Chapter 197: The Battle of the Top Young Powerhouses!
Zhuo Shi had been stroking his beard confidently—until he saw the boy standing opposite Long Yue.
His expression froze.
"And this is…?"
Wu Zhangkong quickly explained, "That's Qian Gu Zhangting, grandson of the current Spirit Pagoda Master."
"So the Douluo Federation and the Pagoda are quite close these days," Zhuo Shi muttered.
"Shrek Academy is pretty close to Star Luo too, isn't it?" came a deep, unhurried voice from behind.
"Your Majesty."
"Principal!"
The one who had arrived was none other than Blood Demon Douluo Talon, the headmaster of Douluo University—loud, brash, and impossible to ignore.
For a match involving two of the greatest academies, he naturally wouldn't stay away.
"Relax," Talon said, settling into a seat. "Sit, everyone. Let's just watch."
Under the scorching noon sun, the duel began.
Long Yue's Mountain Dragon King martial soul manifested, vast as a mountain range, exuding unwavering force.
Six soul rings—two purple, four black—shone around him.
Opposite him, Qian Gu Zhangting gripped his Coiling Dragon Staff, six jet‑black ten‑thousand‑year rings swirling behind his back.
"Careful," Zhangting warned grimly.
He knew the Mountain Dragon King's nature well—it rewarded aggression, not defense.
So he struck first!
His first, second, third and fourth soul rings all flared at once.
Four ten‑thousand‑year auras surged, layering reinforcement upon reinforcement.
His soul skills focused entirely on self‑enhancement; his weapon did the rest.
"Unyielding Staff Art—First Form!"
"Battle Heaven and Earth!"
The black‑gold staff swung down like a lightning bolt, whistling through the air toward Long Yue.
Boom!
The earth shook.
Long Yue stood tall, expression unchanged, unmoving as a stone cliff. His first ring flickered gently.
"First Soul Skill—Mountains and Rivers!"
His figure swelled and solidified, as though merging with the earth itself.
The arena trembled as if struck by the weight of a continent.
A massive mountain descended from the heavens, pressing down upon Qian Gu Zhangting like the will of the world.
"So this… is the Mountain Dragon King?" he muttered through gritted teeth.
Even its presence was crushing.
Their weapons collided—ringing like thunder.
Long Yue only grunted once, but never stepped back. His feet were rooted to the earth, steady as bedrock.
Zhangting staggered backward several meters before jamming his staff into the ground to stop. The floor cracked beneath it, leaving a deep scar.
"What power!"
His spirit power was higher—yet in that exchange, he felt utterly insignificant!
Long Yue smiled faintly.
"Still holding up?"
He took a slow, heavy step forward. His second soul ring flared.
"Second Soul Skill—River Flow!"
That one step unleashed another surge of pressure, as though a tide of gravity had crushed the air.
Zhangting's knees buckled slightly. It felt like an entire mountain was pressing down on him from above.
"Good grief—he brought an entire continent to the fight!" he growled under his breath.
If Long Yue ever became a Titled Douluo, would his domain expand into an actual world of his own?
At this rate, he hardly needed weapons—his body alone was a living fortress.
Off to the side, Zhuo Shi finally relaxed a little.
The Mountain Dragon King martial soul truly was monstrous—a domain in itself. As long as Long Yue stood upon the ground, he was invincible.
Watching the spectacle, Talon couldn't help but sigh.
"Heroes are born young, it seems," he said.
"When I was his age, I was still taking enhancement pills in the Spirit Pagoda's labs."
Since becoming a Limit Douluo, he'd rarely battled at all—he couldn't even remember his own strength anymore.
Seeing the young dragon master, he exhaled in admiration.
"No wonder they say Shrek still breeds monsters."
Zhuo Shi forced a faint smile—it didn't reach his eyes.
Yes, Shrek had recruited Long Yue… by poaching him straight from Monster Academy.
The more people praised him, the guiltier Zhuo Shi felt.
In a year or two, everyone would forget Monster Academy ever existed and call Long Yue "Shrek's pureblood prodigy."
A convenient rewrite.
"Teacher, what's wrong?" Wu Zhangkong asked, seeing his mentor's strained expression.
Zhuo Shi scowled at him. "Nothing."
His student—this traitor.
Left Shrek, worked for the Federation, even defeated Shrek's own team at the last tournament!
Did he forget where he came from!?
For a brief moment, Zhuo Shi wanted nothing more than to smack him.
Wu Zhangkong shivered, having no idea why.
Boom! Boom! BOOM!
Three successive strikes smashed against Long Yue's defense, but he didn't budge. Not even a scratch.
Zhangting's hands went numb.
He wasn't even using full power, yet he could tell—full power wouldn't be enough either.
"What kind of dragon is this!?"
Long Yue's first ring glowed again.
"First Soul Skill—Mountains and Rivers!"
Cracks spider‑webbed across the arena as sharp peaks erupted from below, stabbing upward. Another mountain descended from above, sealing him between heaven and earth.
"Impressive," Zhangting snarled, his pride flaring. "But I won't lose!"
Though younger, he was still the Spirit Pagoda's heir—his spirit power exceeded Long Yue's!
"There's no way I'll accept defeat here!"
"Sky‑Shaking Earth‑Splitting!"
"Show me your true strength, Long Yue!"
He spun his staff in a blur, forming a roaring vortex of energy that shattered the twin peaks pressing against him.
The two young prodigies stared each other down.
"Stop messing around," Zhangting said coldly. "Use your full power!"
He knew this war of attrition favored Long Yue; the dragon's connection to the earth gave him endless endurance.
He had no choice—either win quickly or be crushed.
A black‑gold aura burst from his body, spreading like molten light.
Segments of armor unfolded—gauntlets, shoulder plates, chest piece—all etched with glowing dragon runes.
In an instant, half his upper body was encased in scales of living metal.
Two‑word Battle Armor!
But that wasn't all.
"I have dragons of my own!"
"Coiling Dragon Staff—Seal, Release!"
"ROAR!!!"
A deafening dragon cry erupted. The runes on his staff flared as two bloody claws emerged from it, followed by the outline of a crimson dragon spirit rising from the weapon.
The Dragon of Purging Evil!
The spirit bound within the Coiling Dragon Staff was a being even the Dragon God himself had once failed to shackle—born of pure righteousness, yet unmatched in destructive power.
No matter the opponent, this dragon would never yield—its will was unbreakable.
Some even called it—
The Awakening Saint Golden Dragon.
(END CHAPTER)
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