Xie Yue Defeated? The Final Restraint

The broken blades on the Star Dou Arena were still reflecting golden firelight when Xie Yue's kneeling figure suddenly erupted with dazzling silver light. He clenched the remaining half-blade tightly in both hands, his knuckles whitening from the force, while unwillingness and madness surged in his eyes—his twin blades had shattered, Yan was unconscious, Hu Liena had collapsed, and the glory of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation could not be completely destroyed in his hands.

"Aaaah—!" A Piercing Roar erupted from Xie Yue's throat. He abruptly poured his remaining Soul Power and his own blood essence into the blade at once. Silver light instantly swallowed his figure, forming a cocoon of light thirty feet across. Dense blade patterns appeared across the cocoon's surface, each rotating at high speed and slicing through the surrounding air with a piercing shriek like a swarm of bees beating their wings.

"It's the Full Moon True Body! Xie Yue's trump-card soul skill!" Terrified cries erupted from the stands. An old Soul Master familiar with Spirit Hall turned pale and pointed at the cocoon with a trembling hand. "This is a forbidden form that completely fuses one's Soul Power with one's martial soul. Once launched, his strength will surge threefold, but his meridians will be severely damaged afterward! He wants to perish together with them!"

The cocoon suddenly contracted, then violently exploded! Xie Yue's figure reformed within the silver light, surrounded by nine translucent silver blade-shaped phantoms. Each phantom glowed with a chilling cold light, their tips pointed directly at the seven members of the Cauldron Sword Team. More terrifying still, the air above the Star Dou Arena began to distort. Countless tiny silver blade qi fell like raindrops, covering the entire arena—this was the Full Moon True Body's area attack, Shattered Moon Blade Rain. So long as one was grazed by the blade qi, even a Soul Ancestor's defenses would be torn apart.

"Rongrong, full Defense Amplification!" Lin Che's voice shook with Soul Power as he held the Azure Water Sword horizontally In Front Of him. The Universe Cauldron instantly expanded to twenty feet tall, its pale golden Soul Power field covering his teammates as much as possible. "Tang San, Dai Mubai, prepare to join forces! The core of his true body has to be in the center of those blade phantoms. We need to break the phantoms first!"

Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda had already risen to six feet tall. The halos of its third layer, Defense Amplification, and fourth layer, Armor Break Amplification, erupted simultaneously, pale purple Soul Power covering the entire team like armor. Yet even so, the first blade qi to fall still left shallow marks across Dai Mubai's White Tiger Body Protection. The silver blade qi could actually penetrate thirty percent of its defense, and Dai Mubai's expression immediately turned grave. "This blade qi is too sharp! We won't last long if we keep taking it head-on!"

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had long since woven an impenetrable net across the ground. Empowered by the All-Attribute Sausage, the dark green grass blades were as tough as refined iron. Yet when the blade rain fell upon the net, it still produced sizzling cutting sounds, and the edges of the grass blades quickly turned charred black. He stared at the blade-shaped phantoms around Xie Yue, Purple Demon Eyes condensing into points within his pupils. "Each time the phantoms rotate, they release a wave of blade rain! The core is within the phantom in the very center, but it's protected by the other eight. We have to draw away the phantoms' defenses first!"

"I'll draw them away!" Dai Mubai suddenly stepped forward, pale golden masculine Soul Power gathering around his White Tiger Claw. Rather than taking the attack head-on, he charged directly toward the three phantoms on Xie Yue's left. The White Tiger Light Splitting Wave shot out like golden lightning, striking precisely at the points where the phantoms connected. "Xie Yue! I'm your opponent! If you've got the guts, don't hide behind those phantoms!"

Xie Yue's gaze was icy cold as a blade. He controlled the three phantoms on his left to turn, and silver blade qi swept toward Dai Mubai like a tidal wave. Yet in that instant, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass suddenly burst from underground. The dark green grass blades entangled the two phantoms on Xie Yue's right like venomous snakes, the refined-iron patterns on their surface locking the phantoms' rotations tightly and causing the frequency of the blade rain to drop by thirty percent. "Lin Che! Now!"

Lin Che had long been waiting for this moment. Taking advantage of Xie Yue's distraction in dealing with Dai Mubai and Tang San, he shrank the Cauldron Suppression Soul Power field to three feet, protecting only his own vital points while pouring all his remaining Soul Power into the Azure Water Sword. Azure Sword Qi gathered along the blade. Amid the faint glow of the Sword-Tassel Glazed Bead, a trace of pale purple armor-breaking patterns appeared—this was the Armor Break Amplification Ning Rongrong had infused beforehand, specifically meant to counter the phantoms' defenses.

"Sword Momentum Force Dissipation!" Empowered by Speed Amplification, Lin Che turned into an afterimage. He did not directly attack the phantoms. Instead, he circled around behind Xie Yue, the Azure Water Sword passing along the edge of the phantoms. Azure Sword Qi flowed along their rotational paths, guiding the force of the blade qi aside. The two phantoms that had been attacking Tang San were actually led off course by the Sword Qi, their blade qi striking empty space and blasting half-foot-deep trenches into the ground.

"Damn it!" Xie Yue sensed that something was wrong. He tried to control all the phantoms to return to defend, only to find Dai Mubai's White Tiger Claw already slamming into the phantoms on the left. Pale golden Soul Power burned the phantoms like fierce flames, rapidly dimming their glow. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass seized the opportunity to wrap around the base of the central phantom, dark green blades slowly tightening in an attempt to tear apart its defenses.

"Full Moon Slash!" Xie Yue made a desperate gamble, pouring all his Soul Power into the central phantom. The silver blade qi instantly swelled to five feet wide, fiercely slashing toward Tang San's Blue Silver Grass. This attack contained seventy percent of his true body's power. If it struck, not only would the Blue Silver Grass break, but Tang San's meridians might also be shattered by the impact.

"Lin Che!" Tang San's voice was urgent. He did not withdraw the Blue Silver Grass. Instead, he poured even more Soul Power into the grass blades, which rapidly gathered into a shield before the blade qi, attempting to buy time for Lin Che.

Lin Che's eyes sharpened. Seizing the opening as Xie Yue attacked Tang San with his full power, the Azure Water Sword suddenly changed direction. The azure Sword Qi no longer dissipated force. Instead, it condensed into a three-foot sword arc, pointed directly at the core of the central phantom—where Xie Yue was pouring in his Soul Power, and the weakest point of his true body.

"Wind Scar Slash + Armor Break!"

The azure sword arc carried pale purple armor-breaking patterns, piercing through the phantom's defenses like a sharp blade and striking the core with precision. Xie Yue let out a Piercing Roar as the central phantom instantly shattered. Silver light scattered in all directions like broken glass, while the other eight phantoms dimmed along with it, and the blade rain came to a complete stop.

Dai Mubai seized this Critical Moment. His White Tiger Claw tore through the air as it fiercely slammed into Xie Yue's chest. "White Tiger Soul Suppressing Roar!" Golden soundwaves erupted from his mouth. Xie Yue's body shook violently, the chaotic Soul Power within him bursting forth like a breached flood. His true body form completely dissolved. He crashed heavily onto the ground, Spurted Out a Mouthful of blood, and could no longer rise.

"Xie Yue!" Hu Liena, slumped on the ground, let out a cry of despair. Looking at Xie Yue and Yan lying on the ground, then at the empty base where her fox tail had been, she finally realized—the Golden Generation of Spirit Hall had been utterly defeated. On the Star Dou Arena, she was the only one left who could barely hold on, yet she did not even have the strength to stand.

Cheers erupted from the stands like a tsunami. People waved the Cauldron Sword Team's banners as golden streamers and flower petals poured down once more, covering the entire arena. In the VIP section, Emperor Xue Beng laughed heartily. Rising to his feet, he ordered the guards beside him, "Quick! Deliver my decree and prepare the champions' coronation ceremony!"

But at that moment, a suffocating pressure suddenly came from Spirit Hall's VIP section. Bibi Dong's black papal robes moved without wind as she slowly rose to her feet. Her Soul Power Fluctuation was almost tangible, pressing the surrounding air until it distorted. Her icy gaze swept across the Star Dou Arena before finally falling onto Hu Liena. Her voice carried unquestionable authority. "Who dares touch my disciple?"

Emperor Xue Beng's smile instantly froze. He could clearly feel that Bibi Dong's Soul Power Fluctuation far exceeded that of an ordinary Soul Douluo, and was even stronger than Chen Xin's—this was the pressure of a Titled Douluo! He forced himself to remain calm and stepped forward, positioning himself between the Cauldron Sword Team and Bibi Dong. "His Majesty the Pope, the match has ended. The Cauldron Sword Team are the rightful champions. If you forcibly interfere, you will be violating the rules of the All-Continent Soul Master Competition!"

A mocking smile curled at the Corner of Bibi Dong's Mouth as she stepped forward. The pressure of a Titled Douluo instantly enveloped the entire Star Dou Arena. The seven members of the Cauldron Sword Team felt their chests tighten, and even operating their Soul Power became sluggish. Dai Mubai's recently recovered Injuries even began to ache faintly. "Rules? Before Spirit Hall, this Pope's words are the rules!" Her right hand rose slightly, black Soul Power gathering in her palm. She clearly intended to enter the arena herself, take Hu Liena away, and perhaps even attack the Cauldron Sword Team.

"Bibi Dong, you dare!" Chen Xin's voice suddenly rang out. The old Sword Douluo slowly rose to his feet. The Seven Kill Sword gave off a low hum from within its sheath, pale golden Sword Qi emitted All Over him, precisely blocking Bibi Dong's pressure. "This is Heaven Dou City, not Spirit Hall. With this old man here, Do Not Even Think Of touching a single finger of the Cauldron Sword Team!"

Bibi Dong's gaze turned sinister. She looked at the Seven Kill Sword In Hand, then at the Heaven Dou City guards gradually gathering around them, and knew that she could not succeed today. But she was not willing to let the matter end there. Black Soul Power condensed into a whip of light in her palm, which lashed toward Hu Liena and swept her to Bibi Dong's side. "Cauldron Sword Team, remember this well—Spirit Hall will repay today's humiliation a hundredfold!"

With that, Bibi Dong led Hu Liena and Spirit Hall's people away in fury beneath the cover of a Titled Douluo's pressure. The black figures vanished into the shadows of the VIP section, leaving behind only an icy threat that hung over the Star Dou Arena like dark clouds.

Chen Xin slowly withdrew his Sword Qi and gave Emperor Xue Beng a slight nod. "Your Majesty, I have not failed you." Emperor Xue Beng let out a long breath and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Looking toward the Cauldron Sword Team at the center of the Star Dou Arena, he revealed a gratified smile. "Cauldron Sword Team, you have not only won the competition, but also Heaven Dou City's dignity. Now, it is time for the coronation ceremony."

On the Star Dou Arena, the seven members of the Cauldron Sword Team supported one another. Though their faces were pale from Bibi Dong's pressure, each of them wore a brilliant smile. Dai Mubai's White Tiger Claw still glowed pale gold, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had returned to his palm, Ma Hongjun's Sun Flame True Fire danced at his fingertips, Oscar's sausage machine was still giving off heat, Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda glowed with a gentle halo, Jiang Zhu's Seven-Colored Sacred Staff trembled lightly, and Lin Che's Azure Water Sword and Universe Cauldron intertwined to form a pale golden curtain of light.

Lin Che looked toward the direction Bibi Dong had left, his gaze becoming resolute. He knew that today's victory was only temporary, and Spirit Hall's retaliation would soon arrive. But he was not afraid—he had companions who could Fight Side by Side with him, formidable strength, and the conviction of Cauldron Sword United Heart.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell upon the Cauldron Sword Team, coating them in a layer of golden radiance. Amid the cheers of countless spectators, the champions' coronation ceremony for the All-Continent Soul Master Competition officially began. Lin Che and his companions were also about to begin a new journey, facing even greater challenges from Spirit Hall.