Douluo: The Ultimate Self

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At this moment, Tang San appeared to be on the verge of madness. His hands turned white as he prepared to continue the Soul Duel.

However, Blazing Fire Academy's strategy had already succeeded. They had shattered Shrek Academy's formation using Huo Wu's soul skill and the combined efforts of multiple soul masters. Moreover, they seized the opportunity to have their two auxiliary soul masters amplify Huo Wu's power, completing her fourth soul skill, Blazing Sun.

With four members restraining them, Tang San and his team were unable to interfere with Huo Wu's final attack. It seemed certain that they would lose.

Yu Xiaogang, watching both Huo Wu and Tang San, seemed unsure of what to do. Clearly, he trusted Tang San's judgment—after all, in his eyes, Tang San had never made a mistake.

The atmosphere at the scene grew unbearably tense. The entire arena fell silent, and even the referee said nothing.

As the massive Blazing Sun descended, it was like a colossal sun crashing into the earth. Its range covered the entire stage, and the arena seemed to explode with a deafening roar. Tang San and the others unleashed their strongest soul skills in response.

When the dust settled and everyone could see the stage again, Tang San and the other three were sprawled across the arena, blood trickling from their mouths. Clearly, they were all severely injured. Meanwhile, Yang Xiong stood at the edge of the stage, his body resembling a silver giant. His clothes were completely torn, leaving only half a pair of pants to cover him. His body looked as if it were cast from molten silver, showcasing terrifying muscles and an overwhelming aura of strength.

Even Huo Wu couldn't help but swallow nervously. "Yang Xiong, although I controlled the power and direction of my attack at the end, how did you manage to remain unscathed by such a massive explosion?"

The audience also swallowed nervously. While Huyan Li was known for his pure defensive abilities, judging from the impact of that attack, Yang Xiong's defense clearly surpassed his by a wide margin.

Yu Xiaogang and Flender quickly approached the stage, but the referee barked angrily, "The match isn't over yet. Unrelated personnel are not allowed near the stage; otherwise, your team will be disqualified."

Yu Xiaogang snapped back, "This isn't a Soul Duel anymore—it's an attempt at murder! According to the tournament rules, deliberately injuring opponents is forbidden. I'm going to file a complaint against them."

The referee responded coldly, "That girl over there gave them advance warning and even held back at the last moment. They chose to withstand the soul skill themselves. Any injuries sustained in this situation don't violate the rules."

Yu Xiaogang was left speechless. He had studied the Soul Master Competition rules, but clearly not thoroughly enough.

At this point, the referee turned to Yang Xiong. "There's still one member left from Tian Dou Imperial Academy Team Two. Do you wish to continue the match?"

Huo Wushuang suddenly spoke up, "I didn't expect your defense to be so strong. You must be the strongest among Shrek's team. Will you continue fighting?"

Yang Xiong retracted his martial soul and soul rings, shaking his head. "There's no need. Though you've consumed a lot of soul power, you still have seven people against me. We concede this match."

Upon hearing Yang Xiong's words, the referee announced the result: "Tian Dou Imperial Academy Shrek Team versus Blazing Fire Academy: Blazing Fire Academy wins."

Yu Xiaogang and Flender paid no attention to the outcome of the match. They quickly carried Tang San and the others off the stage. The substitute, Jiang Zhu, immediately began treating the four injured fighters, and several healing-type soul masters also rushed to the scene.

One healing-type soul master approached Yang Xiong but was astonished after a closer inspection. "You suffered only minor burns from that massive explosion, and you've already recovered so quickly. Your physical resilience is extraordinary."

Yang Xiong hastily changed into a new set of clothes, his expression indifferent. "Thank you, but I'm fine. Please focus on treating my teammates."

Ning Rongrong stayed by Yang Xiong's side, her curiosity piqued. "Little Bear, your physical resilience is incredible. Your defense might even surpass that big guy Huyan Li's."

A faint smile appeared on Yang Xiong's lips. "Huyan Li? He's just a brute."

Oscar, after forcing out the last of his soul power to create a Super Recovery Sausage for the four injured fighters, joined Yang Xiong, expressing his gratitude. "Big Brother Xiong, thank you earlier for making me and Rongrong leave the stage. If we had stayed, we'd have been severely injured. As auxiliary soul masters, our physical resilience and defense are far weaker."

Yang Xiong looked at Oscar and Ning Rongrong with a sense of helplessness. These two auxiliary soul masters now appeared utterly exhausted, having nearly depleted their soul power during the match.

"It was just an ordinary Soul Duel," Yang Xiong said. "There's no need to focus too much on winning or losing, and certainly no need to risk your lives. Huo Wu's Blazing Sun was beyond what any of you could handle at this stage."

The two nodded, still shaken by the experience.

Tian Dou Imperial Academy—and perhaps the Tian Dou Imperial Family—reacted swiftly. A healing-type Soul Emperor soon arrived to treat Tang San and the others. Despite the extensive burns covering their bodies, they healed rapidly, leaving no scars behind.

Yu Xiaogang anxiously asked, "Sir, how are Tang San and the others?"

The healing-type Soul Emperor, slightly irritated, replied, "Their injuries aren't serious. They'll fully recover in two to three days. However, before then, they shouldn't participate in any more Soul Duels, as it could harm their bodies. They're just children. Don't push them so hard on the stage. If that girl hadn't controlled her power, all four of them could have been severely injured or disabled."

"I understand you want honor and fame from the Soul Master Competition, but you must prioritize the children's well-being. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, even I won't be able to help."

Yu Xiaogang and Flender exchanged glances. Earlier, Yang Xiong had already conceded, but Tang San insisted on continuing the fight. Huo Wu, under the amplification of two auxiliaries, unleashed her fourth soul skill. Had Yang Xiong not intervened, everyone would have been injured.

Once they returned to Tian Dou Imperial Academy, Yu Xiaogang personally cared for Tang San, Ma Hongjun tended to Dai Mubai, and the two girls were looked after by Jiang Zhu and Qin Shuang.

Yang Xiong, meanwhile, followed Flender to the office, while Liu Erlong remained by Yu Xiaogang's side.

Flender, after a long silence, finally spoke. "Today's incident on the stage—I apologize on behalf of Xiao San and Xiaogang. Your decision at the time was correct."

A cold smirk appeared on Yang Xiong's lips. "Principal, some things you must decide for yourself. But you should understand why I'm here. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect cannot allow any harm to come to Ning Rongrong. She's not just the sect leader's daughter but also the future sect leader."

"If she were injured due to our own recklessness, I'd have nothing to say, and neither would the sect leader. But as you saw today, I hope the team develops a mutual understanding. At the very least, no one should act rashly for the sake of temporary victory."

Flender fell silent for a moment before responding. "I understand. I'll speak to Xiaogang and Tang San separately. You're all students. Your safety and future are the most important things."

Yang Xiong replied, "Thank you for understanding, Principal. But I think you should also pay more attention. Many members of the original Shrek team have extraordinary backgrounds—Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing included. If anything happens to them, it would be difficult to explain."

Flender chuckled. "You little guy—you're sometimes frighteningly rational. I've spent half my life navigating the world of soul masters. You don't need to teach me these things."

"Thank you for getting Oscar and Ning Rongrong off the stage earlier. If they had been injured, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself."

Yang Xiong smiled. "Principal, you're a good person. It's just a pity…"

Even after leaving the original Shrek Academy and joining Tian Dou Imperial Academy, everyone still called Flender "Principal," a sign of respect.

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Inside the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo sat together.

Ning Fengzhi sighed. "Uncle Bone, arranging Yang Xiong to stay by Rongrong's side was indeed the right decision. Otherwise, she might have been severely injured in today's match."

Bone Douluo nodded. "The boy did well, ensuring Rongrong's safety first. All the effort we put into him hasn't been wasted."

Sword Douluo, who had been calm and composed, suddenly tensed. "Old Bones, Fengzhi, what are you talking about? Is Rongrong in danger? I need to go see her."

Bone Douluo quickly reassured him. "Old Sword, Rongrong is fine. It was just a Soul Master Competition match. The opponent's soul skill was powerful, and their team had someone foolish enough to try and withstand it. Luckily, Yang Xiong got her off the stage in time."

Sword Douluo, however, ignored Bone Douluo's words and prepared to fly away. "If what you're saying is true, Rongrong must have been frightened. I need to see her. I won't rest easy until I do."

Watching Sword Douluo take off on his sword, Bone Douluo and Ning Fengzhi exchanged glances. Finally, Ning Fengzhi swallowed nervously. "Uncle Bone, do you think Sword Uncle is worried about Rongrong being frightened, or does he just want to see her?"

Bone Douluo snorted. "That old swordsman is playing a small trick. He's using this as an excuse to sneak out of the sect and visit Rongrong."

Ning Fengzhi: …

After a brief silence, Ning Fengzhi spoke again. "Uncle Bone, have you noticed that Yang Xiong's defense surpasses all of our expectations? His cultivation in defensive techniques is far more talented than we imagined. Perhaps you should make a decision sooner rather than later."

Bone Douluo, rarely showing admiration, nodded. "Fengzhi, you're mistaken. Yang Xiong's defensive abilities are impressive, but his offensive potential is even greater. In the entire Tian Dou region, there's likely no one who can match him in terms of attack and defense combined."

Ning Fengzhi furrowed his brow. "Uncle Bone, what do you mean?"

Bone Douluo sighed. "Fengzhi, Yang Xiong is far smarter than either of us imagined. Compared to those flashy students, he knows how to hide his true strength."

"I'd wager he's concealing at least thirty percent of his power, possibly more. Think about it—if we hadn't sent someone to secretly observe him, who would have known he possesses a top-tier external soul bone for defense? Not even his family likely knows."

Bone Douluo was absolutely right. Yang Xiong had indeed hidden his strength—but not just thirty percent.

Since Yang Xiong had positioned himself as a defensive soul master, he hadn't displayed much of his offensive capabilities throughout the competition. No one had seen his attacks—not his teleportation ability nor his evolved Rasengan. After further development, the Rasengan's power had increased dramatically, to the point where even Yang Xiong himself couldn't fully control it yet.

It wasn't until evening that Tang San finally woke up. He felt intense pain throughout his body, his skin burning as if scorched, and even his bones felt as though they might shatter.

Yu Xiaogang quickly spoke. "Xiao San, you're finally awake. The doctor said you need to rest for two days. Don't move around too much."

Enduring the excruciating pain, Tang San struggled to speak. "Teacher, how's Xiao Wu? Is she badly injured?"

Yu Xiaogang replied, "Xiao Wu has also been treated. She woke up an hour ago but fell asleep again. Her injuries are lighter than yours, but the doctor still advises her not to move around for the next two days."

Tang San relaxed slightly. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Teacher, what was the result of the match?"

Yu Xiaogang sighed. "Xiao San, I know how close you and Xiao Wu are, but sometimes you're too stubborn. I don't know whether your personality is a strength or a flaw."

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