Chapter 105: The Showdown Between Ye Xinglan and Yuanen Yehui, Each With Their Own Persistent Pursuit!
"Let us congratulate Spirit Transfer Pagoda contestant Nan Liujing for successfully advancing to the semifinals!"
The host's cheering voice came from within the light screen, and the white light of the screen illuminated a pair of gloomy eyes.
Looking at the handsome young man standing on the competition stage, receiving the enthusiastic cheers of over a hundred thousand spectators, a faint killing intent emerged from Qiangu Dongfeng's eyes.
Waving his hand to turn off the light screen, Qiangu Dongfeng silently gazed at the scenery outside the window.
The clouds were torn apart by the wind stirred up by the Black Demon helicopter, rushing forward.
"Father, you're getting muddled too. For the new generation head of the Qiangu Family, you actually chose someone with no blood relation whatsoever. Not favoring your own great-grandson precisely indicates that you have another choice in your heart."
Qiangu Dongfeng's eyes were ruthless: "Nan Liujing must be eliminated. Everything is for Zhang Ting, everything is for the family's continuation."
A roaring sound spread, and the Black Demon helicopter quickly rushed towards its destination, Mingdu.
Inside a teahouse in Mingdu that only served high-end clientele.
Qiangu Dongfeng had maintained a calm sitting posture for a long time. Finally, with the sound of the door opening, footsteps came from behind the screen.
The newcomer had a granite-like square face, appearing to be around forty years old, with an aura as steady as a mountain peak.
Yan Baichuan, one of the vice-chairmen of the Sun Moon Federation, also concurrently served as the Minister of the Federal Ministry of Land and Resources.
His family behind him was once part of the Old Sun Moon Empire's imperial family, controlling seventy percent of the mineral resources in the western part of the continent.
Yan Baichuan sat down opposite Qiangu Dongfeng without being asked.
Today was overcast, and without the lights on, the room appeared very gloomy, with strong premonitions of an approaching storm.
"What do you want from me?" Yan Baichuan's voice was low.
Qiangu Dongfeng said in a deep voice: "Those rats from the sewers came to me again."
Yan Baichuan's eyes narrowed: "So you want to continue persuading me to contact others and keep the plan going?"
Qiangu Dongfeng didn't speak, but his meaning was very clear.
Although Yan Baichuan's cultivation was only at the initial stage of Titled Douluo, relying on medicine, he showed no weakness in his aura when facing Qiangu Dongfeng. He said in a deep voice: "Yun Ming suddenly changed his temperament and initiated multiple cooperations with the Federation, even allowing Federal government personnel to work in Shrek City, showing a strong intention to fully open up the administrative power of the outer city. With one thing after another accumulating, many of the council members who previously cooperated with you and me have started to back down."
"It's difficult to move God-Slaying Fixed Soul Guided Artillery Shells from the secret vault."
Qiangu Dongfeng only said one sentence: "If the plan cannot be executed, you, I, and the other few vice-chairmen involved with the Holy Spirit Cult will all be finished. Those rats have gone mad."
Yan Baichuan's pupils contracted sharply.
Qiangu Dongfeng's emotions were unusually calm: "If we do it, there's still a glimmer of hope, and we can look for opportunities to cut ties with the Holy Spirit Cult later. If we don't, the very next day, everyone on the continent will know that the esteemed Tower Master of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda conspired with Evil Soul Masters, and several high-ranking ministers and council members will also be ousted. I believe your enemies behind the scenes won't miss the chance to kick you when you're down."
Clenching his hand, Yan Baichuan's breathing quickened slightly, and his expression flickered between gloomy and uncertain: "What do you have in mind?"
Qiangu Dongfeng glanced at him, "Tell me the truth, how many God-Slaying Fixed Soul Guided Artillery Shells can you get?"
Yan Baichuan pondered: "If it were before, I was confident I could get two. But now, with some less deeply involved vice-chairmen pulling out, relying solely on our group, we can at most get one!"
"One won't be enough to destroy Shrek Academy." Although Qiangu Dongfeng had not witnessed the power of the God-Slaying Artillery Shells, his intuition told him that one would at most injure Yun Ming, but certainly not kill him.
Yan Baichuan frowned: "I can also provide no more than five Rank 9 Fixed Soul Guided Artillery Shells, and twenty Rank 8 Fixed Soul Guided Artillery Shells. This is the limit. If it's still not enough, then I'll have to consider going back now to prepare for how to deal with the scandal."
Qiangu Dongfeng deliberated for a few seconds, then stood up, "I'll talk to them."
Pushing the door open and leaving, the room fell silent.
With a loud bang, what lay under Yan Baichuan's hand was a shattered tea table.
A chilling voice echoed: "Holy Spirit Cult… Holy Spirit Cult."
…
A light rain was falling from the sky, yet it couldn't extinguish the enthusiasm of tens of thousands of spectators.
The youth individual competition, semifinals, was about to begin.
The media's long lenses and short guns were aimed at the four remaining contestants in the waiting area, and on the giant Soul Guided screen, their solemn faces were displayed.
Sitting in the audience were elites from all walks of life across the continent; just Federal council members alone, there were twenty.
The high-ranking officials of the Tang Sect's Mingdu branch and the Spirit Transfer Pagoda's Mingdu branch were all present without exception.
"Who do you think will win?" Wu Siduo asked, her arms crossed over her chest, accentuating a figure that made one's pupils dilate.
Nan Liujing stood beside her, his gaze shifting back and forth between Ye Xinglan and Yuanen Yehui's faces, stating directly: "Xinglan is strong enough, but Yuanen has the advantage in cultivation."
"So Ye Xinglan will lose?" Wu Siduo's beautiful eyes stared at Nan Liujing.
"We'll only know after they fight," Nan Liujing chuckled.
Wu Siduo said nothing more, her eyes filled with regret. In the battle against Yu Jiutian not long ago, after using her Spirit Fusion Ability, the side effects appeared, and she ultimately fell in the quarterfinals. She also yearned for such a moment of being in the spotlight.
"Ye Xinglan!"
"Yuanen Yehui!"
Under the surging shouts of the audience, Ye Xinglan and Yuanen Yehui simultaneously stepped forward, walking towards the competition stage.
After standing firm, the two girls looked at each other across the distance, their eyes each showing strong battle intent. In daily life, they were friends, but on the arena, they were opponents.
Ye Xinglan wanted to win first place, just to prove that her hard work was not in vain.
Yuanen Yehui also wanted to win first place; only then would she be worthy of the cultivation resources Nan Liujing promised her after following him.
The referee was a middle-aged beautiful woman with a powerful aura, possessing an eight-ring cultivation. She came between the two girls, explaining the rules and procedures of the competition.
After the two girls nodded in confirmation, the referee's figure flickered, arriving at one side of the competition stage, and under the gaze of countless eyes, announced the start of the match.
Ye Xinglan held her sword with one hand, the tip slanted against the ground. Resplendent sword light gushed out like a spring, and three purple thousand-year spirit rings floated around her waist, radiating a sharp edge with their rhythm.
Yuanen Yehui took a deep breath. The space within a few meters around her became solidified, and a faint yellow light of the earth rose. Her originally graceful and charming body transformed into a several-meter-tall Titan Giant Ape amidst exclamations of astonishment.
Similarly, she had three purple spirit rings, but her aura was exceptionally heavy.
The moment her Spirit was released, Ye Xinglan suddenly looked up. Her narrow, heroic beautiful eyes burst forth with overwhelming sword intent, and her figure flashed, moving like flowing light, striking directly at Yuanen Yehui.
During her advance, the Star God Sword slashed out several crisscrossing sword lights, and scattered specks of star power whistled forth, like a brilliant constellation in the night.
Yuanen Yehui's counterattack was simple and unadorned. Her fist encompassed a heavy, earthy-yellow concentrated light, and she threw a straight punch, carrying astonishing strong winds.
The strong winds arrived first but shattered under the sharp sword light. Seeing the fist about to collide with the Star God Sword, Ye Xinglan would undoubtedly suffer a disadvantage in terms of power comparison.
Abandoning a frontal clash, Ye Xinglan used the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, her figure moving like a ghost to the side. At the same time, with a thought, the accompanying sword light scattered and flew, circling around the front with a strange arc, sideward Binding Yuanen Yehui's thick arm.
The Star God Sword Spirit could enter the ranks of top Spirits precisely because of its special divine force. Once injected into a target's body, it could cause a powerful explosion, especially for targets with strong defenses; this move was simply a natural counter.
A punch landed in empty space, exploding with terrifying air currents. The rotating sword light, containing star divine force, quickly adhered to the arm. The intense stinging sensation made Yuanen Yehui not dare to underestimate it, and she instantly activated her first Spirit Ability, Tai Tan's Strength.
Her already formidable physique gained an amplification, and the star divine force barely pierced the skin, but was immediately completely blocked.
As her fist clenched, a powerful wave of strength burst forth, sweeping away all the star divine force in one go.
"Buzz~"
At a critical moment, Ye Xinglan didn't just stand by. The moment she avoided the frontal clash, she used her first Spirit Ability. The Star God Sword suddenly extended by three feet, and the starlight condensed at the sword's tip formed a sharp star-ray, flying out silently, directly threatening Yuanen Yehui's side waist.
Yuanen Yehui's reaction was astonishingly fast. She stomped her foot on the ground, but the ground didn't collapse. Instead, earthen walls actually rose from the ground, blocking the path of the flying star-ray.
Then, a scene that made Yuanen Yehui's eyelids twitch appeared: the star-ray continuously pierced through three earthen walls, barely encountering any obstruction.
Frowning, she punched out.
Under the amplification of Tai Tan's Strength, it should have been enough to shatter it, but Yuanen Yehui felt as if she was punching cotton, which made her extremely uncomfortable. More importantly, after the star-ray exploded, it transformed into a liquid-like golden light, clinging to her fist like glue.
"What's going on?"
Yuanen Yehui was about to retract her fist when she was astonished to find that her right arm seemed to have lost connection with her body and was uncontrollable.
She could only increase her spirit power output, attempting to change the situation, and indeed felt it gradually recovering, but the time of being out of control was enough for her opponent to accomplish many things.
Whoosh!
Just then, a sword light slashed diagonally, it was Ye Xinglan.
The Star God Sword swept up from under Yuanen Yehui's uncontrollable right armpit. If it were an attack from an ordinary sword Spirit Master, Yuanen Yehui could ignore it with her own defense, but the Star God Sword was different; it was a natural counter to defensive Spirit Masters.
"Roar."
At the critical moment, Yuanen Yehui let out a low roar, activating her second Spirit Ability, Air Cannon.
Instantly, the surrounding air became extremely heavy, as if filled with lead. The speed of the upward-sweeping Star God Sword noticeably slowed down.
Her right arm regained freedom, and Yuanen Yehui immediately clapped her hands down like Mount Tai pressing down.
Compared to the enormous body of the Titan Giant Ape, Ye Xinglan could be considered delicate and petite.
Feeling the heavy aura, Ye Xinglan's delicate brows furrowed. Naturally, she wouldn't foolishly compete with the Titan Giant Ape in strength.
Leaning back, with a light tap of her toes, she quickly flickered away.
With a loud boom, the huge, fan-like palms slammed onto the ground, instantly shattering the floor. A powerful shockwave spread, dispersing the light rain falling from the sky, making the audience's blood instantly boil.
Buzz~
Unable to succeed with the palm strike, Yuanen Yehui quickly stood up, compressed the air with her right fist, and unleashed a powerful punch. A nearly transparent white light flew out, an air cannon shot forth.
The long sword in Ye Xinglan's hand burst forth with dazzling starlight, her second spirit ring quietly lit up, and wisps of star divine force formed an impenetrable net, intercepting it in front of her.
The next moment, the air cannon fiercely struck the net woven with star lines. The sharp sword intent from all directions cut through the air cannon, quickly making it lose its momentum, and finally dissolving into the air.
Whoosh!
A shadow passed overhead, and Ye Xinglan's pupils constricted, only to see the enormous Titan Giant Ape lunging towards her. Its originally brown fur had turned into a cold, metallic sheen, and its entire body emanated a terrifying beast-like aura. Its thick arms swung back, preparing for a smashing attack.
Third Spirit Ability, Vajra Tai Tan!
Yuanen Yehui was surprised by the strangeness and power of Ye Xinglan's sword skills and Spirit Abilities. She understood that to defeat her opponent, she could not let the rhythm be dictated by her.
So after firing the air cannon, she immediately released her third Spirit Ability, intending to suppress Ye Xinglan's exquisite sword techniques with the most ferocious close-quarters combat.
"Can't run away."
Outside the arena, Nan Liujing instantly grasped the situation.
Wu Siduo couldn't help but be puzzled, but then her eyes suddenly widened.
The competition stage became distorted, layers of air intertwined, like an invisible pair of large hands wantonly kneading it. This was the change brought about by Yuanen Yehui's complete control of the aura.
The heavy pressure and precise qi locking forced Ye Xinglan to be unable to use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to dodge.
But her eyes remained as calm as ice. Facing the overwhelming attack, the Star God Sword in her hand quickly drew two intersecting sword lights in the air.
The sword light landed on the Titan Giant Ape's hard skin, only producing a resounding metallic clang.
The amplification of Vajra Tai Tan and the disparity in cultivation completely nullified the Star God Sword's advantage of being a counter.
Ye Xinglan's eyes were calm, as if devoid of emotion. Her third spirit ring radiated light, and her delicate body emitted a clear and distant sword cry. In an instant, she seemed to disappear into the world; she was clearly still standing in place, yet her aura was ethereal and unpredictable.
Suddenly, in the interval when the Titan Giant Ape's heavy attack was about to fall, Ye Xinglan's entire body turned into a brilliant golden color, like a cluster of starlight. Immediately, her body and sword merged into one, and the sword light soared into the sky!
A strange arc slashed through, and the starlight forcefully severed the qi lock, circling behind the giant ape. Then, like a boomerang, it spun back, resembling a falling meteor striking the back of the Titan Giant Ape's neck, with astonishing sword intent transforming into a sky full of starlight, dazzling yet deadly!
Amidst gasps of surprise, Yuanen Yehui displayed the skill of a top-tier genius.
Although her fists had slammed onto the ground, the ground had never shattered from beginning to end. That was a three-ring Titan Giant Ape with its essence, qi, and Spirit elevated to their peak.
Why was it like this?
Because she was waiting!
Boom!
At the critical moment, the ground touched by her fists rippled, as if softening, and then it cracked open, emitting a pale yellow light. Waves of astonishing aura storms erupted from the fissures.
The starlight was instantly enveloped by the aura storm, as if solidified in mid-air. Although Ye Xinglan's sword intent and spirit power reached their peak in her human-sword fusion state, under the mutual resistance, the power of her attack was clearly weakened too much.
Yuanen Yehui suddenly turned around, her fists condensing the power of the earth, and two air cannons, far more powerful than before, fiercely blasted out.
In mid-air, Ye Xinglan had nowhere to retreat, and a strong sense of realization appeared in her eyes.
It turned out that from the very beginning, the opponent had prepared a counter-attack.
Whoosh.
The referee quickly made a move, a gentle spirit power blocked the direction from which the air cannon was flying, and dissipated it.
The victory was decided!
Her robust body transformed back into a charming figure with captivating features and a cold, clear demeanor. The starlight dissipated, and Ye Xinglan slowly landed.
The two girls' gazes met, and suddenly they smiled at each other, as if they had a feeling of meeting too late.
Yuanen Yehui: "Next time?"
Ye Xinglan: "Okay!"
"Winner, Yuanen Yehui!"
The referee immediately announced the result. The two received the audience's most enthusiastic cheers and walked off the competition stage side by side. This exhilarating battle was satisfying for the contestants, and equally satisfying for the spectators.
It seemed as if a gaze was directed their way.
Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan simultaneously looked up. Where their eyes met, it was Nan Liujing, smiling and giving a thumbs up.
Both hands at once!
The two girls paused, and a slight smile curved each of their lips.
The gloomy rainy day seemed to brighten up.
Chapter 106: It's Said Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao Once Cuckolded Xu Tianran?
The contestants in the other semi-final, from the War God Hall and Tang Sect respectively, were evenly matched. Both suffered injuries, and the War God Hall contestant narrowly advanced to the finals.
Even with treatment from a healing Spirit Master, it would be difficult for the injured contestant to perform at their peak in the Youth Group Individual Finals tomorrow morning, which was advantageous for Yuanen Yehui.
Similarly, for Ye Xinglan, who was competing for third place, it was also good news.
The audience dispersed, still wanting more, while at Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the Youth Group Individual Competition was set to begin in the afternoon.
The drawing ceremony started early.
Nan Liujing, Commander Xiao Pojun, Dragon Tianwu, and Xu Zihuang stood side by side.
The Dean of Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy personally presided over the drawing ceremony.
Nan Liujing was arranged to draw the first lot. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he picked one out and handed it to the Dean.
The Dean took it and immediately announced, "Nan Liujing, Lot Number One."
Immediately, the expressions of Xu Zihuang and the other two changed.
Soon it was Xu Zihuang's turn to draw. He stepped forward expressionlessly, reached out, took a lot, and handed it to the Dean.
"Xu Zihuang, Lot Number Two."
Hearing this, a hint of regret flashed in Xu Zihuang's eyes, while Commander Xiao Pojun and Dragon Tianwu's eyes instantly brightened.
"Dragon Tianwu, Lot Number Two."
Quickly, Dragon Tianwu, the third to draw, revealed his lot.
Not winning the grand prize, Dragon Tianwu's face immediately darkened, while Commander Xiao Pojun, who no longer needed to draw, was all smiles.
He raised an eyebrow at his buddy, as if to say, "Heaven Forging metal, I'll help you get a taste first."
"Damn it!"
Dragon Tianwu just wanted to punch him in the face.
"The drawing is over. The semi-finals will begin at 2 PM. You still have enough time to adjust your condition. You may disperse now."
The Dean spoke, and everyone who participated in the drawing ceremony scattered.
Nan Liujing VS Commander Xiao Pojun.
Xu Zihuang VS Dragon Tianwu.
The results were quickly announced officially, immediately sparking widespread discussion, with much higher popularity than the Youth Group.
A netizen from Mingdu, seizing the momentum, even launched a public poll, allowing others to vote for their chosen champion. This attracted countless participants.
Surprisingly, because the poll settings only allowed local Mingdu residents to vote, Xu Zihuang actually surpassed the widely renowned Nan Liujing, almost overwhelmingly taking the top spot.
"Xu Zihuang's votes are a bit outrageous. Logically, since Mingdu people dislike Shrek Academy so much, Nan Liujing, who slapped Shrek Academy's face, should have been first in the poll."
In a lounge at the Douluo Arena, Commander Xiao Pojun said, holding his phone, his face full of displeasure.
Xu Junlan glanced at him and said indifferently, "Nan Liujing is still young after all. Although he forced Shrek to apologize in the Tianhai Alliance competition, causing quite a stir, he is ultimately just a young man. Do you really think a youth can truly overturn Shrek Academy, which has stood for twenty thousand years?"
"Xu Zihuang is different. His Spirit corresponds to the Thousand Ancient Emperor Xu Tianran. You know how much the people of Mingdu revere this emperor who laid the foundation for unification."
"By the way, Sister Xu, you are a member of the Old Sun Moon Empire imperial family, so you should know some secret history." Dragon Tianwu rubbed his hands like a fly, interjecting curiously, "I've read some unofficial histories that say Xu Tianran was cuckolded, and his son Xu Yunhan was actually Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao's child. Is that true?"
Xu Junlan stared at him intently, "You also know I'm a member of the Old Sun Moon Empire imperial family. You come and ask me if my own ancestor was cuckolded. Do you think that's polite?"
Dragon Tianwu paused, then said sheepishly, "It seems, it's not very polite."
Pfft.
Commander Xiao Pojun couldn't help but laugh.
Xu Junlan shot him a look, and he instantly reined it in, sitting up straight like a good boy.
With a cold hmph, Xu Junlan then got to the point, "Old Xiao, how do you plan to gain favor from Nan Liujing?"
Commander Xiao Pojun snorted with a laugh, "I have a brilliant plan."
"You're truly despicable!" Dragon Tianwu cursed, "I wish you a hundred years of life."
"Who are you cursing?" Commander Xiao Pojun stood up and threw a punch. He was a genius with the qualifications of a Super Douluo; living two hundred years in the future was a given for him.
The two buddies quickly started brawling. Xu Junlan covered her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
There were no men, only overgrown boys.
In another lounge.
Wu Siduo was pulling Yuanen Yehui to surf the internet. Wasn't it almost the end of the competition? The Adult Group Seven-on-Seven competition was about to begin, and the official channels had already started promoting it.
The battle location was set in a manually excavated battlefield outside Mingdu City.
From the official images, it was a rugged canyon, vast in area, large enough for the teams of Spirit Emperors and Spirit Saints to wreak havoc.
Two 'wealthy' young women gathered together, while Nan Liujing pulled Ye Xinglan out to the corridor outside the lounge.
From here, they could overlook the bustling city outside the stadium and also see some spectators who had driven there early.
"Can you take third place?" Nan Liujing leaned against the railing, his gaze gentle as it fell upon the young woman beside him with a high ponytail.
Ye Xinglan tilted her face slightly into the wind, her exquisite features appearing dewy and fair. Her expression was calm, and her voice was clear as she said, "When my competitor wasn't injured, I had a seventy percent chance of winning. As for now..." She turned to look at Nan Liujing, her eyes glinting with confidence, "It'll be a piece of cake!"
"Everyone who makes it this far is extraordinary. Don't mess it up," Nan Liujing reminded her.
"I have a clear idea," Ye Xinglan thought to herself, "Can't you just praise me? You have no sense of romance."
Nan Liujing looked at her: "I've prepared some insights on cultivating artistic conception, which includes my summary of cultivating staff intent. While sword intent and staff intent differ, they lead to the same destination, so using it as reference is fine. Oh, right, I also compiled some of your strengths and weaknesses when using sword intent based on your matches during this period. Remember to check them later."
"There's quite a lot of text, so don't be lazy."
Ye Xinglan froze. "You specially prepared this for me?"
"Otherwise? It's only for you. I wouldn't bother wasting time summarizing for anyone else." Nan Liujing shook his phone. "You can take a look first."
Ye Xinglan quickly took out her phone, opened the file, and various insights on cultivating artistic conception, exquisitely arranged, appeared before her eyes.
"Sharp but not restless, swift but not chaotic, continuous but not stagnant, flowing freely!"
Ye Xinglan subconsciously read out these four-character maxims.
Her eyes brightened, and she quickly continued reading. After each four-character maxim, there was an annotation, practically spoon-feeding her the information.
"The biggest problem with your sword usage right now is that your mindset isn't as stable. Can you tell me why?" Nan Liujing asked in a deep voice.
Ye Xinglan said in surprise, "You can even tell that?"
"Your favorite color, your favorite food, and the fact that you like me, which one..." Nan Liujing was speaking with great enthusiasm, then realized something and suddenly stopped.
He looked intently, and Ye Xinglan stomped her foot in embarrassment and anger: "What nonsense are you talking about? I don't like you at all!"
"Yes, yes, I misspoke."
Nan Liujing cleared his throat and quickly led the conversation back to the main topic:
"Every time you strike with your sword, although the sword edge is powerful, it always carries an anxious emotion, as if chasing something. It's this stubborn mindset that makes your sword intent full of flaws. Yuanen was able to unleash that final move today precisely because she anticipated the changes in your sword intent."
"If you had concealed your edge and laid out your moves layer by layer, even if Yuanen could win against you, she would very likely suffer significant injuries."
"Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Ye Xinglan's heart fluttered. She pursed her lips, her eyes dimming as she said, "When we sparred as children, purely in terms of Spirit usage, I could easily beat you."
"Hey!" Nan Liujing was anxious, "What kind of talk is that? That's called a fifty-fifty split!"
Ye Xinglan was amused, but quickly sighed again, saying wistfully, "Now you're getting stronger and stronger. It feels like I can barely see you anymore."
"Then I'll just get closer to you, won't I?"
Nan Liujing suddenly lowered his head and, catching Ye Xinglan off guard, pressed his forehead against hers.
They were so close their breathing was audible. Azure eyes and dark blue eyes reflected each other's faces.
A warm breeze stirred in the corridor, intertwining their breaths, merging them together.
"I see myself in your eyes. Isn't that seeing?" Nan Liujing said with a smile.
Ye Xinglan's breathing quickened, her pretty face flushed, and her eyes darted away as she said, "That's not what I meant."
"I understand. You mean it's not close enough, right?" Nan Liujing extended his hands and, as the young woman's delicate body trembled slightly, gently embraced her slender waist. "Is this close enough?"
He could already smell the young woman's faint, natural body fragrance.
Ye Xinglan's body suddenly froze, and a gentle voice sounded in her ear.
"Silly girl, if I walk faster, won't I be able to protect you sooner?"
These words were like a soul-shattering blow. Ye Xinglan, unaccustomed to such an intense offensive, instinctively pushed Nan Liujing away and turned around, her delicate ears already burning red.
Her modest chest rose and fell continuously.
Was this a confession?
The young woman's heart was gently stirred, its rhythm thrown into disarray.
Nan Liujing smiled at her back and said, "It's about time to head back to the lounge. You need to rest well, otherwise how will you cheer for me later?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Xinglan's lips curved into a slight smile, and the gloom buried deep in her heart seemed to be completely swept away.
She turned around, intending to tsundere-ly say she wouldn't cheer for him, but suddenly saw a tall, curvaceous figure in fiery red appear beside Nan Liujing.
The woman was mature and charming, her features so beautiful they could topple nations, and her figure was perfectly curvaceous. A meaningful curve now graced her full lips.
"Cold Aunt," Ye Xinglan said in surprise.
"Teacher! Why are you here?" Nan Liujing was also surprised by this pleasant visit.
Leng Yaozhu's slender, jade-like finger tapped her beloved disciple's brow, and her wine-red eyes held a gentle light as she said, "Teacher came to see you win the championship."
"Do you have confidence?"
Her words were very similar to what Nan Liujing had just asked Ye Xinglan.
Nan Liujing grinned, "Yes."
Leng Yaozhu smiled, "Teacher will be waiting to see."
...
Within the deep soul space, this was the sixtieth floor of the Heavenly Spirit Pagoda.
"You actually thought of meeting me here." Ghost Emperor Yakesi scrutinized a soul not far away, from which a faint blood-red light emanated.
It was none other than Cai Yueer, who had been studying at the Spirit Transfer Pagoda for three years.
Qiangu Dongfeng stood with his hands behind his back, his face expressionless. "At most, we can get one God-Slaying Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shell, five Level Nine Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells, and twenty Level Eight ones."
"A wise man submits to circumstances. That's the answer I wanted to hear." Yakesi smiled faintly. "But this quantity might not be enough to destroy Shrek Academy."
Qiangu Dongfeng said in a deep voice, "You should be aware of Yun Ming's recent actions. He's trying to ease relations with the Federation, which has made many high-ranking Federation officials who supported destroying Shrek Academy back down."
"Among these people, some don't have leverage for you to seize, and I and Yan Baichuan don't intend for them to be involved."
"One God-Slaying level cannon shell is the absolute limit we can secure. If not for the near annihilation of the Sea God Legion, which drew the attention of the Federation's military high command, we wouldn't even have gotten one."
The Ghost Emperor's eyes shifted. He asked, "You called me to this soul space, so you must have an idea. Let me guess, you're planning to use this Cai Yueer to detonate the God-Slaying cannon shell directly inside Shrek Academy."
A ripple appeared deep in Qiangu Dongfeng's eyes. He didn't deny it: "This is the only way to maximize the power of the God-Slaying cannon shell."
"If you're unwilling, then there's nothing I can do. I'll wait for you to spread the scandal, but starting from the day the scandal is exposed, I guarantee you, the Spirit Transfer Pagoda will be in an endless war with the Holy Spirit Cult!"
Now it was the Ghost Emperor's turn to be in a dilemma. Now was absolutely not the time to completely fall out with the Spirit Transfer Pagoda. He pondered for a moment, and finally made his decision: "I'll go along with your plan."
Qiangu Dongfeng looked at Cai Yueer: "Cai Yueer has been deeply brainwashed by Shrek Academy. It won't be easy to completely reverse that and make her work for us."
The Ghost Emperor said indifferently, "Don't worry about that. Once the God-Slaying cannon shell is in hand, a Cai Yueer who is even more desperate to destroy Shrek than us will certainly be delivered to you."
Qiangu Dongfeng said, "Once the God-Slaying cannon shell is in hand, we'll formulate the plan. That will take a few years."
The Ghost Emperor's figure gradually dissipated.
After the Ghost Emperor completely vanished, Qiangu Dongfeng gazed at the deep space and gradually fell silent.
To be honest, he never feared Shrek Academy, but rather Yun Ming. As long as Yun Ming died, the other powerhouses of Shrek Academy would be a joke.
Could the plan succeed?
...
Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Great Spirit Arena.
Federation flags fluttered, and the Federation Glory March played continuously. The audience stands, capable of holding 150,000 people, were already packed, and the clamorous sounds were like roaring waves, each more magnificent than the last.
Compared to the Youth Group semi-finals, the number of important figures attracted to the Youth Group semi-finals had almost doubled.
Many first and second-in-command figures from Spirit Master families and Sects, and even several Federation Vice Chairmen had come. As for the powerhouses from the War God Hall, as many as six had arrived. The leader, dressed in a simple white robe, had a gentle and elegant demeanor, giving off an impression of not contending for anything.
Only Hao Ri Douluo Ao Rui and others knew that this person's strength, on the surface, was second only to Sky Bearing Douluo Yun Ming.
He was none other than Guan Yue, one of the Deputy Hall Masters of the War God Hall, Yue Tian Douluo!
"Tianfeng, between your disciple and the students from my War God Hall training camp, who do you think has a better chance of advancing to the finals?"
Guan Yue looked calmly at Leng Yaozhu, who was sitting not far away. They were from the same generation.
"That would naturally be my disciple." Leng Yaozhu's gaze had not left Nan Liujing.
"To reach the finals with a four-ring cultivation, another monster has been born," Guan Yue sighed. "We need more monsters like this."
What seemed like an ordinary sigh felt like a ten-thousand-jin boulder pressing down on the hearts of the various War Gods.
Guan Yue hoped for more powerhouses to emerge, so that the front lines could be more stable.
Leng Yaozhu also understood the hidden meaning in his words. Her beautiful eyes shifted slightly: "Once my Liu Jing wins the championship, then we can discuss that matter with you."
Guan Yue raised an eyebrow, surprised that Leng Yaozhu, who was always so protective of her own, didn't flat-out refuse. Although the conditions they offered included ensuring safety, on the front lines, there was no absolute safety.
Especially since Nan Liujing, as a hot-blooded young man, would never allow himself to stay behind while his comrades faced danger alone, unless he was a coward.
Men value their face!
Leng Yaozhu looked at Nan Liujing's laughing and talking figure and said in a deep voice, "A fledgling will one day need to soar into the sky. Responsibility is not just ours, but his as well."
Guan Yue's expression became solemn, and he said no more.
Chapter 107: The martial World is not just about fighting; it's also about human relationships!
"The Federal Grand Competition Youth Division Individual Tournament is about to begin, audience members, let us give our warmest cheers to the four contestants!"
A floating podium flew into the sky, and an elegantly dressed host, microphone in hand, intentionally guided the atmosphere.
In an instant, tens of thousands of people cheered in unison.
The Federal high-ranking officials on the main stage also applauded with smiles.
"First, please welcome contestants Nan Liujing and Commander Xiao Pojun to the stage." The host followed the normal procedure.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a beam of light flashed in the center of the competition stage; this person wore a white robe, had a smiling face, and looked quite approachable.
Nan Liujing was walking towards the competition stage and couldn't help but pause slightly when he saw this person.
He actually felt a sharpness from the white-robed person that was somewhat similar to Yun Ming's, enough to shake heaven and earth.
Of course, he couldn't sense the other party's cultivation, but being fellow cultivators of the same intention realm, he had a feeling.
Guan Yue also had a similar feeling. He looked at Nan Liujing with surprise; the fact that the other party could sense his aura, which he hadn't deliberately hidden, was enough to show that his cultivation in the intention realm was already approaching its peak.
To reach the peak of the intention realm at such a young age, no wonder Senior Brother values you so much… Guan Yue sighed inwardly.
Commander Xiao Pojun also went on stage, but looking at the handsome middle-aged man in the white robe, his eyes were quite respectful.
After the two stood firm, Guan Yue finally spoke: "The competition is about to begin. If you have anything to say, you can say it in advance. It's best to say more provocative words."
It was time for the audience's favorite segment, with laughter and whistling constantly erupting from outside the arena.
"I do!" Commander Xiao Pojun quickly said.
Nan Liujing looked at him.
"Speak," Guan Yue said.
Commander Xiao Pojun's expression suddenly became serious, staring intently at Nan Liujing, looking full of fighting Spirit.
Just as the audience expected him to utter trash talk, Commander Xiao Pojun's words instantly stunned everyone:
"Simply comparing spirit power is too outdated, my friend. How about we decide the victor based on the intention realm?"
Nan Liujing raised an eyebrow: "Are you serious?"
"Of course," Commander Xiao Pojun nodded.
"As you wish." Nan Liujing was also happy to end the competition quickly. He could vaguely sense the referee's aura, and he could also sense Commander Xiao Pojun's aura.
Below the stage, Dragon Tianwu's eyes widened, and he thought to himself: "Knowing that the other party's intention realm cultivation is stronger than yours, yet still competing in the intention realm, you're rushing to give away a kill. That's too cheap. We must strive to be strong. I'm ashamed to be associated with you."
Xu Junlan, sitting in the audience, chuckled. Giving away a kill too deliberately wasn't good, so Commander Xiao Pojun's approach was quite clever.
Xu Zihuang, also sitting quietly in the waiting area, breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped Nan Liujing would advance to the finals, so he could defeat the other party in front of the entire World.
The Deputy Hall Master had not only promised Nan Liujing benefits, but also promised him that as long as he defeated Nan Liujing in the main competition, he would immediately be selected as the first in line successor for the Tang Sect Deputy Sect Master.
As for the Sect Master successor, since the current Sect Master hadn't agreed, who would dare to make such a promise lightly?
While the audience was discussing amongst themselves, unsure what it meant for the intention realm to decide the victor, Guan Yue said with interest: "Since both parties have decided to determine the winner by intention realm, very well, you two stand twenty meters apart and wait for me to announce the start of the match."
Commander Xiao Pojun smiled gently at Nan Liujing and honestly retreated.
"Are the War God Training Camp students all this easygoing?" Nan Liujing expressed his confusion. Since the start of the competition, he had never been seriously provoked; it was as if everyone was a normal person.
Soon, the two stood twenty meters apart.
Guan Yue gave them a few deep breaths to adjust their state, and under the bewildered yet expectant gaze of the audience, he finally raised his hand, and as it fell, he shouted in a deep voice: "Match start!"
Buzz~
Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands, both released their intention simultaneously.
Blood light flowed in Commander Xiao Pojun's right hand, and a long spear landed in his grip. The spear shaft seemed to have been artificially carved with numerous blood groove patterns, not smooth, and occasionally, crimson light would spurt out. The most unique part was the spear tip, which was a translucent blade formed by highly compressed and materialized mental force, perfectly embodying the words "Soul Extinction."
Since he said he wouldn't compete with spirit power and also wanted to highlight the entertainment value of the duel, he could only infuse mental force into his spear intention.
Commander Xiao Pojun's clothes fluttered without wind, and a bloody storm raged around him. As the Soul Extinction Spear let out a long cry, the space within a five-meter radius around him distorted, and vaguely, countless spear shadows howled and erupted, combining with the crimson color, like a forest of blood-colored spears.
Suddenly, the blood-colored spear forest overwhelmingly enveloped Nan Liujing.
Spear Spirit Masters, no matter who they were, would be influenced by their Spirit, leading to different spear intentions. Commander Xiao Pojun's spear intention carried a chilling quality, like a venomous snake hidden in a deep forest, ready to unleash its deadly fangs at any moment.
Outsiders would find the blood-colored spear forest terrifying, but only those who understood would know that the blood-colored spear forest was eerily silent, without any oppressive aura. Yet, when you tried to probe it, your soul would often feel a chilling sensation of sinking into an abyss, and if you weren't careful, you would be pierced into fragments by the biting cold.
"What is he doing?"
A noisy chatter suddenly erupted in the audience.
The Spirit Master powerhouses on site also frowned one by one.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Nan Liujing had already closed his eyes. He hadn't even summoned his Coiling Dragon Rod, and his hands were arrogantly crossed over his chest.
Commander Xiao Pojun was surprised, wondering whether he should tone it down, when he noticed Guan Yue's focused and surprised gaze.
Commander Xiao Pojun quickly refocused his attention on Nan Liujing, and the next moment, a strange scene made him completely stunned.
Just as the blood-colored spear forest was about to cover Nan Liujing, layers of dark light surged out from beneath his feet, and nearly translucent cold plum blossoms burst from the ground, their branches embracing the young man's strong and powerful body. The vibrant plum blossoms swayed in mid-air, like a painter wielding a brush, exquisitely beautiful.
An unyielding light bloomed from each plum blossom. When the chilling, abyssal spear intention struck, that light gently trembled, as if a majestic rod intention with soft power was pulsating, easily blocking it outside. The blood-colored spear forest was like a shy mimosa, retreating immediately upon contact.
Not only that, the blood-colored spear forest clearly rippled with chaotic waves, like a whirlpool suddenly stirring in the center of a calm lake. The soft power of the rod intention was stirring the integrity of the spear intention at an astonishing speed.
Commander Xiao Pojun instantly became alert. He had indeed intended to simplify the battle, then have a direct confrontation with Nan Liujing, and finally intentionally lose.
But in the current situation, he probably wouldn't need to intentionally lose; he would truly be defeated.
The realm of rod intention controlled by the other party was not only superior to his, but vastly superior!
What kind of monster was this?
The collision of the two great intention realms caused many spectators to exclaim. It was their first time witnessing this type of duel.
Commander Xiao Pojun became serious, his eyes flowing with a faint glow, and his mental force output was pushed to its limit, actually causing fine mental force ripples to spread around him.
With more mental force infused, the spear intention became even more solidified, and its aura became more subdued, managing to maintain the integrity of the disrupted spear intention. Immediately after, the blood-colored spear forest rolled back into the sky, transforming into a sky full of light rain pouring down, leaving dark red trails in the air. Each drop of the crimson rain, in addition to maintaining astonishing penetrative power, also carried a mournful cry strong enough to tear apart the soul.
In an instant, the cold plum blossoms around Nan Liujing transformed into scattered snowflakes and vanished, replaced by a lush green bamboo forest. Upon closer inspection, it was actually formed by the intertwining of countless rod intentions. The seemingly delicate bamboo leaves swayed without wind, emitting clear, resonant sounds, reflecting dazzling emerald halos in the sunlight.
Ao Rui's pupils contracted, and his voice of surprise was loud enough for every colleague to hear: "Every bamboo is a condensation of rod intention; to be so solid, at least the Ling Yuan Realm is required." His mental force had only just reached the late Ling Yuan Realm.
When the crimson light rain fell on the bamboo leaves, the illusory spear intention struck like metal on stone, emitting a metallic clang. The soul-extinguishing power, hidden like a venomous snake ready to strike, simply could not break through the combination of rigidity and flexibility beneath the emerald bamboo waves.
Outsiders could only see faint blood-colored explosions outside the bamboo stalks, hearing a crisp sound like shattering glass. Without sharp eyesight, one might even think Commander Xiao Pojun had the upper hand.
The Spirit Master powerhouses on site all showed expressions of awe.
They could clearly feel that at this moment, the bamboo forest was like a scorching sun, and the spear intention was like an extreme, bitter winter. The latter tried to devour everything, but could only unwillingly melt under the intense heat.
Guan Yue, as a peak Spear Spirit Master, saw it even more clearly.
Commander Xiao Pojun's spear intention was indeed formidable; hidden within its sharpness was an endless stream of soul-extinguishing power. As long as there was the slightest loophole, it would inevitably be captured by the spear intention and ultimately be internally defeated, easily harming the opponent's soul in actual combat.
This was also why he could rank among the top in the War God Training Camp.
However, Nan Liujing's rod intention was even more powerful. He wielded rod intention but did not rely on his Coiling Dragon Rod Spirit to launch attacks and defenses.
Perhaps it was due to his stronger mental force, but the ability to manifest all things with rod intention and merge more seamlessly with nature was the most powerful application of the intention realm, a chasm that Commander Xiao Pojun currently could not cross.
As sounds of shattering echoed, the crimson light rain visibly took on an emerald green hue and gradually atomized. The bamboo forest appeared to be covered in emerald green mist, resembling a paradise.
Such a scene naturally drew exclamations from the audience.
This method of Spirit Masters standing still and engaging in combat through special means was truly eye-opening and quite interesting.
The only ones on site who might have felt fortunate were the Earth-attribute Spirit Masters, who didn't have to worry about the competition stage being destroyed and then draining their spirit power to repair it.
When the last wisp of blood light on the competition stage dissipated, Commander Xiao Pojun dejectedly put down his Soul Extinction Spear. His eyes were filled with disbelief; he had never expected to lose so quickly.
He had intended to put on a show, but it turned out he was the clown himself.
"I lost."
Commander Xiao Pojun retracted his Soul Extinction Spear and spoke helplessly.
As his voice fell.
The space trembled slightly, and the bamboo forest covering a certain area of the competition stage slowly dissipated. Under the gaze of tens of thousands of eyes, Nan Liujing's figure reappeared.
A faint smile hung on his handsome and gentle face, "I yield."
"If there's an opportunity in the future, let's spar again." Commander Xiao Pojun was able to take victory and defeat in stride, quickly calming his emotions, and said with a hearty laugh.
"Good." Nan Liujing was also happy to socialize with such people and agreed with a smile.
As the two exchanged smiles, Guan Yue quickly announced the match results.
For a moment, shouts continuously erupted. The name 'Nan Liujing' not only appeared on the scene but also spread across the continent's vast lands through live broadcast.
With a four-ring cultivation, he advanced to the finals, a feat previously only achievable by high-level Spirit Kings and Spirit Emperors. Nan Liujing's gentle smile, in this era of developed networks, was enough to spread and make him the hottest future star on the continent.
The most crucial thing was that Nan Liujing was handsome, just like people who enjoy reading novels.
Amidst the cheers, the two walked off the competition stage side by side.
At this time, the semifinals had not yet ended; the second match between Xu Zihuang and Dragon Tianwu had not yet begun.
Before long, a group of beautiful dance troupes and singers ascended the competition stage to perform after the halftime break.
Inside the lounge.
"Tsk tsk tsk, your method is much better than mine. You gained Nan Liujing's goodwill without getting injured," Xu Junlan said teasingly as she welcomed Commander Xiao Pojun back.
Commander Xiao Pojun plopped down on the sofa and said admiringly: "To be honest, if I previously wanted to get to know him because of his identity as a blacksmith, then now, I'm truly convinced. He's so young, yet his intention realm cultivation far surpasses mine. This time, I'm thoroughly defeated."
Dragon Tianwu, who was about to spar with Xu Zihuang in a little while, took a deep breath and suddenly said: "Honestly, as fellow Dragon Spirit users, my Cloud Roaring Dragon is not as powerful as Xu Zihuang's Purple Blaze Heaven Extinguishing Dragon."
Xu Junlan and Commander Xiao Pojun exchanged glances, the former saying: "This Xu Zihuang isn't Nan Liujing, don't be polite, just treat him like an Abyssal Creature."
Dragon Tianwu's eyes narrowed slightly; he didn't finish the latter part of his sentence.
He suddenly thought of a good way to get to know Nan Liujing: as long as he exhausted Xu Zihuang so he wasn't in peak condition, helping Nan Liujing win in the finals should count as indirect help.
Hmm, I'll do that.
Everything for the Four-Word Battle Armor!
The half-hour of music and singing finally ended. Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands, the host once again appeared in the air, stepping on a hovering spirit tool: "Audience friends, welcome back to the second match of the Federal Grand Competition Youth Division Individual Tournament semifinals."
"The opposing parties are Dragon Tianwu, and… Xu Zihuang!"
As the host's voice fell, thunderous cheers echoed through the sky, but clearly favoring Xu Zihuang. Because his Spirit was identical to that of a certain legendary Emperor, he garnered far more local Mingdu audience support than anyone else.
The audience members from the Old Sun Moon Empire royalty on site were even flushed, quite excited.
With tens of thousands of people shouting his name, no matter how composed Xu Zihuang usually was, his eyes now burned with passion. His gaze first swept over the handsome young man sitting beside three stunning girls, then shifted to the Tang Sect high-level viewing area in the distance.
He saw Deputy Hall Master Zang Xin, three Hall Masters, and other Tang Sect high-ranking officials.
Clenching his fists, Xu Zihuang thought to himself: "The semifinals are just the beginning. In the finals, I want everyone in the Sect to know that I am the best successor for the Sect Master position."
Stepping onto the competition stage, Xu Zihuang was about to bring his fighting Spirit to its peak when he was suddenly locked onto by a deep, chilling gaze. He frowned and looked over.
Dragon Tianwu's eyes were cold, not even blinking, like he was looking at a sworn enemy. This already exceeded the usual tension of a competition.
"What's wrong with this guy?" Xu Zihuang wondered, "Did I offend him?"
"Prepare."
Guan Yue's voice rang out at the opportune moment.
Xu Zihuang reined in his emotions, no longer paying attention to Dragon Tianwu.
The two sides stood 150 meters apart as required. By then, Guan Yue had already raised his hand, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, his palm quickly dropped:
"The match begins!"
"Roar."
Dragon Tianwu let out a low roar, his spirit power surging within him. Moist, azure-blue air currents wrapped around his entire body, and his robust physique gained numerous round, dense dragon scales, becoming slender and agile. With a tearing sound, powerful gusts of wind erupted from the dragon scales behind his shoulder blades, forming a pair of luminous dragon wings. With a gentle flap, they actually stirred up a strong wind of considerable power.
Deep purple dragon flames ignited all over Xu Zihuang's body, his dragon scales noticeably thicker. He also unfurled his dragon wings, and with a gentle flap, scorching dragon flames spread out. The terrifying destructive attribute was easily enough to cause the surrounding space to distort, or even collapse.
"Whoosh."
Dragon Tianwu moved as soon as his Spirit possessed him. With a spread of his dragon wings, he shot towards Xu Zihuang like lightning, a powerful gust of wind engulfing him like a tsunami.
Xu Zihuang was about to make a move when his expression subtly changed.
Dragon Tianwu was still in the air, but his entire body erupted in an azure-blue light, flowing around him like a vortex. In a blink of an eye, a Two-Word Battle Armor was completely attached.
No one expected Dragon Tianwu to release his Battle Armor so quickly. Usually, when cultivation levels are similar, neither side would quickly use Battle Armor to fight, but rather engage in several conventional clashes first.
"Roar." Xu Zihuang's pupils suddenly became vertical slits. Scorching destructive dragon flames spewed from the gaps in his thick dragon scales, coiling around him and instantly transforming into a set of deep purple, incredibly restrained Two-Word Battle Armor. The iconic wings were even more like something that could blot out the sky.
The auras of both instantly soared to the Spirit Douluo level.
The next moment, the azure-blue wind fiercely collided with the deep purple destructive dragon flames.
A terrifying shockwave spread out, hitting the spirit power shield and creating layers of frightening ripples.
The earth-attribute Spirit Masters responsible for repairing the arena floor finally gave up hope, as the floor had already been shattered into ruins.
This was a battle at the Spirit Douluo level, with astonishing destructive power.
In mid-air.
The brutal destructive dragon flames devoured the wind as much as possible, and countless water elements evaporated, forming large patches of thick fog. But at the critical moment, incredibly sharp wind elements produced a miraculous effect. Under Dragon Tianwu's exquisite control, they continuously sliced through the destructive dragon flames released by Xu Zihuang.
Then, they were broken down one by one!
The destructive attribute was indeed a top-tier attribute, but that didn't mean it was invincible.
Dragon Tianwu's Cloud Howling Dragon was a mutated Spirit. The water elements he controlled were very ordinary, but the wind elements possessed an additional cutting attribute with the power of space.
Because of this, he was able to prevent Xu Zihuang's destructive dragon flames from suppressing his enemies as freely as before, all while consuming little energy.
Amidst the howling azure-blue and deep purple light were shattered spatial cracks. Destructive dragon flames extinguished within them, and occasionally, swirling gales could be seen, only to be quickly burned to nothingness.
Xu Zihuang's eyes were cold. As his first spirit ring lit up, his claws became thicker, their tips exceptionally sharp and shimmering with a deep purple glow.
Forcing his way through the enveloping wind, he slashed down with a claw, aiming directly at Dragon Tianwu's chest.
Dragon Tianwu was not to be outdone. His second spirit ring lit up, and his dragon wings folded inward, sending countless wind blades shooting out.
Xu Zihuang's vertical pupils contracted sharply, activating his second Spirit Ability, Path of Destruction.
His figure transformed into a ethereal Purple Blaze Heaven Extinguishing Dragon light-shadow amidst the myriad wind blades. With his aura locked on, his dragon wings tore through the space on both sides, revealing faintly distorted dragon flames floating within, briefly destroying all elemental matter in their path.
At that moment, Xu Zihuang was like an unstoppable thorn. In a blink of an eye, he arrived in front of Dragon Tianwu, and his sharp right claw ignored the Battle Armor's defense, brutally piercing into his body.
Amidst gasps of surprise, Dragon Tianwu's pierced body strangely splashed apart, like waves splashing after a large rock hits the surface of water.
In a flash of lightning, the clash between the two temporarily ended.
Xu Zihuang's dragon wings flapped behind him, and he floated in mid-air. Deep dragon flames boiled around him, and his ferocious Battle Armor looked exactly like a demon king reborn, stunning the hearts of countless spectators. But his deep gaze was fixed on the ground, where a swirling figure was rising.
An azure-blue figure stood on the ground, looking up and meeting his gaze.
The auras of the two spread out again, colliding in mid-air. A strong buzzing sound reverberated, and the audience could hear what sounded like two weapons constantly rubbing against each other, emitting a piercing "sizzling" sound.
The deep purple and azure-blue dragon shadows glared at each other, letting out spirited dragon roars.
"Sixty-forty split." Zang Xin nodded silently.
In the brief clash, neither Xu Zihuang nor Dragon Tianwu emerged unscathed.
Upon closer inspection, one could see countless fine cracks on Xu Zihuang's Battle Armor, clearly left when it was covered by the wind blades.
Similarly, Dragon Tianwu's Battle Armor also bore molten marks left by the scorching destructive dragon flames. The power of destruction was even still eroding his Battle Armor, showing how terrifyingly adhesive it was.
The Path of Destruction attack seemed to have been dodged, but in reality, because the destructive dragon flames destroyed all elements within the path, Dragon Tianwu's Spirit Ability usage was not perfect.
Overall, Dragon Tianwu sustained more damage.
Thump!
Suddenly, Dragon Tianwu stomped on the ground. His Battle Armor erupted in dazzling azure-blue light, and faintly discernible, obscure light patterns appeared. Following this, his third, fourth, and fifth spirit rings simultaneously lit up.
Under the gaze of over a hundred thousand people, the spirit rings actually merged with the light patterns.
"It's a Battle Armor Skill!"
The host's voice rang out at just the right moment, "Contestant Dragon Tianwu actually directly released a Battle Armor Skill! He is an agility-attack system Spirit Master, and the Battle Armor Skills he has inscribed are also primarily offensive. Does he intend to decide the outcome with a single blow?"
Thanks to the commentary, the audience finally understood.
Xu Zihuang frowned slightly, thinking, "Is this Dragon Tianwu crazy?!"
The use of a Battle Armor Skill was nothing special; its effect was merely equivalent to giving a Spirit Master an extra Spirit Ability. However, injecting spirit ring energy into the Battle Armor, with each additional spirit ring, while increasing the skill's power, would also put a higher load on the Battle Armor itself. Once it exceeded the Battle Armor's load limit and sustained damage, it would require at least a level seven mecha repairman to fix it. There was even a low probability of causing irreversible damage to the Battle Armor, requiring component replacement, which would result in astonishing losses.
Generally speaking, only high-quality Three-Word Battle Armor could ignore the damage caused by spirit ring injection, avoiding a situation where killing a thousand enemies costs eight hundred of one's own. Therefore, for a Two-Word Battle Armor Master, unless it was a life-or-death moment and they were prepared to fight to the death, very few would choose to use this move.
"He's going all out." Commander Xiao Pojun was completely dumbfounded.
"Compared to Four-Word Battle Armor, everything is worth it." Xu Junlan said indifferently, her gaze falling on Xu Zihuang.
However, Xu Zihuang's 'Blazing Dragon' Battle Armor also erupted with dazzling light. The dragon patterns on the armor seemed to come alive, black-purple flames ignited in his eyes, and large pieces of spatial fragments fell around him, then melted away.
His fourth and fifth spirit rings merged into the light patterns. The terrifying aura released by Xu Zihuang was strangely restrained, primarily concentrated in his chest area, where a terrifying energy fluctuation was clearly condensing.
Xu Zihuang ultimately also chose to inject the power of his spirit rings into his Battle Armor Skill.
After all, this was a competition stage with limited space, making it impossible to evade as one would in the wild. To withstand a full-power strike from someone whose Battle Armor had elevated them to the Spirit Douluo realm, conventional methods simply wouldn't suffice.
"Cloud Howling Dragon Cyclone!"
Dragon Tianwu's face was expressionless. He suddenly clasped his hands together, and under the gaze of countless people, the ruined ground cracked open. Like churning winds and clouds, torrents of hurricane-like dragon cyclones erupted, and under deliberate guidance, the cyclones raged wildly across the competition arena.
Crushed stones turned to dust, swept away by the hurricane, and the floor was almost torn off by the terrifying suction force. Occasionally, a trace of azure-blue fluctuation would escape, easily tearing through space, and even clearly showing layers in space, evidently caused by the cutting.
"Blazing Dragon Heavenly Destruction!"
Xu Zihuang felt the terrifying suction force brought by the cyclone, which attempted to pull him into the eye of the storm to be shredded. He immediately released his Battle Armor Skill. The next moment, a deep, abyss-like purplish-black dark light erupted from the core of his chest armor.
Like a divine punishment, it fiercely slammed into the center of the arena.
In an instant, the purple-black energy torrent, capable of incinerating everything, surged in all directions, turning the entire competition stage into a forbidden zone.
When the two energy fluctuations collided, there was no deafening roar; only collapse, indentation, annihilation, and fragmentation visible to the eye… All the elemental power of heaven and earth vanished, and areas of vacuum formed from being cut.
The spirit power barrier outside the competition stage clearly emitted cracking sounds, and continuous fissures began to appear.
Some spectators close to the competition stage were so frightened that they almost fled in a panic.
At the critical moment, the Douluo Arena staff quickly increased their spirit power injection, which finally stabilized the situation.
"Who won?"
More spectators widened their eyes, trying to discern the answer from the competition stage, which was barely visible.
Suddenly, a beam of light, like a sharp sword, cut through everything; whether it was the hurricane dragon scroll or the energy torrent, anything it touched instantly dissipated, revealing Guan Yue's slender figure suspended in the center of the competition stage, with two figures standing beside him.
To his left was Dragon Tianwu; his Battle Armor's damage exceeded sixty percent, his dragon wings were practically gone, and the surface of his Battle Armor appeared very dull, having lost its luster. Blood, expelled from excessive spirit power consumption, still stained the corner of his mouth.
To his right was Xu Zihuang; his Battle Armor's damage exceeded thirty-five percent, his originally handsome face had become haggard, and there were many new scars from the cuts. His aura was also very weak; it seemed a Spirit King could easily defeat him.
Both took a deep breath, looking at each other.
But the final result was announced by Guan Yue,
"I announce that the winner of this match is… "
In an instant, all eyes were on him.
"Xu Zihuang!"
Guan Yue's voice followed.
Hearing this, the spectators supporting Xu Zihuang were first stunned, then erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
Dragon Tianwu sighed regretfully. While the Cloud Howling Dragon Spirit was powerful, it was ultimately not as formidable as the Purple Blaze Heaven Extinguishing Dragon. To one day rival the opponent's Spirit, he would need to enhance the intensity of the water element he commanded.
"Do we have a grudge?"
A sudden voice rang out.
Dragon Tianwu subconsciously looked over, only to see Xu Zihuang staring at him with a complex expression.
"Before this, I didn't even know you, so how could there be a grudge?" Dragon Tianwu was a good loser and wouldn't show inexplicable displeasure.
"Then why did you fight so desperately?" Xu Zihuang finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind for a long time, "Even at the cost of damaging your Battle Armor."
Dragon Tianwu denied, "I wasn't fighting desperately. I was just curious what would happen if spirit ring energy was injected into the Battle Armor's spell formation. You just happened to be the best test subject. Now it seems the power is quite good, it's just that the cost is a bit high; half of this Battle Armor's components will basically need to be replaced."
Xu Zihuang was stunned.
So you just went all out from the start? Even at the cost of irreversible damage to your Battle Armor, just to test a move on me?
Damn it, seriously!
Dragon Tianwu no longer paid him any attention, subtly glancing at Nan Liujing's location.
The Soul Forging metal crafted by Godsmith Zhen Hua was not bad, but the Heaven Forging metal crafted by the next Divine Craftsman would offer him even greater possibilities.
Watching Dragon Tianwu's figure leave the ruins of the competition stage, Nan Liujing's eyes were filled with deep meaning.
Xu Junlan faced him without using her Battle Armor, Commander Xiao Pojun encountered him and chose a conceptual duel, and although Dragon Tianwu didn't fight him, he undoubtedly weakened Xu Zihuang's strength in this battle.
The finals are scheduled for tomorrow, and he will at most recover to eighty percent of his peak condition.
After the match, the hardworking earth-elemental Spirit Masters began to repair the competition stage, and the spectators, still wanting more, departed, looking forward to tomorrow's finals.
"Are you nervous?"
On the way back to the hotel, Leng Yaozhu, sitting in the driver's seat, asked Nan Liujing, who was in the passenger seat, with a smile.
Since it was a suspended soul-guided vehicle, the aerial lanes were not congested, but the ground roads were very crowded with spectators who had just left the Great Spirit Arena.
"Not nervous." Nan Liujing gently shook his head. "Sparring with an opponent whose cultivation far surpasses mine only excites me."
Leng Yaozhu chuckled, "You really have so much energy with nowhere to put it."
"Cold Aunt, A'Jing, the adult group team competition format has been released."
In the back seat, Ye Xinglan suddenly spoke up.
Wu Siduo and Yuanen Yehui were also huddled together, looking.
Nan Liujing turned his head. "Let me see."
Ye Xinglan handed over her phone. Nan Liujing took it and immediately became interested.
Leng Yaozhu asked, "What does it say?"
Nan Liujing said, "The competition venue is confirmed as Sun Moon Canyon. The competition method is not a spar between two teams, but rather all eighteen participating teams entering the canyon for a grand melee. Defeating a Spirit Saint level contestant earns five points, and a Spirit Emperor earns three points. The team that eliminates the most enemies and has the highest score in the end wins the championship."
Leng Yaozhu pressed the auto-drive button, then took the phone from her disciple's hand. After just one glance, a distinct unusual fluctuation appeared in her beautiful eyes.
Ye Xinglan was talking to Nan Liujing: "Isn't this grand melee a bit too sudden? Is this competition format a first?"
Nan Liujing observed the unusual glint in his teacher's wine-red eyes and said thoughtfully, "Perhaps this format was specially prepared for certain individuals."
Leng Yaozhu stared at the phone screen without speaking.
Ye Xinglan was stunned, and Yuanen Yehui and Wu Siduo, who were looking at the official news together, also looked up.
Specially prepared for certain individuals?
While the people in the car discussed the adult group competition, on the internet, with the official website update, it stirred up a thousand waves.
The citizens of the Sun Moon Federation had never seen a competition format similar to a grand melee. In an instant, the federation's trending topics were quickly dominated.
Discussions were endless, even overshadowing the popularity of the recently concluded youth group individual semi-finals.
Mingdu Royal Hotel.
In a lavishly decorated suite, a group of young people looked respectfully at an old woman sitting on the sofa.
"Elder Long, this format clearly targets us."
A Shrek elder spoke in a deep voice.
Long Yueming's eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed at the aerial view of Sun Moon Canyon displayed on the light screen before her, as well as the various teams participating in this adult group competition.
Among the eighteen teams, the favorites to win were the War God Hall, the Spirit Transfer Pagoda, and Shrek Academy.
The Tang Sect did not participate.
This meant that if the War God Hall and the Spirit Transfer Pagoda cooperated to deal with Shrek Academy, the academy would be in great danger.
If they were eliminated shortly after the start, it would be extremely embarrassing.
Long Yueming waved her hand, closing the light screen, and her gaze swept over the team members. She said disdainfully, "Any hostility will only become a fleeting shadow beneath Shrek Academy's ten thousand years of glory. You just need to prepare seriously; don't worry about anything else."
"Yes."
Yu Han霜 and Yan Rong, along with other students, exchanged glances and could only respond.
They then left the suite.
The two accompanying elders did not leave. One of them respectfully said, "Elder Long, how do we… "
Long Yueming suddenly raised her hand, stopping the elder from continuing.
Long Yueming sneered, "With the academy returning to continent-wide competitions, some people can't stand the loneliness and are preparing to cause trouble. This is also a good opportunity to restore the academy's reputation to its peak."
"Listen to me, go to the Tang Sect branch in Mingdu immediately and retrieve some medicinal ingredients according to the list I provide."
"Elder Long, isn't that inappropriate?" Another elder couldn't help but say, "Using drugs during a competition, if discovered, would be a huge problem."
"They'd have to be able to find out first." Long Yueming glanced at him and snorted, "The Federation is clearly targeting us; why bother with those rules?"
"Besides, these medicines aren't just taken casually. As long as the War God Hall and the Spirit Transfer Pagoda don't cooperate, the students naturally won't need to take them."
"Go now, retrieve the medicinal ingredients early so it doesn't delay my refining."
"As you command." Knowing they couldn't change Elder Long's mind, the two could only agree and leave.
After the two left, Long Yueming called Shen Yi.
Tomorrow, several finals will be held consecutively at the Central Stadium.
Shrek Academy's youth group had advanced to the three-on-three finals and the seven-on-seven finals. She needed Shen Yi to ensure they won the championships and absolutely not lose the individual competition championship again.