When Hu Yanzhen saw Yun Ming, a Tool Soul Master, actually dare to reach out and receive his heavy punch head-on, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He had to make Yun Ming pay, and since he had great confidence in his own fists, he struck out with full assurance.
"Bang--"
The fist, carrying the Mammoth Power, struck the palm of Yun Ming's left hand—which looked clean, fluid, and as if every knuckle had been meticulously carved—emitting a thunderous sound.
Dark yellow Soul Power transformed into a torrent of soul light, rushing toward Yun Ming as if to crush him into pieces. For a moment, those on the outside could hardly see what condition Yun Ming was in, shrouded as he was by the Soul Power.
However, this did not include Hu Yanzhen. He felt a massive force coming from the front, preventing him from advancing even a fraction of an inch. Furthermore, his Soul Power attack seemed to have encountered resistance, split in two by a more formidable force, failing to achieve its goal.
Hu Yanzhen's pupils constricted, and he immediately wanted to retract his fist and retreat, but it was too late. Yun Ming turned his palm into a claw, clamping down on the fist he had thrown out. He tried to break free, but he remained completely motionless. At the same time, Yun Ming's calm voice emanated from within the soul light.
"If your punch is this soft, how are you supposed to hit anyone?"
"Clan Leader Huyan, you should try mine instead."
As he finished speaking, a violent force surged from Yun Ming's hand. Hu Yanzhen could not resist and was pulled forward. Simultaneously, a fist wreathed in scarlet gold flames tore through the torrent of Soul Power and struck out ferociously.
Seeing the attack coming, Hu Yanzhen reached out with his other hand, attempting to block it. But Yun Ming's fist was too fast—far faster than his interception—and in the blink of an eye, it struck Hu Yanzhen in the lower abdomen.
"Clang--"
Yun Ming's flaming heavy punch struck Hu Yanzhen's cuticle layer, which was far harder than steel plate, producing a sound like the long tolling of an ancient bell.
But that seemed to be it. Aside from the loud noise, there was no change at all when Yun Ming's fist hit the cuticle layer. Hu Yanzhen breathed a sigh of relief; although he hadn't blocked Yun Ming's attack, it seemed Yun Ming couldn't break his defense either! He grinned and looked at Yun Ming, who had reappeared in everyone's line of sight.
"Kid, it looks like you're not much either! This old man didn't feel a thing!"
Yun Ming retracted his fist and replied casually.
"Then your senses must be truly dull."
Hu Yanzhen assumed Yun Ming was just being stubborn. Just as he was about to speak, his complexion began to flush rapidly, turning so red that even the dark yellow cuticle layer from his Martial Soul Avatar couldn't hide it.
"Crack--"
At the same time, where Yun Ming's fist had struck, the metallic-lustered cuticle layer began to shatter into pieces, and the cracks quickly spread across his entire body. After the outer defense shattered, Hu Yanzhen's bronze-colored skin also began to turn red, like a boiled shrimp.
"Boom, boom, boom--"
At the peak of the redness, countless muffled explosions suddenly erupted from within his body. Blood mist sprayed, his skin split, and countless bloody lacerations appeared on Hu Yanzhen's body. Hu Yanzhen spat out a large mouthful of blood, lost his footing, and collapsed to the ground.
The sudden turn of events left everyone present in shock. The Diamond Mammoth was famous for its formidable defense, and Hu Yanzhen was an eighty-ninth-level peak Soul Douluo. Was he really taken down by a single punch from Yun Ming?!!
In particular, Huo Bao's mouth was wide open. He was currently stunned; the last time he fought Hu Yanzhen, he had spent minutes scraping away without truly injuring him. What was happening now? Hu Yanzhen was defeated by a single punch—was this even possible? He couldn't accept it! He wanted to report Hu Yanzhen for match-fixing!!
But reality was what it was; whether he could accept it or not, he had to.
"Clan Leader!!" x2
Two Soul Douluos from the Elephant Armor Sect exclaimed in alarm and rushed over to stand between Hu Yanzhen and Yun Ming.
Hu Yanzhen used his hands to push his body up with effort, but another mouthful of blood sprayed out.
Looking at the bloodstains on the ground, Hu Yanzhen found it hard to accept. He looked up at Yun Ming, his eyes bloodshot and his face twisted. Combined with the blood staining him, he looked exactly like a demon from hell. He shrieked at Yun Ming, his voice hoarse.
"Impossible, impossible!"
"Brat, what exactly did you do to me?! Even a Title Douluo has never injured me this badly. How could you possibly do this!!"
Hearing Hu Yanzhen's words, Yue Guan snapped out of his shock, his expression darkening. He felt his reputation had been slandered.
Regarding the matter of fighting a Title Douluo, the one Hu Yanzhen had fought last time was him, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan. Yue Guan wasn't particularly skilled at breaking through defenses, and it was unclear if he could have shattered Hu Yanzhen's defense, but even if Yue Guan could, he had been there to recruit the Elephant Armor Sect last time and wouldn't have used lethal force. It was just that Hu Yanzhen seemed a bit confused now.
Hearing Hu Yanzhen's words, Yun Ming said indifferently.
"That only proves that the Title Douluo was incompetent or wasn't serious; it doesn't mean you are flawless."
Yue Guan: "."
Yun Ming's words were very fair. He didn't mean to belittle Hu Yanzhen; the Diamond Mammoth's defensive power was indeed impressive, but it wasn't without flaws. Its outer defense was certainly high, but what about the inside? Yun Ming's punch carried the power of his Blood Soul Core, and by utilizing some Blood Skill, the force had struck directly into his opponent's body, vibrating Hu Yanzhen's internal blood and qi. Thus, he had succeeded in one blow, shattering Hu Yanzhen's defense from the inside out.
However, from Hu Yanzhen's perspective, Yun Ming's lack of belittlement was not how he saw it. He was furious and roared.
"Brat, you're courting death!"
"Attack him!!"
Hearing the Clan Leader's order, the other two Soul Douluos of the Elephant Armor Sect also activated their Martial Soul Avatars. With Hu Yanzhen's cautionary tale in mind, the two of them directly used their Spirit Avatar, their height rapidly increasing as they transformed into ancient giant elephants and charged toward Yun Ming.
That wasn't all. Hu Yanzhen looked at Huo Bao, Tuoba Xi, and the others, shouting.
"This kid is bizarre; he must be a great enemy to us on this trip. If we don't act now, when will we?!"
Hearing Hu Yanzhen's words, the others didn't think much and immediately took action. They were already at a disadvantage against a Title Douluo; they had joined forces to compete for a higher ranking. If they won, it was a huge profit; if they lost, it was no loss, so there was nothing to worry about. Now that the other two sects didn't seem to have any intention of helping, it was the perfect time to eliminate Yun Ming, this unexpected variable!
The Fire Leopard, Black Tiger, and the Soul Douluos of the Saint Dragon Sect immediately activated their Martial Soul Avatars and charged at Yun Ming together.
Watching the people from the four sects swarm over like a zoo holding a convention, Yun Ming raised his right hand, summoned the Atlas Divine Spear, and roared.
"Kill!"
Then, he pushed off the ground and met them with his spear.
Yun Ming looked at the two giant elephants right in front of him and thrust his Atlas Spear fiercely toward the large head of the one on the left.
Yun Ming's spear was already as fast as a streak of light, and coupled with the massive size of the Diamond Mammoth Avatar, the Elephant Armor Soul Douluo on the left found it difficult to defend.
This was also a weakness—though not a fatal one—of the Diamond Mammoth Avatar. Because of its massive size and clumsiness, it was often forced into a passive defensive position. Usually, the way the Huyan family handled this was by relying on its formidable defense and vigorous Life to tank the hits, then seeking a counterattack. But Yun Ming was clearly not the kind of person they could just tank.
The Soul Douluo locked on by Yun Ming felt a chill he couldn't suppress as he sensed the Atlas Divine Spear about to pierce his face. His martial soul instinct was screaming a frantic warning: do not be careless, or you might die.
Thinking of this, the four soul rings—two yellow and two black—on his body flashed instantly. His already meat-mountain-like giant elephant physique surged again, his height exceeding twenty meters, and the dark yellow crystalline cuticle on his body completely transformed into the appearance of ink jade. He utilized every defense system soul skill he possessed, hoping only to withstand Yun Ming's attack.
Facing the mammoth whose momentum and size had suddenly gone wild, Yun Ming had no intention of changing his move. The Atlas Divine Spear in his hand did not pause in the slightest and continued to thrust downward.
"Szzzt—"
The Atlas Divine Spear scraped across the ink jade cuticle, emitting a sharp, continuous, and slightly metallic screeching sound. Although the Atlas Divine Spear had cut halfway in, it failed to pierce through, which actually surprised Yun Ming; he was now intrigued.
After all, this was a martial soul that, in the original timeline, could withstand the defense-certified Sea God Trident. It was understandable that a simple, direct thrust from Yun Ming failed to completely break the defense.
The giant elephant taking the spear blow breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that Yun Ming had failed to break his defense, but before he could finish exhaling, the situation changed. Could he really get away with piquing Yun Ming's interest under these circumstances? Absolutely not.
Abruptly, a cluster of eerie black flame emerged on the tip of the Atlas Spear. After the black flame appeared, the defensive layer that had been quite sturdy suddenly became as fragile as thin paper. As the Atlas swept past, there was no longer the slightest resistance. The defensive line constructed by the Elephant Armor Sect Soul Douluo collapsed in an instant.
Under the "Atlas, Annihilation," all defenses were mere illusions.
The impact of his greatly increased cultivation was comprehensive. This spear art, which previously required some effort, could now be used with relative ease, which facilitated Yun Ming's combat. However, the victim could no longer hold back.
"Ah—"
The Atlas Spear swept past, leaving a terrifying laceration on his face. Moreover, this was directly gouged out by spatial power, causing the Soul Douluo of the Elephant Armor Sect, whose willpower was quite resilient, to scream in agony. If he hadn't reacted quickly and turned his head in time upon sensing the pain, he might have had a large chunk of flesh and skin shaved off—though it wasn't much better now; the wound on his face was over ten centimeters deep and half a meter long.
Black flames circled the tip of the Atlas Spear; there was not a trace of blood. The flesh and blood left behind had all been shredded and devoured by the spatial power.
Yun Ming steadied his posture and commented casually.
"Not bad defense."
As he spoke, he raised the Atlas Divine Spear, intending to thrust again, but at this moment, the others had arrived.
The first to arrive was Huo Bao. He did not want to give Yun Ming a chance to continue his assault. The flames all over his body burned more violently, and he shot over like a meteor. He was different from the people of the Huyan Family; he specialized in speed, specifically explosive acceleration. Calculating based on Yun Ming's previous advancement speed, as long as he didn't use his Spirit Avatar to increase his volume, Yun Ming's long spear would never be able to hit him, relying on his speed and agility.
He flashed to Yun Ming's side and swung his right claw violently. Five flame claw beams, each no less than three zhang long, slashed horizontally, carrying their master's incredibly scorching fighting intent toward Yun Ming.
The flame claw beams came very fast and very close. If it were an ordinary person, it might be difficult to react, and they would surely be severely injured by a single strike. But how could Yun Ming be an ordinary person? When he was slaughtering, the person in front of him—well, perhaps the lineage was already broken.
Ignoring these irrelevant things, the point was that Huo Bao's movements could not possibly escape Yun Ming's perception. Yet, Yun Ming still made the decision to continue his attack because this move simply could not hit him.
A black soul ring appeared at Yun Ming's feet and lit up.
Yun Ming's first soul skill, "Source of Void," derivative skill: Void, activated!
The flame claw beams passed through Yun Ming as if passing through a phantom. Yun Ming suffered no damage at all, and his long spear continued to thrust toward that big, clumsy elephant.
Watching the Atlas Spear wreathed in black flames approach again, the Elephant Armor Sect Soul Douluo trembled all over. This spear was even more dangerous than the previous one. If he were hit by this, he feared he would be pierced through, and this position should correspond to the kidney!
No, even if he was no longer in his prime, such an important organ must absolutely not be damaged, so he decisively spoke up.
"I concede!!"
This was a Throne Contention Battle, not a life-or-death struggle. Seeing that this person had conceded, Yun Ming decisively stopped and shifted to his next target.
The audience present, seeing Yun Ming settle an eighty-seventh-level Soul Douluo in just two strikes, felt their jaws drop.
Young girls who had come with their elders to gain experience saw Yun Ming defeat a strong enemy with a mere wave of his hand. The thought they had earlier that this handsome man was just grandstanding vanished completely. Now, they all wore the same expression.
A flush appeared uniformly on their faces, as delicate and dripping as cherry blossoms in early bloom. Strange lights flickered in their eyes, sometimes lowered, shyly avoiding others' gazes, and sometimes quietly raised, looking into the distance with a hint of expectation and longing. A subtle, imperceptible smile hung on the corners of their mouths, as if they were weaving a sweet and shy dream in their hearts. At the same time, Ya Li, who was in the Douluo Hall, sensed countless familiar malicious intents again.
Yun Ming's such formidable performance, besides conquering those love-struck girls, was even more shocking to others. These people, regardless of whether they were young or old, were all the same—either dejected or holding their heads in an attempt to escape reality.
"Impossible, it must be fake!"
"How is it possible? How could he be this strong?"
The young people among them believed they were the best in their clans and had always thought they were the absolute geniuses among their peers. But in front of Yun Ming, let alone being geniuses, even being mentioned in the same breath was an insult to him. Many of the older ones also felt that their years of cultivation were a joke in front of someone like Yun Ming. For a time, those with shattered Dao hearts were everywhere.
Besides these people, the Title Douluos were also not lightly shocked. Regardless of whether it was the hostile Bibi Dong, or the close Dugu Bo, Chen Xin, and others, they were all frightened by Yun Ming's performance. After all, since Tang Xiao, Yun Ming had never gone all out, and in subsequent encounters in front of them, he hadn't really used his full strength.
Among them, Bibi Dong was slightly better off; the move Yun Ming used last time left a deep impression on her. But Yu Yuanzhen felt it was somewhat unreal. The last time Yun Ming fought him, it wasn't like this! Although he was strong, he hadn't reached this level! He himself wouldn't be confident in eliminating the Elephant Armor Sect's Soul Douluo in two moves.
If Yun Ming could hear Yu Yuanzhen's inner thoughts, he would surely say that he was also quite polite. He hadn't done such a thing as visiting someone's home and beating them up for over a hundred years. The last time he did it in his previous life, he was still at an age of ignorance.
You say he still made a move last time? But wasn't it Yu Yuanzhen who attacked first last time? Can self-defense be considered "making a move"! And he had been very careful at the time, afraid of hurting Yu Yuanzhen, so he didn't really get serious. Otherwise, if he had gone all out, could Yu Yuanzhen still be standing here so intact today? Who are you looking down on!
Hu Yanzhen saw that in such a short time, one person from his clan had been taken down, and Yun Ming was pouncing on another eighty-ninth-level Soul Douluo of their clan. He could no longer sit still and shouted to his clansmen.
"Be careful."
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: DaoistReader