Battle Qiangu Zhangting

"Greetings, may I ask if you are Great-Grandfather Qiangu Dieting?"

Qiangu Dieting was slightly taken aback; he had not expected this great-grandson, whom he had never met, to know who he was.

He had been coaxed out of seclusion not long ago by his son, Qiangu Dongfeng, specifically to pass down the Indomitable Staff Technique that their clan took such pride in to Qian Jue and the others.

Qiangu Dieting knew Qiangu Dongfeng's temperament well; if it were not for something of great importance, Qiangu Dongfeng would never have disturbed his closed-door cultivation.

"Did your grandfather tell you I was coming?"

"No, Grandfather has been busy lately and hasn't come to see me."

Qian Jue shook his head. His grandfather had chosen to return to the public eye for his sake and was currently serving as a Spirit Pagoda councilor for the Skysea Alliance. With so many official duties, they hadn't met in quite some time.

"It's hard to sense from a distance, but now that you are close, I can clearly see that 'momentum' upon you, Great-Grandfather."

"It is very similar to the indomitable will of the Coiling Dragon Staff, only the intensity differs."

Qian Jue stopped in his tracks and looked up at Qiangu Dieting. Within his field of vision, a golden Evil-Breaking Dragon was coiled around the man's body.

It was as if he had become the very embodiment of the Coiling Dragon Staff.

If he had to describe it specifically, if his grandfather Qiangu Qingfeng was a deep, purgatorial abyss, then the Qiangu Dieting before him was a dormant volcano, suppressing an unknown amount of fury, ready to erupt at any moment and unleash a power capable of destroying the heavens and the earth.

Qiangu Dieting stroked his beard and laughed, his delight undisguised: "Hahaha, my Qiangu clan has worthy successors indeed."

"Child, this is your older brother, Qiangu Zhangting."

The youth stood with his arms crossed over his chest, a look of extreme confidence on his face. Faced with his great-grandfather's introduction, he extended his right hand, albeit reluctantly:

"Please, treat me well."

"Likewise."

Qian Jue unobtrusively sized up this convenient older brother of his.

In the original story, he seemed quite fond of Gu Yuena, and Qiangu Dongfeng had intended to play matchmaker between his good grandson and Gu Yuena to help Qiangu Zhangting earn some merit.

After all, the Spirit Pagoda's greatest research achievements at the time were the Myriad Beast Platform and the man-made ten-thousand-year spirit souls, both developed by Gu Yuena based on spirit beast data and God Realm fragments.

Back then, Gu Yuena's prestige throughout the entire Spirit Pagoda was at its zenith, making Qiangu Zhangting seem far inferior by comparison.

The outcome was as expected; the lineage of Qiangu Dongfeng was essentially fleeced of everything by Gu Yuena. His grandfather and the current Pagoda Master were killed in battle, and they weren't even granted a resurrection.

In the end, this once high-spirited young genius was driven to madness early on.

Qiangu Zhangting was highly perceptive; he caught the flash of pity and regret in Qian Jue's eyes.

Damn it, are you pitying me?

From a young age, Qiangu Zhangting had displayed extraordinary talent, and many believed he would be the next Pagoda Master.

His grandfather loved him dearly, helping him as much as he could with his cultivation and even setting aside time to personally teach him the meaning of the Coiling Dragon's indomitable spirit.

Qiangu Zhangting had originally assumed his life would continue on this smooth, unobstructed path.

Until the appearance of Qian Jue.

His doting grandfather had gone so far as to personally beg his own father to come out of seclusion to teach Qian Jue the true essence of the Coiling Dragon.

Worse still, there were rumors that once Qian Jue matured, Qiangu Dongfeng might abdicate and pass the position of Pagoda Master to him.

Those who fawned over power had gradually drifted away from him, and even those who remained were no longer as attentive as before.

"I heard that my younger brother grasped the intent of the Coiling Dragon Staff a few days ago. I have only just managed to touch its edge. Since our great-grandfather is here today, I hope you will not hesitate to enlighten me and offer some pointers," Qiangu Zhangting said with a light chuckle.

Broken through to staff momentum at six and attained the rudiments of staff intent?

His great-grandfather might believe it, and his grandfather might believe it, but he did not!

He would test it; if he lost, he would accept it with grace.

"Sure, let's head to the academy's martial arts arena. It's spacious enough for us to stretch our legs," Qian Jue replied simply and decisively, having no such complicated thoughts.

It was perfect, having a seasoned Limit Douluo—and one hailed as the number one in explosive power, Qiangu Dieting—watching from the sidelines.

Perhaps he could point out the flaws in this nascent stage of his staff intent?

Qiangu Dieting was not displeased by their challenge; on the contrary, he was quite supportive:

"Hahaha, as the saying goes, one makes friends through fighting. Qian Jue, watch closely; your brother Zhangting's Indomitable Staff Technique was taught to him personally by his grandfather."

"When I teach you later, we shall see just how much you are able to comprehend."

"I wonder if the Captain can beat that guy later. I have a feeling that kid Qiangu Zhangting is up to no good," Xie Xie said, walking at the front on the way back to the villa.

"Are you so sure Qiangu Zhangting is going to sabotage the Captain?"

Xie Xie glanced at Wang Jinxi, looking entirely confident. "You commoners don't understand the ways of the great clans. That kid looks like he's been pampered his whole life, and now that our Captain has appeared out of nowhere and snatched away his resources and the spotlight, this challenge is clearly born of resentment."

"Then isn't the Captain in danger?" Tang Wulin asked, looking somewhat worried.

Gu Yue and Na'er, however, remained calm. They were both of the opinion that Qiangu Zhangting was absolutely no match for Qian Jue.

"That grandfather of Qian Jue's is, after all, the previous Spirit Pagoda Master, Qiangu Dieting."

"Is he really that formidable?"

"Mhm. As far as I know, he was already a Limit Douluo decades ago. After all these years, he's only grown stronger."

Gu Yue's response finally allowed everyone to set their anxious hearts at ease.

That was a Limit Douluo—the true pinnacle of the continent, a living myth within the soul master world.

Every single Limit Douluo was a legendary figure.

If a Limit Douluo were overseeing things, and no exceptionally powerful opponent or force majeure—like a natural disaster—appeared, then for there to still be casualties, that Limit Douluo might as well just go die.

They would be nothing more than pure trash.

On the other side, at the Eastsea Academy martial arts arena.

Qiangu Zhangting summoned his Coiling Dragon Staff, and three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—emerged from beneath his feet, pulsing around his body.

His Evil-Breaking Dragon resided within the Coiling Dragon Staff, and as he gripped the weapon, a powerful, heaven-defying aura erupted from his entire being.

In comparison, Qian Jue's side seemed somewhat meager.

Although his mutated Coiling Dragon Staff didn't lose out to the original in appearance, it lacked an attached soul spirit, leaving it slightly wanting in terms of outward splendor.

But who was Qiangu Dieting?

In today's world, aside from the likes of Yun Ming and Chen Xinjie, other Limit Douluos were merely his peers.

At a single glance, he discerned the difference in the intent of "indomitability" between the two.

"Please, enlighten me!"

As soon as the words fell, Qiangu Zhangting struck first, sweeping his staff horizontally with the force of a thousand jun.

Qian Jue stood his ground, unmoving, like a towering mountain.

Then, he swung his staff with a light flick.

Whoosh!!!

A gale swept across the arena, and the sound of metal clashing against metal rang out as the two Coiling Dragon Staffs collided.

An irresistible force surged from the staff, causing Qiangu Zhangting's expression to change; he was forced to use a soul skill to resist.

As his soul rings flashed, Qiangu Zhangting exerted his strength, amplified by the skill, and forcibly pushed Qian Jue back.

Pressing his advantage, he struck while the iron was hot.

Before Qian Jue could steady himself, Qiangu Zhangting took a fierce step forward, his Coiling Dragon Staff expanding until it resembled a Sky Pillar, smashing toward Qian Jue with an aura that seemed rejected by heaven and earth.

Indomitable Staff Technique, First Form: Battle Heaven Fight Earth!