Its head had already begun to take on the shape of a dragon, with a pair of short, powerful horns sprouting from its crown. Fangs crisscrossed inside its mouth, gleaming with a chilling light.
A pair of broad, leathery wings unfurled behind it, stirring up gusts of wind with every gentle flap. Its limbs were thick and powerful, ending in razor-sharp claws. A light scrape of those claws across the ground left several deep furrows.
It looked like an earth dragon, yet was more imposing and savage than an ordinary one.
Most striking of all were its eyes—a pair of blood-red, vertical pupils, blazing with savagery and bloodlust, like those of an ancient Ferocious Beast just awakened from a long slumber.
"ROAR—!!!"
Golden Luo Sanpao threw back its head and let out a deafening roar! The sound burst like thunder, carrying a terrifying pressure that swept out in every direction!
Tang Tian, who bore the brunt of it, felt an invisible force slam into him. He grunted as his body slid backward several meters against his will, his feet plowing two long furrows across the arena before he barely managed to steady himself.
His face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Just one roar had forced him back several meters. Was this the strength of a Soul King? Was this the power of the True Dragon of the Yu Family?
The entire arena fell into a brief silence.
Then an even more thunderous wave of cheers erupted!
"Too strong! Is this the power of the True Dragon of the Yu Family?!"
"One roar sent a core disciple of the Clear Sky Sect reeling! How are you supposed to fight that?"
"True Dragon of the Yu Family! True Dragon of the Yu Family! True Dragon of the Yu Family!"
Countless spectators waved their fists and shouted Yu Xiaogang's name. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disciples were even more flushed with excitement, as if they shared in his glory.
In the Clear Sky Sect's section, Tang Aotian's expression darkened.
He hadn't expected Yu Xiaogang to be so powerful. Just one roar had put a core disciple of his Clear Sky Sect on the back foot.
He glanced at Tang Hao and Tang Xiao beside him. Both men remained composed, but a hint of solemnity had flickered in their eyes.
In the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's section, Sect Master Ning Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly. He studied Yu Xiaogang for a moment, then gave a small shake of his head without saying a word. Ning Fengzhi pursed his lips and muttered under his breath:
"What's so impressive about him... The Tianlong brothers are definitely stronger..."
In the Spirit Hall's VIP seats, Qian Xunji remained seated, his expression calm. Yet a glimmer, almost too faint to notice, passed through his deep eyes. He slowly rubbed the armrest and said, "True Dragon of the Yu Family... Now that's interesting."
Beside him, Bibi Dong's gaze also rested on Yu Xiaogang. But her cold eyes showed no flicker of emotion, as though she were looking at something that had nothing to do with her.
On the arena, Yu Xiaogang basked in the cheers and attention, a feeling of satisfaction unlike anything he had ever known surging in his heart. He had waited far too long for this day.
From a worthless nobody mocked by everyone to a genius now commanding the attention of the masses, only he knew how much effort he had poured in and how much pain he had endured.
He looked at Tang Tian across from him and curled his lips into a haughty smile. "Do you still want to fight?"
Tang Tian gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer. "I do! Even if I can't win, I still want to test a Soul King's strength!"
"Now that's spirit." Yu Xiaogang chuckled, then raised a hand and swept it outward. "Sanpao, play with him."
Golden Luo Sanpao let out a low growl and lunged at Tang Tian!
The creature was astonishingly fast. Its huge body left a golden afterimage in the air, and in an instant it was right in front of Tang Tian. A giant claw covered in golden scales came crashing down, carrying the weight of ten thousand jun!
Tang Tian's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly raised the Clear Sky Hammer to block!
"CLANG—!!!"
A deafening crash rang out, like metal striking metal! Tang Tian felt an irresistible force surge through the Clear Sky Hammer. His arms went numb at once, his palms split open, and blood streamed down!
As though struck by a mountain, he was sent flying, hammer and all. He slammed into the protective barrier at the edge of the arena, then slid to the ground. He struggled a few times, but could no longer get back up.
One move.
With a single move, the once-mighty core disciple of the Clear Sky Sect had been defeated.
The cheers across the arena reached their peak.
Yu Xiaogang stood on the arena, basking in the attention of the crowd, his smile growing wider and wider. He lifted his head and looked toward his father, Yu Yuanzhen, on the high platform.
Yu Yuanzhen was looking at him too, his eyes filled with pride and satisfaction. Father and son had waited far too long for this day.
From this day on, the entire continent would know that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had produced a true dragon—Yu Xiaogang!
Yet in a corner beyond his sight, a youth wearing a bronze mask watched it all in silence. His gaze was as calm as still water, with even a faint trace of mockery in it.
"A Five-Ring Soul King, and Golden Luo Sanpao... He's certainly much stronger than he was five years ago," Yu Tianlong thought to himself. "But it's still not enough."
He turned his gaze away and looked down at the two little beasts crouched on his shoulders.
Little Gold and Little Silver were watching the swaggering Golden Luo Sanpao on the arena too. Their eyes held an expression that was hard to describe... as if they were looking at a clown putting on a show.
"Don't be in a hurry." Yu Tianlong gently patted their heads, a cold curve rising at the corners of his mouth. "It'll be our turn soon."
After defeating Tang Tian, the Clear Sky Sect disciple, Yu Xiaogang didn't leave the arena right away. He stood there, scanning the crowd with an air of unfinished business.
Defeating a core disciple of the Clear Sky Sect wasn't enough for him. He needed a stronger opponent to prove his strength.
Just then, Qian Xunji spoke from the Spirit Hall's VIP seats. His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried clearly across the arena. "Bibi Dong, since you're here, why not go up and have some fun?"
Everyone's gaze converged on the girl in the white dress. Bibi Dong nodded without expression, then rose and walked toward the arena.
Her steps were light yet steady, and her white dress fluttered gently in the wind, like a snow lotus blooming alone atop a remote mountain.
Her expression was cold as ice, her gaze calm as water. She seemed to be facing not a match watched by the entire crowd, but a casual stroll of no importance.
"Bibi Dong, Holy Maiden of Spirit Hall, a level forty-four control-type Battle Soul Ancestor. Please guide me." Her voice was cool and devoid of emotion, as if she were stating something that had nothing to do with her.
A level forty-four Soul Ancestor facing a Five-Ring Soul King—but not a single person present looked down on her.
They all knew that this girl was Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden, a genius with Twin Martial Souls. Her true combat strength could never be judged by her level alone.