All the energy surged toward the newly formed dragon wings, getting absorbed into them.
Gu You's consciousness extended into the wings, and he could sense the intricate blood vessels and the changes brought on by the bloodline power flowing through them.
The Blood God Battalion's dormitories had exceptional shielding against internal energy outbursts. This was precisely because the nine Blood Gods often cultivated inside, and any energy leakage might affect the outside world.
Now that Gu You had moved into the former Blood Nine's quarters, even with all the intense transformations inside the room, nothing leaked out externally.
When he opened his eyes, it felt like the entire dormitory had become clearer, crisper to his senses.
"I wonder if I'll even need wings for my battle armor in the future," Gu You murmured softly to himself.
What came next was to await the next round of the Star Battle Net's official matches…
A few days later, when he logged into the Star Battle Net again, Gu You noticed some distinct changes.
Right after logging in, a golden portal shimmered before him. As he stepped into it, he was transported to a completely different space.
"Welcome to Star Dou City," came an electronic voice.
Star Dou City? Gu You chuckled.
"Please report to the Grand Battle Arena of Star Dou City for check-in. The first round of the selection finals will be an elimination match. Please prepare for battle. Your opponent will be randomly assigned," the voice announced again, giving further instructions.
A light-projected arrow appeared in front of him, pointing the way to the check-in desk at the Grand Battle Arena.
The check-in process was simple. As soon as Gu You reached the designated area, the system confirmed his registration. However, he noticed something odd—there were no other contestants visible.
The vast arena, resembling those from the Western Division, albeit larger in scale, was completely empty. He stood alone within it.
When he stepped into a specific golden area, the words "Purple-Gold King" above his head slowly vanished, replaced by a new identifier—just the number 33.
"Registration complete. Opponent selection completed. Please prepare for battle. Your match will begin in ten minutes."
The ten minutes flew by, and a golden light swept across him, teleporting Gu You into the match arena.
The surroundings were silent. A faint white glow permeated the entire arena, which was nearly a full kilometer in diameter. It was massive.
Roughly 300 meters away, his opponent materialized. The man's face was obscured, but he was clearly male. A number floated above his head as well—118.
Gu You narrowed his eyes, waiting for the system's prompt.
Outside the calm of the arena, the entire Federation was ablaze with excitement.
For this Federation-wide final selection phase of the Star Battle Net Challenge, the government had spared no expense—broadcasting the event live across the entire Federation via soul-guided video technology.
This marked the first time such a broad broadcast had been attempted. Normally, soul broadcasts were regional. This nationwide transmission was possible thanks to the success of the Federation's first signal satellite launched a year ago, and the government's desire to promote the groundbreaking Star Battle Net project.
The cost of developing Star Battle Net had been astronomical. Without continued funding, the Federation was stretched thin. Greater public interest meant greater political support from the Federal Assembly. Thus, the tournament was born.
And the results exceeded expectations.
Even though soul tech had deeply permeated life on the Douluo Continent, its people still idolized personal strength and heroism.
Twenty thousand years ago, it was Tang San, ancestor of the Tang Sect, who single-handedly ascended to godhood and defeated the power-hungry Spirit Hall, restoring the freedom of the soul master world.
Ten thousand years ago, it was the founder of the Spirit Pagoda, the Ice Spirit Douluo Huo Yuhao, who thwarted the Holy Spirit Cult's attempt to overthrow the world and defeated the Beast God Di Tian, saving the Star Luo Empire from the oppressive Sun-Moon Empire.
Now, even though there were more Limit Douluo than ever before, the people had little idea of the peak capabilities of the soul master world, especially the younger generation of elites.
This Federation-wide challenge provided a perfect window for the public. With live streaming across every corner of the continent, anyone could watch from home—for free. How could it not captivate the nation?
Good publicity paved the way for smoother development. Popular support ensured long-term success.
Screens everywhere lit up with scenes from the matches. A total of 128 matches were scheduled for the first round. Due to the live broadcast, they weren't all simultaneous but spread across ten timeslots, each featuring over ten matches with dedicated commentators and switching systems.
Gu You's match against No. 118 was the very first of the entire event. It was randomly selected but became the initial broadcast. Thus, the names that flashed on screens everywhere were: 33 vs. 118.
"Five, four, three, two, one—begin!"
With the countdown over, the audience watched as a brilliant light bloomed, and the two combatants sprang into motion.
Gu You's movement could only be described as cataclysmic. With a single stomp from his left foot, he launched forward. That step alone let out a deafening boom, and the ground beneath his foot cracked and sank in a ten-meter radius. A sonic boom roared from his body, and in the blink of an eye, the 300-meter gap between him and his opponent vanished.
Such terrifying momentum!
Spectators across the continent were stunned.
"My god! What level of speed and explosive power is that? Is it even humanly possible? He's not even wearing a battle armor!"
"If that landed on someone's body, they'd be black and blue from head to toe!"
...
Using the rebound force from the earth, Gu You hurled a punch so fierce it caused visible ripples in space.
Yet, no one who made it to this stage was weak. Each had fought their way through fierce divisions.
Despite his shock, Gu You's opponent reacted swiftly on instinct. Seven soul rings rose from under his feet, and a light flared from his chest. While there wasn't enough time to fully summon his battle armor...
(End of Chapter)
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