Just as Ling Luochen barely managed to withstand the combined barrage from Mika and Xiao Hongchen, Zhou Sicheng and Dai Yueheng shot forward like arrows loosed from a bowstring, lightning-fast and unstoppable.
Facing the enormous fireball hurled by Li Yan—the "Flame Infernal Demon"—they saw a sphere of blazing destruction, half a meter wide, rolling toward them like a miniature sun, bringing with it a wave of scorching heat that threatened to melt everything in its path.
Without hesitation, Dai Yueheng activated his second soul skill. A brilliant golden wave burst from his mouth like a blade of divine light, slicing cleanly through the fireball. The blazing sphere shattered into countless fiery fragments that scattered through the air.
Zhou Sicheng's movements, however, were even more explosive. Instead of slowing down, his speed surged—like a rocket igniting to full power.
A massive golden dragon claw materialized from condensed light, the radiant power of his Bright Dragon spirit surging forth like a tidal wave. In an instant, it solidified, the claw gleaming as it seized the fireball in its grip.
With a furious roar, Zhou Sicheng hurled the flaming mass back toward the Sun Moon Team.
Lin Xi, still catching his breath, felt a rush of exhaustion and tension sweep over him. Seeing the blazing fireball flying back at them, he couldn't help but curse under his breath.
He reacted instantly, drawing from his soul tool belt a laser rifle that gleamed with cold metallic luster. Gripping it tightly, he pulled the trigger without hesitation. A blinding beam of light shot forth, piercing through the fireball and detonating it midair. A magnificent explosion of flame lit up the sky.
Meanwhile, empowered by both his first and third amplifying soul skills, Dai Yueheng's aura surged dramatically. Like a war god descending from the heavens, he charged directly toward the three-meter-tall Flame Infernal Demon, engaging Li Yan in a fierce, earth-shaking duel.
Though Li Yan possessed only five rings, his fusion of martial soul and soul tools—augmented by Xiao Xiafeng's support-type soul skill—granted him a strange, potent power that allowed him to hold his ground, at least temporarily.
At the same time, Zhou Sicheng shot past the clashing combatants like a streak of golden lightning, eyes gleaming as he locked his sights on Ma Rulong and the Hongchen siblings.
But Ma Rulong had clearly anticipated this. A new soul tool was mounted on his shoulder—one of his personal masterpieces, a Grade-7 soul tool: the High-Temperature Ray Cannon.
Even as he aimed at Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao above, the black light surged from his forehead. A black helmet manifested around his head, crowned by a crimson gemstone embedded at the center. The gem flared to life with a sinister red glow, as if infused with demonic energy.
A beam of dark red light shot forth from the gemstone, fast as lightning, racing straight toward Zhou Sicheng.
The attack was blisteringly fast—too fast for most to see—but Zhou Sicheng reacted instantly. His dragon claw, gleaming with divine brilliance, lashed out. The sheer force of the strike made the very air tremble, smashing the crimson light aside.
But it halted his advance.
The red beam fell to the ground and reshaped into a figure—a crimson-furred ape about one and a half meters tall. Its arms were long and powerful, its fur glimmered like translucent ruby crystal, and its eyes shone gold, filled with a predatory, devouring hunger.
Roaring in fury after being struck back, the ape steadied itself and bellowed—a thunderous sound that rippled through the air.
The crimson gem on Ma Rulong's helmet flared again, sending another beam of light into the ape's body. The creature swelled instantly, its aura surging.
At the same time, Ma Rulong unleashed his High-Temperature Ray toward Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao, a searing serpent of molten energy streaking upward.
Lin Xi joined in, aiming his laser weapon skyward to assist. Even if they couldn't cause serious harm, keeping the two airborne opponents at bay was enough.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xiafeng stood rooted to the ground like a metal fortress, a steamed bun still clamped in his mouth. Metallic clanging erupted around him—a mechanical symphony of destruction.
Eighty-one gun barrels unfolded around his circular base, all aimed toward Ling Luochen and her two allies at the rear of Shrek's formation.
It was the Soul Tool Turret Array again—the Sun Moon Team's signature firepower tactic. Though it consumed immense soul power, its coverage and destructive potential were unmatched.
But at this very moment, Zhou Sicheng faced the ape once more—its body now swollen to a towering three meters, its aura feral and violent.
A ten-thousand-year soul beast—Bloodthirsty Demon Ape!
It roared and met Zhou Sicheng's dragon claw head-on, its fists colliding against the radiant talons.
Zhou Sicheng, empowered by Gongyang Mo's buffs and his own amplifying skills, exploded with volcanic power. His raw strength—tempered by countless heavenly treasures, soul rings, and soul bones—was overwhelming. Even as a five-ring Soul King, the divine might of his Bright Holy Dragon martial soul eclipsed that of a ten-thousand-year beast.
And since this was a enslaved soul beast, Zhou Sicheng held nothing back.
With a cold glare, he struck again, smashing the ape backward.
The Bloodthirsty Demon Ape was stunned.
Is this... the power of a mere Soul King?!
Even in its enraged state—strong enough to contend with a Soul Emperor-level assault-type soul master—it was completely overpowered.
It roared again, shaking the air violently, crimson fur bristling like steel needles as it prepared to charge once more.
But Zhou Sicheng wasn't interested in wasting time. His gaze hardened, his golden eyes narrowing as his aura condensed, a terrifying energy swelling within him.
In the next moment, his eyes flared open—blazing gold.
A divine, majestic pressure rippled outward like a tidal wave.
"Domain—Sovereign's Might!"
His voice was deep and commanding, carrying a natural authority that echoed through the battlefield.
In an instant, the rampaging Bloodthirsty Demon Ape froze. The savagery in its eyes evaporated, replaced by raw terror. Its massive frame trembled, locked in place by an invisible power.
And not just the ape—the entire Sun Moon Team felt it.
Even Ma Rulong, with six soul rings, staggered backward several steps, cold sweat dripping down his face.
The others—Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, Lin Xi, Xiao Xiafeng—all felt an unbearable weight pressing on them like a mountain.
"A domain…!" Xiao Hongchen gasped, eyes wide in disbelief.
No one had expected Zhou Sicheng to unleash such an overwhelming ability in the midst of battle.
The sheer might of Sovereign's Might was crushing. Xiao Xiafeng hadn't even fired his turret before the pressure forced him to his knees, his arms shaking as he struggled to stay upright.
The Sun Moon Team's fiery morale instantly evaporated, their movements sluggish, like wading through thick mire.
A primal instinct overtook them—an urge to kneel before Zhou Sicheng's divine majesty.
Zhou's golden eyes gleamed coldly as he spoke one word—
"Kneel!"
The command reverberated like divine decree, striking straight into their souls.
The Bloodthirsty Demon Ape trembled violently, and before anyone could react—it knelt. The massive beast bowed its head low, unable to meet Zhou Sicheng's gaze, its savagery utterly erased.
With a calm stride, Zhou Sicheng stepped forward and lashed out. His leg whipped through the air like a steel cable, smashing the ape aside. It crashed heavily into the ground, tumbling back toward Huang Jinxu, who barely managed to catch it.
The beast didn't resist—it cowered, trembling uncontrollably beside him like a frightened cub.
Each step Zhou Sicheng took forward deepened the pressure. Fear spread through the Sun Moon Team like wildfire.
Xiao Xiafeng and Lin Xi couldn't hold on any longer—they collapsed to their knees, completely subdued by the domain's might.
Their mighty soul turrets became nothing more than useless scrap under this absolute oppression.
Ma Rulong, though faring slightly better, could barely defend against the twin onslaughts of Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao, who now darted gracefully through the air like twin spirits of flame and light, dismantling the last remnants of the Thunder Prison formation.
The battle had turned.
Only Li Yan and the Hongchen siblings still held their ground.
Li Yan's Infernal Demon form gave him some resistance, but Dai Yueheng's overwhelming force drove him back step after step.
As for the Hongchen siblings—Xiao and Meng—they had already begun to merge.
The moment Zhou's domain spread, Xiao Hongchen dismissed control of his 128 soul tool cannons. The metallic artillery disintegrated into fine dust, which he instantly absorbed through his Mechanical Fusion Spirit, devouring the essence of his own creations to restore his strength.
Meng Hongchen stepped behind him, her icy aura intertwining with his.
Their bodies began to glow as they merged—blue and gold light spiraling upward in a dazzling column that tore through the air.
The audience gasped in awe. Between Ma Rulong's ten-thousand-year beast, Zhou Sicheng's domain, and now the Hongchen siblings' fusion—this was no longer just a tournament match, but a clash of legends.
Even Huang Jinxu, a Titled Douluo, couldn't help but feel a touch of envy as he watched Zhou Sicheng. He knew all too well how rare and powerful a domain skill was—yet this boy, barely thirteen, already commanded one.
From the imperial stands, Xu Jiawei's eyes gleamed with pride and excitement. A broad smile spread across his face.
He realized now that everything Zhou Sicheng had shown before… might have only been the tip of the iceberg.
This child's potential was beyond imagination.
The stronger Zhou Sicheng's talent proved, the more justified Xu Jiawei's decision became. He could already envision the boy's dazzling future within the Douluo Continent.
Even Dai Hao, standing beside him, looked utterly stunned. A domain… in a youth tournament? It defied belief.
Among the powerful soul masters watching, the reaction was the same—shock, awe, and envy.
They knew well what it meant to possess a domain. It was a mark of those standing at the pinnacle of the soul master world.
And behind Xu Jiawei, Xu Jiujui's eyes shone with delight.
She had already admired Zhou Sicheng before—but now, her heart raced even faster.
His hidden strength, his composure, his audacity to act weak even when he was overwhelmingly powerful—this restraint, this ambition…
That was exactly the kind of man she dreamed of.
As she watched Zhou Sicheng standing proudly amidst the battlefield, golden light radiating from him like a true dragon emperor, her heart whispered with anticipation—
This is the one.
****
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