Word Count: 2,727 Words
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Malevolent Douluo felt deeply insulted by Ling Bai's 'Old Eighth' remark. The Malevolent Demon Blade resting on his shoulder was instantly in his grasp. The pitch-black blade was covered in large mouths lined with sharp teeth; these mouths seemed alive, their teeth grinding against one another, producing a chaotic sound that unsettled the mind.
Four purple and five black—nine formidable spirit rings rose beneath Malevolent Douluo's feet. Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo immediately grew serious. One might look down on an opponent strategically, but tactically, one had to remain vigilant. Malevolent Douluo undoubtedly possessed some skills to infiltrate Shrek Academy alone to carry out an assassination.
His fifth and sixth 10,000-year spirit rings lit up simultaneously. Malevolent Douluo's black robe shattered, revealing a suit of solid armor beneath. The Malevolent Demon Blade erupted with a potent aura, its sharpness becoming even more imposing.
With both the Demon Armor and Blade Aura amplifications active, Malevolent Douluo seemed to regain his confidence. He abruptly vanished from their sight, activating the Malevolent Demon Blade's fourth spirit skill: Stealth Assault. This skill allowed him to become invisible and conceal his spirit power aura. It was precisely how he had infiltrated Shrek Academy.
Boom—
The Malevolent Demon Blade tore through the empty air, leaving a long trail of black mist. A loud, crisp metallic clash resounded as the Angel Sword collided heavily with the Malevolent Demon Blade. Intense shockwaves rippled through the air like water. Below, Sea God Lake's surface exploded with sprays, forming a towering water curtain behind them.
"Why haven't you learned your lesson yet?" Ling Bai taunted.
Malevolent Douluo snarled at these words, glaring at Ling Bai across from him. Stealth Assault was one of his proudest spirit skills; he had no idea how many formidable enemies he'd slain with it. Yet today, it had failed twice against a mere Spirit King!
"So what if it failed? This seat still has spirit power!"
Malevolent Douluo roared, unleashing his Rank 91 spirit power in a torrent. Countless sharp teeth on his blade clamped down tightly on the radiant golden sword, and for a moment, the Malevolent Demon Blade overwhelmed the Angel Sword!
"Spirit power…"
Ling Bai chuckled, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. The moment Malevolent Douluo made a move against them, he was already a dead man. This Evil Spirit Master had no idea what absolute Martial Spirit suppression meant, nor did he understand why, ten thousand years ago, the Seraphim had oppressed Evil Spirit Masters to the point they could scarcely breathe!
"Angelic Domain!"
Brilliant golden light instantly filled the sky, even drawing glances from Du Busi, Elder Xuan, and Elder Song, who were battling high above.
Contact with the Angelic Domain's holy purifying power caused wisps of black, turbid energy to rise from Malevolent Douluo's body. He stared in horror as his spirit power rapidly dissolved, while the Malevolent Demon Blade itself seemed to groan in terror, shaking uncontrollably!
The Angelic Domain felt as if thousands of blades were piercing his body. With just one domain skill, the Seraphim had crippled half of this Evil Titled Douluo's strength!
"This… it shouldn't be like this!"
Malevolent Douluo shook his head in disbelief. No wonder those usually brazen Evil Douluo from the Holy Spirit Cult had suddenly acted so cowardly, refusing to come anywhere near Shrek Academy. Shrek's tight defenses were one reason, but more importantly, they knew the Seraphim was the natural bane of Evil Spirit Masters.
When confronted with the Seraphim's inherent suppression, a pressure emanating from one's very bones and blood, even the most heinous and mentally resilient Evil Spirit Masters could only stretch out their necks for slaughter.
The only reason Malevolent Douluo could still stand was because his spirit power was a full thirty-three ranks higher than Ling Bai's. If he were merely an Evil Spirit Emperor or Evil Spirit Saint, he would have long since fallen to his knees while begging the Seraphim for mercy.
The ultimate holy power penetrated every part of his being, purifying and devouring his spirit power as he remained trapped within the Angelic Domain. Malevolent Douluo bitterly regretted his earlier impulsiveness. If the heavens gave him another chance, he would obediently hide in the Holy Spirit Cult's headquarters and avoid the Seraphim at all costs!
He then remembered Han Ruoruo still beside Ling Bai. The Angelic Domain's suppression was so overwhelming that he doubted he could even defeat a slightly stronger Spirit Saint. Thoughts of devouring the Seraphim and seizing the position of Supreme Leader were all tossed aside. A single notion remained in his mind: escape… run as fast as possible!
The Malevolent Demon Blade reversed direction, its aura tearing open a rift in space. Malevolent Douluo charged desperately. Yet, the despairing event happened in the next second. Han Ruoruo blocked his path. Eight spirit rings of perfect configuration—two yellow, two purple, and four black—showcased her formidable strength as a Spirit Douluo.
Han Ruoruo's seventh spirit ring glowed, and she transformed into countless golden and silver Dazzling Golden Ropes that scattered, covering nearly half of the Angelic Domain. The Dazzling Golden Avatar utterly crushed Malevolent Douluo's last lingering hope of escape.
"You've pushed me too far!"
Malevolent Douluo was filled with grief and indignation. Evil Titled Douluo were synonymous with evil and calamity; wherever they went, Spirit Masters feared them. Yet now, he was treated as prey, unable to fight back or flee, forced into a desperate situation.
"Seventh Spirit Skill, Demon Blade Avatar!"
The Malevolent Demon Blade in his hand began to expand with a hint of tragic resolve, growing dozens of times larger. The blade was etched with sinister patterns formed by congealed, dark-red blood. Spirit power surged around it as Malevolent Douluo raised the massive blade and hurled himself at Ling Bai, determined to drag the Seraphim into death with him!
Han Ruoruo's eyes turned icy within her Dazzling Golden Avatar. The Dazzling Golden Ropes swept upwards silently, layer upon layer of gold-and-silver rings appearing beneath Malevolent Douluo. In the next instant, a pillar of gold-and-silver light surged upward, flinging him high into the sky!
Dazzling Golden Rope's Eighth Spirit Skill, Golden Skysurge!
It was a control-type spirit skill effective against both single and multiple targets!
Han Ruoruo's eighth spirit ring came from a 90,000-year Azure Sky Lion Beast. A continuous burst of Golden Skysurges erupted, bouncing Malevolent Douluo around in the air like a rag doll. Then, countless Dazzling Golden Ropes swarmed like nimble little snakes, tightly binding his body.
"Little Junior Brother!"
Han Ruoruo called out. As a top student of Shrek Academy, she naturally understood the Seraphim's innate talent to gain nourishment by purifying Evil Spirit Masters. She signaled Ling Bai to deliver the final blow.
Ling Bai's rapidly approaching figure reflected in Malevolent Douluo's pupils. His face instantly flushed crimson. His eighth spirit ring glowed brilliantly as dense blood flames rose, shattering the Dazzling Golden Ropes inch by inch. The deepest black light erupted from his final, ninth spirit ring. This was the last, mad struggle of a generation's Evil Titled Douluo.
Ninth Spirit Skill, Hell Demon Blade!
One by one, the huge mouths across the Malevolent Demon Blade snapped shut. In their place appeared an enormous monster towering a thousand feet tall, its body covered in thousands upon thousands of grotesque faces. These faces varied greatly, including men, women, the elderly, and children, as well as all kinds of spirit beasts. Without exception, all had been refined into the Malevolent Demon Blade and became part of Malevolent Douluo's power. The monster raised its even larger demonic blade, strengthened by the Martial Spirit Avatar and the Hell Demon Blade. The world around it began to quake violently!
"Damn you!"
Han Ruoruo cursed, her fury soaring. Each face represented an innocent life. Malevolent Douluo's evil deeds were unforgivable, an affront to the world. The Dazzling Golden Ropes surged like waves toward the monster, but its grotesque faces all opened their giant mouths, revealing sharp teeth as they unhesitatingly devoured the incoming ropes.
Malevolent Douluo, now the central grotesque face on the monster's body, stared forth with blood-red, terrifying eyes. He ignored Han Ruoruo and brought the massive Malevolent Demon Blade crashing down upon Ling Bai. The blade aura arrived first, slicing toward Sea God Lake as if to cleave it in two. Terrifying explosions echoed as countless cracks crisscrossed every corner of the lake's surface.
Amid the shattered light on the water, a pair of crimson, demon-like eyes locked with a pair of brilliant golden ones. One gaze brimmed with frenzied savagery, the other radiated cold majesty.
Ling Bai's right arm became as transparent as crystal; one could even see the network of golden veins beneath his clothes. An impassioned dragon roar split the sky. A golden dragon soared upward. The bloodlines of two dragon descendants had fused into a true Light Holy Dragon. Its long golden whiskers fluttered, and the majesty of a true dragon sovereign swept across the world.
"Roar—"
The dragon's roar shook the land. Far in the distance, the students of Shrek Academy's Outer Courtyard trembled as an inexplicable fear arose within them. Ling Bai stood before the Light Holy Dragon, which coiled behind him. Its deep golden eyes, pools of even more concentrated golden light, gazed contemptuously at the fiendish monster Malevolent Douluo had become.
100,000-year Light Holy Dragon Right Arm Bone Skill, Holy Dragon Judgment!
This was an acquired fused spirit bone, so it didn't grant a second spirit skill. However, this also meant that its sole 100,000-year spirit skill was exceptionally powerful!
The Light Holy Dragon soared into the sky, nearing the clouds. Its colossal form cast a shadow that could nearly cover the entire Sea God Island. Through the swirling mist, the faint outline of its dragon head awed and terrified all who beheld it. Citizens throughout Shrek City plainly saw this majestic and almost primordial sight, trembling with a mixture of fear and fascination.
The winds and clouds shifted as the Light Holy Dragon ascended. The black demonic blade met the golden dragon. The Light Holy Dragon, with the fiendish monster impaled upon it, pierced through the heavy clouds above. The swelling clouds, charged by its light power, erupted as a golden storm surged down from the sky!
Malevolent Douluo let out several roars before dissolving like boneless, fleshless cloud-vapor, shattering into a mass of black fog that dispersed into the world.
Ling Bai slowly raised his right hand, and the Light Holy Dragon descended and merged into it. Endless golden light spread into the distance. Under that sacred glow, Han Ruoruo watched his figure closely. That face, exquisite enough to put most women to shame, was now touched by a rare, imposing aura that echoed across the land like the clang of swords.
Dragon and youth united in eradicating evil. For a moment, Han Ruoruo seemed to see nothing else. Her gaze remained fixed on Ling Bai, unable to look away.
Ling Bai lowered his head to study his right arm. As expected, the 100,000-year Light Holy Dragon's spirit skill was extraordinary. It was as if the dragon itself had come alive. The Holy Dragon True Form from the Blazing Bone Dragon Vulture spirit bone was already a very powerful skill, but the might of Holy Dragon Judgment, with its true dragon descending to judge all evil, was far beyond what the Blazing Bone Dragon Vulture could match. It had been worth the hefty price paid for the Heavenly Dragon Horse spirit bone to fuse and evolve it.
Han Ruoruo lightly pressed her red lips together. After calming her emotions, she flew to Ling Bai's side and asked, "How does it feel?"
"Very smooth. Thanks for your help, Elder Sister."
His spirit power had soared to Rank 60!
These were Ling Bai's heartfelt words. After all, Malevolent Douluo possessed Rank 91 spirit power. Even with absolute suppression, it would have been impossible for him to cross over thirty ranks and kill a Titled Douluo alone.
With Han Ruoruo's Dazzling Golden Ropes controlling the enemy, Malevolent Douluo had been forced into a desperate struggle. The Angelic Domain's holy purification greatly reduced his combat power. Han Ruoruo's barrage of Golden Skysurges, combined with the Holy Dragon Judgment's decisive strike, allowed him to successfully slay the Evil Titled Douluo. His spirit power broke through to Rank 60, meaning he could hunt for his sixth spirit ring once he entered the Star Dou Forest.
The battle over Sea God Lake had ended, but the fight in the sky continued. Ling Bai and Han Ruoruo raised their heads to look, and their expressions suddenly turned strange. With their keen insight, they instantly saw the truth. Though Shrek Academy and the Body Sect seemed to be fighting fiercely, they were actually adhering to the principle of 'all smoke, no fire.'
This was understandable. No faction on the Douluo Continent wanted to fight Shrek Academy to the death. The Body Sect didn't dare to inflict fatal injuries; they simply wanted to break through Shrek's encirclement, capture Huo Yuhao, and retreat.
Shrek Academy, while unwilling to completely fall out with the Body Sect, would never give up Huo Yuhao. Relying on their numerical advantage, they pursued and blocked the Body Sect members. The scene was almost like a game of eagle chasing chicks.
"Screech—"
A piercing cry echoed. In the distant sky, two phoenixes appeared—one gold, one red. Four imposing figures stood upon the golden phoenix.
Ma Xiaotao, the Four Deans, and Beast King Gong Changlong!
Six Titled Douluo-level experts had returned.
Their eyes turned red with rage seeing Shrek under attack at its own doorstep, and they flew directly into the fray. Ma Xiaotao fought with particular ferocity; a Spirit Saint with a 100,000-year seventh spirit ring and Ultimate Fire, she forcibly suppressed two of the Body Sect's Spirit Douluo. Director Du quietly pulled her aside, signaling her to maintain the balance and not go overboard.
The arrival of the six Titled Douluo-level experts instantly changed the battlefield dynamics. The Body Sect no longer had any chance of breaking through Shrek's encirclement. Body Douluo Du Busi's fierce intent flared upon seeing this. "Xuan Zi, Song Qing," he shouted, "I'll say it again, hand over the Body Sect disciple! Otherwise, this matter between me and Shrek won't end!"
Elder Xuan and Elder Song remained silent, their faces cold. Though their cultivation levels were inferior to Du Busi's, together they could hold him off. If they truly fought to the death, Du Busi could not afford the consequences.
"Fine, fine, fine! We'll see how long you can hold me off!" Du Busi laughed in extreme anger, and then his 100,000-year ninth spirit ring began to glow brilliantly.
"Stop, Du Busi."
Just then, a gentle voice quietly sounded. A soft halo radiated from the Sea God Pavilion below, enveloping the three peak experts—Du Busi, Elder Xuan, and Elder Song. Under this golden light, their auras vanished, and the oppressive atmosphere in the sky dispersed. The sixty-plus experts from both sides tacitly ceased fighting, parting to either side to await further direction.
Elder Mu's hunched figure emerged from the Sea God Pavilion. The reason he hadn't immediately stopped the two sides from fighting was, first, he knew Du Busi didn't dare to fight Shrek to the death, and second, he wanted the students from both the Inner and Outer Courtyards to observe this earth-shattering battle seriously. Such a grand confrontation might only occur once in countless years on the Douluo Continent, and the experience was especially valuable for young Spirit Masters.
He only stepped forward to intervene when he saw Du Busi about to unleash his ninth spirit skill.
The perpetually overbearing Du Busi's expression changed drastically upon seeing Elder Mu. "Sea God's Light… You're Dragon God Douluo! You're still alive!"
Elder Mu said calmly, "This old man is alive, and I am also Huo Yuhao's Teacher. I have informed him about your Body Sect, and he has expressed his desire to remain at Shrek Academy forever.
Du Busi, for your elder brother's sake, this old man will not pursue today's matter. If there is a next time, or if your Body Sect tries to scheme against this disciple of mine in any other way, then don't blame this old man for personally visiting the Body Sect to demand an explanation…"