Douluo, my clone Groudon

Chapter 425 Battle against Long Xiaoyao, extorting a level nine soul tool
Xu Tianran's gaze shot like a sharp sword to Zhongli Wu beside him, the leader of the Holy Spirit Sect and the nominal Imperial Preceptor.

At a time when imperial dignity is being trampled on, he must stand up and say or do something, otherwise what use is this imperial advisor?
However, Zhongliwu was not stupid.

To make him, for the sake of the Sun Moon Empire's reputation, directly provoke a Limit Douluo whose strength is unfathomable and whose methods are unpredictable? He's not ready to live yet!
Faced with Xu Tianran's almost tangible gaze, Zhong Liwu kept his eyes down, seemingly oblivious to the world around him, as if he had suddenly developed a keen interest in the patterns on the floor beneath his feet, perfectly playing the role of a "blind man."

Xu Tianran was furious, a sense of betrayal and powerlessness welled up in his heart, but at this moment he really had no way to directly command a Limit Douluo, especially a being like Zhongli Wu who was both righteous and evil.

At the critical moment, it was Long Xiaoyao who stepped forward. He kept Ye Xishui's orders in mind—to protect the Sun Moon Empire, help it unify the continent, and achieve "true peace," or at least the peace he envisioned.

He could not stand by and watch the majesty of the Sun Moon Empire be so utterly crushed.

He stepped forward and said in a deep voice to the "masked man" who was Gula in disguise: "Your Excellency, this is just a quarrel and misunderstanding between the younger generation. Why make such a big fuss and hurt the innocent?"

Gula snorted coldly, his voice not loud, but like thunderclaps, it exploded deep within Long Xiaoyao's soul, causing his blood and qi to surge.
"How dare you slander my Natural Sect as damned evil spirit masters? Your Sun Moon Empire, how dare you!"

'Who's slandering you? It was clearly another team that filed the complaint!'

Xu Tianran couldn't help but think, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

He had already realized that the masked man's purpose was not pure; it seemed more like he was using this as an excuse to deliberately find fault and establish his authority.

"How dare you! You attack His Highness!"

Just then, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Legion, loyal to the royal family, reacted. The legion commander, a Soul Douluo-level figure, shouted sternly.

Five hundred Soul Masters, all at least Level 5, had already set up their powerful Soul Guidance Devices, including several portable launchers filled with Level 7 fixed-position Soul Guidance Cannonballs!
Such a dense barrage of firepower would be too much for even a Limit Douluo to withstand head-on; they would have no choice but to either dodge or prioritize eliminating the operator.

The soul tool began charging, flashing with a dangerous light.

"Dog barking."

Gula simply uttered two words. The next moment, a chilling scene unfolded—without warning, a massive, bottomless, and tens-of-meters-wide chasm suddenly split open in the solid ground beneath the five hundred Soul Masters!
It was as if hell had opened its gaping maw!
"what--!"

Amidst screams, nearly three hundred Soul Masters, along with their Soul Guidance Devices, instantly plummeted into the endless abyss of darkness.

The crack then abruptly closed, sealing perfectly, as if it had never existed.

The fate of those who fall is self-evident; even if they were dug up now, they would have already suffocated to death from lack of oxygen.

Gula also "thoughtfully" chose to bury the person with the highest cultivation level and the loudest shout, with the legion commander who had shouted the rebuke being the first to be buried.

"you……!"

Xu Tianran's eyes were bloodshot with rage. The Sun Moon Soul Master Corps was an important force under his command, and now a third of them had died. He had to step forward.

If he backs down under these circumstances, his authority as regent will be completely destroyed, and his current position may be unstable, let alone his future ascension to the throne.

It's worth noting that the previous emperor was overthrown by the nobles because he advocated peace. Besides, wasn't he surrounded by Long Xiaoyao, a Limit Douluo? This gave him a sense of confidence.

He suppressed his fear and rage, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly: "Your Excellency! This is the Sun Moon Empire! It's not a place where you can run rampant just because you think you can rely on your strength! The people of my Sun Moon Empire cannot die in vain! You must give an explanation!"

Gula snorted coldly. He was having a great time "pretending" and was very unhappy to be interrupted.

The storm that would ignite if he revealed the fact that "Xu Tianran is a eunuch" flashed through his mind—a situation that would be irreconcilable.

But the competition wasn't over yet; he still needed the champion's level nine soul tool reward.

Moreover, he is essentially an "outsider" and there is no need for him to take on all the hatred of the Sun Moon Empire.

So he changed his tune, speaking in a condescending tone: "Fine, since you insist on an explanation, then the Sun Moon Empire will compensate my Natural Sect with a level nine soul tool as the price for your slander and provocation. I will reluctantly forgive you for what happened today."

Wow——!
The audience erupted in uproar! They killed hundreds of elite soldiers and then demanded compensation? How utterly domineering and arrogant!
Xu was so angry he almost vomited blood, his rage completely overwhelming his reason: "Your Excellency, please don't joke! You are the one who should compensate the Empire for its losses!"

"You're asking for it." Gula's voice remained calm, yet it carried a chilling undertone.

His gaze shifted to Long Xiaoyao, filled with undisguised contempt: "Your reliance is this... simp next to you?"

Upon hearing the word "simp," Long Xiaoyao was stunned for a moment, then boundless rage overwhelmed his reason! Who?! Who told the masked man to use that term?
Or is this masked man connected to Shrek Academy? He remembered that Xuanzi's Gluttonous Divine Ox was also an earth-attribute martial soul. Having been publicly humiliated like this, if he didn't react, how could he ever face anyone again?
Xu Tianran, however, was secretly delighted and looked at Long Xiaoyao.

Being insulted like a dog, or even called a "lapdog," is something no strong person can tolerate, and the Limit Douluo will definitely take action.

Long Xiaoyao did indeed make a move, unleashing the Dark Holy Dragon Martial Soul True Form!

In an instant, as if night had fallen, a huge phantom of a dark holy dragon spread its wings, blotting out the sky and enveloping the entire temporary battle arena.

A dragon claw, imbued with terrifying darkness and destructive power, tore through space and slashed down towards Gula's head! A suffocating pressure filled the air.

"Your Excellency, you'd better think carefully about the consequences before you speak!" Long Xiaoyao's voice was as cold as the wind from the depths of hell.

The masked man remained silent, only raising his hand in a gesture of pressing down.

A profound, ancient, and powerful force, seemingly originating from the very source of the earth, instantly coalesced, unleashing Groudon's signature move – Shattered Blade!
A giant, dark golden rock sword, over a hundred meters tall and formed entirely from the purest earth element and the laws of the land, appeared out of thin air.
Its size may not be as large as the surrounding towering rock walls, but the runes flowing on it and the "broken" artistic conception it contains make the space distort and tremble!

Long Xiaoyao's tentative claw strike was as fragile as paper before the giant sword that represented the wrath of the earth.

"boom!!!"

The greatsword struck first, landing precisely on the chest of the Dark Holy Dragon's true form.

"puff--!"

Long Xiaoyao was struck as if by a heavy blow. His massive Martial Soul True Body instantly disintegrated, and he coughed up blood. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, drawing a tragic arc in the air.

"You're not even a quasi-demigod, yet you dare to fight me? You're courting death!"

The masked man's cold, harsh voice echoed through the deathly silent arena. And the words "quasi-demigod" struck the hearts of all the powerful figures present like three heavy hammer blows.

An indescribable sense of dread spread through my heart.

Quasi-demigod? Could there be an even finer distinction above Limit Douluo? Or... is this person before us a true demigod?!
The smarter a person is, the more they think, and the more fearful they become.

Xu Tianran clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his flesh, forcibly suppressing his overwhelming anger. He began to rapidly consider the terrifying potential behind the "Natural Gate" and the enormous threat it posed to the Sun Moon Empire.

The Sun Moon Empire does indeed possess ultimate weapons capable of threatening or even killing Limit Douluo, such as the Level 9 Fixed-Equipment Soul Guidance Cannon Cluster and the Holy Spirit Cult's Death God Tower, but that is on the premise that the opponent does not run away or can be locked onto.

It's difficult for the empire to keep a Limit Douluo who's determined to leave. And if there truly exists an even more terrifying "demigod" above the Limit Douluo level...

What will become of the Sun and Moon Empire in the future?

The problem is, this "demigod" is right here right now! Otherwise, he wouldn't hesitate to immediately order the most intense artillery fire to wipe this area off the map!

"Cough cough..."

Long Xiaoyao barely managed to steady himself and ascended back into the air, his eyes filled with unprecedented apprehension and fear as he looked at the masked man.

The sword strike he just received wasn't just about the difference in strength, but also about a crushing level of power, as if he were fighting against the entire earth itself. He had only experienced that feeling of powerlessness when he was young.

He remained silent, concealing all his aura, clearly having completely given up on any intention to attack.

But he knew Xu Tianran needed a way out, so he turned his gaze back to Zhongli Wu, who seemed to want to hide himself away.

Zhongli Wu felt Long Xiaoyao's gaze and inwardly groaned. Then, receiving a secret telepathic message from Long Xiaoyao, he wished he had never come at all.

But circumstances forced him to force a smile that looked more like a grimace, and he bowed to Xu Tianran, saying:
"Your Highness the Regent... The Empire... The Empire is prosperous and has a profound foundation. A mere level nine soul tool is enough to satisfy this gentleman's request and demonstrate the grandeur of our Empire. It is... not unreasonable."

He said it with extreme difficulty, almost as if he was squeezing it out from between his teeth.

Xu Tianran's expression shifted, and finally, taking this extremely reluctant step, he stiffly nodded:
"Since... the Imperial Advisor says so, then... let's do as the Imperial Advisor says." He felt as if his face had been completely trampled on today.

Zhongli Wu's face was so dark it could wring water out of it. The Holy Spirit Church hadn't even officially become the state religion yet, and its prestige had already been diminished!
It is foreseeable that afterwards, a large number of nobles and officials will use this incident as an excuse to oppose the Holy Spirit Church obtaining the status of the state religion.

He dared not resent the terrifyingly powerful Long Xiaoyao and the masked man, so he blamed Xu Tianran for "forcing" him to step forward, and sneered inwardly:
"Once the plan succeeds and we have control of the situation, perhaps... it will be time to choose a more obedient emperor."

Soon, a level nine soul tool was delivered to Gula.

Unfortunately, the championship prize had not yet arrived. At this moment, the only level-nine soul master in the arena carrying a level-nine soul tool was none other than the referee, the Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan.

His prized creation—the unbreakable shield—which he cherished dearly, became compensation.
This not only means he has lost his biggest trump card, but it could also lead to the leakage of the core secrets of this soul tool.

Zheng Zhan felt his heart bleed and cursed inwardly: "That old fox Jing Hongchen used the excuse of taking care of his grandchildren to slip away in advance, otherwise how could such a 'good thing' have fallen into my lap!"

If the empire hadn't promised to compensate him with a large amount of rare metals far exceeding the value of the shield, he would never have handed it over, but even so, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

Gula put away the unexpectedly acquired level-nine soul tool with satisfaction, and sat back down in the rest area of ​​the Natural Gate, removing the surrounding rock walls and the pressure of the domain.

After this incident, everyone's gaze towards the Natural Gate was completely replaced by awe. A Limit Douluo, who was suspected to be a "demigod," was now in charge.

That's what gives them the confidence to act this way.

Many people couldn't help but wonder: What kind of incredible luck did the Douling Empire have to attract such a terrifying hidden sect?

The landscape of the competition has been dramatically changed by the emergence of Natural Gate and Gura.

The competition will not be halted by a dramatic interlude.

The competition proceeded as scheduled in the afternoon.

In the third match, the Holy Spirit Sect faced off against the Star Luo National Academy.

The outcome was predictable: the Holy Spirit Cult's team members employed bizarre and ruthless tactics. Although the Star Luo National Academy fought valiantly, they were quickly defeated, with some members even suffering severe injuries, though fortunately none died.

The Holy Spirit Sect easily advanced to the semifinals.

Next up was the fourth match: Tang Sect versus Snow Demon Sect.

After the shock of the morning, many spectators and contestants were still not fully calmed down, and their gazes toward the ring were somewhat dazed and absent-minded.

Regarding this duel, many people share a similar opinion: regardless of whether the Tang Sect or the Snow Demon Sect wins, it will only mean that the next "unlucky one" will have to face the unfathomable Natural Sect, which is suspected to have a demigod in charge.

However, the atmosphere inside the Tang Clan was completely different.

Inside the rest area, Huo Yuhao's gaze was fixed on the Snow Demon Sect's group, where he spotted two familiar figures—Gu Tong and Long Aotian.

In addition, there were other faces whose names they didn't know, but whom they had met once before in the Body Sect. They were all gathered in the Snow Demon Sect's group at this moment.

"So that's how it is... The Snow Demon Sect is actually the Body Sect! They've been really good at disguising themselves; they hadn't been exposed before."

Huo Yuhao instantly understood, his heart filled with trepidation. He knew the strength of the Body Sect all too well, especially Long Aotian, whose strength was absolutely not to be underestimated as the leader of the younger generation of the Body Sect.

The originally planned order of appearance must be adjusted immediately. Facing the Body Sect, whose strength and knowledge are well-known and extremely powerful, any negligence could lead to defeat.

“Dong’er,” Huo Yuhao turned to Wang Dong’er, his tone decisive, “I’ll go for the first match.”

Wang Dong'er was slightly taken aback, but seeing Huo Yuhao's solemn expression and the direction of his gaze towards Long Aotian, she immediately understood his plan. She nodded: "Okay, be careful."

(End of this chapter)