Chapter 13: The Prisoner's Awakening

Zhu Zhuqing, at some unknown moment, had slipped behind Bai Yuan; she simultaneously activated two soul skills and launched a surprise attack.

First soul skill: Nether Dark Thrust!

Zhu Zhuqing's sharp claws suddenly extended, and her speed instantly surged.

Second soul skill: Nether Dark Hundred Claws!

As Zhu Zhuqing waved her twin claws, over a hundred claw shadows materialized behind Bai Yuan, all striking at his back.

With both soul skills unleashed together, it could be called Zhu Zhuqing's strongest attack, and since it was a surprise strike to the back, she was confident she could grievously wound Bai Yuan with a single blow.

But an ice wall rose.

With a 'Boom—' the ice wall shattered, and the intense cold made Zhu Zhuqing's body stiffen; her surprise attack was instantly nullified by Bai Yuan.

At that moment, the middle‑aged man's third Soul Ring lit up, and a spray of mist burst from his mouth, spreading toward Bai Yuan.

Third Soul Ring technique: Mysterious Water Surge.

The fierce chill rose, causing the flames in the hall to subside slightly, and Zhu Zhuqing used the chance to retreat quickly.

"Wind Spirit Formation!"

A whirlwind suddenly formed around Bai Yuan as its center, rapidly swirling within the hall, pulling the surrounding burning wooden planks into its vortex.

The blazing tornado collided with the mist exhaled by the middle‑aged man; even with Ning Rongrong's amplification, it was instantly repelled.

The middle‑aged man's expression changed.

Xiao Wu, who had intended to close in and unleash a barrage on Bai Yuan, saw this and had to hurriedly retreat.

The whirlwind's force grew stronger.

At that moment, Dai Mubai and the retreating Zhu Zhuqing, under everyone's gaze, lunged at each other.

Everyone stared in stunned silence.

Suddenly, a tiger's roar echoed.

Ning Rongrong, whose face had grown somewhat pallid from Bai Yuan's display, now showed a smile: "This is the Starry Sky Empire's martial soul fusion technique, Nether Dark White Tiger!"

The crowd gasped.

Immediately, under everyone's shocked gaze, Dai Mubai, who had been in the White Tiger Vajra state, swelled again, white fur interlaced with black tiger stripes erupting wildly from his body.

Zhu Zhuqing's entire body became cloaked in a faint black hue, her form drifting as if she had turned translucent.

Spreading his arms, Dai Mubai lunged toward the illusory figure; the two silhouettes merged, and violent energy fluctuations surged!

Immediately after, a massive white tiger over two meters tall, completely transparent, with white fur, black stripes, and violet double pupils, entered everyone's view.

The Nether Dark White Tiger's claw struck down, colliding with the terrifying flaming whirlwind; accompanied by a 'Boom—', the fiery tornado collapsed instantly.

Countless flaming wood fragments scattered, and the Nether Dark White Tiger seized the moment to charge at Bai Yuan and his disciple.

"A martial soul fusion technique?" Bai Yuan's gaze hardened; his hand seals became exceedingly intricate, and five energy spheres of different colors materialized out of thin air.

These are energy spheres representing the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

At that moment the five spheres merged, the elements converged, directly forming the purest energy in the world.

Bai Yuan infused this massive pure energy into the Thunder Spirit Formation.

In an instant, a flash of white light burst in the hall; aside from the prepared Bai Yuan, everyone else simultaneously lost their sight, followed by a deafening 'Boom—' that shattered their eardrums.

When the others regained their senses, they saw Bai Yuan panting heavily; the ground before him was charred black, and Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing lay motionless, their fate unknown.

"Who else wants to die!"

Bai Yuan's cold voice rang through the hall.

The soul masters were as still as cold cicadas.

One against many, easily victorious.

How dare he keep advancing?

Tang San clenched his fists, his eyes full of resentment as he stared at Bai Yuan; no one present noticed that Bai Yu had already vanished.

Bai Yuan cast his icy gaze at Ning Rongrong, who instantly recoiled a step, nearly falling to the ground.

As the first to rally the soul masters and intend to hunt Bai Yuan, she was naturally the first target to be eliminated.

The middle‑aged man stepped forward then, positioning himself between the two, his five Soul Rings flashing brilliantly around him.

"You think you can block me?" Bai Yuan said coldly.

The middle‑aged man retorted, "Your current condition isn't great either, is it?"

Ning Rongrong's complexion slightly recovered.

Bai Yuan said, "Killing you is enough!"

Ning Rongrong's body trembled instinctively, then, as if recalling something, she shouted loudly, "Zhao Wuji, this place has erupted into such a commotion; I know you've already arrived. Come out quickly—if I get hurt, if you let these two reformed hundred‑thousand‑year soul beasts escape, my father will make you pay!"

In the shadows, Zhao Wuji's expression stiffened.

He had originally planned to wait for Bai Yuan and Bai Yu to break through the encirclement, then capture them when no one was watching.

Thus, he could safely obtain two hundred‑thousand‑year soul bones and gradually nurture killing, making his eighth and ninth Soul Rings also hundred‑thousand‑year.

If successful, Zhao Wuji would, by right, leap to become one of the top Title Douluo on Douluo Continent.

But now, all of Zhao Wuji's fantasies turned to bubbles because of Ning Rongrong's words.

Because now Zhao Wuji must either kill everyone present and then flee with the two reformed hundred‑thousand‑year soul beasts, hide his identity, and reappear as a Title Douluo later.

Otherwise he will face pursuit by all Soul Douluo and Title Douluo across Douluo Continent.

Zhao Wuji clenched his fists, his gaze fierce; he suddenly wanted to make a bold move, unwilling to be suppressed by Fulande any longer, aiming to surpass him.

But among them were members of the Starry Sky Empire royalty, the Haotian Douluo parent‑child pair, and the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect's sect master…

Each background was larger than the last.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Zhao Wuji gave up, stepped out of the shadows and said, "Ning Rongrong, what price are you prepared to set?"

Ning Rongrong's red lips barely opened to name a price when a delicate long sword, without warning, was placed against her snow‑white throat.

In the hall, everyone's breath halted.

"Let her go!"

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—seven Soul Rings rose from beneath Zhao Wuji's feet, and his appearance changed dramatically.

His previously rather short body instantly swelled to two meters, his whole form covered in thick brown fur, muscles exaggerated, and his eyes exuded a domineering aura.

Zhao Wuji clenched his right fist and struck down fiercely.

He intended to kill Bai Yu on the spot.

But when a gush of bright red blood spurted from Ning Rongrong's snow‑white neck, Zhao Wuji hurriedly withdrew his fist.

"You bitch! How dare you hurt me? Do you know who I am? Let me tell you, if something happens to me, even if you run to the ends of the earth, you'll have nowhere to escape!"

Bai Yu's face was expressionless, her demeanor extremely cold.

Bai Yuan smiled as he walked toward Ning Rongrong.

This time, the middle‑aged man did not dare to intervene.

"Snap!" a crisp sound rang out in the hall.

A bright red palm print appeared on Ning Rongrong's face.

"How dare you hit me? I'll fight you!" Ning Rongrong raised her hand and slapped at Bai Yuan's face.

But Bai Yuan caught her with one hand, his other hand clamped around her neck, lifting her whole body up.

Bai Yuan's cold voice rang out: "A prisoner of the steps must have the awareness of a prisoner of the steps; if you insult my disciple, you should apologize to my disciple, otherwise I'll cut out your tongue first."

(End of chapter)