The entire area around the platform fell silent for a moment, followed by an uproar.
Many people looked around and quickly locked their gazes onto the rather overconfident figure that had risen into the air.
Everyone knew that the Calamity Douluo had already been unrivaled even before breaking through to the Limit Douluo level. Now, he was recognized by most as the only Limit Douluo in existence. Yet someone had dared to challenge him at this moment.
Leaving aside whether this was disrespectful to a Limit Douluo, even if the Calamity Douluo were to accept the challenge, what kind of insight could be gained from such a massive gap in strength?
"Yuhao!"
At the Shrek Academy seating area, Cai Mei'er frowned and called out softly.
Xuan Zi from Shrek Academy had no hope of breaking through. As his age continued to increase, he rarely appeared in peak battles anymore. Instead, other powerhouses from the academy led the team.
But Cai Mei'er had not expected that on her first time leading the team to the Peak Competition, Huo Yuhao would be so bold.
Although he possessed top-tier talent and both of his twin martial souls were of the highest quality, the gap between him and a Limit Douluo was still far too vast.
"Yuhao…"
Even the Ice Empress within Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea had not expected that the person he wanted to challenge was someone like that.
"Yuhao, the Snow Empress being able to stay by that person's side already proves his strength. Challenging him like this means you are definitely not his opponent."
"I know," Huo Yuhao responded in his heart. "But I want to know exactly how big the difference between him and me truly is."
Huo Yuhao's expression remained unchanged. As for what he was truly thinking, perhaps only he himself knew.
Lin Xiao also paused slightly before noticing Huo Yuhao flying in the air. Those eyes were already emitting a crystalline luster as they gazed at him from afar, without the slightest trace of fear.
"National Teacher—"
Beside Lin Xiao, people from the Sun Moon Empire cupped their hands toward him, seemingly ready to step in on his behalf.
"No need," Lin Xiao raised his hand to stop the rest of the sentence.
Although in the eyes of others, he might be the noble and untouchable National Teacher of the Sun Moon Empire, he had never forgotten his identity as a soul master because of it.
He slowly stood up and removed the long robe from his body, revealing the human-shaped soul tool underneath, the River of the Underworld Embrace.
In addition to the red and blue patterns covering its surface, the entire River of the Underworld Embrace shimmered with a faint luster, as if the surface of the sea was gently rippling, or like a living being breathing.
Just one glance was enough to make it feel as though it was constantly tearing at the souls of everyone watching through their gaze.
No one knew how far Lin Xiao had progressed in soul tool research, nor what level his current soul tools had truly reached.
Even Jing Hongchen, who had personally crafted this human-shaped soul tool back then, could no longer understand the River of the Underworld Embrace after Lin Xiao had modified it several times.
Just by standing up, the face of Huo Yuhao, who had issued the challenge, became several degrees heavier.
Even though he had now stepped into the Title Douluo realm, the gap between him and Lin Xiao before him was still bottomless, with no hope of victory.
If possible, he would rather not face such an opponent. However…
"The Peak Competition exists precisely for mutual sparring and verification. There is nothing wrong with challenging me."
Lin Xiao smiled as he also rose into the air. In an instant, countless gazes converged upon him.
"Please."
Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao let out a long breath, and a look of determination appeared in his eyes.
Since it could not be avoided, he would go all out.
Lin Xiao looked at Huo Yuhao not far in front of him and seemed to sense the resolve in his eyes. For some reason, an odd feeling suddenly rose in his heart.
In this world, Lin Xiao had already lived for more than forty years, nearly twice as long as in his previous life.
So many years of experience had long since made his temperament steady and calm. Yet at this moment, looking at Huo Yuhao who faced him with full fighting spirit, Lin Xiao suddenly felt as if he had become the "great villain" standing in the protagonist's way.
The thought flashed through his mind, and Lin Xiao couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. He shook his head slightly and cast these messy thoughts out of his head.
On the other side, Huo Yuhao stared at Lin Xiao before him but did not make a move for a long time.
He possessed a spiritual-attribute martial soul and was especially skilled with the Spirit Eyes, which allowed him to detect the weaknesses of his opponents. In the past, all his opponents would reveal flaws under his spiritual detection.
However, when his spiritual power swept toward Lin Xiao before him, it felt as if there was nothing there at all. It was as though the Lin Xiao in front of him was merely an illusion, and no one was actually present.
Huo Yuhao's brows furrowed even tighter. Even when facing another Limit Douluo like Mu En back then, he had never felt this way.
When facing Mu En, at most, he had been unable to detect the other party's soul power fluctuations, as if facing an ordinary person.
But facing Lin Xiao, it was not only the soul power, but even the entire person had completely vanished from his spiritual detection.
Although Huo Yuhao did not know that Lin Xiao's spiritual power had long since become inseparable from his cultivation due to his special spiritual sea and soul core, he could still feel the undeniable majestic pressure emanating from Lin Xiao.
Spiritual attacks were indeed silent and extremely strange, but similarly, when facing an opponent whose spiritual realm far exceeded one's own, the backlash would also be far more severe.
As his emotions surged, Huo Yuhao had already quietly changed his soul power. A few traces of chill gradually appeared in the surrounding air.
Yet even after switching martial souls, Huo Yuhao still did not know how to make a move.
He was like a hungry beast. If facing an ordinary opponent, no matter how powerful the other side was, he could find a way to tear them apart and devour them.
But facing the world itself, even the most ferocious beast would have nowhere to bite.
The audience seats around them had fallen completely silent. Although many had been waiting to see Huo Yuhao make a fool of himself when he first issued the challenge, now that Lin Xiao had accepted it, some began to grow curious about just how far Lin Xiao's strength had reached after all these years.
Countless gazes were fixed on the sky, wanting to witness the fight between Lin Xiao and Huo Yuhao. However, moments passed, and the two still did not move. Only Huo Yuhao suddenly seemed to deflate.
"I lost."
As soon as these words were spoken, another wave of commotion swept through the crowd. They were not Huo Yuhao; they did not know what he had felt in that brief moment. Only a cheer erupted from the Sun Moon Empire group, quickly spreading throughout the entire platform and its surroundings.
Huo Yuhao did not linger. He returned to the Shrek Academy seating area. Facing the concerned gazes of the others, he said nothing and simply shook his head.
In mid-air, Lin Xiao did not return either. Instead, he looked around and waited until the surroundings quieted down once more.
Only when the cheering gradually subsided did he slowly speak.
"Everyone, the Peak Competition has reached its final stages. At this moment, I have something to announce."
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"Douluo: Sword of Judgment and Eternal Ice 30 Advance chapters"
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master the novel is already finished on Patreon."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon the novel is already finished on Patreon."
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