"Got it..."
The burly man replied casually, his tone full of impatience.
He stretched and yawned.
A trace of nonchalance lingered in his eyes, as if he paid no mind to the array before him or the battle that was about to begin.
In his view, with the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Zong, destroying this so-called array was a piece of cake.
Because... he was a body cultivator!
As a vast force, the Soul Hall had members who cultivated in a variety of ways.
Although the Soul Hall focused mainly on soul cultivation, and most of its protectors possessed immense soul power and could unleash all kinds of soul attacks,
a small number of its members also cultivated their bodies. After all, in this world where strength reigned supreme, a robust physique could improve one's chances of survival and fighting ability.
And when facing an enemy immune to soul attacks, tremendous physical strength could come into play.
The burly man raised his arm slightly. It was as thick as a tree trunk, its muscles bulging with explosive power.
He drew a deep breath. The Dou Qi coursing through his body surged like a raging tide, swiftly gathering around his right fist. It spun furiously, faint flashes of lightning flickering across his knuckles.
"Ha!"
With a roar like a tiger's bellow, the burly man threw a punch... with all his might!
In an instant, the whole world seemed to tremble.
"BOOM!!"
The deafening blast was like countless muffled thunderclaps exploding beside one's ears. Its volume was enough to send birds in the forests miles away flapping into the sky in fright.
His attack, brimming with terrifying power, was like an enraged dragon crashing into the Misty Cloud Sect's array.
Under the immense impact, the array's light flickered violently. Intricate patterns appeared across its previously transparent surface, like a taut net straining to withstand the ferocious blow.
Where the array's radiance collided with the man's Dou Qi, space twisted ever so slightly, as if it might tear apart at any moment.
High above the Misty Cloud Sect, the array warped slightly under the tremendous pressure.
Yet after a faint ripple passed through it, it slowly returned to normal.
"Heh... That's interesting!"
The burly man knitted his brows, surprise and excitement flashing in his eyes.
He had thought that his full-powered strike would shatter the array, but it had held firm.
The array's resilience awakened the battle lust buried deep in his bones.
"It actually stopped my attack."
"Interesting..."
The burly man murmured to himself, his fighting spirit burning fiercely.
"Then... have another!"
He roared and tensed every muscle in his body as Dou Qi surged through him like a raging tide.
He raised his thick arm high, drawing upon the violent Dou Qi between heaven and earth before hammering it down at the great array.
This time, he was determined to use his full strength and break the barrier with sheer force.
In an instant, countless enormous fists formed from the Dou Qi of heaven and earth roared forth, crashing toward the array with an aura that could destroy the heavens and earth.
The entire sky was shrouded in his mighty Dou Qi. The people of the Misty Cloud Sect looked up to see fists of Dou Qi raining down from the heavens.
Waves rippled across the great array, as if it might shatter at any moment.
The Misty Cloud Sect's elders wore grim expressions, while its many disciples trembled in fear.
"Who are those people?"
A disciple asked in a quavering voice.
"They can stand in midair without relying on Dou Qi wings... Could they be Dou Zong powerhouses?"
Another disciple guessed in terror.
"When did our Misty Cloud Sect offend powerhouses like these...?"
Fear and despair filled everyone's hearts.
"Heaven means to destroy our Misty Cloud Sect!"
Someone even cried out in despair.
"Quick! Go get the Sect Master!"
An elder hurriedly gave the order. The disciples felt as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders and rushed toward the Sect Master Hall.
Yet some remained kneeling on the ground, their eyes vacant.
Call the Sect Master?
The Sect Master was only a Dou Emperor. What use would she be?
Above the Misty Cloud Sect, the burly man's attack continued. His profound Dou Qi poured out without end, as if he meant to tear apart the very sky.
But as time went by, sweat broke out all over him and his breathing grew ragged.
He panted as he stared at the great array, still utterly unmoved. Disbelief flashed in his eyes.
"Ha... how is this possible... ha..."
He couldn't believe that even his all-out assault had failed to inflict any real damage on the array.
Seeing this, the other Soul Hall Protectors gathered around.
"Stop wasting your strength. Let's attack together..."
One of the protectors suggested.
"Focus all our attacks on a weak point..."
Another protector agreed.
They were no fools. They quickly realized what the problem was and understood that their only hope of breaking the array lay in striking it together.
Thus, the many Soul Hall Protectors drew on the Dou Qi within their bodies and pooled their strength.
Hum, hum, hum!
As the protectors attacked in unison, the ripples in the array grew larger and larger, as if it might tear apart at any moment.
The entire Misty Cloud Sect trembled beneath the surging waves of power.
Below, in the Misty Cloud Sect Master Hall.
Yun Yun had already noticed the disturbance above. She gazed up at the sky, her expression grave.
Feeling the terrifying auras—far beyond those of Dou Emperors—her face gradually paled.
As the Misty Cloud Sect's Sect Master, she knew how vast the gap was between her strength and theirs.
Even after switching to the Heaven Rank cultivation technique Xiao Fan had given her, she was only a Nine-Star Dou Emperor. Against ten Dou Zong powerhouses, she would be like an egg thrown against a rock.
Her fingers clenched tightly around a jade pendant. She squeezed so hard that her knuckles turned white.
What should she do... Should she crush the jade pendant?
Her heart was torn with hesitation.
This jade pendant was her last hope...
Just as she fell into deep thought, a figure suddenly appeared above the Misty Cloud Sect like a ghost.
The newcomer wore a mask and a black robe. A powerful aura surrounded him—an oppressive force that was also that of a Nine-Star Dou Zong.
At the sight of the black-robed figure, the Soul Hall Protectors all stopped their attacks.
They frowned and warily scrutinized the sudden arrival.
"Hm? There's another powerhouse like this here..."
One of the protectors remarked in surprise.
"Heh heh heh! A Nine-Star Dou Zong... Your soul power should be pretty good, right?"
Another protector let out a sinister cackle, greed gleaming in his eyes.
"Why does something feel off...?"
One of the protectors sensed something strange, though he couldn't put his finger on it.
Still, they didn't dwell on it. After a brief exchange of glances, they attacked in unison.
In an instant, countless fierce Dou Techniques and soul attacks surged toward the black-robed figure like a tide, intent on defeating him at once...