Chapter 453: An Easy Victory over Sea Dragon Douluo, Completion of the Fifth Trial
Seagod Island, Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar
On the broad, circular platform, a towering stone pillar rose high, seemingly connecting heaven and earth. The entire pillar was covered in tightly packed scales, resembling a massive dragon.
Below the pillar, a formidable figure stood tall against the wind, eyes closed, with his bare chest revealing muscles as hard as granite, brimming with explosive power. An unrestrained, domineering aura radiated from him like a tidal wave. Sea Dragon Douluo opened his eyes, glancing toward the powerful energy he felt approaching, a flash of surprise flickering in his sharp gaze.
"Challenging me first, is he? This new successor is confident, indeed."
As the strongest of the seven sacred pillars, with his spirit power at the ninety-fifth level and having reached the rank of Super Douluo, Sea Dragon Douluo was above the level needed to participate in the trials of Zhu Zhuqing and the others. So Dai Yao's choice to challenge him first had caught him off guard.
When Dai Yao and his companions landed on the circular platform of the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar, Sea Dragon Douluo chuckled and said, "Welcome to the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar."
His deep voice reverberated, slightly shaking the entire Sea within the Sea.
Dai Yao smiled and offered a respectful salute. "Greetings, Elder Sea Dragon."
For elders who showed him respect, Dai Yao always responded in kind. Although Sea Dragon Douluo was the strongest among the Seven Sacred Pillars, Dai Yao could sense that his strength was on par with the power of the Great Elder of the Dai Family Council—far from the immeasurable strength Dai Yao had felt from Bo Saixi.
"Dai Yao, no need for formalities here," Sea Dragon Douluo reminded him, then turned his gaze to the beautiful women standing beside Dai Yao. Even with his strong will, he was momentarily taken aback by their presence. Looking back at Dai Yao, his expression grew curious.
Not only were these women stunningly beautiful, but their power was extraordinary. Though they had yet to reach the Titled Douluo rank, they were as strong as any Douluo, and the sacred pillar guardians they had defeated had all accepted their losses with humility. It was hard to imagine why such radiant women were content to stand united around Dai Yao. Did he possess some unique charm?
"Examiners, if you're here to observe the trial, I ask that you step back a bit. The battle may get intense," Sea Dragon Douluo reminded them, addressing Dai Yao's companions.
The women exchanged glances, then, after noticing Dai Yao's signal, activated their spirit power and swiftly returned to the opposite shore of the Sea within the Sea.
"Elder, please," Dai Yao said respectfully, waiting until his companions had retreated to the shore.
"Please," Sea Dragon Douluo replied, eyes glinting with battle spirit. He had been deeply impressed by the terrifying spectacle of Dai Yao defeating the Demon Soul Great White Shark. Aside from Bo Saixi, he hadn't encountered an equal on Seagod Island, and the isolation had made him yearn for a worthy opponent. Meeting Dai Yao was his good fortune.
The moment the words left his mouth, both men released their martial spirits.
Their powerful energies soared into the sky, filling the Sea within the Sea with violent energy that sent waves crashing onto the shore. Dai Yao's physique expanded, muscles becoming more pronounced, the "king" character on his forehead glowing brightly. Sea Dragon Douluo was no less impressive, his entire body covered in blue scales, his frame bulking up as a massive blue dragon appeared behind him.
Noticing that Dai Yao hadn't summoned his spirit rings, Sea Dragon Douluo gave an approving nod. Such confidence from a younger spirit master, even with a major gap in spirit power, showed courage worthy of admiration.
"Now this is a battle between assault-type spirit masters!" Sea Dragon Douluo's heart pounded with excitement as he reveled in the prospect of a head-to-head, no-holds-barred clash. "Fists against fists, strength against strength—this is the romance of true assault-type spirit masters!"
"Bring it on!" he roared.
In an instant, both figures vanished, reappearing in the center of the platform like two colliding meteors.
A thunderous explosion rang out, shaking the entire Sea within the Sea. The ground beneath them shattered into a spider-web pattern. An invisible shockwave rippled outward, sending ten-meter-high waves crashing around them.
"So strong!"
The thought echoed in the minds of every spectator. Zhu Zhuqing and the others exchanged wary glances. The overwhelming power of Sea Dragon Douluo was beyond their expectations—worthy of the strongest among the Seven Sacred Pillars. This battle would not be easy.
The force of their collision sent both combatants flying backward. Ignoring the pain radiating from their arms, neither man showed any hesitation or fear. Instead, they shared a mutual exhilaration at finding such a worthy opponent.
"What a formidable Sea Dragon Douluo!" Dai Yao thought, feeling the thrill of facing an equal in pure physical strength. It had been too long since he'd experienced such a match. His last all-out duel with another power-based spirit master had been during the Spirit Master Tournament. Now, he was determined to make the most of it.
Sea Dragon Douluo, however, was both shocked and unsettled. Staring at his trembling dragon claw, he realized that even this initial exchange had left him at a disadvantage. The raw power from Dai Yao's blow had nearly shattered his arm, forcing him to reinforce it with spirit power to avoid serious injury.
"As expected of Seagod's chosen successor… Despite the gap in our spirit power levels, he surpasses me in strength. But if he thinks defeating me will be easy, he's mistaken!" Sea Dragon Douluo composed himself, confidence returning. Though Dai Yao might have the advantage in raw power, Sea Dragon Douluo had honed his techniques in the ocean for years and was certain he had the upper hand in skill.
The two landed, neither exchanging words. As if by silent agreement, they charged each other once again.
Sea Dragon Douluo switched tactics in the second exchange, sidestepping Dai Yao's direct assaults and targeting openings for a counterattack. But to his surprise, his "techniques" were useless against Dai Yao. His speed and raw strength left no room for any tactical advantage.
"Unbelievable… He's a monster. Doesn't he get tired? With this relentless assault, I can't find a single opening!" Sea Dragon Douluo thought in disbelief as he fought to keep up. His blue scales shattered and blood splattered as he sustained blow after blow. He realized that at this rate, his only path was defeat. Unable to escape Dai Yao's relentless pursuit, he was forced to draw upon his spirit power, and nine spirit rings materialized around him.
Feeling the surge of power, Dai Yao quickly backed away.
Glancing at the ruined ground surrounding the sacred pillar, Sea Dragon Douluo let out a sigh. He turned to look at Dai Yao, whose calm and composed demeanor made his eyes widen in shock. Dai Yao hadn't even gone all out yet!
Suppressing his turmoil, Sea Dragon Douluo finally admitted, "Dai Yao, as much as it pains me to say, I must concede you're superior. Regrettably, I can't let you leave satisfied by this battle. As a sacred pillar guardian, I must do all I can to prevent your success, even if I know I can't win."
"Elder, there's no need for that," Dai Yao laughed, though he felt a pang of disappointment that this straightforward clash would end so soon. He hadn't even needed to use his Eight Extremes Strike, much less the battle instincts he'd honed in the Slaughter City.
"Brace yourself, Dai Yao."
Sea Dragon Douluo's expression turned serious as he warned, his voice steady. As he spoke, a ripple of blue energy spread out from him, covering the platform.
What puzzled Dai Yao was that, despite being enveloped by the ripple, he felt nothing at all.
"Dai Yao," Sea Dragon Douluo said with confidence, "among the seven Sacred Pillar Guardian Douluo, only Sea Illusion Douluo and I possess domains. I know you have two powerful domains, but within the scope of my domain, yours are rendered useless. My domain is called Domain Breaker, and its effect is simple—it nullifies all domains."
But before Sea Dragon Douluo could finish speaking, his eyes widened in shock.
A golden ripple spread across the platform, shrinking the range of the blue waves from the Domain Breaker until they were confined to a mere three feet around Sea Dragon Douluo.
"Senior, it seems your Domain Breaker can't nullify every domain after all," Dai Yao said with a light laugh.
That golden ripple was none other than his Sacred White Tiger Domain.
"How is this possible?! Why does your domain still exist?!" Sea Dragon Douluo exclaimed in disbelief.
For years, his Domain Breaker had never failed. Yet now, against Dai Yao, it was completely ineffective. This young man seemed to defy all logic.
"Senior, not all domains are created equal. Your domain may be able to suppress others, but it cannot affect mine," Dai Yao replied confidently.
His domain wasn't just an ordinary soul master ability. It stemmed from his divine Sacred White Tiger martial soul, which itself was a manifestation of the Chaos Green Lotus. While Sea Dragon Douluo's Domain Breaker might be formidable within the Douluo Continent, the power of the Chaos Green Lotus transcended its boundaries.
It was no surprise that the Domain Breaker failed.
Sea Dragon Douluo fell silent, struggling to accept the truth. But then, his pupils shrank, and his jaw dropped.
Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Red, Red, Red.
The sight of Dai Yao's soul rings—a combination that included three hundred-thousand-year red rings—assaulted his senses. The overwhelming aura of the hundred-thousand-year soul rings was suffocating. Sea Dragon Douluo didn't have a single hundred-thousand-year ring, and yet Dai Yao, still a Soul Douluo, possessed three.
After a long moment, Sea Dragon Douluo finally said in a trembling voice,
"You truly are a monster. Lord Sea God didn't choose wrong."
"Senior, shall we fight?" Dai Yao invited with a calm smile.
Sea Dragon Douluo stared at the spirited young man before him, seeing a reflection of his younger self. Back in his prime, he had been unrivaled on Sea God Island, second only to Bo Saixi. He had thought the heights he reached were unparalleled. But compared to a true genius like Dai Yao, his past achievements seemed laughable.
Swallowing hard, he spoke slowly,
"Very well, Dai Yao. I will give it my all to ensure you enjoy this battle!"
BOOM!
A deafening explosion reverberated across Sea God Island, shaking the very ground as if an earthquake had struck.
"I've lost," Sea Dragon Douluo said dazedly.
His dragon claw was caught firmly in Dai Yao's grasp. Despite stacking multiple soul skills, including his self-created Life Sacrifice Technique, Dai Yao had effortlessly stopped his full-force attack with a single hand. What's more, Dai Yao had only used his third and fifth soul skills.
Sea Dragon Douluo himself was battered and bruised, while Dai Yao stood unscathed, his clothes slightly torn but his body unharmed.
The disparity was staggering, making Sea Dragon Douluo feel as though he were the challenger and not the other way around.
"Thank you for the battle, Senior," Dai Yao said with a polite smile as he released Sea Dragon Douluo's hand. He exhaled deeply—he had taken a significant risk. Sea Dragon Douluo had amplified himself using his eighth soul skill and his Life Sacrifice Technique. If Dai Yao hadn't swiftly activated his sixth soul skill, Void, to weaken the attack, he might have sustained serious injuries.
"Challenge complete: Titled Douluo—Sea Dragon Douluo," a voice echoed in Dai Yao's mind as Sea Dragon Douluo conceded.
"Well done, Dai Yao. Now, go challenge the remaining six Sacred Pillar Douluo," Sea Dragon Douluo said with a faint smile. "Although, I doubt any of them are your match. By the way, during our fight, I sensed you holding back. Your attacks seemed chaotic on the surface but were actually meticulously calculated. That's why I couldn't find a single opening to counterattack."
Dai Yao smiled and clasped his hands in respect.
"You're correct, Senior. Close combat is my specialty. Raw strength isn't my greatest advantage—it's precision and adaptability."
Sea Dragon Douluo stared at him, unable to find words. The young man wasn't lying. After a long pause, he chuckled bitterly.
"Fine, Dai Yao. If there's ever a chance, I'd like to spar with you again."
"I'd be honored," Dai Yao replied.
Sea Dragon Douluo's gracious acceptance of his defeat impressed Dai Yao. It was clear that the man was a pure soul master, unconcerned with pride or ego. That, perhaps, was what made him the strongest of the Sacred Pillar Guardians.
With a leap, Dai Yao returned to the shore.
Before he could land, he noticed the astonished looks on the faces of the women waiting for him. Even Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong, who had spent the most time with him, seemed surprised.
"What's wrong?" Dai Yao asked, puzzled.
"Dai Yao, you're incredible! A Soul Douluo defeating a Super Douluo—especially someone as strong as Sea Dragon Douluo. There's no precedent for this in history!" Dugu Yan exclaimed.
Dai Yao chuckled.
"Yan Yan, don't forget, I managed to hold off the Star Luo Empire's Grand Elder—a Super Douluo—back when I was just a Soul Emperor. Now I've advanced two major realms and acquired three hundred-thousand-year soul rings. My strength has undergone a qualitative leap. If I couldn't defeat someone on par with the Grand Elder, like Sea Dragon Douluo, I might as well quit cultivation."
"Alright, stay here and wait. I'll challenge the other Titled Douluo. It won't take long."
The fifth trial required completion within 36 hours—three days. Since the other Sacred Pillar Douluo were unlikely to pose a challenge, most of Dai Yao's time would be spent traveling between locations. Having the women accompany him would only slow him down.
Understanding this, the women agreed to stay behind.
Several hours later, Dai Yao returned to their residence in Seahorse City.
In a matter of hours, he had swept through the remaining Sacred Pillar Douluo—Seahorse, Sea Star, Sea Maiden, and the others—defeating each one effortlessly. Even Sea Lance Douluo, second only to Sea Dragon Douluo in strength, had lasted less than 15 minutes against him.
Every Sacred Pillar Douluo was left questioning their existence.
Was this really just a Soul Douluo?
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