Chapter 328: The Power of the Eight Extremes Collapse
To Titan, this was straightforward: he was a Contra-ranked soul master, and Dai Yao was a mere youngster. What threat could Dai Yao possibly pose? If Dai Yao wanted to bring defeat upon himself, then so be it—Titan was more than happy to oblige. By defeating Dai Yao, Titan would earn the satisfaction of removing him without drawing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's ire.
"Titan," Tang San stepped forward, his expression filled with worry.
Tang San knew how formidable Dai Yao could be. After facing him time and time again, Tang San had come to recognize the depths of Dai Yao's power. Now that Dai Yao had claimed Xiao Wu's spirit ring, Tang San was certain his strength had only grown.
Though Titan was a Contra, Tang San couldn't be sure he was a match for Dai Yao.
With a boisterous laugh, Titan patted Tang San's shoulder. "Young Master, there's no need to worry. This kid may have won the All-Continent Soul Master Tournament five years ago, but how much could he have grown in just a few years?"
Tang San glanced at Dai Yao's calm expression, his unease deepening. He couldn't mention that Dai Yao had already defeated every young member of the Clear Sky Clan—it would be a public blow to the clan's honor. With no other choice, he sighed and said, "Titan, please be careful. I've known him for years and have never managed to defeat him. The gap between us only seems to widen as time goes on. Please, don't underestimate him!"
Titan's smile faded a bit as he nodded seriously, saying, "Rest assured, Young Master. I've been around too long to lose to a young upstart like him. I'll make sure he's out of the Defense Clan by the end of this."
Touched by Titan's words, Tang San replied, "Thank you, Titan."
"No need to thank me, Young Master. It's my duty," Titan replied modestly.
Turning to Niu Gao, Titan called out, "Old rhino, let's head to your training ground. I've got to teach this young man a lesson."
Under Niu Gao's guidance, they moved to the spacious center of the Defense Clan's compound—an open area ideal for duels.
On the platform, Titan crossed his arms, exuding an imposing aura. "Boy, I won't be going easy on you. If you can't keep up, don't be afraid to shout for mercy. I'll let you off then," he said, confident in his abilities.
All eyes turned to Dai Yao, the young man in the black robe. The crowd found it hard to believe that someone so young would dare to face Titan in a duel. To them, it seemed that Dai Yao was simply courting defeat.
Niu Gao watched Dai Yao closely, wondering if this duel might finally reveal why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had chosen to back him. Even Sword Douluo, who had remained silent, now watched with interest, hoping to gauge Dai Yao's true abilities against a Contra opponent.
Dai Yao merely glanced at Titan. "Enough talk—let's begin."
Titan scoffed, cold determination flickering in his eyes as he decided to teach Dai Yao a lasting lesson. For the sake of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he would let the boy leave alive.
No sooner had the words left Dai Yao's mouth than he launched himself like a released arrow, closing the distance between them in an instant. A piercing rush of wind accompanied his rapid approach as he threw a forceful punch toward Titan.
With unyielding strength, Titan reached out, planning to intercept the attack. As a Defense Clan member, Titan's formidable power was unparalleled. To him, Dai Yao's attempt at close combat was practically a gift.
With a booming sound, Titan caught Dai Yao's right fist. Unfazed, Dai Yao immediately aimed a left punch at him, which Titan also managed to intercept.
Seeing Dai Yao with both hands restrained, Titan allowed himself a victorious grin. "Give up now, and I might let you off—"
But his words were cut short as a fierce, irresistible force surged from Dai Yao's fists, enough to shift Titan's entire center of balance and force him backward.
"Oh, really? You're going to let me off?" Dai Yao smirked as Titan's shock registered.
With six soul rings that surpassed normal limits, two attached soul bones, and the enhancements from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Dai Yao's physical power rivaled that of a Contra. And with his Divine White Tiger martial spirit, Dai Yao's enhanced attributes allowed him to overpower even someone as strong as Titan without even using his spirit power.
"What? Titan, bested in strength?" Niu Gao exclaimed, stunned as he watched Titan struggle under Dai Yao's relentless power.
Niu Gao knew Titan's strength well. As a member of the Defense Clan, Titan had unmatched power even among Contras, rivaling some Titled Douluos. Yet now, before his eyes, a young man had forced Titan back—a sight Niu Gao couldn't believe.
"Just what kind of monster is this boy?" Niu Gao muttered, dumbfounded.
Tang San sighed. He had witnessed this reaction countless times before. He, too, had underestimated Dai Yao until he'd fought him himself.
"Impossible!" Titan muttered, bewildered by the force of Dai Yao's punches. He couldn't accept that his strength—his greatest asset—was being overpowered by someone so young.
Humiliated by his earlier boasts, Titan refrained from using his martial spirit, unwilling to risk his pride. Gritting his teeth, he tried with all his might to push Dai Yao back. The veins in his hands bulged as the two wrestled, but no matter how hard he tried, Dai Yao seemed to counter every move effortlessly.
"His strength is terrifying. If I hadn't absorbed Xiao Wu's hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, I wouldn't stand a chance here," Dai Yao thought, bracing himself.
With a sharp push, Dai Yao broke away, using the recoil to step back.
Titan staggered, breathing heavily, his previous confidence shaken. For the first time, he looked at Dai Yao not with disdain, but with astonishment and respect.
"Time to get serious," Dai Yao said calmly, flexing his wrists.
Before Titan could react, Dai Yao burst forward with a flash, his speed like a bolt of lightning.
"He's fast!" Titan thought, alarmed.
"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
Channeling his soul power into his right arm, Dai Yao twisted his body, and with a fluid motion, delivered a devastating punch. The strike, honed to perfection, carried an overwhelming force, hurtling straight at Titan.
Thud!
Just as Titan managed to block Dai Yao's punch and withstand the painful force behind it, he suddenly felt a chilling energy explode within his body, surging along his arm's meridians.
It was a dark energy.
Quickly, Titan retreated a few steps, using his formidable soul power to dispel the strange energy inside him. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to fend off Dai Yao's next strike, knowing full well that with his single-attribute, strength-focused skills, he was like a stationary target against an agile opponent like Dai Yao.
Seeing Dai Yao's technique, Tang San called out in alarm, "Titan, don't let him keep attacking you! His self-created soul technique is like the Chaos Cloaking Wind Hammer technique of the Clear Sky Clan. Each strike builds in power, and if he completes it, you won't be able to block him."
At Tang San's words, everyone froze in shock. A self-created soul skill on par with the legendary Clear Sky technique? How could this young man have developed something like that on his own?
Titan felt himself inwardly cursing; of course, he wanted to stop Dai Yao, but with his own slower speed, counterattacking was nearly impossible.
"Too late!" Dai Yao smirked as he spoke, drawing his arm back once again. Soul power flowed through his arm like a river released from a dam, compressing and condensing within his right arm. It was the double-compressed Eight Extremes Collapse.
With a quick twist of his body, Dai Yao struck again, his punch even more ferocious than before, slamming toward Titan like a cannonball.
Despite his resilience, Titan, a seasoned fighter and leader of the Strength Clan, struggled under Dai Yao's relentless, storm-like blows. Although he hadn't activated his martial soul, relying only on his physical strength to endure the assaults, his clothes were torn to shreds, his sleeves reduced to tatters from the explosive impact.
Dai Yao prepared to strike once more, retracting his fist to his side and channeling his soul power to compress eightfold—an explosive move that no longer required spirit-enhancing abilities for him to handle the intense strain.
Around Dai Yao's right fist, the very air warped and twisted under the immense pressure, fragments of the ground at his feet breaking and lifting into the air by the sheer force of his power. The durable flooring of the Defense Clan training ground—designed to withstand the harshest of fights—cracked beneath the residual energy of Dai Yao's technique. The raw power of the attack was undeniable.
"Old Ape, use your martial soul!" Niu Gao called out in desperation.
Unable to hold back any longer, Titan released his Great Force Ape martial soul. His body swelled, a thick layer of coarse fur covering his skin as his aura surged. Of his eight spirit rings, the seventh black ring blazed with light as Titan activated his Martial Soul True Body, transforming fully into a Great Force Ape.
The earth-shaking power unleashed in Dai Yao's strike erupted with the roar of a dragon. The force crashed against Titan, launching his massive form into the air, blasting him backward through the air until he smashed into the wall, leaving a man-shaped crater in the stone.
Silence fell over the crowd, all eyes fixed on the hole in the wall where Titan had disappeared. Some rubbed their eyes in disbelief, wondering if they had really just witnessed a Soul Emperor send a powerful Contra flying.
Countless awestruck eyes turned toward Dai Yao, who calmly retracted his fist, adjusting his slightly disordered soul power. "Thanks to his Martial Soul True Body, Titan isn't too injured," he said nonchalantly.
As if on cue, Titan emerged from the hole in the wall, covered in dust and looking thoroughly disheveled. Seeing his usually dignified elder in such a state, some clan members couldn't help but stifle laughter.
Niu Gao rushed forward, his face full of concern. "Old Ape, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Titan replied gruffly, wiping the dirt from his face and swallowing back the blood threatening to rise in his throat. It was humiliating to have been beaten by a youngster, and to have used his Martial Soul True Body and still lost.
Nevertheless, he could admit defeat where it was deserved. While he held no ill will toward Dai Yao, his loyalty remained with Tang San. He'd make sure Dai Yao didn't have an easy time if he insisted on lingering around.
Turning to Dai Yao, Titan spoke firmly, "Kid, I lost. I'll keep my word and won't talk about driving you out again." With that, he turned away, unwilling to stay any longer, and left with a small entourage led by his son, Niu Ben, heading toward his quarters.
Seeing this, Tang San and the others offered some polite words to Niu Gao before following Titan, leaving the scene.
As Niu Gao prepared to follow, intending to console his old friend, Dai Yao stopped him.
"Niu Gao, after you've heard Tang San's offer, I ask that you consider mine as well before making a decision," Dai Yao said calmly.
With a thoughtful expression, Niu Gao nodded and turned to join Titan. Dai Yao's formidable display had given him pause, and he couldn't dismiss the young man so easily despite his affiliation with the Spirit Hall.
"Dai Yao, I can't believe how strong you've become!" Ning Rongrong said with joy as she walked up beside him.
Sword Douluo also approached with admiration. "I remember seeing you use this move back during the tournament. It's only been a few years, but your technique has reached near-perfection. Was this the move you used against the Clear Sky Clan?"
Dai Yao replied, "No, the technique I used then was an evolved version of this one, and its power far surpassed today's version."
Sword Douluo nodded with satisfaction. "The new generation really does push the old aside. Who knows how far you'll go in the future?"
They returned to the hall, where Niu Ben served the group food and drink. After a brief meal, Dai Yao asked Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling to rest while he awaited a private audience with Niu Gao.
As he gazed out at the prosperous land of the Defense Clan, Dai Yao contemplated his next steps. The Force Clan was a loyal ally of Tang's family, but the other three clans weren't as committed. The Defense and Break Clans were the most likely candidates for recruitment, while the Speed Clan's bond with Tang San would make convincing them difficult. To sway Niu Gao, Dai Yao would have to offer something more valuable than Tang San's connection and the allure of hidden weapons.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in," Dai Yao said, turning around.
The door opened, and Niu Gao entered, his expression complex. Dai Yao sensed that Tang San's proposal had already made a strong impression on him.
Dai Yao felt grateful that he had called Niu Gao here in time. "Speak your mind, Niu Gao," he said respectfully, seeing the elder's apprehension.
The burly leader gazed at Dai Yao with a mix of respect and reluctance. "Alright, young man, what do you have to offer that's better than what Tang San is proposing?"
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