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Dao Ba and Huo Quan also noticed the change in the barrier, their eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement.
"The warm-up ends here. Dragging this out is getting on my nerves."
Dao Ba spoke first, then released six soul rings from his body.
Yellow – Yellow – Purple – Black – Black – Black!!!
"First Soul Skill: Thunder Blade
Second Soul Skill: Thunder Surge
Fourth Soul Skill: Wrathful Thunder Battle Form!!!"
In an instant, terrifying crimson arcs of electricity enveloped Dao Ba's entire body, and several bolts of lightning crackled through the arena.
Dao Ba's fourth, fifth, and sixth soul rings all originated from the same type of pseudo-dragon spirit beast—the Azure Thunder Fury Dragon. This spirit beast not only possessed inherent lightning attributes but also had the innate ability to enhance physical strength explosively.
Though hunting this spirit beast had been a painstaking process, the results were well worth it.
It provided Dao Ba with comprehensive enhancements and speed-based soul skills. Even the final hunt for the 80,000-year-old Azure Thunder Fury Dragon King yielded a spirit bone.
Without hesitation, Ye Wen had given this spirit bone to Dao Ba—a torso bone that greatly enhanced Dao Ba's defense and physical resilience. However, considering the current era, Ye Wen advised Dao Ba not to use this spirit bone unless facing truly formidable opponents.
Facing the electrifying power that could paralyze or even kill ordinary people, Huo Quan remained unfazed. His golden aura shimmered as he directly unleashed his six soul rings.
Purple – Purple – Purple – Black – Black – Black!!!
Compared to Dao Ba's slightly over-spec soul ring configuration, Huo Quan's soul ring arrangement was even more shocking—his very first ring was already a thousand-year one.
This highlighted the gap between disciples who had followed Ye Wen from the beginning and those who joined later as direct disciples.
Moreover, the edges of Huo Quan's sixth soul ring faintly emitted a red glow.
On the Douluo Continent, dragon-type spirit beasts undoubtedly stood at the pinnacle of most spirit beast hierarchies.
In the past, Ye Wen's capabilities were limited, so he could only target spirit beasts that were strong but not particularly rare.
Huo Quan's sixth soul ring came from a true dragon spirit beast known as the Diamond Tyrant Dragon.
This spirit beast boasted not only immense physical strength but also unparalleled defensive capabilities.
Huo Quan was fortunate; the Diamond Tyrant Dragon for his sixth soul ring also provided him with a torso bone. Considering its suitable age and favorable attributes, Ye Wen allowed Huo Quan to absorb it.
"First Soul Skill: Berserker Strength
Third Soul Skill: Adamantine Body
Fourth Soul Skill: Frenzied Power
Fifth Soul Skill: Tyrant Dragon Body
Sixth Soul Skill: Heaven-Thunder Adamantine Transformation!"
In the blink of an eye, Huo Quan completed the stacking of five enhancement-type soul skills. His eyes turned blood-red, his once-black hair now shimmering gold, standing upright strand by strand. His body gradually became adorned with golden lightning.
Even Huo Quan's hands transformed into sharp claws, each covered with golden dragon scales, making him look both fearsome and majestic.
Though Huo Quan's sixth soul ring originated from the Diamond Tyrant Dragon, Ye Wen suspected that this particular beast was a hybrid between the Diamond Tyrant Dragon and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, as its surface carried traces of lightning—an attribute absent in normal Diamond Tyrant Dragons.
"This!"
The White Tiger Emperor's eyes widened. If not for his years of cultivated composure, he might have leapt to his feet in excitement.
But the high-ranking nobles beneath him couldn't contain themselves, each staring in shock at the two figures on the dueling platform.
At this moment, the overwhelming presence exuded by the two combatants was such that even ordinary Soul Sages would pale in comparison. Watching their escalating battle intent, everyone in the audience instinctively swallowed nervously.
"Master Ye Wen, after this battle, your reputation as a master will surely shine even brighter than before."
The White Tiger Emperor sighed in admiration.
"Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty. My disciples' achievements today are primarily due to their extraordinary talent, not my teaching."
Ye Wen maintained a calm exterior, though inwardly, he wasn't surprised. He had long anticipated this outcome.
On the Douluo Continent, promising talents were rare, but good teachers were even rarer.
Over the years, hosting the Qianlong Conference to discover and nurture talented individuals had elevated Ye Wen's fame among civilian soul masters to unprecedented heights. Families of soul masters whose children lacked natural aptitude but had resources intentionally trained them to develop keen insight and combat abilities.
Their hope was to excel in the Qianlong Conference and gain entry into Ye Wen's academy—even as nominal disciples, they would be envied by all students.
"What a terrifying presence! Under these enhancement-type soul skills, your current physical abilities must rival those of high-level Soul Sages.
Magnificent! Now fighting you won't be boring at all! Hahaha!"
Dao Ba laughed maniacally, then activated his fifth soul skill.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Thunder Dragon Instant Movement!"
The previously scattered crimson lightning converged onto Dao Ba's body in an instant.
The audience only saw a blur, and Dao Ba had already transformed into a dragon-shaped bolt of lightning, charging straight toward Huo Quan.
Amidst layers of enhancement-type soul skills, Huo Quan reacted with lightning-fast movements.
By now, the battle had left the spectators utterly dazzled.
Both combatants moved with lightning speed, and the dueling platform resembled a crimson fury dragon entwined with a golden thunderbolt, clashing fiercely.
Neither side gave an inch.
Their powerful self-created soul skills clashed repeatedly, sometimes even striking the barrier of the dueling platform, eliciting gasps from the audience.
Suddenly, Dao Ba leapt into the air, holding his blade high above his head.
"Sixth Soul Skill: Wrathful Dragon Thunderbolt!"
Huo Quan's expression grew grave. This move reminded him of the devastating thunderbolt he had faced head-on during a previous duel with Dao Ba in the dueling arena.
This time, Huo Quan also chose not to evade. At level 69, facing Dao Ba, who was five levels lower, neither could claim superiority in terms of martial souls.
If he resorted to underhanded tactics, how could he ever aspire to reach the peak of strength?
"Second Soul Skill: Mighty Rage Strike!"
Enhancing one attack by fifty percent per activation.
"Finger Gun: Cannon!"
The audience watched as a crimson bolt of lightning descended from the sky, met by a dazzling golden attack rising from below.
The collision of these powerful soul skills erupted in blinding light, forcing lower-level soul masters to squint. They simply couldn't bear to look directly at the clash.
Seeing this, Ye Wen inwardly sighed. It seemed the outcome had already been decided.
Neither combatant held back; this strike represented the essence of their respective powers.
The barrier, capable of withstanding high-level Soul Sage attacks, began to shake violently, struggling to contain the overflowing energy.
After a while, this heart-stopping exchange finally came to an end.
Dao Ba's seven orifices bled, the vivid red dripping steadily onto the ground. His battle attire was torn to shreds.
"You've won, Second Brother. But sooner or later, I'll catch up to you. Just wait."
With those words, Dao Ba collapsed entirely onto the ground.
Dao Ba's defeat wasn't due to the inferiority of his soul skills. In fact, his sixth soul skill possessed power comparable to a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast's ability.
The "Wrathful Dragon Thunderbolt" concentrated all the lightning coursing through Dao Ba's body into the tip of his blade, unleashing it against his opponent. With the sheer force of Dao Ba's lightning and physical power, even a mid-level Soul Douluo wouldn't dare to block it head-on.
Moreover, Dao Ba utilized the super-speed boost from his fifth soul skill, "Thunder Dragon Instant Movement," leveraging momentum to amplify the attack's devastating power.
However, under Huo Quan's full suite of enhancement-type soul skills, the power of their techniques was evenly matched.
Dao Ba's downfall stemmed from the limitations of his weapon-type martial soul, which offered minimal physical augmentation. In this intense clash of soul skills, Dao Ba's body simply couldn't endure the strain.
Had both reached the Soul Sage level, the outcome might have been different. A weapon-type soul master's unity with their weapon could potentially mitigate this weakness.
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