The Might of the Golden Cudgel, Repelling Chrysanthemum Guan

Bai Yi stood inside the poisonous miasma and did not rush out.

He had already used Seventy-Two Transformations to alter his figure and appearance, changing from a ten-year-old child into an adult man.

He was a full head taller than before, and his features were completely different.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's gaze paused when it swept over the poisonous miasma.

Blocked by the miasma, he could only make out a blurry figure standing within.

He did not know who it was, but he caught a scent that stirred him deeply.

Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.

Chrysanthemum Douluo narrowed his eyes slightly.

His martial soul was the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, making him extremely sensitive to an aura from the same source.

That person had actually consumed a Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum?

At the instant he was distracted, Dugu Bo moved.

Dark green light shot from his eyes and landed precisely on Chrysanthemum Douluo.

Soul bone skill, Medusa's Gaze.

A thin gray layer of stone rapidly spread over Chrysanthemum Douluo's body.

His movements froze, as though he had been iced over.

Dugu Bo did not waste the opportunity.

A massive dark green serpent phantom emerged behind him as the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's Martial Soul Avatar instantly unfolded.

The serpent coiled its body, raised its head high, and opened its enormous jaws to bite at Chrysanthemum Douluo.

Chrysanthemum Douluo was struck in midair by the serpent's head and sent flying backward, crashing through several trees before finally stopping.

A tear appeared in his golden robe, and a trace of blood seeped from his left shoulder.

After steadying himself, he lowered his head to glance at his shoulder. His expression changed from relaxed to grim.

Yue Guan said angrily:

"I was originally going to wait four years and kill you with my own hands. I never expected you to come courting death so early."

He raised his right hand, and the golden chrysanthemum spun in his palm.

Its layered petals unfolded one after another, every one gleaming with a metallic sheen.

"Seventh soul skill, Martial Soul Avatar."

Golden light exploded from his body, and the massive phantom of a Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum appeared behind him.

The entire chrysanthemum was more than three meters wide. Its center rotated, releasing wave after wave of golden radiance.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's form changed as well. A pale golden glow spread across his skin, and his aura surged dramatically.

"Sixth soul skill, Golden Stamen Flowing Rosy Clouds."

Countless golden petals fell from the flower's center, sweeping toward Dugu Bo like a golden downpour.

Every petal carried sharp edges and dense Soul Power. Wherever they passed, tree trunks and branches were sliced into fragments.

Dugu Bo mocked:

"If you're panicking, just say so. If you've got the guts, come in and chase me."

He withdrew the serpent phantom, pulled back, and retreated into the range of the poisonous miasma.

When the petals struck the miasma, dense hissing sounds rang out. Their golden sheen was corroded away, and they slowed as well.

Chrysanthemum Douluo stood outside the miasma, his expression twisting slightly.

"You cowardly turtle."

He knew how potent the Jade Scale Seven Absolute Flowers' poison was. Charging in recklessly would only put him at a disadvantage.

Just as the two were deadlocked, Bai Yi's voice sounded in Dugu Bo's mind.

"Go out and fight him. I can help you kill him."

Dugu Bo froze for a moment.

He recognized the voice. It was Bai Yi's.

But what shocked him even more was that Bai Yi could transmit his voice directly?

This method of sending sound straight into another person's mind without passing through the air required immense spiritual power and flawless control over Soul Power.

He had lived for more than seventy years, yet he had only encountered a few people capable of such a technique.

This ten-year-old child could actually do it too?

Bai Yi stood inside the poisonous miasma, maintaining the appearance of an adult man. His pale golden eyes saw every detail outside clearly through the haze.

The voice transmission he had just used was one of the spells of Seventy-Two Transformations: Communication with the Nether.

This spell had originally been used to communicate with ghosts and gods.

Later, he discovered that it could also be used to communicate directly with living people on a spiritual level. It even worked on soul beasts and plants.

There were almost no limitations.

Now, he could see the flow of Chrysanthemum Douluo's Soul Power and the contraction of his muscles before every attack.

He could never have caught such details before.

Fiery Eyes allowed him to see through all disguises and weaknesses. Even experts at the Title Douluo level were no exception.

He felt that he had changed.

After being tempered by the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, he had cultivated the Indestructible Diamond Body, and his eyes had become Fiery Eyes.

Even if he intervened in a battle between Title Douluos, he was confident that he could make a difference.

After thinking it over for a moment, Dugu Bo decided to trust the little monster this once.

Then he walked out of the poisonous miasma.

When Chrysanthemum Douluo saw Dugu Bo take the initiative to come out, his brow twitched.

Dugu Bo sneered. "The old ghost isn't here. Today, you'll be the one staying behind."

The corner of Chrysanthemum Douluo's mouth lifted.

"You've got more courage than you did ten years ago, you stray dog. Come and die!"

Dugu Bo brought his hands together, gathering dark green light at his fingertips.

"Eighth soul skill, Time Solidification."

A ring of dark green light spread from his body, enveloping Chrysanthemum Douluo.

The flow of time within the barrier suddenly slowed, and Chrysanthemum Douluo's movements became sluggish.

Taking advantage of the opening, Dugu Bo attacked again, sweeping the serpent phantom's tail toward Chrysanthemum Douluo's waist.

Affected by Time Solidification, Chrysanthemum Douluo's Martial Soul Avatar was a beat too slow. He could not fully evade, and the tail struck heavily against his side.

The blow forced him back several steps, and a streak of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He wiped away the blood, his tone becoming more serious than before.

"Interesting. But do you think this is enough to defeat me?"

The golden light around him surged. The center of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum spun faster, and the golden gleam along its petals became more solid.

Cracks began appearing in the dark green barrier trapping him, and after several breaths, it shattered completely.

At the instant Chrysanthemum Douluo broke free, a stream of golden flames swept in from the side.

The flames were peculiar. They were unlike ordinary fire condensed from Soul Power; their color was richer, their temperature higher, and even the air twisted where they burned.

Chrysanthemum Douluo could not dodge completely. The flames struck him head-on and covered his entire body.

His body ignited, golden flames clinging to his martial soul and continuing to burn without any sign of extinguishing.

Chrysanthemum Douluo let out a scream, but what shocked him even more was this.

He could not directly crush these flames with his Soul Power.

Moreover, the flames severely suppressed the use of his martial soul.

The pain did not only affect his body; it seemed to reach deep into his soul.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice changed. "What kind of flame is this?"

He turned toward the source of the flames. The figure within the poisonous miasma stood at its edge.

Bai Yi maintained the posture of exhaling flames.

This was one of the techniques of Seventy-Two Transformations, Fire Breathing.

Within the spring, he had absorbed a vast amount of pure fire energy and compressed it into an inner core.

It was specifically meant to temper the Indestructible Diamond Body.

And when this divine spell was unleashed through magical power, its flames could rival ultimate fire in might.

This flame technique happened to counter Chrysanthemum Douluo's martial soul.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's gaze darkened further.

"Very well. Whoever you are, since you came here, don't even think about leaving."

He raised both hands. The golden chrysanthemum spun to its limit in his palms, while a dazzling golden sphere of light condensed at its center.

"Eighth soul skill, Gate of Holy Light."

The golden sphere transformed into a thick beam of light and blasted toward Dugu Bo.

Scorching heat radiated from the beam's edges, dragging a charred trail across the ground.

Dugu Bo's expression changed.

He raised his hands, gathering dark green light before him.

"Ninth soul skill, Jade Phosphorous Divine Light."

A dark green beam shot from his palms and collided with the golden beam in midair.

The instant the two forces clashed, a massive shockwave erupted throughout the valley. The ground shook violently, and shattered stones were blasted dozens of meters into the air.

The golden beam continuously suppressed the dark green beam. Dugu Bo's body was slowly forced backward, his feet carving two deep trenches into the earth.

Bai Yi saw everything clearly from within the poisonous miasma.

Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphorous Divine Light was an area attack, its power spread across the entire region, while Chrysanthemum Douluo's Gate of Holy Light was a single-target attack, with all its force concentrated on one line.

That was why, when soul skills of the same level collided, Dugu Bo was being suppressed.

He gripped the Golden Cudgel in his palm and silently thought, Grow.

The Golden Cudgel began expanding in his hand.

Its might and weight grew along with it.

He poured all of his remaining magical power into it. Flames clung to the staff, while golden lightning coiled around the outer edge of the fire.

Lightning and fire intertwined, making the Golden Cudgel shine with a dazzling light.

Then he hurled it toward Chrysanthemum Douluo.

The Golden Cudgel continued growing in midair. By the time its diameter exceeded dozens of meters, it had blocked out the entire sky above Chrysanthemum Douluo.

Like a towering golden pillar descending from the heavens and earth, it crushed downward with thunderous fire and the weight to flatten everything.

When Chrysanthemum Douluo looked up and saw the giant pillar, his pupils contracted violently.

He sensed an aura from the staff that made his heart tremble.

That aura reminded him of some very unpleasant memories.

The terror of being struck by the Clear Sky Hammer back then.

He wanted to dodge.

But the staff descended even faster than he had expected.

A flash of golden light flickered over his body.

Immobilization Technique.

It only restrained him for an instant, but that was enough.

The gigantic Golden Cudgel crashed down.

With a deafening boom, the entire valley trembled.

A massive crater was smashed into the ground. The shockwave toppled swathes of trees around it, while broken stones and soil were hurled into the air before raining back down.

Dust filled the air, obscuring the bottom of the crater.

After a moment, the dust gradually dispersed.

Dugu Bo stood where he was, staring blankly as the towering golden pillar slowly shrank back to its normal size and flew into Bai Yi's hand.

For a moment, he had truly believed that the adult man was a Title Douluo.

He had nearly thought that ten-year-old Bai Yi was merely an old monster in disguise.

But reason told him that Bai Yi had been the only person to enter the spring forty-nine days ago.

Bai Yi held the Golden Cudgel, now restored to its normal size. Exhaustion surged through his limbs, nearly making him lose his footing.

That strike had almost drained all of his magical power.

The dust slowly cleared.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's figure appeared at the center of the crater.

More than half of his golden robe had been torn apart, his hair hung loose, and blood stained the corner of his mouth.

His left arm dangled at an unnatural angle, as though it had been broken.

He slowly rose from the bottom of the crater, his eyes fixed on Bai Yi with wariness and fury.

"Who exactly are you?" His voice was hoarse.

Bai Yi did not answer him.

Chrysanthemum Douluo stared fixedly at the Golden Cudgel in Bai Yi's hand, then looked at the unfamiliar adult face.

He recognized the shape of that staff.

Spirit Hall had previously investigated Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Their records mentioned a ten-year-old genius student whose martial soul was a golden staff.

This person should be an elder from that genius's family.

A hidden Title Douluo.

Chrysanthemum Douluo calculated quickly in his mind.

That earlier strike had been terrifying in momentum, but the actual damage it dealt was lighter than he had expected.

Several of his bones were broken, and he had expended a fair amount of Soul Power, but his foundation had not been harmed.

And an attack of that caliber should not be something the other party could unleash repeatedly.

With that thought, Chrysanthemum Guan raised his hand again, and golden light gathered once more.

"Ninth Soul Skill, Chrysanthemum Withers, Wounds Cover the Ground, Flowers Fall and Hearts Break."

The golden chrysanthemum shattered in midair into countless petals, transforming into a massive golden tornado that spread outward in all directions.

The tornado engulfed the entire valley. Loose stones were swept into it, trees were uprooted, and the golden storm completely obscured everything from view.

"That damned Chrysanthemum Guan."

Dugu Bo cursed as he turned and ran, diving back into the depths of the poisonous miasma.

Bai Yi retreated swiftly, using his last trace of magical power to activate Copper Head and Iron Arms.

The golden storm swept past him. Countless petals sliced across his body, leaving wound after wound on his skin as blood flowed without stop.

Once the storm subsided, Chrysanthemum Douluo was nowhere to be seen.

He had obviously fled.

Bai Yi collapsed onto the ground, as though every ounce of strength had been drained from him.

Dozens of horrifying bloody wounds covered his body, large and small, yet they were visibly stopping their bleeding and healing at an astonishing speed.

Bai Yi looked up at the sky and laughed.

"A Titled Douluo's attack... was that all?"

The effects of the Indestructible Diamond Body were even more outrageous than he had expected.

Those below the level of Titled Douluo could almost never pose a fatal threat to him now.

Dugu Bo emerged from the depths of the poisonous miasma, panting heavily.

He had dodged quickly earlier, so his injuries were not serious. Only a few places on his clothes had been torn, and his hair was somewhat disheveled.

He stopped before Bai Yi, looked down at him lying on the ground, his expression complicated.

Dugu Bo remained silent for a while before finally speaking.

"What kind of monster are you, kid?"

Bai Yi lay still on the ground. He had already exhausted all his strength.

He could no longer maintain the body of an adult man and reverted to his original ten-year-old appearance.

The Golden Cudgel shrank to the size of an embroidery needle and fell onto the ground beside him. He did not even have the strength to reach out and pick it up.

His voice was somewhat weak, but his tone remained lazy.

"What, regretting making a deal with me?"

Dugu Bo held it in for a long time before finally letting out a sigh.

"Now I really feel that I'm old."