Douluo: Qian Xunji's Joyful Life

Chapter 28: A Continent of Hard-Headed People

Three days later.

The four lower sects had been decided: the Black Tiger Sect, the Wind Sword Sect, the Elephant Armor Sect, and the Holy Dragon Sect, each led by a Soul Douluo-level clan master. Meanwhile, the top three sects still hadn't started their battles. Their Titled Douluo leaders had spent three leisurely days in the audience, practically radiating the aura of event organizers.

In those three days, not a single soul master had challenged any of the old top three sects. Every soul master knew that for a Soul Douluo to face a Titled Douluo was like a son fighting his father—suicide, essentially.

Standing on the high platform, Qian Xunji announced in a firm voice, "Today we'll determine the rankings of the top three sects. The challenge format remains one vs. one, no outside support, and only a set time allowed for rest. We'll follow the old ranking from the previous re-selection. Naturally, if a sect has two Titled Douluo, they may fight in turn."

He'd scarcely finished before Yu Yuanzhen leapt from his seat into midair, hands folded behind his back. His domineering gaze bore down on Tang Zhen.

"Tang Zhen, this time the number one sect will be my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! Step down from that throne of yours!"

He had no choice but to strike first. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan ended up challenging the Clear Sky Clan, they would deplete them. Then they would go after him, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. So in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes, even if he failed to capture first place, he could at least hold onto second this way. As for fairness, that was earned through strength. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had two Titled Douluo, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's previous leader had been overshadowed by Tang Chen and never managed to claim top rank.

"Hmph! You're not strong enough to take our Clear Sky Clan's spot!" Tang Zhen rose to stand in the air, meeting Yu Yuanzhen's eyes at the same height. Even the large, elevated arena below wasn't spacious enough for two Titled Douluo to go all-out, so they naturally fought aloft.

The atmosphere soared to new heights. This was a genuine Titled Douluo duel, unlike the earlier "friendly match" between Qian Xunji and Sword Douluo. Everyone's eyes were wide, determined not to miss a second.

"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, possess!"

"Roar—!"

Yu Yuanzhen's entire form rattled, and two yellow, two purple, and five black rings emerged around him. The phantom of a lightning dragon rose, coiling behind him. In the next moment, he transformed into a more than ten-meter-long Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, his body cloaked in shimmering violet-blue lightning and scales. A mountainous soul pressure erupted, pressing down on Tang Zhen.

Tang Zhen gave a cold snort. Black light coursed along his right arm, and two yellow, two purple, five black rings appeared underfoot. The Clear Sky Hammer emerged, exuding a domineering aura in answer to Yu Yuanzhen's surge of power.

Though Yu Yuanzhen's cultivation level was a notch below Tang Zhen's, the ferocity of his aura did not pale in comparison.

Flapping its draconic wings, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon lunged toward Tang Zhen, leaving a trail of crackling azure arcs in its wake. Tang Zhen, hefting a water-tank-sized Clear Sky Hammer, charged right back, trailing shadowy black light.

"Thunder Dragon Claws!"

"Haotian Nine Absolutes—'Break'!"

Thunderous blasts reverberated, like two giant hammers smashing into each other.

"Ten-thousand-thunder Might!"

"Clear Sky Protection!"

One soul skill after another crashed out. Intent on a quick resolution to conserve his strength, Yu Yuanzhen assaulted Tang Zhen with ferocious speed. Yet Tang Zhen had mastered the Haotian Nine Absolutes to a blazing proficiency—a set of nine close-combat techniques that, at this time, was practically unmatched. He showed no sign of wavering.

On the platform, Qian Xunji watched the duel closely and confirmed that the Clear Sky Hammer indeed lacked any "hammer-blow-never-misses" ability. In plainer terms: it could be dodged. Yet Yu Yuanzhen, seemingly short on wits, insisted on clashing directly with the hammerhead, never trying to deflect blows with the handle. Heaven knew why he was going about it that way.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, like the Six-Winged Angel, was a "hexagon maxed out" martial soul. Possibly, though, it skewed more than the truly balanced Angel. Even so, if Yu Yuanzhen used it well, he could toy with the Clear Sky Hammer. Leaving aside anything else, that massive dragon body was huge—why not just grab the hammer's head or hold the handle from the side rather than meet the heaviest point? He wasn't using those claws to best advantage.

After all, if Tang Zhen relied on the hammer's weight plus his own physical strength to fend off Yu Yuanzhen, Yu Yuanzhen could force him to use Clear Sky Protection, then swiftly spin around, use his wings, seize the hammerhead with his claws, hamper Tang Zhen's swings… any number of strategies. Tang Zhen's raw bodily power was hardly monstrous enough to compete with a fully possessed Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. If it were, he wouldn't even need the hammer in the first place—he could just fight with his fists.

But they were going at it head-on, reminiscent of a world in which all fighters were "hard-headed." People's brains seemed to vanish during battle, busy focusing on how to chain nine soul skills rather than how to maneuver. All they did was charge straight ahead. Qian Xunji saw no reason to remind him; let the Clear Sky Clan keep growing arrogant. Later, he'd take them down a peg.

Anyway, no matter how vigorously Qian Xunji toyed with them, the Clear Sky Clan would never reflect on themselves. They'd just keep grumbling that Qian Xunji only dared harass them when their old clan master Tang Chen wasn't around, and they'd vow that once Tang Chen returned, they'd march on the Wuhun Hall to settle the score.

High above the arena, the fight had reached a boiling point. Tang Zhen and Yu Yuanzhen both unleashed their Martial Soul Avatars. Earlier, the battle had been 5.5 to 4.5 in Tang Zhen's favor, but now it was shifting one-sidedly.

His giant hundred-meter lightning-tinged dragon body found itself meeting the Clear Sky Hammer with each strike, only to be knocked back every time. Both dragon claws were already dripping with blood.

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