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Just as the six figures clashed fiercely in the night sky, and the Spirit Abilities collided with deafening roars, Qian Renxue's golden eyes narrowed. She was about to remove her disguise and reveal her true form to join the battle, but Feng Xiao suddenly raised his hand, his slender fingers gently pressing on her fragrant shoulder.
"Don't rush," his voice was soft but carried an undeniable firmness, "Acting rashly will only distract the two Seniors into protecting you."
Qian Renxue turned her head, only to see Feng Xiao's eyes gleaming with calm light under the moonlight. He lightly stroked the Fuxi Zither strings and whispered, "Our mission is to find the flaws in the Clear Sky Formation." The zither music transformed into invisible ripples, quietly probing the battlefield. "Though the Trinity is strong, there must be gaps to be found."
In the distance, Dugu Bo's poisonous mist was fiercely clashing with the golden light of the Clear Sky Hammer. Feng Xiao's gaze, like that of a hawk, locked onto every movement change of the three Elders.
Qian Renxue nodded slightly. The reason she had restrained herself from acting immediately was precisely because she deeply understood this principle. In She Long and Ci Xue's minds, her safety was always more important than the success or failure of the mission—if she rashly joined the battle, the two Elders would inevitably be distracted to protect her, which might expose their weaknesses.
"Boom—!"
Amidst deafening explosions, six figures clashed fiercely under the night sky. Dazzling spirit power lights continuously burst forth, illuminating the entire front courtyard of the imperial palace as if it were daytime. As the battle entered a heated phase, the six Titled Douluo simultaneously activated their Spirit Avatars:
Dugu Bo transformed into a hundred-meter Jade Phosphor Serpent, its poisonous mist covering the sky and sun.
She Long's Snake Lance surged, transforming into a ferocious giant python.
Ci Xue's body was engulfed in surging blood waves, condensing into a giant Porcupinefish.
The Spirit Avatars of the three Clear Sky Sect Elders were even more astonishing—three Clear Sky Hammers, like mountains, stretched across the sky, each swing causing space to tremble!
Qian Renxue and Feng Xiao stood at the edge of the battlefield, their robes flapping loudly in the violent spirit power hurricane. Their eyes were like torches, closely watching every subtle change in the battle, searching for that fleeting chance of victory.
Feng Xiao gazed at the battlefield, a flash of realization in his eyes. Some things, in this World where Spirit Masters are supreme, are still universally applicable. The difference between humans and animals lies in whether they master the use of tools, and the strength of Spirit Masters will naturally be affected by this.
The situation on the field was already clear:
She Long, relying on the advantage of his Snake Lance, could barely parry, with every collision between the spearhead and the Clear Sky Hammer erupting in dazzling sparks.
Dugu Bo and Ci Xue, however, were completely on the defensive, only able to maneuver with long-range Spirit Abilities like poisonous mist and blood waves, every dodge fraught with danger.
"If this continues…" Feng Xiao frowned deeply, sighing inwardly. Before the Clear Sky Sect's exquisite combined attack formation, their three allies fought individually, and defeat was already apparent. The three Elders' coordination was seamless, every hammer strike subtly implying subsequent changes, while their side could only respond exhaustedly. The rate of spirit power consumption was even more disparate.
Just as the battle was in a stalemate, an invisible fluctuation suddenly spread from Feng Xiao's body. In an instant, the space within a hundred meters seemed to have been muted—falling leaves froze in mid-air, surging spirit power aftershocks stilled like a painting, and even the howling night wind became stagnant.
The three Clear Sky Sect Elders were simultaneously jolted, and all three invariably turned their gaze towards Feng Xiao.
"A Domain?!" Fifth Elder exclaimed in shock, his face turning serious, and he frowned slightly. Sixth Elder and Seventh Elder exchanged glances, both seeing shock in each other's eyes—this was clearly the power of a Domain, something even many Titled Douluo had not yet mastered!
The three Clear Sky Sect Elders did not feel any obvious suppression and continued to urge their spirit power to attack Dugu Bo and the other two. However, when their Clear Sky Hammers repeatedly missed, they realized something was wrong—their opponents' dodging movements suddenly became fluid, as if they could predict their every attack with precognition!
In the perception of Dugu Bo and the other two, a miraculous change occurred on the battlefield: the whistling of the Clear Sky Hammers tearing through the air, the footsteps of the Elders moving, and even the subtle rustling of their clothes, all became clearly audible. These sounds, amplified by Feng Xiao's Domain, transformed into precise battle predictions.
"Something's wrong!" Fifth Elder suddenly realized that when he swung his Clear Sky Hammer, he couldn't hear the slightest sound of it cutting through the air. Sixth Elder and Seventh Elder also discovered with horror that the sound of the hammer wind, which they relied on to judge attack trajectories—had disappeared!
This Domain had quietly stripped them of their most relied-upon battle senses! The three Elders were deeply shaken, experiencing a sense of uncontrolled fear for the first time in battle. Dugu Bo and the other two, however, fought with increasing ferocity, every counterattack directly targeting the flaws in their moves.
Under the immense spirit power impact of the three Titled Douluo, while Feng Xiao's Domain could not completely restrict their movements, its unique sound interference effect remained undiminished. Within the Domain's range, the transmission of sound was entirely under his control, forming a bizarre "silent battlefield."
"Three Seniors, please maneuver for now. I will find an opportunity to break the formation." Feng Xiao's voice, carried by the power of his Domain, clearly entered the ears of Dugu Bo and the other two, but was completely unnoticed by the Clear Sky Sect Elders.
Dugu Bo's emerald snake eyes flickered, and She Long and Ci Xue also nodded imperceptibly. The three immediately changed their tactics, no longer clashing head-on, but instead using skirmishing tactics to tie down their opponents, buying time for Feng Xiao.
Feng Xiao sat cross-legged, the Fuxi Zither placed across his knees. His slender fingers gently stroked the strings, but no sound was emitted—all sound waves transformed into invisible ripples within the Domain, silently probing every flow of spirit power in the Clear Sky Formation.
On the distant palace wall, a falling leaf slowly drifted down, but upon touching the Domain, it bizarrely froze in mid-air.
Seventh Elder's face drastically changed. He frantically opened his mouth to shout to Fifth Elder and Sixth Elder, but discovered with horror—his two brothers showed no reaction to his words! In this bizarre Domain, even the sound of lips opening and closing was completely erased.
He attempted to use spirit power transmission, a common technique for Spirit Saints, but the sound waves dissipated without a trace as soon as they left his body, like a clay ox entering the sea. As for more advanced mental force transmission? At their level, they were far from breaking through rank ninety-five.
Cold sweat seeped from Fifth Elder's forehead. He saw his seventh brother's lips moving but heard no sound; this bizarre experience sent shivers down his spine, even for a battle-hardened veteran like him. Sixth Elder tried to transmit messages using the sound of his hammer wind cutting through the air, but despaired to find—in this Domain, even the roar of the Clear Sky Hammer swinging had vanished without a trace!
The three were like being trapped in transparent amber, seemingly close at hand, yet separated by an invisible chasm. This unprecedented sense of isolation caused the Clear Sky Elders, who had always relied on combined attack methods, to fall into disarray. Dugu Bo and the other two, however, were like fish in water; in the absolute silence, every move they made directly targeted the flaws in their coordination.
A fierce glint flashed in Seventh Elder's eyes, his gaze fixed on Feng Xiao, who was playing the zither in the distance. The veins on his hand, gripping the Clear Sky Hammer, bulged, yet he dared not rashly break away from the formation—in this bizarre silent Domain, once the three dispersed, the advantage of their combined attack formation would be completely gone.
The situation on the field entered a bizarre stalemate:
The three Clear Sky Sect Elders stood back to back in a triangular formation, their hammer bodies flickering with Spirit light, yet they hesitated to launch an attack.
Dugu Bo and the other two tacitly widened their distance, taking the opportunity to calm the surging spirit power within them.
Feng Xiao's fingertips gently glided across the zither strings, and the rules of sound within the Domain continuously changed according to his will. Qian Renxue noticed that the breathing rhythm of the three Clear Sky Elders began to become disordered—in this absolutely silent environment, the fear of not even being able to hear their own heartbeats was slowly eroding their fighting Spirit.
A falling leaf drifted onto the open ground between the two sides, making no sound whatsoever. This eerie silence was more suffocating than any killing move.
Feng Xiao's voice, like an invisible ripple, clearly entered the ears of the three Elders within the silent Domain: "It would be a wise choice for you three to retreat now."
Seventh Elder was enraged upon hearing this, his Clear Sky Hammer flashing with fire, glaring at Feng Xiao with wide, angry eyes. Fifth Elder and Sixth Elder, however, had fluctuating expressions, their cloudy eyes slowly shifting—they knew perfectly well that in this bizarre Domain, the advantage of their combined attack formation was completely gone.
Fifth Elder's peripheral vision swept over Xue Beng, who was protected within the formation, only to see that the Fourth Prince's face was already ashen, his legs trembling uncontrollably. Was such a prince truly worth the Clear Sky Sect's assistance?
The night wind blew, rustling a few withered leaves. In this suffocating silence, the two older Clear Sky Elders for the first time felt wavering about this operation.
Seeing the three remain silent, Feng Xiao closed his eyes slightly, and a vast mental force spread out like a tide, meticulously sensing the trajectory of every spirit power flow within the Clear Sky Formation. The Fuxi Zither strings vibrated without wind, creating invisible ripples within the Domain.
Just as the three Clear Sky Elders attempted to communicate with glances and gestures, a sharp glint burst forth in She Long's eyes: "Now!"
Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphor Serpent poisonous mist was the first to gush out, Ci Xue transformed into a blood-red rainbow directly targeting Sixth Elder, and She Long's Snake Lance struck like lightning, piercing directly towards Seventh Elder's throat! The attacks of the three Titled Douluo erupted in silence, without any warning or sound of breaking air.
Fifth Elder hastily raised his hammer to block, but then saw Feng Xiao's fingertips suddenly pluck a zither string—"Zheng!" A visible sound wave ripple precisely struck the weakest connecting point of the Clear Sky Formation. The three Elders were horrified to discover that the spirit power connection they had painstakingly maintained had experienced a momentary stagnation under this strike!
Under Feng Xiao's meticulous mental force perception, the mysteries of the Clear Sky Formation gradually became clear—the three Elders' Clear Sky Hammers pulled at each other, forming a subtle spirit power resonance. Whenever one person swung their hammer with full force, the inertia of the other two retracting their hammers would, through a special spirit power bond, add extra power to the third person's hammer strike, just like the gravitational interaction between celestial bodies in the universe.
Even more ingenious was that Seventh Elder's Spirit clone ability enhanced this formation—the clone's Clear Sky Hammer could also participate in this energy transfer, greatly increasing the upper limit of the formation's power. Feng Xiao could even "see" those invisible spirit power threads weaving a precise energy network between the four Clear Sky Hammers.
"So that's how it is…" A look of realization flashed in Feng Xiao's eyes. This method of using external force was similar to the "four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds" in Tai Chi. He lightly stroked the zither strings, beginning to specifically interfere with the most crucial spirit power connection nodes.
Qian Renxue noticed that as Feng Xiao's zither music changed, the coordination of the three Elders began to show subtle delays—like grains of sand suddenly mixed into a precise machine. Dugu Bo and the other two immediately seized the opportunity, their attacks becoming even more relentless. Seventh Elder's clone tried to cover several times, but the spirit power transmission was cut off prematurely by invisible sound waves.
Feng Xiao suddenly understood—the brilliance of this Clear Sky formation lay in its construction of a precise spirit power resonance system. Disciples participating in the formation didn't need to directly attack; they only needed to release their Clear Sky Hammer and infuse it with spirit power at specific positions. This would transmit their power to the main attacker through Spirit resonance. This also explained why Tang Xiao could single-handedly fight the three High Priests of Spirit Hall with this formation.
"So that's how it is," Feng Xiao mused internally. "When the Clear Sky Hammer becomes weightless under the enhancement of this formation, the user's spirit power consumption, physical burden, and attack speed all achieve a qualitative leap." He couldn't help but recall the Wind Sword Sect's similar combined sword formation—unfortunately, due to limitations in Spirit quality and disciple cultivation, it never truly shone in the original work.
With his fingertips gently caressing the zither strings, Feng Xiao began to specifically interfere with those crucial spirit power nodes. Each pluck precisely interrupted an energy transmission that was in the process of forming. Qian Renxue noticed that the three Elders' attacks began to show unnatural delays, like a precise machine suddenly getting jammed with sand.
"Found it!" A sharp glint flashed in Feng Xiao's eyes as he suddenly plucked a series of rapid notes. The sound waves, like sharp arrows, pierced towards the weakest connection point of the formation—the spirit power link between Seventh Elder's clone and his main body!
"Three Seniors," Feng Xiao's voice, amplified by his Domain, precisely reached Dugu Bo's ears, "Focus your fire on the Elder who can clone! Even if you can't heavily injure him, you must exhaust his spirit power—once his cloning ability is ineffective, the formation's power will be greatly reduced!"
Before his words finished, Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphor Serpent poison, She Long's cold Snake Lance light, and Ci Xue's crimson torrent all simultaneously changed direction, assailing Seventh Elder like a furious storm!
The three Elders of the Clear Sky Sect were greatly shaken, realizing something was amiss. Seventh Elder's face changed drastically—his originally effortless defensive rhythm was suddenly disrupted, and the pressure around him sharply increased. He appeared to be struggling under the encirclement of the three.
"It's that kid's trick!" Seventh Elder gritted his teeth, glaring at Feng Xiao, only to see him calmly playing the zither, a faint, confident smile playing on his lips. Each tremor of the zither precisely interfered with the spirit power connection between his clone and his main body. The most terrifying thing was that in this eerie silent Domain, they couldn't even speak to warn their companions!
At this moment, eight dazzling spirit rings revolved around Feng Xiao like a descending galaxy—yellow, yellow, purple, black, black, black, black, and the moment that last, alluring blood-red ring appeared, the air within the entire Domain trembled!
"A 100,000-year spirit ring?!" The three Clear Sky Elders' pupils suddenly contracted, and for the first time, a look of horror appeared on their faces. The Clear Sky Hammers in their hands trembled unconsciously, a primal shiver from their Spirits facing absolute suppression.
"Seventh Spirit Ability · Spirit Avatar!" Feng Xiao shouted clearly, and a hundred-zhang-tall phantom appeared behind him. Ancient patterns flowed on the zither body, exuding an ancient aura. As the huge phantom plucked each zither string, Feng Xiao's spirit rings lit up accordingly.
In just an instant, the first four spirit rings lit up simultaneously. Feng Xiao's slender fingers pressed on theither strings, his eyes gleaming with an all-knowing light—the method to break the formation was already within his grasp!
"It's been a long time since I've unleashed my full power like this," Feng Xiao mused internally, his fingertips gently brushing the zither strings. "I wonder if today, I can play the Requiem for a Titled Douluo?"
As his fingers plucked, the Fuxi Avatar emitted an earth-shattering roar. The zither music, initially like a trickling stream, instantly transformed into a towering tidal wave! Terrifying spirit power fluctuations surged within the Domain, and even space began to twist and tremble.
The three Clear Sky Elders' expressions changed drastically, and a strong sense of alarm rose in their hearts. Each note of the zither seemed to directly strike deep within their souls.
Dugu Bo and the other two were also startled by these terrifying spirit power fluctuations, their hearts pounding. The Jade Phosphor Serpent's poisonous mist unconsciously receded a bit, and She Long and Ci Xue instinctively took half a step back.
"This little bastard..." Dugu Bo's snake pupils constricted, and he cursed inwardly. "He wouldn't be planning to take care of me too, would he?" He glanced at the distance between himself and Feng Xiao, already calculating whether he should hide further away first.
She Long's Snake Lance trembled slightly, and Ci Xue even had sweat on his forehead—they only now realized that the young man who usually smiled so gently possessed such terrifying strength!
Dugu Bo and the other two retreated in a tacit understanding. They knew Feng Xiao's methods too well—the farther away, the better at times like this!
The three Clear Sky Sect Elders seized this fleeting opportunity, their eyes gleaming. All three roared simultaneously, throwing their Clear Sky Hammers with full force!
"Boom—"
The three giant hammers, carrying terrifying spirit power, smashed towards Feng Xiao, while the three Elders, using the recoil, flew backward like meteors, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye. Only three huge gaps were left on the palace wall, and a dumbfounded Xue Beng.
"Bang!" The three Clear Sky Hammers crashed heavily onto the ground, shaking the entire imperial palace three times. After the dust settled, Xue Beng stood alone, his face ashen. He looked in the direction where the three Elders had disappeared, his legs gave out, and he directly collapsed to the ground.
Feng Xiao looked at the retreating Clear Sky Sect Elders, a slight smile on his lips, as the surging spirit power around him receded like a tide. "The casting time is still too long," he murmured softly.
With the combat experience of a Titled Douluo, why would they foolishly stand there waiting for their opponent to complete such a powerful move, unless absolutely necessary?
"Casting time? What casting time?" Qian Renxue blinked her brilliant golden eyes, a puzzled expression on her face.
Feng Xiao smiled gently and shook his head: "Nothing." He reached out to brush a fallen leaf from her shoulder. "The important thing is, we won this time, Xue'er."
Qian Renxue looked in the direction where the Clear Sky Sect Elders had departed, a hint of unwillingness flashing in her golden eyes: "It's a pity we couldn't keep them here forever." Her fingers unconsciously tightened on her sleeve.
Feng Xiao gently shook his head, the moonlight casting a soft silver glow on his gentle brows and eyes: "Xue'er, this is already the best outcome for now. If we had truly killed the Clear Sky Sect Elders, it would only force them to come out in full force. At that time, your plan would still be ruined."
"But they now know about the Empire's connection with Spirit Hall," Qian Renxue frowned, her red lips pressed into a tight line.
Feng Xiao chuckled at her words, lightly tapping her palm with his fingertip: "Once you ascend the throne, you can simply declare that your cooperation with Spirit Hall was merely a temporary measure." A hint of cunning flashed in his eyes. "It's also a good opportunity to put Ning Fengzhi, that old fox, in his place."
Qian Renxue's delicate brows furrowed slightly: "What if they stubbornly refuse to believe it?"
Feng Xiao chuckled softly, lightly tapping her brow with his fingertip: "They have no choice but to believe it." He looked in the direction the Clear Sky Sect members had left, his voice deepening. "Even if the Empire truly has ties with Spirit Hall, the Clear Sky Sect would never dare to easily become enemies with the entire Heaven Dou Empire—this is precisely why they retreated decisively today."
The morning breeze ruffled the hair on his forehead, revealing his eyes that saw everything clearly: "The World's great trends are never black and white. No matter how strong the Clear Sky Sect is, they must weigh the pros and cons."
Before Feng Xiao finished speaking, She Long, carrying a ashen-faced Xue Beng, threw him at Qian Renxue's feet like trash. As for the Spirit Saint who had sworn to protect Xue Beng, his heart had already been pierced by the Snake Lance, and he lay in a pool of blood.
"Second... Second Brother..." Xue Beng trembled all over, forcing out a smile uglier than a cry. "I was wrong... It was that old geezer Xue Xing who forced me! He said you had problems! Yes! He instigated it!"
Qian Renxue looked down at her fawning brother from above, a playful curve on her lips: "Oh? You want to trade Uncle for your life?" She slowly tidied her sleeves. "That's a clever idea, after all, I always have to give Uncle some face."
Xue Beng nodded repeatedly like a pug, as if granted a great pardon. But then Qian Renxue suddenly changed the subject, her voice as cold as ice: "Then what do you think... with these Seniors here, would that old man dare to dictate to me?"
Xue Beng's face instantly turned ashen, the hope in his eyes transforming into despair. "Xue Qinghe!" he suddenly shrieked hysterically, "You colluded with Spirit Hall, betraying the Empire's foundation! May you die a terrible death!"
Qian Renxue didn't even bother to lift an eyelid, simply waving her hand lightly towards She Long.
"Pfft—"
The cold light of the Snake Lance flashed, instantly piercing Xue Beng's throat. Blood splattered on the white marble steps, resembling a captivating Lycoris radiata. This Fourth Prince, who had calculated everything, finally collapsed slowly in the chessboard he had personally orchestrated, his unwilling eyes wide open.
Dugu Bo looked at Xue Beng's corpse, a hint of complexity flashing in his aged eyes. He took a step forward and cupped his hands towards Qian Renxue: "Girl, a person's death is like a lamp extinguishing. For the sake of my help today, can you give me some face and spare that old man Xue Xing?" He rubbed the poison pouch at his waist, his voice low. "If he hadn't saved me from Ju and Gui back then, I wouldn't have the chance to stand here and help you today."
Qian Renxue's expression became solemn, and she nodded gravely: "Senior, you speak too highly. I am truly grateful for your help this time, and I will certainly grant this small request."
Dugu Bo nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Feng Xiao: "Alright, this kid is dead, and those old fellows from the Clear Sky Sect probably won't come back to court death." He turned to leave, then stopped. "Yan Yan is about to come out of seclusion; visit her often when you have time."
Before his words finished, the dark green figure had already transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the morning mist, giving Feng Xiao no chance to reply.
Qian Renxue looked in the direction Dugu Bo had left, a hint of admiration in her golden eyes: "Senior Dugu is truly a person of strong character, valuing loyalty and righteousness."
Feng Xiao chuckled at her words, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes: "Xue'er, you should be thanking me."
Golden light flowed around Qian Renxue as she reverted to her true form. She let out a light snort, a hint of playful annoyance appearing on her beautiful face: "Oh? And I should thank you... for giving me another younger sister?"
She Long and Ci Xue, hearing this, immediately discreetly withdrew into the shadows, fearing to be drawn into this "family matter."
Feng Xiao raised his sword-like brows, smiling as he put his arm around her fragrant shoulder: "If Yan Yan wasn't the most important person in Senior's heart, what you would have faced today..." He deliberately paused, "...would have been four Titled Douluo."
The rising sun fully emerged above the horizon, casting a warm golden glow on the embracing pair. Qian Renxue pretended to glare at him in annoyance, but ultimately couldn't suppress the smile on her lips. In the distance, on the palace wall, a few early morning larks chirped happily, as if witnessing this rare moment of tenderness after the thrilling night battle.