Douluo: Dragon King's Divine Elegy

Chapter 107 The martial world is not just about fighting and killing, but also about human relationships and worldly wisdom!
"The Federal Grand Prix Youth Group Individual Competition is about to begin. Ladies and gentlemen, let's give the four contestants the warmest cheers!"

A floating stage appeared in the sky, with an elegantly dressed host holding a microphone, intentionally guiding the atmosphere of the event.

In an instant, hundreds of thousands of people cheered in unison.

The federal officials on the podium also applauded with smiles on their faces.

"First, please welcome contestants Nan Liujing and Xiao Pojun to the stage." The host proceeded with the expected flow of the program.

call out!
Suddenly, a beam of light appeared in the center of the arena. The person was dressed in a white robe, with a smile on his face, and looked quite approachable.

Nan Liujing was walking towards the competition stage when he saw this person, and his steps involuntarily paused slightly.

He actually sensed a sharpness from the white-robed man that was somewhat similar to Yun Ming's, a sharpness powerful enough to shake the heavens and shatter the earth.

Of course, he couldn't sense the other person's cultivation level; he only had a feeling about it because they were in the same cultivation realm.

Guan Yue felt the same way. He glanced at Nan Liujing with some surprise. The fact that the other party could sense his undisguised aura was enough to show that he had already approached the peak of his realm of intent cultivation.

"To have reached the peak of artistic conception at such a young age, no wonder your senior brother values ​​you so much..." Guan Yue sighed inwardly.

Xiao Pojun also went up on stage, but he looked at the handsome middle-aged man in white robes with great respect.

After the two of them stood still, Guan Yue spoke up: "The competition is about to begin. If you have anything to say, you can say it in advance. It would be best if you could say more provocative things."

It was time for the segment that the audience loved to see, with laughter and whistles echoing from the sidelines.

“I have it!” Xiao Pojun quickly replied.

Nan Liujing looked at him.

"Speak," Guan Yue said.

Xiao Pojun's expression suddenly turned serious, staring straight at Nan Liujing with a fierce fighting spirit.

Just as the audience was expecting him to spout trash talk, Xiao Pojun's words stunned everyone:
"Simply comparing soul power is too outdated, my friend. How about we decide the outcome by our artistic conception?"

Nan Liujing raised an eyebrow slightly: "Are you serious?"

“Of course.” Xiao Pojun nodded.

"As you wish." Nan Liujing was also happy to end the match quickly. He could vaguely sense the referee's aura, and he could also sense Xiao Pojun's aura.

Off the field, Long Tianwu's eyes widened, and he thought to himself, "Knowing that the opponent's cultivation of intent is stronger than his own, he still competes in intent. He's just throwing his life away. How despicable! We should strive to be better. I am ashamed to be associated with you."

Xu Junlan, sitting in the audience, chuckled. Sending someone to their death too deliberately wouldn't work, but Xiao Pojun's approach was quite good.

Xu Zihuang, who was also sitting quietly in the waiting area, breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped that Nan Liujing would advance to the finals, so that he could defeat him in front of the whole world.

The deputy hall master not only promised Nan Liujing benefits, but also promised him that as long as he defeated Nan Liujing in the main competition, he would be immediately selected as the first in line to succeed the deputy hall master of the Tang Sect.

As for the successor to the sect leader, without the current sect leader's consent, who would dare to make such a promise?
Amidst the murmurs of the audience, who were still wondering what it meant for the outcome to be decided by artistic conception, Guan Yue said with interest, "Since both sides have decided to decide the outcome by artistic conception, then fine, stand 20 meters apart and wait for me to announce the start of the competition."

Xiao Pojun smiled gently at Nan Liujing and obediently retreated.

"Are all the trainees in this God of War training camp so easygoing?" Nan Liujing asked, puzzled. Since the start of the competition, he hadn't been seriously challenged at all; everyone seemed to be a normal person.

Soon, the two stood twenty meters apart.

Guan Yue gave the two a few deep breaths to compose themselves. Under the bewildered yet expectant gazes of the audience, they finally raised their hands. As they lowered them, she shouted in a deep voice, "The match begins!"

hum~
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the two simultaneously revealed their intentions.

Blood-red light flowed from Xiao Pojun's right hand, and a long spear landed in his grasp. The spear's body appeared to be covered with numerous blood-red grooves, not smooth at all, and occasionally emitted bursts of scarlet light. The most unique feature was the spear tip, a semi-transparent blade formed from highly compressed spiritual energy, perfectly embodying the meaning of "soul annihilation."

Since we've said we won't rely on soul power, but still want to emphasize the spectacle of the duel, then we can only channel our spiritual power into the intent of the spear.

Xiao Pojun's clothes fluttered without wind, and a blood-red storm rose around him. With the long roar of the Soul-Destroying Spear, the space within a five-meter diameter of him was distorted, and countless spear shadows shrieked and burst out, forming a blood-red spear forest with the scarlet color.

Suddenly, a forest of blood-red gunfire swept over Nan Liujing.

Gun Soul Masters, regardless of who they are, are all influenced by their own Martial Soul, resulting in different understandings of gun intent. Xiao Pojun's gun intent carries a chilling quality, like a venomous snake hiding in a deep forest, ready to unleash its deadly fangs at any moment.

Outsiders might find the crimson forest of guns terrifying, but only those in the know understand that it is deathly silent, devoid of any imposing pressure. Yet, when you try to peer into it, your soul often feels a chilling sensation as if sinking into an abyss, and if you are not careful, you will be pierced to pieces by the biting cold.

"What is he doing?"

Suddenly, a noisy conversation broke out in the audience.

The powerful Soul Masters present also frowned.

No one knew when, but Nan Liujing had already closed his eyes. He didn't even summon the Panlong Staff, and his hands were arrogantly crossed in front of his chest.

As Xiao Pojun was surprised and wondering if he should tone it down, he noticed Guan Yue's focused and surprised gaze.

Xiao Pojun quickly refocused his attention on Nan Liujing, and the next moment, a strange scene left him stunned.

Just as the crimson hail of gunfire was about to engulf Nan Liujing, layers of dark light surged out from beneath his feet, and nearly translucent winter plum blossoms broke through the soil, their branches embracing the young man's strong and powerful body. The delicate plum blossoms swayed in mid-air, like a painter wielding a brush, exquisite and unparalleled.

An indomitable light emanated from each plum blossom. When the chilling, abyss-like spear intent attacked, the light trembled slightly, as if a powerful, gentle force of the staff was rhythmically flowing within it, easily blocking it. The crimson forest of spears was like a shy mimosa, retreating immediately upon the slightest touch.

Moreover, the crimson forest of spears clearly rippled with chaos, like a whirlpool suddenly rising in the center of a calm lake, the soft force of the staff disrupting the integrity of the spear intent at an astonishing speed.

Xiao Pojun instantly became alert. He did intend to simplify the battle, then fight Nan Liujing head-on, and finally deliberately lose.

But given the current situation, he's likely to lose even without doing it on purpose.

The opponent's mastery of the staff technique was not only superior to his, but far superior!

What kind of monster is this?
The clash of these two distinct artistic conceptions elicited gasps from many viewers, as they had never witnessed this type of confrontation before.

Xiao Pojun became serious, his eyes gleaming with a dark light, and he pushed his mental energy output to the limit, causing fine mental energy ripples to spread around him.

Infused with more spiritual power, the spear intent became more solidified, and its aura more subdued, managing to maintain the disrupted spear intent. Then, the crimson spear forest swept back into the sky, transforming into a rain of light that poured down, leaving dark red trails in the air. Each scarlet raindrop, besides maintaining astonishing penetrating power, also carried a mournful cry capable of tearing apart the soul. In an instant, the winter plum blossoms beside Nan Liujing vanished, turning into wisps of snowflakes. In their place stood a lush, verdant bamboo forest, upon closer inspection revealing it to be woven from countless strands of spear intent. The seemingly delicate bamboo leaves swayed without wind, yet emitted a clear, resonant sound, reflecting a dazzling emerald halo in the sunlight.

Ao Rui's pupils contracted, and his surprised voice could be heard by every colleague: "Each bamboo is a condensation of stick intent. Such solidity can only be achieved at least at the Spirit Abyss Realm." His spiritual power had only just reached the late stage of the Spirit Abyss Realm.

As the crimson rain of light fell upon the bamboo leaves, the elusive yet powerful spear intent struck like metal against stone, producing a metallic clang. The soul-destroying power, hidden like a venomous snake poised to strike, was utterly unable to break through the perfect balance of strength and gentleness beneath the verdant bamboo grove.

Outsiders could only see clusters of faint blood-red light exploding outside the bamboo poles. If they listened closely, it sounded like the crisp sound of glass shattering. Without keen eyesight, they would think that Xiao Pojun had gained the upper hand.

The powerful Soul Masters present all showed expressions of amazement.

They could clearly feel that the bamboo forest was like the blazing sun, while the intent of the spear was like the extreme cold of winter. The latter tried to devour everything, but could only melt away unwillingly under the intense heat.

As a peak-level expert in Gun Soul, Guan Yue saw it all too clearly.

Xiao Pojun's spear intent is indeed formidable. Beneath its hidden sharpness lies an endless stream of soul-destroying power. Any flaw will inevitably be caught by the spear intent and ultimately defeated from within. In actual combat, it is easy to injure the opponent's soul.

This is also why he was able to rank among the top in the God of War training camp.

Ke Nan Liujing's staff intent is even more powerful. He has mastered the staff intent, but does not rely on the Panlong Staff martial spirit to launch attacks and defenses.

Perhaps it's because his mental strength is stronger, but the ability to transform everything with the intent of the staff, and to integrate it more seamlessly into nature, is the most powerful way to apply the intent, and it's also the insurmountable barrier that Xiao Pojun cannot cross yet.

As a series of shattering sounds rang out, the scarlet rain of light visibly turned emerald green and gradually dissolved into mist, making the bamboo forest appear as if it were covered by emerald green clouds, like a paradise on earth.

Such a scene naturally drew gasps from the audience.

This way of having Soul Masters stand still and fight using special methods is truly like a knife slicing your buttocks—it's eye-opening and quite interesting.

The only ones who felt fortunate at the scene were probably the earth-type soul masters, who didn't have to worry about the competition stage being destroyed and then having to exhaust their soul power to repair it.

As the last wisp of blood on the stage dissipated, Xiao Pojun dejectedly put down the Soul-Destroying Spear. His eyes were filled with disbelief; he never expected to lose so quickly.

He clearly wanted to put on a show, but it turned out I was the clown.

"I lost."

Xiao Pojun sheathed the Soul-Destroying Spear and spoke helplessly.

The words fell.

A slight tremor ran through the space, and the bamboo forest covering a certain area of ​​the competition stage slowly dissipated. Under the gaze of hundreds of thousands of eyes, Nan Liujing's figure reappeared.

A faint smile graced his handsome and gentle face. "You flatter me."

"We'll have another chance to hone our skills later," Xiao Pojun said with a hearty laugh, having quickly calmed down.

"Okay." Nan Liujing was happy to associate with this kind of person and agreed with a smile.

After the two exchanged a smile, Guan Yue quickly announced the results of the competition.

Shouts rang out continuously, and the name "Nan Liujing" was not only heard at the scene, but also spread throughout the country via live broadcast.

With his cultivation at the fourth level, Nan Liujing made it to the finals, a stage previously only accessible to high-level Soul Kings and Soul Emperors. His gentle smile was enough to spread throughout the continent in this era of advanced internet, making him one of the most sought-after future stars.

Most importantly, Nan Liujing is handsome, just like someone who likes to read novels.

Amid cheers, the two walked off the stage side by side.

The semifinals were not yet over, and the second match between Xu Zihuang and Long Tianwu had not yet started.

Before long, a group of beautiful dance troupes and singers took to the stage to perform after the halfway point.

In the lounge.

"Tsk tsk tsk, your methods are much better than mine. You won Nan Liujing's favor without getting injured." Xu Junlan teased as she welcomed Xiao Pojun back.

Xiao Pojun plopped down on the sofa, admitting defeat, "To be honest, if I wanted to get close to Nan Liujing before because of his identity as a blacksmith, now I'm truly convinced. He's so young, yet his cultivation of intent far surpasses mine. This time, I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."

Long Tianwu, who was about to spar with Xu Zihuang, took a deep breath and suddenly said, "To be honest, as dragon martial souls, my Cloud Roaring Dragon is not as powerful as Xu Zihuang's Purple Emperor Annihilation Dragon."

Xu Junlan and Xiao Pojun exchanged a glance, and the former said, "This Xu Zihuang is not Nan Liujing, so don't be polite. Just treat him like a creature from the abyss."

Long Tianwu narrowed his eyes slightly, not finishing the last sentence.

He suddenly thought of a good way to get to know Nan Liujing. As long as he could wear Xu Zihuang down and prevent him from reaching his peak condition, he could help Nan Liujing win the finals, which would be considered as indirectly helping him.

Okay, let's do it that way.

Everything for the four-word battle armor!
After half an hour of playing instruments and singing, the host, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, once again stepped onto the suspended soul tool and appeared in the air: "Dear viewers, welcome back to the second semi-final of the Federation Grand Competition Youth Group Individual Competition."

"The two sides facing off are Long Tianwu and... Xu Zihuang!"

As the host finished speaking, a deafening roar of cheers erupted, but it was clear that Xu Zihuang was the main focus, as his martial spirit was identical to that of a certain legendary emperor, and he garnered far more local viewers from Mingdu than anyone else.

The audience members from the former royal family of the Sun Moon Empire were flushed and extremely excited.

With hundreds of thousands of people chanting his name, even the usually composed Xu Zihuang's eyes burned with fervor. His gaze first swept over the handsome young man sitting beside the three stunningly beautiful girls, then turned to the distant location where the Tang Clan's high-ranking members were watching the battle.

He saw the deputy sect leader Zang Xin, the three hall masters, and other high-ranking members of the Tang Clan.

Clenching his fists, Xu Zihuang thought to himself, "The semi-finals are just the beginning. In the finals, I will let everyone in the sect know that I am the best successor to the position of sect leader."

As Xu Zihuang stepped onto the competition stage, he was about to unleash his full fighting spirit when he was suddenly locked onto by a pair of deep, cold eyes. He frowned and looked over.

Long Tianwu's eyes were cold and unwavering, as if he were looking at a blood feud. This was beyond the tension that usually only exists in a competition.

"What's wrong with this guy?" Xu Zihuang wondered to himself. "Have I ever offended him?"

(End of this chapter)