Finals Begin? Charm Emerges

Chapter 37: Finals Begin? Charm Emerges

As the morning light over Heaven Dou City pierced the thin mist, the area around Star Dou Arena was already packed with Soul Masters and commoners. All one hundred thousand seats were filled, and people even clung to rooftops and treetops. Golden streamers drifted down from the stands, complementing the light curtain of the Soul Gathering Array floating overhead and bathing the entire arena in daylight brilliance. The most eye-catching sight was the VIP section—Emperor Xue Beng of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family sat upright on the central throne in a bright yellow dragon robe. To his left sat Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Sword Douluo Chen Xin. To his right was Bibi Dong, His Majesty the Pope of Spirit Hall. Dark patterns glowed across her black papal robes beneath the sun, while the pressure she emitted seemed to freeze the air around her.

"Your Majesty, today's final is unlikely to be simple." Ning Fengzhi lightly waved his jade fan, his gaze sweeping over Ghost Douluo behind Bibi Dong. The latter remained hidden in the shadows, revealing only a pair of eyes gleaming with cold light. Emperor Xue Beng's fingers tightened around the throne's armrest until they turned slightly white. "With Senior Sword Douluo here, I would like to see whether Spirit Hall dares to pull any tricks in broad daylight."

Bibi Dong seemed to have heard them. A faint scoff curled at the corner of her mouth, and her voice, carried by Soul Power, spread through the VIP section. "The Heaven Dou Imperial Family certainly has the leisure to concern itself with a match. Why not think more about how to protect this hard-won empire of yours?" Her eyes fell upon Chen Xin. "Sword Douluo, it has been many years. Is your Seven Kill Sword still sharp?"

Chen Xin gripped his sword hilt, the Sword Qi of the Seven Kill Sword restrained but ready. "If His Majesty the Pope wishes to spar, this old servant will accompany you at any time after the match." Two overwhelming currents of Soul Power collided in midair, making the crystal chandeliers in the VIP section shake violently. The frightened attendants around them dropped to their knees.

The cheers beneath the arena suddenly surged—the Cauldron Sword Team and Spirit Hall's Golden Generation appeared at opposite ends of Star Dou Arena at the same time. The seven members of the Cauldron Sword Team wore matching silver-white battle uniforms, with the golden emblem of "Cauldron Sword United Heart" embroidered on their chests. Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up first, and a pale purple glow enveloped the entire team, as though each of them had been plated in glazed armor.

The Golden Generation across from them possessed an even more imposing presence. Hu Liena wore a fiery red battle uniform, nine fox tails swaying gently behind her as the fox mark at her brow center glowed pale pink. Xie Yue carried his silver twin blades on his back, moonlight patterns flowing across their edges, his gaze cold as ice. Blue flames burned in Yan's palms, and every breath he took carried sparks. The obsidian ground had been scorched with tiny black marks. The three stood in a triangular formation, with Hu Liena in the center and Xie Yue and Yan on both sides—the rudimentary form of the Netherworld Triangle Formation Tang San had analyzed before.

"The finals of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament begin now!" The referee's voice spread throughout the stadium through the Soul Gathering Array. He raised his right hand. "Contestants, prepare yourselves—countdown, three, two, one!"

"Charm Domain!"

The instant the referee's word "begin" fell, Hu Liena's bewitching voice rang out. The fox mark on her brow center suddenly shone brightly, and pale pink mist gushed from her body, spreading toward the Cauldron Sword Team like a tide. Within three breaths, it covered the entire Star Dou Arena. Faint, fragmented fox cries echoed within the mist, melting into the ears and making people unconsciously lower their guard. Even the circulation of Soul Power became sluggish.

"Not good!" Tang San's Purple Demon Eyes lit up at once. He could clearly see countless nearly invisible spiritual threads mixed into the pink mist, attempting to bore into his teammates' brow centers. "Everyone, hold your breath! Don't listen to the fox cries!"

But they were still one step too late. A disturbance suddenly broke out in the front rows of the audience. Several lower-level Soul Masters' eyes became vacant, and they rose to rush toward the railing, muttering, "Lady Hu Liena." Some even tried to climb over the barriers and charge into the arena, only to be forcibly restrained by security Soul Masters. Farther away, more than a dozen Soul Masters lost control simultaneously, shoving and fighting one another. The arena instantly descended into chaos.

"So this is the Charm Domain? It's terrifying!" Cries of alarm rose one after another from the stands. Some people hurriedly released Soul Power barriers, only to discover that the pink mist could penetrate ordinary defenses. They could only hold their breath and retreat. "It can even affect the spectators—how can the Cauldron Sword Team fight inside that mist?"

In the VIP section, Emperor Xue Beng's expression changed sharply. "Bibi Dong! You permit your disciple to release a large-scale Soul Skill in the arena and harm innocent people. Is that Spirit Hall's rule?"

Bibi Dong remained seated on her throne. Taking the teacup handed to her by a maid, she replied indifferently, "Matches have always carried risks. If Soul Masters lose control, they can only blame their own lack of cultivation. If Your Majesty is afraid, you may end the match early."

Ning Fengzhi was just about to retort when he saw Chen Xin gently shake his head. The old Sword Douluo stared intently at Star Dou Arena. "Don't rush. The Cauldron Sword Team has a way to deal with it."

On Star Dou Arena, Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda had already expanded to five feet tall. The glow of the third layer, Spiritual Amplification, flared brightly. Pale purple Soul Power pierced through the pink mist like sharp swords, precisely covering all seven members of the Cauldron Sword Team. "Full Spiritual Amplification! Offset the charm effect!" Fine sweat beaded on her forehead. Spiritual Amplification already consumed an enormous amount of energy, and countering Hu Liena's domain made her Soul Power flow three times faster. Even the glazed radiance on the pagoda dimmed somewhat.

Oscar had long since gripped Clear Heart Sausages in his hands. Seizing the instant Spiritual Amplification took effect, he tossed them to his teammates. "Eat them, quickly! They can stabilize your Spiritual Power for five minutes!" The sausages melted as soon as they entered their mouths, and a cool current of Soul Power slid down their throats into their Dantians. The dizziness caused by the charm instantly dispersed, and their eyes became clear again.

"Mubai, hold the front line! Hongjun, prepare your flames!" Lin Che's voice cut through the mist. The Universe Cauldron in his palm spun silently, and a pale golden Soul Power field enveloped him, blocking the pink mist attempting to approach within ten feet. The Azure Water Sword trembled lightly in his hand, while the glazed bead on its tassel glowed azure. He could clearly sense the anomaly in the mist—this was not ordinary spiritual interference. When the mist touched the blade, it actually left faint corrosive marks.

Dai Mubai immediately activated Martial Soul Possession. The White Tiger Body Protection bloomed with dazzling white light as he stepped forward to shield the team. His tiger claws slammed into the ground, and the White Tiger Meteor Shower blasted toward Xie Yue and Yan, attempting to disrupt their formation. Ma Hongjun also activated his Phoenix Soul Power, gathering orange-red flames in his palms. Yet the flames swayed unsteadily within the pink mist, nearly thirty percent weaker than usual—the mist could actually suppress fire-attribute Soul Power!

"Watch out!" Tang San suddenly shouted. His Blue Silver Grass had only just protruded from the mist when an invisible force entangled it. The grass blades instantly softened and lost their binding power. Even more terrifyingly, a pink glow suddenly spread across Dai Mubai's White Tiger Body Protection. His movements paused briefly, and the trajectory of his tiger claw shifted half an inch. The attack that should have struck Xie Yue instead grazed past the twin blades and missed.

"Mubai!" Lin Che warned urgently, only to see Ma Hongjun fall into the same state. His Phoenix Fire abruptly went out, his eyes turning vacant as he actually turned and walked toward the thickest part of the pink mist, muttering, "It feels so good..."

"Hongjun! Wake up!" Jiang Zhu's voice shook with Soul Power. She waved the Seven-Colored Sacred Staff, and its green patterns turned into threads that wrapped around Ma Hongjun's wrist while golden patterns flowed into his brow center. Ma Hongjun shuddered, clarity returning to his gaze, but cold sweat covered his body. "Just now... I felt like I couldn't control myself. I wanted to follow the mist."

Dai Mubai also shook his head, throwing off the dizziness in his mind. "There's something wrong with this mist. The Clear Heart Sausage and Spiritual Amplification can only block most of it. Something remains that's still affecting our minds." The pink glow on his White Tiger Body Protection had yet to completely fade, and its defensive strength had dropped by 15%.

Lin Che frowned tightly. He thrust the Azure Water Sword into the ground, gathered a strand of Soul Power at his fingertip, and extended it into the pink mist. The instant his Soul Power touched the mist, a faint stinging sensation traveled back. He hurriedly withdrew it, only to find a trace of pale pink poison staining his fingertip and slowly moving through his meridians. "It's spiritual poison!" He immediately forced the poison out of his body using the Universe Cauldron's Soul Power. "Hu Liena mixed a variant of Soul Devouring Spider Poison into her Charm Domain. It can disguise itself as spiritual interference, attach itself to Soul Power, and invade the meridians. Clear Heart Sausages can't stop it!"

"Soul Devouring Spider Poison?" Tang San's face changed sharply, recalling the Soul Devouring Spider silk they had encountered at Soul Severing Cliff. "No wonder the mist can corrode Soul Power. This isn't simple charm at all—it's a combination of poison and Spiritual Power!" He immediately operated the Mysterious Heaven Skill, forming a Soul Power barrier over his body. At the same time, he wove the Blue Silver Grass into an airtight net, attempting to filter out the poison in the mist. "Rongrong, increase Spiritual Amplification by another thirty percent! Oscar, do you have a sausage that can detoxify spiritual poison?"

"I'll try!" Oscar immediately took out medicinal herbs and began making one at high speed. He fused Soul Condensing Flower, Clear Heart Grass, and his own Soul Power as the sausage machine spun rapidly. In the end, it produced a Light Blue sausage. "This is a Detoxifying Clear Heart Sausage. It can cure first-tier spiritual poison, but I don't know whether it can handle this Soul Devouring Spider Poison variant!"

Lin Che took the sausage, broke it into seven portions, and handed them out. "Eat it first. Rongrong, focus your Spiritual Amplification on Mubai and Hongjun. They were affected the worst just now." He looked toward Hu Liena. Her figure was barely visible within the pink mist, watching the Cauldron Sword Team with a teasing gaze. Her fox tails swayed faster and faster, and the density of the mist was gradually increasing.

"Xie Yue, restrain them from the left!" Hu Liena's voice rang out again. Xie Yue's figure suddenly turned into a silver shadow, darting through the pink mist. His twin blades carved out two Crescent Shape blade auras that rushed straight at Tang San—he had recognized Tang San as the Cauldron Sword Team's control core and intended to eliminate the threat of Blue Silver Grass first.

"Cauldron Suppression!" Lin Che acted in time. The Universe Cauldron unfolded before Tang San, its pale golden Soul Power field blocking the blade auras. Thirty percent of the attack energy rebounded, grazing past Xie Yue's shoulder and striking the distant railing with a huge clang.

"Yan, Volcanic Eruption!" Hu Liena gave another command. The blue flames in Yan's palms surged as his fourth Soul Skill was launched. Three cracks split open in the ground, and magma mixed with sparks spurted out, spreading toward the Cauldron Sword Team's formation. The pink mist combined with the magma, producing vast amounts of poisonous steam that made even the air scorching hot.

"Blue Silver Grass, cage!" Tang San reacted immediately. Blue Silver Grass burst from the cracks around the magma, growing rapidly and weaving into a cage that temporarily trapped it. But after touching the poisonous steam, the edges of the grass blades began to yellow. They had clearly been affected by the poison as well.

"This way is not a solution!" Dai Mubai shouted while resisting Xie Yue's blade auras. "The mist is getting thicker, the poison will keep accumulating, and our Soul Power is being consumed too quickly!" Fine cracks had already appeared across his White Tiger Body Protection. The spiritual poison continued to erode his mind, and if Jiang Zhu's healing marks had not been constantly purifying it, he would likely have lost control long ago.

Lin Che took a deep breath. He knew they could not continue defending passively. He looked at Ning Rongrong. "Rongrong, give me dual speed and strength amplification. I'll interrupt Hu Liena's domain!"

"No!" Tang San hurriedly stopped him. "Hu Liena is protected by Xie Yue and Yan. If you charge in, you'll be surrounded. And where the pink mist is thickest, the poison is strongest!"

"I have a way." Lin Che took out a small bottle of Array Breaking Spirit Liquid from his Storage Soul Tool. Jiang Zhu had specially purified it the previous night, and it could temporarily suppress Soul Devouring Spider Poison. "I'll use the spirit liquid to protect my meridians, then use Cauldron Suppression to block the poison. As long as I get within a hundred feet of Hu Liena, I can use my sword intent to slash apart her domain core." He poured the spirit liquid into his palm and evenly applied it to the meridians at his brow center and wrists. "Tang San, use Blue Silver Grass to clear a path for me. Mubai and Hongjun, keep Xie Yue and Yan occupied. Buy me time!"

"Alright!" Tang San no longer hesitated. He infused the roots of the Blue Silver Grass with the energy of Sun Flame Grass. The blades immediately glowed pale red, temporarily burning away the pink mist. "Blue Silver Grass, guide the way!" Emerald grass blades opened a path through the pink mist, and the Sun Flame Grass energy temporarily dispersed the fog around the passage.

Dai Mubai immediately activated White Tiger True Body. His white fur expanded wildly as his tiger claws, carrying golden light, pounced toward Xie Yue. "I'm your opponent!" Ma Hongjun also gathered Phoenix Fire, this time compressing the flames into needle-like rays and firing them into Yan's magma, attempting to stop the spread of Volcanic Eruption.

"You think you can leave? It won't be that easy!" Hu Liena noticed Lin Che's intent. Her fox tails suddenly began swaying faster, and ten fox shadows condensed within the pink mist before pouncing at Lin Che. Black poisonous light glowed from their fox claws—this was her Second Soul Skill, Fox Shadow Kill, capable of both physical attacks and spreading poison.

"Wind Scar Slash!" With the amplification, Lin Che's speed reached its limit. The Azure Water Sword carved out three azure sword arcs, its blade carrying an armor-piercing effect as it easily sliced the fox shadows apart. He followed the path opened by the Blue Silver Grass and rapidly approached Hu Liena. The Universe Cauldron spun above his head, blocking all the pink mist attempting to approach.

Hu Liena's expression changed slightly. She had not expected Lin Che to break through the mist's obstruction. Hurriedly increasing the output of her domain, she caused piercing fox cries to ring through the pink mist, attempting to disrupt Lin Che's mind again. But this time, Lin Che had taken the Detoxifying Clear Heart Sausage in advance and applied Array Breaking Spirit Liquid. The fox cries only sounded faintly harsh to his ears and did not affect his mind.

"Fifty feet left!" Tang San's voice came from behind him. He was using Blue Silver Grass to entangle Yan's legs and limit his movement. "Watch out for Hu Liena's fourth Soul Skill!"

A trace of ruthlessness flashed through Hu Liena's eyes. She suddenly spurted out a mouthful of blood essence, and the pink mist instantly turned Deep Purple. The concentration of spiritual poison within it surged. "Fox Tail Heavenly Burial!" All nine fox tails expanded at once, coiling around Lin Che like giant pythons. The poisonous glow on the tails grew brighter and brighter, attempting to completely envelop him.

"Cauldron Suppression—Rebound!" Lin Che's voice shook with Soul Power. The Universe Cauldron suddenly enlarged, and its pale golden Soul Power field blocked all the fox tails. At the same time, it activated its rebound effect. Thirty percent of the poisonous energy was reflected back, striking Hu Liena's left shoulder. She let out a muffled groan, and the domain's output paused briefly. The concentration of the pink mist visibly fell.

"Now!" Lin Che seized that opening. The Azure Water Sword launched Wind Scar Slash once more, and azure Sword Qi rushed straight at the fox mark on Hu Liena's brow center—the core of the Charm Domain.

Cheers erupted from the audience. Everyone stood up, their eyes fixed on the confrontation at the center of Star Dou Arena. In the VIP section, Emperor Xue Beng clenched his fists, Ning Fengzhi's jade fan froze in midair, and Bibi Dong's teacup tilted slightly. Tea spilled onto her robe, yet she did not notice.

Just as the Sword Qi was about to strike the fox mark, Xie Yue suddenly broke free from Dai Mubai's entanglement. His twin blades turned into a silver rainbow and blocked Hu Liena. Clang! The Azure Water Sword collided with the twin blades, producing a piercing metallic ring as sparks flew everywhere. Lin Che was knocked three steps back, blood and qi surging in his chest. Xie Yue fared no better—the web between his thumb and forefinger split open, and a small notch appeared on one of his blades.

"If you want to hurt Liena, you'll have to get past me first!" Xie Yue's gaze was icy. He protected Hu Liena behind him as moonlight patterns lit up across his twin blades again, preparing to launch an even stronger Soul Skill. Yan had also broken free from Ma Hongjun's restraint, and magma spread toward Lin Che, attempting to force him back.

Lin Che took a deep breath and steadied himself. Looking at the pink mist that was gathering once more, he knew this surprise assault had failed to completely interrupt the domain. Still, it had at least proven that Hu Liena's Charm Domain was not impossible to break. He retreated to the Cauldron Sword Team's formation and planted the Azure Water Sword into the ground, temporarily stabilizing the situation. "Everyone, fall back first and adjust our tactics!"

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun also withdrew at the opportunity. The three assumed defensive positions and blocked Xie Yue and Yan's pursuit. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass wove itself into a barrier again, and the energy of Sun Flame Grass kept the mist from approaching. Ning Rongrong hurriedly replenished everyone's Spiritual Amplification, while Oscar handed out Recovery Sausages to ease their Soul Power consumption.

On Star Dou Arena, the pink mist had covered the field again, but its concentration was much lower than before. The chaos in the audience also gradually settled down. Hu Liena covered her injured left shoulder, her eyes complicated as she looked at Lin Che—she had never expected her proud Charm Domain to be forced into such a state by a level 37 Soul Elder.

In the VIP section, Bibi Dong set down her teacup, her gaze turning sinister. "Ghost Douluo, prepare to launch Black Mist Devour. This Cauldron Sword Team is more difficult to deal with than I expected. We can't wait any longer."

Ghost Douluo's figure shifted in the shadows. A strand of black Soul Power condensed at his fingertips and silently entered the ground, spreading toward the array eye of Star Dou Arena. "As you command, His Majesty the Pope. The black mist will erupt after three incense sticks. By then, even if they have Sun Flame Grass, they won't be able to stop it."

On Star Dou Arena, Lin Che was quietly discussing tactics with Tang San. He handed Tang San a sample of the pink mist he had just collected. "This poison requires the energy of Sun Flame Grass to be completely cleared. We need to find a way to ignite the Sun Flame Seeds we planted earlier and use Sun Flame True Fire to dispel the mist."

Tang San took the sample and examined it carefully with his Purple Demon Eyes. "I have a way. My Blue Silver Grass can conduct the energy of Sun Flame Grass. As long as I get close to the array eye, I can trigger the Core Flame. But someone needs to hold Hu Liena and the others back and buy me time."

Dai Mubai immediately said, "I'll hold Xie Yue back. His twin blades may be fast, but my White Tiger True Body can withstand them." Ma Hongjun nodded as well. "I'll deal with Yan. Even if I have to burn through my Soul Power, I'll use Sun Flame True Fire to suppress his magma."

Lin Che looked at Ning Rongrong and Jiang Zhu. "Rongrong, focus your Speed Amplification on Tang San and make sure he can reach the array eye quickly. Jiang Zhu, use Poison and Heal Dual Ability to cover the entire team and continuously purify the spiritual poison. If the black mist erupts, we'll also need your spirit liquid to suppress it."

"Don't worry!" the two replied in unison. Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up again, and Jiang Zhu's Seven-Colored Sacred Staff glowed with soft light.

The situation in the finals grew tense once more. Within the pink mist, Xie Yue and Yan were preparing to launch another wave of attacks. The Cauldron Sword Team had adjusted their formation and was ready to trigger the Sun Flame Seeds. In the VIP section, Bibi Dong's scheme was about to succeed. In the audience, everyone held their breath, waiting for the next turn in this peak confrontation.

Lin Che tightened his grip on the Azure Water Sword as the Universe Cauldron spun in his palm. He knew the real trial had only just begun.