Jiang Peng watched Wang Nan walk onto the stage.
The final was scheduled for the morning. The sunlight wasn't harsh; instead, it slanted down, making it seem as though Wang Nan was cloaked in a golden robe.
Casting aside other thoughts, Jiang Peng cupped his hands towards Wang Nan. "Please enlighten me."
"Please enlighten me."
Huang Jinxu glanced left and right, signaling for the two to retreat to opposite sides of the stage. Immediately after, with the words "Match begins," his figure vanished from the stage.
A sudden thunderous roar echoed in the cloudless sky. Six spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—rose from Jiang Peng's feet. He leaped high, and a giant axe, black as ink, descended from the sky into his hand.
The giant axe was about five feet long, exuding a chilling aura. Just by its appearance, one could feel its formidable destructive power.
This was Jiang Peng's Spirit, the Heaven-Shaking Axe, also known as the number one attack system Tool Spirit after the Clear Sky Hammer.
Wang Nan and Jiang Peng were both Spirit Masters. Without long-range spirit tools to obstruct them, they quickly converged in the center of the stage.
Jiang Peng was clearly very confident in his Spirit. He didn't use any Spirit Ability, simply swinging the giant axe in his hand.
However, after it connected with the Coiling Dragon Staff, he only felt a surge of immense power from the axe blade that traveled directly to his arms, causing him to take two steps back with a 'thump-thump.'
He looked up, only to see that no spirit ring had lit up around Wang Nan either. Clearly, Wang Nan had repelled him with sheer physical strength alone.
Jiang Peng didn't know that while his Heaven-Shaking Axe was formidable, the Coiling Dragon Staff, having awakened a Dragon Spirit, was even superior to it. His physical strength was also inferior to Wang Nan's. The fact that he only took two steps back was because, with Wang Nan's fighting style, he always held back a bit of strength in each move to adapt to changes; otherwise, the result would have been more than just two steps back.
The first probing strike concluded, and Jiang Peng no longer dared to hold back. His third spirit ring lit up, and the Heaven-Shaking Axe in his hand flew out. Simultaneously, his first spirit ring also emitted an inconspicuous glow.
In mid-air, the massive Heaven-Shaking Axe continuously spun. Immediately after, a dark light, like a black full moon, descended towards Wang Nan, reaching his head almost instantly.
Wang Nan's reaction was incredibly fast. Almost as soon as the Heaven-Shaking Axe flew out, his first spirit ring had already lit up, a golden light shining as Wang Nan, stepping on a giant Dragon, soared into the air.
However, the next moment, the formidable Heaven-Shaking Axe suddenly changed direction in mid-air, drawing a strange arc as it flew towards Wang Nan, instantly appearing behind him and heavily striking down.
This was Jiang Peng's trump card.
His first Spirit Ability allowed him to control his Spirit, even when it wasn't in his hands, as if he were holding the Heaven-Shaking Axe with both hands. Because of this skill, he even created a unique attack method called the Eighteen Dragon Slashes, under which the Heaven-Shaking Axe could perform up to eighteen consecutive attacks.
However, this attack did not succeed. With a 'clang,' Jiang Peng saw that Wang Nan had placed the Coiling Dragon Staff behind his back with both hands, and the Heaven-Shaking Axe blade had only landed on the Coiling Dragon Staff.
The next moment, Wang Nan released his left hand, swung the Coiling Dragon Staff to stand in front of him with his right hand, and golden light flashed again. His figure had already appeared before Jiang Peng.
The Coiling Dragon Staff continuously magnified in front of Jiang Peng's eyes, appearing like a heaven-supporting pillar in a trance. The next moment, Wang Nan's second spirit ring lit up, and the Coiling Dragon Staff, with the force of a collapsing sky, 'slashed' toward Jiang Peng.
Jiang Peng's Eighteen Dragon Slashes attack was completely disrupted. He quickly clasped his hands and pulled them back to his chest, and the Heaven-Shaking Axe quickly flew back to block in front of him.
With one strike, the Heaven-Shaking Axe was sent flying back, landing on Jiang Peng. In an instant, he also experienced what Meng Hongchen had encountered that day. A surge of power came from the Heaven-Shaking Axe, passing through his entire body and striking the ground, making his leg bones feel as if they had shattered.
Not only that, but a mental impact followed. Vaguely, a golden light seemed to appear before him. The golden light was initially slender, but the next moment, it was as though a world unfolded before him, causing his sea of spirit to churn incessantly in just an instant. His head swelled painfully, and his temples throbbed.
Jiang Peng was somewhat dazed for a moment, even struggling to grasp Wang Nan's figure.
But he also knew he was in battle. Enduring the discomfort, he activated his fourth Spirit Ability. Several massive axe shadows swung out from the Heaven-Shaking Axe, hoping to block Wang Nan's subsequent attacks in this manner.
Wang Nan's gaze suddenly changed. His sixth spirit ring, which had never lit up since the start of the Soul Duel Tournament, finally bloomed with a dark golden light.
The Coiling Dragon Staff swung continuously, and the axe shadows vanished in the blink of an eye. Seeing that the next strike was about to land squarely on Jiang Peng, Jiang Peng hardened his heart. His first and fifth spirit rings lit up simultaneously, and the Heaven-Shaking Axe was instantly covered in a layer of dark black light.
However, the next moment, Jiang Peng's expression suddenly changed. Wang Nan's strike was incredibly powerful, its force even several times greater than before. Under the amplification of his fifth Spirit Ability, the Heaven-Shaking Axe was actually forced to crack, and his body was sent flying backward.
"Something's not right." In the rest area below the stage, Wang Yan suddenly spoke.
"What's wrong?" Everyone was puzzled and turned to look at him.
"Do you remember Xiao Nan's previous battles? With his control, he could ensure that not a single bit of power leaked out. But look at the stage now; the aura emanating from him is becoming difficult to suppress."
Just as Wang Yan said, although Wang Nan was still trying his best to restrain himself, the aura emanating from him continued to increase.
"Break for me!" Jiang Peng's hoarse voice came out. The ground beneath Wang Nan's feet suddenly cracked, and a strange circular symbol formed beneath him. In an instant, intense black flames erupted from the ground, and at the same time, a Heaven-Shaking Axe, twice as large and trailing magnificent black flames, descended from the sky.
The Heaven-Shaking Axe continuously spun, and ear-piercing explosions resounded. Dense black light surged out from the Heaven-Shaking Axe almost frantically.
The Heaven-Shaking Axe was like a black hole; even the surrounding light was distorted and swallowed wherever it passed.
This was Jiang Peng's sixth Spirit Ability, and also his strongest attack. Under this attack, even an invincible shield capable of withstanding a Spirit Douluo's attack would be damaged.
Wang Nan's right hand, gripping the middle of the Coiling Dragon Staff, trembled slightly. A faint golden light glowed on his right arm; the power of the Spirit Bone was helping him control the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand.
Then, his left hand pressed down, his right hand lifted, and his entire aura erupted. A loud dragon roar soared into the sky, and the front end of the Coiling Dragon Staff, like a dragon's head, rose high to meet the descending Heaven-Shaking Axe.
The darkness emanating from the Heaven-Shaking Axe seemed to swallow Wang Nan. However, the next moment, a golden light streaked across the sky, breaking through even the darkness created by the Heaven-Shaking Axe.
In the audience, tens of thousands of spectators were intently watching the match on the stage, but the next moment, someone felt a sudden coolness on their face.