Douluo: The Ultimate Self

Ning Fengzhi's face showed clear signs of anxiety as he observed the situation. Before he could step forward, Bibi Dong spoke first: "Ning Sect Leader, you must carefully consider your position. Is it really worth sacrificing your Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect for the sake of a single spirit beast?"

Ning Fengzhi quickly replied: "Your Holiness, I only wish to retrieve my daughter and Yang Xiong."

Bibi Dong responded calmly: "Rest assured, no harm will come to them."

Beside him, Dugu Bo also appeared worried, his unease growing palpable. After all, his granddaughter was also part of Shrek's team.

But Bibi Dong cast a glance at Dugu Bo, and an overwhelming force immediately pressed down on him. Even someone like Dugu Bo, who prided himself on being untouchable with his unparalleled poison skills, felt a wave of alarm. For the first time, he truly sensed the immense pressure Bibi Dong exuded. If he dared to act, the consequences would be dire.

At Bibi Dong's command, a streak of golden light and a shadowy figure shot toward Shrek's group.

Yang Xiong was startled. He hadn't expected Ju Gui Douluo to attack so directly. With his soul power nearly depleted, Yang Xiong knew he was in no condition to fight—now, he was little more than a sitting duck.

Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong stepped forward, their expressions fierce. In unison, they roared: "Sun and Moon Resplendent Golden Dragon!"

The three summoned their spirits simultaneously, forming a triangular formation. The Fire Dragon Martial Soul, Owl, and Luo Sanpao seemed to resonate with one another at that moment. Their spirits intertwined, as if bound together within a single triangle.

Even their soul rings merged into one, and their spirits fused rapidly, forming a massive golden dragon.

This was Yang Xiong's first time witnessing the Golden Iron Triangle spirit fusion technique. He was astonished—though Yu Xiaogang was only at Level 29, while Flender and Liu Erlong were Soul Sages, their combined strength now rivaled that of a Title Douluo.

The golden dragon exuded immense power, emitting a thunderous roar that clearly demonstrated its Title Douluo-level strength.

However, Ju and Gui Douluo moved with incredible speed. Ju Douluo transformed into a colossal Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, radiating dazzling brilliance. Countless petals, sharp as blades, surged toward the golden dragon.

Meanwhile, Gui Douluo morphed into a ghostly shadow, his movements mysterious and unpredictable.

Though the Golden Iron Triangle was formidable and the golden dragon's attacks were devastating, they were still no match for two Title Douluos working together. Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong were quickly overwhelmed.

Despite their best efforts, the golden dragon began to falter under the relentless assault of Ju and Gui Douluo. After all, they were facing two 95th-level Title Douluos.

Just as Gui Douluo prepared to strike Tang San and Xiao Wu, a red light suddenly streaked across the sky, violently blasting both Ju Douluo and Gui Douluo away.

"A single chrysanthemum and a little ghost dare to harm my son?"

Before anyone could react, a tattered figure slowly emerged from the sky. Though his appearance was disheveled and unkempt, his towering stature and overwhelming presence left no room for doubt—this was Tang Hao.

Tang Hao walked calmly through the air, revealing nine soul rings. The ninth ring, a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, emitted a blood-red glow, instilling a sense of immense pressure in everyone present.

Yang Xiong was equally astonished. Normally, Tang Hao's appearance would have prompted the Spirit Hall to prepare accordingly.

True to form, Bibi Dong shouted angrily: "Tang Hao, I never expected you to dare set foot in Spirit City!"

In an instant, four figures shot out from within Spirit City, clearly having planned an ambush against Tang Hao.

Tang Hao let out a booming laugh: "So what if there are more of you? Do you think I'm afraid?"

With a mighty roar, Tang Hao activated his seventh soul ring. A colossal blood-red figure materialized in the sky, wielding a terrifying Hao Tian Hammer. This was the True Form of the Hao Tian Hammer.

Even from a great distance, Yang Xiong could feel the terrifying killing intent emanating from Tang Hao—this was undoubtedly the Killing God Domain.

The seven members of the Spirit Hall immediately unleashed their martial soul True Forms. Bibi Dong also revealed her nine soul rings, the final one glowing a deep crimson.

Facing seven opponents, even someone as powerful as Tang Hao couldn't maintain the upper hand indefinitely.

It was clear that Tang Hao hadn't anticipated the Spirit Hall's preparations. Despite unleashing his full strength, he found himself at a disadvantage against Bibi Dong and Ju, Gui Douluo, not to mention the additional attacks from the other four.

After several strikes with the hammer, Tang Hao's initial ferocity began to wane. His strength was clearly being suppressed by the seven opponents.

Tang Hao was acutely aware of his precarious situation. Surrounded on all sides, the slightest misstep could cost him dearly—especially with his son, Tang San, still on the ground.

Gritting his teeth, Tang Hao caused three of the soul rings on his Hao Tian Hammer to explode. The already massive hammer grew even larger, descending from the sky and smashing directly toward the Pope's Palace.

The seven members of the Spirit Hall were stunned. The Pope's Palace symbolized the authority of the Pope and held immense significance within the Spirit Hall—it could not be allowed to suffer any damage. All of them focused their efforts on blocking Tang Hao's attack.

But Tang Hao's strike was overwhelmingly powerful, utilizing the legendary Great Sumeru Hammer technique of the Hao Tian Sect—a divine skill known as Ring Explosion.

While the seven members of the Spirit Hall were fully occupied with countering Tang Hao's hammer, he feigned an attack, using his soul power to swiftly grab Tang San and Xiao Wu. Then, he transformed into a streak of light and fled Spirit City at incredible speed.

As a result, though the seven members of the Spirit Hall managed to injure Tang Hao, the Pope's Palace suffered a devastating blow. The massive statue of the Angel God had been shattered into pieces by Tang Hao's Ring Explosion.

Yang Xiong's lips twitched slightly as he watched the scene unfold. Tang Hao was far from being a simple brute—he clearly knew how to think strategically.

After Tang Hao's attack, the Spirit Hall's prestige, which had reached its peak, was severely tarnished. Not only had the Pope's Palace been destroyed, but they had failed to capture their target, losing face in the process.

Amidst the ruins, Yang Xiong and his group quietly left Spirit City. Chaos reigned throughout the city, and no one paid any attention to their departure.

As before, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe led the way, and all the teams from the Tian Dou region returned to Tian Dou City together.

Yang Xiong could sense significant changes within the group, especially in Flender. The once confident and spirited man now seemed disheartened.

Flender was likely disappointed in the Tian Dou Imperial Academy and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe. At this critical juncture, they had remained silent, leaving only the original members of Shrek's team to take action.

Afterward, the three teaching elders of the Tian Dou Imperial Academy approached Flender, explaining their stance. They emphasized that acting rashly in Spirit City could provoke conflicts between nations, making the situation even harder to resolve.

Meanwhile, Yang Xiong spent the journey lost in thought. Tang Hao had faced seven opponents alone and, despite being injured, his strength was undeniably extraordinary.

But Yang Xiong couldn't help but ponder a question: Was it Tang Hao himself who was so powerful, or was it the Hao Tian Hammer that possessed such might? Or perhaps it was the Great Sumeru Hammer technique or the Killing God Domain that made the difference.

Yang Xiong had never given much thought to Tang Hao, always viewing him as a fearless but somewhat reckless individual—someone with low intelligence. However, after witnessing his performance in Spirit City, Yang Xiong realized Tang Hao was anything but foolish. Tang Hao's status as the youngest-ever Title Douluo spoke volumes about his capabilities.

Having witnessed this battle among the pinnacle Title Douluos, Yang Xiong's resolve to grow stronger deepened. He felt a particular affinity for the Killing God Domain, believing it might even cause further transformations in his own spirit.

While Yang Xiong was lost in thought, in an unknown location, Tang San, who had been unconscious, finally woke up. Beside him stood Tang Hao—but Xiao Wu was nowhere to be seen.

Tang San quickly asked: "Father, where is Xiao Wu? Where has she gone?"

Tang Hao's expression was solemn: "She has left. She has returned to the Great Star Dou Forest."

Tang San insisted: "Father, I must go find Xiao Wu. I need to confirm that she is safe."

Tang Hao barked angrily: "Xiao San, what are you thinking? You claim to want to protect Xiao Wu, but with your current strength, what can you possibly do?"

"You possess twin spirits, a rare gift, yet your performance in Spirit City was lackluster. How can you hope to protect Xiao Wu with your current abilities?"

Tang San's face turned pale: "I'm sorry, Father. I've let you down. Over the past year, I've felt that my Blue Silver Grass has been too heavily restricted, and its power is relatively weak. I no longer hold any advantage over my peers."

Tang Hao nodded: "Recognizing the gap is the first step. I've long had a plan for your cultivation. Don't worry too much about the Blue Silver Grass. By the time you reach the Soul King level, its power will fundamentally change."

"But your use of the Hao Tian Hammer is abysmal. While it's true that the lack of soul rings plays a role, your own shortcomings are glaringly obvious. Your performance doesn't even measure up to your teammates."

Tang San frowned: "Father, there's something I've never understood. Why is Yang Xiong so strong? I've fought him countless times, yet I've never gained the upper hand. Does his martial soul somehow suppress mine?"

Tang Hao shook his head: "It's not a matter of martial soul suppression. The gap between the two of you lies in physique and overall strength."

"I've observed Yang Xiong's battles. In terms of combat techniques, there isn't a significant difference between you two. But Yang Xiong's physique is extraordinarily resilient. He likely has experience surviving alone in the spirit beast forest, which has imbued him with a faint aura of killing intent. His combat instincts are also incredibly sharp. It's rare for a Soul Elder to possess such strength."

Tang San quickly interjected: "What about the three Soul Kings from the Spirit Hall Team? I feel Yang Xiong's strength is comparable to theirs. Especially Xie Yue's Yao Mei—it seems to heavily suppress me."

Tang Hao sneered: "Xiao San, you still don't understand your opponent. The Spirit Hall Team's spirit fusion technique is indeed impressive, but its core isn't Xie Yue—it's Hu Liena. In terms of talent, Hu Liena surpasses Xie Yue significantly."

"Yang Xiong realized this early on. Otherwise, how could he have endured for so long? He understands that Yao Mei's true strength lies in its mental attacks, and Yang Xiong's mental fortitude far exceeds yours."

Tang San sighed: "It's unfortunate that we lost the finals. Teacher and I spent a long time strategizing, but we couldn't find a way to counter the Spirit Hall Team."

Tang Hao scoffed: "Yu Xiaogang may have extensive theoretical knowledge, but his combat experience is severely lacking. How could he possibly grasp the essence of the Spirit Hall Team?"

"If you and Yang Xiong had worked together to attack Yao Mei, there might have been a chance of victory. But taking it on alone was a guaranteed loss. Moreover, you both underestimated Yang Xiong."

Tang San looked puzzled: "How is that possible? Didn't Yang Xiong also lose to Yao Mei?"

Tang Hao replied: "Yang Xiong is far more concealed than you realize. From start to finish, he never displayed his full strength or fought with everything he had. At the very least, he was holding back 20% of his power—and I believe he's hiding an even greater trump card."

Tang San was stunned. Was the gap between him and Yang Xiong really so vast?

Seeing Tang San's reaction, Tang Hao's face darkened with anger: "Xiao San, what are you thinking? The Hao Tian Hammer is the strongest weapon spirit in existence. How can ordinary spirits compare? Your Hao Tian Hammer is far too weak—it lacks any semblance of presence. From now on, I will train you rigorously so you can understand what it truly means to wield the Hao Tian Hammer."

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