A young man from the Wind Sword Sect on the viewing platform, seeing the Four Great Sects—who had just broken through the encirclement—being swept away like vegetables by a single youth in no time at all, offered a sharp critique.
"If this is the level of skill, why even take the stage! I could do just as well; either way, we're all getting swept!"
The members of the Fire Leopard Sect, Saint Dragon Sect, and Elephant Armor Sect were infuriated upon hearing this. It was a true damage remark that tore open their wounds, and they lashed out in anger.
"What did you say?"
"And 'you could do just as well'? You're a loser, do you even deserve to speak?!"
"Didn't your Wind Sword Sect get sent packing by my Fire Leopard Sect? What right do you have to clamor in front of us?"
"..."
However, there were those among them who spoke without thinking. This was an area-of-effect insult that implicated others, angering the other eliminated sects—especially two of the New Seven Great Sects from the original timeline—and they joined the fray, starting a shouting match.
"We don't deserve to? If we had been a little luckier and hadn't been placed in such a strong group, could your Fire Leopard Sect have beaten my Wind Sword Sect?!"
"Exactly, exactly! If the Sparrow Bee Sect leader hadn't been so severely injured, would we have lost to the Black Tiger Sect!"
"..."
The discussion originally sparked by the formidable strength of Yun Ming was instantly turned into a squabble between two sides by a few "smart alecks," shifting the focus to the selection rules of the Four Great Sects.
The juniors were unhappy, and the elder generation was none too pleased either. They were too proud to join the shouting match themselves, but they had no intention of stopping their disciples, remaining silent and letting the juniors vent.
However, their loud arguing eventually made Bibi Dong unhappy as well, because she was the one who had set the selection rules. Even if no one dared to explicitly criticize the rules, Bibi Dong still felt that some were pointing at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree.
The members of the Breaking Clan and Dugu Bo were enjoying the show, but suddenly, they felt the air pressure on the viewing platform dropping lower and lower, and they couldn't help but shiver. Yang Wutian followed the sensation and looked toward the slender figure in front of the Pope Palace, seemingly realizing something. The higher-ups of the seven sects, who had been letting the argument run wild, also realized what was happening. Seeing that the big boss above seemed to have started taking notes in her little notebook, they hurriedly stopped the "wanton behavior" of their juniors, and the matter finally came to an end.
Yun Ming had no intention of paying attention to the sudden quarrel on the viewing platform; he had already set his sights on his next victim.
Seeing Yun Ming lock his gaze onto him once again, Yu Yuanzhen's face turned ashen. Lies don't hurt people, but the truth is a sharp blade. He was already fuming from being forced to face his own inadequacies, and although the power Yun Ming displayed was far beyond his imagination, it was absolutely impossible for him to acknowledge it. Even if he died right here, Yu Yuanzhen would never admit defeat.
"Boy, don't think that just because you have a bit of strength you can lecture this sect. The power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit is not something the Lower Four Sects can compare to!"
Hearing this familiar tone, Yun Ming shook his head and said.
"When you can reply with the mentality that your Spirit should be proud of you, then I will stop lecturing."
Well.
Lectured by Yun Ming yet again, Yu Yuanzhen was so angry that the veins on his forehead began to bulge. The key was that Yun Ming's statement actually made him realize the gap in stature between them. To have the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon be proud of him—what an arrogant and domineering thought! Why had he never thought of it before? This was something he couldn't accept. Yu Yuanzhen said coldly.
"You have a sharp tongue, boy. I'd like to see if your skills are enough to back up such wild talk!"
Endless blue-purple lightning snakes emerged from Yu Yuanzhen's body, dancing wildly. The gravel around him defied the laws of nature, floating into the air, only to be struck by stray lightning arcs and ground into powder. The dark clouds that had been dispersed by Yun Ming's Sun Moon Phantom gathered once again in the sky. The thunder rumbling within the black clouds made people tremble with fear.
Seeing that Yu Yuanzhen wanted to fight because he couldn't win the argument, Yun Ming had no objections. The Atlas Spear appeared in his right hand, its tip pointing directly at Yu Yuanzhen.
"Then come, let's continue the battle we left unfinished last time!"
Yun Ming stood holding his spear, layers of golden spirit power flames burning wantonly around him, making him look as dazzling as the sun. On the other side, Yu Yuanzhen, having completed his Martial Soul Avatar, could no longer be described as human; he looked more like a humanoid giant dragon.
At this moment, Yu Yuanzhen's figure surged, growing from his original height of less than two meters to over four. Blue-purple dragon scales covered his entire body. The dragon horns on his forehead, the slit pupils in his eyes, the dragon wings on his back, the dragon tail, and the dragon claws on his hands and feet were all present, complemented by blue-purple electric little snakes circling his body. With such a wild, beastly image, anyone who didn't know about the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit would likely never associate him with the image of a "human."
The spectators, who had been forced to stop their fighting, saw the terrifying, unrestrained pressure rising between Yun Ming and Yu Yuanzhen. They subconsciously held their breath, opened their eyes wide, and waited quietly for the flames of war to reignite. They all knew very well that when the battle resumed, it would be a collision of intensity far beyond what they had seen before.
When the momentum of the two reached its peak, the crowd's vision blurred, and both disappeared from their spots. They could only see two streaks of light—one gold and one blue—tearing through the earth as they approached rapidly. When they reappeared, they had already crossed half the field and were in the center of the plaza.
"Clang—"
The Atlas Spear collided with the thunder-laden dragon claw, producing a clear, metallic sound.
Yun Ming glanced at the dragon claw, which was slowly being sliced open under the sharpness of the Atlas Spear, and chuckled lightly.
"It seems you still haven't recognized the situation! What makes you think you can block this?"
As he spoke, the golden light on the Atlas Spear flared brightly. A sharp spear light capable of piercing the firmament flowed along the shaft. The blue-purple dragon claw, which had initially shown some resistance, was instantly split in two. The spear light flew out, stabbing straight toward Yu Yuanzhen's chest.
Seeing that in just one exchange, his dragon claw—which could normally cut through metal and stone and rival high-level weapon spirits—had been severed, Yu Yuanzhen was shocked. Falling into a disadvantage, he hurriedly changed his move, and a black soul ring lit up.
Yu Yuanzhen's fifth soul skill, Thunder Fourfold, was activated.
Countless bolts of thunder overflowed from Yu Yuanzhen's body, releasing black lightning filled with the aura of destruction in all directions, centered on himself. It formed a large-scale attack, turning the hundred-meter radius around him into a thunder hell, with constant roaring.
Yu Yuanzhen had miscalculated the sharpness of the Atlas Spear. Having rashly closed the distance, he knew he couldn't dodge the spear light, so he had to use offense as defense.
He was, after all, a Super Douluo, and his combat experience was not lacking. As the Atlas spear light faced the thunder surging from Yu Yuanzhen's body, it was destroyed by the countless violent thunderbolts the moment it touched his dragon-scale chestplate. Moreover, the roles of attacker and defender reversed; the thunder spread rapidly, beginning to counterattack Yun Ming.
"Boy, you are still too young. Combat is not such a simple thing," Yu Yuanzhen shouted as he watched Yun Ming about to be struck by the lightning.
Seeing the thunder already upon him, white light flickered on Yun Ming's Atlas Spear. Countless anti-air powers transformed into an aura, enveloping Yun Ming's body. Yun Ming treated the thunder as nothing, raised his spear, and stabbed again.
"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang."
Countless electric arcs struck Yun Ming's anti-air aura, producing a series of muffled explosions, but they could not achieve any real effect, nor could they even affect the movement of Yun Ming's spear.
Yu Yuanzhen was also most proficient in close combat. He knew that to win against Yun Ming, he still had to rely on close-quarters fighting, so he didn't retreat but instead advanced. His right dragon claw reached out directly toward the Atlas Spear, while he lowered his body and rammed forward with his shoulder.
Having suffered once, Yu Yuanzhen no longer thought about facing the spear tip head-on; he had changed his tactics.
But how could Yun Ming let him grab the Atlas Spear? Yun Ming pulled the spear back, dragging it behind him, and unexpectedly performed a shoulder-lowering move himself. Blood-silver two-colored light flickered on his body, and he collided with Yu Yuanzhen, shoulder to shoulder.
After his body expanded, Yu Yuanzhen was as imposing as a mountain. While Yun Ming had a slender build, he still appeared quite petite in front of the expanded Yu Yuanzhen.
As the two bodies of completely disproportionate sizes collided, the spectators couldn't help but hold their breath.
Was such a head-on collision not too unwise?
However, the next moment, a deafening exclamation erupted once again.
The Anti-air Aura and the blue-purple Dragon Scales collided fiercely, completing this physical confrontation.
Yet this time, there was a clear difference from the last; before Yu Yuanzhen could even clearly see the look in Yun Ming's eyes, he felt a terrifying, massive force surge toward him. Always proud of his own strength, he had actually lost to the youth before him in a clash of raw power once again. Yu Yuanzhen's massive body dragged a deep trench into the ground before he could stop his momentum.
Yu Yuanzhen raised his Dragon Eyes and said in disbelief.
"How is this possible?"
Yun Ming waved his hand to disperse the black lightning entwined around the aura, responding calmly.
"Nothing is impossible."
Relying solely on his normal physical strength, Yun Ming was already a match for Yu Yuanzhen, let alone now, when assisted by his Blood Soul Core and spatial abilities, Yun Ming had unleashed physical power several times greater than his usual state; it would have been strange if Yu Yuanzhen had managed to block it.
Unwilling to accept this, Yu Yuanzhen rebounded, his arms spreading wide as he roared at the sky, his Eighth Soul Ring shining.
In the sky, the dark clouds that had originally responded to Yu Yuanzhen's call expanded rapidly, the ink-black clouds merging with the surging heavenly thunder within, turning the entire thundercloud a blue-black hue.
With the thunder gathered, Yu Yuanzhen let out a violent shout.
"Dragon Soaring Sky Thunder Burst!"
The thundercloud seemed to hear its master's command, raining down countless lightning strikes upon Yun Ming, each bolt forming a small thunder dragon as it descended. Amidst the blue-purple electric light, the dragon whiskers, dragon eyes, dragon horns, dragon bodies, and dragon claws were all vivid and lifelike.
Facing the sky full of thunder dragons, Yun Ming raised his Atlas Spear, and one yellow and two black rings appeared and lit up.
Yun Ming's Fourth Soul Skill 'Atlas Overlord Spear', Third Soul Skill 'Void Power', and First Soul Skill 'Source of Void' were activated.
The Crimson Sun and Purple Moon in the sky tore through the thunderclouds, blooming with brilliant radiance. Boundless spatial energy emerged from the void, and after being refined and purified by his Dual Soul Cores, it was poured into the Atlas Divine Spear.
As an immeasurable amount of spatial energy surged in, the crystal-like spear body of the Atlas Divine Spear became increasingly bright, and the void patterns on the spear shaft lit up one by one, adorned with golden light, dreamlike and illusory.
Seeing this familiar movement from Yun Ming, Yu Yuanzhen's heart skipped a beat; it was that technique.
Yun Ming neither knew nor cared about Yu Yuanzhen's thoughts, continuing his move. The spear tip acted as a brush, drawing a circle. The arc was clean and pure, looking more like the Sun in a Total Solar Eclipse; the moon temporarily blocked the sunlight, but the bright corona still radiated from around the moon shadow.
The Crimson Sun and Purple Moon fell into it, yet failed to cause the slightest ripple.
Standing in the center of this black sun, holding the magnificent spear, Yun Ming at this moment seemed like a Heavenly God at the Zenith, extremely calm and full of majesty.
The audience, seeing this scene for the first time, held their breath, witnessing this moment of divine descent.
Looking at the sky full of thunder dragons, Yun Ming whispered.
"Be devoured completely."
The Atlas 'Black Sun' rotated slowly. Once the thunder dragons fell into the domain, they could no longer maintain their form, shredded by the two opposing gravitational forces originating from the soul core. There was no booming sound of energy colliding, nor any elemental storm erupting; there was only the thunder itself being shattered one by one, like brilliant fireworks, vanishing in an instant. Perhaps not even as good as fireworks, as at least fireworks would explode.
Having dealt with Yu Yuanzhen's Eighth Soul Skill, Yun Ming did not give him a chance to catch his breath. His right hand pulled forward, and the Atlas Divine Spear whipped forward like lightning, chasing after Yu Yuanzhen to stab him.
Pulled by the two gravitational forces of the black sun, Yu Yuanzhen not only bore immense pressure on his body but also found it impossible to retreat, leaving him no choice but to counterattack. His palms faced each other remotely in front of him, and an ink-black thunderball instantly manifested. He could not clash head-on with Yun Ming's Atlas Spear; all he could do was use a soul skill to replace his physical body.
But the moment the thunderball appeared, the black sun exerted its power again. In an instant, the black lightning swirling around Yu Yuanzhen's body was shredded and forcibly drawn into the void.
Yun Ming naturally would not miss such an opportunity; he stepped forward abruptly, the Atlas Divine Spear continuing its forward point.
"Puchi—"
A touch of bright red emerged from the spear tip. Although it was decomposed and devoured by the black sun the moment it appeared, it had truly happened.
Yu Yuanzhen was wounded. This time, the Atlas Spear met no resistance, breaking through the dragon scales and piercing straight into Yu Yuanzhen's shoulder blade. Yu Yuanzhen's face twitched involuntarily from the pain.
He looked at the bright red that had appeared and quickly vanished on his chest, his heart in a trance. Yu Yuanzhen suddenly realized that he didn't seem much different from the people of the Lower Four Sects earlier. Aside from forcing Yun Ming to use a few more soul skills, he was easily wounded and repelled by Yun Ming just like those Soul Douluo from before. But could he, Yu Yuanzhen, be the same as those people from the Lower Four Sects whom he looked down upon?!!
A sense of immense humiliation made Yu Yuanzhen go slightly mad. He stared at Yun Ming with scarlet eyes and said.
"This sect master will never be defeated, never!!"
"Ang!"
A passionate dragon roar erupted from Yu Yuanzhen's mouth. Nine Soul Rings lit up in unison, and immediately after, his already tall body expanded continuously amidst countless lightning bolts, soaring upward. Yun Ming withdrew the Atlas Spear and watched the opponent's transformation.
In just a few breaths, Yu Yuanzhen's body had expanded to a length of fifty meters, the scales on his back splitting open as a pair of huge dragon wings spread out. A giant dragon over fifty meters long, carrying World-Ending Black Lightning, appeared in this world. With its dragon wings spread, it finally broke free from the black sun's gravity and floated in the sky.
Although the people from the Elephant Armor Sect had already demonstrated what happens when using such a large Spirit Avatar in front of Yun Ming, he had no choice; Yu Yuanzhen struggled even to break free from the black sun's gravity, and if he dragged it out, he would surely lose.
Yu Yuanzhen's pair of azure dragon eyes stared coldly at Yun Ming, and a deafening voice echoed throughout the plaza.
"Brat, die!"
As his words fell, Yu Yuanzhen unleashed all of his massive soul power. The thunder elements between heaven and earth were all drawn out; thunder rolled in the sky, and electric light flickered on the ground. Except for the pure land within Yun Ming's 'Black Sun' domain, the rest of the plaza was ruled by ten thousand thunders, turning into a world of lightning in an instant. Even though the black sun was like a black hole that could never be filled, constantly devouring the thunder, the volume of lightning on the field remained massive in the short term.
"True Dragon's Fury, Sound Shakes the Nine Heavens!"
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: DaoistReader