The Soul Masters around them were utterly stunned by the scene. Many stood with their mouths hanging open, forgetting even to breathe. They had known that Dugu Bo had broken through, but they hadn't expected him to so thoroughly overpower Yue Guan—not only had he won, he had humiliated him! Yue Guan, a level 95 Chrysanthemum Douluo and an elder of Spirit Hall, had been left with no room to fight back against the level 93 Poison Douluo. He'd even needed his opponent to "show mercy" just to survive!
The Spirit Hall disciples were even paler. They looked at Yue Guan lying motionless on the ground, then at the imposing Dugu Bo, trembling all over and lacking even the courage to go help him. They had always mocked Dugu Bo alongside Yue Guan. Only now did they realize that the Titled Douluo they'd dismissed as a "weakling" was far beyond anyone they could afford to provoke.
The news of Chrysanthemum Douluo's crushing defeat swept across every corner of the Douluo Continent like a thunderous hurricane, spreading in just half a day. More shocking than Dugu Bo's breakthrough to level 93 was the fact that he had defeated level 95 Yue Guan with just half a move, without even giving it his all! The news sent every faction into an uproar and drove their desire for Battle Skills to an unprecedented height.
Inside Pope's Palace in Spirit City, Bibi Dong watched the battle footage transmitted through a Soul Guiding Crystal. She squeezed the armrest of the Pope's Chair until it shattered, black Soul Power churning around her as her eyes brimmed with madness and apprehension. "Half a move! It was just half a move from a Yellow Tier Combat Skill, and he hadn't even gone all out! How could Yue Guan lose so miserably?" She spun around and barked at Ghost Douluo behind her, "Get Qian Daoliu to the Auction House immediately! Whatever the cost—even if it means giving up the Angel God Fragment treasured by the Worship Hall—we must secure the right to exchange for a Mysterious Tier Combat Skill! And have every disciple stop all other missions and earn Points with everything they've got! Anyone who dares to hold us back will have their Soul Power crippled!"
Ghost Douluo's face was deathly pale, and cold sweat covered his forehead. He hurriedly bowed and accepted the order. His strength was on par with Yue Guan's, and the thought of Dugu Bo's terrifying Poison Battle Qi made him shiver. If he'd been in Yue Guan's place, he probably wouldn't have lasted half a move either.
In the Council Hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi held the battle report with trembling hands. His Jade Folding Fan fell onto the table with a crisp clatter, but he didn't even notice. "He defeated a level 95 opponent with half a move... Who knew a Yellow Tier High Grade Combat Skill could be this powerful! Rong Rong, listen carefully. Starting today, you can stop training your Support Soul Skills and focus on earning Points in the Simulation Arena! Even if we have to exchange every piece of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Thousand Year Glazed Jade for Points, we'll get you a suitable Yellow Tier Combat Skill first!"
Ning Rongrong nodded firmly, her eyes burning with desire. She used to think that Support Type Soul Masters could only hide behind the front line, but now she understood that Battle Skills could give even Support Types the power to crush Titled Douluo. "Father, I'll go earn Points in the arena first thing tomorrow morning. I'll save up enough as quickly as I can!"
In the Hidden Valley of the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Hao read the report and lowered the Clear Sky Hammer he'd gripped for years. Its patterns still glimmered faintly, but they couldn't conceal the shock in his eyes. "That old monster Dugu Bo... actually managed to turn things around." He turned to the disciple beside him and said gravely, "Take the sect's Ten Thousand Year Ironwood and Inherited Soul Tool to the Auction House and exchange them for a suitable Yellow Tier High Grade Combat Skill for the Assault System. And ask Your Excellency Lin Yue what it would take to exchange for a Mysterious Tier Combat Skill. I'd even go to the Auction House myself if necessary."
Meanwhile, in the Poisonous Valley of Sunset Forest, Dugu Bo sat on the Cold Jade Bed, circulating Poison Battle Qi to dispel the lingering impact of Soul Power within him. He gazed at the faint purple Poison Battle Qi coiling around his palm, his fingertips trembling slightly. This seemingly ordinary Battle Qi had not only helped him break through his bottleneck but had also let him defeat Yue Guan, who had once mocked him. At the thought of Lin Yue, his eyes filled with deep reverence.
"Your Excellency Lin Yue... If you hadn't recognized the value of Youluo Grass, and if the Auction House hadn't had the 'Abyssal Poison' Battle Skill, I'd have spent my whole life as the 'weakest Titled Douluo,' laughed at by everyone." Dugu Bo murmured. He took out the remaining 200,000 Point Vouchers from his storage ring and carefully put them away. "Once I've fully mastered 'Abyssal Poison,' I'll visit the Auction House again. Maybe I'll find something that can help me break through to level 95." He knew that if the Auction House could offer Battle Skills, it was bound to have even more impressive resources. All he could do was make absolutely sure never to offend this mysterious place.
At the same time, outside the dormitory at Shrek Academy, moonlight stretched two long shadows across the ground. Tang San looked at Xiao Wu's back, his heart heavy with worry. Xiao Wu had just returned from the Simulation Arena, holding the Movement Combat Skill Fragment she'd just exchanged for. She chatted excitedly with Ning Rongrong about the details of their training, without even looking at him.
"Xiao Wu, want to go earn Points in the arena together tomorrow? I've figured out a new weakness of the Virtual Poison Spider. If I combine Blue Silver Grass Entanglement with Hidden Weapons, I can earn Points twice as fast as usual." Tang San stepped forward, his voice hopeful, and reached for Xiao Wu's wrist.
But Xiao Wu instinctively took a step back, avoiding his hand. Her tone was somewhat perfunctory. "No, Rongrong and I already agreed to go to the Auction House tomorrow. I heard they've just released a new Battle Skill manual. It includes a Movement Combat Skill suited for Support Types, and we want to find out more about it." After speaking, she took Ning Rongrong by the hand and went into the dormitory. The door slammed shut, cutting Tang San off from her completely.
Tang San stood frozen, staring at the closed dormitory door, his heart aching as though pricked by needles. He could clearly feel Xiao Wu growing more dependent on the Auction House and more distant from him. They used to train and go on adventures together, and sit outside the dormitory watching the stars at night. But now, it seemed Xiao Wu's world held nothing but Battle Skills and the Auction House. She didn't even have time to spare him another word.
"Could Battle Skills really matter more than what we have?" Tang San murmured, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. He looked toward the Auction House, determination flashing in his eyes. He had to earn enough Points as soon as possible to exchange for a powerful Battle Skill. Only by becoming stronger could he bridge the distance between himself and Xiao Wu again and show her that he was still the Tang San who could shelter her from every storm.
By the second-floor window of the Auction House, Lin Yue read the report and smiled with satisfaction. Dugu Bo's success had not only ignited every major faction's desire for Battle Skills but had also raised the Auction House to an unrivaled position. He gently closed the report and gazed toward the Douluo Continent, tapping the windowsill lightly with his fingers. "Battle Skills are only an appetizer. Next, it's time to show them the 'pills' and 'divine artifacts' of the Otherworld."
A transformation sparked by Battle Skills was unfolding across the Douluo Continent. The Otherworld Auction House stood at its heart, drawing every faction's attention and quietly changing everyone's fate. Dugu Bo had turned the tables with Battle Skills, the major factions were going mad for them, and yet Tang San and Xiao Wu's relationship was slowly fracturing amid the upheaval.
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