Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 53 Explanation
Inside the Shrek Academy waiting area, Yu Xiaogang frowned and asked in a deep voice, "Xiao San, can you figure out the trick to his attack?"

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Tang San's forehead as he slowly shook his head. "Teacher," his voice slightly hoarse, "I observed the entire process, "and even though I could see through the poisonous fog to the Royal Fighters, I still couldn't pinpoint Feng Yao's attack trajectory."

Yu Xiaogang frowned, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest: "This doesn't make sense. Even the most concealed attack should produce a fluctuation of soul power. Without any obvious offensive, how can it cause substantial damage?"

Tang San's fingers unconsciously traced the Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlit Night, the purple glint in his eyes still lingering: "The only thing we can be certain of is that each time he plucks the strings, it's accompanied by fluctuations in soul power, but the method of attack..." Tang San's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, "...is like appearing out of thin air."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's expression grew even more solemn. He glanced at Feng Yao, who was chatting and laughing not far away, and murmured, "The Invisible Blade...that's the most terrifying killing move."

This question not only troubled him, but also lingered in the minds of all the spectators. The cardinals in the VIP seats exchanged puzzled glances, and even the other members of the Royal Fighting Team looked bewildered.

"If we could examine the wounds," Tang San said thoughtfully.

A glint flashed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes, then dimmed again: "It's useless." He shook his head with a wry smile, "With the healing effects of the Nine-Heart Begonia, it won't even leave a scar, let alone preserve the characteristics of the wound."

Yu Tianheng, standing to the side, added in a deep voice, "Lingling's treatments are always flawless."

Ma Hongjun slapped his thigh, suddenly realizing, "Good heavens! That kid's healing of his opponent was all part of a scheme! He gained fame while concealing clues about his soul skill!"

Tang San took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with purple light: "This person's actions are meticulously planned and flawless. In the upcoming match..." He glanced at his teammates, his voice grave, "we must be fully prepared."

Dai Mubai unconsciously clenched his fists, Zhu Zhuqing's cat-like pupils narrowed slightly, and even the usually carefree Xiao Wu showed a rare serious expression. Feng Yao's methods in this battle put unprecedented pressure on the entire Shrek Academy team.

At this moment, Tang San secretly hoped that the Spirit Hall Academy could face Feng Yao head-on in the upcoming competition. A purple glint flickered in his deep eyes, and his knuckles unconsciously traced the moonlit night over the Twenty-Four Bridges.

"The teacher's tactics can only be used once in the end," he murmured to himself, his gaze sweeping over the Spirit Hall team's imposing momentum on the sidelines, then turning to the Royal Fighters as they were leaving the field. These two formidable obstacles were insurmountable for Shrek Academy.

Only when the snipe and the clam fight can Shrek Academy reap the benefits. Tang San's gaze fell on the Fuxi Qin in Feng Yao's arms. Who knew how many deadly moves were hidden beneath that zither? He took a deep breath and calculated in his mind: only if these two powerful teams fight each other first and one of them is eliminated will Shrek Academy have a sliver of hope to win the championship.

"My father said..." A resolute glint flashed in Tang San's eyes, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force of his grip, "That skull, we must get our hands on it."

Tang San pondered to himself, but his eyes revealed an unwavering determination.

Xiao Wu keenly sensed his unusual behavior and gently grasped his wrist: "Brother."

Tang San snapped out of his reverie, met Xiao Wu's worried gaze, and smiled slightly. But deep within his usually gentle eyes, an undercurrent of uncontrollable turmoil surged. This was the first task his father had entrusted to him with the intelligent skull, and for it, he was willing to face a formidable enemy like Feng Yao head-on.

In a corner of Spirit City, Tang Hao, hidden in the shadows, leaned forward slightly. His rough fingers rubbed his knees as he slowly looked up at the sky, silently thinking, "Little San, whether you can get that skull from the Spirit Hall will determine your future."

On the other side, after the Royal Fighting Team members left the field, they all focused their attention on Feng Yao, their eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.

Yu Feng scratched his head and circled around Feng Yao, his lips opening and closing several times, but he still didn't dare to speak—in the world of Soul Masters, it was a big taboo to rashly inquire about the secrets of other people's Soul Skills.

Feng Yao took in everyone's reactions and couldn't help but smile: "What, are you all so curious? Actually, it wouldn't hurt to tell you."

"Tell me quickly!" Yu Feng stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

"Shut up!" Dugu Yan glared at her, her hair fluttering even without wind. "If this secret gets out, I'll poison you until you're mute!" Turning to Feng Yao, her purple eyes were full of warning. "Ignore him. This brainless idiot. The fewer people who know about your trump card, the better."

“Theoretically, it's impossible for a Soul Master of the same rank to break this.” Feng Yao lightly stroked the strings, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. “Unless the opponent's cultivation far surpasses mine.” He paused, then continued, “I was indeed playing just now, but the frequency of the string vibrations exceeded the range of ordinary hearing, even difficult for the naked eye to detect. This special sound wave has extremely strong penetrating power, and combined with special techniques, it can even attack directly from within the enemy's body. In short, there's nothing mysterious about it.”

"Isn't that amazing?" Yu Feng's eyes widened, his jaw almost dropping to the ground. "You can play tunes we can't hear!"

Feng Yao shook his head and smiled, "This move also has weaknesses. The poison mist cover provided by Sister Yan just now was very important." As he spoke, Feng Yao gave Dugu Yan a look.

Dugu Yan thoughtfully continued, "The poisonous fog not only restricted their movement, but more importantly, fear limited their actions after Lei Tian was shot down."

“Exactly,” Feng Yao nodded approvingly. “They weren’t defeated by my musical skills, but by their inner fear of the unknown. In a true life-or-death duel…” His expression suddenly turned serious. “This move can only be used once. The enemy will flee, and as the distance increases, not only will it be difficult to lock onto them accurately, but the power of the music will also decrease dramatically.”

Upon hearing this, everyone showed expressions of sudden realization, but no one noticed the profound meaning that flashed in Feng Yao's eyes. What he didn't say was—as his soul power and mental power continued to improve, the range and accuracy of this ability would increase exponentially.

'If one reaches the level of a Title Douluo...' Feng Yao's slender fingers unconsciously caressed the strings of his zither, a glint of malice flashing in his eyes. At that time, the precision of ultrasound would likely be able to directly affect human cells, even causing disease and death in a target without their awareness.

If this ability were made public, Feng Yao would likely be branded with a fearsome reputation, becoming another figure after Dugu Bo who would strike fear into the hearts of the entire Soul Master world. Not far away, Dugu Bo seemed to see through Feng Yao's thoughts, casting a meaningful glance from afar. His gaze held both approval and a hint of advice from someone with experience.

“Let this fear continue to spread,” Feng Yao said, his fingertips lightly caressing the strings, a sly glint in his eyes. “It will be of great benefit to our upcoming matches.”

The members of Huang Dou smiled knowingly upon hearing this. Fear stems from the unknown, and once the opponent sees through the surface and understands the essence, this intimidation will naturally dissipate—this was precisely the profound meaning that Feng Yao was willing to explain to them in detail.

Dugu Yan toyed with the end of her hair, her purple eyes gleaming with understanding: "So in the next match, when other teams see us..."

“You’ll unconsciously become timid and hesitant,” Oslo chimed in, a hint of fighting spirit in his eyes.

Feng Yao nodded with a smile, his slender fingers gently tapping the body of the zither. Some tactics, once explained, become worthless; but some deterrents, the more mysterious they are, the more chilling they become. He glanced at the fearful gazes cast upon him by the other teams in the distance, knowing that this other invisible blade called "fear" had already pierced deeply into the hearts of all his opponents.

The night was as dark as ink, and the bright moonlight shone through the window, casting dappled shadows in Xiao Wu's room. Just as she was about to sit cross-legged to cultivate, she suddenly heard a faint sigh.

"Do you still want to participate in this competition? If you suffer any injuries in the upcoming battles, then this method won't work."

Xiao Wu's delicate body trembled, her pink rabbit ears perking up alertly. She quickly closed the window, her slender fingers unconsciously tightening around the window frame. "I can see it," she murmured to herself, a gentle yet determined light shining in her eyes, "Xiao San really wants to win this championship. I can't leave him now."

Outside the window, Tang Hao's tall figure disappeared into the shadows of the trees. He gazed at the tightly closed window, a complex emotion flickering across his weathered face, ultimately culminating in a barely audible sigh: "So be it. Perhaps, this is fate."

The fourth round of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament commenced as scheduled after a day's rest. However, the draw results were suspicious—the three strongest teams, Spirit Hall Academy, Shrek Academy, and Heaven Dou Royal Academy, all avoided each other, drawing weaker opponents. Despite this blatant manipulation, no academy dared to question it.

With the competition concluding without any suspense, the top three spots were unsurprisingly taken by these three strongest teams. Perhaps intentionally orchestrated by the organizers, all three teams maintained peak performance, setting the stage for the most intense competition in the upcoming grand final.

As the sun rises, its brilliant rays bathe the Papal Palace in a sacred golden glow, making the majestic complex appear like a divine miracle. Two rows of paladin knights stand solemnly from the palace gates to the foot of the hill, their gleaming silver armor reflecting a cold, sharp light, their heavy swords exuding supreme authority.

The previously eliminated teams had already been ordered to leave the field, even their spectator status stripped away. Only the true prodigies were qualified to stand on this sacred plaza. At dawn, the three finalist teams were already waiting here. The faculty and staff of each academy were kept in the outer area, leaving only twenty-one young soul masters bathed in the morning light in the center of the plaza, awaiting the final match that would determine their fate.

On the solemn plaza before the Papal Palace, the three teams displayed distinctly different auras. The Spirit Hall Academy team, led by Xie Yue, appeared composed, yet each member's eyes burned with a fervent faith—a devotion to the Spirit Hall and unparalleled reverence for Pope Bibi Dong. Their upright backs seemed to proclaim the pride of being direct descendants of the Spirit Hall.

In stark contrast, Shrek Academy displayed a low-key and reserved formation. The seven members lined up in a row, from left to right: Dai Mubai, Yu Tianheng, Tang San, Oscar, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. Although the team was unassuming, it exuded a restrained yet sharp aura.

Suddenly, the side door of the Papal Palace slowly opened. Twelve cardinals, each dressed in a scarlet robe, filed out. Each of them was a core figure in the Spirit Hall, second only to the Platinum Cardinal. These cardinals lined up on both sides, forming a solemn ceremonial guard in front of the Papal Palace.

The leading cardinal solemnly proclaimed, "His Holiness the Pope has arrived!"

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

These three earth-shattering shouts echoed like thunder across Wuhun City. Not only did the guardian knights on Pope Mountain kneel in unison, but every soul master in Wuhun City spontaneously knelt and worshipped devoutly towards the Pope's Palace. The faith in Pope Bibi Dong was already deeply ingrained in the souls of every Wuhun Hall soul master. At this moment, the entire Wuhun City was enveloped in a fervent religious atmosphere.

With a heavy rumble, the massive temple doors slowly opened, and the six sacred emblems engraved on the doors gradually separated as they moved. All eyes in the hall were drawn to the widening crack in the door, and even breathing seemed to freeze.

Even the golden generation of the Spirit Hall Academy couldn't hide their excitement, their seven hearts pounding in their chests. Despite being the cream of the crop among the younger generation of the Spirit Hall, they had only had the privilege of catching a glimpse of the Pope's face when they were awarded the Purple Record Medal. This reunion still made their blood boil.

Feng Yao narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the opened sacred gate.

Suddenly, a dazzling figure stepped out of the palace gates. Bibi Dong wore a flowing, golden gown, a purple-gold crown, and held a jeweled scepter. Her solemn and holy countenance was breathtaking. The more than one hundred red, blue, and gold gemstones adorning her magnificent gown shimmered with a dreamlike glow, while her purple-gold crown radiated a dazzling light. At that moment, all the brilliance in the world seemed to exist solely to highlight her.

"Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope!"

Amidst the resounding clang of armor, all members of the Spirit Hall knelt on one knee in unison. The sound surged like a tidal wave across the entire Papal Mountain, causing even the air to tremble. Bibi Dong's figure appeared so tall in the morning light, seemingly shining alongside heaven and earth, inspiring an irresistible urge to prostrate oneself in worship.

On the Heaven Dou Royal Academy side, Feng Yao was the first to kneel and bow, followed by the others who respectfully bowed their heads. In that instant of bowing, a mischievous thought flashed through Feng Yao's mind: "That old rascal Yu Xiaogang, he really ate well back in the day."

Out of the corner of his eye, Feng Yao noticed that the Shrek Seven Devils were still standing upright, their eyes filled with disdain. He couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. These young people were ultimately too naive. It was true that the two great empires and the Spirit Hall were on equal footing on the surface, but if they truly believed they could rival Bibi Dong, they were incredibly foolish. In Spirit City, on Pope Mountain, Bibi Dong was the supreme being.

Moreover, Feng Yao's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. He felt no qualms whatsoever about kneeling before his future mother-in-law. Thinking this, his bow became even more precise, and the Royal Fighters behind him also maintained a respectful demeanor. This behavior contrasted sharply with the arrogant and unruly attitude of the Shrek Seven Devils not far away.

(End of this chapter)