"Victory or defeat—let strength speak for itself."
Faced with Xie Yue's challenge, filled with battle intent, Ye Yu responded with a calm smile and unhurried voice.
Unlike Xie Yue, who assumed he was just a Spirit King, Ye Yu was fully aware that his cultivation had already far surpassed the Spirit Saint realm. In truth, his real strength had reached the realm of Titled Douluo.
For Ye Yu, participating in this Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament was nothing short of a dimensional suppression.
So when Xie Yue issued his challenge, Ye Yu remained utterly composed.
"Now, both challenger and ring defender, please summon your Martial Souls. You have thirty seconds to prepare," the red-cloaked cardinal seated in the VIP area announced loudly.
With the cue to summon Martial Souls given, Ye Yu activated his spirit power.
In the blink of an eye, a Blue Silver Jade Tree Martial Soul manifested before him—its trunk over a meter thick, entirely crystalline like blue crystal, gleaming with dazzling clarity. Within its massive trunk shimmered a majestic starlit indigo-purple glow, laced with golden veins, as well as orbs of starlight, crescent moons, and tiny suns.
Its bark was interwoven with scarlet phoenix patterns, icy-blue markings, and purple thunder-like sigils.
Meanwhile, under the concealment of the Blue Silver Domain, five Spirit Rings rose silently beneath Ye Yu's feet: two yellow, two purple, and one black, rhythmically floating around him.
"Battle—begin!"
The red-cloaked cardinal's declaration marked the official start of the duel.
Xie Yue, without hesitation, charged forward wielding his Moon Blades Martial Soul, five Spirit Rings flaring around him.
"Haah!!"
With a shout, Ye Yu immediately directed the roots of his Blue Silver Jade Tree Martial Soul to extend and slither tightly along the ground of the Spirit Arena, multiplying and lashing out toward Xie Yue in a frenzy of entangling vines.
Xie Yue, gripping his Moon Blades, unleashed a flurry of slashes, cutting down the oncoming roots one by one.
Ye Yu, however, had deliberately limited the tree's growth—neither expanding it to its full size nor activating any Spirit Abilities. He only used its thinner roots to restrain the enemy.
Because of this, even under Spirit Ability enhancement, Xie Yue was still able to sever the approaching roots with his Moon Blades.
However, just as he broke through the final wave of tree roots and closed within five meters of Ye Yu—
A gleam of amusement curled at Ye Yu's lips.
As a control-type Spirit Master, Ye Yu was always acutely aware of his weakness: close-quarters combat.
To counter this flaw, he had devised the Thunder Tempering Body and the Heavenly Thunder Tempering Body techniques. He also wielded the External Spirit Bone – Thunderous Hell Prison Spear and trained himself in powerful spear techniques. On top of that, he had independently created several Spirit Abilities.
You thought breaking through my Martial Soul's defenses and getting close would make victory easy?
Big mistake.
As Xie Yue advanced with blazing confidence, his Moon Blades dancing nimbly, Ye Yu made his move.
In the next instant, his entire body erupted with surging blood essence, rising like an overwhelming crimson mist, fusing with his spiritual power—forming the embryonic image of a Thousand-Armed Divine Form.
At the same time, a terrifying life domain pressure surged forth, combined with an indomitable, heaven-defying will.
This was Ye Yu's self-created Spirit Ability:
Dominating Heaven — which was like a Conqueror's Haki, a dual impact of flesh and spiritual will.
In that moment, Xie Yue's mind went blank.
His instincts screamed in terror—as if facing a predator far superior on the ladder of life itself.
His body froze in place, his limbs trembling, utterly unable to move.
With Xie Yue stunned by the impact of Dominating Heaven, Ye Yu charged in.
His fists shrouded in pulsing vitality and spiritual force, condensed with his willpower to the point of near-physical form—he struck.
Boom!
One crushing blow landed squarely on Xie Yue's chest.
"Puah!!"
Blood burst from Xie Yue's mouth. His face turned deathly pale as he was hurled off the arena platform, skidding several meters across the ground before crashing to a halt.
"Brother!"
"Brother Xie Yue!!"
Hu Liena rushed forward in panic, lifting Xie Yue in her arms. Yan followed closely behind.
"Was that... a self-created Spirit Ability?!"
In the VIP platform, Bibi Dong's face darkened in shock and disbelief.
She never expected Ye Yu to be capable of creating such a powerful self-made ability.
By comparison, the so-called self-created techniques from Feng Xiaotian and Xie Yue—Stormwind Demon Wolf's Thirty Six Successive Chops and Full Moon—were laughably basic. They were essentially skill augmentations of their third Spirit Abilities or tied to Martial Soul characteristics, not truly independent techniques.
Compared to that, legendary techniques like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's Heart Separation Control or the Clear Sky Sect's Great Sumeru Hammer, were entirely different leagues. These weren't tied to Martial Souls or Spirit Rings. Anyone could learn them—and they held immense power and limitless potential.
But to create such abilities was extremely difficult.
And yet Ye Yu had done it—creating a devastating self-made ability that seemingly fused both body and spirit!
Why?!
Why was Ye Yu able to discover how to evolve Martial Souls...
Able to create such powerful techniques...
But Xiao Gang still couldn't figure out how to evolve a Martial Soul?!
Isn't Xiao Gang supposed to be the most brilliant Spirit Master on the continent?!
Bitterness and frustration boiled in Bibi Dong's heart.
Deep down, she may have known the truth about Xiao Gang's talent. But she refused to truly consider it. She didn't dare to.
Because if Yu Xiaogang was just a cowardly, talentless fraud—
A selfish hypocrite who abandoned responsibility—
Then everything Bibi Dong once sacrificed for him… abandoning Spirit Hall, eloping with him, enduring betrayal by Qian Xunji, and her own eventual defilement…
It would all become nothing but a cruel, meaningless joke.
So she refused to think too deeply.
She couldn't bear to doubt Yu Xiaogang.
"Now then, Spirit Hall Team—send your next challenger to the ring!"
With Xie Yue defeated, Ye Yu was now the ring master.
The red-cloaked cardinal once again made the announcement.
"Nana, let me go!"
Fueled by a need to impress Hu Liena—and avenge his brother-in-law—Yan stepped forward with clenched fists, his rage burning.
Once Yan stepped onto the stage and the cardinal gave the signal to summon Martial Souls—
"Flame Lord, Possession!"
Yan shouted, entering his Martial Soul Possession state.
His body instantly expanded. His muscles swelled. He became even more towering and muscular. A coat of jagged rocky armor, glowing with golden magma veins, covered his body.
And then, from his feet, five Spirit Rings rose—two yellow, two purple, one black.
"Battle—begin!"