The Third Prince's words instantly stunned Xiao Hongchen, who had just moments ago been filled with surprise and joy.
He turned sharply to look at Meng Hongchen, only to see her face pale, lips tightly pressed together as if a secret had been exposed. She didn't argue back — her silence was a tacit confirmation.
Xiao Hongchen immediately grew anxious.
"Meng, when did this happen?" he asked in an urgent tone.
Meng Hongchen finally stopped hiding the truth.
"When I broke through to Soul Sage, the cold poison from my martial soul surged uncontrollably, and I couldn't restrain it. The cold poison invaded my internal organs."
As she finished speaking, her eyes were slightly red, though she continued to hold herself together.
Xiao Hongchen looked at her with deep heartache, his eyes full of regret — regret that he hadn't discovered this sooner. He immediately bowed to the Third Prince again.
"Your Highness, please save my sister! I'm willing to pay any price!"
This Xiao Hongchen seemed nothing like the proud genius from the original story — he bowed without hesitation, as if he had discarded all pride.
But now, he was facing the Third Prince — not some insignificant character like Xu Tiannan from the original.
With the destruction of Mingde Hall and the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Jing Hongchen's situation was even more perilous than in the original story. Yet the Third Prince had saved Jing Hongchen and preserved the Hongchen Clan — a life-saving grace.
Furthermore, both Xiao and Meng Hongchen had received techniques and martial skills taught directly by the Third Prince. Just moments ago, he had passed down the powerful "Toad Technique" to their entire family — a grace of guidance and instruction.
The Third Prince had chosen to cultivate the two siblings without holding back on resources, promoting them and recognizing their talent — a grace of recognition and opportunity.
Xiao Hongchen was no naïve purist. He already held immense gratitude toward the prince.
Coupled with the prince's power, ability, and talent — all of which far exceeded his own — Xiao Hongchen had become completely devoted, a "follower" in the truest sense.
If Xiao Hongchen admired Huo Yuhao, then toward the Third Prince, he was utterly loyal!
Now, for Meng Hongchen's sake, he even pleaded.
"Xiao…" Meng Hongchen was deeply moved by her brother's actions, though she gave only a bitter smile — because she knew her condition.
Sure enough, the Third Prince continued:
"Once the cold poison has invaded the internal organs, it's no longer easy to remove — this is a flaw in the martial soul itself. As the poison continues to spread, the best-case scenario is impaired health and infertility. Worst case — death."
"Unless you stop cultivating entirely, the stronger you grow, the closer you come to death."
"How… how could this happen…" Xiao Hongchen was stunned.
Meng Hongchen closed her eyes, a tear trailing down her cheek.
What the prince said was true. It weighed on her heart like a massive boulder, robbing her of all joy.
If she gave up cultivation, the only way she could help her family would be through her appearance — becoming the prince's concubine to repay his kindness and help the clan gain more power.
But with the cold poison in her organs, she likely couldn't bear children. Even if she became a favored concubine, she would be nothing more than a plaything.
Once she grew old and lost her looks, she would end up alone and forgotten in the palace.
Perhaps she wouldn't even live that long — the poison might take her life before then.
In truth, her Crimson-Eyed Ice Toad martial soul was similar to the Poison Duoluo from ten thousand years ago, and to Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire Phoenix. These martial souls had deadly self-inflicted poison or fire backlash.
Unless resolved, one had to either give up cultivation or face sudden death at any time.
This was a fundamental flaw of the martial soul.
The stronger they grew, the faster they died — few had ever successfully cultivated such spirits.
Yet, such flaws could be resolved.
Just like Dugu Bo and Ma Xiaotao in the past, Meng Hongchen had met someone who could save her.
"But..." the Third Prince said. These two simple words instantly changed the expressions of both Xiao and Meng Hongchen, who looked at him with hopeful eyes.
"Because you absorbed some of Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice — even though you later released most of it — a trace remains inside your body."
"After being refined by your cultivation technique, this trace not only enhanced your martial soul's ice attribute but also suppressed the cold poison's invasion."
"If you can continue receiving a steady stream of Ultimate Ice energy, and refine it with your technique, not only can your ice attribute evolve, but you can also suppress — and eventually eliminate — the cold poison entirely."
"As for the cold poison you left in Huo Yuhao's arm — that only happened because he injured himself first. Without that opening, your poison would never have entered him. Don't forget, Huo Yuhao is not only an Ultimate Ice soul master — he's also a poison master."
"Even so, his injury would likely have been healed by his soul power in a few days. He might even absorb your poison and comprehend a new version of cold poison."
As the Third Prince explained further, hope returned to the siblings' eyes. Their expressions grew brighter.
"Dream, this is great! You can be saved!" Xiao Hongchen exclaimed. "I'll beg Huo Yuhao to help treat you, no matter the cost!"
But Meng Hongchen's smile froze. She said dejectedly:
"Xiao, Huo Yuhao is from Shrek Academy."
Xiao Hongchen also realized the issue — and could no longer smile.
But the Third Prince chuckled.
"Heh… Didn't Huo Yuhao claim that Shrek Academy is absolutely neutral? Then let me see if he truly treats all equally."
He then looked at the two and ordered:
"Go and ask Huo Yuhao for help. If the chance arises, join Shrek Academy. With your talent and strength, you'll eventually become core members."
"This will also serve as a test. If Shrek truly treats all equally, then they won't become an obstacle to the Empire's future. But if not… then Shrek must be eliminated."
Upon hearing this, both Xiao and Meng Hongchen were relieved. The prince had not only approved of their request — he had encouraged it.
But they were also deeply aware of the hidden meaning.
The Sun-Moon Empire was preparing to launch war on the other three nations. Testing Shrek Academy's stance was now essential.
The two of them would become the test subjects — perhaps even infiltrators, with the goal of rising to Shrek's leadership ranks.
It was risky, yes — but for the Empire, they accepted the burden without hesitation.
Their gazes firmed, and they saluted in unison.
Xiao Hongchen:
"Your Highness, we siblings shall not disappoint you!"
Meng Hongchen:
"No matter where we go, our hearts will always belong to the Sun-Moon Empire."
The Third Prince nodded with satisfaction and casually waved his hand, dismissing them.
They left, content.
After they departed—
A figure emerged from behind the Third Prince, smiling as he spoke:
"The Sun-Moon Empire's twin stars joining Shrek Academy? When that news gets out, I bet a lot of people will question their reality."
"They'll probably say, 'The Sun-Moon Empire and Shrek Academy allied? What kind of dream is that?' Hahaha…"
The Third Prince laughed as well.
He and the newcomer smiled — their expressions eerily identical, like they had been carved from the same mold.
The figure who had appeared was a handsome young man with short, ice-blue hair. That's right — he was none other than Huo Yuhao himself, who had just been conversing with the Hongchen siblings in the guise of the Third Prince.
In the dead of night, Huo Yuhao secretly met with the Third Prince. Was it a twisted act of human nature…?
Cough cough, alright, Huo Yuhao had business to attend to.
The Third Prince got up and led Huo Yuhao into a secret chamber beneath a side hall. One had to admit, as expected of a palace's secret chamber, it looked incredibly luxurious—even furnished with soft beds and elegant decorations.
As for why there was a secret chamber under a side hall in the palace, it was actually quite normal. These chambers were primarily used by soul masters to isolate themselves from the outside world for focused cultivation.
That was, until ten thousand years ago when the infamous "Secret Chamber Douluo" emerged, and the function of these rooms began to… shift in a more questionable direction.
Successive emperors of the Sun Moon Empire didn't abandon cultivation. After finishing official duties in the side hall, they would retreat into the secret chamber nearby for uninterrupted training.
Cultivating in secret chambers was crucial because many soul masters experienced sudden inspiration or breakthroughs during training. Missing such a moment could mean losing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to advance.
And the higher one's rank as a soul master, the longer the intervals between such moments. Miss a chance, and it might never come again.
Lower-level soul masters could train together, even in shared dorms. But high-level soul masters usually trained alone—in secret chambers or simulated personal environments—to avoid disturbances.
In the chamber, everything seemed normal, save for a metallic cabinet tucked in the corner.
The Third Prince and Huo Yuhao walked directly over to it.
Without the prince needing to act, Huo Yuhao stepped forward and expertly unlocked the cabinet himself.
From within, he carefully retrieved a soul beast egg—to be precise, a serpent egg!
Although soul beast reproduction in Douluo Continent had many similarities to the natural world, there were also key differences.
For instance, snake-type soul beasts still laid eggs, but some eggs were as tough as dragon eggs, with hardened shells.
The egg in Huo Yuhao's hand was just like that—about the size of a human head. If one didn't know better, it could easily be mistaken for a dragon egg. Even knowing it was a serpent egg, one could imagine the massive size of the mother.
"With this, the bloodline of the Sacred Feathered Serpent has a chance to continue," Huo Yuhao smiled.
Yes, obtaining this egg was all for the continuation of the Sacred Feathered Serpent's bloodline.
Brother Hao always keeps his word.
In theory, any serpent egg could have been used—simply injecting the residual bloodline of the Sacred Feathered Serpent would produce a descendant.
But Huo Yuhao wasn't one to settle. If the egg's original bloodline was strong, the resulting descendant would be even more powerful.
Considering the God of Wisdom fell on the Sun Moon Continent, Huo Yuhao speculated that some mutated soul beast offspring might exist under its lingering influence. He tasked the Third Prince with mobilizing the empire's resources to search the continent for serpent soul beast eggs.
Though unlikely, it was worth a shot. Even if no mutated bloodline was found, the best-quality egg could still serve as a vessel.
Unexpectedly, after a long search, they actually found an egg containing a trace of the Sacred Feathered Serpent's bloodline.
Just a trace—faint to the extreme.
But not beyond the Third Prince's detection by touch.
The egg came from a species called Winged Serpent, native to the Sun Moon Continent. Adults grew over ten meters long, had feathered wings, and their feather colors changed with age. They were rare soul beasts with limited population.
The egg was stolen by a mercenary from a nest. Like birds, Winged Serpents incubate their eggs, and each cycle yields only one or two.
Huo Yuhao placed the egg into the Secret Realm of Wisdom, then sat cross-legged on the soft bed instead of leaving.
Since he was already here, he decided to finish the next preparations.
The Third Prince, meanwhile, left the secret chamber.
He exited the side hall and headed for the harem.
After a long day, the prince was ready for cultivation in his private quarters.
Today, the imperial harem of the Sun Moon Empire was divided into three sections:
The Empress, Imperial Noble Consort, and the Four Great Consorts' wing—the Third Prince avoided this place altogether. Not even formal greetings took place anymore. The Empress, surprisingly, no longer stirred trouble and remained eerily calm.
The Cold Palace—home to Yu Manwu. Even more desolate. No one entered, and no one else was exiled there anymore.
The rest of the harem, entirely belonging to the Third Prince. It housed all the former emperor's consorts, palace maids, and beauties personally selected by the prince—over a thousand in total.
A thousand may not seem like much, but that was after rigorous selection. Those deemed unworthy had long since "fused" with the prince.
The Third Prince's corruption of the harem—taking the late emperor's consorts for himself—was no secret, but no one dared speak out.
No one dared before, and no one would in the future.
The former consorts still held noble status. But the maids and new beauties brought in from all kinds of sources? They were all equal—tools for the prince's cultivation.
Naturally, with so many women, conflicts and rivalries arose. But as long as it didn't affect his training, the prince didn't care.
Who would care about the thoughts of mere tools?
Each of these beauties bore the prince's marks and methods, bound to him, utterly controllable.
Valuable ones were carefully maintained.
Those unfit were quickly used up…
Then sacrificed—blood and flesh offerings, souls ascended, shared ecstasy.
The Third Prince's immense strength was inseparable from these women's sacrifices. Helping them attain immortality in the future? He would take responsibility, of course.
But mature tools should do more than lie down and spread their legs—they had to become stronger and improve their own quality.
After all, the prince had invested resources and cultivation methods into them.
Back in the harem…
One could sense an eerie stillness—cold winds, an aura of foreboding.
Naturally. Anyone with spirit power-enhanced vision could see it: dense demonic energy drifting through the imperial harem.
Inside each palace, beauties bathed in moonlight, channeling lunar essence for cultivation.
During this process, hissing and slithering noises echoed.
Upon closer look—serpentine demonic beasts coiled and moved around them!
These snake demons were linked to the beauties' spiritual energy—they were cultivating together, causing the women to be tainted with demonic aura.
This normally harmful aura, upon entering the women's bodies, made them flush red as if they'd taken potent medicine.
Their spirit power surged—visibly growing stronger.
Cumulatively, their cultivation speed far exceeded normal soul masters.
Now, not a single beauty in the harem was below the rank of Soul King.
The various serpent eggs gathered earlier weren't wasted—they'd all been hatched by the prince, then awakened, and taught demonic cultivation techniques.
Following instinct and training, the young snakes swiftly grew into classified demonic beasts.
The snakes grew stronger. So did the women.
But the real cost? Their lifespan.
Yes—this was an evil technique, created by demons.
Compared to humans, demons were at a disadvantage in cultivation. So some devised sinister methods to co-cultivate with humans—pretending to aid them, but actually draining their life force for power.
Once the human host's lifespan ended, the demon would devour them—furthering its power. A double benefit. Cultivated humans tasted better too—more nutritious.
This method was condemned in most cultivation realms. Demons using it eventually faced Heaven's Tribulation.
But in Douluo Continent—this was the supreme method of cultivation!
Inside one palace, a beauty's soul power surged as she broke through to the threshold of Soul Emperor.
At that moment, her snake companion spewed demonic energy, enveloping her as she activated the technique.
Gradually, a black ten-thousand-year-old soul ring condensed from demonic aura—melding with her martial soul and pushing her into true Soul Emperor rank.
This was the newly developed, Douluo-adapted evil method—The Demon Soul Method!
And the soul ring formed… was called a Demon Ring.
The Demon Soul Method — a newly created cultivation path combining the principles of both demon cultivation and soul master techniques. It's a method where soul masters and soul beasts cultivate together, allowing both to quickly grow stronger.
Soul masters can use the demonic aura of soul beasts to condense demonic rings, breaking through bottlenecks. These demonic rings are nearly identical in effect to soul rings, and can even replace them altogether.
It's similar in function to the soul spirits from the original story.
But there's a key difference: when a soul master dies, the soul spirit usually disperses with them. In contrast, with the Demon Soul Method, if the soul master dies, the soul beast can devour the soul master and grow stronger—passing on this power to its descendants.
Given the long lifespan of soul beasts, one beast could outlive ten human generations. The humans die, but the beast lives on.
This method thoroughly resolves the issue of soul beasts being depleted, making it more sustainable and practical.
In truth, the current version practiced in the Sun and Moon Empire's harem, which sacrifices the life span of soul masters, is only an incomplete version of the Demon Soul Method.
The complete Demon Soul Method allows the soul master and soul beast to share lifespan and even bloodline power, speeding up mutual cultivation even more.
It solves the problem of the short lifespans of soul masters, the slow growth of soul beasts, and can even help soul masters be reborn and improve their natural aptitude.
It's no exaggeration to say this method could make cultivation universal.
The Demon Soul Method was created by Huo Yuhao, as a derivative of the Demon Buddha Method, during his journey of self-realization.
If Huo Yuhao were to make this cultivation method public across the continent, he could gather enough faith power to create a divine seat and ascend to the Divine Realm.
But for now, there's no need to.
Also, the eerie, demonic nature of this method makes it unlikely to be widely accepted in its current form. Even if it eventually helps form a god position, it might lean toward becoming an Evil God.
The most important issue: if he were to release this method now, wouldn't that expose his identity?
It would be better to repackage the Demon Soul Method to appear more righteous and then spread it.
But Huo Yuhao definitely wouldn't do it in person—he'd send a clone to spread the method. If the clone creates a divine position, it could still be transferred back to his true self.
If Huo Yuhao personally acted, he may not face any obstacles on the continent, but enemies from beyond might intervene.
God King Tang would never want Huo Yuhao—this child of destiny—to break free from his control. He would secretly interfere and try to stop Huo Yuhao from creating his own god seat.
Why should Huo Yuhao achieve something Tang San himself couldn't?
Also, a newly created god seat holds limitless potential—far more dangerous than allowing Huo Yuhao to inherit a pre-existing one, which would act as a shackle. A Level-One god position would be ideal—powerful in the Divine Realm but still subordinate to Tang San.
The Third Prince entered the harem, conducted a round of inspection, and was pleased with the cultivation progress of the many beauties. He selected over ten women who had recently achieved breakthroughs for tonight's dual cultivation session.
The beauties' eyes glowed with demonic light, willingly offering themselves for the Third Prince's empowerment.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao remained in a secret chamber of a side hall.
He summoned a variant Frost Centipede he had been nurturing for a long time.
Ever since the small variant Frost Centipede fell into his hands, he had treated it kindly and raised it with care.
Now, the Frost Centipede had reached a 50,000-year cultivation level, had trained in demon cultivation methods, and possessed combat power on par with even 100,000-year-old beast kings.
"The time has come for you to act," Huo Yuhao said seriously.
The Frost Centipede understood and knelt respectfully.
"Please rest assured, Ancestor. I shall not fail your trust!"
Huo Yuhao laughed heartily:
"Good! When I ascend to the Divine Realm, you shall have your own divine position!"
"Thank you, Ancestor!" cried the Frost Centipede, bowing three times, overwhelmed with gratitude.
"Then what are you waiting for? Come—let Ancestor help you undergo transformation!"
The Frost Centipede didn't hesitate. It flew up, expanded in size, wrapped itself tightly around Huo Yuhao's body, and bit deep into his neck, drinking his blood greedily.
Huo Yuhao remained calm, seated cross-legged with his eyes closed, chanting incantations. His power slowly flowed into the Frost Centipede.
As the Frost Centipede fed on Huo Yuhao's blood and absorbed his strength, it began to emit Huo Yuhao's aura, and its soul power became increasingly similar to his.
At that moment, the spirit projection of the variant Frost Centipede Martial Soul flew out of Huo Yuhao—like a soul leaving the body—and slowly merged into the small Frost Centipede's body.
The Frost Centipede began to transform.
Three pairs of wings sprouted from its back, each corresponding to the elements of Spirit, Light, and Destruction.
Looking again, the Frost Centipede now looked identical to Huo Yuhao's Martial Soul!
Soul waves, aura, and the aura of Ultimate Ice—it was the Frost Centipede Martial Soul.
Huo Yuhao shouted:
"It is done!"
The Frost Centipede detached from him and landed on the ground. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a human form—wearing full Frost Centipede armor and wielding the Frost Dragon Spear!
However, because it lacked a Blood Soul Ring, the armor components could not turn gold.
Still, the body was wrapped in seven red soul rings, each radiating the aura of 100,000-year soul power.
The armor, spear, and rings vanished, revealing a young man's body—and the appearance was exactly like Huo Yuhao!
Same soul power, same aura, same temperament—it was like a perfect clone.
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and examined his duplicate carefully with spiritual detection. Finally, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent. No flaws at all. But… still missing something."
With that, he summoned the Frost Dragon Spear and smashed it into the clone's left arm, causing a wound. Then he injected a cold poison into it—an imitation of Meng Hongchen's origin cold poison.
The Frost Centipede clone didn't scream. It endured the pain, veins bulging.
The physical injury was bearable—but the slow, gnawing agony of the cold poison was almost too much.
Huo Yuhao frowned slightly:
"Your pain tolerance needs work. Never mind. Not everyone is as brilliant as I am. I'll pass you a mental scripture to help adjust your mindset."
"Thank you, Ancestor. I shall never disappoint you!" the Frost Centipede clone said with deep emotion, bowing once more—only to pull on the wound and wince from the pain.
Huo Yuhao shook his head:
"There's no one else here. You can scream if you want."
"For real?"
"If you keep acting dead, I'll slap you with my lightning hand."
"Ahem, then I'll scream now?"
"...No one's stopping you."
"Heh heh ah ah ah ah ah!!"
Huo Yuhao:
What an awful scream.
He shook his head again, wondering where this creature learned to act like this. He had always left it in Tianmeng's care—did Tianmeng mess this kid up?
A total miscalculation…
"Still, the disguise is perfect. I hope Brother Beibei and Sister Tang Ya will like the little gift from their dear brother. Jie jie jie—"
The sun rose and the moon set.
A night passed.
The semifinals began!
From the start of the semifinals, the atmosphere in the arena reached a new peak. Everyone in Mingdu—whether soul masters, soul engineers, or ordinary citizens—was focused on the outcome of the semifinals.
Because the championship would also be decided today!
All ministers of the Sun Moon Empire and nobles residing in Mingdu had gathered at the arena to watch the matches. According to their rank, they were seated from top to bottom in order.
The Third Prince also appeared. As usual, he wore his everyday clothes, sitting upright at the highest position, with no one qualified to sit beside him.
Before the match began, the Third Prince, as the highest-ranking organizer and future emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, naturally had to deliver a speech.
Yet, his speech was very simple.
"The capable rise, the weak fall—that's the Soul Master Tournament! Regardless of the final result, no one should make excuses. If you can't win the championship, it simply means you're not strong enough. Honor and status mean nothing without strength."
"This isn't just the rule of the Soul Master Tournament—it's the rule of our Sun Moon Empire. I look forward to seeing the contestants shine on the stage. The arena is where they prove their worth. The Sun Moon Empire is also ready to offer fertile ground to anyone who shines."
After speaking, the Third Prince sat back down with authority, overlooking the stage below, awaiting the start of the match.
Jing Hongchen began hosting the semifinals.
Semifinal Match 1:
Sun Moon Xu Family Team vs. Body Sect Team
Round One: Team Battle
The Sun Moon Xu Family Team, led by Xu Tianzhen, fielded all seven members since they had no backup players.
At this point, team members whose identities had been revealed included Xu Tianzhen, Luan Fei, and Ye Guyi.
On the Body Sect side, their team sent in three Soul Sages: Long Aotian, Wang Yanfeng, and Luo Feng, along with four Soul Emperors—all main force members.
Clearly, the Body Sect took this battle very seriously and had sent in their strongest lineup.
Based on previous combat intel, it was hard not to suspect that all seven members of the Sun Moon Xu Family Team might be Soul Sages as well.
An all-Soul-Sage team—unprecedented and likely never to be seen again.
No amount of caution was too much.
The Body Sect team knew they likely wouldn't win the championship, but they weren't going to give up or assume defeat. They certainly didn't believe they were guaranteed to lose.
In fact, Long Aotian and the others felt regret—if they had known the Xu Family Team would have such a lineup, they too would have formed a full Soul Sage team.
After all, the Body Sect had the strength to do so.
One such team might seem astonishing, but two such teams? Then the issue would lie with the rest of the competition.
But it was too late now.
Still, even if the Xu Family Team really was all Soul Sages, Long Aotian and his teammates weren't without confidence. In fact, their fighting spirit burned stronger than ever.
They were no ordinary soul masters—they could fight above their level, and perhaps even defeat stronger opponents!
"Brothers, it's time to let the rest of the continent witness the power of the New Body Sect!" Long Aotian said resolutely.
His teammates responded with war cries, their battle intent surging.
The two teams entered the stage. Once Shadow Douluo Mo Ying announced the match, it immediately began.
Huo Yuhao sat below the arena, watching eagerly.
Both Shrek Academy and Holy Spirit Cult were closely observing, knowing that whichever team advanced would likely become their opponent in the finals.
The Match Begins.
Xu Tianzhen, Luan Fei, and Ye Guyi activated their martial souls and began soul attachments, but they suppressed their soul power fluctuations to avoid drawing attention. Their soul rings appeared—all best possible configurations.
The three launched the first attack.
Starting with a barrage from the Zhuge Divine Crossbow Cannon.
But the seventh-grade Zhuge Crossbow's beam attacks were all shattered by Wang Yanfeng, using just his bare hands—without even using soul rings or soul skills.
He merely channeled the power of his martial soul into his arms.
Seeing this, Xu Tianzhen and the others narrowed their eyes. They didn't rush in but instead launched another ranged attack.
Each of the three used their signature hidden weapons:
Xu Tianzhen: Bone-Piercing Soul Nails (breaks through soul power defenses)
Luan Fei: Coin-Blade Darts (targets enemy weak points)
Ye Guyi: Plum Blossom Piercing Needles (continuous damage, difficult to defend)
Three types of hidden weapons were unleashed using three different techniques: Rain of Flowers, Batwing Reincarnation, and Soul-Chasing Death Throw.
Even for a fellow Soul Sage, facing such an attack would mean serious injury—possibly even death.
Ordinary hidden weapons would be restricted in tournaments, but these were modified soul tools, meaning their power and lethality were fully effective. The throwing techniques only added precision and deadliness.
Like firing a Gatling gun at normal people.
However, the Body Sect team were far from ordinary.
Wang Yanfeng didn't retreat—he roared, and his whole body lit with a bronze glow, his clothes bursting apart to reveal a muscular frame. He charged straight into the oncoming hidden weapons.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
A storm of metallic clashing sounds rang out—all the hidden weapons were blocked by Wang Yanfeng's body, scattering harmlessly to the floor. It was as if they'd struck a bronze statue—not a single wound.
Everyone was stunned.
Xu Tianzhen and the others were visibly shocked.
In previous matches, one or two waves of hidden weapons were enough to injure, overwhelm, or even eliminate opponents.
This time, they had no effect.
This marked the first time that soul tool hidden weapons had failed in the tournament.
"How did he do that?" Wu Ming asked in disbelief. "Isn't his martial soul just his hands?"
"Looks like he trained in a special body technique that temporarily boosts physical defense," Hua Yao observed seriously.
"Exactly," Xian Lin'er confirmed with a grave expression. "The Body Sect's combat techniques are more powerful and unique than I expected."
In the spectator seats, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen were also discussing.
"Xiao, that guy's technique is a bit like your Golden Body!" Meng Hongchen said in surprise.
Xiao Hongchen scoffed, "His body's not as good-looking as my Golden Body~"
Meng Hongchen: "..."
Everyone was curious about Wang Yanfeng's method.
He didn't hide it. Staring arrogantly at Xu Tianzhen and the others, he declared:
"This… is external martial arts."
External martial arts and hidden weapons don't have an absolute countering relationship. It all depends on whose techniques are superior and whose cultivation is deeper.
And clearly, Wang Yanfeng, who had been practicing external martial arts for many years, couldn't possibly be overwhelmed by Xu Tianzhen and others whose mastery of hidden weapons wasn't even complete.
Wang Yanfeng's external martial arts were actually quite common — the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Shirt techniques — only fused with the Soul Master system, becoming combat skills suited for a soul master's physique.
But just because something is common doesn't mean it's weak.
These techniques, Golden Bell Shield and Iron Shirt, have stood the test of time and been refined by countless predecessors. Their effectiveness is well proven.
"Stop using these cheap tricks. If you have any real skills, bring them out now. If this is all you've got, then this match is ours," Long Aotian said as he stepped forward, his tone cold and menacing.
Off the stage, Tang Ya squirmed in discomfort.
Tang Ya: Who are you calling out, huh?
Long Aotian clearly didn't see Tang Sect's hidden weapons as a threat.
Based on the Sun-Moon Xu Family team's battle records so far, the only thing Long Aotian took seriously was the secret technique "Demonic Heaven Technique" Xu Tianzhen used against Bai Bingjie.
As for the rest? The Body Sect had them — and even better versions.
Other people were just too easily impressed.
"Hmph, boast all you want! Try dealing with this!" Xu Tianzhen snapped and unleashed a barrage of Thunderfire Bolts.
Among all hidden weapons, Thunderfire Bolts were arguably over the top — more akin to thermal weapons than traditional hidden tools.
But even as the bolts fell, Wang Yanfeng didn't dodge. He let out a loud roar and struck several forceful poses. Bronze-colored energy lit up around him, forming a bell-shaped shield that protected his body.
"Bronze Bell Iron Body!"
His Golden Bell Shield and Iron Shirt techniques had been cultivated to a level comparable to self-created soul skills, producing a visible manifestation.
The Thunderfire Bolts exploded.
The copper bell shook.
Poisonous sand spread in all directions, engulfing Wang Yanfeng.
Suddenly, a suction force came from behind, drawing in all the toxic sand. As it dissipated, Wang Yanfeng was revealed — not only unharmed but not even touched by the poison.
As the sand cleared, everyone saw Luo Feng with his mouth wide open, having swallowed all the poisonous sand like a whale drinking seawater.
"Careful, that sand is poisonous!" Ye Guyi couldn't help but call out.
Perhaps due to her Martial Soul's influence, Ye Guyi wasn't exactly saintly but was certainly more forthright than most.
She couldn't just watch someone get poisoned and do nothing.
But the Body Sect team showed no concern.
After swallowing the last of the sand, Luo Feng burped and smacked his lips, seemingly satisfied.
"Nice poison. But if you think that's enough to poison me, you're way off."
"My Martial Soul is a stomach. In my belly, even the deadliest poison becomes nutrients!"
Xu Tianzhen and the others were dumbfounded.
"What kind of cheat ability is that?!" Xu Tianzhen pouted, clearly upset.
At last, Nana spoke up. While Xu Tianzhen was the nominal captain, real command rested with Nana.
"Princess Tianzhen, since the Body Sect wants us to show our real strength, stop testing them with hidden weapons." Nana spoke calmly.
"Fine! No more holding back!"
Xu Tianzhen rolled her wrists, readying herself. Then she raised her hand and waved,
"You guys go first. I'll provide support from the rear!"
Luan Fei: "…"
Ye Guyi: "…"
Xu Tianzhen awkwardly added,
"That secret technique drained me, and I still can't activate my Martial Soul True Body. I'll just use my soul tools to support from the back, eh-heh~"
The other girls were helpless. Luckily, they were used to it. Xu Tianzhen was rather childish in some ways.
Though just a bit more reliable than the three Dragon Maidens, who were still new to human emotions.
"Alright, let's go. Luan, cover me," said Ye Guyi as she summoned her Angelic Holy Sword and charged ahead.
Ye Guyi was the team's only Power Attack Soul Master.
Luan Fei and Nana were both Agility Attack types.
Xu Tianzhen was a Soul Engineer.
As for the three Heavenly Dragon Maidens, they were officially reported as Support types.
Luan Fei followed Ye Guyi into the fray. Nana also moved in, calling out,
"Third Prince warned me — the Body Sect fighters are far stronger than their stats suggest. We must go all out!"
Xu Tianzhen's expression also turned serious as she quickly donned her full-body soul gear and began firing long-range soul cannons in support.
Long Aotian gave a crooked smile, signaling his teammates to act together.
What? A duel?
In a team match? What kind of fool fights 1v1 in a team battle?
Long Aotian, Wang Yanfeng, and Luo Feng each had their trump cards, and their strength far exceeded typical Soul Sages.
When Long Aotian clashed with Ye Guyi, just one blow was enough to send her flying.
Fortunately, Nana intervened in time, blocking Long Aotian's pursuit. He was surprised to find Nana, despite being an Agility type, was strong enough to match him for a few exchanges.
Luan Fei backed up the regrouping Ye Guyi and fought against Wang Yanfeng and Luo Feng. Wang Yanfeng specialized in defense, while Luo Feng excelled at control. The tide quickly turned in their favor.
The remaining four Soul Emperors of the Body Sect didn't just stand by. They joined Long Aotian to gang up on Nana, trying to quickly eliminate one target.
Meanwhile, Xu Tianzhen's long-range soul tool blasts barely threatened the Body Sect.
They consistently evaded her attacks with superior speed, or had Long Aotian, Wang Yanfeng, or Luo Feng intercept them.
For the first time, the Sun-Moon Xu Clan team was at a disadvantage.
At that moment, the three Heavenly Dragon Maidens finally revealed their abilities.
Just as reported, they used Support-type powers.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Three glowing circles expanded from beneath the Dragon Maidens' feet, overlapping and covering the entire battlefield.
Both sides showed dramatic changes.
The Body Sect's seven members all looked tense, as if under immense pressure. Their speed and reflexes visibly dropped.
Meanwhile, the Xu Clan team members were enveloped in three dragon-shaped auras, their speed and power significantly enhanced.
Eyes across the arena widened in shock.
"A domain?!"
"Three of them?!"
"And all the same kind? Where did they find these monsters?!"
The Dragon Maidens' black robes and masks remained untouched.
What they used was their Dragon Maiden Domain, which had been refined and evolved to provide buffs to allies.
The same domain, used by three individuals, stacked for a compound effect.
With the Triple Dragon Maiden Domain active, the previously overwhelmed Xu Clan girls began to suppress the Body Sect's seven warriors — despite being outnumbered.
Nana even went toe-to-toe with Long Aotian.
This was partly because the Dragon Maiden Domain also applied debuffs to the Body Sect fighters.
Such is the power of a domain — and this was a triple domain!