Gu La trailed far behind the small team led by Black One, like a ghost in the night.
The true base of Tang Sect's Douhun Hall in Star Luo City was indeed not within the city but located deep in a mountain range outside the city—seemingly desolate but actually easy to defend and difficult to attack.
A cleverly disguised, huge cave entrance that blended seamlessly with the mountain served as the secret base of Douhun Hall.
Gu La's spiritual power acted like the most precise radar, silently sweeping across the entire mountainous area.
He focused on investigating areas with abnormal spatial fluctuations, hoping to find the rumored entrance to "Dragon Valley."
Dragon Valley, a small world independent of the main plane, was filled with residual dragon souls and opportunities. It was the key place where Long Yue obtained his Mountain Dragon King martial soul inheritance.
However, after a thorough investigation, Gu La slightly frowned. There were indeed some weak spatial folds and residual soul power in the mountains, but they appeared complex and chaotic, showing no signs of forming stable spatial channels for large-scale entry and exit.
'It seems the entrance to Dragon Valley is not fixed, or its opening requires specific conditions… The timing is not right.'
He understood. Since he couldn't find it temporarily, there was no need to force it.
He noted the exact location and surrounding environment of the Douhun Hall base, then quietly melted into the night, returning to Star Luo City.
The next day, the atmosphere at the Star Luo Grand Stadium was even more heated than usual. Yesterday, Bo Xi had emerged out of nowhere, instantly defeating Hua Lantang and stunningly ascending to become the Ninth Heavenly King; the aftershocks were still rippling.
Inside the exclusive viewing box of Monster Academy, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.
Bo Xi remained as calm as ever, sitting alone in the corner, seemingly indifferent to all the commotion around him.
Meanwhile, the other seven Heavenly Kings, including "Dragon King" Long Yue and Fourth Prince Dai Yueyan, looked at Bo Xi with complex emotions that were hard to conceal.
Shock, wariness, scrutiny… and a hint of barely noticeable hostility.
Although Hua Lantang had a rebellious personality, his strength was formidable. He was an indispensable force among the Eight Heavenly Kings and a companion with whom the others had built deep friendships through countless battles and competitions.
Bo Xi had severely wounded him with thunderous means. Although it was within the rules, the ruthless crushing still made the other Heavenly Kings feel offended and a chill of empathy for the fallen.
Moreover, Bo Xi's appearance directly threatened their established status and resource allocation.
The one who could not contain his emotions was Dai Yun'er. She already disliked Bo Xi's "arrogant" demeanor, and yesterday's severe injury to Hua Lantang further provoked her. She immediately went up to Bo Xi with a questioning tone:
"Hey, Bo Xi, which academy were you from before? We've never seen you! I know all the capable people in Monster Academy!"
Bo Xi glanced at this spoiled princess, his eyes without any ripples, calmly uttering a few words: "Douluo Continent. A smuggler from the Federation."
Boom!
This statement was like dropping a bomb in the box!
"What?!"
"Douluo Continent?! Federation person?!"
"Smuggler?!"
"A federation person... became one of our Monster Academy's Heavenly Kings?!"
Apart from Dai Yueyan and Long Yue, who were already aware, the rest of the Heavenly Kings instantly exploded.
The wariness in their eyes towards Bo Xi was instantly replaced by surging hostility and anger. A smuggler from an enemy country, with an unknown identity and ruthless methods, had stepped over Hua Lantang and ascended to the position of Heavenly King they were proud of?! This was nothing short of a blatant insult!
Dai Yun'er's face turned extremely pale. She had no goodwill towards people from Douluo Continent, especially those from Shrek Academy, and now another arrogant Bo Xi had appeared.
Her impression score plummeted to rock bottom, second only to Tang Wulin, who had embarrassed her.
"You... you are actually a spy from the Federation!" Dai Yun'er's face flushed red with anger, pointing at Bo Xi,
"Fourth Brother, Brother Long, look, he really isn't a good person, quickly arrest him!"
Dai Yueyan frowned deeply. He naturally knew Bo Xi's identity and understood how much effort his father, the emperor, had put into recruiting this talent with extraordinary sub-professional abilities.
Bo Xi's value lay in his potential future growth, at least becoming a sub-professional master capable of consistently manufacturing three-word battle armor, with strategic significance far surpassing a mere combat Heavenly King.
But at this moment, Bo Xi's defiant and outspoken attitude indeed made the situation extremely awkward.
Just as he was about to speak to ease the tension—
"Apologize."
A low voice, suppressing a violent aura, rang out. Long Yue slowly stood up, his towering figure seemed to contain a volcano about to erupt, his gaze like solidified lava, locking onto Bo Xi, "Apologize to Yun'er."
The temperature in the entire box seemed to drop several degrees. Everyone felt the terrifying pressure emanating from Long Yue, foreboding a storm.
This was the fury of the "Dragon King"!
Upon hearing this, Bo Xi's lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes full of disdain and contempt:
"Apologize? No one in this world can make me, Bo Xi, apologize." He glanced at Dai Yun'er, trembling with anger, "Especially a little girl who only knows how to call for reinforcements."
"You—" Dai Yun'er had never been so humiliated, her eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Then I'll beat you until you apologize!"
Long Yue was thoroughly enraged. His eyes instantly turned blood-red, like burning magma, hot white steam spewing from his nostrils, and his entire skeleton emitted popping sounds.
A violent, ferocious, and terrifying aura akin to ancient beasts erupted uncontrollably. The overwhelming presence of the Mountain Dragon King martial soul spread uncontrollably, causing the soul-guided lights in the box to flicker.
He was like a mad dragon completely enraged, on the verge of losing control at any moment!
The faces of the other Heavenly Kings in the box changed dramatically, instinctively retreating a few steps.
Long Yue's reputation as the "Dragon Madman" was not unfounded. The Mountain Dragon King martial soul was too powerful, exerting immense mental pressure on him. Once enraged, he easily fell into a frenzied state of indiscriminate attacks.
However, facing this terrifying pressure that would make even a Soul Emperor tremble, Bo Xi remained unmoved, his eyes still icy and calm, even with a hint of mockery.
The Legendary Walking Wake's bloodline bestowed upon him top-tier dragon majesty and absolute control over water elements.
A trace of water authority flowed within him, effortlessly dissipating the violent dragon pressure. Even though Long Yue had received the Dragon Valley inheritance and obtained the Mountain Dragon King martial soul, in Bo Xi's eyes, he was just a relatively strong earth dragon.
"Want to fight? Perfect."
Bo Xi stood up, exuding an icy aura like the deep sea, starkly contrasting with Long Yue's violent magma, "Among the nine Heavenly Kings, there must be a leader. The strongest speaks. You choose the place."
"Good!!" Long Yue's voice was like a muffled thunder, "Royal Stadium, let's go now," he was eager to tear this arrogant guy apart.
Dai Yun'er immediately wiped away her fake tears, glaring hatefully at Bo Xi: "Follow me!" She led the charge out of the box.
Entering the imperial palace, the news spread like a hurricane. The Ninth Heavenly King, Bo Xi, challenged Long Yue, the leader of the Eight Great Heavenly Kings and "Dragon King," to vie for the position of Leader of the Heavenly Kings. The entire palace was abuzz. Many important figures abandoned the soul master competition to specifically watch this battle of the Heavenly Kings.
Emperor Dai Tianling and Holy Dragon Douluo En Ci, upon hearing the news, also rushed to the highest viewing platform of the Royal Stadium.
Dai Tianling's face was grim. He hadn't expected the conflict to erupt so quickly. En Ci's gaze was profound, tightly watching the two confronting figures in the field, especially Bo Xi.
No referee, no rules!
When the two stepped into the vast central area of the Royal Stadium, the battle had already begun.
"Soul possession, Mountain Dragon King!"
Long Yue roared towards the sky. His body rapidly expanded, his skin transforming into heavy grayish-green rocky armor, covered with sharp scales. A thick dragon tail slammed down, making the entire stadium tremble.
At his feet, three purple and three black soul rings shone brightly. A six-ring Soul Emperor, the terrifying pressure of the Mountain Dragon King martial soul pressed down like substantial mountain ranges.
Bo Xi's eyes narrowed, and five deep black ten-thousand-year soul rings rose again.
Simultaneously, his body flashed with light. Eight pieces of metal, glowing with eerie blue water light and engraved with intricate patterns, instantly covered key parts of his body—arms, legs, chest, back, and shoulders!
Although missing a helmet and some connecting parts, it wasn't yet complete two-word battle armor, but these eight meticulously crafted pieces combined to emit energy fluctuations and enhancement effects far surpassing ordinary one-word battle armor.
Especially in terms of soul power enhancement, speed enhancement, and water element control, even if there were defensive weaknesses, they weren't something Long Yue's non-aggressive fighting style could hit.
"Domain activation—Steam Domain! Deep Sea High-Pressure Domain!"
Bo Xi's low voice sounded, and the two domains instantly overlapped, rapidly enveloping the entire field with a scorching, suffocating high-pressure steam environment.
"If you apologize now, it's not too late."
Under the crimson eyes of Long Yue, suppressed anger loomed like the calm before a storm, or the prelude to a volcanic eruption.
Bo Xi's eyes gleamed with curiosity, deliberately provoking Long Yue, repeating the same phrase, "Boring."
Long Yue's anger ignited. Donning his battle armor, his soul rings connected and flashed.
"First Soul Skill—Mountain Range! Second Soul Skill—River Current!"
Long Yue roared fiercely, the first and second soul rings shining.
The hard ground of the stadium violently rose, forming steep peaks, while the ground cracked open, muddy torrents surging out like crazed dragons. Mountains and rivers instantly altered the terrain, attempting to trap and kill Bo Xi.
The Mountain Dragon King was originally created by the Dragon God to carry the true dragon race. Its attack methods were the endless natural landscapes carried on its back; even slight movements brought disasters!
"Boundless Vast Ocean."
Bo Xi's second soul skill activated, and his soul power flowed endlessly.
His figure moved like a deep-sea phantom in the high-pressure steam, easily dodging the collisions of peaks and the wash of mudflows.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Endless Water Tornado."
He raised both hands, and the massive water tornado formed again, enhanced by the high-pressure steam, carrying terrifying heat and tearing force, fiercely colliding with the mountains and rivers created by Long Yue.
Boom boom boom!
The collision of water and earth erupted with deafening noise. The water tornado shredded the peaks and evaporated the mud currents, but it was also shaken by Long Yue's powerful soul power, splashing water everywhere, unable to continue growing in power before being utterly destroyed.
"Third Soul Skill—Swamp!"
Long Yue's third soul ring lit up, and the ground beneath Bo Xi's feet instantly turned into an immeasurably deep muddy swamp. A powerful suction pulled him, intending to immobilize and suffocate him to death.
"Hmph!"
Bo Xi snorted coldly. A surge of water erupted from under his feet, instantly forming an artificial spring, lifting him out of the swamp.
"Outrage!"
The fourth soul ring glowed intensely black. A fierce dragon majesty mixed with cold fighting intent burst forth, doubling all of Bo Xi's attributes instantly. (T/N: Yes, here Outrage provides a buff, not a move that deals damage.)
Like Long Yue, the madness of the dragon lineage was eroding his sanity, but Bo Xi's martial soul was innate, and Walking Wake is a Special Attacker with stronger mental power, therefore suffering less erosion. Even using the Outrage soul skill once or twice wouldn't drive him mad.
He transformed into a deep blue afterimage, instantly closing in on Long Yue, "Fifth Soul Skill—Walking Wake Divine Kill!"
Dozens of high-speed rotating shockwave water blades tore through the air, crazily cutting towards Long Yue.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Earth!"
Long Yue felt the similar dragon lineage aura, becoming even more frenzied. This was the jealousy and killing intent from the Mountain Dragon King, burdened with everything, never to be free, towards other dragon clans!
The fourth soul ring shone brilliantly. The ground beneath his feet instantly became incredibly thick and solid. Layers of hard rock armor covered his body like living creatures, resisting the water blade cuts. The piercing friction sounds and rock-shattering noises were incessant.
"Die die die!"
Fifth Soul Skill—Mountain Suppression.
Long Yue's fifth soul ring lit up. He held his hands as if embracing space, and a colossal mountain shadow entirely condensed from soul power, emitting a terrifying gravity field, appeared out of nowhere, smashing down on Bo Xi, distorting space.
Simultaneously, Long Yue's gravity domain activated, pressing Bo Xi with invisible gravity.
Bo Xi's eyes narrowed, skillfully wrapping himself in flowing water to dissipate the force of Long Yue's fists.
The water tornado roared skyward, forcefully clashing with the mountain, while his hands subtly moved, compressing the endless water vapor under deep-sea high pressure into a thick, rapidly spinning dark blue water shield above his head.
"Boom——!!!"
The terrifying impact made the entire Royal Stadium tremble. This was unlike the battle between Soul Kings and Soul Emperors. The water tornado was mostly dispersed, the water shield was riddled with cracks, and Bo Xi was pressed down into the ground by tremendous force, but he stubbornly endured.
"Sixth Soul Skill—Wrath of the Mountain Dragon King!!"
Long Yue went completely berserk. The sixth black soul ring erupted with apocalyptic light. His body seemed to transform into the incarnation of the Mountain Dragon King, his skin cracking, revealing magma-like red light.
A destructive, ancient dragon's might, far exceeding anything before, erupted. He clenched his fists, carrying a force that seemed it could shatter continents, and threw a punch.
Wherever his fist wind passed, the air twisted, smoke and dust rose, and deep trenches were plowed into the ground. This was the manifestation of the Mountain Dragon King's anger.
En Ci's gaze was serious, ready to stop his disciple at any time. He couldn't bear to see Long Yue end up like his senior brother.
Facing this apocalyptic punch, Bo Xi's eyes burst with blue light.
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