stone itself.
The enemy was dragged underground before he could scream.
Jiang Nannan moved like a phantom.
Spatial distortions flickered around her body each time she vanished.
Then she reappeared.
One slash.
Then gone again.
The Contra Douluo she faced collapsed seconds later.
Xu Tianzhen's arrows streaked across the battlefield like falling suns.
Each one detonated with explosive solar energy the moment it struck.
Her voice remained relaxed despite the violence.
"Target down."
She drew another arrow.
Above them all, Ning Tian's Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda glowed brilliantly.
Golden light washed over every member of the team.
Strength.
Speed.
Defense.
Amplification.
The entire battlefield was being supported by her power.
Within minutes—
The remaining Contra Douluos began to fall one after another.
But the battle was not limited to the arena.
Beyond the stadium walls—
Another war had already begun.
The streets surrounding the stadium had been sealed by the Outer Illusion Containment Array.
The formation twisted the surrounding pathways, redirecting any corrupted spiritual energy toward designated combat zones.
The Holy Spirit Church had intended to spread chaos through the capital.
Instead—
They had walked into another battlefield.
A violent explosion shattered the stone pavement of a nearby avenue.
A massive skeletal construct collapsed as a powerful strike smashed it into fragments.
At the center of the destruction stood Cai Mei'er.
Her spiritual pressure spread across the entire street like a rising tide.
Opposite her stood a dark-robed elder of the Holy Spirit Church.
Nine soul rings burned around his body.
Another Title Douluo.
The elder's voice was cold.
"So the Sea God Pavilion sends its elders personally."
Cai Mei'er's expression did not change.
"You chose the wrong place to attack."
Her aura surged.
The ground beneath her feet cracked.
Not far away—
Another clash shook the surrounding buildings.
Xian Lin'er moved like a storm.
Her attacks were explosive and direct, each strike carrying terrifying physical force.
The Title Douluo facing her was forced backward again and again as shockwaves shattered the surrounding stone walls.
High above the city streets, spiritual energy collided like thunder.
The battle outside the stadium was just as violent as the one inside.
The Holy Spirit Church had attacked from multiple directions.
But every one of their paths had been intercepted.
Back in the arena—
Silence slowly began spreading across the battlefield.
One by one—
The remaining Contra Douluos fell.
Ji Juechen lowered his sword.
Ma Xiaotao's flames dimmed slightly.
Meng Hongchen's ice domain stabilized.
Tang Ya's forest began settling.
Jiang Nannan stepped back into the formation.
Xu Tianzhen lowered her bow.
The chaos had ended.
Now—
Only two figures remained standing at the center of the battlefield.
The Rank 95 Title Douluo.
And Lin Huang.
The oppressive aura of the Blood Abyss Serpent twisted through the air like living smoke.
The elder's expression had darkened.
He had seen what had happened.
Two Title Douluos.
Dead.
His subordinates eliminated.
And now—
Every pair of eyes in the stadium had turned toward him.
Across the cracked battlefield, Lin Huang stood calmly.
Honghong remained perched on his shoulder.
Her ten cerulean tails slowly lifted into the air.
A faint mantle of blue energy flowed around his body.
The battlefield had gone quiet.
Because everyone understood what came next.
The final battle.
And this time—
Lin Huang finally began to move.
The arena had grown silent.
Only moments earlier the battlefield had been chaos—flames, ice, steel, vines, and explosions tearing across the shattered arena floor.
Now—
Nothing moved.
Broken stone covered the battlefield.
Fragments of ice still clung to the ground where Meng Hongchen's domain had spread earlier. Black scorch marks from Ma Xiaotao's phoenix flames cracked across the marble surface like scars left by lightning.
The air itself felt heavier.
Two Title Douluos had already fallen.
Every Contra Douluo that had entered the arena had been defeated.
The battle that had begun as an ambush had turned into something else entirely.
An execution.
Across the stadium, the various delegations watched in complete silence.
No one spoke now.
Not Xu Jiujiu.
Not Shen Ce.
Not Yu Tianlong.
Even the experienced elders present in the stands had fallen quiet.
Because everyone understood what remained.
Only one enemy.
And only one battle left.
At the center of the arena stood the Rank 95 Title Douluo of the Holy Spirit Church.
The phantom of the Blood Abyss Serpent twisted behind him like a creature born from living darkness.
Thick strands of crimson energy coiled through the air like veins spreading through space itself.
His expression had lost all amusement.
Two of his fellow elders were dead.
Every subordinate had fallen.
The situation had turned far worse than expected.
Opposite him—
Lin Huang stepped forward slowly.
Honghong remained perched on his shoulder.
Her ten cerulean tails swayed gently behind him.
The faint mantle of blue energy surrounding his body shimmered quietly in the air.
The elder's eyes narrowed.
"So you finally move."
His voice echoed across the arena.
"You think you can defeat me?"
Lin Huang stopped walking.
For a moment he simply looked at the man.
His crimson eyes were calm.
Almost relaxed.
Then he answered.
"Yes."
His voice carried clearly through the silent stadium.
"I can beat you."
A faint murmur spread through the stands.
The Rank 95 Title Douluo laughed coldly.
"Arrogant child."
The pressure of his soul power exploded outward as his martial soul expanded behind him.
"You think a single genius can defeat someone who has cultivated for centuries?"
Lin Huang tilted his head slightly.
"For someone like you?"
He shrugged casually.
"I don't imagine losing."
The moment the words left his mouth—
Honghong's tail moved.
Thwap.
The soft but very deliberate strike landed directly against the back of Lin Huang's head.
Lin Huang blinked.
"…Ow."
Honghong stared down at him with narrowed golden eyes.
"…Hmph."
One of her tails flicked again.
The message was obvious.
Lin Huang rubbed the back of his head slowly.
"…Right."
He sighed.
Then looked forward again.
He raised one hand slightly.
Honghong's cerulean aura surged instantly.
The fox spirit leapt from his shoulder and landed lightly beside him.
Her ten tails spread outward.
Cerulean energy flowed between them like a living current.
Lin Huang glanced sideways at her.
"…Satisfied?"
Honghong flicked her ears.
"…Hmph."
Then Lin Huang looked back at the Title Douluo.
The faint smile returned to his lips.
"You're right."
He gestured lightly toward the fox beside him.
"I won't beat you alone."
The cerulean aura around them intensified.
Soul power and Kitsune Essence intertwined.
The air around them began to distort faintly.
Lin Huang lifted his hand.
Space behind him rippled.
Then—
The first lance appeared.
Long.
Sharp.
Forged entirely from condensed spiritual energy and spear intent.
Then another.
Then another.
Within seconds—
Dozens of lances hovered behind him like a silent army.
Wind.
Lightning.
Flame.
Space.
Each weapon carried a different elemental aura.
Lin Huang's crimson eyes met the elder's.
His voice was calm.
"But we will."
Honghong's tails lifted.
Cerulean light surged across the battlefield.
Lin Huang pointed forward.
"Come on, Honghong."
The fox spirit's eyes gleamed.
"…Hmph."
Lin Huang's gaze hardened.
"We'll crush you together."
Behind him—
More and more lances began filling the sky above the arena.
The final battle—
Was about to begin.