Shattering the chains with a simple tug of his powerful arms and trudging through the thick, muddy waters that chained him down not even the powerful current could stop him. Lightning struck down from the heavens relentlessly as they crashed into his body yet he ignored them all.
'My body's already adapted to this level.' Looking toward his other half with obvious desire Wulin didn't care for the gasps of shock of the crowd. This was standard for them really and it could even be considered tame.
This was the two halves of the Dragon God training together. Wulin pushed Gu Yuena to the limits to force her to grow and she forced his body to adapt to the elements available to her. It was no different than their spars.
No, that wasn't quite true. Even if they were both attempting to make theory reality at every step both were more careful than usual not to harm the audience. Wulin wasn't particularly worried about having a bad reputation but Gu Yuena needed to have a perfect record.
Giggling adorably the crowd's heart would have melted if it weren't for the storm brewing above them all. Lightning gathered in the sky, condensing and stretching until it was a bright spear of lightning alone.
For the first time in the battle, soul rings danced around one of the combatants. Three purple rings surrounded Gu Yuena's form, one of which glowed brightly. It was a sharp reminder, one that showed that this entire time… neither combatant was trying.
"Fall Vajra." At that command, the spear of lightning dropped from the sky with immense force as a blinding light lit up the entire battlefield for an instant. When the light vanished the entire battlefield had changed.
The darkness had been dispelled by the light, the ice melted by the bolt's immense heat, and the arena obliterated by its power. All that remained was a smoldering crater filled to the brim with molten rock, violent pops filling the area from the immense destructive force.
In terms of combat, both Wulin and Gu Yuena were roughly the level of a spirit emperor but in terms of destructive power, they were much higher. Part of that was their lack of control and part of it was their immense power that was restricted for various reasons.
Lightning arced across Wulin's bruised arms, his injuries quickly healing with each second that passed. His arms remained crossed above him for a moment as he calmed his incessantly twitching muscles however his expression was no longer empty as always.
Though it was hard to tell, Wulin was excited beyond compare. This was the first time he had been pushed this much in quite a while and he was excited to continue. But, unfortunately, this battle of theirs had to come to an end.
""I surrender."" Simultaneously, both kings of the spirit beasts surrendered without hesitation. It was a simple reason that led them here, enjoyment and fame. With this battle alone, they had accomplished both in spades so there was no longer a need to overstay their welcome.
"O-One of you needs to move on!" Hurriedly stopping the retreating children the judge was practically begging them. They were a fan favorite, and for them to give up now meant the rest of the tournament would be lacking the greatest underdog to climb up from destitution to honor!
"We refuse." Coldly refusing Wulin and Gu Yuena locked hands once more and left the arena while Gu Yuena messed around with her communication device. They had no reason to stay any longer and their presence would actively be a hindrance.
Though the judge seemed to believe their presence would be a boon in truth it was nothing more than a curse. What made an underdog interesting was the stress of breaking through barrier after barrier and that was an unrealistic expectation to have for them. More than that though, the two of them were now quite feared.
It was obvious not only in the eyes of their opponent but also in the crowd itself. They were feared and their presence would only make things worse. It was slightly disheartening but it was irrelevant. For each person who feared them, there were two who looked at them in awe.
"You've gotten stronger." Shattering the silence surrounding them Wulin softly squeezed his partner's hand. Truly, she had gotten stronger. She didn't rely on the strength of another as he did, she relied on her own strength.
Though his 'path' may seem more attractive at first glance being born with so much power left little room for growth. Wulin had grown of course but compared to his other half it was nothing special.
While Wulin struggled to enhance something already strong Gu Yuena's path was less of growth and more of merging. As she was now, she didn't rely on the power of her prime in the slightest which was what led to her current state of vulnerability compared to Wulin.
Yet, when she ascended to divinity her power would be leagues above her prime. In essence, it wasn't her inheriting her own power but rather growing into her former seat. Though it may sound inefficient and foolish when the time came she would have double her previous power.
"You as well. Physically you aren't any different than what I'm used to but you were much harder to face. Have you started learning martial arts?" Smiling at him with excitement in her eyes Gu Yuena could see the gears turning in his head.
Strictly speaking, he hadn't begun learning anything. What Wu Zhangkong had taught him was just a more advanced method to control his absurd power and he had stolen the Disorderly Storm from his father which didn't really count as being taught.
"Somewhat." Half heartedly replying to her Wulin didn't care for anything else, his mind completely caught by the melodious laughter leaking from her lips. It hadn't felt like much time to him but he really did miss her.
"Is that so?" Giggling the night away Gu Yuena appreciated the brief existence she found herself in. Her fingers wrapped around his own, the merging of their energies, the warmth of her partner, and everything else was so addicting.
Often she thought about how exactly she had gotten here, to this wonderful life. What if she hadn't tried to get Wulin to relax, what if he had been just a tad bit more normal, what if he wasn't such a robot at first and plenty of others? But the answer was always obvious.
He wouldn't be her Tang Wulin. He wouldn't be her other half, the one who swayed her heart so effortlessly, the one who pushed her to be a better version of herself. He was her only equal, her only solace in a world where stress built up with each second passed.
"I think I love you." So when those words left his lips Gu Yuena could hardly believe her own hearing.
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Hey there, hope you liked the chapter.
I know the last part is much more interesting, but I'd like to talk about something earlier on. Keen eyed readers may have noticed that Gu Yuena used her soul rings but wait, she doesn't have any since all her abilities come from her bloodline! This was a ruse, a trick dedicated to the audience, to show that while they were monstrous they weren't revealing all their cards. In simple terms, she was increasing her worth with the Spirit Pagoda while leaving her 'abilities' hidden.
If you want more chapters, head to patre*on.com/TrapOverlord for up to 25 extra chapters. It isn't required but it'd be much appreciated.