Chapter 54: The Three Paragons Battle Again (Part 1)
In the wild and desolate valley, the Auras of the three young powerhouses clashed and squeezed against each other like three volcanoes about to erupt, causing the very dust in the air to stagnate.
Tang Chen's Battle Intent was at its peak. He slammed his giant hammer into the ground, his voice like thunder: "No need for more nonsense. Same rules as before—how about Brother Qian and I play with you first?" He was referring to the precedent set five years ago when the three first met, where he and Qian Daoliu fought first, and the winner would then face Yu Yuanchen.
Hearing this, Yu Yuanchen slowly shook his head. His gaze swept over Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, his tone calm yet carrying an unquestionable confidence: "Brother Tang, Brother Qian, I appreciate the courtesy you showed me five years ago. Today, there's no need to follow the old rules."
He paused slightly and continued, "The three of us should just have a free-for-all. Each relying on our own skills for a hearty battle—wouldn't that be better?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of both Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu narrowed.
Yu Yuanchen proposed a melee for two reasons. First, he was well aware of his current strength. After the sacrifice of the Thunder Hell Vine, the conversion of his Thunder True Essence, and over half a year of consolidation, his combat power far exceeded that of an ordinary Soul Saint. Even facing a powerhouse who had just become a Titled Douluo, as long as the opponent wasn't absolutely suppressed by his Martial Soul, he was confident in holding the upper hand in a direct confrontation. While killing such an opponent wouldn't be easy, the scales of victory already tipped in his favor. Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu were certainly natural geniuses who had improved rapidly over the past five years, but in a one-on-one, Yu Yuanchen had over a ninety percent certainty of winning. Following the old rules would feel like an unfair victory and wouldn't be satisfying.
Secondly, he understood the pride of these two opponents. If he directly said "you two come at me together," it would be no different from contempt and would surely cause resentment. Proposing a "melee" returned the choice to them, preserving their dignity while forcing out their true potential. Yu Yuanchen had a premonition that when Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu felt the pressure of facing him alone, their pride would naturally lead them to choose to team up against the greatest threat first—the most instinctive choice for top-tier powerhouses in a free-for-all.
Sure enough, Tang Chen was stunned for a moment before laughing heartily, the fire of battle burning even brighter in his eyes: "Fine! A melee it is! I've long wanted to try the feeling of pummeling both of you at the same time!" Though rough, he was not stupid; he instantly understood Yu Yuanchen's intent and his own situation. But this was exactly to his liking—when clashing with the strong, why stick to formalities?
Qian Daoliu gave Yu Yuanchen a deep look, a flash of realization and solemnity passing through his golden eyes as he slowly nodded: "Agreed."
The agreement was set; no more words were needed!
"Roar!"
Tang Chen was the first to erupt, letting out a roar that sounded part-human and part-beast toward the sky. An intense power of blood and Qi surged upward like beacon smoke. The muscles across his body bulged, and beneath his skin, it looked as if coiled dragons were moving. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black! Seven Soul Rings suddenly rose. Shockingly, his seventh Soul Ring had a distinct crimson tint within the black. Though it hadn't reached the hundred-thousand-year level, it was likely at least at the ninety-thousand-year level or extremely close to a hundred thousand years. Clearly, he had chosen an incredibly powerful Soul Beast when hunting for his Soul Ring!
Even more startling was a heavy, vast Domain carrying an unparalleled sense of suppression that boomed outward with him as the center! Within the Domain, the air became as stagnant as a mountain range and gravity increased sharply, as if countless invisible giant hammers were hanging high, locking onto everything. This was the unique Domain Tang Chen had comprehended himself—the Clear Sky Domain—based on his Sixth Spirit Ability, the "Haotian Formation," combined with his deep understanding of the "Power" and "Suppression" Concepts of the Clear Sky Hammer!
At the same time, Holy Light soared from Qian Daoliu as his Seraphim Martial Soul possessed him, making him look like a Divinity descending to the mortal realm. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black! Likewise, seven rings shone, and his seventh Soul Ring was also black with a hint of red, of extraordinary quality. A sacred Aura purified the surroundings, but even more striking was that within that sacred light, there were simultaneously two extreme attributes that made the Soul tremble—Ultimate Holy and Ultimate Fire! Although his depth of understanding of these "Ultimates" was far from being as harmonious and effortless as Yu Yuanchen's Ultimate Lightning, the absolute pressure of the attributes was real, causing the quality of his Angel Martial Soul to undergo a sort of sublimation. Wherever the light and flames passed, even space slightly distorted.
A flash of genuine surprise crossed Yu Yuanchen's eyes. Ultimate attributes were exceptionally rare, yet Qian Daoliu actually possessed two. Although they were somewhat superficial—more like an ultimate sublimation of the Martial Soul's Origin rather than being mastered through Acquired Cultivation like his own—it still showed his talent and the terror of the Seraphim Martial Soul.
Furthermore, Tang Chen's Clear Sky Domain and that surging blood and Qi power—which had clearly been tempered through some special training technique rather than a systematic cultivation method (which wasn't uncommon among power-type Soul Masters on the continent, as there were always gifted individuals who could trigger their blood and Qi potential by chance and pass down some tempering techniques, though they couldn't form a complete system)—allowed him to see the efforts and opportunities his two dear friends had gained over these five years.
"It seems the gains you two brothers have made in these five years far exceed my expectations." Yu Yuanchen laughed loudly, no longer holding back. Looking at their seventh rings, which were clearly absorbed beyond the normal level limit, it seemed that after seeing his own Soul Ring configuration, they were no longer satisfied with the normal optimal Soul Ring configuration.
"Boom—!"
Purple-gold lightning erupted like a volcano, instantly enveloping him. His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul possessed him, but now the dragon scales had completely turned into a noble purple-gold, covered in lightning patterns and filled with an ancient and majestic Aura. Yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, red! Seven Soul Rings rose, and the moment that blood-red hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring appeared, the air in the entire valley seemed to freeze. A terrifying pressure spread in all directions like a tide, actually faintly pushing back Tang Chen's Clear Sky Domain and Qian Daoliu's ultimate radiance!
The pupils of Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu contracted simultaneously. Despite being mentally prepared, seeing a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring with their own eyes and personally feeling that terrifying pressure, like that of a prehistoric behemoth, still shocked their Souls. They reckoned that if they faced the current Yu Yuanchen alone, their chances of victory would be slim! The rumors of him killing a Titled Douluo were definitely not false!
"Fight!"
The three of them moved almost simultaneously!
Tang Chen roared, fully activating his Clear Sky Domain. His massive Clear Sky Hammer, carrying the momentum to collapse mountains and split the earth, was the first to smash down toward Yu Yuanchen! This strike seemed simple and direct, yet it contained his deep understanding of the "Heavy, Clumsy, Grand" Concept of hammer techniques. Before the hammer even arrived, that extremely concentrated Concept of power had already descended, as if it weren't a hammer attacking but a mountain, a canopy of heaven crushing down! The air was extremely compressed, letting out unbearable sonic booms.
Qian Daoliu moved with the light, his six wings vibrating. His speed was at the extreme as he condensed a light sword burning with golden holy flames in his hand, the blade pointing directly at Yu Yuanchen's flank. Those holy flames possessed both the purification power of Ultimate Holy and the burning destruction characteristics of Ultimate Fire. Wherever the light and flames passed, even Soul Power was being quietly evaporated.
Facing the pincer attack of two great enemies, lightning exploded in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. He didn't dodge or avoid, choosing instead to meet them head-on!
He clenched his right fist into a Thunder Dragon Claw, with purple-gold Thunder True Essence winding around it. It was no longer simple electricity but a higher level of energy fused with blood and Qi power and spiritual will, as he punched out against Tang Chen's Clear Sky Hammer! Simultaneously, he struck his left palm toward Qian Daoliu's light sword, the lightning patterns in his palm rotating and transforming into an incredibly condensed lightning shield.
"BOOM—!!!"
Fist and hammer collided like two great mountains crashing together! A terrifying shockwave exploded in a ring, the ground cracking inch by inch as rubble shot out! Tang Chen felt an indescribable massive force accompanied by the destructive power of lightning travel up the hammer's handle. His usually invincible surging blood and Qi and his Clear Sky Domain were actually forcibly blocked. The webbing of his thumb and forefinger split, and the massive Clear Sky Hammer nearly flew out of his hand. He stumbled backward, leaving a deep footprint with every step, his eyes filled with shock.
On the other side, Qian Daoliu's light sword slashed against the lightning shield, erupting in a blinding interweaving of light and thunder. The Ultimate Holy and Ultimate Fire frantically eroded the lightning shield, but the quality of that purple-gold Thunder True Essence was higher, carrying a domineering will to destroy all Laws. It actually held back the holy flame sword firmly, and the counter-shock even made Qian Daoliu's wrist feel numb, the flames on the sword dimming slightly.
With one exchange, the difference in level was clear!
Yu Yuanchen, fighting one against two, didn't fall into a disadvantage at all in a direct collision; instead, he faintly suppressed both of them!
"Good! Again!" Tang Chen steadied himself. Instead of being angry, he was delighted, his Battle Intent becoming even more wild. He took a deep breath, his blood and Qi burning like a furnace as black light flared on the Clear Sky Hammer, and his hammer technique suddenly changed. He no longer pursued extreme brute force but instead adopted a certain profound rhythm, strike after strike like continuous waves. The power of each strike stacked, and the Concept shifted from simple power suppression into an interweaving of "Vibration," "Shattering," and "Armor Piercing." It was like a giant god swinging a hammer to forge heaven and earth; wherever the hammer wind passed, fine ripples appeared in space! This was the manifestation of him mastering the Clear Sky Hammer technique and beginning to touch upon a deeper "Hammer Concept." Every strike contained his understanding of the Laws of power, exquisite and multiple times more powerful.
Qian Daoliu's gaze was solemn. Flapping his six wings, he rose into the air and expanded his Angelic Domain, attempting to weaken and purify Yu Yuanchen's lightning power with holy radiance. Simultaneously, he formed hand seals, and golden light feathers filled the sky, shooting down like sharp arrows. Each light feather contained the dual damage of Ultimate Holy and Fire.
Yu Yuanchen stood in the eye of the storm, as steady as a rock. His purple-gold Thunder Saint Dragon True Body stood tall, enduring the suppression of the Angelic Domain and the attack of the light feathers. They made clanging metallic sounds but found it difficult to break through his formidable dragon scales, which had undergone multiple temperings. He swung his fists, his Thunder True Essence sometimes transforming into a violent thunder dragon pouncing at Tang Chen, and sometimes condensing into a massive Thunder Seal booming toward the airborne Qian Daoliu. He pushed his control over lightning to the extreme—sometimes fierce, sometimes soft, sometimes explosive, or erosive—neutralizing Tang Chen's continuous terrifying hammer force one by one and constantly Shattering Qian Daoliu's holy attacks.
The three men's Domains clashed violently—the Lightning Domain was domineering and destructive, the Clear Sky Domain was heavy and suppressing, and the Angelic Domain was holy and purifying. Three powerful forces intertwined and annihilated each other in the arena, making the energy turbulence of the entire valley like boiling water, a terrifying sight.
The battle entered a white-hot stage from the very beginning! The absolute strength Yu Yuanchen displayed caused Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu to completely cast aside their last bit of hesitation. They tacitly made him their primary target, their offensive like a violent storm, showing no mercy!
Want To Read More Chapters? Check Out 80+Advanced Chapters At PA Treon
patreon.com/SloppyGuy