Word Count: 3,129 Words
******
"The pride of the Body Sect will not be trampled!"
A fierce conviction surged through Long Aotian's entire being as the words left his lips. Yet everyone who sensed it felt something tragic lurking beneath, like a doomed resolve.
Reason told Long Aotian that the Body Martial Spirit and spirit power cultivation he had spent twenty proud years honing were being utterly crushed by his opponent. He should withdraw quietly and continue serving as the Body Sect's Young Master. But his heart refused!
The Body Sect was home. His family had died in this very tournament, and the killer stood before them now, sneering openly at their weakness and panic. Long Aotian understood that retreating without a fight would brand this moment into his heart forever, an eternal nightmare.
The weak cultivate strength; the strong refine the heart. Once spirit power broke past a certain threshold, one's mental state became the critical key. The most cautionary example was Bright Phoenix Douluo Yan Shaozhe.
The Bright Phoenix was in no way inferior to the Light Holy Dragon, yet Yan Shaozhe's cultivation progress had slowed to a crawl after reaching Rank 95. The reason lay in that eternally calculating heart of his.
To uphold the Body Sect's dignity and to perfect his own state of mind, Long Aotian risked his life. He stepped forward to face the Seraphim whose killing intent chilled the very air, exhaled heavily, and released a layer of lustrous, translucent radiance from his body. His entire figure gleamed like a carved jade statue.
Body Martial Spirit: Spirit Skin.
Long Aotian charged along the ground. Light rippled across his skin as his entire body turned a dazzling incandescent white, and a silver-white humanoid phantom condensed behind him.
Silver‑ranked Body Martial Spirit Second Awakening, one hundred percent amplification!
Silver Awakening was the peak a Body Martial Spirit could naturally reach; Gold Awakening required stimulation through the Body Sect's secret methods. Facing Ling Bai, who outclassed him in every conceivable dimension, Long Aotian held nothing back and ruthlessly unveiled his Body Martial Spirit's deepest trump card!
No unnecessary movement. He clenched his right fist and threw a simple, unadorned straight punch.
The stage trembled faintly. In Ling Bai's eyes, this was no mere fist. It was a strike that fused Martial Spirit, spirit power, and spiritual power into one, mobilizing every element within the arena. Heaven and earth had become part of that punch!
Unity of Heaven and Man!
Both were seven-ringed Spirit Saints, yet Long Aotian's mastery of this realm exceeded Bone Dragon Yan Feng's by far more than a single margin!
Daring to challenge an eight-ringed Seraphim, Long Aotian was naturally no ordinary fighter. He believed even a Spirit Douluo would find his Unity of Heaven and Man troublesome. But a massive curtain of golden radiance suddenly unfurled before his eyes, like boundless wings blotting out the sky!
The Angel Sword descended gracefully, as though the vast firmament itself had been bound into a single blade. Sword met fist. Spirit power converged to a point. Brilliant gold and incandescent white held for a heartbeat of silence before erupting outward.
Unstoppable force and shockwaves blasted Long Aotian away like a fired cannonball. Sonic booms cracked around him as he hurtled backward through the air at double his approach speed, golden currents coiling around his body while several dazzling streaks of sword energy chased in his wake.
BOOM—
The protective white glow of Spirit Skin and the energy from his Second Awakening popped like a punctured ball. Long Aotian grunted and spat a mouthful of hot blood.
'Battle technique...'
He wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, undisguised shock written across his face.
The Body Sect did not rely on spirit skills. Body Spirit Masters excelled at fighting with varied battle techniques. Just moments ago, another will had torn his Unity of Heaven and Man apart in the most overbearing, brutal fashion!
That was a battle technique, one that surpassed Unity of Heaven and Man!
His first spirit ring blazed. Long Aotian had no choice but to employ spirit skills. His body swelled, muscles bulging against his clothes as dark-gold luster spread across his skin.
There were always people beyond people, skies beyond skies. Long Aotian went all out, wordlessly igniting multiple spirit rings at once. His seventh skill, Martial Spirit Avatar, erupted. His body twisted and deformed like molten metal being reforged; both arms transformed into dark-gold blades while directly overhead, a golden meteor came crashing down!
Within the span of a single breath, spectators saw only afterimages of two figures flickering across the stage, colliding again and again with detonations like sonic booms. Countless tiny dark-gold particles drifted down, scattering evenly across the floor.
The metal surface the Sun Moon Empire had spent immense sums repairing shattered once more. Terrifying cracks spread in every direction. No one could count how many blades had been swung or how many punches traded.
Two humanoid spirit beasts tore into each other. The invisible vortex at their center resembled a massive meat grinder, shredding everything around it to pieces!
Long Aotian still appeared to hold his ground, having yet to show any clear sign of defeat. Few, however, noticed the beads of sweat packed across his forehead... or the veins bulging at his temples!
He stared fixedly at Ling Bai as the Angel Sword scraped the dark-gold blades of his arms away layer by layer. Fine powder filled the air, drifting on the wind. Ling Bai's leisurely voice slipped directly into his ears:
"Last time your Body Sect came probing, I said something.
Body Martial Spirits may be strong, but they're even easier to cripple than ordinary ones.
Break the hand if it's a hand, break the foot if it's a foot.
Though this skin of yours... will take a bit more work."
Long Aotian's pupils contracted violently. He finally understood what Ling Bai had been doing: shaving off his Spirit Skin layer by layer. Blood already glistened beneath the thinning dark-gold blades!
His Martial Spirit origin wailed in agony. Long Aotian clenched his teeth and steeled himself. The instant his right blade met the Angel Sword, it swelled violently, wrapping around the weapon like a curtain. His left blade simultaneously morphed into a massive dark-gold hammer that crashed toward Ling Bai's skull!
"You have one sword, but I have two hands!"
The wild joy of a desperate reversal burst from Long Aotian in a roar. That roar died abruptly as a gorgeous ice-blue longsword drove cleanly through his left arm!
Empress' Sword: Unparalleled Chill!
"Who told you I only have one sword?"
Twin swords as one. The tremendous impact rocked Long Aotian's heart to a dead stop. His mouth fell open involuntarily, the ferocity in his eyes vanishing, replaced by a blank roll of the whites!
The Spirit Skin across his chest groaned on the verge of shattering. Long Aotian flew back like a kite severed from its string and slammed facedown onto the ground.
"Not good, Aotian lost!"
Body Douluo Du Busi was burning with anxiety. He revealed himself at once, thrusting out a massive hand to snatch Long Aotian away. A single Unbreakable Douluo like Zheng Zhan couldn't possibly stop Ling Bai when his killing intent ran this wild; Du Busi had to intervene personally and halt the match!
BOOM—
Towering ancient trees erupted around the competition grounds, weaving together into an impenetrable fortress of timber. Boundless life force surged forth, pinning Du Busi in place!
"Zhou Jiren, get the hell out of my way!"
Du Busi's eyes nearly split at the corners with rage. His Rank 98 spirit power erupted with heaven-shaking force. The platform's edges crumbled to dust in an instant, and the Spirit Barrier rippled wildly. More than half the Spirit Guidance Masters maintaining it spat blood where they stood.
The towering trees stood firm as Mount Tai, utterly unmoved. Branches wound and intertwined overhead, forming a green dome that sealed off every line of sight. Jianmu Douluo stood suspended in the void above, his tone glacial:
"I wondered how you dared show your face before me. So you've neutralized the Jianmu Seed in your body.
Du Busi, I was just about to settle our accounts. To the skies!"
"Who the hell wants to fight you?! Our Body Sect forfeits! Let my disciple out!"
"The referee will maintain order. Come fight!"
Jianmu Douluo pointed, and countless branches tore through the air.
"Bullshit! That dead waste is good for nothing!"
Du Busi swelled into a green giant and hurled himself against the wooden barrier, bellowing at the top of his lungs:
"All Body Sect members, attack!"
The four Titled Douluo who had accompanied the Body Sect into Mingdu surged forward in unison. A gold-red streak flashed from the VIP stands and blocked their path. It was none other than Illustrious Virtue Hall Master Jing Hongchen!
Jing Hongchen smiled, his eyes crinkled in cheer. "Seniors, you must trust Brother Zheng's capabilities. Contestant Long Aotian's life isn't in any danger!"
"Scram!"
The four Titled Douluo spared but a single word for Jing Hongchen, who pretended to mediate while clearly fanning the flames. He dropped the act entirely as Spirit Cannons unfolded from his back one after another!
That's right, I'm taking sides!
Chaos erupted across the competition stage. Spectators panicked while Regent Xu Tianran's face darkened with humiliation. He slammed his fist against his wheelchair in bitter fury. A low dragon cry echoed through the arena, and a pitch-black figure stepped between Jianmu Douluo and Body Douluo.
Dragon Emperor Douluo, Long Xiaoyao!
"What manner of behavior is this in public?!" Long Xiaoyao barked. "If you want to fight, I'll accompany you after the tournament!"
Dragon Emperor Douluo would never permit outsiders to interfere with the Spirit Master Tournament. That would be slapping the faces of both the Sun Moon Imperial Family and their Guardian Sect, the Holy Spirit Cult!
Du Busi bellowed in fury, "Long Xiaoyao, my disciple is about to die! You Heavenly Soul traitor, who do you think you're fooling?!"
Long Xiaoyao's expression darkened in an instant. He turned to suppress Du Busi with overwhelming pressure. Jianmu Douluo was delighted by this turn of events and lent Jing Hongchen a hand, pinning down the Body Sect's Titled Douluo and preventing them from disrupting Ling Bai.
Inside the giant wood barrier, Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan's aged face had gone black as a pot's bottom. Every word Du Busi shouted had landed squarely in his ears. He glanced once at Long Aotian, who teetered on the brink of death, then tilted his head back at a forty-five-degree angle to gaze at the sky.
The Body Sect surrendered. What does that have to do with the Snowdemon Sect?
Grand Referee Zheng enforces the law impartially!
Long Aotian slowly pushed himself to his feet. It was as if he could already see the ending laid out before him. Jianmu Douluo and Dragon Emperor Douluo, two Limit Douluo, stood united while the Illustrious Virtue Hall Master assisted from the side. Du Busi and the other Body Sect powerhouses could not break through no matter what they tried. With Unbreakable Douluo sitting on his hands, only one path remained: death.
Massacring Star Dou Forest, scheming against the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, raiding the Illustrious Virtue Hall, forcing their way into Shrek Academy... The Body Sect had always considered itself invincible under heaven. In doing so, they had offended far too many powers, leaving themselves without a single ally, targeted by everyone working in concert.
Long Aotian did not regret stepping onto the stage. At least he hadn't hidden in his shell like a cowardly turtle. A man stood tall between heaven and earth. He had not failed the years of cultivation his sect had invested in him. The only person he had let down was his fiancée, Wei Na. In the end, he would never welcome the woman he loved as his bride.
His sixth spirit ring burst forth with unprecedented radiance. Long Aotian began to spin like a top, his body twisting violently as he spiraled upward. The gigantic white sphere of light paused after surging more than a hundred meters into the sky, then came crashing back down trailing a tragic, unstoppable aura.
Unity of Heaven and Man, Heaven and Earth Change Color!
This was Long Aotian's deathblow. A heart brimming with the resolve to die had ignited every last shred of latent energy within his body. In the next instant, his pupils caught Ling Bai's 100,000-year sixth spirit ring flash twice in rapid succession.
The Seraphim burned. Golden holy flame bright as a blazing sun descended from the bleak sky. Searing heat merged with blinding radiance, driving away every trace of darkness before his eyes!
Great Sun Angel, Divine Skyfire!
Jianmu Douluo sensed the life force wink out. The giant wood barrier slowly dispersed, and the Body Sect's Titled Douluo, Du Busi included, halted their attacks. Their eyes were bloodshot as they stared at the competition grounds, where a completely charred corpse lay.
"Aotian!"
Princess Wei Na shrieked and threw herself forward, desperate to pull Long Aotian into her arms. The moment she embraced him, his body shattered into scattered remains. The Silver-ranked Body Spirit Master had been burned to a charred shell by the Angelic Holy Fire.
Jing Hongchen's grin nearly split his face. Inwardly, he gave Ling Bai a heartfelt thumbs-up. Jianmu Douluo stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He had never regretted standing up all those years ago, but the Body Sect's relentless retaliation had always left him feeling guilty toward the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Today, at last, he had repaid a fraction of that debt.
Wei Na stared in a daze at Long Aotian's shattered remains. When Ling Bai touched down, her gaze abruptly twisted into something venomous:
"Ten thousand years ago, the Sea God was too softhearted. The Seraphim bloodline should never have been allowed to remain in this world!
For the murder of my husband... I will bring this before Imperial Father!"
"Nine Treasure City and Heaven Dou City aren't far apart. One of these days, I'll pay a visit to the Imperial Palace together with Teacher."
"You..."
Wei Na's face drained of all color. The threat behind Ling Bai's words was barely concealed.
Ten thousand years ago, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had served as Guardian Sect of the Heaven Dou Empire. Seven Treasure City and Heaven Dou City had stood side by side. Later, Seven Treasure City was destroyed, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan rebuilt Nine Treasure City atop its ruins.
If the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan chose to make trouble, the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family would find itself in extreme peril.
The Heavenly Soul Empire had sided with the Body Sect for no other reason than the sect's formidable combat strength and the fact that Wei Na had awakened Twin Martial Spirits, one of which was the Body Martial Spirit, Spirit Brain. From that point on, ties between the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family and the Body Sect had grown increasingly close.
Wei Na and Body Sect Young Master Long Aotian had developed mutual affection, and the two great powers naturally arranged a betrothal. The Body Sect leaped to the position of Guardian Sect. Everything had been unfolding beautifully, until Jianmu Douluo broke through to the Limit realm a few months prior.
Limit Douluo + Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda = Natural Disaster. The Heavenly Soul Imperial Family had no desire to completely offend the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan at present and intended to keep watching from the sidelines.
Should the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan destroy the Body Sect, the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family might very well dust off their millennia-old bond and invite the clan to serve as their Guardian Sect once more.
The Young Master was dead, slain in the most tragic fashion. The Body Sect forfeited the match and withdrew in disgrace. Angelic Sanctuary became the first team to advance to the tournament's Top Four.
…
Late that night, Body Sect members busied themselves packing their belongings in preparation to leave the Bright Moon Hotel. Wei Na donned a disguise Spirit Guidance Device, wrapped herself in a black cloak, and slipped out alone into the darkness, heading for a particular destination.
Qingse Hotel.
Wei Na clenched her fists. Flames of frenzied vengeance burned in her eyes. This place belonged to Mingdu's most powerful underground force: the Duskwater Alliance.
The Duskwater Alliance had deep, tangled roots. Intelligence, smuggling, assassination... they stopped at nothing. More importantly, according to rumors circulating through Mingdu's underworld, the Duskwater Alliance maintained countless tangled ties to Evil Spirit Masters.
"I want to see the Duskwater Alliance Leader."
Wei Na produced one million spirit gold coins and stuffed them into the hands of Qingse Hotel's manager.
The man nodded. A big fish. He led her to the top floor, where Wei Na was shown into a room containing two people: one with an upright, benevolent facade, and one radiating wicked, eerie charm.
"Death Abyss Douluo!!!"
Wei Na's eyes went wide with shock the instant she recognized the devilishly handsome youth.
"You know me?"
Death Abyss Douluo raised an eyebrow in surprise. He stepped closer and flicked back her black cloak, studied her face for several seconds, then reached out and plucked away the Class 8 disguise Spirit Guidance Device Wei Na had believed flawless.
Wei Na's delicate frame trembled throughout. She dared not move a single muscle.
After the Illustrious Virtue Hall debacle, Du Busi had hung Death Abyss Douluo's portrait on his wall and cursed it daily. Wei Na had long since memorized that uniquely recognizable face.
The Evil Spirit Master hidden behind the Duskwater Alliance was Death Abyss Douluo. This was… simply too perfect!
The enemy of my enemy is my friend!
"Heavenly Soul Princess, what brings you to the Duskwater Alliance?"
Wei Na forced her voice steady. "Death Abyss Douluo, I want you to kill someone for me."
"Who does the Princess wish dead?"
"The Seraphim. Ling Bai."
"..."
Death Abyss Douluo paused, then gave a soft cough. "The Seraphim is the natural nemesis of Evil Spirit Masters. Killing him would be..."
"I'll pay more!"
Wei Na interjected at once.
The Heavenly Soul Emperor had given her a massive sum of spirit gold coins for this trip, funds meant to purchase rare metals and Sun Moon Spirit Guidance Devices. Long Aotian's death had torn her heart to shreds. She would sacrifice anything.
"Money means nothing."
Death Abyss Douluo shook his head with a thin smile. "I want you to write a contract in the name of the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family and the Body Sect...
A contract pledging voluntary alliance with me..."