Douluo: Starting with an Engagement to Zhu Zhuqing

Chapter 195: Fiercely Attacking Xiao Wu, The Clear Sky Hammer Emerges

"Sky Universe Maneuver, is it?" Dai Yao murmured as he looked up at Tang San, who had led the Shrek Seven into the air. He knew Shrek's strategies thoroughly; aside from Tang San's dual immunity to fire and ice, Shrek's main tactics lay in the Sky Universe Maneuver and the Seven-in-One Fusion Technique.

In the original storyline, the Shrek team used their Seven-in-One tactic against the combined forces of the Godwind and Blazing Academies as the competition neared its end. But it was clear that Grandmaster hadn't yet developed that strategy for Shrek Academy.

Now, seeing Shrek take to the skies stunned the entire audience, their faces all showing expressions of amazement. Even the veteran Spirit Masters in the VIP section couldn't help but show hints of awe.

"Master's disciple, without a doubt," Ning Fengzhi mused, his gaze drifting not to the widely-admired Tang San, but rather to the middle-aged man in gray in the Shrek waiting area.

Salas narrowed his eyes. "Impressive—a last-ditch tactic. Still, it's only delaying the inevitable; the final victory will go to Oakland, to Dai Yao."

Despite Shrek's unexpected maneuver, the exhausted gasps of Dai Mubai, Ning Rongrong, and the others revealed that it was only a matter of time. Their defeat was certain.

"Fatty, keep blocking Feng Wutong! Don't let her fire reach us—if my Blue Silver Grass burns through, we'll be in serious trouble!" Tang San instructed.

"Rongrong, eat a sausage to restore your spirit power!"

"Oscar, make sure everyone has a flying mushroom sausage!"

Though Oscar grimaced at the thought of the repeated use of his third spirit skill, he kept chanting the incantation, creating a steady supply of sausages. Tang San kept giving orders, trying to stabilize the situation despite their disadvantage. He glanced at Dai Mubai and asked with concern, "Dai, are you alright?"

The earlier, earth-shattering blow had impacted him the most.

If Dai Mubai's proud spirit wasn't in the right place, Tang San knew it could hurt their chances against Oakland. Shrek needed every one of them now.

"I'm fine," Dai Mubai replied, clutching Zhu Zhuqing's hand tightly. "I've come to expect it." Though he forced calm, the shock in his eyes betrayed him. Dai Yao had crushed him time and time again, making him abandon thoughts of competing with his brother. Dai Yao's rapid progress had surpassed even Dai Mubai's expectations.

He was lucky Dai Yao had left the Star Luo Empire, forfeiting his place in the succession struggle.

Relieved, Tang San exhaled. Dai Mubai's mental stability allowed him to refocus. He glanced down at Dai Yao, his expression solemn. Dai Yao's power was undeniable, having single-handedly shattered their entire defense strategy. The Netherworld White Tiger, their trump card, had been defeated with a single blow. No one on their team could face him head-on.

"How can we possibly stop him?" That question, which he had pondered endlessly, surfaced again in his mind. Clenching his hand tightly, he felt the weight of the concealed spirit within his palm, the Clear Sky Hammer, flickering with a faint black glow.

But just as he considered using it, he hesitated. Unleashing the Clear Sky Hammer came with dire consequences he wasn't ready to face.

Meanwhile, above the arena, Feng Wutong clashed fiercely with Ma Hongjun. Thanks to Ning Rongrong's enhancements, Ma Hongjun was holding his ground, preventing her flames from reaching the rest of Shrek. Tang San hovered with the rest of his team suspended mid-air.

On the ground, Oakland's team formed a defensive formation, watching Shrek closely. Dai Yao and Tang San locked eyes, one on the ground, the other in the air, sharing an intense silence across the distance.

"Dai Yao, what's the plan?" asked Feng Qianli, raising his shield as he glanced at the sky.

"No rush. They're more anxious than we are," Dai Yao replied with a calm smile.

In truth, many of Oakland's members were surprised by Shrek's resilience. Even after everything, Shrek continued to fight. They were, without a doubt, formidable rivals.

But Dai Yao stood firm, his head tilted slightly as he eyed Tang San. A smirk curled at his lips. "The Sky Universe Maneuver is indeed impressive," he thought, "but it's dependent on Oscar's third spirit skill. If I'm right, the flight duration is limited to three minutes."

After that, they would be forced to descend. And though they could consume more sausages to prolong their time in the air, he didn't intend to let them stall the fight indefinitely.

His gaze sharpened. Tang San had a way of unsettling him; he couldn't afford any lapse in vigilance. Exhaling deeply, he raised his right hand, and with a roar of spirit power, a wave of energy surged to the heavens.

Seeing the flare of Dai Yao's fourth spirit ring, a murmur ran through the audience. Up above, dark clouds began gathering, a chill seeping into the arena as lightning crackled across the sky.

Dai Yao's fourth spirit skill was reaching full power.

"He's going all out with his ten-thousand-year spirit skill!" Feng Xiaotian murmured, brows knit tightly as he watched. As someone who had suffered defeat at Dai Yao's hands, he knew that this wasn't just for show. The immense power radiating from Dai Yao made him shiver.

"Shrek's gambit to escape was daring, but now no one can stop Dai Yao from charging up his spirit skill to full power. When he finishes, Shrek's defeat is sealed," Ning Fengzhi remarked.

The audience felt it too. Shrek's attempt to escape had left them helpless against Dai Yao's charged skill.

In Shrek's resting area, Flender could barely keep his glasses on, while Liu Erlong seemed frozen, unable to tear her gaze away. Even Grandmaster, usually so composed, clenched his fists, visibly tense.

"Hang in there, kids," he whispered.

In his heart, Tang San felt a surge of desperation. The newly joined Tai Long and Jing Ling were visibly stunned, their spirits rattled. After a moment of tense silence, Tai Long gritted his teeth and ran to the edge of the railing, shouting cheers for Shrek, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the resounding support for Oakland.

In the sky, the Shrek team stared at the terrifying lightning gathering above them, helplessly looking to Tang San, whose eyes held deep trepidation. He had known Dai Yao's technique was powerful, but only when facing it directly did he realize how naive his initial estimate had been. This level of power was not something Spirit Masters of their level could withstand.

"What kind of monster is he?" Tang San thought in disbelief. "Hasn't he used his fourth spirit skill three times already? And still, the power is incredible. Where is he getting this endless spirit power?"

With his training under Grandmaster, Tang San had a comprehensive understanding of Spirit Masters' spirit power at every stage, especially as a Spirit Ancestor himself. He knew well how much spirit power one should possess at this level. But Dai Yao had surpassed all expectations. Theoretically, such a skill should only be possible twice for an average Spirit Master, with substantial intervals in between. And yet here was Dai Yao, not only using it a fourth time but without any intervals in between!

Understanding the implications, Tang San felt a heightened respect and fear for Dai Yao. The Thunder Prison Vine's divine lightning lineage had granted Dai Yao a fourth spirit skill of unfathomable power.

"He must be stopped!"

Tang San's gaze grew colder. Turning to Xiao Wu, he spoke with a subtle nod. "Xiao Wu, it's time."

Xiao Wu's pink eyes showed a trace of hesitation, but she ultimately nodded with determination. Shrek's last hope of interrupting Dai Yao's technique depended on her. With the other Shrek members' anxious gazes on her, Tang San suddenly tossed Xiao Wu toward Dai Yao.

Plummeting from the sky, Xiao Wu's delicate face was resolute as she aimed straight at Dai Yao. Her unyielding focus left the audience in shock. Was she throwing herself to certain doom? Many spectators instinctively covered their eyes, unwilling to watch.

The Oakland team was equally puzzled, wondering if this was a desperate act of surrender. Attacks surged toward Xiao Wu as she fell, with sword energy and water jets shooting skyward. But in the next instant, they saw her plan.

Swish—Swish—Swish—

Xiao Wu weaved gracefully in mid-air, dodging the attacks effortlessly. Her third spirit ring glowed, and she activated her third spirit skill, Teleportation! In an instant, she teleported more than ten meters and appeared right behind Dai Yao.

As Dai Yao's pitch-black eyes slowly shifted, they met Xiao Wu's bright pink ones. Without a trace of surprise, his lips even curled into a slight smirk.

Xiao Wu grinned with satisfaction, confident in her combination of Teleportation and her Charm ability.

"Am I beautiful?" she teased, her eyes gleaming with a pinkish hue as she placed a finger on her lips, flashing Dai Yao a coy smile.

"Not good!" Oakland's members turned, alarmed. They feared Dai Yao's fourth spirit skill would be interrupted.

Dai Yao, however, remained unfazed, though Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan, who saw Xiao Wu's attempt to charm him, wore expressions as dark as storm clouds.

"First Spirit Skill: Waist Bow!" As Xiao Wu activated her Charm, her braid wrapped around Dai Yao's neck, and with a sharp twist, she kicked him into the air, instantly interrupting his fourth spirit skill.

The thunderclouds above began to dissipate. Watching the lightning scatter, Tang San finally relaxed; with Dai Yao's skill disrupted, it was time to take him down.

In front of the stunned crowd, Xiao Wu took another mushroom sausage and used her wings to fly high, teleporting several times to appear above Dai Yao.

"Eight-Stage Drop!" she called out, her braid tightly wrapped around Dai Yao's neck. With a triumphant gleam in her eye, she prepared to unleash a devastating blow. Xiao Wu had long harbored a deep-seated resentment toward Dai Yao, who had once threatened her by exposing her spirit beast nature. This moment, executing the Eight-Stage Drop on him, was not only Shrek's hope for victory but her personal revenge.

But just as she prepared to throw him, she felt a sudden jolt of fear. Her foot, aimed at him, was stuck mid-motion, unable to move. Startled, she froze.

"Eight-Stage Drop, is it?" Dai Yao's icy voice rose from below. Startled, Xiao Wu looked down to see Dai Yao grinning coldly up at her.

The Eight-Stage Drop was Xiao Wu's most brutal attack, known for chaining throws that left opponents helpless. In the original story, it had once incapacitated the mighty Bu Le for three months.

"Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish!" With a ruthless grip, Dai Yao seized her braid, swinging her by her legs. Then he grasped her face firmly with his hand.

At that moment, Dai Yao's fourth spirit skill erupted!

"Fourth Spirit Skill: White Tiger Thunder God Strike!" Thunder roared in his hand as lightning coalesced, striking down from the heavens. A storm of electricity poured onto Xiao Wu, making her body go rigid, her vitality dimming under the relentless barrage.

Then, in one swift movement, Dai Yao descended, slamming Xiao Wu face-first into the ground, creating a massive crater as dust and debris exploded everywhere.

The crowd erupted in a collective gasp.

"That was brutal!" numerous spectators exclaimed.

In the team waiting area, Feng Xiaotian gaped in shock, exclaiming, "How could he be so ruthless?! That girl's not just any opponent—she's beautiful! And he went through with it?"

Meanwhile, Hu Yanli from the Elephant Armored Academy nodded in admiration, exclaiming, "Women only distract from training! No wonder he beat me—no mercy, even against a beautiful girl! He's a true role model."

While the audience remained in stunned silence, Shrek's members looked horrified, especially Tang San. His eyes glowed a furious red as rage surged through him. Watching Xiao Wu crushed under Dai Yao's hand, all the memories of his sworn promises came rushing back.

He glared coldly at Dai Yao, his voice chilling as it echoed like a death sentence from the depths of the underworld. "Dai Yao, you're going to pay!"

Suddenly, a shadowy glow emanated from Tang San's left hand. As the shape began to take form, the crowd's eyes widened in shock, jaws dropping as realization dawned.

Gasps spread throughout the arena. In the VIP section, the most respected guests tensed, their eyes shrinking to pinpricks as everyone inhaled sharply at the sight.

It was the world's most revered weapon spirit—

The Clear Sky Hammer!

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