Chapter 179: Finale and Crisis
Dai Yao's unleashed soul skill summoned a torrent of lightning unlike any natural phenomenon. Instead of a single flash, a continuous storm of thunderbolts rained down from the pitch-black sky, illuminating the entire Heaven Dou City as if it were daylight. The deafening roar of thunder reverberated, and as Dai Yao lifted his hand skyward, his body began to rise, defying gravity. The pouring rain seemed to recognize him, avoiding his form as he ascended, appearing as a deity cloaked in lightning.
This awe-inspiring display of power left no one in the Soul Arena unaffected. Even high-level soul masters, like Soul Douluo, felt a tangible sense of danger within the electric storm. The stadium, filled with 80,000 spectators, fell silent, everyone collectively holding their breath as they took in the overwhelming aura of the "forest of lightning."
The competing teams, as they looked up at Dai Yao, dropped their notebooks in shock, the sound breaking their trance. Yu Tianheng, watching from the sidelines, stared in disbelief. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's soul itself would tremble before this level of thunderous power, and yet Dai Yao had summoned it with such ease, shaking him to the core.
In the VIP area, the three distinguished guests were momentarily speechless. Ning Fengzhi, usually composed and graceful, leaned forward, his eyes wide with shock as he took in the spectacle. He quickly gathered himself but could only sigh in amazement.
"Dai Yao," he mused inwardly, "since I met you, I've had more surprises than in an entire year. What kind of miracles will you show us next?"
Emperor Xue Ye, similarly astounded, pressed his lips tightly, a nerve twitching at his temple. A Soul Ancestor was wielding a skill powerful enough to make even a Soul Douluo feel threatened. What terrifying potential and talent! He cursed inwardly that Dai Yao wasn't part of Heaven Dou Empire. Once Dai Yao joined Spirit Hall and advanced to Titled Douluo, his power would be a serious threat to the empire's stability.
Meanwhile, Salas looked both astonished and delighted. Only moments ago, he'd believed Dai Yao would lose to Shenfeng Academy. Now, the situation had reversed completely, the lightning storm emitting enough power to make even Salas, a veteran Soul Douluo, feel uneasy. It was clear that the energy surrounding Dai Yao had gathered to a terrifying extent.
"My boy," Salas thought, "this attack is already comparable to my eighth soul skill. Just what kind of training have you been through to reach this point?"
Beside him, however, Sword Douluo Chenxin frowned thoughtfully. As a Titled Douluo, his battle-hardened intuition far surpassed that of any soul master in the arena. "Dai Yao's attack," he muttered, "though fierce, is widely dispersed. Scattered lightning can only be compared to sand—it lacks the concentrated power to truly threaten."
His comment caught Ning Fengzhi's attention.
"Uncle Jian, I see your point, but isn't that a bit harsh? Dai Yao is still a Soul Ancestor. His skill alone is already far beyond what any soul master at his level could achieve."
Ning Fengzhi's tone was appreciative. "To fully focus that kind of lightning would require a skill far beyond his level. But he doesn't need to rush. That will come in time."
Chenxin cracked a small, approving smile. "Yes, this sea of lightning certainly makes one forget he's still just a four-ring Soul Ancestor. But concentrating this kind of destructive power requires a massive amount of soul power. He'll likely need to reach the Soul Sage rank to even attempt such control."
At that moment, Chenxin's cold gaze abruptly widened in astonishment. In the midst of the lightning storm, Dai Yao, hovering in mid-air, looked down at his injured teammates, anger flaring in his eyes. As he cast a contemptuous glance at the struggling Shenfeng Academy members, he spoke with a commanding tone.
"You dared to hurt my friends? Then I'll return every bit of that pain to you!"
Feng Xiaotian, dodging lightning strikes amidst the electric forest, barely avoided a bolt that landed mere inches from his position. He felt his heart clench in terror as his face turned deathly pale, unable to breathe in the tense moment.
For a split second, the thought crossed his mind that this was only a competition. But then he remembered their bet and what was at stake—never being allowed near Huo Wu again. This thought filled him with bitterness. Clenching his jaw, he didn't want to admit defeat, but all he could do was dodge in this storm; he had no chance of getting close enough to attack Dai Yao.
Finally, regaining his composure, Feng Xiaotian locked eyes with his teammates, signaling them all with a determined nod. They immediately understood his plan and nodded in agreement.
"Dai Yao!" Feng Xiaotian shouted over the thunder. "I admit you're strong, but how long can you, a Soul Ancestor, keep up this level of soul power?"
This taunt sent a wave of realization through the crowd. As powerful as Dai Yao's skill was, it had to drain his energy considerably. Once his soul power depleted, Shenfeng Academy would surely claim victory.
Dai Yao's lips curled into a knowing smile. Had he not directed the lightning away from them intentionally, Shenfeng Academy would already be in ruins.
"Stubborn fool," he muttered coldly.
He raised his right hand, slowly closing it into a fist.
As if responding to his will, the scattered lightning bolts converged, transforming from chaotic, separate strikes into a single, concentrated column directed at Dai Yao's fist. An overwhelming aura filled the arena as every spectator sensed the unimaginable power now gathered within his fist.
Chenxin's eyes widened with disbelief. He had been certain that Dai Yao would need to be at least a Soul Sage to attempt concentrating his lightning like this, yet here he was, a Soul Ancestor, wielding power that rivaled a Soul Douluo's might.
"He's only a Soul Ancestor! How can he control such immense power?" Chenxin muttered, astonished.
Not only him but every powerful soul master in the VIP section had risen to their feet. Soul Douluo-level powerhouses stared at Dai Yao in utter disbelief; the destructive energy gathered in his fist was a palpable threat even to them.
Feng Xiaotian, noticing the lightning thinning around him, felt a fleeting sense of relief. However, as he looked up, he was horrified. The vast electric current had gathered in Dai Yao's fist, a deafening crackling filling the air. For a moment, he saw Dai Yao as a terrifying Thunder God, commanding all of nature's wrath.
Frozen with terror, he could barely manage to shout, "Scatter! Escape!"
Without hesitation, his teammates broke formation, wings spread wide as they tried to flee.
Up above, Dai Yao's cold smile didn't waver. "Think you can escape that easily? Dream on!"
To everyone's shock and horror, Dai Yao darted across the field with blinding speed, the lightning following his movement. As his ten-thousand-year spirit ring shone brilliantly, he shouted, "Fourth Soul Skill: White Tiger Thunder God Strike!"
Suddenly, he vanished from sight, reappearing instantly in front of Feng Xiaotian. Thunder and lightning coiled around his fist like a divine sword as he struck down with crushing force.
With a blinding flash, Dai Yao's form blurred as he shot past Feng Xiaotian.
Feng Xiaotian's stunned expression froze as his wind-cloaked wings shattered under the force of the blow. The lightning rendered him immobile, paralyzing his body and silencing his mind as he plummeted toward the ground.
One by one, the remaining Shenfeng Academy members were struck, their wings collapsing as they too fell, defeated and bloodied. As Feng Xiaotian lay stunned, he gazed upon his battered teammates, frustration mingling with exhaustion. Trying to rise, he felt a sharp jolt in his neck as he looked up, realizing that a blade of lightning was pointed at his throat.
"You've lost," Dai Yao stated icily.
Dai Yao had held back significantly, weakening his attack by several levels to avoid lethal harm. Feng Xiaotian's mouth opened, but no words came. In his final moments of defeat, he cast a long glance toward the blurry silhouette of Huo Wu through the rain, her beauty shrouded in mist. His heart twisted painfully as he accepted the inevitable.
"I… lost," he whispered.
His words echoed across the arena, sinking the Soul Arena into dead silence.
Dai Yao lowered his hand, letting the lightning blade dissipate as his immense energy gradually faded. The terrifying black soul ring that had radiated such power dimmed and vanished back into his body, bringing the battle to a close.
As the black soul ring faded, it was as if the sky received a command—the thunder gradually softened, the torrential rain eased, and, within moments, the downpour ceased. Dai Yao looked up, his short golden hair soaked and clinging to his face. Watching the rain dissipate and the clouds begin to part, he murmured, "Tomorrow… it'll be a clear day."
As his voice echoed through the Soul Arena via the loudspeakers, all eyes instinctively shifted toward the lone figure standing in the arena. Shocked whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire.
"What terrifying soul power… Can a Soul Ancestor really wield something like that?"
"One person defeated all of Shenfeng Academy! Dai Yao is an absolute monster!"
"With this win over Shenfeng Academy, does this mean that Oakland Academy is now the only undefeated team?"
Excited murmurs and exclamations filled the audience, igniting the entire arena into a frenzy. Oakland's team members, ignoring their own pain, rushed onto the stage, surrounding Dai Yao and lifting him into the air in sheer exhilaration, releasing the tension they had all held back for so long.
Since learning they would face Shenfeng Academy, a heavy weight had pressed on the hearts of Oakland's team members, suffocating them under the pressure of their classmates' hopes, their teachers' expectations, and the audience's support. They had to win. Now, with Shenfeng Academy defeated, the weight lifted, and they celebrated wholeheartedly.
"Dai Yao, we couldn't have won without you. No wonder you kept your fourth soul skill a secret—it's incredible!" one teammate exclaimed.
Dai Yao smiled, responding, "Without all of you, I couldn't have managed to use this ten-thousand-year soul skill. Beating Shenfeng Academy wasn't just my achievement."
"It was all of us together who defeated Shenfeng Academy!" Dai Yuan added proudly.
Dou Yu, grinning, chimed in, "Exactly! Even my grandma with Dai Yao could have taken them on!" The team fell silent, humor cut short.
In the VIP area, Ning Fengzhi's face softened with pride as he applauded Dai Yao's extraordinary performance. Recalling Dai Yao's external soul bones, he marveled at how immense Dai Yao's true power must be.
Sword Douluo Chenxin, who had lost count of how many times Dai Yao had astonished him, looked at the young man as though he were a rising sun. He could already envision a future where Dai Yao's name would be forever recorded in Douluo history.
Meanwhile, Emperor Xue Ye, his mouth dry with shock, turned toward Salas with a calculated smile. "Congratulations, Bishop Salas. It seems that Spirit Hall has gained a true prodigy."
"A few decades ago, Spirit Hall discovered another genius with twin martial souls who has since become the Pope and commands the land with incredible strength," Xue Ye continued. "And now, Spirit Hall's Golden Generation shows comparable promise. With them leading the way, Spirit Hall's power will certainly rise to new heights."
Although Emperor Xue Ye's words held a cordial tone, Salas felt a chill run through him, unsure of the emperor's intentions. Salas's eyes momentarily flashed with cold light, quickly masked by a practiced smile.
"Your Majesty is too kind. Spirit Hall has indeed gathered some talented soul masters in recent years," Salas replied. "However, while Spirit Hall's soul masters may grow stronger, our numbers are far too few. We could hardly compare to the empires' grand armies."
But his mind was racing. The Golden Generation of Spirit Hall had already achieved Soul King level before reaching thirty, and Dai Yao's talent outshone even theirs. With him on board, Spirit Hall's young generation would reach unprecedented power. Once these young prodigies became Titled Douluo, Spirit Hall's influence would soar even higher, leaving the two empires far behind.
Yet, Salas couldn't help but feel a pang of concern. Dai Yao's astonishing performance and potential would not go unnoticed by the Heaven Dou Empire. With such evident talent, he might face hostility, or even lethal intent, from those wary of his alliance with Spirit Hall.
Watching Dai Yao in the arena, Salas tightened his grip, a new urgency in his gaze.
"Dai Yao, you may need to leave the Heaven Dou Empire sooner than planned. We can't give them the chance to act against you."
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