"It is time to condense the Divine Throne of the Martial Ancestor!"
Zhou Yi stood tall, his eyes shining like the stars, vast and profound, as if piercing through the universe and illuminating every corner of the mundane world.
A soft cry sounded.
The Little Dragon Maiden (Xiao Longnu) opened her misty eyes, feeling an inexplicable void. She watched as Zhou Yi took a single step and appeared above Martial God City.
The boundless power of faith in the heavens coalesced like a celestial river descending from the skies, highlighting Zhou Yi's sacred and awe-inspiring presence.
"Heaven above, I, Zhou Yi, have pioneered martial cultivation, spread its teachings across the lands, and blessed the multitudes. Today, I fulfill my mission, ignite the incense of faith, and condense my Divine Throne."
Zhou Yi's majestic voice reverberated through the Divine Realm, the Douluo Continent, the Five Elements Continent, and countless planets across the Douluo Domain.
In that instant, Zhou Yi sensed an immense will from the void. An influx of enlightenment flooded his mind, unveiling profound truths.
The Heavenly Dao is the collective will of all living beings.
It is the law.
It governs the birth, death, and cyclical order of all existence.
To master martial arts is, in essence, to perceive and borrow a fragment of the Heavenly Dao's power, exponentially enhancing one's strength. To truly comprehend and command its essence is to wield the Heavenly Dao itself.
But such mastery was still far beyond Zhou Yi's current reach.
Focusing his thoughts, Zhou Yi's gaze turned resolute, and he roared:
"Martial Ancestor's Divine Throne, condense!"
The clouds churned, radiance flooded the skies, and the immense power of faith erupted in a dazzling display, forming a purple-gold crown.
The brilliance was blinding, forcing all who witnessed it to bow. In the Divine Realm, every deity knelt in shock and awe, staring at the phenomenon above Martial God City.
While it wasn't unheard of for gods to condense their titles or thrones, none had ever caused such a spectacle—even the renowned Sea God paled in comparison.
As the purple-gold crown descended and rested upon Zhou Yi's head, a flood of enlightenment surged within him. It was as if the core truths of the universe and the essence of life unveiled themselves.
Zhou Yi's understanding of the Dao deepened immeasurably, and every martial skill he had mastered underwent a transformation, evolving into divine martial techniques.
Elsewhere, throughout the Douluo Continent, the Five Elements Continent, and beyond, any place influenced by Zhou Yi's martial path echoed with a resounding chant:
"Martial Ancestor!"
"Martial Ancestor!"
"Martial Ancestor!"
From the depths of their souls, countless cultivators of martial arts shouted his name in reverence. The overwhelming power of faith surged toward the Divine Realm.
On the Douluo Continent, Tang San was stunned, jealousy consuming his heart as he witnessed the fervor around him.
His once-proud Tang Sect had become a shadow compared to the Martial Sect.
Zhou Yi's declaration reverberated through the heavens:
"I, Zhou Yi, under the name of the Martial Ancestor, decree: Soul Beasts can ascend to divinity. The limits imposed on martial artists, soul masters, and soul rings are hereby lifted. Soul Beasts shall no longer give rise to soul rings or Soul Bones."
The decree resounded through the world, stirring countless beings. Soul Beasts roared in gratitude, while martial artists and cultivators rejoiced.
Tang San, however, was seething with anger. The removal of soul ring restrictions shattered the foundation of the Soul Master system, leaving future generations reliant on self-created techniques or martial cultivation under the Martial Sect.
Despite his fury, Tang San plotted his comeback:
"This might be my chance. My sect's essence lies in hidden weapons and poisons. I'll challenge the Martial Sect's leader and prove the might of the Tang Sect's ultimate techniques—Buddha Fury Tang Lotus and Buddha's Tears!"
Meanwhile, in Martial God City, Zhou Yi basked in his newfound power. His cultivation surged to the pinnacle of the Creator God Realm, far surpassing the limits of ordinary gods.
With his authority as the Martial Ancestor, he altered the rules of the Douluo Continent with ease, his words shaping reality itself.
"Congratulations, husband!"
"Congratulations, father!"
"Congratulations, grandfather!"
Amidst the cheers of his family, Zhou Yi retreated with Yao Yue into her palace, where he indulged in their mutual cultivation, savoring the warmth beneath her icy exterior.
As Zhou Yi reveled in his power, news spread like wildfire: Tang San had challenged the Martial Sect's leader, Zhou Haoyue, to a duel.
"Is Tang San joking? He's been crushed so many times by Zhou Haoyue!"
"The Tang Sect is a joke. Hidden weapons and poisons? Pathetic compared to the Martial Sect's divine techniques."
"Let's see how badly Tang San gets humiliated this time!"
Countless onlookers were engaged in heated discussions, many mocking Tang San with disdain.
Still, driven by a desire for entertainment, the crowd eagerly gathered at the designated battleground—Azure Lake.
That's right.
The same Azure Lake outside Spirit City where Zhou Yi and Qian Renxue had once dueled.
"This group of sycophants… Just wait until our Sect Master defeats Zhou Haoyue. Let's see if they're still so arrogant!" Ma Hongjun fumed indignantly.
Although Zhou Yi had ascended with his entire family, not everyone had left.
Moreover, Zhou Yi had established a two-way portal between the Zhou Clan's estate in Douluo Continent and their estate in the Divine Realm, making travel exceedingly convenient.
Many young disciples of the clan also enjoyed adventuring and training in Douluo Continent.
Currently, the master of Martial Sect was none other than Zhou Haoyue.
Zhou Haoyue had already reached Rank 99. However, he had chosen not to use the Boundary Breaking Pill Zhou Yi had left him, opting instead to temper himself and achieve Rank 100 through his own efforts.
"Tang San, since you're looking for a beating, I'll happily oblige!" Zhou Haoyue muttered coldly to himself as he read the challenge letter.
He held no favorable opinion of Tang San.
If not for his consideration of Tang Yuehua, Zhou Haoyue would have slapped Tang San to death long ago. However, killing was off the table.
Beating him half to death, though? That was no problem.
The day of the duel arrived quickly.
Zhou Haoyue arrived at Azure Lake.
The crowd was massive, filling the area to capacity, rivaling the excitement of Zhou Yi's battle with Qian Renxue.
After all, such events were rare spectacles.
"The Sect Master has arrived!"
"Young Master Haoyue truly exudes elegance and grace, possessing an extraordinary aura reminiscent of the Martial Ancestor!"
"I heard that when Young Master Haoyue was six years old, he made Tang San cry like a baby at Notting City's Soul Martial Academy!"
"Serves Tang San right for being so arrogant. Where did he even find those trash martial techniques? And now he shamelessly claims he can surpass the Martial Ancestor? How laughable!"
"Martial Sect's repertoire is rich and varied, yet what does Tang Sect have? One internal cultivation technique—Mysterious Heaven Skill; one movement technique—Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track; and two auxiliary techniques for hidden weapons—Mysterious Jade Hands and Purple Demon Eye. After all these years, they haven't developed anything new. And he dares claim he created his own techniques?"
"Exactly! If those were really Tang San's creations, after so many years, shouldn't he have created a few more by now? But look at the results!"
"A complete fraud!"
"Damn it!"
Hearing the crowd's discussions, Tang San's face turned livid with rage. If not for the sheer number of people present, he would have already launched his hidden weapons to silence them.
"Mock me all you want. Just wait! Once I display the prowess of my Tang Sect's hidden weapons, you'll all eat your words!"
Tang San rose into the air above Azure Lake, standing opposite Zhou Haoyue.
As he gazed at Zhou Haoyue, memories of past humiliations surfaced, fueling his anger. With a cold voice, he announced:
"Tang Sect's Tang San!"
"Martial Sect's Zhou Haoyue!"
As Zhou Haoyue finished speaking, Tang San struck first, launching a surprise attack.
Determined to prove his strength beyond simply relying on Soul Beast abilities, he decided to showcase the essence of the Tang Sect.
His opening move was a hidden weapon.
"Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles!"
This intricate mechanism fired 27 pear blossom needles made from the rarest Deep Sea Silver Mother, boasting immense power.
"Trivial tricks!"
Zhou Haoyue stood calmly, casually raising his hand. With two fingers, he caught all 27 needles mid-flight.
"Here, take them back!"
With a flick of his wrist, the needles shot back like a storm.
Prepared for such a move, Tang San dodged deftly using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and launched his next attack.
"King of Hell's Invitation!"
The phrase "King of Hell claims your soul at three; no one saves you by five" epitomized its deadly nature.
"Primal Qi Barrier!"
A protective barrier of qi instantly formed, deflecting the King of Hell's Invitation.
Tang San frowned. With a flip of his hand, he produced a golden lotus-shaped hidden weapon:
"Buddha Fury Tang Lotus!"
The weapon gleamed like gold, with a ruby-like core that radiated dazzling light. Upon activation, it erupted like a blooming lotus, releasing a whirlwind of golden-red metal petals.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Against Zhou Haoyue's impenetrable Primal Qi Barrier, the petals were utterly ineffective.
"Incredible!"
"This is the legendary Primal Qi Barrier? Its defense is flawless!"
"With just a casual move, Young Master Haoyue has left Tang San helpless!"
"Tang San's hidden weapons might be sinister and deadly, but against Young Master Haoyue, they're nothing but garbage!"
Amid the awestruck crowd, Tang San clenched his teeth.
"This damn turtle shell is impenetrable!"
His most powerful hidden weapon, the Buddha Fury Tang Lotus, had failed. Desperation flickered in his eyes.
He decided to gamble everything on one final move.
"Buddha's Tear!"
This pinnacle hidden weapon required mastery of Mysterious Heaven Skill at the Three Blossoms Crown stage and peak-level proficiency in Mysterious Jade Hands, Crane Capturing Dragon Controlling, and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
The technique condensed his entire power into a single, inconspicuous droplet of crystalline, milky-white fluid, resembling a tear.
Even gods would weep at its might.
"Grand Universe Shift!"
Zhou Haoyue's eyes flashed as he countered Tang San's ultimate move with a flick of his fingers, sending the Buddha's Tear hurtling back.
Splat!
Tang San froze, looking down in disbelief at the bloodied hole in his chest.
His heart had been utterly destroyed.
"How… how is this possible…?"
Tang San's voice faltered as he plummeted from the sky.
The crowd gasped, dumbfounded by the abrupt outcome.
Tang San was no god like Qian Renxue, and despite his current strength at Rank 99—much stronger than when he faced her in the original story—he still fell short.
With defenses inferior to Qian Renxue's and enduring a far more devastating attack—the Buddha's Tear—his heart was utterly destroyed, leaving no chance for survival.
"How... can this be..."
Tang San muttered incoherently as he collapsed, his voice trailing off.
This was supposed to be a sure-kill strike.
He had absolute confidence.
Even against a god-level Qian Renxue, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance she wouldn't have been able to evade his attack.
Yet Zhou Haoyue not only dodged it—he had returned it.
This completely overturned Tang San's understanding of reality!
"What just happened?"
"I didn't even see it clearly, and Tang San's already lost?"
"Though the defeat came suddenly, the result is no surprise!"
"Did Tang San seriously think he could challenge Young Master Haoyue? He was asking for humiliation!"
As Tang San plummeted from the sky, the crowd was momentarily stunned.
Tang San had unleashed the Buddha's Tear too quickly for most to follow.
But the outcome was crystal clear.
And to them, it wasn't surprising.
"Xiao San!"
Tang Hao cried out, rushing forward to catch Tang San. Upon examining him, Tang Hao found his heart utterly pulverized—beyond saving.
"Zhou Haoyue!"
Tang Hao, cradling Tang San, glared at Zhou Haoyue with bloodshot eyes. "Tang San is your cousin. How could you strike so viciously?"
"Vicious? Me?"
Zhou Haoyue sneered in disdain. "From start to finish, I've only been defending myself. Just now, all I used was Grand Universe Shift."
"I merely returned his own attack to him."
"If Tang San hadn't tried to kill me, he wouldn't have died!"
"This is his own doing!"
"He who sows evil reaps his own destruction."
"The path of treachery always ends in self-destruction!"
With those words, Zhou Haoyue flicked his sleeve and walked away.
Although Tang Hao was the brother of his grandmother, Tang Yuehua, Zhou Haoyue despised Tang San and, by association, disliked Tang Hao as well. He didn't feel the need to show him any respect.
Tang Hao froze in place, his face a mask of despair.
Zhou Haoyue had used Grand Universe Shift to reflect Tang San's attack, causing him to die by his own hidden weapon. What could Tang Hao possibly say to refute this?
Moreover, he was no match for Zhou Haoyue.
In terms of background, he was crushed instantly.
"Ah Zhu, I've failed you."
"Xiao San... is gone..."
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