Chapter 206: Dai Yao vs. Huo Wu – The Fusion Ring Technique
On the second day, the five teams chosen by the Heaven Dou Empire met again in the arena.
Today's matchup: Oakland Academy versus Blazing Academy.
Oakland was set to take the stage fifth. Before the match began, Dai Yao noticed a fiery gaze directed at him from nearby. Turning his head, he saw Huo Wu staring intently at him. When she saw him looking back, she huffed, lifted her chin, and quickly turned away.
"Dai Yao, are you going to be first up today?" Feng Qianli asked, glancing at him and then at Huo Wu, not far off.
"Yes." Dai Yao nodded, his expression calm.
Feng Qianli sighed. "Alright then. Just know that you'll have to reveal your full strength."
Since entering the Heaven Dou Empire's royal hunting grounds, the teams had been isolated from the outside world. This meant teams from the various kingdoms and duchies, unfamiliar with the five teams representing the Empire, were still mostly in the dark about Oakland and Shrek—both new, rising stars. In contrast, the Five Elemental Academies were longstanding powerhouses that everyone knew.
Today, Dai Yao would be up first, and against a veteran team like Blazing Academy. To win, or perhaps even achieve a seven-man knockout, he would have to go all out, revealing his true strength. This would undoubtedly attract attention from other teams in future matches.
Seeing the concern in Feng Qianli's face, Dai Yao patted his shoulder with a confident smile. "Captain, just watch me."
Feng Qianli, momentarily surprised by Dai Yao's calm and enigmatic expression, found himself relaxing. He chuckled, saying, "Alright then. We'll be here to cheer you on."
The tournament matches were slow and grueling, with each spirit master giving their all to secure victory for their team. Finally, it was time for Oakland to take the stage.
Boom… Boom… Boom…
Dai Yao walked down from the stands and stepped onto the battle platform, his white figure drawing everyone's attention. Members of the Divine Wind Academy fell silent, their eyes glued to his every step.
Feng Xiaotian fixed his gaze on Dai Yao's form, now striding toward the center of the platform. In the stands, spirit masters from Tianshui Academy, Shrek, and various elite teams quieted, their hushed conversations ceasing. Even the spirit masters from the Kingdom and Duchy teams turned their curious, wary eyes toward him.
The entire arena fell into a hush, with only the faint clangs of the Royal Knights' armor echoing in the wind.
Looking at Dai Yao commanding the crowd's attention so effortlessly, Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but marvel. "A true dragon among men. Even the legendary Clear Sky Douluo lacked such a commanding presence."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin's silver hair fluttered in the breeze as he studied Dai Yao approvingly. "This is a true powerhouse. Amazing that he has reached this level at such a young age. Today's match should be worth watching."
As Dai Yao walked onto the platform, Huo Wu gave a haughty snort and stepped onto the platform from Blazing Academy's side.
"So you really kept your word, going first," Huo Wu remarked, biting her lip and casting a determined look his way. She had sacrificed sleep for extra training throughout the past month, playing out this fight in her mind countless times. Even though victory seemed unlikely, she was determined to give it her all.
"If I gave my word, I'll keep it. But regardless of when I step in, it won't change your team's defeat," Dai Yao replied, his tone distant.
Hearing his words, the Kingdom and Duchy teams froze. Such arrogance! This was Blazing Academy!
Yet the Divine Wind and Tianshui teams, accustomed to Dai Yao, didn't seem surprised. They merely looked on somberly, as if nothing he'd said was out of the ordinary.
The match began.
At the referee's signal, Huo Wu instantly released her spirit. Behind her appeared a faint orange-red image, mirroring her form but with a surreal, hazy quality. In the glow of the flames, her long, graceful legs appeared even more enchanting, enough to quicken the heartbeat of any man—even Dai Yao found his breath catching.
Yet after her spirit transformation, Huo Wu's fiery demeanor gave way to a calm poise, exuding a serene, almost ethereal aura that put onlookers at ease.
She opened her eyes, but was startled to find that Dai Yao hadn't released his spirit.
"Aren't you going to use your spirit?" Huo Wu asked.
"There's no need for that," Dai Yao replied, his calm voice striking like thunder in the minds of all present. The spirit masters who had been watching with eager curiosity began murmuring in shock.
This was Blazing Academy, after all! And Huo Wu was one of the strongest spirit masters in the tournament. To fight her without using his spirit was outrageous.
Even the Shrek team looked incredulous.
Blazing Academy's spirit masters were fuming, vowing to teach Dai Yao a lesson. Huo Wu clenched her teeth, her fists tight. The pain of her nails digging into her palms barely registered as she stared hard at him.
"Arrogant," she muttered.
Boom—
The sound of impact echoed across the platform as the ground where Dai Yao had stood shattered. A cloud of dust rose as his figure blurred, streaking toward Huo Wu at shocking speed.
But Huo Wu smirked, as if expecting this. Being a power-attack spirit master, Dai Yao's strength lay in close combat. She had anticipated his opening move.
"Third Spirit Skill—Resistant Fire Ring!"
A fiery orange ring suddenly expanded outward, sweeping over the platform and knocking Dai Yao back.
"Hah—" Dai Yao's body twisted mid-air as he backflipped to the ground, his heels digging into the platform and carving long grooves into it. He looked up, exhaling lightly as he eyed Huo Wu's fiery silhouette.
"So you came prepared, even anticipating my attacks from the qualifiers," he noted, a hint of respect in his voice.
Without spirit possession or spirit rings activated, Dai Yao's raw physical power wasn't overwhelming.
Suddenly, he noticed something unusual. At the moment Huo Wu activated Resistant Fire Ring, all four of her spirit rings lit up at once, and the fiery image behind her body turned a blinding white.
"A ring fusion? She forced me back just to buy time to set this up?" Dai Yao's face grew serious.
A ring fusion was a rare technique only a few spirit masters could employ. It allowed a spirit master to release the power of multiple spirit rings simultaneously, channeling most or even all of their spirit power into one skill, massively enhancing its potency.
Under the devastating effects of the fusion ring technique, the attack's power became intensely terrifying. Even Dai Yao, Shrek's Grandmaster, Ning Fengzhi in the VIP area, and Salas couldn't help but exclaim in shock.
While Ning Fengzhi could use this technique himself, he was surprised to see Huo Wu deploy such a rare skill without hesitation in her very first match. In Huo Wu's hands, the blazing white sphere glowed intensely, emanating not only searing heat but also an energy that seemed ready to burst at any moment. Though only the size of an egg, the white sphere drifted steadily toward Dai Yao, while Huo Wu's face turned ghostly pale after releasing it.
A faint, resigned smile crossed her face as she gazed at Dai Yao. This fusion ring skill was her last resort. If this attack didn't defeat Dai Yao, she would accept defeat gracefully, especially since he hadn't even activated his martial soul.
The power of this small sphere was clear to all the soul masters present, who felt an instinctive chill down their spines just from glancing at it.
Dai Yao's eyes narrowed as the white sphere approached. He could use a soul skill to defend against it, but after some thought, he abandoned that plan.
"Huo Wu has poured all her soul power into this fusion ring skill, making it not only powerful but packed with explosive energy. Among all Soul Elders, hardly anyone could match such a skill," Dai Yao mused. "Soon, I'll face Tang San again, and in the finals, the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation. The fusion skill of Hu Liena and Xie Yue even severed Tang San's external spirit bone in the original story."
"These upcoming battles will depend on my Cloud Pattern Hand. Huo Wu's fusion ring is perfect for testing my evolved Cloud Pattern Hand since it's both powerful and explosive."
A glint of excitement flashed in his eyes. Under the shocked gaze of the crowd, he reached out both hands, pale light swirling around his fingers, forming two cloud-like patterns.
"Is he insane?! He's planning to block that white sphere with his hands!" This thought struck every onlooker.
"No… Dai Yao has improved," Tang San muttered, his eyes glowing purple. He glanced first at the white sphere, feeling a pang of dread. When he shifted his gaze to Dai Yao's hands, his face fell—the purple light in his eyes couldn't penetrate the cloud-like patterns on Dai Yao's hands. Tang San's Purple Demon Eye, at the Mustard Seed level, could detect weaknesses in most soul skills, yet Dai Yao's Cloud Pattern Hand revealed none. It was a testament to the extraordinary focus of energy in his hands.
Seeing Dai Yao preparing to catch the fusion ring skill barehanded, Huo Wu called out in horror, "No, don't!"
Though proud and fierce, she had never intended to harm Dai Yao. She reached out, desperately trying to redirect the white sphere, but her soul power was exhausted. She could only watch helplessly as the glowing sphere neared Dai Yao.
Eyes fixed on the white sphere, Dai Yao clamped his hands together around it.
Sssss—
The sphere emitted a sharp, grating sound as it clashed with the cloud patterns on his hands, as if scraping against glass with a blade. Feeling the intense heat radiating through the Cloud Pattern Hand, Dai Yao's expression grew serious. This fusion ring skill was formidable beyond expectation.
With a focused breath, he surged his soul power, concentrating it in his hands to reinforce the cloud patterns as he tightened his grip around the sphere. "The white sphere's strength isn't enough. To withstand Tang San's chaotic winds or the Golden Generation's fusion attack, my Cloud Pattern Hand will need to endure far harsher trials," he thought.
With a flicker of madness in his eyes, Dai Yao released his hold and shaped his hands into claws, pressing the backs together before thrusting them into the white sphere as if attempting to tear it apart.
Boom—
The fiery energy within the white sphere went berserk, sending a shockwave from Dai Yao's position. The ground within a ten-meter radius around him sank, leaving a clear divide with the surrounding area. Debris was sent flying as gusts of heated air radiated outward, showering the onlookers with shards of shattered stone.
With the fierce winds whipping around him, Dai Yao's white Oakland robes fluttered, his golden hair wildly tousled.
"He's a lunatic! Facing a fusion ring skill without even using his martial soul!" Many onlookers stared at him, frozen in astonishment.
From her side of the platform, Huo Wu's face remained locked in shock as she realized his intention. "Is he… trying to tear my fusion ring skill apart?!"
She knew better than anyone the immense power of a fusion ring skill, and being a fire-type soul master, her attacks were even stronger than average. Dai Yao was countering her fusion ring with only his bare hands. The astonishment in her heart reached new depths.
From the VIP box, Ning Fengzhi's usual gentle smile stiffened, and after a long pause, he shook his head in admiration. "This young man… truly remarkable. Each time I see him, he's full of surprises."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin's eyes were fixed on the cloud patterns in Dai Yao's hands, a spark of appreciation lighting up his normally stoic gaze. "It must be another self-created soul skill. His potential is boundless, Fengzhi."
Ripppp—
With a forceful tug, Dai Yao tore open a crack in the seemingly impenetrable sphere, allowing the compressed energy within to pour out. The fragile balance inside the sphere shattered, and with a thunderous explosion, the sphere detonated.
Thick smoke quickly spread across the arena, reducing it to a smoldering wasteland.
As the dust settled, the audience could only stare in silence at the destroyed battlefield, each taking in sharp breaths. The once-solid stones of the arena had given way, leaving a deep crater. The entire area looked like a battlefield scarred by some epic clash.
"What a terrifying technique," Tang San murmured, eyes wide as he gazed at the shattered platform. After a long moment, he exhaled deeply. "Good thing Huo Wu didn't use that against us, or we wouldn't have stood a chance against her. We might not even have anyone who could survive it."
Slowly, the dust began to clear. In the center of the platform, among the ruins and rubble, a figure in pale robes became visible, still standing tall.
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