Silence filled the Great Soul Arena.
The silence lasted several breaths before deafening cheers erupted.
"A crushing victory! That was a complete crushing victory!"
"Yu Tianming is terrifyingly strong! He defeated Ming Yunze without even using a Soul Skill!"
"A ten-thousand-year second Soul Ring... he's an absolutely unprecedented genius!"
Discussion swept through the stands, countless burning gazes focusing on Yu Tianming.
Inside the private box, the three education committee members exchanged looks, their eyes full of shock.
Before this, they had not known that Yu Tianming's second Soul Ring was a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring either.
Meng Shenji drew a deep breath and said slowly, "This boy... is terrifying indeed."
Bai Baoshan nodded in agreement. "To think the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan produced such a monster. They may have a chance to rise another step in the future!"
Zhi Lin's gaze was deep. "It seems the continent is about to enter a new era."
In the spectator stands.
Zhou Yin's face was livid, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. He stared fixedly at Tie Zhan and said through gritted teeth, "You... this isn't fair!"
Tie Zhan scoffed. "Zhou Yin, just say so if you can't take a loss."
"Tianming and the others' strength is right there for everyone to see. What else do you have to say?"
Zhou Yin was speechless, his face alternating between red and white.
His defeated students hung their heads even lower, all their earlier arrogance gone.
The referee announced loudly, "The match is over! Teacher Tie Zhan's team wins!"
The entire arena erupted once more.
Yu Tianming withdrew his Martial Soul and walked to the edge of the platform, looking down at Ming Yunze, who was leaning against a pillar below. His gaze was like someone looking at an insignificant clown.
Ming Yunze slumped beside the pillar, his chest heaving violently, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
He raised his head to look at Yu Tianming standing high above him. Disbelief first flashed through his eyes, then turned into towering fury.
Yu Tianming's gaze had dealt a severe blow to his pride!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Ming Yunze suddenly roared, his voice trembling with distortion. "How could a Soul Grandmaster withstand a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring? You must have used some evil art!"
An uproar immediately broke out in the stands.
At those words.
"A frog at the bottom of a well." Yu Tianming merely shook his head lightly.
He slowly walked down from the platform, each step seeming to tread on Ming Yunze's dignity.
"You look pathetic when you can't take a loss." Yu Tianheng also walked to the edge of the platform, folding his arms and looking at Ming Yunze with a cold smile.
Dugu Yan went further, jumping straight off the platform and walking up to Ming Yunze. Her emerald-green snake pupils looked down imperiously at him. "Dare slander Tianming again, and I'll make life miserable for your entire family!"
Ming Yunze's face instantly turned the color of pig liver.
Then he lowered his head, not daring to say a word, as though a basin of cold water had been poured over him.
Seeing this.
Dugu Yan gave him a contemptuous look, twisted her slender, snakelike waist, and turned to leave.
Yu Tianming and the others returned to Tie Zhan's side. The surrounding students' gazes had already shifted from shock to reverence.
Tie Zhan patted Yu Tianming on the shoulder, his eyes full of gratification. "Good lad! You've really made your teacher proud!"
Yu Tianming smiled faintly.
Just then, Zhou Yin approached with a dark expression, his dejected students following behind him.
He stared at Tie Zhan and said coldly, "You got lucky this time, but don't think you can keep gloating forever."
Tie Zhan retorted without the slightest courtesy, "Zhou Yin, you lost, so hurry up and get the hell out. Stop skulking around in front of me. You make me sick!"
Zhou Yin's expression stiffened. He snorted coldly, then turned and left with his students.
In the stands, the discussions continued unabated.
"Just where did that Yu Tianming come from? A ten-thousand-year second Soul Ring-simply unheard of!" Some people still did not know Yu Tianming's identity.
"I heard he's the young clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
After the match ended, word of Yu Tianming's ten-thousand-year second Soul Ring and stunning performance soon spread throughout Heaven Dou City.
The various powers also received the news and sprang into action.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi stood by the window, holding an intelligence report, his brows slightly furrowed. "A ten-thousand-year second Soul Ring... to think Yu Tianming's talent was this great. I underestimated him before."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin said calmly, "It isn't just Yu Tianming. The other six all have thousand-year second Soul Rings too. This is certainly no coincidence."
"They must have a special method that lets them absorb Soul Rings beyond their limits."
Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment, then said, "Send people to investigate, especially the recent movements of Yu Tianming, his companions, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Two hours later.
A scout reported, "Sect Master, Yu Tianming, Dugu Yan, and the others have all purchased aged whale rubber. Over the past year, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has been buying medicinal substances in large quantities, including aged whale rubber."
A sharp gleam flashed through Ning Fengzhi's eyes. "Whale rubber? So that's it..."
Spirit Hall.
Inside the Pope's Hall, Bibi Dong sat high upon her throne, her fingertips tapping lightly against the armrest, her voice icy. "A ten-thousand-year second Soul Ring? Yu Yuanzhen's grandson?"
Ghost Douluo Gui Mei said quietly, "According to our scouts' reports, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has secretly purchased large quantities of thousand-year whale rubber over the past year, including even several pieces of ten-thousand-year quality."
Bibi Dong sneered. "No wonder... it seems whale rubber isn't just an aphrodisiac."
She slowly rose and gave her orders. "Pass down my command. All those under Spirit Hall are to spare no effort in purchasing whale rubber. Assign people to research it. We must discover the method of using whale rubber to strengthen the physique."
"Also, send people to watch Yu Tianming. If an opportunity arises... assassinate him outright!"
At those words.
Gui Mei's expression changed.
"Your Holiness, Yu Tianming is the young clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. His status is unusual. If we assassinate him, we will certainly make a complete enemy of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Would that..."
"Would that not be somewhat inappropriate?"
Bibi Dong glanced at Gui Mei, her voice neither loud nor soft. "And what of it?"
"Spirit Hall has more than a dozen Titled Douluos, while the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has only Yu Yuanzhen. They can't stir up any real waves."
As she spoke,
Bibi Dong's gaze turned cold.
"Besides, sooner or later, I will destroy the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
Gui Mei nodded. "Understood."
Yu Yuanzhen stood atop True Dragon Mountain with his hands behind his back, his long robes snapping in the wind.
Behind him, three black-clad scouts knelt on one knee, reporting the latest intelligence.
"Reporting to the Clan Leader: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has already dispatched three purchasing teams to Vast Sea City, Eastsea City, and other major coastal cities."
"Bishop Salas of Spirit Hall secretly met with the heads of three auction houses this morning."
"The Zhu Family and the imperial family of the Star Luo Empire, as well as the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, have all sent people to contact the whale rubber suppliers we work with in the south."
The Third Elder snorted coldly. "These hyenas came running as soon as they caught the scent."
Lightning flashed in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes.
"As expected. Before, we could still barely keep it hidden. Now that Yu Tianming and the others have revealed their Soul Rings, all the major powers are investigating. There's no hiding whale rubber's true uses."
"Clan Leader, won't this..." The Third Elder hesitated.
"It doesn't matter."
The corners of Yu Yuanzhen's mouth curved upward.
"More than ninety percent of the thousand-year whale rubber and ten-thousand-year whale glue on the market has already fallen into our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's hands. Let them fight over what little remains."
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had already seized every advantage of moving first and had no fear of exposure at all.