The arena was alive with anticipation as the crowd gathered. Dugu Bo stood tall at the center, his expression unreadable. Liu Erlong, with her fiery temperament and blazing aura, was already prepared. Dugu Xin, calm and ready, exuded the venomous pressure of his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor. I stepped forward, meeting their gazes with a confident grin.
"Let's not waste any time," I said, stretching my arms. "Shall we?"
Dugu Bo raised his hand to quiet the murmurs. "I'll act as the referee. Anything too dangerous, and I step in. Understood?"
We all nodded, and Dugu Bo's hand dropped. "Release your spirit rings."
I activated my martial soul, feeling the familiar surge of power as my spirit rings materialized one by one. The vibrant colors lit up the arena: purple, purple, black, black, black, and black. Gasps rippled through the crowd, their astonishment evident.
Liu Erlong's Fire Dragon martial soul burst forth, her spirit rings glowing in sequence: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, and black. Flames danced around her, heat waves distorting the air.
Dugu Xin followed, releasing his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor. The emerald scales shimmered, and his spirit rings appeared: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, and black. The intensity of his venomous aura sent a shiver through the crowd.
Dugu Bo clapped his hands. "Begin!"
The moment the signal was given, Liu Erlong lunged, flames roaring as she aimed a punch wreathed in fire. I sidestepped, her attack missing me by inches, the heat singing the air around us.
"Crazy lady, you're a little too eager," I teased, dodging another strike.
Dugu Xin seized the opportunity, releasing a venomous mist that spread across the arena. "You talk too much, nephew," he said, his voice calm but firm.
"Uncle, your poison needs work," I shot back, activating my third ability, Spider-Sense. My awareness heightened instantly, allowing me to track every movement. The mist was no longer a blind spot; I could see through it as though it weren't there.
Liu Erlong leaped back, the fire around her intensifying. One of her abilities sent a torrent of flames racing toward me. I activated Arachnid Shell. The shimmering green barrier, plus the natural resistance to fire and ice of my Martial Soul, absorbed the brunt of the flames, leaving me unharmed.
"Is that all you've got?" I taunted.
Dugu Xin didn't waste the distraction. He sent a massive jade serpent projection slithering toward me. I activated Spider Dash, doubling my speed as I weaved through the attacks.
"Alright, enough warming up," I said, summoning my sixth spirit ability, Devil Spider Summoning. Two massive spiders, each ten feet tall, materialized beside me. Their crimson eyes glowed menacingly as they charged toward Liu Erlong and Dugu Xin.
"Let's see how you handle this," I said, motioning toward the two beasts.
The spiders didn't charge blindly. One targeted Liu Erlong, spitting corrosive venom that created sizzling craters on the arena floor, while the other advanced on Dugu Xin with swift, calculated movements.
Liu Erlong summoned her flames, using her Blazing Barrier to fend off the spider's venomous assault. The spider responded with quick leaps, narrowly avoiding the flames and forcing her to constantly shift her defense.
"Persistent little pest!" she growled, her movements growing more aggressive as she began to overpower the spider.
Meanwhile, Dugu Xin faced a different challenge. His Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor projection struck at the spider repeatedly, but the creature's agility and the strength of its venomous counterattacks kept him on edge. The serpent managed to coil around the spider momentarily, but the spider's legs lashed out with surprising force, breaking free.
The two spiders coordinated subtly, shifting their targets when one of my opponents seemed close to a decisive blow. For a brief moment, Liu Erlong and Dugu Xin found themselves separated and on the defensive, unable to combine their efforts effectively.
"They're working together?" Liu Erlong exclaimed, frustration flashing across her face.
"That's the idea," I called out, smirking.
Liu Erlong, finally seeing an opening, used an attack to sever the legs of her spider. It let out a screech, collapsing as her flames engulfed it completely. Dugu Xin, on the other side, unleashed a powerful venom surge from his serpent projection, dissolving his spider's exoskeleton in a toxic spray. I might be immune to his venom, but my spiders aren't.
Both were visibly winded, their energy taxed from the coordinated assault.
"Impressive teamwork," I said, clapping mockingly. "But now that you've warmed up, let's see how you handle me."
However, before I moved, Dugu Xin activated his skull bone's ability, Venomous Mind Lock. A mental attack surged toward me, aiming to disrupt my concentration. I staggered briefly, feeling the assault on my mind, but my own skull bone countered, shielding me from the worst of the effects.
"Nice try, Uncle," I said, shaking off the residual discomfort. "But mental tricks don't work on me, my skull bone is stronger than yours."
He frowned but didn't reply, launching another venomous strike instead. I let the poison touch me deliberately, absorbing it. The energy revitalized me, and I grinned.
"Did you forget?" I asked, flexing my arms. "Your poison is my antidote."
Liu Erlong didn't wait for an explanation, charging at me with another of her abilities, Inferno Dragon's Claw. Her flames intensified as she aimed a devastating slash. I blocked with my Eight Spider Lances, the clash sending shockwaves across the arena.
"Crazy lady, your temper's showing," I said, pushing her back.
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't respond, focusing on her next move. Meanwhile, Dugu Xin circled around, coordinating his attacks with hers. Their teamwork was impressive, forcing me to stay on my toes.
As the fight dragged on, I decided it was time to end it. Activating my Asura Domain, I let the killing intent seep into the arena. My eyes turned crimson, and the oppressive aura blanketed the field. Both Liu Erlong and Dugu Xin hesitated, their movements slowing under the pressure, they felt fear for the first time in a long time. It was the Domination effect of my domain, now they were unable to display their full strength and I was stronger than ever.
"What is this?" Liu Erlong asked, her voice strained.
Dugu Xin took an involuntary step back, his serpent projection trembling under the domain's weight. "This power is suffocating."
"The Asura Domain," I said simply, stepping forward. "This is your final warning. Yield now, or face the consequences."
Neither of them backed down. Dugu Xin activated his fifth ability, Serpent's Wrath, summoning a massive venomous serpent. Liu Erlong's flames erupted once more pushing her power to its peak.
I activated Slaughter Assault, focusing the Asura Domain's energy into a single, devastating charge. My speed and strength surged as I launched an attack toward Dugu Xin. His serpent clashed with me, but the domain's oppressive power weakened it, allowing me to break through and with one strong punch he ended up on the floor outside the ring.
I turned to Liu Erlong, who was mid-charge. My Eight Spider Lances extended, their tips glowing with toxic energy. I activated Arachnid Shell and stopped her fire fist with my hand while the lances poised at her throat.
"Yield," I said, my voice low but commanding and my eyes crimson red.
She hesitated but finally stepped back, extinguishing her flames. Dugu Xin followed suit, retracting his venomous aura.
The small crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement palpable. Dugu Bo stepped forward, a wide grin on his face.
"Well done, Dean," he said with a wink.
Liu Erlong approached, her expression a mix of frustration and grudging respect. "You're strong, Bei. Stronger than I expected."
"Thank you, Liu Erlong," I replied, earning a glare that quickly softened.
Dugu Xin nodded. "You've proven your point, nephew. But don't forget, there are stronger opponents out there."
"I'll be ready," I said confidently, already thinking of a stronger person that I would be visiting soon.