Inside the VIP box, Dai Tianling's tone carried a hint of undisguised surprise: "I didn't expect that the one from the Federation to make it to the end would be this kid named Tang Wulin, rather than Long Chen."
Saint Dragon, who was sitting beside him, also spoke slowly: "Long Chen's Spirit, like mine, is the Radiant Sacred Dragon. It is an outstanding example among top-tier Beast Martial Souls."
"As for this Tang Wulin, he has managed to cultivation to the Spirit King Realm. In the previous matches, I originally thought his Spirit was just a Blue Silver King, but now it seems highly likely that it is the legendary Blue Silver Emperor."
"Blue Silver Emperor?" Dai Tianling turned his head sharply to look at Saint Dragon, a clear shock flashing in his eyes. "Doesn't that mean this kid's Spirit is the same as that Sea God from twenty thousand years ago?"
Tang Wulin's ability to fight his way into the finals was naturally not solely due to his Blue Silver Emperor Spirit; he had already used his second Spirit, the Clear Sky Hammer, during the semi-finals.
Saint Dragon nodded slightly, his tone unhurried but clear: "Your Majesty should know of the Sea God's teacher, right?"
Dai Tianling frowned as he thought about it, then said somewhat uncertainly: "Are you referring to Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, who had a malignant Spirit mutation and low personal Cultivation talent, but possessed extremely high attainments in Spirit theory research?"
Saint Dragon nodded and said: "That's right, it is indeed Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang."
"The Ten Core Competitiveness Theories of Spirits that he proposed back then, although some viewpoints seem outdated now, still had a profound influence on the later Spirit Master's world."
"He believed that for a Spirit Master with twin spirits, both Spirits must be of the same rank; it is absolutely impossible for a top-tier Spirit to be paired with a useless Spirit."
"Since this Tang Wulin's second Spirit is a top-tier Tool Spirit like the Clear Sky Hammer, his Blue Silver Grass cannot be a Blue Silver King; it must be a Blue Silver Emperor of the same rank as the Clear Sky Hammer..."
Saint Dragon's analysis was logical and well-reasoned. Dai Tianling nodded repeatedly as he listened, and the level of importance he placed on Tang Wulin in his heart was raised a few notches.
After a moment of silence, he couldn't help but ask: "Teacher, then this Tang Wulin... shouldn't pose a threat, right?"
Upon hearing this, Saint Dragon smiled slightly, his tone remaining as calm and composed as before: "Your Majesty, rest assured. Although this Tang Wulin's twin spirits are powerful, he will still not be Long Yue's match."
As a teacher, Saint Dragon knew best just how powerful his Disciple was!
In another box, Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan were staring intently at the huge Spirit transmission screen above. Tang Wulin and Long Yue had already begun their first round of probing exchanges.
Watching the six pitch-black spirit rings rising beneath Long Yue's feet, both of them felt as if a heavy boulder was pressing down on their hearts, and a deep sense of powerlessness quietly rose from the bottom of their hearts.
Xu Xiaoyan tightly clutched the corner of her clothes with both hands and asked in a low voice: "Do you think... Wulin can win?"
Xie Xie watched Tang Wulin retreating step by step on the screen. He wanted to say something to cheer up his best brother, but the words just wouldn't come out.
It wasn't that he lacked confidence in Tang Wulin, but that the strength Long Yue displayed was simply too overwhelming.
On the other side, Long Chen let out a long breath of stale air and said in a low voice: "It's very difficult. Not only is Long Yue's cultivation higher than his, but he also has almost no weaknesses at all."
"Facing him is like facing an insurmountable mountain. No matter which angle you attack from, and no matter what tactics you use, you cannot shake him in the slightest."
Just a short while ago, Long Chen had just been defeated by Long Yue in the semi-finals, having been suppressed and beaten throughout the entire match, so he knew best just how terrifying that monster's strength was.
Huo Yuhao gazed calmly at the two figures constantly intersecting and colliding on the screen. After a moment of silence, he gave a definitive answer: "He cannot win."
He had already investigated Long Yue's strength clearly. If the two were the same age and Tang Wulin's Spirit Power could match his, perhaps the outcome would be unknown.
But as it stands now, Tang Wulin is absolutely no match for Long Yue.
On the huge ring in the center of Star Luo Stadium, Long Yue's attacks came in wave after wave like a storm, not giving Tang Wulin any chance to breathe at all.
Tang Wulin gritted his teeth tightly, constantly switching between his two Spirits, yet no matter what tactic he used, it seemed he could do nothing against Long Yue.
He had to admit that although he didn't feel the same sense of complete helplessness he had felt when facing Huo Yuhao, it was almost the same.
This battle also made Tang Wulin truly realize what it meant to say there is always someone better.
Watching Tang Wulin, who was still holding on firmly under his continuous fierce attacks, a trace of genuine admiration could not help but flash in Long Yue's eyes.
He suddenly stopped his suffocating offensive, his chest heaving slightly, and said to Tang Wulin not far away: "To be able to hold out against me until now, you have enough reason to be proud."
He paused, the admiration in his eyes slowly fading, replaced by a solemn and resolute Battle Intent, and his voice suddenly deepened: "However, this is where it ends."
As the words fell, a dazzling dark golden light suddenly burst forth from Long Yue's burly body.
As this light shone, brilliant points of light lit up on his body one after another, and then pieces of dark golden Battle Armor spread out from those points of light like living things, covering his entire body in an instant.
Finally, a pair of huge dark golden dragon wings unfurled behind him with a boom.
Long Yue flapped the wings behind him violently, and his whole body shot into the sky like a dark golden meteor, hovering steadily above the ring.
A majestic aura approaching the Titled Douluo level erupted from him without reservation, shaking the defensive barrier of the entire ring until it hummed.
On the ring below, Tang Wulin looked up at the dark golden figure, a wry smile unconsciously appearing at the corner of his mouth.
He was now a Spirit King, so naturally he had Battle Armor, but it was only One-Word Battle Armor.
In previous matches, he had deliberately not worn his Battle Armor, thinking that given Long Yue's pride, he wouldn't be the first to use the advantage of Battle Armor against an opponent who had a lower cultivation than him and wasn't wearing any.
It was precisely because of this tacit understanding that he had been able to hold on until now under Long Yue's terrifying offensive.
But now, Long Yue had actually broken this tacit understanding first, using Battle Armor first, and it was even Two-Word Battle Armor.
Feeling the overbearing and crushing aura coming from the opponent, Tang Wulin understood in his heart that he no longer had a chance in this battle.
Tang Wulin's eyes, which had originally been filled with conflict and unwillingness, gradually calmed down amidst this suffocating pressure.
He spoke slowly, spitting out three words: "I... surrender."
Just a moment ago, his heart had indeed been filled with unwillingness.
But he also knew that the gap in strength was right there, like an insurmountable chasm.
Even if he tried his best, pushed his twin spirits to the limit, and put on his One-Word Battle Armor, he still wouldn't be able to beat Long Yue.
At that moment, he suddenly remembered a sentence Huo Yuhao had once said to him: "It is not wise to be stubborn and refuse to admit defeat when you know you cannot win. Sometimes, seeing the situation clearly and taking the initiative to surrender might be true bravery."
After those three words were spoken, Tang Wulin felt as if the heavy stone in his chest had suddenly fallen, and he felt a great sense of relief.
He subconsciously looked around, looking at the local Star Luo Empire spectators in the stands.
To his surprise, there was no ridicule or disdain on the faces of those spectators, and they certainly didn't kick him while he was down just because he was from the Federation.
Everyone had witnessed his all-out performance earlier. To be able to go head-to-head against Long Yue, who was a whole major Realm higher than himself, while only at the Spirit King level—even though he surrendered, he had won everyone's respect.
Such a result did not make Tang Wulin feel any humiliation in his heart; on the contrary, an unprecedented sense of clarity and relief arose within him.
With Tang Wulin's surrender, this match was officially declared over.
According to custom, the end of the individual finals meant the successful conclusion of the entire tournament, and what should follow was the award ceremony.
However, Long Yue, as the victor, did not exit according to the procedure; he didn't even come down from the air.
He remained hovering directly above the ring, the huge dark golden dragon wings behind him flapping slowly, his pair of dark golden eyes locked straight onto a VIP box above the spectator stands.
He spoke slowly, his loud and steady voice rolling through the entire Star Luo Stadium: "I know that the two opponents I defeated earlier are not the Federation's strongest geniuses."
"Spirit Transmitting Huo Yuhao, who is ranked first on the Federation's Young Genius List, I wonder if you dare to come down and fight me?"
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A/N:
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.