Chapter 136: Pressure and Breakthrough
"Oh, right, I've been asking you about your soul rings, but what brings you to me today?"
Ning Fengzhi snapped out of his shock from Dai Yao's soul ring and asked with a puzzled expression.
Dai Yao turned his gaze to Sword Douluo, cupping his hands and speaking seriously: "I've come to see His Majesty, Chen Xin."
Chen Xin, with white hair blowing in the wind, looked at him with curiosity: "Oh? What business do you have with me?"
"Reporting, Your Majesty. I have been stuck at Rank 39 for quite some time, and the Continental Soul Master Elite Competition is approaching. With the current strength of the Auckland team, we cannot perform well in the competition," Dai Yao explained with determination. "So, I must break through Rank 40 and obtain my fourth soul ring to lead the Auckland team forward."
"Therefore, I wish to borrow the pressure that Sword Douluo exerts to help me break through to Rank 40."
His voice was firm, clearly resolute in his request.
Sword Douluo's slender face broke into a smile: "You've got guts, daring to use the pressure I exert for your training. Don't you know my soul power is as sharp as my sword?"
"Exactly because Your Majesty's soul power is so sharp, there is no one in the continent who could match it. That is why I have come to you," Dai Yao said, his tone respectful.
Sword Douluo's eyes glimmered with admiration as he glanced at Ning Fengzhi. Seeing Ning Fengzhi give a slight nod of approval, he spoke again: "Very well, do you need any preparations?"
"We can begin now," Dai Yao replied confidently.
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt the air around him seem to solidify, carrying a sharp, piercing sensation that made his skin prickle.
The immense soul power rushed toward him, and his body immediately froze, unable to move. He took a deep breath, focusing all his energy to circulate his soul power, resisting the overwhelming pressure coming from all directions.
"This pressure is intense... and it feels so sharp. As expected of Sword Douluo."
"Mm?"
Sword Douluo let out a soft sound of surprise. His remark drew the attention of both Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo.
"What's wrong, Sword Uncle? Is the kid unable to handle it?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
Sword Douluo stretched his hand out, palm facing downward, and the pressure began to steadily increase. He explained to Ning Fengzhi, "No, he can still handle it."
"I know his physique is different from others, so I directly applied Rank 40 soul power pressure on him."
"Rank 40? Isn't that above his soul power level?" Ning Fengzhi exclaimed in surprise.
"Indeed, Fengzhi. See, even though I've applied Rank 40 soul power pressure, the kid doesn't seem to feel any pain. This means his capacity to withstand pressure far exceeds Rank 40," Sword Douluo explained.
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi turned his gaze to Dai Yao, observing him closely. Dai Yao's breathing was steady, and his complexion was healthy and calm, showing no signs of strain despite the intense pressure.
"I'll see just how much pressure this kid can handle," Sword Douluo murmured.
With a casual gesture, Sword Douluo's hand moved back and then pressed forward again, gradually intensifying the pressure.
Rank 41... Rank 42... up to Rank 45, but Dai Yao showed no signs of distress.
As the pressure continued to mount, Chen Xin felt an increasing sense of amazement. He knew the terrifying extent of his own soul power, and Dai Yao had persisted thus far without even releasing his own soul power.
"Good kid, I want to see just how much you can take," Sword Douluo said, his eyes filled with appreciation as his palm swelled with power, and the pressure sharply intensified.
The powerful soul power fluctuations caused his sleeve to flutter despite the still air.
"Old Sword, you..." Bone Douluo was shocked. After many years of mutual competition and understanding, he knew just how immense the pressure Sword Douluo was applying could be.
Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo exchanged glances, both concerned that Dai Yao might not be able to endure much longer.
As the pressure increased to Rank 47, Dai Yao's face finally showed signs of pain. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
At this moment, Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo looked at each other again, astonished. They could tell that Dai Yao hadn't released his soul power yet—this was the thought both had at the same time.
After absorbing three soul rings beyond the limit, and consuming both the Eight-Treasure Xuanbing Grass and the Fierce Flame Apricot Jiao Shu, Dai Yao's body had grown to an incredibly terrifying level.
Rank 47 was already far beyond his soul power level.
Though Dai Yao felt the pain, he gritted his teeth and continued desperately circulating his soul power, trying to break through the bottleneck at Rank 39.
"Break through, now!" he thought, his forehead veins bulging and his teeth grinding.
Under the pressure exerted by Sword Douluo, his soul power became more solid, greatly increasing the chances of breaking through the barrier.
The soul power surged within him, roaring as it repeatedly crashed against the bottleneck. Though the barrier seemed on the verge of breaking, it remained steadfast, resisting every strike.
Eventually, the flow of soul power receded, and Dai Yao felt a sense of frustration—he had failed to break through.
Suddenly, a buzz echoed in the air, and the pressure finally reached Rank 49. Dai Yao couldn't hold out any longer, and he activated his Divine White Tiger spirit in his spiritual world.
He snapped his eyes open, and his pupils narrowed into vertical slits, resembling those of a big cat.
Then, white fur began to grow rapidly across his body, and his size increased significantly. The royal "Wang" character on his forehead grew clearer.
"Roar!"
The Divine White Tiger spirit manifested, releasing a fierce roar.
Immediately, the pressure on Dai Yao's body seemed to lighten, and his ability to withstand the force was greatly enhanced.
As the Divine White Tiger soul was unleashed, Sword Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and Bone Douluo all felt an invisible pressure. It was the overwhelming quality of Dai Yao's soul that far surpassed their own.
"Do you want to continue?" Sword Douluo asked, suppressing his surprise, his voice softer and warmer than before.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for a talent like Dai Yao.
Dai Yao struggled to open his mouth, his gaze resolute as he said, "Your Majesty Chen Xin, please continue. I can still handle it! I must break through Rank 40!"
Sword Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and Bone Douluo exchanged looks and nodded, all eager to see just where Dai Yao's limits lay.
"Alright, if you can't handle it, just extend your middle finger on your right hand."
Seeing Dai Yao nod, Sword Douluo flipped his palm again and pressed down. The pressure surged, now breaking through Rank 50!
Rank 50, already 11 levels above Dai Yao's soul power. Even with his Beast Martial Soul's strength enhancement, this was an outrageous gap.
Sword Douluo could feel Dai Yao's body becoming like a beast, hard and scorching hot like steel.
He knew Dai Yao was still circulating his soul power, fiercely pushing against the bottleneck.
Handling pressure far beyond his soul power level while also fighting against the bottleneck, Sword Douluo couldn't help but feel some admiration.
His soul power, sharp like a sword, had reached such an intensity that for Dai Yao, it felt like blades cutting into flesh.
Rank 51... Rank 52... Rank 55.
As the pressure continued to increase, Sword Douluo's initial amazement gave way to shock.
At Rank 55, Dai Yao's face had turned bright red, sweat pouring down as his body felt as though it was being sliced by a thousand blades. Yet, his determination to break through Rank 40 kept him going.
With a deafening sound, the bottleneck finally shattered. At that very moment, Dai Yao's back suddenly expanded.
Seeing this change in Dai Yao, Sword Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and Bone Douluo's eyes grew wider and wider.
(End of Chapter)
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