The outskirts of the Soul Beast Forest were a storm of chaos.
Ning Fengzhi's face darkened, and anger simmered in his chest. Tang Hao—this madman—kept coming at him relentlessly, as if his grudge could never be exhausted.
It was ridiculous. Truly ridiculous!
Why did Tang Hao look at him as though Lu Yuan had really slept with his wife? What kind of twisted logic was this? Impossible, absurd—utter nonsense!
But even through his indignation, Ning Fengzhi's heart grew heavier. Lu Yuan's condition was worsening by the moment. Dugubo's medicine had helped, but the boy had already consumed the entire dose. If things went on like this...
Not good. Very not good!
"The sixth soul skill—Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect!"
Chen Xin's voice rang across the forest. Centered around the dazzling Seven Kill Sword, thousands of swords condensed out of pure soul power, their sharp edges glittering coldly in the brilliant sunlight.
"Whhhhhhhh—!"
Like a rain of destruction, the sword-light fell through the leaves of the Star Dou Forest, tearing the air apart.
"Dad, careful!"
Tang San's voice, weak but urgent, broke out. He had awoken from his coma, though his body was battered and his spirit power drained. Fighting was out of the question for him, and all he could do was watch in dread.
Tang Hao only gave a sharp snort and raised the massive Clear Sky Hammer in his hands. Its handle was as thick as a full-grown tree trunk, and his spirit power shook the very air.
"Look closely, brat! This is the real Great Sumeru Hammer!"
With a roar, he swung down.
"Ding, ding, ding!"
Countless swords clashed violently against the giant hammer's surface, sparking frantically. Then—BOOM!
The Clear Sky Hammer struck the earth itself. The ground shook, trees cracked, and a tidal wave of spirit power surged, suppressing everything around. His strike locked directly onto Ning Fengzhi behind Chen Xin.
Tang Hao's intent was clear. With the Qibao Glazed Tile Pagoda amplifying Chen Xin's power, their opponent became infinitely more troublesome. He needed to take down the continent's greatest support first.
But before the hammer reached its mark, another voice cut in sharply.
"Sixth Soul Skill—Gale Sword Dance!"
Lu Yuan's body flared with black flames, his sword sweeping upward as eighteen arcs of nearly tangible Sword Qi burst forth. Each arc resembled a bladed crescent moon, roaring forward in an overwhelming cascade.
"Rumble—!"
The Sword Qi ripped through Tang Hao's suppressive wave like bolts of judgment. Tang Hao barely managed to raise his hammer, roaring defiantly as he blocked the slashes in bursts of clashing energy.
The forest trembled. Shockwaves blasted fallen leaves and branches into the sky.
Behind, Ning Fengzhi's pupils contracted.
Xiaoyuan…
This power—how terrifying!
If Lu Yuan had fought at full strength with such capabilities, Ning Fengzhi privately admitted that he might not have been able to rest in peace at night, knowing the boy grew at such a monstrous pace.
But things were different now. His concern wasn't victory. It was whether Lu Yuan could even handle this crushing tide of power without breaking himself.
As if to worsen matters, murderous intent slashed into the battlefield.
Two dark-purple spider spears shot in like lightning, aiming straight for Tang Hao and Chen Xin.
Bibi Dong had arrived.
Guimei and Yueguan descended gracefully from the skies, one on the left and one on the right, like cold wings of death. Behind her, two consecrated Douluo followed closely—Sixth Worship Qianjun Douluo and Seventh Worship Jiang Mo Douluo.
With such reinforcements, the battlefield tilted.
Bibi Dong's mocking voice sliced the tension. "Tang Hao, let's see where your mutt can escape today."
She turned her gaze, sharp as a blade. "And you, Chen Xin. The same applies. Hand over Lu Yuan, and you and Ning Fengzhi may crawl away alive."
Hovering in mid-air, Yueguan smirked, scratching his head as if this were a leisurely performance. His mood soared. He'd been longing for this chance—Tang Hao had provoked him again and again. Today he wouldn't allow Tang Hao to walk away alive.
But Chen Xin's answer was ice-cold determination.
"Yueguan, stop your nonsense. Today, I—Chen Xin—stand and fall with Lu Yuan!"
His ninth soul ring blazed with abyssal black light. Behind him, a phantom indistinguishable from his own form appeared.
Ninth Soul Ability—God and Demon Slash!
His sword intent doubled instantly, his aura expanding until the air grew sharp enough to cut flesh.
He had no room for reservation anymore. Not here, not now.
Bibi Dong's voice cut clean across the battlefield. "Ju Douluo, Ghost Douluo! You take Lu Yuan. Sixth, Seventh Worship—you're with me, we'll crush Tang Hao and Chen Xin together!"
As her killing intent locked Tang Hao, Guimei and Yueguan flickered, their figures blurring into movement. They had almost lunged together at Lu Yuan, when suddenly—
"The third soul ability—Ghostly Shift!"
Guimei's body blurred like a wraith, reappearing before Lu Yuan in a flicker, his claws already reaching.
Almost instantly after—
"The fifth soul ability—Winter Sakura's Gathering!"
Yueguan's strange velvet chrysanthemum blossomed, its petals hardening and fusing into solid blades. With an elegant flick of his wrist, one blade was hurled like a golden javelin straight for Lu Yuan's chest.
"Boom!"
Lu Yuan's aura exploded again, black flames erupting violently. He stamped down, his body cannonballing upward.
"Ding—!"
His sword slashed mid-air, cleaving the chrysanthemum blade clean in half. He twisted with the recoil, redirecting momentum into a vicious counter, his sword whistling as nine slashes of inky black Sword Qi howled toward Ghost Douluo.
Guimei hissed.
"Second Soul Ability—Soul Devouring Claw!"
Dark aura wrapped his hands, claws glowing with menace. Crossing both hands like blades, ten streaks of black light hurled out in a half-moon spread.
"Ding, ding, ding, ding—!"
The air erupted with frantic clashes, sparks spilling like molten rain. Even Guimei stumbled two steps backward, his composure breaking.
That sense—that bone-deep dread—made his soul quiver. As if falling into an abyss he could never climb out of.
But Yueguan wouldn't let up.
"Sixth Soul Ability—Golden Meteor Bloom!"
His hands danced theatrically, summoning the full bloom of his Chrysanthemum. Petals converged and hardened into countless golden blades raining down like meteors.
Lu Yuan's eyes flashed. Slamming his sword into the ground, he summoned a giant black sword shadow that rose from the earth, shielding him.
"Puff, puff, puff—!"
Golden petals shattered against the shadow like frail moths burning against firelight.
"Old Ghost!" Yueguan gasped. "This brat's too demonic!"
He was only a Soul Emperor—yet he fought as if he were wrestling Titled Douluo! How could such a monster even exist in the world?
Guimei snarled. "Enough chatter—take him down, before he grows even further!"
His fifth soul ability erupted. "Ghost Shadow Grasp!"
A massive black hand stretched from beneath Lu Yuan's feet, clutching at his ankle.
Almost at the same time, Yueguan's third spirit ability exploded, his velvet chrysanthemum scattering an intoxicating flood of petals across the battlefield. His Breath Enchantment—a technique to seal bodies and spirits alike.
But his heart clenched a second later. He remembered. The first time he'd fought Lu Yuan, when the boy was merely a Soul King, his Breath Enchantment hadn't worked.
And now—Lu Yuan was far stronger.
Why—why had he forgotten that?!
Lu Yuan's eyes snapped open, blazing with two orbs of black radiance.
With explosive force, his sword swept like thunder, streaks of Sword Qi piercing straight at Guimei.
"Seventh Spirit Ability—Ghostly True Body!"
Guimei's figure dissolved into nothingness, all attributes doubled in an instant. Physical strikes should have passed through him…
But this was Lu Yuan. Rules bent before him.
"First Spirit Ability—Velvet Armor! Second Spirit Ability—Velvet Light!" Yueguan reacted instantly, layering protection on them both.
Yet when the black Sword Qi struck—
"Chichi—CRACK!"
Both protections shattered like glass.
Lu Yuan's figure blurred in, countless swords erupting behind him, all aimed at Guimei.
The ghost's expression twisted. He'd wanted to hold back his ultimate move, but there was no longer any choice.
"Ninth Spirit Ability—Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts!"
A black hole tore open above Lu Yuan, countless wraiths flooding down like meteors in the night sky. The battlefield howled with screams.
Yueguan's heart seized.
This… wasn't human.
Most fighters exhausted themselves as battles stretched on. Their spirit, energy, and strength waned.
But Lu Yuan… the longer he fought, the stronger he became.
Monstrous. Terrifying. Wicked beyond belief.
Even standing across from him, Yueguan and Guimei both felt the truth.
This boy was climbing into a place where no rules could bind him.
--
Loving the story? Read 149+ extra chapters on my Patreon — link's in the description! 🚀
Loved this fic? 🔥 Then you'll absolutely binge my other hits — "Douluo Dalu: Ten Thousand Years Early System!" & "Douluo Dalu: My Harem System is Bugged!" — don't miss out!