Douluo: The Ultimate Self

Shrek's bizarre formation left the audience puzzled, especially regarding the newly introduced soul master. Throughout the preliminaries and promotion matches, this person had never appeared—not exactly what one would call a hidden ace. 

However, Yang Xiong was well aware—and so was everyone else on Shrek's team—that this individual was the key to victory. 

This person was Ye Lingling, whose martial soul was the Nine-Heart Begonia and whose soul power was at Level 39. 

According to Yang Xiong's plan, the Shi brothers, Dai Mubai, and Yu Tianheng stood at the front line. The Shi brothers' martial souls were Black Tortoise Turtles, offering formidable defense but lacking in flexibility and reaction speed. 

On either side of them stood Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng, whose combat prowess compensated for the Shi brothers' shortcomings. 

Yang Xiong occupied the second phase of the formation, essentially acting as an agility attacker, ready to patch up any weak points that arose. 

Finally, Tang San controlled the battlefield while protecting Ye Lingling, with Yang Xiong also keeping a close eye on her safety. 

With Ye Lingling's Nine-Heart Begonia providing healing support, this lineup was virtually indestructible. No matter how strong Feng Xiaotian and his team were, as long as Shrek's members weren't completely overwhelmed, their opponents would eventually be worn down to exhaustion. 

True to expectations, as the match began, Feng Xiaotian unleashed countless wind blades from the claws of his Gale Wolf, attempting to scatter Shrek's formation. 

But the Shi brothers stood firm at the front, not even needing to activate their soul skills. They summoned their Black Turtle martial souls, and the ordinary wind blades merely grazed harmlessly against the turtles' shells, failing to penetrate their defenses. 

Huo Wushuang and Feng Xiaotian, along with two other attack-type soul masters, charged head-on but were met with resistance from Dai Mubai, Yu Tianheng, and the Shi brothers. In fact, Feng Xiaotian and his group were slowly being pushed back. 

Before the opposing team could react, Ye Lingling summoned her massive Nine-Heart Begonia. A green light instantly infused everyone on the team, healing all the minor injuries sustained during the initial clashes. 

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass wasn't used offensively—whether facing fire-attribute or wind-attribute soul masters, it wouldn't have been effective. Instead, he focused on controlling the battlefield and supporting his teammates. 

Facing Shrek's unexpected tactical shift, the new God Wind team was stunned. This style of combat was drastically different—it felt like they were facing an entirely new team. 

Feng Xiaotian's expression tightened as he activated his first soul skill: Wind Blade Burst. Countless wind blades shot out, far more powerful and faster than his earlier attacks. 

Similarly, Huo Wushuang unleashed his first soul skill: Tyrant Dragon Flame, sending waves of fire surging toward Shrek's team. 

Their soul skills seemed to complement each other—the wind blades and flames synergized, amplifying their destructive power. Explosions began to ripple between the wind and fire elements. 

Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng didn't move, and neither did Tang San. 

The Shi brothers exchanged glances, their bodies contracting slightly. Their torsos transformed into thick, ancient-looking tortoise shells, both heavy and rugged. 

The Shi brothers directly withstood Huo Wushuang's flames and Feng Xiaotian's wind blades, leaving only faint marks on their shells as they were pushed back several meters. 

The Black Tortoise Turtle truly lived up to its reputation as an elite defensive martial soul. It effortlessly blocked the combined first soul skills of Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wushuang without showing any signs of injury. 

Almost immediately, Ye Lingling's Nine-Heart Begonia released a green glow, instantly healing the minor scratches on the Shi brothers' shells, leaving no trace of damage. 

Huo Wushuang: … 

Feng Xiaotian: … 

As Yang Xiong had anticipated, this had turned into a pure war of attrition. Both sides continued to clash, but every time Shrek's members sustained the slightest injury, Ye Lingling healed them instantly. 

In fact, Shrek's team deliberately avoided using high-level soul skills, relying instead on basic techniques and physical attacks. Like a giant turtle shell, they forced the new God Wind team into a corner where they couldn't land decisive blows. 

The Shi brothers, true defensive Soul Ancestors, shrugged off wind blades and flames alike, frustrating their opponents to no end. 

After more than twenty minutes of continuous fighting, both teams were still locked in combat. However, it was clear that the new God Wind team had fallen into Shrek's defensive trap. By launching relentless attacks and activating numerous offensive soul skills, they were consuming far more soul power than Shrek. 

Feng Xiaotian gritted his teeth and leapt into the air. Huo Wushuang sent a massive wave of flames toward him. 

Clearly, Feng Xiaotian intended to use his signature soul skill: Gale Wolf Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes. With Huo Wushuang's support, the synergy between wind and fire amplified its destructive power. 

He aimed to break through Shrek's defensive formation with everything he had. 

The Shi brothers exchanged another glance before stepping forward to block Feng Xiaotian. They let out a low growl in unison: "Shield Transformation." 

The tortoise shells on their chests and backs separated, transforming into two enormous meter-wide shields held in their hands—this was their second soul skill: Shield Transformation. 

Feng Xiaotian's Gale Wolf Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes grew faster with each strike, landing blow after blow on the Shi brothers' shields. Cracks spread across the shields, indicating that the brothers couldn't withstand the full force of Feng Xiaotian's attack. 

That said, the Black Tortoise Turtle was still a top-tier martial soul. In terms of raw combat power, the Shi brothers weren't far behind Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng. Their defense even surpassed Yu Tianheng's, though their lack of speed and other weaknesses made them less dazzling. 

Ye Lingling provided constant support, her green light rapidly healing the Shi brothers to keep them in the fight. 

However, with Huo Wushuang's assistance, Feng Xiaotian's Gale Wolf Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes reached Soul King-level power. Each consecutive strike increased in strength, growing more devastating as the assault progressed. 

By the twenty-fourth strike, the Shi brothers were struggling to hold on. 

With a roar, they activated their fourth soul skill: Black Tortoise Shield Defense, trying desperately to resist. But Feng Xiaotian pressed forward relentlessly, breaking through their defense and knocking them both flying. 

The Shi brothers collapsed, blood dripping from their mouths as they knelt on one knee, clearly injured. 

Yang Xiong exchanged a glance with the others and quickly moved to take their place. 

Feng Xiaotian shouted: "Yang Xiong, you've finally decided to step up. Let's see just how strong your defense really is!" 

A cold smile crept across Yang Xiong's face: "I'm curious to see how much power your Gale Wolf Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes actually has." 

Yang Xiong's entire body turned silver, his muscles swelling as they hardened in an instant—his self-created soul skill: Steel Muscle Iron Bone. 

Against Feng Xiaotian's strikes, Yang Xiong countered with bare fists, forcing him back step by step. 

But Feng Xiaotian used momentum to his advantage, each strike growing stronger. By the final blow, even Yang Xiong's reinforced body struggled to withstand the impact. 

At the last moment, Feng Xiaotian roared, his fourth soul ring glowing. Alongside his Gale Wolf Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes, he unleashed his fourth soul skill: Demon Wolf Gale Storm. 

Simultaneously, Huo Wu gave it her all, activating her fourth soul skill: Blazing Sun Dance. 

The combined wind and fire covered the entire arena, resembling a massive sun descending within a tornado. It was a display of power far beyond what a Soul Ancestor should be capable of. 

Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai exchanged glances and quickly retreated to Ye Lingling and Tang San's side. They unleashed their strongest soul skills—Dai Mubai's fourth soul skill: White Tiger Meteor Shower, furiously attacking the incoming assault. 

The Shi brothers summoned their Black Turtles once more, shielding everyone. Tang San deployed his Blue Silver Hurricane Formation, encasing the entire team in a cocoon of Blue Silver Grass. 

Ye Lingling radiated endless green light, rapidly healing everyone around her. 

Meanwhile, Yang Xiong stood at the eye of the storm, enduring Feng Xiaotian's relentless barrage and Huo Wu's Blazing Sun Dance. Even the spectators held their breath, worried for Yang Xiong's safety. 

At this critical moment, a massive Rasengan appeared in Yang Xiong's hand. The golden sphere, nearly fifty centimeters wide, looked terrifying. 

Yang Xiong knew that, as a mere Level 39 soul master, simultaneously countering these two top-tier fourth soul skills would be difficult—he might even get injured. 

Rather than holding back, he decided to go all out. Clutching the golden Rasengan, he charged forward, fearless in the face of Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wushuang's combined assault. 

The collision erupted like an explosion. The sturdy arena cracked under the force, forming a massive crater. Feng Xiaotian lay at the bottom, blood streaming from his mouth, clearly gravely injured. 

Yang Xiong stood nearby, his body slightly charred and marked with scratches, but otherwise unscathed. 

Under Ye Lingling's green light, his wounds visibly healed, leaving no trace of injury. 

Meanwhile, the rest of Shrek's team, having taken cover near the edge of the arena, remained relatively unharmed. 

However, Ye Lingling appeared drained, her soul power nearly depleted after healing multiple teammates. 

In contrast, the new God Wind team fared worse. Feng Xiaotian lay unconscious, Huo Wu and the two auxiliary members were exhausted, leaving only Huo Wushuang and their other three teammates with any remaining strength. 

Feng Xiaotian gazed at Yang Xiong with a hint of reluctance: "Yang Xiong, are you sure you can withstand my attack? Is your self-created soul skill truly stronger than mine?" 

Yang Xiong sighed: "Why put yourself through this? If your team had stuck to God Wind Academy's original tactics, defeating you would have been extremely difficult. Why adopt such a mismatched formation?" 

Feng Xiaotian smiled bitterly: "I understand now. Perhaps I was wrong from the start, but I don't regret it. Next time, I'll challenge you alone—I won't lose again." 

With that, Feng Xiaotian exhaled deeply and collapsed unconscious on the arena floor. 

Huo Wushuang and the others, unwilling to accept defeat, tried to rally for one final attack to salvage some pride. 

But aside from Ye Lingling, Shrek's team had suffered minimal damage. Even the Shi brothers, thanks to Ye Lingling's healing, retained some fighting ability. 

Soon, all members of the new God Wind team were knocked off the stage—including the stubborn Huo Wushuang, who was slapped unconscious by Dai Mubai. 

The crowd erupted in astonishment. On one hand, Yang Xiong's combat prowess was overwhelmingly impressive—a mere Soul Elder had managed to overpower Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu. 

Moreover, Shrek's tactic of relying on superior defense to outlast their opponents was undeniably successful. Even if Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu hadn't gone all out, the outcome would have likely been the same. 

What surprised people most, however, was Ye Lingling's incredible healing ability, which had been the linchpin of the battle. 

Without a doubt, Yang Xiong and Ye Lingling were the standout performers of the match. 

For Yang Xiong, this battle had been nothing extraordinary—he'd only used about seventy percent of his strength, leaving plenty of tricks up his sleeve. 

As a traveler from another world, though he preferred to stay low-key, who wouldn't want to prove themselves when given the chance?

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