Chapter 49: Caliber is Justice, Range is Truth! A Quantum Storm That Captures the Soul in One Shot
Wuhun City, the square in front of the Papal Palace.
The sunlight today was exceptionally bright, as if even the heavens were holding their breath for the upcoming epic showdown. As the venue for the finals of the Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academies, everything here exuded the supreme majesty of the Spirit Hall. The arena was entirely constructed of solid granite and reinforced with soul-guided defensive formations. Directly in front stood the majestic Papal Palace, and atop its high steps sat a platinum chair symbolizing supreme power.
That is the Pope's throne.
As a long, drawn-out horn blast pierced the sky, the heavy, gilded doors of the Papal Palace slowly opened. "His Holiness the Pope has arrived—!"
Surrounded by a group of cardinals, the woman who struck fear into the hearts of the entire Soul Master world stepped forward. Bibi Dong. She wore a long, shimmering gold gown, a purple-gold crown, and her scepter gleamed with jeweled light. Her beauty was flawless; time seemed to have left no trace on her face, only bestowing upon her unparalleled nobility and majesty. But only a very few could perceive that deep within those seemingly calm eyes lay a madness capable of devouring the world.
"Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope!" On the square, thousands of Soul Masters, including the contestants, knelt on one knee in salute.
However, among this sea of black people, a few stood out. Tang San of Shrek Academy, driven by his hatred for the Spirit Hall, only bowed slightly. Ye Feng of the All-Star Team, on the other hand, stood ramrod straight, not only refraining from kneeling but also looking up with interest, staring directly at Bibi Dong on the platform without any attempt to hide his gaze.
"How dare you!" a cardinal shouted sternly. "Anyone who refuses to kneel before the Pope should be executed!"
Bibi Dong raised her hand, silencing her subordinates' agitation. Her pale purple eyes pierced through the hundred-meter void, landing on the unruly youth. Last night, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo returned in disarray, bringing news that shocked even her—two Title Douluos working together had failed to kill a Soul Master, and had instead been forced back. Although Sword Douluo's intervention played a role, the youth's performance was enough to warrant her attention.
"You are Ye Feng?" Bibi Dong's voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly in everyone's ears, carrying an irresistible magic.
"It is indeed this junior." Ye Feng leaned on his black umbrella with one hand, a signature lazy smile on his lips. "I heard that the Spirit Hall is hospitable, and I experienced that firsthand in the canyon a few days ago. Seeing the Pope's demeanor today, it is indeed... well-deserved."
The sarcasm in those words was obvious to anyone with a modicum of intelligence. He was subtly mocking the ambush in the canyon!
Ning Fengzhi, sitting in the VIP section, felt a jolt in his eyelids, thinking to himself: This kid's audacity is off the charts. Bibi Dong wasn't angry; instead, she revealed a meaningful smile. "It's good that young people have such spirit. I hope that on the stage, your strength matches your words." "Let the match begin."
The lottery ceremony.
The first round of the finals is an elimination tournament. As the seeded teams of the two great empires, the All-Round Team and the Star Luo Royal Academy Team directly entered the top ten with a bye, but they still need to draw lots to determine their opponents.
Whether it was fate or manipulation by the Spirit Hall, the Cardinal loudly announced the matchups for the first game: "Match One: All-Round Team vs. Star Luo Royal Academy Team!"
The entire arena erupted in uproar. This was a true clash of titans! The Star Luo Royal Team was the face of the Star Luo Empire, and their captain, Davis, was Dai Mubai's older brother, possessing the top-tier White Tiger Martial Soul with a soul power level of forty-nine! The Full-Time Team, on the other hand, was a dark horse that had been on a winning streak.
"Heh, looks like we're in luck." In the Star Luo team's rest area, a tall, blond-haired youth stood up. Davis. He had his arm around Zhu Zhuyun, who had an extremely hot figure and charming eyes, and looked at Ye Feng with disdain. "I heard this team is full of beauties? Only the captain is a pretty boy? Zhuyun, looks like we can have some 'fun' today."
Zhu Zhuyun licked her red lips, her nails instantly growing longer and hissing as they sliced through the air. "That kid named Ye Feng is yours. As for the rest of the women... I'll slash their faces."
...
On the arena.
Both teams entered the arena. The Star Luo Royal Team appeared imposing, the seven members lined up in a row, their soul power surging, all possessing the best soul ring configurations. Davis and Zhu Zhuyun stood at the very front, their domineering aura unique to royalty unmistakable.
In contrast, the full-time team, including Shui Bing'er and Dugu Yan, did not immediately form an array, even though they also released their martial souls. Instead, they seemed somewhat... careless? They even took a few steps back, leaving Ye Feng standing alone at the forefront.
"Captain, how should we play this round?" Leng Qianqian blew on her nails and asked softly.
Ye Feng looked up at the sky, then at the arrogant Davis opposite him. He stretched, took out a pair of specially made sunglasses from his storage soul tool, and put them on. "No need to trouble yourself." "I'm in a hurry; I need to go back and catch up on some sleep." "You guys step back fifty meters, and remember to cover your ears."
Upon hearing this, the women immediately understood. They looked at the other side with sympathetic expressions, then quickly retreated, setting up ice walls and poisonous mist in front of them for protection.
"Huh? Back off?" Davis paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Ye Feng, are you scared out of your wits? You think you can take on our whole team by yourself? With that broken stick of yours?"
"A broken stick?" Ye Feng gently stroked the Thousand Chance Umbrella in his hand, his eyes gradually turning cold. "A frog in a well, how can it know the greatness of the Industrial Revolution?" "Since you're so eager to die, then I'll grant your wish."
Buzz—! The spirit rings beneath Ye Feng's feet suddenly lit up. Yellow, purple, purple... The moment the fourth spirit ring appeared, the laughter from the entire audience abruptly ceased.
Black. Deep black. Not only black, but crackling purple arcs of electricity and spatial ripples that distorted the view were also swirling around the spirit ring. A terrifying pressure from an ancient ferocious beast instantly swept across the entire plaza.
"That's... a ten-thousand-year spirit ring?!" On the stands, Yu Xiaogang suddenly stood up, staring intently at the spirit ring, his eyes filled with disbelief. "Impossible! The limit for a fourth spirit ring is five thousand years! How could he absorb a ten-thousand-year one? And judging by its color... it's at least twenty thousand years old!" "This violates the theory of spirit masters!"
Not only Yu Xiaogang, but even Bibi Dong sat up slightly. A fourth ring after twenty thousand years? Is this kid made of iron?
On the arena, Davis, facing this oppressive aura, instantly turned deathly pale. The overwhelming pressure from his bloodline caused even his White Tiger Martial Soul to tremble. "Quick! Attack! Don't let him build up his power!" Davis, a seasoned veteran, reacted immediately. "Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Netherworld White Tiger!"
Roar—! Davis and Zhu Zhuyun instantly embraced, unleashing a burst of intense soul power. A gigantic white tiger, over eight meters long, appeared out of thin air, charging towards Ye Feng with an aura capable of crushing everything in its path.
"Too slow." Ye Feng stood still, not moving an inch. He simply raised the Thousand Chance Umbrella in his hand.
"Thousand-Machine Umbrella, Refill System Activated." "Target Locked: Netherworld White Tiger." "Calculate wind speed, humidity, soul force resistance..." "Plan: Firepower Covert."
Click-click-click-click—! A series of sickeningly loud, yet mechanically beautiful, metallic sounds of transformation echoed throughout the arena. Before the horrified eyes of countless onlookers, the black umbrella instantly disintegrated and reformed. The umbrella ribs transformed into massive hydraulic supports, the canopy folded into cooling fins, and at its core, a two-meter-long, astonishingly caliber, black cannon barrel was revealed! Around the barrel, complex energy conduits coiled, within which purple lightning surged wildly.
Thousand Manifestations Umbrella - Gunner Form - Handheld Heavy Cannon!
Ye Feng hoisted the heavy cannon barrel onto his shoulder and aimed at the charging Netherworld White Tiger with one eye. "At this distance, any maneuvering is futile." "Caliber is justice, range is truth." "That's my principle!"
Third Soul Skill: Charged Laser Cannon! (Modified version: Utilizing the lightning amplification of the third soul ring, combined with the energy-gathering structure of the cannon barrel)
Zzzzt—Buzz! A blinding sphere of light instantly coalesced at the cannon's muzzle. The next second, an incredibly thick, scorching beam of light, carrying devastating heat and penetrating power, shot out!
Boom!!! The beam struck the Netherworld White Tiger head-on. The behemoth, hailed as invincible among its peers, let out a miserable cry the instant it came into contact with the laser. Its proud protective soul aura was pierced through instantly, as if made of paper. The enormous impact sent it flying, tracing an arc through the air before crashing heavily into the protective shield at the edge of the arena.
"Pfft!" The Martial Soul Fusion Skill was instantly shattered. Davis and Zhu Zhuyun fell from the sky, their bodies charred black and spitting blood.
The entire arena fell silent. One move. Just one move, and it shattered the Star Luo Royal Family's Martial Soul Fusion Technique? What kind of monster is this? What kind of weapon is that? A soul tool? No, no soul tool could possess such power!
"It's not over yet." Ye Feng didn't lower the cannon. He looked at the Star Luo team members who were still struggling to get up and shook his head. "It would have been better to lie down, why did you have to get up and suffer?"
The fourth spirit ring beneath his feet—that jet-black, ten-thousand-year-old spirit ring—suddenly lit up. A suffocating spatial fluctuation instantly locked onto the entire arena.
"Let me show you what... art is." Ye Feng's finger pulled the trigger. But he didn't fire at anyone; instead, he pointed the cannon vertically towards the sky.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Quantum Bomb!" (Principle: Utilizing the spatial attributes of the Purple Lightning Void Dragon, a miniature wormhole is opened at an altitude of thousands of meters to deliver a high-density compressed soul power bomb.)
Whoosh—! A huge warhead, glowing with an eerie blue light, shot out from the cannon and disappeared into the clouds.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
Just as everyone was wondering what he was doing, a black dot suddenly appeared in the sky. Immediately afterward, a piercing shriek, like the whistle of death, came from overhead, growing louder and sharper!
"What is that…" Davis looked up, his pupils instantly shrinking to pinpoints. A massive missile, three meters long and wreathed in terrifying lightning, was plummeting vertically with the force of destruction! Target: The center of the arena!
"Defend! Defend now!" The remaining members of the Star Luo team frantically unleashed their soul skills, trying to erect a shield.
Boom! ...
The deafening roar was indescribable. It was like the sky had collapsed. For a moment, everyone's ears went deaf. Then, a huge, magnificent, yet deadly mushroom cloud rose into the air above the arena. The violent shockwave, mixed with lightning and flames, instantly engulfed the entire arena. If the cardinals of the Spirit Hall hadn't intervened in time to reinforce the protective barrier, even the spectators in the front rows would likely have been affected.
The earth trembled. The glass windows of the Papal Palace were buzzing.
After a long while, the smoke and dust dissipated. Everyone gasped in shock.
The once impenetrable granite arena has now been transformed into a massive crater tens of meters in diameter. At the bottom of the crater lies scorched earth, still crackling with residual radioactive current. The seven members of the Star Luo Royal Team lie sprawled haphazardly along the edge of the crater. Their clothes are tattered, their hair is styled in an afro, and they are foaming at the mouth and convulsing—but…they are all still alive.
Ye Feng had clearly calculated the impact point and yield precisely. What he wanted was deterrence, not slaughter.
Ye Feng himself stood in the only intact spot within the meteorite crater. The heavy cannon in his hand had transformed back into the black umbrella, which he opened again to block the falling dust. Beneath the black umbrella, the young man remained impeccably dressed in white.
He adjusted his sunglasses, smiled slightly at Bibi Dong on the platform, and said, "You flatter me."
In the VIP section.
"Crack." Ning Fengzhi crushed the teacup in his hand. He stared at the huge crater, his eyes filled with shock. "Uncle Jian... if it were you, that attack just now..."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice, "The power is immense. Although it can't hurt me, the range... if this were on a battlefield, this attack would be enough to destroy a thousand-man heavy cavalry unit. What exactly is this kid holding?"
Meanwhile, in the Shrek Academy's rest area, Tang San's face was extremely grim. His hands were trembling. As a disciple of the Tang Sect, his pride and joy lay in his hidden weapons. Whether it was the Zhuge Crossbow or the yet-to-be-completed Buddha's Wrath Lotus, he firmly believed they were the strongest weapons in the world. But today, Ye Feng had taught him a lesson. What firepower was. What area damage was. Compared to that "heavenly tribulation" that descended from the sky, his Bone-Piercing Nails and Willow Leaf Blades were practically children's toys. "No... hidden weapons require skill, he's just using brute force... just brute force!" Tang San frantically tried to comfort himself, but the feeling of powerlessness wouldn't go away.
...
The Spirit Hall team's rest area.
Xie Yue and Yan both fell silent. Yan swallowed hard. Just moments ago, he had mocked Ye Feng as a pretty boy, but now it seemed that if that "big guy" were to hit him on the head, he'd be badly injured, if not killed. "Is this his trump card..." Hu Liena's beautiful eyes gleamed. Fear? No, more excitement. This man was too mysterious, too powerful. "Interesting." Hu Liena licked her red lips. "It seems that if I want to win the championship, I'll have to conquer this man first."
On the high platform.
Bibi Dong, observing the carnage on the arena, showed no anger, but rather a hint of appreciation. "Such a domineering attack." "Although his soul power level isn't high, the explosive power is comparable to a high-level Soul Saint." She turned to Ghost Douluo beside her and whispered, "Investigate. Find out exactly what's going on with his martial soul. If it's a mutated martial soul, then it'll be even more valuable." "If it can't be used by me..." A flash of killing intent crossed Bibi Dong's eyes. "Then it must be destroyed. This kind of threat cannot be left to the two great empires."
...
Post-match tunnel.
Ye Feng had just stepped off the field, not even having time to remove his disguise, when a red figure blocked his path. It was Huo Wu. She looked at Ye Feng, her eyes filled with complex emotions. There was admiration, there was love, and also a hint of… resentment. "You're lying," Huo Wu said, biting her lip.
"What did I lie about?" Ye Feng took off his sunglasses, somewhat helplessly.
"You said you were just going to hunt souls, you didn't say you'd become... this kind of monster." Huo Wu stepped forward, reached out and touched Ye Feng's chest to confirm that it was real flesh and blood, not some steel machine. "What was that move called just now?"
"Quantum bomb," Ye Feng said casually, "a means of… achieving nuclear peace in the world."
"Nuclear peace?" Huo Wu didn't understand, but she didn't care. She suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed Ye Feng hard on the cheek. "No matter what you are, I've fallen for you." "Ye Feng, I don't care about the championship anymore. But I have one condition: if you win the final, you have to take me with you." After saying that, Huo Wu ran away with a red face.
Ye Feng touched his cheek, watching Huo Wu's departing figure, then glanced at Shui Bing'er and Dugu Yan, who were following behind with murderous glares. He gave a wry smile. "It seems that sometimes, romantic luck is even harder to handle than a quantum bomb."
Just then, that familiar throbbing sensation from his Martial Soul returned to his mind. The Thousand Manifestations Umbrella yearned. After absorbing the residual energy from the previous battle, it seemed to have opened a new branch. "Mechanic - Mechanical Improvement." "Ammunition Expert - Attribute Bullet."
Ye Feng clenched his fist. "This is just the beginning." "Golden Generation? Enchantress? Just wait." "Next, I will show you what a true... mechanical legion descends."
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