...
A massive golden star, solid and tangible in appearance, coalesced and smashed down fiercely toward Bo Saixi!
Bo Saixi never expected that, after unleashing a terrifying attack with his second martial soul, Luo Nan would still be able to seamlessly chain it with the ninth spirit ability of his first martial soul in the blink of an eye.
Such ultimate control over twin martial souls defied all logic.
"Shield of the Sea God!"
At the critical moment, Bo Saixi could only hastily raise the golden scepter in her hand.
The surrounding boiling seawater instantly surged skyward, transforming into a massive, aquamarine shield radiating a potent, sacred aura, positioning itself directly above her.
"BOOM—!!!"
The golden star slammed violently against the Shield of the Sea God, erupting with a deafening roar.
A terrifying shockwave, manifesting as tangible ripples, blasted outward wildly in all directions.
The force was so immense that it physically depressed the ocean surface below, creating a massive crater dozens of meters deep.
Although Bo Saixi managed to barely block the blow—thanks to the profound foundation of a Rank 99 Peerless Douluo and the empowerment of the ocean's power—she had been caught off guard by the hasty defense.
The massive recoil surged through the scepter and into her body, forcing her to retreat over a hundred meters through the air, while a trickle of crimson blood slowly seeped from the corner of her mouth.
Yet, Luo Nan's offensive was relentless—like a violent storm—giving Poseidon absolutely no chance to catch her breath!
The speed at which he chained his spirit abilities was an instinct honed through countless life-and-death battles.
Just as the golden radiance of the "Star-Shattering Sky Strike" had yet to fully dissipate, the black light in the depths of Luo Nan's eyes surged violently once more. "Dark Demon Dragon, Third Spirit Ability: Dark Thunder Dragon Claw!"
Accompanied by a furious dragon's roar that seemed to tear the very soul, the phantom of the Dark Demon Dragon behind Luo Nan suddenly thrust out a massive foreclaw.
The dragon claw was pitch-black, like ink, and wreathed in dark-purple bolts of destructive lightning as thick as a barrel.
As the claw swept forward, the surrounding space—fragile as paper—was easily rent apart, leaving behind five gaping, pitch-black spatial rifts!
The power of this strike was terrifying!
It contained not only the ultimate power of dark devouring but also the violent, all-consuming force of destructive lightning!
It is no exaggeration to say that even a peerless powerhouse like Bo Saixi—the Peerless Douluo—would find it impossible to easily withstand this blow without being fully prepared!
Watching the dark-purple dragon claw rapidly expand within her field of vision and sensing the aura of destruction that threatened her very life, Bo Saixi's expression shifted dramatically.
She realized that if she continued to hold back, she might truly suffer defeat at the hands of this young man today.
"Descent of the Sea God, Ninth Spirit Ability: Wrath of the Sea God—Convergence of Ten Thousand Seas!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Bo Saixi unleashed her ultimate ninth spirit ability.
The phantom of the Sea God behind her instantly solidified; across the entire Demon Shark Bay—and indeed, the surrounding ocean for hundreds of miles—the waters began to boil furiously.
Countless massive columns of water shot skyward, converging in mid-air to form the phantom of a colossal Sea God's Trident, a thousand meters in length. It drove forward, slamming violently against the space-rending Dark Thunder Dragon Claw!
"BOOM—!!!"
The ultimate dark lightning and the vast divine power of the ocean clashed wildly, grinding against and devouring one another in mid-air.
The blinding radiance forced the Guardians of the Seven Sacred Pillars, watching from afar, to shut their eyes.
The terrifying energy storm even tore the clouds in the sky to shreds!
However, amidst this earth-shattering clash, Bo Saixi was shocked to discover that she had actually fallen onto the defensive!
The power behind that single claw strike from Luo Nan was simply overwhelming!
Driven by Luo Nan's peak Rank 98 Spirit Power, the destructive essence—derived from the Ancient Abyss Dark-Thunder Demon Dragon—forcibly tore through the defenses of the phantom Sea God's Trident.
Dark purple lightning surged wildly along the currents, relentlessly eroding Bo Saixi's Ocean Domain.
*Crack—*
With a crisp, shattering sound, the phantom Sea God's Trident—condensed from the power of ten thousand seas—began to develop fine cracks under the immense pressure of the Dark-Thunder Dragon Claw!
Bo Saixi's hands, gripping her scepter, trembled slightly; the Spirit Power within her was draining away at a terrifying rate.
She gazed at the young man opposite her—who stood there like a descending demon god, his aura as steady and composed as ever—and a profound sense of powerlessness washed over her.
She knew she had lost.
If she were to press on, she might—relying on the home-field advantage of Sea God Island and her foundation as a Peerless Douluo—manage to force a mutual defeat with Luo Nan.
But this was merely a trial of the gods, not a life-or-death duel.
With this thought in mind, Bo Saixi took a deep breath and voluntarily dispersed the Sea God's power she had gathered in mid-air.
The cracked phantom trident dissolved into a rain of light, vanishing into the sea breeze.
"Stop, Luo Nan. You win."
Though Bo Saixi's voice was not loud, it was carried clearly across the entire sea area by her Spirit Power.
Hearing her voluntarily concede, the Seven Sacred Pillar Guardians in the distance all gasped, their eyes filled with utter disbelief and shock. A peerless Rank 99 Douluo—the High Priestess of Sea God Island—had actually lost to a young man who had just broken through to Rank 98!
Seeing this, Luo Nan immediately withdrew his aura.
The phantom of the Dark Demon Dragon behind him slowly dissipated, and the claw of dark lightning that had torn through space dissolved into specks of black light, merging back into his body.
Nearby, the Golden Sacred Dragon—which had been poised to unleash a devastating ultimate attack against Bo Saixi—also began to fade before vanishing completely.
With a flash of movement, he landed lightly before Bo Saixi and offered a slight, respectful salute, his demeanor poised and dignified.
Bo Saixi gazed at the young man before her—whose aura was now completely restrained, as if the earth-shattering battle that had just taken place had nothing to do with him—and a look of complex emotion crossed her stunningly beautiful face.
"True greatness emerges in youth..."
Bo Saixi let out a long sigh, her tone filled with genuine admiration and awe.
"Luo Nan, your talent and strength have completely surpassed my understanding."
"To possess such terrifying power at your age—even an old soul like me, who has lived for over a century, is no match for you."
"In time, you will undoubtedly become a supreme figure whom the entire Douluo Continent—and indeed the whole world—will look up to with reverence!"
Faced with such high praise from Bo Saixi, Luo Nan merely smiled faintly and replied modestly:
"You are too kind, High Priestess."
"My victory was due to just a *tiny* bit of luck."
"Had you not held back, it certainly wouldn't have been so easy for me to win."
Bo Saixi shook her head; she knew Luo Nan was simply trying to save her some face.
A loss is a loss; in the face of absolute power, any excuse pales in comparison.
Just then, the red seven-pointed star mark on Luo Nan's forehead erupted with brilliant radiance once more.
...
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