Charm Was Ineffective

Yan was instantly defeated, like a heavy slap not only across the Golden Generation's faces, but across all of Spirit Hall's. On the platform above, Pope Bibi Dong's fingers tightened around her scepter until they turned faintly white, her gaze as cold as ancient ice.

The atmosphere on the arena was so heavy it seemed ready to drip.

Xie Yue and Hu Liena exchanged a glance, and both saw resolve in the other's eyes. Zhang Bufan's strength had already surpassed the limits of what they could handle. Any probing or restraint was meaningless.

"Nana!" Xie Yue growled again, his voice hoarse.

Hu Liena nodded. All traces of her usual languid charm vanished from her exquisite face, leaving only solemnity. She stepped forward, and five Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—rose beneath her feet. The black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring in particular shone brilliantly.

Her bewitching fox-like eyes instantly turned pure pink. An invisible, intangible power of seduction, enough to drown the soul, spread toward Zhang Bufan like spilled mercury!

This was not an attack against the body, but one that struck directly at the mind and soul! It was Hu Liena's strongest innate ability! Countless heroes and even Soul Masters of higher rank than her had lost themselves in her silent seduction, left at others' mercy.

The pink glow nearly covered the entire arena. Even many spectators outside the ring could not help revealing infatuated expressions, as though they had seen the thing they desired most deeply.

However, Zhang Bufan, standing at the center of the seduction... yawned.

Yes, he yawned.

He even rubbed his eyes, looking utterly bored.

"That's it?" He tilted his head and looked at Hu Liena, who was exerting her seduction with all her strength, sweat already beading on her forehead. His tone carried a hint of sincere confusion. "Flirting with your eyes? Mental suggestion? Come on. Back where I'm from, any pretty girl on a short-video platform can dance with more energy than you, and their eyes are way more seductive. Your professional standards aren't cutting it."

"..." Hu Liena's delicate body trembled, her pink eyes filled with disbelief. Her seduction had actually... actually been completely ineffective?! She could not even make his gaze waver for an instant?! How was that possible?! Had his Spiritual Power truly become so powerful that he could completely ignore top-tier seduction enhanced by a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?

Of course, she did not know that Zhang Bufan's soul came from an age of information overload. Scheming sweethearts, fake innocents, manipulative women, PUA tactics, verbal manipulation, mental control—he had seen every kind of trick online. He had long since developed a powerful "immunity." Hu Liena's comparatively "innocent" seduction was like flirting with a steel plate before his soul, whose processing capacity rivaled that of a supercomputer—completely useless.

Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Even a Titled Douluo couldn't remain so completely unaffected by my seduction! What kind of monster is he?!

Hah, I thought Spirit Hall's Golden Generation was supposed to be amazing. This level of mental attack isn't even as good as scam calls from back home. At least scam calls can stir up some emotion in me—like making me want to curse someone out.

"Nana! It won't work! Use the fusion skill!" Seeing his sister suffer a setback, Xie Yue's heart sank even deeper. He knew they could not hesitate any longer.

Hu Liena immediately came to her senses as well. Enduring the discomfort of the mental backlash, she quickly moved closer to Xie Yue.

"Martial Soul Fusion Skill! Bewitching Charm!"

The two shouted in unison. Xie Yue's Moon Blades and Hu Liena's figure began to merge within the pink light! A terrifying energy far more powerful than before, carrying the aura of a domain, began to gather! Red mist spread outward, about to engulf the entire arena!

Once Bewitching Charm took shape, everyone within its domain would be stripped of their senses, their Soul Power suppressed, and their speed halved! This was their ultimate trump card against powerful enemies!

The audience held its breath. Everyone knew the moment that would decide victory and defeat had arrived! Could the Golden Generation's Martial Soul Fusion Skill reverse this nearly hopeless situation?

But would Zhang Bufan give them that chance?

The answer was no.

"A fusion skill? It looks pretty cool." Zhang Bufan watched the gradually forming red mist and merging figures, nodding as though he were admiring them. "Too bad I'm in a hurry."

He raised his hand again.

This time, it was no longer a single cauldron phantom.

One, two, three!

Yu Ding, Li Cauldron, Kan Cauldron! Three cauldron phantoms of different forms, radiating ancient, blazing, and vast auras, appeared around him at once and slowly rotated in a triangular formation.

Though they were still phantoms, the might of three cauldrons emerging together was far more terrifying than that of One Cauldron just now! The space across the entire arena began to twist and tremble. The red mist that had only just begun to spread seemed to encounter its natural enemy, hissing as it began to dissipate on its own! The not-yet-complete Bewitching Charm fusion form let out a pained shriek, its fusion process forcibly interrupted!

Xie Yue and Hu Liena both spat out blood. Their fusion state was forcibly broken, and they staggered apart, their faces pale as paper. When they looked at Zhang Bufan again, their eyes were filled with despair and terror!

Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill had actually... been forcefully shattered by an even more tyrannical power before they even had the chance to unleash it!

What an overwhelming gap in strength!

"Looks like you've run out of tricks." Zhang Bufan looked at the two, whose auras had weakened considerably, and lost interest in playing any longer. With a thought, the three cauldron phantoms around him gave a light tremor.

"Buzz—!"

An invisible ripple spread outward.

Xie Yue and Hu Liena felt an irresistible force slam into them. Their bodies flew backward out of control, crashing heavily into the barrier like Yan before them and sliding to the ground. Though they barely remained conscious, they had completely lost their ability to fight.

The entire venue fell silent once more.

The Golden Generation—three people joining forces, even attempting to use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill... and yet Zhang Bufan had effortlessly crushed all three by himself from start to finish!

The referee looked at the only figure still standing on the arena, his throat dry. He looked at the unconscious Yan, then at Xie Yue and Hu Liena, who had lost their fighting strength, and finally at the figure standing there like one of the Gods and Demons. Trembling, he raised his hand.

"The... the Imperial Fighting Team wins! The champions of this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament are—Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Imperial Fighting Team!"

"Boom—!"

After a brief silence, the arena erupted into wild celebration! Though many people supported Spirit Hall, in the face of absolute strength, every allegiance became admiration and awe for the strong!

"Nine Cauldrons Douluo! Invincible!"

"Champions! Imperial Fighting Team are the champions!"

"He defeated the Golden Generation by himself! Oh my god!"

Zhang Bufan ignored the cheers filling the arena. He withdrew the cauldron phantoms and dusted off nonexistent dirt from his clothes, as though he had merely brushed away a few flies. Then he turned and walked straight down from the arena. Under countless fervent gazes, he arrived at the Imperial Fighting Team's resting area and stopped before the red-haired girl.

We... lost... Lost so completely, so hopelessly... He simply isn't an existence on our level...

That's... it? I haven't even—no, I haven't even worked up my emotions yet!

Now I believe he was really just playing around before. Nine Cauldrons Douluo is terrifying when he gets serious!

The championship had been decided. But the moment belonging to two people had only just begun.