Under the impact of the Dragon Emperor's Shaking Domain Realm, the soul guide's protective shield at the edge of the competition stage was destroyed. Even the hard titanium foundation was eroded by the violent thunder power, causing more than half of it to melt.
"Mere gravel, not even worth half of me."
Xu Zihuang's indifferent voice was not loud, but in the dead silence of the entire venue, it was exceptionally clear and piercing.
Xu Zihuang gripped the Thunder God's Spear and swept it horizontally to the right, then placed it behind his back. As if responding to his movement, strands of purplish-golden light began to overflow from the bodies of Wu Yun and Wu Yu. Gradually, these golden lights condensed into beams.
The same phenomenon appeared on the Revenge Soul Martial Soul phantom behind them.
Streams of golden light scattered outward. The bodies of Wu Yun and Wu Yu, along with the Revenge Soul Martial Soul phantom behind them, simultaneously exploded.
But strangely, no blood sprayed from their shattered bodies. They simply broke apart, then turned to ashes under the dazzling purplish-golden light.
Shrek Battle Team versus Holy Spirit Battle Team in the team battle. Holy Spirit Battle Team sent out four people, four died, complete annihilation!
Yu Tianhuang, captain of the Shrek Battle Team, had almost single-handedly crushed the entire Holy Spirit Battle Team, and it was absolute domination.
Even though the Holy Spirit Battle Team had two Soul Douluo-level powerhouses who had never appeared in any previous tournament, they were still utterly powerless against Yu Tianhuang.
The golden sun earring on Xu Zihuang's left ear swayed gently in the wind, bathed in the purplish-golden halo, appearing especially radiant at this moment.
Looking at the tall figure hovering high in the sky, Xu Tianran's pupils contracted. He stared fixedly at Xu Zihuang's face. His gaze lingered especially long on the golden sun earring engraved with ten strange golden patterns.
Impossible. This must be my illusion. Martial souls cannot be faked.
Just as Xu Tianran denied this thought in his heart, Zhongli Wu, beside him, had already stood up. His hands clenched tightly inside his sleeves. Black death qi swirled around him, releasing an extremely terrifying, chilling, and dangerous aura.
In an instant, the entire rostrum seemed to turn into a scene from hell on earth. The light dimmed, and from time to time, streaks of black shadows that were difficult to catch with the naked eye flashed past. Piercing wails rang out incessantly.
Those Sun Moon Empire ministers with weaker soul power cultivation, or ordinary people, felt as if their souls were being forcibly stripped away.
Jing Hongchen took one step forward and immediately blocked in front of Xu Tianran. A layer of fiery red light lit up at his chest, shielding Xu Tianran and Ju Zi behind him.
It wasn't just Jing Hongchen who acted. Seven or eight more figures followed closely behind, swiftly arriving beside Xu Tianran and surrounding him impenetrably. Although these people could not compare to Jing Hongchen in cultivation, they were all ninth-level soul mentors with Title Douluo-level strength.
This alone was enough to show just how deeply Xu Tianran now controlled the Sun Moon Empire.
Currently, as the crown prince, Xu Tianran was acting as regent, while the third prince, who had the greatest qualification to compete with him for the throne, had already been stripped of military power by His Majesty.
Anyone with even a little sensitivity could see that the struggle for succession in the Sun Moon Empire had basically been settled. Many people had already begun to side with Xu Tianran.
However, Zhongli Wu's oppressive aura was mainly directed at Xu Zihuang. The people on the rostrum were merely affected collaterally. If Zhongli Wu truly harbored killing intent, aside from Xu Tianran and Ju Zi, who were protected by several ninth-level soul mentors, everyone else on the rostrum would have no chance of surviving.
Xu Zihuang, standing motionless in the void and facing Zhongli Wu from afar, remained completely unmoved. Then, under everyone's gaze, he made a move that even caused Xu Tianran's brows to twitch.
Xu Zihuang slowly raised the Thunder God's Spear, its tip pointing straight at Xu Tianran and Zhongli Wu on the rostrum, and gave a mocking smile.
Immediately after, the four blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul rings pulsing around him suddenly vanished, and the Thunder God's Spear in his hand also dissipated. In their place, seven soul rings rose one after another from beneath his feet, enough to shock anyone into terror.
Black! Black! Black! Black! Black! Red! Gold!
Seven-ring Soul Saint!
The instant the seventh bright golden soul ring rose, everyone present subconsciously held their breath.
This golden radiance was absolutely incomparable to any other soul ring color.
White ten-year soul rings, yellow hundred-year soul rings, purple thousand-year soul rings, black ten-thousand-year soul rings, and even blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul rings, all had to submit before this supremely majestic golden soul ring.
This was the true color of the unique million-year soul ring on the Douluo Continent.
The shocking golden light instantly stirred strange emotions in Xu Zihuang's heart. The blood feud for his parents and the thousands of people in the Purple Radiance Prince's Mansion, the humiliation and numbness of three years in imprisonment, and the belief forged through twelve years of endurance, all of it now approached the verge of eruption.
One day, I want this sky to no longer cover my eyes, this earth to no longer bury my heart. I want everything in the world to submit to me and become the ruler over all living beings!
Xu Zihuang let out a cold snort. A terrifying aura exploded from his body. Golden light flowed through his dazzling golden pupils. The space within several thousand meters was dyed the same color.
And in terms of aura, he was not inferior to Zhongli Wu in the slightest!
Although Zhongli Wu's soul power cultivation far surpassed his, the fact that he had already condensed a soul core greatly narrowed the gap. Moreover, his soul ring configuration and spiritual power realm were superior to Zhongli Wu's.
Combining these factors, Xu Zihuang was now able to stand on equal footing with Zhongli Wu.
The sky seemed to be torn apart, clearly divided. One side was pitch-black death qi, lifeless and gloomy; the other side was radiant and dazzling, like a god.
At this moment, Xu Zihuang looked more like the ruler of this world than Xu Tianran.
Several figures hidden in the audience stand tensed instantly after being shocked by Xu Zihuang's majestic, bright golden soul ring, ready to act at any moment.
These people included Xuan Lao and the other Sea God Pavilion elders, the old sect master of the Heavenly Dragon Sect, the guardian elder of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, as well as Du Bushi and the elders of his Body Sect. All of them possessed cultivation at the Super Douluo level and above.
It could be said that every move Xu Zihuang made affected the fate and structure of the continent. This was the difference in destiny weight.
Some people exhaust all their efforts yet cannot stir the slightest ripple, while others can overturn the world with a single thought.
In a spatial rift in the void, a tall old man stood quietly. The old man had silver hair combed meticulously, a face as rosy as an infant's, and long eyebrows hanging down on both sides of his face. His hands were clasped behind his back.
A deep sorrow flickered in his calm, ancient, well-like eyes as he sighed softly:
"Munn, your disciple, is far more outstanding than we were back then. No wonder you valued him so highly."
"The legend of Sea God Tang San and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King from ten thousand years ago is too distant, but now it seems the golden million-year soul ring truly exists. I never thought I would personally witness it in my lifetime. This little fellow is indeed one who bears great destiny."
The old man's identity was self-evident; he was Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao, equal in fame to Dragon God Douluo Munn.
As he spoke, a deeper meaning appeared in Long Xiaoyao's eyes.
"Perhaps I won't even need to act. He can smoothly pass through this ordeal on his own."
The death qi lingering on the rostrum grew even denser, and the piercing wails became sharper, gripping the soul.
Suddenly, a figure appeared beside Zhongli Wu—a woman completely shrouded in a black robe.
"Cult Master, calm down."
Zhongli Wu snorted coldly. Several breaths passed before the dangerous aura around him slowly receded. His voice was as cold as ice.
"Good! What a Shrek!"
Every single one of the Holy Spirit Battle Team members was an elite of their Holy Spirit Cult. How could he not feel heartache at losing them all here? Yan Feng was even his personal disciple, on whom he had placed great hopes.
But what pained him the most was still the Wu Yun and Wu Yu sisters. They possessed the powerful Revenge Soul Martial Soul and its fusion skill. Moreover, both sisters had the potential to cultivate to the Title Douluo level.
In other words, the Holy Spirit Cult had lost two future Title Douluo elders.
However, the real reason Zhongli Wu lost composure earlier was his deep wariness toward Yu Tianhuang.
This child absolutely cannot be allowed to live!
A seven-ring Soul Saint with combat power likely surpassing ordinary Title Douluo, and possessing the attribute of Ultimate Thunder.
When Xu Zihuang used the Dragon Emperor's Shaking Domain Realm to destroy the soul guide protective shield, Zhongli Wu had already sensed it.
He even thought that once Yu Tianhuang broke through to Title Douluo, perhaps even he would no longer be his match.
Xu Tianran came back to his senses. Through the several people protecting him, he spoke to Zhongli Wu in consolation:
"National Teacher, please quell your anger. This prince promises you—after this tournament ends, the people from Shrek Academy will definitely be delivered into your hands for you to deal with."
"No need for Your Highness to trouble yourself. Our Cult will naturally send people to handle them."
After saying this, Zhongli Wu raised his head and gave Xu Zihuang one deep look before transforming into a streak of black light and fleeing into the distance.
The black-robed woman who had earlier advised Zhongli Wu bowed apologetically toward Xu Tianran.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, our Cult suffered heavy losses this time, and the National Teacher is in a bad mood. Please understand his feelings. If there was any disrespect, I apologize on his behalf. Shrek Academy is our common enemy. I hope that from now on, both sides can cooperate with utmost sincerity."
"Of course." Xu Tianran nodded with a smile, as if truly unconcerned.
"In the matters to come, we will still need to rely heavily on your esteemed Cult."
The black-robed woman nodded toward Xu Tianran, then transformed into a streak of black light and chased after Zhongli Wu.
"Your Highness, this Holy Spirit Cult is truly too arrogant. Right in front of you, they still dared to…" Jing Hongchen had long wanted to confront the Holy Spirit Cult. His face was ugly as he spoke in a low voice.
But before he could finish, Xu Tianran's expression turned serious and interrupted him.
"Hall Master Hongchen, be careful with your words."
Jing Hongchen immediately froze. Seeing the coldness deep in Xu Tianran's eyes, he understood and said nothing more.
Listening to the exchange between Xu Tianran, Zhongli Wu, and the black-robed woman, Ju Zi, who was sitting upright, clenched her straight legs beneath her palace dress. Flickers passed through her eyes.
She had still underestimated Yu Tianhuang's talent.
But at that moment, as she looked up at Xu Zihuang, a hidden purplish-golden light flashed in her eyes. A precise thought was transmitted directly into her sea of consciousness.
Ju Zi's body trembled slightly. She subconsciously glanced at Xu Tianran, Jing Hongchen, and the group of ninth-level soul mentors beside her. But none of them noticed anything.
Above the competition stage.
After Zhongli Wu left, Xu Zihuang finally withdrew his aura and soul rings, descending from the sky.
Xu Tianran and the Holy Spirit Cult had long wanted to act against him. There was naturally no need for him to deliberately hide his strength. Everything he did was to display his capability and unite the forces of the original Douluo Continent side to deal with Xu Tianran together.
And just now, he had already had a brief exchange with Ju Zi.
With internal and external cooperation, the plan to assassinate Xu Tianran this time had at least a thirty percent chance of success. Even if it failed, he could still lead everyone to retreat safely.
With a smile on his face, Xu Zihuang walked toward the Shrek Battle Team's waiting area. Every member of the Shrek Battle Team showed subtle changes in expression.
Wang Qiu'er pursed her lips lightly. Ning Tian, with a face full of smiles, directly threw herself into Xu Zihuang's arms.
After a brief pause, the entire venue erupted completely.
Yu Tianhuang's performance today was enough to go down in history. This was Yu Tianhuang's glory, and also Shrek Academy's glory.
There were also many debates about Xu Zihuang's golden seventh soul ring. All the details of this match soon spread throughout Mingdu and even across the entire continent.
Xu Zihuang gently stroked Ning Tian's hair and led the Shrek Battle Team members back to the rest area.
The Holy Spirit Battle Team had been wiped out. The remaining six quarterfinal teams invariably turned their gazes toward Xu Zihuang.
The current Xu Zihuang was the most dazzling existence in this world.
Zhang Lexuan gave Xu Zihuang a gentle smile. Her eyes lost focus for a moment, as if her mind had wandered.
She still clearly remembered the scene of her first meeting with Yu Tianhuang six years ago. This junior she had valued so highly had unknowingly surpassed her in just a few short years.
Yu Tianhuang's brilliance completely overshadowed Beibei. Having inherited both Mu En's Dragon Emperor's Shaking Domain Realm and Dragon Emperor's Evil-Breaking Slash, Yu Tianhuang was undoubtedly far superior to Beibei.
It was also thanks to Yu Tianhuang that he gave up his obsessions and commitments.
There was no denying that Yu Tianhuang had always held a special place in Zhang Lexuan's heart.
It felt as if it were a pull and closeness originating from the bloodline.
"Senior Sister, I did not disgrace the mission."
Zhang Lexuan shook her head with a smile, her red lips parting lightly.
"Tianhuang, you've once again brought us a huge surprise."
Unlike the harmony on Shrek Academy's side, only the Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng remained on the Holy Spirit Battle Team's side. He stared coldly at Shrek Battle Team's rest area, killing intent overflowing in his eyes as he flicked his sleeve and left.
Zheng Zhan, who had been affected by Xu Zihuang's Dragon Emperor's Shaking Domain Realm, now looked particularly disheveled as he withdrew his Indestructible Divine Shield and landed on the competition stage. Black-purplish lightning still flickered across his body from time to time. Although he had several ninth-level defensive soul tools protecting him, he had still been invaded by part of the thunder power and evil-breaking power due to being caught off guard. Moreover, to resist the oppressive aura from Xu Zihuang earlier, he had been forced to circulate his soul power even further.
A soul master's physical quality simply could not compare to a Title Douluo who cultivated step by step.
To avoid leaving hidden injuries, he would inevitably need a period of quiet recuperation afterward.
After simply announcing the match result, Zheng Zhan actually left early.
However, the audience was still shocked by Xu Zihuang's terrifying strength and abnormal soul ring configuration displayed earlier. No one paid much attention to Zheng Zhan.
The noisy voices in the audience grew louder and louder. On the Tang Sect side, Beibei, He Caitou, and Dai Luoli had come to watch.
"Dragon Emperor's Shaking Domain Realm, Dragon Emperor's Evil-Breaking Slash. Tianhuang has indeed inherited those two soul skills from Ancestor Xuan." Beibei only withdrew his gaze after a long while. Moreover, he could see that Yu Tianhuang's mastery of those two soul skills was clearly superior to his own.
Then Beibei fell into a daze again.
"And that golden seventh soul ring?"
What He Caitou cared about most was actually Xu Zihuang's provocative act of pointing the Thunder God's Spear directly at Xu Tianran earlier. To others, it seemed Xu Zihuang was confronting Zhongli Wu, but in reality, that was only the surface.
Xu Zihuang's primary target had always been Xu Tianran, with whom he shared a blood feud.
He Caitou deeply understood Xu Zihuang's feelings.
The day of their revenge was not far away.
As for Dai Luoli, after personally witnessing all this, his admiration and respect for Xu Zihuang reached its peak.
"Brother Yu, one day I will become a person like you, using strength to gain Father's approval!"
In Shrek Academy's rest area, Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan, the two guys, asked the question that everyone in the Shrek Battle Team cared about most.
"Captain, what is going on with that golden seventh soul ring of yours?"
Cao Jinxuan followed up on Zhou Sichen's words and exclaimed incredulously:
"I heard Teacher Wang mention before that ten thousand years ago, among the first generation Shrek Seven Monsters, our ancestor Tang San's ninth soul ring on his Clear Sky Hammer came from hunting a million-year Deep Sea Demonic Whale. The soul ring of a million-year Deep Sea Demonic Whale was golden. Captain, this seventh soul ring of yours couldn't possibly also be a million-year soul ring, right?!"
"You've already guessed it. What more do you want me to say?" Xu Zihuang replied calmly.
But after Xu Zihuang said this, Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan instead showed expressions of doubt.
Although Yu Tianhuang had created countless miracles in the past and possessed as many as five hundred-thousand-year soul rings, saying he had fused with a million-year-level seventh soul ring was simply too outrageous.
Not long ago, Yu Tianhuang had been cultivating in the Mingyue Grand Hotel. Could it be that a million-year soul beast took the initiative to come and become his seventh soul ring?
Moreover, whether true million-year soul beasts even existed on the continent was still uncertain.
It was no wonder Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan thought this way. The members of the Shrek Battle Team, as well as the other six quarterfinal teams in the rest area, did not quite believe such a claim.
A million-year soul beast? That was far too illusory. In their view, there must be some other reason for the special golden soul ring on Yu Tianhuang.
Xu Zihuang shook his head helplessly. Sometimes, telling the truth makes people even less likely to believe it.
However, Wang Qiu'er, Ning Tian, and Tang Wutong were exceptions.
Wang Qiu'er and Tang Wutong each had their own judgments for their respective reasons. Ning Tian believed absolutely in Yu Tianhuang.
Ning Tian leaned against Xu Zihuang's shoulder, sweetly smiling as she played with the golden sun earring on his left ear and asked curiously:
"Tianhuang, this earring of yours is…?"
She had been paying attention to Xu Zihuang's condition the entire time. She had noticed this strange and exquisite golden sun earring earlier, but only now had the chance to ask.
Ning Tian paid special attention because this earring had appeared only during Yu Tianhuang's cultivation period. With a little association, she always felt this earring was extraordinary.
"I'll tell you privately when there's time." Xu Zihuang turned to meet Ning Tian's gaze and smiled gently. It was time for him to find an opportunity to confess some things to Ning Tian.
Their faces drew close, almost able to clearly feel each other's breath.
Looking at her own reflection in Xu Zihuang's deep purple eyes, Ning Tian's pretty face blushed slightly. She leaned close to Xu Zihuang's ear, her eyes misty as she whispered:
"How about noon today?"
"?"
Xu Zihuang's body stiffened. He realized Ning Tian seemed to have misunderstood.
At that moment, everyone's attention was once again drawn to the situation on the competition stage.
Under the coordination of several high-level soul mentors, a brand-new competition stage was quickly rebuilt and repaired.
And the one replacing Indestructible Douluo Zheng Zhan as referee was actually Mingde Hall Master Jing Hongchen.
Jing Hongchen smiled and announced loudly:
"Quarterfinals second match, Clear Sky Sect versus Star Luo National Academy."
Compared to the previous brilliant match between Shrek Battle Team and Holy Spirit Battle Team, this quarterfinal match had no suspense at all.
Star Luo National Academy only symbolically resisted for a while before Tang Wutong won several consecutive rounds. In the end, they chose to voluntarily concede.
With this, all morning matches concluded. The last two quarterfinal matches would be held in the afternoon: Snow Demon Sect versus Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, and Heavenly Dragon Sect versus Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy.
The afternoon matches felt more like a private feud between the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Sun Moon Empire.
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