Douluo Dalu 1: The Tang Family Rebel

"Xiaochuan, you go first."

Chrysanthemum Douluo stood about ten meters away from Yun Chuan, casually gesturing for him to make the first move. His relaxed demeanor didn't convey the tension of an imminent battle. The words he spoke were even more aggravating.

"If I strike first, you won't even have the chance to make a move."

Yun Chuan, however, didn't get angry at Chrysanthemum Douluo's annoying remark. He understood that it wasn't meant as mockery or arrogance—it was simply a statement of fact. If Chrysanthemum Douluo were allowed to strike first, even restricted to his first six soul skills, there was a high probability Yun Chuan would be taken down in one overwhelming wave of attacks.

This confident posture wasn't arrogance; it was confidence born of sheer strength.

Although Yun Chuan's current physical condition, capable of bearing seven ten-thousand-year soul rings, far surpassed Chrysanthemum Douluo, being comparable to the level of a Titled Douluo, the true strength of a soul master never lay in raw physical prowess. It lay in the soul skills, those strange and unpredictable abilities that could amplify power, weaken opponents, or unleash unexpected attacks that were nearly impossible to counter.

That was where a soul master's true strength resided.

So, despite Yun Chuan's ability to physically overpower Chrysanthemum Douluo, it didn't mean he was stronger overall. In the world of soul masters, the abilities granted by a martial soul's soul skills were the ultimate measure of strength.

"Then I'll make my move, Elder Chrysanthemum!"

Since he was given the chance to strike first, Yun Chuan wasn't going to refuse. He wasn't arrogant enough to think his current strength was sufficient to contend with a Titled Douluo. His talent was immense, but he hadn't yet fully grown, nor had he unlocked the true potential of his unparalleled foundation. As such, he remained constrained by the framework of this world's soul master system, unable to perform feats beyond the realm of reason.

"Flame God's Fury!"

Yun Chuan shouted, quickly forming a series of intricate hand seals. The movements seemed to resonate with an esoteric rule of the universe, and fiery red light began to radiate around him. A moment later, an expanse of flame materialized out of thin air.

The flames appeared sentient, responding to Yun Chuan's hand movements and gathering behind him to take shape. Finally, they coalesced into a fierce, terrifying figure with a blue-green face and fangs—a fiery incarnation of the immovable king!

This fiery king was entirely composed of flames, exuding an aura of violent power akin to a deity of fire, radiating its wrath with unrestrained ferocity.

This technique, named Flame God's Fury, was Yun Chuan's unique application of the fire attribute embedded in his supreme Clear Sky Hammer martial soul. In this state, he could maximize the destructive potential of fire manipulation.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's martial soul, the rare and neutral Nine-Hearted Chrysanthemum, was plant-based. Most plant-based martial souls were inherently weak against fire, unless they had innate fire resistance. Against plant-type soul masters, overwhelming them with fire was often the best strategy.

Because of this, Yun Chuan began the battle with a powerful fire attribute technique—Flame God's Fury!

"Take this, Meteor Firestorm!"

With a single thought, the seven- or eight-meter-tall fiery king roared furiously. In response, countless fireballs appeared in mid-air, resembling meteors falling from the sky, raining down toward Chrysanthemum Douluo.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Each meteor-like fireball exploded on impact, spreading flames and terrifying heat across the landscape.

Fortunately, the testing ground was an empty, desolate plain devoid of forests. If Yun Chuan's Meteor Firestorm had been unleashed in a wooded area, it would have caused a devastating wildfire, incinerating everything in its path.

But Yun Chuan wasn't focusing on the impact zone. His gaze turned skyward. Chrysanthemum Douluo floated serenely in mid-air, the nine rings around him—two yellow, two purple, and five black—emitting waves of immense power.

Hovering around him was an enormous chrysanthemum, releasing a faint fragrance.

It was clear that Yun Chuan's Meteor Firestorm had been easily evaded. This was expected. A Titled Douluo's speed and reflexes were far beyond that of a mere Soul Saint. No matter how powerful the attack, it was meaningless if it couldn't land.

"Flame Dragon Roar!"

Yun Chuan didn't hesitate. The fiery king behind him grew even fiercer, raising an arm and releasing a torrent of flame skyward. As the flames left its hand, they quickly took shape, transforming into a ten-meter-long fiery dragon with a serpentine body, thrashing as it charged toward Chrysanthemum Douluo in the air.

Chrysanthemum Douluo remained calm. With a graceful twist, he dodged the oncoming dragon.

But this fiery dragon wasn't a mindless projectile. It twisted midair, swinging its massive tail toward him.

Chrysanthemum Douluo, caught off guard, was unable to dodge in time. Still, he remained composed. With a simple motion, he conjured a shield made of flower petals infused with powerful soul energy, easily blocking the dragon's tail.

"Boom!"

The dragon's tail struck the petal shield, scattering flames everywhere. Yet the shield remained unscathed, merely continuing to burn with residual flames.

"Hmm, impressive fire." Chrysanthemum Douluo observed the persistent flames on his shield with mild surprise. "If this fire could touch my body, extinguishing it would cost a great deal of soul energy. But no matter how powerful, it's meaningless if it doesn't hit."

As he spoke, one of Chrysanthemum Douluo's six glowing soul rings lit up. With a flick of his hand, the petal shield dissipated. The enormous chrysanthemum around him began shedding petals, creating an endless stream of floral fragments.

These petals carried a faint moisture, forming a damp, misty flow under Chrysanthemum Douluo's control. They moved toward the fiery dragon.

"Roar!"

The lifelike fiery dragon roared, spewing flames to counter the advancing petals. A scorching wave of heat radiated outward.

The fire from the dragon clashed with the moist petal stream, causing a large vapor.

(To be continued...)