Word Count: 2,835 Words
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The Mingdu Spirit Guidance Elite Tournament had reached its climactic moment.
Starsky Douluo Ye Yulin and six other Spirit Guidance Masters took their places at the judges' bench. The host strode onto the stage and projected his voice across the venue:
"Now I invite the finalists of the Spirit Guidance Tournament to take the stage. You have three hours to craft a Spirit Guidance Device under the supervision of all spectators and judges.
Any contestant who attempts to violate the rules or undermine fairness will be immediately expelled from the competition. Please conduct yourselves with caution."
From the Duskwater Alliance side, three Evil Spirit Masters marched forward with long, aggressive strides. The Alto Chamber of Commerce was represented by three Spirit Guidance Masters who appeared to be in their thirties, steady in demeanor and unremarkable in appearance.
Linglong Pavilion sent only a single representative: Ye Guyi.
Clad in a goose-yellow gown, she carried herself with the noble grace of an imperial princess. Her exquisite features and sacred, inviolable bearing instantly captivated every eye in the arena.
"Is Linglong Pavilion only sending one person to compete?" Nangong Wan asked coldly.
Ning Fengyu smiled faintly. "Quality over quantity. One is enough."
"This does not conform to the rules!"
An Litong's brows furrowed deeply. "The format was designed for nine contestants. Suddenly reducing that to seven makes it impossible for the competition to proceed!"
"We can simply change the rules. All three of our factions are present, after all." Ning Fengyu's smile resembled a cunning fox. "Round after round of matches is too tedious. Why not have all seven finish crafting their devices, then proceed directly to a battle royale?
The last one standing becomes champion."
"The Pavilion Master certainly has a generous heart. Don't forget what's at stake!" An Litong gritted his teeth.
The three major underground forces had wagered on this outcome. The champion's faction would gain exclusive control over rare metal smuggling rights. This was their most crucial source of funding, their very lifeline!
With the Duskwater Alliance already holding overwhelming power, An Litong had originally hoped to ally with Linglong Pavilion. Yet Ning Fengyu treated this critical competition like child's play!
"President An, since Pavilion Master Feng shows such confidence, I also support the seven-person melee proposal." Nangong Wan's voice dripped with mockery. "Unless you lack faith in your three Spirit Guidance Masters?"
In Nangong Wan's mind, a battle royale would only benefit the Duskwater Alliance. Three Evil Spirit Masters working together would inevitably crush the four ordinary Spirit Guidance Masters opposing them. He had no reason to refuse an advantage delivered directly to his doorstep.
An Litong's face darkened. The minority had to bow to the majority, and he could only offer a sullen nod of assent.
All three factions agreed, and the host hurried to report the change to the judges. Starsky Douluo Ye Yulin was present merely as a representative of the Sun Moon Imperial Family and couldn't care less how this rabble chose to fight. The sooner he could leave, the better. He approved the new format without hesitation.
Ning Fengyu, Nangong Wan, and An Litong exchanged cold glances before turning away with matching sneers. The seven contestants officially began crafting their Spirit Guidance Devices.
Ling Bai stood behind Ning Fengyu, mentally calculating that the three small teams should have completed their zero-cost shopping spree by now. The Sun Moon Treasury's resources were extraordinarily precious, so he had paired Ling Qiuxi, whose individual combat power was the strongest, with the defense-specialized 100,000-year Golden Tortoise.
Nangong Wan had transferred most of the Duskwater Alliance members to the finals venue. Ling Bai knew exactly who remained at their headquarters, and it was nothing the 80,000-year Light Spirit Holy Dragon couldn't handle. Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and the others were certainly no pushovers either.
The Alto Chamber of Commerce's experts were likewise here guarding An Litong, leaving their own headquarters hollow. Linglong Pavilion's elites had turned out in full force and would undoubtedly reap a massive harvest.
Tomorrow morning brought the Spirit Master Tournament finals. Xu Tianran's plan was to trap and slaughter the participating Spirit Masters from all three Douluo empires while ensuring Angelic Sanctuary couldn't escape. Signs of a city-wide lockdown were already appearing across Mingdu tonight, with several Class 9 Spirit Guidance Masters mobilized and troops stationed on all sides.
Jianmu Douluo stood ready to support the three teams at any moment, prepared to lead them through Mingdu's defenses and head west to rendezvous with Ling Bai and Ning Fengyu.
Three hours passed in a flash. Ye Yulin, who had been resting with closed eyes, suddenly snapped them open. Streams of silver light cascaded down, instantly halting the seven contestants' movements.
"Crafting time has ended. In the upcoming melee, you may only use the Spirit Guidance Device you created on-site and your own Martial Spirit. All other Spirit Guidance Devices are strictly forbidden!" His voice resonated with authority.
The seven contestants stepped onto the competition stage, tension etched across every face. Even the Spirit Master Tournament, which emphasized 'friendly competition,' claimed lives every year. This far more loosely regulated Spirit Guidance Tournament promised to be even more brutal.
The underground world knew no rules. This was genuine life-or-death combat.
Though ostensibly a seven-person free-for-all, the battle immediately crystallized into a three-versus-three-versus-one formation. The Duskwater Alliance and Alto Chamber of Commerce split cleanly into opposing camps, their eyes locked only on each other. The solitary Ye Guyi might as well not have existed.
Just as Nangong Wan had dangled the Class 9 Stationary Spirit Cannon shell Annihilation Storm as incentive, An Litong had privately promised rich rewards to his own contestants. A youth from the Alto Chamber of Commerce could no longer contain his urge to fight and charged toward the Duskwater Alliance trio.
Three yellow and three purple spirit rings rose beneath his feet. A six-ringed Spirit Emperor, yet his ring configuration was abysmal, lacking even a single 10,000-year ring. He swung his great saber, and a layer of dazzling red flame leaped along the blade, sending light and fire soaring skyward.
The three Evil Spirit Masters revealed identical sinister smiles. Huang Zheng was the first to release his Martial Spirit. His eyes flushed blood-red as a low, murmuring chant spilled from his lips. A faint purple-black radiance descended like mist, blanketing a thirty-meter radius around them.
Evil Servant!
The Evil Servant was one type of Evil Martial Spirit. Its strength wasn't particularly impressive and couldn't compare to top-tier entities like the Bone Dragon or Death God Demon Puppet. Its abilities leaned heavily toward support, allowing the user to cast various evil-infused spirit skills to weaken opponents while indirectly strengthening himself.
This was the Alto Chamber of Commerce youth's first encounter with an Evil Spirit Master. Lacking any countermeasures against such interference, his gaze grew unfocused and dull. Huang Zheng drew a pitch-black short sword and blurred forward. Dark blade-light struck like a viper's fang toward the back of the youth's skull.
Buzz—
Sacred gold-white radiance descended without warning and crashed into Huang Zheng. Massive plumes of black vapor erupted from his body as he screamed in agony and staggered backward.
All eyes turned toward the source of that light. Sacred intent bloomed across Ye Guyi's beautiful face as a pair of pure white wings unfurled behind her. Light-attribute blood flowed through her veins, and she would never permit Evil Spirit Masters to slaughter the living unchecked!
"Evil Spirit Masters, die!"
Ye Guyi gripped a longsword blazing with golden light from tip to hilt. Seven stars nestled within the blade, and the hilt bore a Core Array engraved with microscopic precision. Like Ning Tian, she walked the dual path of Spirit Master and Spirit Guidance Master, her crafting rank hovering just beneath the Class 7 threshold.
The seven stars blazed. Her sword carved a shocking rainbow through the air, spanning dozens of meters as it descended toward Huang Zheng. Its magnificent, righteous momentum seemed capable of cleaving the entire stage in half.
The Holy Angel was the natural nemesis of Evil Spirit Masters. Her sword glare contained holy power that purified all things. Huang Zheng felt his body temperature soar as intense terror seized him, crushing any thought of resistance. His legs buckled and he crumpled to the ground like a boneless shrimp.
BOOM—
The holy sword light carved a long gully across the stage. Both sides of the trench glowed brilliant gold, melting at visible speed from the terrifying heat.
Huang Zheng, predictably, dissolved into drifting ash. A brilliant light flared in Ye Guyi's eyes. A six-ringed Evil Spirit Emperor made for a veritable feast, and she could feel her spirit power visibly swell.
"Holy Angel... she's actually with Linglong Pavilion!"
Nangong Wan shot to his feet, glaring murderously at Ye Guyi as she pursued the remaining two Evil Spirit Masters.
The Holy Angel had emerged several years ago, destroying many of the Holy Spirit Cult's branches. At the time, however, the Seraphim's growth rate had been far too terrifying, and the Holy Cult had devoted itself entirely to hunting down the Seraphim, paying the Holy Angel little mind.
Later, the Holy Angel vanished without a trace, and the Holy Spirit Cult lost all leads on her whereabouts. As it turned out, Linglong Pavilion had been sheltering her all along!
"Brother Death Abyss, today we have no choice but to act!" Nangong Wan said viciously.
Before a Holy Angel, Evil Spirit Masters of the same rank couldn't withstand a single blow. According to Zhongli Wu's instructions, if a peaceful resolution proved impossible, the Duskwater Alliance would revert to its true specialty: violence and slaughter!
On the competition stage, the Holy Angel's gold-white radiance illuminated the world. Ye Guyi's saintly features were suffused with a glow of pure, righteous energy.
The Evil Spirit Masters let out their final, piercing shrieks before dissolving like smoke. The three Alto Chamber of Commerce contestants sighed, shook their heads helplessly, and descended from the stage.
An Litong allowed himself a small breath of relief. Linglong Pavilion winning the championship was still far preferable to the Duskwater Alliance claiming victory. Yet the Duskwater Alliance's methods were savage and overbearing; they never rested until their goals were met. The three figures beside Nangong Wan radiated overpowering auras and were clearly far from benevolent. Would they truly relinquish the rare metal smuggling rights willingly?
"The competition has concluded. Linglong Pavilion wins the Mingdu Spirit Guidance Elite Tournament!"
Ye Yulin produced a revolving sphere of gold-and-silver light and sent it floating before Ye Guyi with a gentle push of spirit power. "The champion's prize is a Spirit Guidance Device personally crafted by this old man, named the Sun Moon Divine Needle. It symbolizes the stabilizing pillar of the Sun Moon Empire.
This attack-type high-altitude Spirit Guidance Device can reach a maximum altitude of 1,600 meters, with a strike zone thirty kilometers in diameter. Given sufficient spiritual power, a Spirit Guidance Master can use it to scout any location within that range and execute precision strikes.
The Sun Moon Divine Needle is this old man's proudest creation. I trust you will not allow it to be sullied. Furthermore, do not attempt to deconstruct this device under any circumstances, or you will bear the consequences yourself."
"Many thanks, Starsky Douluo."
Ye Guyi accepted the Sun Moon Divine Needle. It consisted of two ring-shaped Spirit Guidance Devices, one large and one small. The larger ring measured about one and a half meters in diameter, the smaller roughly one meter. Both surfaces were engraved with complex, intricate patterns.
The sky was the Angel Clan's home turf. Operating a high-altitude Spirit Guidance Device like the Sun Moon Divine Needle would be second nature to her, and Ye Guyi was immediately taken with it.
The seven judges departed on the wind. Spectators gradually filtered from the stands until only the three major underground forces remained.
Ning Fengyu regarded the two men's livid faces with an air of perfect composure before teasing, "The Mingdu Spirit Guidance Elite Tournament championship belongs to Linglong Pavilion. The wager is settled. President An, Alliance Leader Nangong... when will you be withdrawing from the rare metal smuggling business?"
"Withdraw from smuggling... what a joke!"
Nangong Wan jabbed a finger toward Death Abyss Douluo and laughed wildly. "This is the Holy Cult's Death Abyss Douluo! Hand over all your underground holdings and rare metals, and perhaps Brother Death Abyss will show mercy and spare your lives!"
"Death Abyss Douluo!"
An Litong's pupils quaked the moment he laid eyes on that devilishly handsome youth. His body trembled involuntarily.
What kind of person was Death Abyss Douluo?!
Ultimate Death!
Super Evil Douluo!
The man who punched Shrek and kicked the Body Sect!
Ye Guyi bit her lip lightly and tightened her grip on the Seven Star Longsword. Death Abyss Douluo's infamy was unmatched. He was the most evil among Evil Spirit Masters, the Angel Clan's mortal enemy!
Nangong Wan heaved a long, dramatic sigh. "For Xu Tianran's sake, we Evil Spirit Masters rarely agree to peaceful solutions. Who could have predicted accidents would keep cropping up?
An Litong, you hold no value to us whatsoever. But Pavilion Master Fengyu, allow me to show you a way out!
Hand over the Holy Angel and obediently become Brother Death Abyss's woman. That is your only path to survival!"
Vengeance Douluo and Masquerade Douluo advanced with hideous grins, clearly intent on seizing Ning Fengyu and dragging her off to Death Abyss Douluo's chambers that very night.
The two Evil Douluo bore down with menacing strides. Ning Fengyu's expression transformed in a heartbeat. She whirled around, latched onto Ling Bai's arm, and shook it while wailing in a pitifully exaggerated voice:
"Wuwuwu, Xiao Bai, these fiends want to kidnap me and make me their bandit bride! Are you going to do something about this?!"
Ling Bai extracted his arm from that dangerously soft embrace with visible difficulty. He shot her a look of pure disdain, then peeled away his Class 8 Spirit Guidance Mask. Six brilliant golden angelic wings erupted from his back, their blazing radiance flooding the entire venue in an instant!
"S-Seraphim!"
Vengeance and Masquerade slammed to a halt. Nangong Wan's jaw hit the floor.
"You... how can you be here?!"
"Because of your filthy evil stench!"
The Seraphim was a Holy Martial Spirit that far surpassed even the Holy Angel. Under this overwhelming, majestic pressure, every Evil Spirit Master in the Duskwater Alliance retreated involuntarily, including all three Evil Douluo!
Even Evil Phoenix Douluo Feng Ling had been unable to withstand the Seraphim. For three ordinary Titled Douluo, stepping forward would be nothing short of suicide!
"Seraphim, long time no see. I never expected you would dare show yourself before this Seat..."
Just then, Death Abyss Douluo appeared like a ray of light, the very salvation of the Duskwater Alliance!
One instant he wasn't there; the next, he stood before Nangong Wan. Nangong Wan was nearly moved to tears!
All those offerings over the years... Death Abyss Douluo had been worth every single coin!
"Brother Death Abyss, kill these two angels and rid the Holy Cult of its enemies!" Nangong Wan cheered with fervor.
"Naturally."
Death Abyss Douluo stood with his hands clasped behind his back, affecting the demeanor of an unfathomable master as he met the Seraphim's gaze with cold indifference.
"Ling Bai, Death Abyss Douluo is here too. We..." Worry tinged Ye Guyi's voice.
"Holy and Evil must clash eventually. Today, we settle everything at once!"
Ling Bai tossed out those words with casual ease, then gripped the Angel Sword and transformed into a massive golden meteor hurtling toward Death Abyss Douluo!
"Bring it on!"
Death Abyss Douluo sneered disdainfully and summoned the Death Abyss Bone Dragon to meet the charge!
"Death Abyss Douluo, give—me—your—life!"
"Seraphim, go—to—hell!"
A terrifying explosion swept across sky and earth. The aftershocks of Holy clashing with Evil tore the dome clean from its foundations, and a figure was flung backward through the air. Everyone strained to see who held the upper hand!
Ling Bai hovered proudly in the sky. Death Abyss Douluo, meanwhile, appeared gravely wounded, clutched in the Death Abyss Bone Dragon's palm. His true condition remained hidden from those below, but a feeble voice drifted down:
"The Seraphim's way too powerful! I'm no match~
Brother Nangong, hold on! I'll go fetch the Cult Leader to save you!"
"Th-That fast?!"
Ye Guyi gaped in disbelief. Death Abyss Douluo seemed far weaker than the legends claimed!
Every member of all three factions stood with mouths agape, their collective stupor achieving a certain brain-dead beauty. Nangong Wan's mind finally sputtered back to life after the initial shock.
Something's wrong!
Without Death Abyss Douluo, weren't they just meat on the Seraphim's chopping block?!
He flung a desperate hand skyward, screaming until his voice cracked and his lungs tore:
"Death Abyss! Death Abyss!
Don't go!
Death Abyss, how can I live without you, Death Abyss!!!"