Yan didn't hesitate and quickly he unleashed his strongest move right from the start: his fourth spirit skill.
There was no underestimation, no testing the waters. He had no intention of giving Dugu Feng even a second to react.
In an instant, the air on the battle stage grew thick and heavy.
The atmosphere twisted and boiled, turning into raging streams of heat. Within those streams, dark red smoke began to form, covering the entire arena like a volcanic storm.
"Lava Hell!"
Yan's voice was cruel, dripping with arrogance.
"You should feel honored," he sneered, "that you get to witness my fourth spirit skill before you die."
A low rumble echoed through the massive stage.
The ground beneath Dugu Feng's feet began to bulge, glowing crimson as bubbles of molten lava burst to the surface.
In that moment, it was as if the entire stage had turned into a boiling sea of magma.
This was Yan's fourth ability—Lava Hell, a terrifying fusion of fire and earth.
The floor became a roiling pit of magma, while the air itself twisted with scorching heat. No matter where one stood, there was nowhere to hide.
Yet Dugu Feng's expression remained calm...eerily calm.
Even as searing flames rolled toward him, even as the air shimmered and cracked with heat…
It all seemed meaningless.
When the fire reached him, it was like a snowflake falling into a bonfire and melting instantly into nothingness.
Purple mist coiled around Dugu Feng's hands, spreading over his entire body until his form glowed with a strange violet radiance.
That violet light shimmered faintly, and wherever it touched the raging flames, the fiery energy was instantly corroded, turned into ash-like purple motes that drifted away and vanished.
The molten magma that should've engulfed him dissolved into nothingness before it even reached his skin.
Around Dugu Feng, a strange, silent purple aura spread. It was a domain of death and poison.
Poison isn't just a weapon—it's also a shield!
Fire was supposed to be poison's natural enemy.But when poison reached a certain level of purity and intensity… even fire would die in it.
Dugu Feng's toxins were compound poisons, a chaotic mixture of lethal essences that devoured everything they touched.
Magma, flame, even heat itself—none of it could escape corrosion.
Of course, his confidence came from more than just poison.
Hidden beneath his calm, three soul bones pulsed with power—the Scorpion Claw on his shoulder,the Eight Spider Lances fused into his back,and the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone strengthening his body.
Three soul bones. Three sources of overwhelming power.
And beneath his uniform was another treasure,the Eight Treasure Glazed Soft Armor, a master-crafted artifact forged by the divine smith Lou Gao himself, capable of blocking attacks beneath the sixth spirit ring.
It had once belonged to Ning Rongrong… but Dugu Feng had won it in battle.
With those defenses, combined with his monstrous body strength, he could only laugh inwardly.
Yan, you've picked the wrong opponent.
He kept walking forward.
Step by step.
Eyes cold, breath steady, expression unchanging.
The magma roiled, flames crackled, yet Dugu Feng advanced through them like a specter rising from hell. He was untouched, unstoppable.
At that moment, to every spectator watching, he wasn't a man—he was a phoenix walking through fire, reborn in violet flame.
"Dugu Feng! Dugu Feng!"
"Dugu Feng!"
"Dugu Feng!"
The chant rippled across the stands, voices roaring like a storm.
Even the nobles and titled soul masters who came to watch were stunned.
"Impossible!"
Xie Yue's pupils shrank in disbelief.
"Yan's fourth spirit skill—Lava Hell—is something I wouldn't even dare to take head-on! How can he just… walk through it?!"
Beside him, Hu Liena's golden eyes reflected the violet glow.
"What a terrifying poison," she whispered. "And what a strong body he has…"
The purple light around Dugu Feng kept consuming every trace of flame.
To the audience, it looked like molten rock was falling on him, but most of it evaporated before it could even touch his skin.
Hu Liena's voice was low. "This won't be easy. Even if he's holding out now, the poison soul master's greatest weakness is consumption.
A Soul Elder fighting against a Soul Ancestor...if he keeps this up, he'll run dry soon enough."
Yet Dugu Feng didn't falter.
He had already crossed half the field.
Now he stood in the center of the arena and with each step radiating more pressure, more killing intent.
His aura surged higher, black and red intertwining with violet—like death itself was drawing near.
So close…
The air trembled.
Yan felt it.
That oppressive killing intent slammed into his mind like a crashing wave. For a heartbeat, he saw it—mountains of corpses, rivers of blood.
His heartbeat spiked. His pupils shrank.
Fear? I—am afraid?
He roared, shaking it off. "How dare you make me feel fear...die!
Hellfire Burst!"
The third spirit ring flared to life. Flames exploded outward.
This was his amplification skill, doubling his strength, his defense, his flame's intensity.
His body swelled further, reaching four meters tall, his fire burning blue at the edges from sheer heat.
He had become a flame giant, magma veins glowing across his skin, each arm like a molten mountain.
Lava coiled around his arms like fiery serpents.
First Spirit Skill: Hellfire Smash!
A brutal close-range technique.
Combined with his second ability's defense, Yan's melee combat was unmatched among his peers.
He lunged forward—only to feel resistance.
It wasn't easy to get close to Dugu Feng anymore.
The third spirit ring on Dugu Feng's body lit up, releasing a deep emerald glow.
A surge of energy burst outward, shaping itself into three humanoid silhouettes—phantoms of venom and mist.
They shot forward like lightning, charging at Yan from three directions.
Dugu Feng had been waiting for this momenthe wanted proximity before striking.
If he'd released this skill earlier, the flames and magma would have blunted its power.
But now....at this range it could hit full force.
Unfortunately, his worry came true.
The lava beneath Yan erupted, waves of molten rock surging upward to intercept the three phantoms.
Dugu Feng's eyes narrowed.
"Jade Phosphorus Twelve Strikes!"
His hands blurred. Ten fingers flickered faster than sight, each strike slicing through fire and smoke.
Every motion carried a razor-sharp killing intent.
"Kill!"
His voice was like a blade itself...cold, fierce, absolute.
Each finger thrust shattered magma bubbles midair, ripping through Yan's fire like cutting through silk.
The three venom phantoms lunged again, whiletwo were instantly burned away by the blue flames,but the third slammed straight into Yan's chest.
It melted, twisting into a stream of poison that coiled around him like a living serpent.
Yan's rock-hard skin hissed under the touch, blue fire clashing with violet mist.
Moments ago, Dugu Feng had endured the Hellfire—now Yan was enduring the poison's bite.
The roles had reversed.
Attack and defense—hunter and prey—had switched in the blink of an eye.