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

Chapter 56 Consumption

Feng Yao's eyes were sharp as he locked onto the ever-changing battle situation. Under the dazzling amplification light of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer suddenly unleashed astonishing power, carrying the sound of wind and thunder as it hurtled towards Xie Yue.

"boom--"

The instant the hammers clashed, Hu Liena's spirit rings flashed rapidly beside Xie Yue, unleashing her charm skill at full power. However, Tang San's eyes blazed with purple light; his Purple Demon Eye had completely negated the allure. The Clear Sky Hammer continued its relentless advance, blasting Xie Yue and his blade away with overwhelming force.

"boom!"

Xie Yue's figure flew backwards for dozens of meters like a kite with a broken string, the moon blade drawing a blinding trail of sparks on the ground.

"Brother!" Hu Liena exclaimed, a look of panic appearing on her beautiful face for the first time. She disregarded maintaining her soul skill and flew to catch the flying Xie Yue.

This unexpected scene caused an uproar among the audience—with the blessing of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Tang San was actually able to force back the leader of the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation with a single blow!

"How can the Clear Sky Hammer, without any spirit rings, unleash such power?" Yu Feng stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief.

Feng Yao shook his head slightly, his fingertips casually plucking the strings of his zither: "The Spirit Hall underestimated us; this result is not unexpected."

"A Soul Master defeating a Soul King is considered normal?" Yu Feng rolled his eyes dramatically. "Forget it, I can't understand the world of you freaks."

Dugu Yan chuckled upon hearing this, and the members of Huang Dou also laughed.

Feng Yao gently stroked the strings of the zither, slowly explaining, "The reason why weapon-based martial souls are generally considered to have a higher ceiling than beast-based martial souls lies in the soul master's understanding and development of the weapon. Although Xie Yue's moon blade is sharp, it emphasizes agility and speed, which puts it at a disadvantage in head-on confrontations."

He gazed intently at the arena: "Tang San's hammer technique embodies the culmination of generations of effort from the Clear Sky Sect; each move has been refined through countless trials. In terms of weapon spirit mastery alone, Xie Yue is naturally no match."

What Feng Yao didn't say was Tang San's experience in his previous life of mastering such exquisite weapons as hidden weapons to a state of perfection. Although hidden weapons and warhammers are very different in style, that extreme comprehension of martial arts allowed him to quickly grasp the essence of the Clear Sky Hammer under Tang Hao's guidance. This foundation was the key to Tang San's rapid growth.

“Moreover, he also has the amplification effect of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda,” Oslo added thoughtfully.

Feng Yao nodded approvingly, "Very observant." He pointed to the shimmering pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand, "Did you notice? All three amplifying rays of light are concentrated on Tang San alone."

Seeing the puzzled expressions on everyone's faces, Feng Yao continued to explain, "Although Ning Rongrong is only at the third ring now, when strength, speed, and soul power are all increased simultaneously, the actual effect is far more than a simple 40% bonus." He traced interwoven paths in the air with his fingertips, "These attributes influence each other, producing a geometrically multiplied increase."

"It's like..." Feng Yao suddenly plucked a string on his zither, a sound wave tracing a beautiful arc in the air, "Increased speed makes power more impactful, and enhanced soul power allows for more sustained bursts of power. This kind of all-around improvement often brings about an unimaginable leap in combat strength."

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood, and when they looked at the arena again, their gazes had changed. At this moment, with the blessing of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, every swing of Tang San's hammer carried the force of thunder, and he could actually stand on equal footing with Xie Yue, who was at the Soul King level.

"So," Feng Yao concluded with a light laugh, "sometimes rank doesn't tell the whole story."

Feng Yao stared intently at the battle, a flash of understanding crossing his eyes. Tang San and the others' tactical intentions were now crystal clear—Ning Rongrong was concentrating all the amplification from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda on Tang San alone, while Tang San was making full use of the Clear Sky Hammer's close-combat advantage, relentlessly pursuing Xie Yue as the core target.

"What a brilliant move! Capture the leader first!" Feng Yao thought to himself, tapping the zither with his fingertips. This tactic was a double win: it could both disrupt Xie Yue and Hu Liena's rhythm of using their Martial Soul Fusion Technique and continuously deplete their soul power and stamina through sustained high-intensity combat.

The development of the battle completely confirmed Feng Yao's prediction. With the powerful amplification of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Tang San single-handedly restrained Xie Yue and Hu Liena. He wielded the Clear Sky Hammer with impenetrable skill, and whenever Hu Liena tried to approach her brother to unleash a fusion technique, she was always forced back by the precise strikes of the hammer.

On the other side, Yu Tianheng was enveloped in lightning, locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle with Yan. The clash between the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus and the Flame Lord exploded into countless bolts of lightning and fire on the field.

What was most surprising was Xiao Wu's agile movements; she and the Netherworld White Tiger formed a perfect team. The Soft Bone Rabbit's teleportation skill, combined with the White Tiger's fierce attacks, kept the remaining members of the Spirit Hall firmly in check. Whenever the opponents tried to break through to provide support, they were forced back into the formation by Xiao Wu's ghostly soft techniques or the White Tiger's sharp claws.

Feng Yao gazed at the ingenious division of the battlefield, his fingertips gently caressing the strings of his zither: "Forcibly turning a team battle into a small-group fight, suppressing the demonic aura's ability to cover the entire battlefield from the sidelines, a three-pronged attack—as long as Tang San can make a breakthrough, then we've won."

Bibi Dong slightly furrowed her brows, the gem on her scepter gleaming coldly as her fingers tightened. She stared at the figure wielding the heavy hammer in the arena, instantly grasping the essence of Shrek Academy's tactics.

"As expected of the Haotian inheritance," she mused, a hint of solemnity in her eyes. "Even without the blessing of a soul ring, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's amplification allows him to suppress Xie Yue, a Soul King, with the power of a Soul Sect."

Her gaze swept over Hu Liena, who repeatedly tried to get close but was forced back by Hammer Wind, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "What's even more remarkable is that Nana's charm has almost no effect on him. It seems this child's mental strength is not much inferior to Nana's."

The scepter tapped lightly on the ground, and Bibi Dong's eyes deepened. She suddenly realized that this seemingly decided match might still have unpredictable twists. Tang San was displaying not only the domineering power of the Clear Sky Hammer, but also a combat wisdom beyond his years.

Bibi Dong sighed inwardly. This was the insurmountable gap between disciples of sects and ordinary soul masters. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to include that skull in the competition rewards.

Top-tier martial spirits, passed down through generations, not only have their bloodlines become increasingly pure but have also accumulated countless insights. Just like the "Nine Absolute Techniques of Haotian Sect," each technique was created to help the Haotian Hammer cope with various battle situations, containing countless practical combat wisdom.

Her gaze turned complex as she looked at Hu Liena and her brother, who were struggling in the arena. Although these two children were the golden generation carefully nurtured by the Spirit Hall, they were ultimately adopted orphans, lacking the foundation of a true bloodline inheritance. Even with the resources of the Spirit Hall that had propelled them to their current level, the gap was glaringly obvious when facing truly top-tier spirit inheritances. Thinking of this, Bibi Dong's gaze suddenly shifted to Feng Yao in the spectator area, a glint of brilliance flashing in her eyes. Even among geniuses, there are differences.

"This child," she thought to herself, "is not only exceptionally talented, but also possesses a unique understanding of martial spirits." The gems on the scepter rippled with light as she tapped them with her fingertips. "Given time, he will surely establish his own sect, perhaps even..."

With these thoughts in mind, Bibi Dong's gaze unconsciously drifted towards the depths of the Papal Palace, perhaps he too could reach that level like herself.

As time passed, the situation on the field gradually became clear. Xie Yue's movements had slowed considerably, and the initial sharpness of his moon blade was gone. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing became heavy. This leader of the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation was now at his last gasp.

However, the situation for Shrek Academy was equally dire. Yu Tianheng's lightning power was no longer as ferocious as it had been initially, and the Netherworld White Tiger formed by the fusion of Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing had long since disappeared. Xiao Wu's signature teleportation frequency had noticeably decreased, and her graceful techniques were no longer as fluid as before. The four main forces were exerting far less pressure on the enemy, and their advantage on the field was gradually slipping away.

Feng Yao keenly noticed that the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand was also beginning to dim, indicating that the continuous high-intensity amplification was obviously consuming a lot of energy.

However, everyone overlooked a key figure—Oscar. At the very beginning of the match, as the Shrek team rapidly retreated and formed a battle formation, this food-type Soul Master had already quietly distributed recovery sausages to each of his teammates. This was his most basic first Soul Skill; although its effect was mediocre, its advantage lay in its extremely low Soul Power consumption.

When the Spirit Hall members were astonished to find their supposedly exhausted opponents devouring sausages, their gazes finally focused on the slender figure who had been standing beside Ning Rongrong. Oscar's lips curled into a sly smile—as the most easily overlooked food-type spirit master, he was already used to this kind of belated attention.

“Interesting.” A glint flashed in Feng Yao’s eyes. “So this is the real reason why Shrek dares to wage a war of attrition.” He noticed that Oscar was still making new sausages. Although the healing effect of each sausage was limited, the advantage was that they were produced continuously. This tactic of slowly boiling a frog was gradually turning the tide of the battle.

At this moment, Tang San, who possessed the Mysterious Heaven Skill, also displayed astonishing endurance. The soul power within his body was like a deep pool, flowing endlessly, and his physical reserves far exceeded everyone's expectations.

The Clear Sky Hammer danced in his hands like lightning, each strike carrying the force of a thunderbolt. Even more astonishing was that, under such intense combat, Tang San could still calmly curl the corners of his mouth, revealing a meaningful, cold smile.

"Is this guy a monster?" Yan watched from a distance, his heart pounding. He clearly remembered that just moments before, Tang San had shown signs of exhaustion.

Xie Yue was now in utter misery. He had thought his opponent was at his limit, but Tang San's attacks suddenly intensified. Each clash of hammer and blade sent shivers down his spine. Even more terrifying, he could clearly sense that the opponent's soul power fluctuations hadn't weakened; on the contrary, they were becoming increasingly solid during the battle!
"The defeat is inevitable, and caution is not always a good thing." Feng Yao gently stroked the strings of his zither, his voice as calm as if stating a simple fact.

If the Spirit Hall team had decisively used their Spirit Fusion Technique from the start, overwhelming the opponent with absolute strength, Shrek Academy would have had no chance of winning. However, it was Shrek Academy's unusual tactical layout at the beginning that caused the Golden Generation to hesitate—they were misled by the seemingly cowardly circular formation and chose a relatively conservative, probing attack.

This cautious hesitation played right into Tang San's calculations. He understood the psychology of these prodigies all too well: the more arrogant an opponent, the more likely they were to choose the safer path when faced with unusual behavior. And it was precisely this brief period of probing that gave Shrek Academy the perfect opportunity to divide the battlefield and defeat them one by one.

This match wasn't lost due to a lack of skill, but rather due to every detail of the psychological game.

His gaze swept over the panting Golden Generation in the arena, then fell upon the Shrek Seven Devils, who, though exhausted, still had energy to spare. The recovery sausages Oscar kept tossing around were like tiny weights, accumulating a decisive advantage on the scales.

In the VIP section, Ning Fengzhi paused slightly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Getting stronger with each battle?"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin's gaze sharpened like lightning: "No, it's that child who's been controlling the rhythm from the very beginning. It seems he's never forgotten that he's a control-type Soul Master."

Bibi Dong's grip on the scepter had tightened without her noticing, her knuckles turning slightly white. She understood better than anyone what it meant when the Spirit Hall's most prized Golden Generation was defeated by a food-type Soul Master's most basic recovery skill.

With Oscar's constant supply of restorative sausages, the Shrek Seven Devils, like patient hunters, slowly eroded the Spirit Hall team's defenses. The Golden Generation's offensive gradually crumbled, and one by one they fell on the stage.

The cardinal referee leaped forward, his face grim, and announced with difficulty: "The Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy versus Shrek Advanced Soul Master Academy, Shrek wins!"

A deathly silence fell over the entire room. No one dared to utter a sound.

Bibi Dong merely glanced indifferently at the fallen members of the Golden Generation, lightly tapped the ground with her scepter, and turned to walk into the Papal Palace. Her long, trailing golden robes drew a cold, sharp line in the sunlight, and her departing figure was more suffocating than any roar.

There was no reprimand, no anger, but this silent departure sent chills down the spines of all the Spirit Hall members. Hu Liena struggled to get up and apologize, but Xie Yue held her wrist firmly—any explanation at this moment would only make things worse.

As Bibi Dong's figure disappeared into the depths of the Papal Palace, the Shrek Academy students, who had been suppressing their emotions for so long, finally erupted in a thunderous cheer.

"We won!" Xiao Wu was the first to jump up, her pink scorpion braid drawing a joyful arc in the air. She hugged Tang San tightly, her eyes glistening with tears of excitement.

Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a smile, their tense nerves finally relaxing. The light of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand gradually faded, and she collapsed to the ground as if exhausted, but she couldn't hide the joy on her face.

"Little Oscar!" Ma Hongjun rushed over and lifted Oscar high in the air. "You're the biggest hero!"

Oscar looked horrified: "Fatty, I don't like men."

Yu Tianheng couldn't help but smile, and cheers echoed before Papal Mountain, a stark contrast to the gloomy faces of the Spirit Hall members around him. Feng Yao, watching this scene from afar, smiled slightly and remarked, "Tomorrow's battle will be even more interesting."

(End of this chapter)