Chapter 506: The 99,999 Year Soul Bone, Part 6
The true function of the Life Spirit Gold is to nourish life, not to evolve bloodlines. If it could alter bloodlines, then the Ten Thousand Year Turtle Beast that appeared later wouldn't have been driven to such a miserable state by the Life Spirit Gold.
This Soul Devouring Blade no, it should now be called the Life Spirit Engraving Knife was designed to channel its vast life energy into enhancing soul formations during engraving, infusing them with unparalleled vitality. Based on Ye Wen's estimation, any soul formation carved with this knife could see its power raised by a full level. With it, even an Eighth Level Soul Engineer like Tang Wulin could rival a Ninth Level Soul Engineer.
Moreover, holding it during cultivation would continuously strengthen the user's body, making it a versatile treasure.
Finally registering Xu JiuJiu's earlier question, Ye Wen replied calmly, "Not interested. This item has no use for me."
Xu JiuJiu's eyes flashed with disappointment, but she remained intrigued and asked, "Master, do you know what kind of material this is? I've never seen anything quite like it."
Ye Wen didn't bother to conceal the truth and gave everyone present a brief lesson.
"This material is called Life Spirit Gold. Despite the name, it has no relation to metal. Formed under specific conditions, it's the pure crystallization of accumulated life energy. Its known effect, as you've heard, is to nourish anything nearby with life energy."
Ye Wen paused before adding a critical piece of information, for Xu JiuJiu's benefit. "JiuJiu, please have the auctioneer clarify that this material is solely for external use and absolutely must not be ingested. If anyone attempts to refine it, it will trigger a backlash, and the person will be completely drained of life energy."
Xu JiuJiu, startled by the caution, moved to relay the message, then hesitated, confused. "Master, if refining it is unsuccessful, why would it turn around and drain a person?"
This question momentarily stumped Ye Wen, but he recalled a scene from the original story where someone attempted to refine Life Spirit Gold, only to end up severely weakened. Ye Wen, drawing on his knowledge, explained, "It's similar to a siphoning effect. This small piece of Life Spirit Gold contains enough life energy to rival divine power. Trying to refine such concentrated power would be akin to a mortal challenging a god. Isn't that courting death?"
Xu JiuJiu nodded in realization and hurried out to inform the auctioneer.
Inside the private room, Ye Wen's six disciples exchanged curious looks, though they kept silent. They had guessed Ye Wen's true status was far beyond mortal reach, though he hadn't explicitly told Xu JiuJiu or Wei Na. His reasons, they trusted, would become clear in time.
Meanwhile, the ongoing auction had drawn intense bidding. The pause in the proceedings made everyone anxious, dreading that the auction would end prematurely. However, the auctioneer soon returned with an explanation that reignited everyone's fervor.
In Shrek Academy's private box, Tang Wulin clenched his fists, a mix of frustration and resentment flickering in his gaze. The current bid had already risen to an astronomical one billion three hundred million, edging many competitors out. Yet, with the latest clarification, some had returned to the bidding with renewed enthusiasm.
Those who were bidding believed implicitly in the auctioneer's announcement, especially after the mention of Ye Wen's involvement. Though some might have wondered why Ye Wen wasn't interested in the treasure, the news that Life Spirit Gold couldn't be refined confirmed it: only a cultivator of Ye Wen's level wouldn't need such a tool. To everyone else, however, it remained an invaluable asset.
Seeing Ye Wen's apparent lack of interest, many labeled him a paragon of virtue and restraint. To them, he epitomized the strength of one who no longer relied on external resources.
At that moment, Xu JiuJiu seemed to make a decision. Turning to Ye Wen, she said, "Master, I would like to enter the bidding myself."
Ye Wen raised a brow, bemused. "You're free to bid as you wish. I'm not stopping you."
Her cheeks tinged pink as she realized she'd been overly reserved. Seeing her enthusiasm, Ye Wen offered further guidance. "If your intention is to help your family elders extend their lives, this would indeed be helpful. But, in my opinion, it would be more beneficial for nurturing young talent within the Star Luo Empire."
Xu JiuJiu's eyes lit up as she eagerly placed her bid. The Soul Devouring Blade's price had already hit a staggering two billion gold soul coins, an unprecedented figure.
Wei Na, the princess of Tianhun Empire, began to grow uneasy. She pulled at Ye Wen's sleeve, her expression one of silent pleading. The Tianhun Empire was far weaker than either Star Luo or the Sun Moon Empire, with limited resources to spare. Given these circumstances, Ye Wen could hardly ignore her concerns.
Ye Wen sighed and finally suggested, "JiuJiu, the Star Luo Empire shouldn't bear this alone. Partner with the Tianhun Empire; that way, both nations can benefit. Otherwise, your empire will be under constant threat from the Sun Moon Empire."
Xu JiuJiu thought it over and nodded in agreement, seeing the wisdom in Ye Wen's words. Then she had an inspired idea.
"Master, after acquiring this item, perhaps we should store it at Tianxing Academy. Shrek has the Golden Tree as its heart. We could establish this Life Spirit Gold as the core of Tianxing Academy."
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Chapter 507: The 99,999 Year Soul Bone, Part Seven
When the Soul Devouring Life Carving Knife's true purpose was revealed, Ye Wen instinctively considered declining. After all, he could easily find materials like this in much larger quantities if he wished. However, before speaking, he paused. He realized that this carving knife was undoubtedly something Tang San intended for his son, Tang Wulin.
While Ye Wen wasn't particularly concerned with this, he understood Tang San's ways. Known for his strict "standards" of conduct, Tang San was hardly one to play fair and often bent the rules for his own purposes. Although Ye Wen held little value for the Life Carving Knife, he recognized that it would be one of the best resources Tang Wulin could access at this time. Taking it would serve as a small but effective move against Tang Wulin.
Furthermore, although Ye Wen was usually hands off regarding the development of Tianxing Academy's students, he realized that as a foundation for Huo Yu´er, the academy shouldn't appear too impoverished. With that in mind, he finally nodded in agreement.
"Alright," he said.
Xu JiuJiu and Wei Na shared a look of delight as the price of the Life Carving Knife quickly climbed to three billion gold soul coins. The intervention of Ye Wen's private box made the Star Luo nobles and foreign dignitaries back down they understood that competing with the private box of Ye Wen, backed by the Star Luo Emperor himself, was hopeless.
The minor factions retreated, but two private boxes remained locked in fierce competition.
"Three and a half billion!" Jing Hongchen raised the bid without hesitation.
Though he hadn't brought such a vast sum with him, Jing Hongchen, a top five figure within the Sun Moon Empire, held enough authority to marshal such funds. Jing Hongchen knew that with no Level Ten Soul Engineer in their ranks, the Sun Moon Empire needed to cultivate its own Super Douluo to challenge the alliance of Douluo's three nations.
As a Title Douluo himself, Jing Hongchen deeply regretted the permanent damage he'd done to his body through excessive use of enhancement drugs. He'd forever capped his potential at Level 94, unable to reach the rank of Super Douluo. This was the reason for the exchange program between Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Imperial Academy the empire sought to leverage Shrek's deep expertise in cultivating talent.
Although the Sun Moon Empire trained Huo Yuhao at the Imperial Academy, they still withheld crucial knowledge, just as Shrek withheld its core teachings. Ultimately, Shrek's role was in refining geniuses, and its high number of Super Douluos was largely due to the influence of the Golden Tree and its life giving aura.
So for Jing Hongchen, the life giving aura of the Life Carving Knife was invaluable an asset he was unwilling to relinquish.
Meanwhile, in Shrek's private box, Tang Wulin frowned slightly but didn't hesitate to raise the bid to four billion. Although the Hao Tian Sect wasn't the wealthiest faction, it had accumulated a substantial amount of resources over the years, and now was the time for the sect's true successor to utilize them.
"Wulin, there's no need for Shrek to bid on this," Wang Yan advised. "We have the Golden Tree at our academy, and when you're in the Inner Court, you'll have access to its benefits."
Though Wang Yan was unaware of Tang Wulin's true background, Shrek's Inner Court had instructed him to follow Tang Wulin's lead in all matters. Rather than showing frustration at Wang Yan's advice, Tang Wulin nodded indifferently.
"I understand, Teacher Wang," Tang Wulin replied calmly. "But I'm not purchasing this knife for myself. It's an investment for the future."
He resumed placing bids, though his mind was contemptuous of Wang Yan's suggestion. Why compete with others for the limited benefits of the Golden Tree when he could claim exclusive access to such potent life force?
Over time, however, Tang Wulin's expression darkened as the bid escalated. Despite Hao Tian Sect's prudent spending over the years, it had just over five billion gold soul coins in liquid assets. Shrek's representative, the Inner Court Elder, had also discreetly informed him that Shrek's available funds capped at three billion. But now, the price for the Life Carving Knife had skyrocketed to nine billion.
Tang Wulin felt incredulous. How could he lose at this level, with the combined resources of two major powers behind him? Then, a realization struck him.
"I'm an idiot. This is the Star Luo Empire's territory, and the Life Carving Knife is originally from their treasury. They're raising the price arbitrarily, not even intending to pay a single coin in the end. Shameless scoundrels, pretending to compete when they had no intention of losing! How dare they mock me!" Tang Wulin's thoughts seethed with fury. He stood abruptly, mumbling, "I'm going to the restroom."
Shrek's representatives, oblivious to Tang Wulin's thoughts, continued watching the bidding war unfold.
Meanwhile, Jing Hongchen, having raised the bid to nine and a half billion, was visibly agitated. For him, this was an outrageous price. The auctioneer, elated, felt she'd reached the pinnacle of her career an item that neared the unprecedented price of ten billion gold soul coins! Not silver, not copper, but true gold, enough to build a mountain.
In response, Xu JiuJiu instantly raised the bid to a flat ten billion. The Life Carving Knife had originally been auctioned off by a minor noble, who, after failing to sell it, sold it to the Starlight Auction House for a mere ten thousand gold soul coins.
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Chapter 508: The 99,999 Year Soul Bone, Part Eight
Then, an unexpected twist unfolded.
Shortly after the Starlight Auction House placed the Soul Devouring Life Carving Knife in their Treasury Pavilion, its powerful aura of life energy drew the attention of the management. After several reports, the Star Luo royal family eventually learned about this exceptional treasure.
However, the officials underestimated the true value of the carving knife. The life energy it exuded, vast though it seemed, was only a fraction of its true potential like a drop in the ocean compared to the actual life force contained within the Soul Devouring Life Carving Knife. Though impressive, the officials judged it as a valuable item, yet still less significant than a 100,000 year soul beast relic. Thus, they decided to use it as a showcase item.
Tang San had expected that with his son's financial resources, Tang Wulin would easily outbid a crowd who didn't recognize the true value of this treasure. But what Tang San hadn't anticipated was that someone on the Douluo Continent could actually recognize the nature of the material as "Life Gold." With Ye Wen revealing its true worth, the entire auction house erupted with unrestrained greed, the bidding frenzy intensifying like a pack of sharks drawn to blood.
Originally expected to sell for around one billion, or at most two billion gold soul coins, the carving knife was now fetching an astonishing ten billion. Tang Wulin's ability to control the situation had slipped entirely out of his hands.
Though he had a harmless, gentle appearance, as Tang San's son, he had inherited his father's stubbornness and single minded determination. Tang Wulin had already set his sights on this goal even before the auction began. Much like his father, Tang Wulin valued appearances and preferred to follow the rules outwardly. But as his frustration mounted, his inner resolve hardened.
"You've forced me into this… The Soul Devouring Life Carving Knife should have been mine from the beginning," Tang Wulin murmured to himself, his tone dark.
Though the technology of this era lacked widespread, long range communication, short range soul communication devices did exist.
"Second Father, we've encountered a problem. I'll need your assistance," Tang Wulin said quietly into his device.
"Understood," replied a deep voice from the other end.
As the bidding continued, Jing Hongchen, who saw the Life Carving Knife as an essential tool for the Sun Moon Empire's future dominance, raised his bid to twelve billion. Xu JiuJiu, growing frustrated, countered with thirteen billion without hesitation.
Jing Hongchen wanted to press the button to bid again, but was unexpectedly stopped by his granddaughter, Meng Hongchen, who clutched his sleeve with a gentle yet insistent grip.
Though Jing Hongchen was tense and focused, he deeply adored his granddaughter. Turning to her, he asked, "What's wrong, Mengmeng?"
Meng Hongchen, with her beautiful face framed by her wine red hair, shook her head lightly.
"Grandfather, let it go. No matter how much you bid, this auction belongs to them. They'll decide the final price however they please," she said softly.
Meng Hongchen's words broke Jing Hongchen from his tunnel vision. In a moment of clarity, he realized his granddaughter was right. Though frustrated at having to give up, he finally conceded, placing one final, bitter bid of twenty billion to irritate the Star Luo royals.
Despite the exorbitant price, Xu JiuJiu immediately raised the bid to twenty one billion, as if money was of no consequence to her.
Jing Hongchen finally gave up.
"Twenty one billion! The bid for the Soul Devouring Life Carving Knife now stands at twenty one billion! Are there any more offers?" The auctioneer's voice was hoarse with excitement. Though many were frustrated by this left hand to right hand charade, they couldn't help but envy the Star Luo Empire's acquisition of such an invaluable treasure.
Seeing no further bids, the auctioneer, realizing it was time to conclude, shouted, "Congratulations to the esteemed guest in Box One, who has won the highest priced item in Starlight Auction House's history "
In that instant, Ye Wen's calm expression shifted as his face tensed.
Suddenly, the ceiling of the Starlight Auction House shattered.
As the Star Luo Empire's premier auction house, its construction materials were of the highest quality, incorporating numerous advanced soul tools and possessing defenses capable of withstanding attacks from a Title Douluo. Yet, in a matter of seconds, the roof had been torn apart, and a dark figure descended.
From her position directly below, the auctioneer looked up at the collapsing ceiling with horror. Just a humble Soul Elder, she hadn't expected her life to end in such a disastrous way.
"Mother, Father, your daughter has been unfilial…"
As her life flashed before her eyes, a lazy voice echoed beside her.
"Oh dear, how terrifying. Who would dare to attack this place?"
The auctioneer, trembling, carefully opened her eyes. Her beautiful face, now streaked with tears, showed her vulnerability. But she immediately recognized Ye Wen's face.
"Your Eminence…"
Ye Wen offered her a comforting smile before using spatial transfer to move her to a safe area. He knew that this attacker wasn't one to be trifled with. And as he needed to maintain the image of an invincible Rank 99 Douluo, he wouldn't be able to guarantee her safety in the coming clash.
The ceiling fragments fell, breaking past Ye Wen's spatial barrier, which had been forcefully shattered.
Ye Wen, standing at an already impressive height of six feet, appeared diminutive in front of the colossal figure now facing him. He estimated that the intruder stood at least seven feet tall, like a small mountain.
In the original timeline, the Snow Emperor's embryo had been acquired by the Sun Moon Royal Academy, without incident. But in this altered reality, things were different.
Ye Wen had no doubt about the intruder's identity.
Though this individual looked vastly different, Ye Wen remembered the aura of his old acquaintance Di Ming. After all, he had once intercepted Di Ming and Xiao Wu's family, and their energies were seared into his memory.
However, it seemed that in this world, circumstances had changed.
Now that he had already taken the Life Carving Knife, Ye Wen didn't intend to leave it unattended. He swiftly stored it away, moving faster than Di Ming could react.
Seeing the knife disappear from sight, Di Ming clenched his jaw, though he managed to restrain himself. He now stood in front of Ye Wen, his deep voice rumbling like a storm cloud.
"Young man, that item is not meant for you. Hand it over."
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Chapter 509: The 99,999 Year Soul Bone, Part Nine
Ye Wen could recognize Er Ming's aura in an instant, but in this era, no one else would. The legendary Titan Giant Ape was thought to be long dead, and the person now known as Er Ming was standing here disguised as a human.
Ye Wen, though, couldn't help but feel exasperated. Er Ming hadn't even bothered to conceal his identity such straightforwardness was typical of Er Ming, whose simplicity bordered on naivety. But considering that the current Haotian Sect was a secluded order, most people probably wouldn't know what its vice master looked like. That might be why Er Ming felt emboldened to appear in person.
But Ye Wen knew that Er Ming, lacking a god position, couldn't surpass the power of a Rank 99 Douluo. Still, Er Ming's simplicity and lack of subtlety made him unpredictable, and Ye Wen didn't want to risk exposure. He decided to start with a verbal approach.
"I can tell you're powerful, but I should make it clear: I'm a Rank 99 Limit Douluo. If we fight here and I can't hold back, this is Star Luo's capital. I'll be fine, but I doubt you'll fare as well," Ye Wen said casually, watching Er Ming for any sign of hesitation.
Meanwhile, any spectators who lacked confidence in their abilities quickly began retreating from the area. Throughout the Star Luo imperial city, powerful soul energies were starting to surge.
However, Er Ming having shed his beast form paid Ye Wen's words no mind, his gaze cold and menacing.
Then, without warning, Er Ming attacked.
As one of the top five soul beasts in Douluo's 1.0 era, Er Ming excelled in strength, speed, and resilience. Without even summoning his soul rings, he lunged forward, transforming into a black blur as his powerful fist aimed directly at Ye Wen's face.
Ye Wen let out a sigh. He truly preferred to avoid unnecessary fights.
Er Ming knew well that Limit Douluos were powerful, but with Tang San's help, both he and Da Ming had ascended to a god like status. While lacking official god positions, their divine bodies and soul power alone allowed them to overpower most others.
Yet, something unexpected happened: Er Ming felt a stinging pain in his cheek as his body veered uncontrollably sideways, knocked off course. Though the impact left his right cheek slightly swollen, he hadn't used his full strength, so it only stung for a moment.
"What kind of technique is this?" Er Ming growled.
Although he wasn't particularly clever in combat, he had clearly felt his fist connect with something while simultaneously being struck himself.
Ye Wen only shook his head in mild disbelief. Er Ming, despite his beastly origins, was shockingly clueless no soul master in their right mind would ever disclose their skills, not in the middle of a confrontation.
Seeing Ye Wen remain silent, Er Ming's expression twisted into a smirk.
"Won't answer, will you? Fine. Since you managed to land a blow, it seems I'll need to take this seriously. Prepare to taste despair!"
In an instant, an overwhelming wave of soul power radiated outward. The ground trembled as the sheer force of his energy whipped up the wind around them, sending shivers down onlookers' spines.
For the first time, Ye Wen saw Er Ming's soul rings clearly: six black rings and three red rings.
In an era without artificial ways to enhance soul ring levels, seeing this configuration instantly signaled to knowledgeable soul masters that this person had a connection to the divine.
Er Ming's soul power reached the peak of Rank 99, edging close to Rank 100. The title given to those at this threshold: Quasi God.
Remaining calm, Ye Wen shielded himself with his soul power.
This pre battle show of power puzzled Ye Wen. Why roar and posture before attacking? Then, he realized: after all, Er Ming had once been a Titan Giant Ape. He was a beast first and foremost. In confrontations, beasts often relied on brute force and intimidation, drumming up a show of strength to daunt their adversaries before striking.
A surge of gravity pressed down upon Ye Wen. Instantly, he recognized it as Er Ming's signature technique: the Gravity Domain.
Beasts tended to focus on simple, overpowering attacks. Er Ming wasn't about to give Ye Wen a moment to react, aiming to end the fight as quickly as possible.
"Die!" roared Er Ming.
In his fully armed state, his body was covered in a dense rock armor, creating a True Body Shell. His already powerful arms seemed to expand, becoming twice their normal size.
Ye Wen was about to use his spatial ability to dodge the incoming physical attack when, suddenly, an unexpected assault came from above the auction house dome.
Caught off guard, Er Ming was forced to redirect his attention.
"Your Eminence, are you alright?" called a calm, middle aged voice nearby.
The speaker was a Title Douluo, and his appearance intrigued Ye Wen.
In the Douluo Continent of the past, martial souls were straightforward, but now all sorts of unique and bizarre martial souls had emerged. The Title Douluo who had just attacked Er Ming possessed a martial soul named the Calamity Star.
As Ye Wen knew from his research, this soul master, called the Calamity Douluo Huang Jinshu, had awakened his martial soul at birth under an unusually bright star, while his mother died due to blood loss shortly after his birth. At the age of eight, his entire family perished in a tragic accident, hence his nickname, the Calamity Star Douluo.
A rare and unique martial soul like his had never appeared in the version of Douluo that Ye Wen hailed from.
But now was hardly the time for such musings.
Though Er Ming was caught off guard, his durability was equal to his strength. In his True Body Shell state, he could take hits as well as he could deal them.
"You dare die!" Er Ming, furious at the interruption, turned his attention to swatting down the pesky Calamity Douluo.
"Leave him to me," Ye Wen said coolly, "and send word to the other incoming Title Douluos not to engage outside Star Luo City. This individual is also a Limit Douluo."
Without waiting for a response, Ye Wen vanished from his position, taking Er Ming who had been lunging toward Calamity Douluo to a different location.
The Calamity Douluo stared, momentarily stunned. A cold sweat broke out as he realized how close he'd come to death. Even though the encounter had only lasted an instant, he now deeply regretted rushing in so recklessly.
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Chapter 510: The 99,999 Year Soul Bone, Part Ten
Although Star Luo's imperial city spanned hundreds of square kilometers, the city's Title Douluo defenders could arrive on site in a matter of minutes. But as they reached the scene one after another, they found that the main figures involved in the disturbance were nowhere to be found.
However, they did spot the Calamity Douluo and quickly asked him, "Old Huang, where is he?"
The Calamity Douluo hastily explained, and soon the Star Luo Emperor and Xu JiuJiu also arrived back on the scene. When the group learned that the attacker was a Rank 99 Limit Douluo, they all paled.
After all, once a Title Douluo passed Rank 95, each additional level represented an exponential increase in power. "Overcoming someone from a higher level" was rarely heard of at this stage. In fact, if this Limit Douluo opponent went all out, the gathered dozens of Title Douluos likely wouldn't even last a few minutes.
At that moment, they felt the earth tremble beneath their feet.
The Star Luo Emperor's eyes widened in shock. "This can't be an ordinary earthquake! Is Ye Wen fighting his opponent?"
Since learning of the attack on the Starshine Auction House, the Star Luo Emperor had been certain that the attacker was no friend of the empire in fact, more likely a sworn enemy. And hearing from the Calamity Douluo that the enemy was indeed a Limit Douluo only intensified his concern.
Against such an unparalleled foe, the emperor's authority as Star Luo's ruler meant little he felt a rare sense of insecurity even with all the empire's resources at his command.
"Lord Tianxing, you absolutely must win!" the Star Luo Emperor silently prayed.
Meanwhile, miles away on a rooftop, Jing Hongchen gazed toward the direction of the Starshine Auction House and the powerful waves of battle energy that resonated from afar, his brows furrowed.
"Another Limit Douluo, but whose side is he on? Times are certainly becoming turbulent. Losing the Life Gold is one thing, but an unknown variable of this level?"
Jing Hongchen was only at Rank 94, but with several ninth level soul devices in his possession, he could unleash power rivaling Rank 98 Douluo Xuan Zi. Even so, his strength was utterly insignificant in the face of a clash between two Rank 99 beings. It was no wonder that in the original timeline, Jing Hongchen had readily conceded when Mu En appeared before him, even at the cost of a ninth level soul device.
Jing Hongchen found himself hoping that Ye Wen would fall. The Sun and Moon Empire had been waiting eagerly for an opportunity to go to war, and if Ye Wen, a Limit Douluo widely regarded as a neutral but likely ally of the Douluo Continent's three nations, were to perish, it would be a welcome development.
He even imagined that if Ye Wen died, perhaps this mysterious Limit Douluo could be recruited to the Sun and Moon Empire's side.
Back at the battle site, the earth continued to shake violently.
The more Er Ming fought, the more alarmed he became. He finally realized why his initial attacks hadn't had any effect the man before him was a master of the space attribute!
Meanwhile, Er Ming's relentless assault had forced Star Luo's imperial defenses to activate costly soul power shields, as the constant shocks threatened to topple buildings and disgrace the empire.
Sensing that his brute force approach was futile, Er Ming finally ceased his attacks.
Ye Wen touched his chin thoughtfully. Killing this impulsive brute wasn't an option, as it would inevitably draw Da Ming into the fray and potentially invoke the wrath of the God King Tang. But that raised an interesting question: soul power at Rank 100 should, theoretically, be no match for true god power. How could a single Rank 99 Limit Douluo someone below the divine level kill two Rank 100 "god officials"?
How could Tang God King have sent two god officials to the Douluo Continent while not facing repercussions for violating the divine law? It suggested that the Limit Douluo who took down the two god officials might himself hold some unprecedented level of power that even the gods had overlooked.
Ye Wen wasn't yet ready for a confrontation with the Douluo divine realm. He decided to try reasoning one more time.
"Respected sir, surely by now you realize that your efforts are useless against me. It would be best if you stood down; I can still ensure that Star Luo doesn't pursue you afterward," Ye Wen said calmly.
But Er Ming had no patience for diplomacy. Whether in the Star Dou Forest or as a leader within the Tianxing Academy, he was used to handling things with brute strength.
"Enough talking, pretty boy! If you've got guts, let's settle this in close combat! Stop dodging and show me what you're really made of!" he sneered.
Ye Wen's gaze dropped slightly as he let out a silent sigh, growing tired of dealing with such narrow minded arrogance.
"If that's the way it has to be," Ye Wen murmured, stepping calmly toward Er Ming. "I wanted to avoid direct confrontation. Douluo Continent has precious few Limit Douluos to begin with."
Infuriated by what he saw as Ye Wen's arrogance, Er Ming raised his massive fist and swung it without hesitation. But this time, something unexpected happened: despite Er Ming's immense strength, his fist froze in midair, hovering just an inch away from Ye Wen's face.
Ye Wen's soft voice broke the tense silence.
"Didn't you want a close combat fight? And yet here you are, unable to land a punch."
The words were spoken with quiet composure, but in Er Ming's ears, they echoed like thunderous mockery. With a roar, he unleashed a relentless barrage of punches. The force was so immense that it distorted the air, whipping it into a violent storm that swept through the distant forest and strained the Star Luo city shields.
But no matter how ferocious his attacks, they were powerless against Ye Wen's space based defenses.
Panting heavily, Er Ming finally paused. A faint smile tugged at Ye Wen's lips.
"Out of breath? Then it's my turn."
A sense of dread crept over Er Ming as he looked at Ye Wen, an ominous feeling he hadn't experienced since his encounters with Bibi Dong. In Ye Wen's calm eyes, he saw an intensity that he couldn't ignore.
Ye Wen lifted his right hand slightly, and a circular outline began to form in the empty air. As Er Ming stared, a transparent sphere gradually appeared, filling him with a nameless terror. Though he didn't understand its nature, every fiber of his being screamed that he couldn't let it touch him.
Summoning all his soul power, Er Ming turned and fled with unprecedented speed, racing away from the sphere.
Ye Wen's eyes grew cold. While killing Er Ming outright wasn't an option, a harsh lesson to keep him from acting so recklessly would certainly be beneficial.
"Hyper Mode… Hex!" Ye Wen whispered.
The transparent sphere began to contract, radiating a red glow that grew in intensity. When all the crimson energy finally condensed into a flawless red sphere, Ye Wen flicked his finger, sending it shooting toward Er Ming.
The sphere moved silently, as if ignoring the constraints of speed. Er Ming felt a surge of fear. He recognized that this red light represented soul power condensed to its utmost limit a terrifying and precise weapon aimed directly at him.
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