Chapter 128: Advance to the Finals
As the purple soul ring shimmered into existence, a low, muffled dragon's roar faintly echoed from the tip of the Dragon Roaring Spear. When Wei Xu swept the spear horizontally, the phantom image of a dragon flickered into view, appearing and vanishing in rapid succession.
The power contained within this strike was terrifying—so overwhelming that even a Soul King-level expert would never dare to take it head-on.
But that clearly did not include the Hell White Tiger standing opposite him.
Seeing the enemy still daring to confront their Martial Soul Fusion Skill directly, Dai Moheng's heart surged with fury.
"You're courting death!"
"Hell Claw Strike!"
The Hell White Tiger's massive right paw rose sharply, dark light gathering around it before it slashed viciously toward the charging Wei Xu.
The majestic dragon phantom was instantly torn apart by the razor-sharp claws. Wei Xu let out a muffled groan as his body was blasted backward, skidding dozens of steps across the arena.
"Senior, are you alright?" someone shouted anxiously.
"I… I'm fine."
Wei Xu swallowed the blood rising in his throat, but a trace of bitterness flashed through his eyes. He was still far too weak.
The Hell White Tiger before him was an existence he simply could not contend against.
After overwhelming its opponent, the Hell White Tiger threw back its head and let out a deafening roar, as if venting the frustration of having been underestimated.
Then, pushing off with all four limbs, it charged straight toward the Spirit Hall Team's formation, clearly intending to crush them in one decisive assault.
Seeing this, Shi Nuo—now clad in the Taurus Gold Cloth—stepped forward without hesitation, blocking the Hell White Tiger's path.
To avoid suspicion, Shi Nuo had refrained from wearing his beloved Gold Cloth in previous battles. But now, there was no longer any need to hold back.
"First Soul Skill: Petrified Skin!"
"Second Soul Skill: Vajra Strength Transformation!"
"Third Soul Skill: Berserk Strength!"
"Fourth Soul Skill: Holy War!"
Shi Nuo's fourth soul ring came from a ten-thousand-year-old Holy War Ape. This soul skill could drastically enhance his strength and defense for a short time—at the cost of severe exhaustion afterward.
With four amplification-type soul skills activated simultaneously, the aura erupting from Shi Nuo became overwhelmingly oppressive.
Combined with the amplification of the Taurus Gold Cloth and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, he now possessed the qualifications to stand toe-to-toe with the Hell White Tiger.
"Full Concentration—Ox Horn Punch!"
After completing his enhancements, Shi Nuo drew back his right fist. Following a brief but intense charge-up, he launched himself forward, smashing his punch straight toward the charging Hell White Tiger.
Ox Horn Punch was a highly concentrated soul skill Shi Nuo had developed based on his Great Horn, perfectly complementing his Sixth Sense-type special ability.
Seeing its opponent dare to meet it head-on with sheer physical strength, the Hell White Tiger felt its dignity challenged.
With a furious roar, it raised its claw once more and unleashed another Hell Claw Strike toward Shi Nuo.
Bang!
Fist and claw collided violently, unleashing a terrifying shockwave that surged outward. The arena floor beneath them cracked inch by inch, unable to withstand the enormous force.
Amid gasps and startled cries from the audience—many instinctively covering their heads—the massive Hell White Tiger's eyes widened in disbelief as its enormous body was sent flying backward. It crashed heavily onto the arena floor, sliding for dozens of meters and nearly tumbling off the stage.
Shi Nuo didn't fare much better. The recoil from the collision flung him backward as well.
Struggling to his feet, Shi Nuo's entire right arm trembled uncontrollably, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
The Hell White Tiger rose once more, shaking its massive head. The arrogance in its eyes had vanished entirely, replaced by deep caution and wariness.
"Yuwei, this won't work," Dai Moheng said grimly. "The Hell White Tiger can't last much longer."
"Then let's take out their auxiliary Soul Masters first," Zhu Yuwei replied coldly. "They're boosting the team too much."
"Agreed."
Reaching a quick consensus, the two jointly controlled the Hell White Tiger, redirecting it toward Lin Beiya and Mo Xue's position.
High above, the host's voice was already hoarse from excitement—this was by far the most thrilling match he had ever commentated on throughout the entire tournament.
"We can see that both contestant Shi Nuo and the giant Hell White Tiger have stood back up once again!"
"The Hell White Tiger is charging toward the Spirit Hall Team, and its target is the two auxiliary Soul Masters at the center of their formation!"
"We can already imagine how the Spirit Hall Team members will rush to protect their captain—uh…"
The host's voice abruptly cut off.
Because, to his astonishment, none of the Spirit Hall members moved.
Instead, they simply stared at the charging Hell White Tiger with oddly playful expressions.
Shi Nuo, who had been preparing to intercept once more, also halted mid-step, an equally strange look flashing through his eyes.
In truth, every Spirit Hall member was thinking the same thing: they had originally planned to keep playing with their opponents one by one. But since the other side was actively seeking death, they could hardly be blamed for ending it now.
After all, the Hell White Tiger's sharp claws were aimed directly at Lin Beiya.
To ensure the success of this surprise attack, Dai Moheng even unleashed a White Tiger Roar, attempting to suppress the enemy momentarily.
Yet the opponent showed no intention of retreating—or even defending. Instead, he calmly took a few steps back, completely unfazed by the incoming sound waves.
Dai Moheng's heart leapt with joy.
So the team captain's authority wasn't that strong after all?
White Tiger Roar was a mental-type attack, but such a level of pressure meant absolutely nothing before Lin Beiya's vast spiritual power.
However, Mo Xue, beside him, did not possess the same resistance.
Without hesitation, Lin Beiya raised his hand and summoned a Crystal Wall, forming a box-like enclosure around Mo Xue.
The sound-wave attack was entirely blocked.
As he gazed at the Hell White Tiger lunging toward him with triumph shining in its eyes, a faint smile appeared on Lin Beiya's lips.
He had already witnessed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Its power was respectable—but that was all.
Pushing both palms forward, Lin Beiya unleashed his soul skill. Under the Hell White Tiger's stunned gaze, dazzling golden light instantly swallowed its massive form.
"Stardust Revolution!"
In an instant, the entire arena was flooded with blinding starlight. From within the radiance, agonized tiger roars echoed endlessly.
Moments later, a thunderous crash resounded.
The brilliant starlight persisted for dozens of seconds before slowly fading away. When the golden glow finally dissipated, every spectator gasped in shock.
The once-flat arena had vanished, replaced by a massive crater dozens of meters wide.
The referee—having reacted purely on instinct—had already flipped off the stage long before and now stared down at the devastated arena with lingering fear.
"Captain… I really thought you were going to crush me, too!" Ye Lüsu exclaimed, staring at the still-shimmering Crystal Wall before him as he let out a long breath. "Those falling meteorites scared the hell out of me!"
"Same here," another teammate chimed in nervously.
Lin Beiya simply smiled, offering no response.
His gaze fell toward the center of the crater, where an unconscious man and woman lay slumped together.
He had deliberately restrained his strength. The tournament rules strictly forbade killing opponents, and he had no intention of having the Spirit Hall Team disqualified.
With Dai Moheng and Zhu Yuwei severely injured, they could no longer supply soul power to maintain the Hell White Tiger. The Martial Soul Fusion Skill collapsed instantly.
The referee cautiously climbed back onto the arena, leapt into the crater, and, after confirming that the two were neither crippled nor dead, immediately announced the result.
"Spirit Hall Team versus Star Luo Royal Academy—victory goes to the Spirit Hall Team!"
"OH—!"
Thunderous cheers erupted from the stands.
The audience didn't particularly care about who won or lost. What mattered was that both teams had delivered an unforgettable battle—far more thrilling than the countless matches where opponents simply surrendered over the past few days.
At the very least, everyone felt their ticket money had been well spent.
In the stands, members of Royal Fighting Academy and the already-qualified Sky Water Team remained silent, lips tightly pressed together as they lowered their heads.
After a long moment, someone finally muttered:
"It seems… we won't be lasting much longer either."
End of Chapter