Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two who were locked in confrontation erupted with terrifying waves of soul power. After a long struggle, just as the black-flamed spear tip was about to pierce through the sky-blue claws, the Skycrack Douluo suddenly flicked his tail fin, sending a surge of power that knocked Yang Wudi back. Yang Wudi flipped in the air and disappeared from sight.
In this clash of eighth soul skills, Yang Wudi ultimately gained the upper hand. His foundation far surpassed that of the Skycrack Douluo. Even though their martial spirits were nearly equal in quality, the difference in cultivation depth made it extremely difficult for Skycrack Douluo to keep up.
But he didn't give up. Diving into a spatial rift, Skycrack Douluo suddenly reappeared behind Yang Wudi, attempting a sneak attack while his opponent was unaware.
Unfortunately, Yang Wudi had already grown familiar with his opponent's abilities and would never give him such a chance. As the claw emerged from the rift, Yang Wudi spun around and struck with a lightning-fast spear thrust, driving Skycrack Douluo back into the rift.
The two clashed again. Using his martial spirit's spatial abilities, Skycrack Douluo continuously relied on ambush tactics to attack Yang Wudi.
But Yang Wudi's defense was impenetrable; he couldn't find any opening. Finally, Skycrack Douluo stopped holding back and revealed his trump card.
Hidden deep within a spatial rift where Yang Wudi couldn't see him, he activated his ninth soul skill.
His pitch-black ninth soul ring flared brilliantly, and in the next instant, within a radius of a thousand meters around Yang Wudi, countless spatial cracks exploded open. Shards of blue light shot toward him like countless razor-sharp blades.
"Ninth Soul Skill: Skycrack Domain!"
The domain unfolded instantly, and Yang Wudi felt immense pressure bearing down on him. As countless fragments of space closed in from all directions, he began to swing his spear rapidly.
The burning black flames formed a circular ring of fire, shattering the incoming shards like blades.
The space around them fractured and collapsed; countless cracks appeared as Skycrack Douluo's massive form moved freely within them like a creature traversing time itself.
Each of his attacks contained terrifying space-devouring power, as though he intended to swallow Yang Wudi piece by piece.
"A domain?" Yang Wudi was slightly surprised.
It was extremely difficult for a Soul Master to obtain a domain. Any domain's power was no weaker than a hundred-thousand-year soul skill. Within a domain, a Soul Master's abilities would be magnified to their limits, and their strength would increase severalfold.
To gain a domain, one must either possess a martial spirit of extremely high quality with an innate domain or acquire one like the Killing God Domain, which could be obtained later through special means.
Besides that, there was only one more method,a very slim chance,for an ordinary Soul Master to gain a domain.
That was by obtaining a ninth soul ring that perfectly matched both their martial spirit and abilities. If the fusion compatibility was high enough, there was about a ten percent chance of gaining a domain-type soul skill.
Among all the titled Douluo on the continent, Skycrack Douluo was the only one known to have gained such a domain skill with his ninth soul ring.
This was his greatest trump card and the key to why he was seen as capable of eventually catching up to Swordbone Douluo.
With the domain unleashed, Yang Wudi was forced onto the defensive. He combined his first six soul skills in sequence to barely block the fierce assault.
Yet he constantly had to guard against being pulled into a spatial rift. If that happened, he might never return,or worse, be thrown into some desolate place beyond the world.
Facing Skycrack Douluo's ultimate skill, Yang Wudi still didn't summon his soul spirit. Instead, he finally activated his hidden hundred-thousand-year ninth soul ring.
The crimson ring burst into radiant light. The black-flamed Soulbreaker Spear transformed into a blood-red weapon of slaughter; its tip glowed red-hot, as if burning with liquid blood.
"Ninth Soul Skill: Execution!"
A flash of cold light preceded the strike, and the spear shot forth like a dragon.
The blood-red spear tip pierced forward. Since he couldn't lock onto the target, he would simply destroy the domain itself.
Once the domain was broken, Skycrack Douluo would have nowhere to hide.
Boom!
Yang Wudi thrust forward with all his might. The blood-red spear pierced through the concentrated power of the domain.
Skycrack Douluo dared not take the blow head-on, but he gathered all the power of his domain into one point to defend against the attack.
If he could block this strike, he might still have a chance.
But the devouring power and the spatial shards were useless; none could halt that spear.
Yang Wudi charged forward like a war god. The spear pierced straight through Skycrack Douluo's domain and continued upward, tearing through the thick clouds above as if to pierce the heavens themselves.
With his domain destroyed, Skycrack Douluo was left exposed. Yang Wudi spun his spear and thrust backward in a perfect counterattack.
Skycrack Douluo reacted quickly, forming sky-blue claws wreathed in light to block the blow.
But this time, his devouring power failed him. The blue light dissipated instantly, and his claws were pierced through by the Soulbreaker Spear.
"Roar!"
Skycrack Douluo let out a sharp, pained cry.
Yang Wudi withdrew his spear and swept it sideways, smashing Skycrack Douluo down to the ground.
He had shown mercy,otherwise, the second strike would have pierced through his opponent's skull.
Boom!
Skycrack Douluo crashed into the earth, raising a cloud of dust. He could no longer rise.
The battle ended,Yang Wudi had achieved an overwhelming victory.
The might and terror of the Soulbreaker Spear were on full display. Even without using his full strength, Yang Wudi had easily defeated Skycrack Douluo.
Thus, the first round of the Seven Sects Ranking Tournament concluded, with Sword Sect earning three points.
But this was only the beginning. Every sect would still face a major showdown.
After the first round, there was a one-week break. Even though all participants were titled Douluo and had top-tier healing-type Soul Masters to aid recovery, they still needed a week to return to peak condition.
For techniques like Tang Hao's ring explosion, even the best healing could not restore him fully in less than a month.
That was why the first round was crucial,most titled Douluo would no longer be at full strength in later matches.
In such cases, the contest became one of skill, soul techniques below the seventh ring, and overall foundation.
Of course, that was under normal circumstances.
The Eternal Emperor Oscar ensured that the battles remained exciting by providing his sausages to all the titled Douluo free of charge.
Now that his soul power contained traces of divinity, his Supreme Sausage Martial Spirit's first ring ability,the Super Recovery Sausage,was powerful enough that a single one could restore a titled Douluo to peak condition.
As for the deeper recovery of spiritual or physical injuries, the Vital Crystal Sausage easily resolved those.
Its power of endless vitality could heal even the gravest wounds and accelerate life itself.
Even Tang Hao, after exploding his rings, was fully recovered within a week thanks to its effect.
The others had long experienced the miraculous power of Oscar's sausages, but this tournament allowed them to enjoy and witness their effects multiple times. Even the usually reserved titled Douluo found it remarkable.
A week later, the tournament resumed with fervor. Apart from the Royal Academy of the Spirit Empire, which was already confirmed as the top sect this year, the remaining six sects and academies had all returned to full strength.
Each participant once again displayed their full might, not only earning glory for themselves but also for their sects.
Every sect fought one match against each of the others, making for five rounds in total. Each titled Douluo shone brilliantly on the stage.
By this point, everyone's trump cards were mostly revealed,but it didn't matter. The continent was unified, and no wars loomed.
At most, they would spar privately in the future, so the exposure of secrets was no concern.
When the Seven Sects Ranking finally ended, the new hierarchy was fully established.
First Academy: Spirit Empire Royal Academy
Second Sect: Angel Sanctuary
Third Sect: Sword Sect
Fourth Sect: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect
Fifth Sect: Clear Sky Sect
Sixth Academy: Shrek Royal Academy
Seventh Sect: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect
The most dissatisfied was naturally the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, once among the Upper Three Sects, now ranked last.
Fortunately, the current Seven Sects were no longer divided into upper and lower classes. They were all on equal footing, the ranking merely a matter of order.
Although Shrek had only two titled Douluo, the two were strong enough to equal four, far beyond the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's level.
After all, no matter how strong Yu Yuanzhen was, Yu Luomian and Yu Senyan were somewhat weaker compared to others.
But this was just the beginning. The Seven Sects Ranking Tournament was originally held every five years, but it was later decided that such frequency was too high.
For titled Douluo, advancing even one level could take many years of secluded cultivation.
Thus, they agreed to hold it every fifteen years,after every three Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournaments.
That way, audiences wouldn't grow tired of it, and each generation would have something to look forward to.
After the rankings were finalized, the Emperor invited the leaders of all seven sects to the palace for a grand banquet. They exchanged greetings, talked, and discussed the distribution of resources.
The banquet lasted half a month, and once all matters were settled, the seven sect leaders returned home, each wearing a satisfied smile.
Even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, ranked last, received an unimaginable amount of resources.
All they had to do was remain loyal to the Empire, follow its policies, and maintain peace.
When the Empire called upon them, they would be the first to stand and answer.
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