"Are you crazy? The Grand Elder is a Super Douluo! Although you defeated the Star Luo Emperor, there is an insurmountable gap between you and the Grand Elder. Facing the Grand Elder is tantamount to suicide!"
Dugu Bo said in shock and anger.
"Grandpa Dugu, you are a master of poisons and excel in group battles, not one-on-one duels. Once the Grand Elder gets really angry, your life will be in danger. Facing the Grand Elder would be a true suicide mission for you."
Dai Yao sighed softly, somewhat helplessly.
If someone could stop the Grand Elder, why would he need to take action himself? For Dugu Bo to force himself against the Grand Elder would be suicide. Dugu Yan would be heartbroken, something he didn't want to see.
However, he had prepared for the worst before he came. Although he couldn't defeat the Grand Elder, he could stall him for a while.
"Then you can't force yourself. Super Douluo isn't as simple as you think. After level 95, each level up requires more soul power than the previous level..."
Dugu Bo said urgently.
Before Dugu Bo could finish speaking, Dai Yao interrupted him:
"It should be 20% higher, right?"
Dugu Bo was taken aback, quite surprised:
"You know all this perfectly well, so why did you still choose the Grand Elder? Don't you know you're just throwing your life away?"
Dai Yao took a deep breath, the cold wind penetrating his lungs and clearing his mind somewhat. He slowly said:
"Since I've chosen to do this, I'm naturally confident of success. When have you ever seen me do anything without being sure of success? Don't worry, I'll definitely make it back alive!"
Although Dai Yao had accomplished many incredible feats, challenging a Super Douluo was still beyond Dugu Bo's imagination. Dai Yao was a Soul Emperor, three major realms higher, and the Grand Elder was at level ninety-six, a qualitative leap compared to ordinary Title Douluos.
Trying to hold off the Grand Elder is nothing short of a pipe dream.
But seeing Dai Yao's confident expression, Dugu Bo actually felt a little convinced. He said somewhat helplessly:
"Okay then, if you can't hold on any longer, you must tell me."
Dai Yao nodded.
Standing to the side, after listening to the conversation between Dai Yao and Dugu Bo, the Grand Elder seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, somewhat incredulous, and then sneered:
"Dai Yao, it seems you've been blinded by victory, daring to challenge this old man?! It's good for a young man to have confidence, but arrogance is no good. However, this also saves me the trouble of threatening you with the disciples of the Azure Lotus Sect again. I will show you what a Super Douluo is!"
Dai Yao snorted coldly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice:
"I will also show you what a true genius is!"
Immediately, he flapped his eight wings and soared into the sky. Looking at the Qinglian Sect disciples who were once again embroiled in battle, he roared:
"Azure Lotus Sect, retreat!"
The Star Luo Emperor is dead, half the revenge has been taken, and the Empress is still alive. Although Dai Yao won't let the Empress live until tomorrow, the current situation necessitates the Qinglian Sect disciples to retreat first and ensure their own safety. Even if Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi were combined, they wouldn't be a match for the opposing Grand Elder.
As for Empress Xingluo, we'll make plans after the Qinglian Sect retreats.
Upon hearing Dai Yao's shout, the disciples of the Azure Lotus Sect were stunned for a moment, then immediately began to retreat slowly according to the pre-rehearsed formation.
Knowing their opponent intended to escape, the palace guards launched a frenzied attack, seemingly without regard for their own lives. After the death of Emperor Xingluo, some were heartbroken, but others were consumed by rage, determined to kill as many of Dai Yao's followers as possible to avenge Emperor Xingluo!
For a time, the retreat progressed very slowly.
Meanwhile, the battle of the Soul Douluos in mid-air was left to the sidelines as the Zhu family elders decided to withdraw from Dai Yao and the Dai family's affairs. Now, the pressure on the Soul Douluos of the Azure Lotus Sect was greatly reduced.
However, this pressure is only relative to before. There is a significant difference in the number of Soul Douluos on Dai Yao's side compared to the number on Xing Luo's side. Therefore, they can only hold back Xing Luo's Soul Douluos, preventing them from intervening in the ground battlefield.
"Elder, 'Asura Emperor'... that is Dai Yao's spear-type martial soul, is incredibly domineering. In front of that spear, any defense is as fragile as paper. Moreover, as you have seen, Dai Yao also possesses the 'teleportation' skill, which allows him to maximize the advantages of his spear martial soul."
"But as long as we are on guard, he poses no threat."
The Seventh Elder reminded the First Elder.
He had suffered a similar fate at the hands of the 'Asura Emperor' before, which resulted in the loss of one of his hands and a drop in strength to the Title Douluo level. Therefore, he dared not confront Dai Yao now.
Now, the Haotian Sect and the Xingluo Dai family are in the same boat. If Dai Yao is not eliminated today, both sides will surely suffer a bloodbath at his hands in the future! Therefore, he must inform the Grand Elder to avoid repeating his mistakes.
The elder nodded and made a note of it.
Immediately, the Seventh Elder met Dugu Bo's gaze, a cold smile appearing on his face. With the Clear Sky Hammer in hand, nine spirit rings slowly emerged, especially the ninth gray spirit ring, which was particularly eye-catching.
Dugu Bo snorted coldly. If the Seventh Elder were still a Title Douluo, he would have no choice but to avoid him. But since the Seventh Elder was merely a Soul Douluo, what did he have to fear?
The two took to the air in perfect unison, arriving at an open square where they faced each other.
"Dugu Bo, since you've chosen to aid and abet evil, then you won't leave here alive today!"
The Seventh Elder made no attempt to conceal his murderous intent.
He slightly raised the Clear Sky Hammer, its dark light flashing, and the seventh soul ring lit up, a chilling aura slowly spreading out.
Dugu Bo glanced at the retreating Qinglian Sect disciples, then at Dai Yao, his eyes filled with worry. He let out a soft breath before looking at the Seventh Elder. As his soul power circulated, his pupils transformed into vertical, emerald-green pupils, resembling a chilling, venomous snake, utterly terrifying.
"If you were still a Title Douluo, I might still be a little afraid of you, but you're just a Soul Douluo. What right do you have to talk back to me? Today, I'll kill you first, and then I'll go help Dai Yao!"
He smiled sinisterly.
As he spoke, his seventh spirit ring lit up. His seventh spirit skill: Serpent Emperor True Form!
"How arrogant!"
The Seventh Elder snorted coldly and shouted.
Immediately, the two figures collided violently. Upon impact, the surge of soul power swept outwards like a tsunami.
Right from the start, the two powerful figures unleashed their Martial Soul True Forms, immediately setting the stage for a thrilling battle.
······
In front of the palace.
Glancing at the Star Luo Emperor being dressed by the maids, whose body temperature had completely vanished and whose face was deathly pale, the Grand Elder sighed silently, looked at Dai Yao, and said coldly:
"I'd like to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve. If you're just bluffing, then stay here."
But his serious gaze was not as relaxed as his tone suggested.
Although he was a Super Douluo, surpassing Dai Yao by three major realms, he dared not underestimate Dai Yao. The consequences of underestimating Dai Yao were already evident, with the Star Luo Emperor being the best example.
Upon hearing this, Dai Yao's lips curled slightly. He looked up at the sky, which had become gloomy due to the continuous use of 'White Tiger Thunder God Strike', and said to the Grand Elder:
"Let's go to heaven."
Immediately, with a flap of its eight wings, Dai Yao soared into the sky, transforming into a streak of light and leaping into the heavens.
The Grand Elder glanced at the dark sky, his heart sinking slightly. If Dai Yao's trump card was indeed his soul skill that utilized lightning, then he wouldn't need to be so wary. His soul power surged, and he followed Dai Yao, rising into the sky.
As he flew, he looked down and saw the Grand Elder catching up. Dai Yao felt relieved.
Fighting high in the sky allows him to unleash his soul skills without worrying about the aftershocks harming his own people; moreover, there are fewer prying eyes watching him from above, so he is less hesitant to reveal his trump cards.
If it really comes to the last resort, he can still use other soul skills of the Chaos Green Lotus.
The Chaos Green Lotus's soul skill was his last trump card. Whether it was infinite teleportation, time-space stasis, or infinite soul power, Dai Yao would only use them as a last resort.
The combination of the God-Slaying Spear and teleportation is already enough to make even Title Douluos somewhat wary. If other soul skills were used, wouldn't it be able to kill even Title Douluos? A Soul Emperor killing a Title Douluo? That's too outrageous! This isn't tens of thousands of years later, when level-climbing is as easy as drinking water for Douluo II and Douluo III!
Moreover, the Grand Elder is a Super Douluo, whose strength is second to none among Title Douluos. If he were to be killed, there would probably be no place on the continent that could accommodate him!
Even within the Spirit Hall, the elders among the Title Douluo would be somewhat wary of him. When your strength is inferior to theirs, they will admire you, but when you can threaten their lives, they will feel uneasy.
Those who are more radical will definitely try every means to find out his secret of being able to transcend realms and defeat a Title Douluo. Even if Dai Yao is not afraid, the people around him are not.
Therefore, in his battle against the Grand Elder, he would only use his spirit ring skills and self-created spirit skills. Of course, he had long been prepared to fight against a Super Douluo.
A moment later, the two slowed down, and the Star Luo City on the ground had become the size of a stone.
A gust of wind blew by, causing Dai Yao's clothes to flutter and his golden hair to dance wildly, while the Grand Elder stood motionless, hands behind his back, like a mountain, not even a strand of hair moved.
Both sides glanced down at the battlefield. The Qinglian Sect disciples retreated slowly, while the palace guards launched a frenzied attack, resulting in a stalemate. Based on their retreat speed, it would take at least half an hour to evacuate Xingluo City.
"Half an hour? That's enough!"
The Grand Elder calculated the time, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He then looked up at Dai Yao and said calmly:
"With death looming, is there anything you want to say?"
As he spoke, he remained wary of Dai Yao's sudden attack, after all, the Seventh Elder had lost an arm in the same way.
Dai Yao smiled faintly. The Azure Lotus Sect's retreat would take at least another half hour, meaning he had to stall for at least half an hour. But delaying wasn't the best solution; he had to demonstrate strength comparable to the Grand Elder to make the Grand Elder hesitate!
"Old man, you talk too much nonsense, let's fight!"
Dai Yao roared.
Immediately, his soul power surged, and six soul rings slowly emerged. The third and fifth soul rings lit up simultaneously, and the White Tiger Dark Gold Transformation and White Tiger Titan Transformation amplified his power at the same time. The soul power in his right fist slowly began to compress, accompanied by a tearing sound as it shot towards the Grand Elder like lightning!
"Arrogant!"
Hearing Dai Yao's words, the Grand Elder was also enraged. Nine spirit rings slowly appeared: two yellow, two purple, and five black—the optimal configuration of five spirit rings. After the nine spirit rings appeared, an immense sense of oppression instantly spread throughout the sky.
With a soul power suppression of over thirty levels, if it were another soul master of the same level as Dai Yao, they would already be unable to move.
But Dai Yao's years of training under the waterfall were once again proving incredibly effective! His body had long since become accustomed to functioning normally under immense pressure. Like a swimming fish, the immense pressure enveloped him, yet it did nothing to slow him down!
The Grand Elder was startled, and then his seventh soul ring lit up. With a huge surge of soul power, a blood-red giant tiger slowly appeared before Dai Yao.
Dai Yao didn't back down at all, and fiercely threw a punch that collided with the giant tiger's claw.
With a loud bang, Dai Yao was sent flying backward like a cannonball.
The elder was taken aback, feeling a strange force raging in his arm. With a thought, he redirected his soul power and expelled the force.
"What is this? Hidden force? Nothing special. Dai Yao's strength is far too weak. The power of this attack is not even comparable to the two soul skills he used when he fought the Great Emperor. What exactly is he trying to do?"
A hint of doubt flashed across the tiger's eyes.
However, the Grand Elder did not dare to pursue rashly, as he was somewhat worried that Dai Yao was feigning weakness to deliberately lower his guard.
"My strength is more than enough to suppress him. As long as I fight steadily and remain calm, without giving him any opportunities, he will surely die. If I then provoke him, he will inevitably reveal a weakness!"
The elder thought to himself silently.
Immediately, he looked at Dai Yao in the distance and sneered:
"Dai Yao, if this is your true strength, then your boastful words just now were a joke. You won too easily. I don't even have the interest to kill your henchmen later."
Dai Yao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his left hand, somewhat surprised that the Grand Elder had not taken the opportunity to pursue him.
"That old guy is really good at hiding his true colors. Even with such a huge advantage, he doesn't dare to use any more aggressive tactics. This is a life-or-death struggle, and there's no room for retreat. No wonder the elders' council is so conservative; it's probably closely related to this guy's personality!"
"The elders of the Elder Council always talk about how domineering and fearless the White Tiger Martial Soul is, but when it comes to actually doing things, they are always timid and hesitant. Just like this old guy!"
"However, this happens to fit my plan perfectly."
Having figured this out, Dai Yao shouted:
"The battle has only just begun! What's the rush? Let's go again!"
In his right fist, his soul power was compressed for the second time!
The soul power surged and attacked the Grand Elder again. It was necessary to take advantage of the Grand Elder's lack of reaction time and use his power to complete the compression process as soon as possible!
Tiger's eyes narrowed, and it swung its claws again, colliding with Dai Yao's fist.
A muffled thunderclap boomed in the sky, then echoed outwards.
Under the elder's somewhat surprised gaze, Dai Yao was sent flying backward again, but this time the distance was much shorter than before! In other words, the power of Dai Yao's punch was much greater than the last time!
The Grand Elder's expression was grave, hesitating whether to pursue. After a moment, Dai Yao had recovered, and there was no chance to give chase. He sighed softly and said slowly:
"That punch wasn't bad. But if you think you can hold me off with that kind of attack, you're dreaming!"
Dai Yao did not answer, but shouted:
"Again!"
······
Three more loud bangs rang out, and the spectators in Star Luo City kept looking up at the sky, wondering what had happened.
In the sky, the Grand Elder felt the force from the tiger's claws, trembling slightly in pain, and looked at Dai Yao in horror. Each of Dai Yao's punches had increased in power significantly; only then did he understand everything, and exclaimed in shock:
"So you were using a self-created soul skill similar to the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique!"
After five compressions, Dai Yao was able to suppress the Grand Elder in his Martial Soul True Body state. He began a sixth compression in his right arm and sneered:
"Old man, it's too late for you to realize this now! I really didn't expect that I could execute it so smoothly."
Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder was filled with regret. His face darkened, and a massive surge of soul power erupted, his eighth soul ring lighting up. If Dai Yao's self-created soul skill was truly like the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, the final strike would undoubtedly be earth-shattering! Even if Dai Yao's second martial soul posed a significant threat, he had no choice but to risk attacking.
He coldly shouted:
"Boy, your warm-up is over. I was careless and gave you a chance. But don't even think about using your skills again!"
As the eighth spirit ring lit up, an almost tangible pressure slowly spread out. Above the sky, an incomparably vast energy began to condense; although it was only the eighth spirit skill, it was many times stronger than the Star Luo Emperor's eighth spirit skill!
Despite the great distance, Dai Yao could feel the chilling power that sent shivers down his spine!
Taking a deep breath to suppress his turbulent emotions, Dai Yao's only hope of holding off the Grand Elder lay in the nine-fold compressed Eight Extremes Collapse. However, after the sixth compression, his soul power had become extremely violent. Dai Yao had to concentrate fully on the compression; if he continued fighting, a moment of distraction might cause the compressed soul power to explode!
However, he had a contingency plan for this situation.
With a heavy heart, he entered the spiritual world, looked at Xiao Wu who was already waiting there, and smiled:
"It's your turn to make a move." (End of Chapter)