The moment the black dragon appeared, gloomy clouds began to gather over Yu Ming City.
With cultivation at the level of a Limit Douluo, one step further would exceed the upper limit of this world. Immense power was contained in every movement. Long Xiaoyao merely revealing his Martial Soul True Body was enough to trigger changes in the heavens and earth.
His massive, elongated body was half-hidden within the clouds. The scales exposed outside reflected a dark luster, like polished black jade.
A profound dark aura radiated from the giant dragon. Even Xuan Zi, who was only a step away from the Limit Douluo realm, felt secretly alarmed upon sensing it.
After disappearing from the continent for many years, Long Xiaoyao had revealed his Martial Soul True Body above Yu Ming City. The Dark Saint Dragon, dormant for decades, had once again appeared on the Douluo Continent, proclaiming to the world the might of a powerhouse from that era.
At the same time, the more power Long Xiaoyao displayed, the more attention focused on Wang Nan.
What kind of strength could force a figure like Long Xiaoyao to unleash his Martial Soul True Body?
Facing the encirclement of several Titled Douluo, Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui had remained calm, effortlessly withstanding their attacks. Yet under Wang Nan's single strike, Long Xiaoyao had been driven to reveal his true form.
Aside from Long Xiaoyao himself, no one knew what was truly contained within Wang Nan's blow.
The jet-black dragon head stretched forward, and a pair of enormous dragon eyes swept over Wang Nan.
The elemental forces of heaven and earth surged continuously toward him, concentrating most intensely at his glabella and chest.
As a Limit Douluo, Long Xiaoyao was extremely familiar with such a phenomenon.
"You have actually already condensed two Soul Cores."
His surprised voice rumbled from the dragon's mouth, deep and thunderous.
With two Soul Cores, Wang Nan's spirit power existed in a threefold state of coexistence. Moreover, in that earlier strike, Long Xiaoyao had sensed Wang Nan's will. His understanding of his spirit and of his own intent had already reached a considerable level.
Long Xiaoyao faintly felt that, aside from the total quantity of spirit power, the gap between them was not as great as expected. That was why he had felt a trace of danger in that exchange.
As his thunderous words echoed through the sky, countless gazes turned toward Wang Nan.
Everyone present was a Titled Douluo, and they all understood what possessing two Soul Cores represented. Xuan Zi, in particular, had once failed to break through to the Limit Douluo realm and knew all too well the difficulty of condensing a second Soul Core. Even amid powerful enemies, once his gaze landed on Wang Nan, he could no longer look away.
"I was overconfident," Long Xiaoyao said slowly. "I intended to let you strike first. It seems I am truly old and underestimated the genius of this Douluo Continent."
His massive eyes swept across the battlefield. Wherever his gaze passed, the Titled Douluo of Shrek Academy instinctively heightened their vigilance.
"It seems you have already surpassed your teachers. Very well. It has been many years since I last fought. It is time for the world to witness what it truly means to be a Limit."
As a level ninety-nine Limit Douluo, Long Xiaoyao possessed his own pride. Against a junior, he would never take the initiative. Yet he had not expected Wang Nan's strike to exceed his expectations so greatly.
Now that the exchange had occurred, the true battle had begun.
Clouds churned violently as the massive black dragon swam through them. The dense clouds seemed to recoil in fear, rapidly dispersing and clearing a path. In the next moment, a colossal black dragon claw extended from the fog.
The sharp talons gleamed coldly, carrying overwhelming spirit power as they descended toward Wang Nan.
Wang Nan could clearly sense that Long Xiaoyao was holding nothing back. This seemingly simple claw strike contained the full might of a Limit Douluo, as if it sought to annihilate everything beneath it.
The power within the claw was not merely spirit power. A rich dark aura and powerful mental force fluctuations radiated outward. Space twisted around the claw, as though even light itself were being devoured. The already dim sky grew even more distorted.
Yet there was one thing Long Xiaoyao likely had not anticipated.
Wang Nan not only possessed two Soul Cores, but also the Yin-Yang Complementary Soul Core, something nearly impossible for humans to achieve.
As the first Soul Core rotated, mental force and spirit power fused into one. As the second rotated, energy and blood power intertwined with spirit power. Yin and Yang complemented one another, tightly binding these different forces together.
Though inferior in total quantity, Wang Nan's spirit power was far more condensed. Moreover, the Coiling Dragon Staff was a spirit that released greater power when facing a stronger opponent.
Within his body, strengthened many times over, spirit power surged rapidly through his wide meridians. Responding to his will, the Evil Breaking Dragon and the Coiling Dragon Staff shone with brilliant golden light.
With a press and lift of his hands, the Coiling Dragon Staff rose like a golden dragon lifting its head. Wang Nan let out a low roar, deep and resonant, like the cry of an ancient dragon.
The staff met the descending claw. A giant dragon coiled around the rod, swimming slowly as dazzling golden light burst forth.
Like a meteor tearing across the night sky, or the rising sun illuminating the horizon, the golden point of light was at first insignificant against the darkness. Then it rapidly expanded, flooding outward.
Wang Nan's ninth spirit ring flickered faintly, as though night were passing and dormant souls were awakening within the light.
When rod and claw collided, space shattered in less than half a breath. The clouds above were instantly dispersed, and terrifying cracks spread outward. The sound itself was swallowed by chaotic spatial turbulence, leaving the collision eerily silent.
"Not good!" Xuan Zi exclaimed in alarm. Brilliant yellow light spread outward, forming a barrier that halted the further collapse of space.
Seeing this, Wang Nan withdrew his gaze from below, looked up at the black dragon in the sky, and raised his staff once more.
On the ground, Pan Yue and his surrounding guards stared at the golden figure in awe, as if something unseen had begun to take root in their hearts.
On the city wall, Mo Xuan, who was maintaining his Spirit Ability, suddenly felt his legs give way. Covering the entire battlefield had already strained his mental force, and the shock from above instantly disrupted his ability.
"Give the order. Have all Spirit Masters retreat into Yu Ming City!"
White Tiger Duke Dai Hao caught Mo Xuan and immediately issued the command to the messenger beside him.
Marshal Dai Hao looked up at the sky. The clash of those two forces shook even his soul.
He understood clearly that whether Yu Ming City could be held no longer depended on the Spirit Masters below.
All they could do now was wait for the victor to be decided in the battlefield above.