The air in the valley seemed to have solidified into substance, heavy enough to be suffocating. The setting sun, like blood, cast the three men's elongated shadows across the shattered earth, adding a sense of desolation and murderous intent. After a series of earth-shattering collisions, Yu Yuanchen, Tang Chen, and Qian Daoliu had all reached their limits; their soul power, stamina, and spirit were all on the verge of exhaustion. Yet, their eyes were brighter than ever, like the most brilliant stars in the night sky, burning with their final and most extreme fighting spirit.
This final strike would condense all their beliefs, will, and remaining strength. It was not about victory or defeat, but about validating the growth of the past five years and drawing a regretless period to this peak battle!
"The final move!" Tang Chen let out a hoarse roar, his voice sounding like a broken gong, yet carrying a resolute determination to burn his bridges. He forcibly suppressed the tearing pain in his meridians caused by the ring explosion, channeling the last of the vast soul power—which had been wild and unrestrained from the explosion of his first six soul rings, yet barely constrained by his 100,000-year Martial Soul True Body—along with his indomitable will to surpass even the heavens, into the Clear Sky Hammer in his hands!
"Hum--!"
The Clear Sky Hammer emitted an unbearable groan, its pitch-black light surging. The phantom of the 100,000-year level Martial Soul True Body solidified once more, but this time, it was no longer just a piling up of power. In Tang Chen's mind, countless images of swinging the hammer in the past, his extreme pursuit of strength, and the insights gained from being pushed to the limit by Yu Yuanchen's Five Elements Divine Thunder flashed by like a revolving lantern. A realization dawned upon him—strength was not just about brute force! True strength was control, the ability to release and retract!
His originally peerless, domineering hammer intent underwent a subtle sublimation at this moment, gaining a touch of effortlessness. Within that intent to destroy everything, a faint prototype of creating the world began to emerge! This strike contained an unprecedented understanding of the Clear Sky Hammer Technique, representing a massive leap in his artistic conception!
"Clear Sky—Earth-Splitting!"
The giant hammer swung out. It appeared slow, yet it seemed to drag the entire valley's gravity field with it. Space distorted, carrying a terrifying will to split the heavens and reshape the world, locking onto Yu Yuanchen!
On the other side, Qian Daoliu's complexion was as pale as paper. The backlash from the Divine Descent state struck his divine soul like a tide, but his golden eyes maintained that indifferent, divine radiance. He perfectly combined his final sacred soul power with the borrowed sliver of Angel divinity, holding the Angel Sacred Sword high with both hands. Upon the blade, the white-gold flames condensed to the extreme; they were no longer just light and fire, but seemed to have transformed into the manifestation of the laws that judge all injustice and purify all evil in the world!
"God says, those who blaspheme divine might shall be judged—Angel Slash!"
The sword light descended, silent and soundless, yet more terrifying than any previous attack. Where it passed, it was not a simple annihilation of energy, but as if that space had been temporarily "stripped" from the world's rules, carrying an absolute, unquestionable sense of termination!
Facing these strongest strikes from both sides, which were enough to threaten his life, Yu Yuanchen took a deep breath, and the thunder runes between his brows grew hotter than ever before. He felt unprecedented pressure, but it also ignited all the potential hidden in his bones!
"Let this move be my reply to you two brothers!"
He pressed his left hand against his right arm, and the right arm soul bone, originating from the same source as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, suddenly lit up! Soul bone skill—[Thunder Dragon Blast] activated! This was not a simple energy explosion; it triggered the fragmentation characteristics contained within the right arm's Thunder Dragon Claw, instantly raising the activity of the thunder true essence in his meridians to the limit and imbuing it with the "chain disintegration" property!
At the same time, his sixth soul ring flickered, and the profound meaning of [Thunder Spear Punishes Evil] merged into the Thunder Dragon Spear in his hand—adding the characteristics of extreme penetration, evil-breaking, and lock-on tracking!
Finally, his thoughts communicated with the self-condensed thunder law imprint within his Dantian, driving the Five Thunders Orthodox Law to the limit! But this time, it was not a division of the five elements, but a reverse operation—forcibly fusing the destructive aspects of the sharpness of Geng Metal, the entanglement of Yi Wood, the invasion of Gui Water, the explosion of Bing Fire, and the suppression of Wu Earth, drawing upon that sliver of true meaning of destruction originating from the Heavenly Tribulation!
"Five Thunders as One, Invoke Tribulation to Punish Evil—Thunder Emperor Tribulation Spear!"
Accompanied by a majestic, low shout that seemed to come from the nine heavens, Yu Yuanchen poured all his remaining thunder true essence, along with the activity triggered by [Thunder Dragon Blast], the penetration profound meaning of [Thunder Spear Punishes Evil], and the terrifying energy that fused the five elements' destruction with the might of the Heavenly Tribulation, into the Thunder Dragon Spear!
"Hum-roar--!"
The Thunder Dragon Spear emitted a vibration that sounded like a mix of a dragon's roar and thunder. The spear body trembled violently, and the purple-gold lightning light completely retracted, turning into a deep, dark purple-gold electric glow that seemed capable of swallowing light, coiling around the spear tip. Where the tip pointed, space did not just distort; it showed fine black cracks, as if unable to bear its might! The Heavenly Tribulation Sacred Dragon Domain contracted to the extreme, its power fully merging into this spear, imbuing it with the supreme majesty of acting on behalf of heaven to punish and judge all living beings!
One spear thrust, and all things fell silent!
In the next instant, the three attacks representing the strongest power of the current young generation collided in the center of the valley!
There was no earth-shattering explosion as expected.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Tang Chen's "Earth-Splitting" hammer containing the intent of creation, Qian Daoliu's "Annihilation Slash" carrying the meaning of law stripping, and Yu Yuanchen's "Annihilation Tribulation Spear" invoking the destruction of the Heavenly Tribulation formed an extremely unstable energy singularity the moment they touched.
The singularity first contracted violently, swallowing the surrounding light, sound, and even energy, turning into an insignificant black dot. Immediately after, the black dot expanded violently—
"Sss—BOOM!!!"
After a strange, indescribable sound, as if fabric were being torn and the universe were being born, came the delayed, all-consuming explosion! This explosion was not a simple energy impact, but the mutual annihilation and disintegration of three completely different rule-based powers!
A translucent energy sphere, mixed with black light, white-gold sacred flames, and dark purple tribulation lightning, expanded rapidly. Wherever it passed, all matter—whether rocks, mud, or remaining plants—was silently decomposed, vaporized, and completely vanished! The valley floor was scraped away by several meters, forming a huge, mirror-smooth pit!
After the energy sphere expanded to a hundred meters in diameter, it finally reached its limit and collapsed with a roar. The remaining energy turned into a destructive storm, sweeping outward and crushing all the rocks and trees further away!
A long time later, the dust settled.
In the center of the pit, the three figures stood facing each other from a distance, all kneeling on one knee, using their weapons to support their bodies, looking utterly disheveled.
Tang Chen's Clear Sky Hammer was dim and lusterless. He coughed up blood, his bones broken in countless places. The backlash from the ring explosion and the final strike that exceeded his limits almost made him faint, but he still gripped the hammer handle tightly, refusing to fall.
Qian Daoliu's Angel Sacred Sword was thrust into the ground, his six wings drooping powerlessly. The weakness after the Divine Descent state ended flooded him like a tide; his spirit stung, his soul power was completely drained, and even maintaining his Martial Soul Avatar felt difficult.
Yu Yuanchen was in no better shape. Leaning on his Thunder Dragon Spear, his complexion was pale, his aura disordered. That final strike had almost drained all his thunder true essence, and his meridians throbbed with needle-like pain. Yet, trembling slightly, he was the first to slowly stand straight.
He looked at Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, who had almost lost their ability to fight, and felt his own soul power, though empty, slowly recovering along with his still-resilient physique. He understood.
The outcome was decided.
It was a draw, but he still had some strength left. If this were a life-or-death battle, he might have won a pyrrhic victory, but the cost would have been immense.
Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu also saw Yu Yuanchen's state. A flash of undisguised complexity and disappointment crossed both their eyes, but it was immediately replaced by an even stronger fighting spirit.
Tang Chen struggled, using his Clear Sky Hammer to support his body, and grinned, revealing a blood-stained but still wild smile: "Cough, cough... Good kid... you won! I concede! But you just wait, next time we meet, I will definitely hammer you into the ground!"
Qian Daoliu also slowly straightened up. Although weak, his demeanor remained elegant. He looked deeply at Yu Yuanchen, his tone calm but firm: "Brother Yuanchen, your skills are a cut above; I admire you. In this battle, the two of us have lost. But the struggle for the Great Dao ends only in death; today's defeat may not be tomorrow's lesson. Once I break through to Soul Douluo, I will come to seek your guidance again!"
There were no frustrated roars, no unseemly anger. There was only the capacity to frankly admit defeat and the determination to rise again.
Yu Yuanchen was filled with deep emotion. Five years ago, when they first met in the Savage Beast Hills, Qian Daoliu was the strongest, Tang Chen was slightly inferior, and if not for his own quick wit and their concessions, he would have struggled to hold on. Five years later, Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen were still evenly matched, both standing at the peak of the Soul Sage realm, their combat power touching the threshold of Titled Douluo, their progress nothing short of rapid.
Yet, he was able to firmly hold the upper hand over them.
He knew this was not entirely because his talent far exceeded theirs. The biggest turning point was the "Thunder God Power" he had accidentally obtained during his fourth soul ring! This sliver of high-level divine power.
Although it grew later, it had subtly nourished his martial soul, physique, and even spirit from an early stage. In particular, it had nurtured a foundation of divinity for him in advance, giving him an innate advantage in subsequent cultivation—whether it was absorbing high-level soul rings, comprehending domains, or transforming thunder true essence—effectively placing him at a higher starting point.
Without this opportunity, relying solely on his own efforts, he might have been able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Qian and Tang today, but to surpass them as steadily as he did now would have been as difficult as ascending to heaven. The talent and character of these two close friends were the best he had ever seen.
"Brother Tang, Brother Qian, you are too kind." Yu Yuanchen put away his Thunder Dragon Spear and said sincerely, "This battle was exhilarating, and I have benefited greatly. Your strength and will command my admiration. I look forward to the next time we meet, when we can all step into a higher realm."
The three looked at each other. Although exhausted and wounded, after this peak battle where they gave their all, their understanding and friendship had deepened. It was a special bond of mutual appreciation and sharpening between the strong.
In this battle, Yu Yuanchen won, ascending to the throne as the number one of the young generation.
Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen lost, but they were not discouraged. They let go of the slight arrogance they might have once held and truly settled down, making the pursuit of Yu Yuanchen their new goal.
The sunset over the Savage Beast Hills finally sank completely below the horizon. Stars began to dot the night sky, and the cold moonlight spilled over the huge pit and the three exhausted youngsters, as if drawing the curtain on this legendary battle and signaling that a new journey was about to begin.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan