Chapter 80: Crushing Defeat in One Move!
The task of demonstrating his prowess in front of everyone had been achieved, and the showing off was more than sufficient. Du Qianjue had no intention of staying on the stage to be watched by hundreds of thousands any longer. He was ready to finish quickly and relax.
Raising his right hand, wisps of deep purple electricity danced along his arm, and a terrifying aura of destruction surged instantly. 'Ding!' His fourth soul ring suddenly lit up, and the black depth of its glow made Du Qianjue appear even more mysterious.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Thunder Prison of the Heavens!"
A hundred-thousand-year-old Thunderous Inferno Vine soul ring skill, the domain of Thunder Prison. Vast streams of thick purple lightning radiated from Du Qianjue as the center, quickly spreading across the entire arena, covering everywhere except where the other six members of the Di'ao Academy team stood.
"Crack, boom!" The sound of thunder erupted, and countless bolts of lightning wildly leaped about, emitting waves of terrifying energy.
This is it—death!
Hao Yu's pupils shrunk to the size of pinpoints, a sense of impending doom overwhelming the seven members of the Fancypants team. There was no escape; the lightning, now just blurs of speed on the arena, seemed impossibly slow to Hao Yu and his team, yet they couldn't even move a finger.
Despair was evident in their eyes.
The moment Du Qianjue's soul ring illuminated, the referee, already shocked by Du Qianjue's prowess, immediately paled. Such an attack was beyond the capability of even a Soul Saint like himself to withstand; he needed to act fast to save them.
With the wings on his back flapping vigorously, the referee, a Soul Saint with a flying spirit of the agility attack type, turned into a streak of green light. Just before Du Qianjue's Thunder Prison could envelop the Fancypants team, he whisked them off the stage.
It was fortunate that the referee was quick and that Du Qianjue hadn't expanded his Thunder Prison with full force, leaving enough time for the rescue. Otherwise, the Fancypants team would have been reduced to ash without even a moment to react.
Releasing his clenched right hand, the deep purple lightning retracted back into Du Qianjue. What remained was a battlefield pocked and cratered, a stark testament to the unleashed power.
Only where the Di'ao Academy team had stood was undamaged; everywhere else was marred by the devastating strikes of the lightning.
Looking at the destruction he had wrought, Du Qianjue raised an eyebrow. This was the first time he had used the soul ring skill bestowed by his sister, and the effect was unexpectedly impressive.
Du Qianjue himself hadn't anticipated such immense power from a domain skill, which seemed even more dramatic than a wide-area soul skill. He hadn't even used his full strength! If he had, the entire arena might have been obliterated.
Seeing the state of the arena, the referee's pupils also sharply contracted, a sense of relief washing over him for acting quickly. It was a good thing he had moved swiftly; a direct hit by one of those bolts, and even he would have suffered greatly.
"The knockout round, Di'ao Academy team wins!"
After calming his agitated heart, the referee raised his hand and announced loudly.
"Di'ao! Di'ao! Di'ao!" "Heaven Soul! Heaven Soul!"
Amidst the cheers, Du Qianjue and his teammates walked off the platform, looking relaxed and content. The other six, however, regarded Du Qianjue with a mix of awe and fear. They knew Du Qianjue was strong—his status as a Soul Saint was genuine—but they hadn't realized just how powerful he truly was.
"Yang, considering you were betting during the match, it seems our regular training is too lenient. We should spar sometime," Du Qianjue said meaningfully as he patted Yang Lian on the shoulder after they reached the rest area.
Yang Lian's smile froze, a hint of despair flickering through his eyes.
Done for!
Wei Na giggled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Don't forget to buy breakfast tomorrow—for everyone."
"Got it..." Yang Lian waved his hand weakly, more concerned about how Du Qianjue might thrash him than the cost of breakfast.
As Wei Feng and the others approached, they gave Du Qianjue a thumbs up.
"Strong! Invincible!" "With junior here, all other teams are merely weaklings and easy targets!" "This championship is definitely ours, Heaven Soul!"
Laughing and joking, the group returned to the hotel, while the arena still reeled from the shock and oppressive force of Du Qianjue's display.
Shock belonged to the spectators; pressure was for the other competing teams. Perfect, the intensity was maxed out.
In the resting room of the Moon and Sun Royal Soul Master Academy, from the team leader to the reserve members, faces were as dark as the bottom of a pot. Having been the perpetual runners-up, they had hoped this year might be different with Shrek Academy's main team compromised. But after seeing Du Qianjue's display?
Who could stand against that?
As much joy as they felt hearing about Shrek's mishap, seeing Du Qianjue's seven soul rings brought an equal measure of distress, worse than swallowing a fly.
"It's impossible! Absolutely impossible!!!" Xiao Hongchen broke down, grinding his teeth. "How can there be someone more talented than me, Xiao Hongchen? He's fake, all fake!!!"
The others remained silent, even Xiao Hongchen's sister, Meng Hongchen, offered no comfort.
Although he had reacted similarly when facing Huo Yuhao's six hundred-thousand-year soul rings, guessing correctly by sheer fluke, could Du Qianjue's rings be fake?
Well, actually, they kind of were—technically, they were all beyond a hundred thousand years.
But his status as a Soul Saint was indisputable. The terrifying power of his Thunder Prison of the Heavens, which even a fellow Soul Saint referee found daunting, could not be faked.
Especially given Du Qianjue's youthful appearance, not much older than the Shrek Reserve Team. This meant he was Xiao Hongchen's contemporary!
To think, a Soul Saint around fifteen, with a second thousand-year and fourth ten-thousand-year ring, a soul essence that was truly top-tier.
And then there was Xiao Hongchen, also fifteen and under extensive training, yet only a Soul King?
Xiao Hongchen's spirit broke as he faced this life crisis. Not just him, any academy team witnessing Du Qianjue's skills was thoroughly confounded, especially Shrek Academy. Wang Yan's face turned pale, vision darkening, nearly fainting from the shock.
Who had made this tournament, usually set to easy/normal difficulty, a nightmare/hell level just when he was in charge?
There was one exception.
Thinking of Du Qianjue's commanding presence on the stage, Meng Hongchen couldn't help but smile dreamily, her eyes filled with adoration.
Meng Hongchen had switched allegiances! She no longer favored the cute, young Wang Dong but was now enamored with the powerful and handsome Du Qianjue.
Wang Dong? Just a small Soul Honor, don't bother!
So declared Miss Meng.
(End of Chapter)