The Hell White Tiger's earthshaking roar and its reckless, ferocious pounce struck everyone in the square like a heavy hammer.
After a brief, deathly silence, the viewing stands erupted.
"What... what's he doing?"
"Didn't he just admit he lost the one-on-one fight? Why did he suddenly attack again?!"
"This is outrageous!"
"Heh, he put on such a show earlier, but it turns out he's a sore loser!"
An old marquis dressed in finery was so furious that his beard trembled. He sprang to his feet and shouted,
"No grace! No honor! Our Star Luo Empire was founded on martial strength, and we prize martial virtue above all else. Dai Mubai's actions have brought utter disgrace upon the imperial family!"
A chorus of agreement rose around him. Countless nobles pointed at Dai Mubai on the arena, their words full of contempt and disdain.
They had just witnessed the eldest prince's overwhelming strength and were thoroughly convinced of his superiority. Dai Mubai's behavior, so close to a sneak attack and outright cheating, instantly set their anger ablaze.
Yet beside the imperial throne, Prince Cheng's eyes suddenly flashed with a brilliant light.
His face, ashen after Dai Mubai's crushing defeat, now took on a sickly flush.
He stared fixedly at the black-and-gold streak of light hurtling toward Dai Weisi, his clenched fists so tight that every knuckle turned white.
The victor became king; the defeated became a bandit!
As long as this strike succeeded, as long as it could grievously wound Dai Weisi or even... kill him! Then all the infamy would be no more than passing clouds.
History, after all, was written by the victors!
"Dai Weisi!"
A piercing feminine cry rang out.
On the other side of the arena, Zhu Zhuyun's expression had changed drastically the moment Dai Mubai unleashed his Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Almost without hesitation, she channeled her Soul Power and became an afterimage, trying to rush to Dai Weisi and complete their fusion.
But she was a step too slow.
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's fusion was unimaginably fast. From the roar to the pounce, the entire sequence flowed like water, leaving no one any time to react.
Zhu Zhuyun could only watch helplessly as the enormous Hell White Tiger, radiating a terrifying presence, charged right up to Dai Weisi with the force of a killing blow!
Kill him! Kill him!
Dai Mubai, fused within the Hell White Tiger, now had his consciousness ruled by a violent killing intent.
The agonizing pain in his chest, the pressure of the struggle for the throne, and his fear of death had all become fuel for this fatal strike!
He could almost see Dai Weisi being torn to pieces beneath the claws of the mutated Hell White Tiger, infused with the medicinal power of an Immortal Herb!
Yet, faced with a strike powerful enough to make any Soul Emperor blanch, the smile on Dai Weisi's face did not change in the slightest.
He did not even move a single step.
At the instant the tiger's claws, flashing with a chilling light, were about to reach his face, Dai Weisi finally moved.
"Martial Soul Possession."
The four softly spoken words reached the Hell White Tiger's ears clearly.
"Hum-!"
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black! Five Soul Rings shot up from beneath Dai Weisi's feet with an immensely oppressive force!
His Soul Power, moreover, was at level sixty!
No! More than that!
With Martial Soul Possession, Dai Weisi's body instantly grew taller, his muscles bulged, and his brilliant golden hair stirred without wind.
Unlike Dai Mubai's, his White Tiger Possession carried an indescribable sanctity and majesty.
It was as if he were not a beast of the mortal world, but a divine tiger from the heavens!
His First Soul Ring suddenly shone!
"White Tiger Protection Barrier!"
An incomparably solid dome of white light appeared in an instant.
But that was not all!
The instant the dome formed, a brilliant golden light, as weighty as the earth itself, burst from beneath the clothing over Dai Weisi's chest!
The golden light and the white light of the White Tiger Protection Barrier shone against each other. In the blink of an eye, a golden dome covered in ancient, mysterious turtle-shell patterns perfectly overlapped the white one!
The Golden Hawksbill Turtle's torso bone, Soul Bone Skill-Golden Shell Defense Domain!
"Boom-!!!!"
The Hell White Tiger's claws, sharp enough to split mountains and shatter stone, finally slammed into the double barrier!
This time, the boom was even more violent! A terrifying storm of force erupted from the point of impact, turning into a shockwave visible to the naked eye that swept wildly in every direction!
The entire solid arena shook violently. Savage cracks spread like a spiderweb, and dust shot into the air, completely enveloping the center of the arena and swallowing both figures.
Everyone in the square staggered under the shockwave. Those with weaker cultivation were even knocked straight to the ground.
Everyone stared fixedly at the thick dust, their hearts in their throats.
"This... this is the Hell White Tiger!"
"It fused a Soul King and a Soul Ancestor. The power of that strike must be approaching a full-strength blow from a Power Attack System Soul Emperor!"
"The eldest prince is strong, but he's still only one person... He wouldn't..."
"Shut up! His Highness the eldest prince is unmatched under heaven. How could anything happen to him?!"
The discussion was full of astonishment and uncertainty.
Clearly, even those who had the most confidence in Dai Weisi had sweaty palms now.
That was the legendary Martial Soul Fusion Skill, synonymous with challenging opponents above one's level!
Prince Cheng craned his neck, his eyes as wide as copper bells, wishing he could see through the dust at once.
The dust slowly settled.
The scene in the arena gradually came into view.
The first thing they saw was the enormous Hell White Tiger, still poised in its forward pounce.
Then...
"Heavens! Look! The eldest prince!"
Someone let out a cry of disbelief.
Every gaze instantly focused beneath the Hell White Tiger's claws.
The dust cleared completely.
Dai Weisi was still standing where he had been.
The obsidian floor beneath his feet had been utterly pulverized, forming a huge crater, but not even the hem of his clothes had torn.
He had simply crossed his arms in front of him.
The Hell White Tiger's claws, sharp enough to tear through refined steel, were pressed firmly against his arms, unable to advance another inch!
The double barrier had long since shattered.
With his own body of flesh and blood, he had forcibly blocked the Hell White Tiger's killing blow!
"Hiss-"
The sound of people drawing sharp breaths rose and fell across the square, joining into one.
Everyone felt their minds could no longer keep up.
That was the Hell White Tiger!
How could he... how could he have blocked it with just his arms?!
On the imperial throne, the Star Luo Emperor, who had remained expressionless all along, suddenly leaned forward, a frightening light bursting from his eyes.
In the arena, time seemed to stop at that moment.
Inside the Hell White Tiger, Dai Mubai's mind went completely blank.
He could clearly feel another powerful force coming through the tiger's claws!
Impossible!
That's absolutely impossible!
The indestructible body granted by the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, combined with the suppleness of Zhu Zhuqing's Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone and amplified by their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, had brought their strength to an inconceivable level!
Why... why was he still able to block it so easily?
Just then, an entirely different presence slowly radiated from Dai Weisi.
That presence was no longer merely domineering and fierce.
It was a sense of holiness... full of radiance and majesty!
Before this presence, the White Tiger Martial Soul he was so proud of felt a trace of... reverence from the depths of its bloodline?!
Dai Mubai jolted awake!
He finally understood! The problem lay not with Soul Power or Soul Bones, but with the most fundamental thing of all: the Martial Soul!
"You..."
A roar full of shock and bewilderment came from the Hell White Tiger's mouth.
"Your Martial Soul... this sacred presence... what exactly is it?!"