The Space Rift in the starry sky continued to widen slowly. A twisted halo shimmered along the edges of the black fissure, as though it would swallow the entire sky the very next second. The Soul Masters before the Light Screen had fallen completely silent, barely even daring to breathe. The power of that Nirvana Finger had exceeded everything they understood about "strength."
Tang Hao of the Clear Sky Sect gripped his Clear Sky Hammer tightly. The patterns on its surface glowed as Soul Power surged through it, yet his hands trembled faintly. Once a prodigy of the Clear Sky Sect, he had believed the strongest power he had ever seen was his grandfather Tang Chen's Exploding Ring, which could shatter a mountain with one punch. Compared to the Nirvana Finger, though, that was nothing more than a child's swing. "If this Battle Skill were unleashed on the Douluo Continent..." Tang Hao didn't dare continue the thought. A chill ran down his back. The destruction of half the continent was no exaggeration. Given the power of that beam, even sanctuaries like Sea God Island and the Star Dou Great Forest would be wiped out in an instant.
Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was deathly pale. The Lightning Soul Power around him had fallen into disarray, beyond his control. He had always taken pride in the lightning power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, believing it to be the strongest elemental force on the continent. Yet the black beam of the Nirvana Finger could easily devour lightning. In the image, several stars radiating lightning had touched the beam and turned to stardust without the slightest resistance. "This isn't power... This is a calamity." The greed in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes gave way to fear as he muttered to himself. He suddenly felt that his actions had been utterly laughable.
Di Tian of the Star Dou Great Forest took human form and stood at the edge of the Light Screen, with the auras of the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python tense behind him. As the guardians of the Star Dou Forest, they had once believed they could withstand any human force. But the might of the Nirvana Finger made Di Tian feel despair for the first time. If Lin Yue wanted to attack the Star Dou Forest, one move would be enough to reduce the entire forest to nothing. "We must improve our relationship with the Auction House as soon as possible."
Di Tian made up his mind. "No matter how many Soul Beast Inner Cores we have to offer, we must keep Lord Gu Yuena away from this kind of danger."
Inside the Pope's Palace of Spirit Hall, the black Soul Power around Bibi Dong had spiraled out of control. Cracks appeared in the palace's stone pillars as the power shook them. She stared at the Space Rift in the Soul Guiding Crystal. The madness in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by a yearning so intense it was almost humble. "To surpass the gods... So power can reach such a realm." Bibi Dong sat down slowly, crushing the armrest of the Pope's Scepter in her grip. "Ghost Douluo, make preparations at once. Send every Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone and Soul Beast Inner Core in Spirit Hall, along with the Angel Tear Crystal from the Worship Hall, to the Auction House. Tell Lin Yue that if he is willing to teach us Heaven Tier Battle Skills, Spirit Hall will submit to him and serve as his puppet on the Douluo Continent."
Ghost Douluo's expression changed, and he hurriedly tried to dissuade her. "Your Holiness, Spirit Hall is the greatest force on the continent. How can we submit to another?"
"Submit?" Bibi Dong sneered, a ruthless glint flashing in her eyes. "If we can't even keep our lives, what good is a faction? How long do you think it would take Lin Yue to unite the continent if he wanted to? A day? An hour? All we can do now is cling to him if we want to survive!" Ghost Douluo fell silent. He knew Bibi Dong was telling the truth. The might of the Nirvana Finger was beyond anything a "faction" could resist. It was a power even the gods could not hope to reach.
In the Worship Hall, Qian Daoliu lowered the Angel Sacred Sword. The golden light around him faded, revealing his aged face. He walked to the window and gazed toward the distant starry sky, his eyes clouded with uncertainty. He had lived for hundreds of years, always taking pride in being "close to godhood," and had even believed he might surpass the gods. But the appearance of the Nirvana Finger had shattered his pride completely. "So the gods of the Douluo Continent are this insignificant before the power of another world."
On the square, someone suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud and kowtowed toward the Light Screen. "Lord Lin Yue! Please teach us Battle Skills! I'll work like an ox or a horse for you!" More and more Soul Masters knelt after him. Some sought power, while others hoped to save their lives. In an instant, the square filled with the sounds of kowtowing and pleading.
In a private room on the second floor of the Auction House, Lin Yue watched the scene on the Light Screen, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. Mo Chen stood nearby and said respectfully, "Master, all the major factions have completely submitted. We can begin auctioning Heaven Tier Battle Skills now."
Lin Yue shook his head and looked out the window. "No rush. Let them experience a little more of what true power is." With that, he raised a hand and pointed at the Light Screen. The figure in the starry sky moved again. This time, he held up two fingers, and two points of black light gathered at their tips, brighter and more solid than before.
The Soul Masters before the Light Screen instantly held their breath. Even the kowtowing stopped as they stared fixedly at the scene. Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu, Tang Hao, and the others clenched their fists, their hearts pounding.
The figure gave a light flick. The two points of black light became beams and shot toward opposite sides of the starry sky.
"Boom—!"
Where the two beams passed, stars shattered in clusters. The Space Rift continued to expand until the fissures joined, forming a vast chasm stretching hundreds of miles. Black energy poured out from within, swallowing even the light. The entire starry sky seemed to become one enormous black hole.
"Th-this move could destroy the entire Douluo Continent!" a Titled Douluo stammered, his voice full of despair.
The kowtowing and pleas grew louder across the square. Some Soul Masters even began to cry. They finally understood that before absolute power, so-called "experts," "factions," and "gods" were all fleeting illusions. Lin Yue, who commanded such power, was the true "god"—a being even more terrifying than one.
Every Soul Master in the square was still reeling from the shock, barely daring to breathe. Yellow Tier Battle Skills let Soul Elders challenge Soul Ancestors above their rank; Mysterious Tier Battle Skills doubled a Titled Douluo's strength; Earth Tier Battle Skills could shatter mountains; and Heaven Tier Battle Skills could break stars. How could these be mere "cultivation methods"? They were "divine artifacts" capable of changing one's fate!
Just then, a gentle yet penetrating voice rang out from the Auction House's Black Jade Main Building, instantly carrying across the entire square and drawing the Soul Masters back to reality. "There is no need to panic. Battle Skills may be powerful, but each has its own cultivation requirements."
Everyone turned toward the voice. Lin Yue emerged from the main building in a pale moon-white robe, walking at an unhurried pace. He gently waved the folding fan in his hand, a faint smile on his face, as though the Battle Skill that had just upended everything they knew were nothing out of the ordinary.
"Cultivating Battle Skills requires a foundation in Battle Qi. The Auction House will later launch a Cultivation Method Ranking with detailed information on each Battle Skill's requirements, necessary resources, and how to obtain them. In addition, our monthly grand auctions will offer some low-grade Battle Skill scrolls. Yellow Tier and Mysterious Tier Battle Skills can be exchanged for Points or rare resources."
Before you continue