Chapter 409: Decisive Outcome
Amid the crashing thunder, blue-purple lightning erupted across the sky like a forest of bolts, forcing an opening in the sea of flames. Draped in purple, her long, violet hair flowing, a woman with a strikingly sharp beauty and a serious expression appeared.
"Lei Prison Vine… you…" Dai Yao murmured, visibly surprised.
He hadn't expected that, at this critical moment, his helper would be none other than the Thunder Prison Vine herself.
She raised a porcelain-white finger, glanced at Dai Yao, then turned to face the Grand Elder, saying, "I owe you much, so think of this as my repayment. Don't waste time—your opponent is powerful, and I won't be able to hold him off for long."
The Thunder Prison Vine's cultivation had skyrocketed, going from just over ten thousand years to nearly fifty thousand years in the short time she had spent training near the Chaos Green Lotus. With a little more time, she could even become a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
When that time came, if she chose to revive as a human, Dai Yao would be obligated to return her fourth spirit ring. Such a loss would significantly weaken Dai Yao, and reviving her wouldn't be without cost—it would demand more than just spirit rings and power.
Would Dai Yao be willing to pay that price? She occasionally wondered.
She knew he would likely refuse; why would he sacrifice so much for her? So, she kept silent on the matter, reasoning that staying by the Chaos Green Lotus wasn't a bad deal—it might even let her transcend the curse of the Thunder Prison Vine before reaching a hundred thousand years.
But what would become of her after? The question lingered, surfacing from time to time.
Dai Yao felt grateful but kept his emotions contained. Although her power was short of the Grand Elder's level, the Thunder Prison Vine's high-explosive lightning ability could at least disrupt him, making it difficult for him to unleash his ninth spirit skill freely.
With a steadying breath, Dai Yao resumed compressing the spirit power in his right fist…
Crack!
Bolts of lightning shot toward the Grand Elder from all angles.
The Grand Elder frowned, feeling uneasy. The sheer intensity and density of the lightning threatened to break through his defenses and possibly injure him. Forced to release his hold, he formed a protective barrier with fire elements around himself.
Endless lightning hammered against the shield, sending ripples across its surface. Only a few bolts managed to break through, grazing the Grand Elder and causing minor discomfort.
Through the fiery shield, he first eyed Dai Yao, sensing the deadly energy building in his right fist, then turned his gaze to the mysterious figure in purple. He squinted as an odd feeling washed over him; she didn't seem entirely human. Her mastery of lightning was beyond anything the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan could achieve. It was as though the explosive lightning responded to her like a tamed pet.
"Who are you?" he demanded coldly.
As far as he was concerned, anyone aiding Dai Yao was an enemy.
Seeing her attacks being easily blocked, Thunder Prison Vine furrowed her delicate brows, giving a disdainful snort and ignoring his question. She felt he wasn't worth her time.
Her eyes glimmered with a hint of lightning. With a sweeping motion, she raised her hand toward the Grand Elder, her fingers spread wide. Lightning gathered, and under the static, her long, silken hair began to float upward. Eyes narrowing, she murmured, "Heaven's Wrath!"
A massive bolt of lightning, several meters wide, crashed down onto the shield. Moments later, it shattered, and the Grand Elder was forced to break his ninth spirit skill charge to narrowly dodge Thunder Prison Vine's attack.
The immense lightning strike hit the ground below, reducing it to a charred wasteland. In the distant Star Luo City, countless people looked skyward, trying to discern what was happening above.
Dugu Bo and the Seventh Elder broke off their fight, both glancing upward. The dense concentration of fire and lightning elements in the sky was palpable, making their hearts race.
"What dense fire and lightning energy… That lightning must have been Dai Yao's doing. If it hit me, I'd struggle to withstand it. Seems like Dai Yao might actually stand a chance against the Grand Elder," Dugu Bo muttered in astonishment.
Meanwhile, the Seventh Elder's expression darkened. He understood well enough where the lightning had come from and cursed inwardly, "A Super Douluo, wasting so much time and still unable to handle a mere Soul Emperor… this Grand Elder is nothing but an empty title!"
The tension among onlookers intensified, their anxiety only deepening after witnessing the colossal lightning strike.
…
The Grand Elder stared intently at the purple-clad figure, his eyes filled with caution. Had he not acted swiftly, he would have suffered grave injuries from that last strike.
"This level of lightning manipulation… Even the old dragon from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan doesn't have such finesse. Just who is she? When did the world gain such a powerful figure?"
A wild thought crossed the Grand Elder's mind, and he couldn't shake it.
The only possible explanation for her incredible command over lightning was that she wasn't human! The suspicion fit perfectly with all the unknowns surrounding her.
"Are you… a spirit beast?!" he roared.
Being of Thunder God's lineage, the Thunder Prison Vine wielded lightning effortlessly, though the immense attack had still drained her spirit power by nearly half. She took a deep breath and, upon hearing the Grand Elder's realization, didn't bother to respond. Instead, she raised her hand again, preparing another blast. Turning slightly toward Dai Yao, she said, "I have enough power left for one more strike. After that, my spirit power will be depleted, and you'll be on your own."
Dai Yao nodded, his eighth compression nearing completion.
As her final lightning bolt tore through the air, her stunning form gradually dissipated. The Grand Elder watched warily, his heart still racing. Without her interference, he would've completed his ninth spirit skill by now.
"Gone, is she? As I thought… Using lightning-based spirit skills drains too much energy. If she had managed to delay me further, Dai Yao might have completed his skill while I was still charging mine. What's her connection to him, anyway? Why would a spirit beast side with him?"
He glanced at the space around Dai Yao, seeing the air start to warp from the overwhelming energy. His pupils constricted.
"So that's his trump card? To hide his power until now, only revealing it now that it poses a genuine threat… If this isn't even his limit, then…"
He dared not finish the thought.
By now, he had no means of interrupting Dai Yao. With that blood-red spirit ring shimmering, no physical attack would reach him, and his energy attacks had proved ineffective. It had come down to their strongest abilities, a final collision of ultimate moves.
A dry smile crossed the Grand Elder's face. "You want to settle this in one blow? So be it. Do you really think, as a mere Soul Emperor, you can defeat me, a Super Douluo?"
Resuming his ninth spirit skill, the fire elements that had been scattered by the lightning reformed, converging toward the Grand Elder with renewed intensity. Flames twisted and whirled around him, gathering into a fiery vortex that filled the sky.
In the sky, it looked as if a second sun had risen!
At that very moment, Dai Yao began his ninth compression. Squinting against the blinding light, he could feel the explosive heat scorching his skin. The overwhelming fire elements raged toward him like a tidal wave, and he felt like a lone boat adrift on a violent sea.
Taking a steadying breath, he glanced at his right fist and muttered, "This is it—victory or defeat in one blow!"
The ninth compression was exponentially harder than the previous eight. It required channeling his spirit power into the atmosphere, transforming it like a massive furnace to complete the final compression. The difficulty of controlling this externalized spirit power was immense; any slight misstep, and it would explode instantly.
Until now, he had never fully succeeded with the ninth compression, but even a partial attempt at this stage held power far beyond the eighth compression, possibly enough to block the Grand Elder's ninth spirit skill.
Below, the retreating disciples of the Qinglian Sect, their elders, and their allies all depended on Dai Yao to withstand the Grand Elder's attack so they could safely escape. With the weight of so many lives on his shoulders, he knew he had to give everything to unleash the complete ninth compression.
As he focused entirely on his spirit power, the intense heat and stinging pain on his skin gradually faded from his awareness. The world grew silent, leaving only the soft hum of his spirit power in motion.
The spirit power began seeping into the air, and Dai Yao felt a resistance, like trying to move through thick mud. But with all his prior training, he was used to this sensation. The wild energy in his hands calmed, like a loyal pet, and began to compress obediently.
Crack!
As he compressed the power, the air around him trembled, emitting a sound like shattered glass. Air currents surged from him like waves, sending his clothes and golden hair billowing wildly, while the surrounding atmosphere roared like a storm.
Dai Yao's gaze remained fixed on the power he was compressing. He felt an unusual calm, with none of the instability he had previously experienced. A strong premonition filled him—he was confident he could achieve a perfect ninth compression and unleash the full force of his Eight Extremes Collapse!
Even from far below, everyone could feel the overwhelming power emanating from these two formidable forces. Countless people looked up at the sky.
The sky was divided in half—one side ablaze in red, the other shrouded in ominous darkness. The red clouds rapidly consumed the dark side, with only a stubborn patch of black remaining, holding its ground. The absence of the Thunder Prison Vine's influence left the black clouds unstable and easily scattered by the Grand Elder's fire.
"The Grand Elder is going to win!" the Second Elder exclaimed, a hint of relief in his voice. The terrifying presence of Dai Yao had made him fear for his life, and with the Grand Elder poised to kill him, he finally felt the weight lifting from his shoulders.
Several Star Luo soul masters also relaxed visibly. Dai Yao's return to Star Luo City had brought overwhelming pressure. If he had waited even a few more years, they knew they would have stood no chance.
Bullhorn had just parried a soul master's attack when he looked up at the sky, his brow furrowing. "What now? It looks like the Sect Master is going to lose!"
White Crane appeared at his side, sighing. "He's only a Soul Emperor. Facing a Super Douluo is pushing him too far. Old Goat, if we're to escape, it's all on you."
But Yang Wudi didn't respond, his sharp eyes fixed on the sky. Suddenly, a look of shock crossed his face. "No, White Crane, Bullhorn—the Sect Master hasn't lost! I can sense it—there's an incredible power brewing within that patch of black clouds!"
White Crane and Bullhorn were stunned and immediately looked skyward.
…
Ding—
The black spirit ring flashed, and all around them, the once-rolling fire elements froze, the air temperature slowly dropping. The Grand Elder now appeared to be a frail old man, with no trace of spirit power emanating from him.
He gazed calmly at Dai Yao, who appeared like a mere speck miles away, and spoke in a level tone, "You're quite impressive. For a talent like you to emerge from the Dai family is indeed our good fortune. But, unfortunately, we failed to grasp that fortune. To drive me to such lengths today is no small feat."
His voice, like thunder, rolled through the sky.
Dai Yao smirked, but his expression soon returned to its usual coldness. How could he be blamed for the current state of enmity with the Star Luo Imperial Family? The Empress had sought revenge, and his so-called "father" had stood by passively. The revered elders had done nothing at all.
If even one person had extended a hand to help, things might have been different.
"Things have come this far—there's no use assigning blame now. I, Dai Yao, have avenged myself, with only the Empress left. If the Dai family wants me dead, I'm not the helpless pawn I once was! Bring it on, old man!"
Dai Yao lowered himself, positioning his right fist behind him, carefully away from his waist. The terrifying energy in his fist burned as hot as the sun itself.
For the first time, he felt in control of such immense power, certain that even the Grand Elder could not stop him.
Hearing his words, the Grand Elder sighed softly. His eyes hardened, and he said grimly, "Very well. Though you bear the Dai family name, you have slain our Star Luo Emperor—a crime punishable by death! Today, I will enforce family law and execute you myself!"
The Grand Elder's ninth spirit ring flashed wildly as he brought his hands together to form a triangle aimed at Dai Yao. The frozen fire elements around him suddenly surged to life, spiraling with explosive energy.
"Ninth Spirit Skill: Inferno Tiger God Cannon!" the Grand Elder roared.
At his words, an immense triangular column of fire burst forth. The intense energy twisted the space around it and left a trail of charred air in its wake, incinerating everything in its path.
Dai Yao's eyes gleamed with fierce determination as he swung his right fist down. His voice rang out in a powerful shout:
"Eight Extremes—Collapse!"
Boom—
A cataclysmic force erupted, splitting the sky like a dragon's roar as it collided with the Grand Elder's ninth spirit skill.
Rumble—
A deafening explosion shook the heavens and the earth, making the ground tremble. Buildings below quaked as everyone struggled to stay upright, gazing at the sky in shock. But the next moment, their faces froze in awe.
In the sky, the massive fiery clouds, which had covered almost everything, were split open like a cake, revealing a giant wedge of clear blue. The wedge continued to expand as if a force were pushing the fiery clouds back, creating an open path for the sun to shine down in brilliant rays.
Golden sunlight poured through that wedge in the clouds, illuminating the ground below…
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