The air twisted and warped, the crimson-gold sphere suspended in the sky resembling a true sun. Its scorching ripples instantly drained all moisture within a hundred-meter radius.
Gu Yue's nascent wind-water tornado emitted a mournful wail as it formed. The swirling water elements boiled and vaporized in the intense heat, and the tornado's core disintegrated before even reaching ten meters from Gu La, scattering into countless star-like specks that vanished amidst the scorching winds.
"Elemental immunity?"
Gu Yue bit her lower lip, her amethyst-like pupils shimmering with silver light. Her fingers danced like butterflies, and two soul rings simultaneously erupted in brilliant radiance.
The four elemental colors—earth, fire, water, and wind—intertwined in her palm to form a miniature stellar vortex. The once distinct elemental particles began fusing under the forced compression of spatial power.
This was a divine authority of creation only the Silver Dragon King could wield. Ordinary soul masters were incapable of such feats; even after assuming human form, her power was but a fraction of its original might. Yet, the aura produced by the fusion of the four fundamental elements caused the air to crackle like shattering glass.
When the four fundamental elements fused, their stability increased tenfold, making them nearly impossible to disperse easily. However, Gu Yue lacked sufficient spiritual power and needed painstaking precision over an extended period to complete this combination technique.
Just as the elemental sphere was about to stabilize, Gu Yue's pupils suddenly contracted. The previously docile fire element violently erupted, the crimson particles trembling uncontrollably as they broke free from her grasp. Spider-web cracks instantly spread across the surface of the elemental sphere.
She sharply raised her head toward the artificial sun, watching as solar flares surged across its surface. "Indiscriminate fire-element amplification? Madman… But for ultimate fire… there truly is no difference!"
Sweat slid down the girl's pale neck, evaporating into mist at her collarbone. Every second she maintained the elemental sphere, her mental energy consumption grew exponentially.
"Roar!"
A dragon's cry tore through the heat waves. Tang Wulin's right arm bristled with golden scales as his Golden Dragon Claw ripped through space, creating five vacuum fissures. The magma beneath him split apart under the ferocious claw winds.
Almost simultaneously, Xie Xie burst out from the shadow cast by Gu La. His Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger traced arcane trajectories, spiraling into a storm of gold and silver that converged in a deadly helix.
Light Dragon Storm! Shadow Dragon Storm!
The two worked in perfect harmony, their timing impeccable—a feat they might not replicate even if given another chance.
"Not bad teamwork."
For the first time, Gu La revealed an approving smile, much like when he had guided Tang San and others in the past timeline.
Suddenly, the first soul ring beneath his feet erupted in an eerie purple glow. The previously turbulent magma domain fell silent, and all vegetation within a hundred-meter radius flattened against the ground as the air groaned under unbearable strain.
The moment thirty-seven times Earth's gravity descended, Xie Xie's charging figure abruptly froze. The light and shadow storm collapsed into countless glimmering points under the distorted gravitational field. The boy's knees slammed into the scorching ground, his Light Dragon Dagger scraping against the rock with blinding sparks.
Gu La raised one hand forward: Gravity Crush!
"Bang!"
Tang Wulin's Blue Silver Grass vines curled and carbonized in the heat, while the Star Wheel Chains shattered piece by piece.
The Golden Dragon Claw veered uncontrollably toward the center of gravity. Veins bulged on the boy's forehead, and sweat beaded on his skin.
On the spectator's platform, Wu Zhangkong's Skyfrost Sword had already been unsheathed three inches, its frigid aura clashing fiercely with the magma domain. The ground within a hundred-meter radius was already unrecognizable—charred magma pits and frosty fissures interlocked like jagged teeth.
Realizing the potential for serious injury, he readied himself to intervene at any moment.
"Jin Yu!"
Tang Wulin roared, summoning his spirit soul.
A spirit was semi-corporeal, less affected by gravity. Tang Wulin knew that Gu La's first martial soul lacked a spirit, meaning his soul skills' immense power also came with significant consumption. Their only chance of victory lay in stalling for time.
The translucent snake appeared, curling into a ball. Even as a spirit, it struggled to move under the oppressive gravity.
Gu La saw through Tang Wulin's plan. Unfortunately, millennium-level spirits could only minimally participate in battle, and Tang Wulin's Jin Yu was a defective spirit. Despite evolving under the influence of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline, with only one seal broken, its strength remained limited.
"The battle is over. My mastery and utilization of soul skills far surpass yours."
As his words faded, Gu La suddenly compressed his soul power and gravitational domain.
Fifty times Earth's gravity!
The instant the gravity hit, Xie Xie collapsed onto the ground. The Light Dragon Dagger emitted an ear-piercing metallic distortion, and if not for his unique twin martial souls sharing the burden, he would have lost consciousness long ago.
But staying awake only intensified his suffering.
"I surrender! I surrender!" he cried out in anguish.
Tang Wulin knelt on one knee, the Golden Dragon King's bloodline surging wildly. The cement beneath his knees cracked in radial fractures.
Wu Zhangkong's sword was fully unsheathed now. Gu La's strength had surpassed theirs by a wide margin. Moreover, his domain-type soul skill made its relatively low years irrelevant—it was truly a gift of nature.
"That's enough."
The Skyfrost Sword stretched across the battlefield, Wu Zhangkong's usually stern face now tinged with gravity. He gazed at the swelling artificial sun behind Gu La, finally understanding why the Spirit Transmission Pagoda's higher-ups valued this boy so highly.
To control a domain to this extent almost guaranteed future attainment of Limit Douluo status!
However, Gu La retracted the gravitational field, and the pressure around the youths abruptly eased. The recoil sent them flying backward.
As the smoke cleared on the training field, Wu Zhangkong swung his Skyfrost Sword, freezing the magma Gu La had created and solidifying the ground. As for the damaged portions, the students would have to find someone to repair them later.
Tang Wulin helped Xie Xie up, both bearing bruises from the crushing gravity field. Thanks to Gu La's restraint, Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue hadn't ended up sprawled on the ground alongside them.
"Gu Yue."
Wu Zhangkong turned to the silver-haired girl, his words laced with doubt. "Why did you insist on balancing the four fundamental elements during elemental fusion? When the battlefield needs you, you should support your teammates promptly. Learn to trust them. Your combined efforts yield a higher chance of success than fighting alone. Remember—you're a team."
Here we go again! Shrek Academy's noble team theory.
Gu La quietly muttered his complaints.
No one cared about teamwork when you guys were ascending to godhood.
Gu Yue flicked back her disheveled silver hair, defiantly retorting, "Without the four-element fusion, we couldn't possibly defeat Gu La."
She wasn't inexperienced in battling Gu La. In her view, both of his martial souls were equally formidable and needed to be countered quickly to prevent him from establishing home-field advantage.
"I won't deny that point."
Wu Zhangkong nodded, then added, "But instead of brute-forcing elemental fusion, perhaps you should consider how to make your enemies fight on your terms. That's the role of a control-type soul master. As a multi-element soul master, you can learn from this approach instead of fixating on frontal assaults."
"Tang Wulin."
Wu Zhangkong's tone carried a mix of frustration and exasperation.
"Bloodline isn't everything. I know the Blue Silver Grass martial soul isn't as strong as your bloodline, but remember—the martial soul is your foundation. Even if your bloodline takes precedence, you must still utilize your martial soul effectively, rather than abandoning it after using it just once at the start."
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