Chapter 41: Overwhelming Power — Glowing Feather Douluo's Miserable Defeat
Raising his head, Demon Suppressing Douluo stared at Yue Guan, who hovered effortlessly in midair. His eyes were filled with deep unwillingness and frustration.
Throughout his entire career, he had never once tasted defeat in battle against another powerhouse.
And yet, today, he had been crushed—so easily—by Yue Guan.
He had to admit, this loss wasn't entirely due to Yue Guan's strength alone. His own arrogance had played a part. He had underestimated his opponent… and overestimated himself. He never imagined that Yue Guan had been hiding such terrifying power all this time.
What was even more shocking—he could tell Yue Guan had held back. That final strike hadn't been unleashed at full strength. Otherwise, his injuries would've been far worse.
And that move… it wasn't even a soul ring ability.
Could it have been a soul bone skill?
The sheer might behind it could only have come from an extremely powerful soul beast. But what kind of opportunity, what stroke of fate, had allowed Yue Guan to obtain such a formidable soul bone?
Demon Suppressing Douluo couldn't even begin to imagine.
"Yue Guan," he growled through clenched teeth, "what kind of power was that? When did you become this strong?!"
Yue Guan only smiled faintly.
"That's my secret. There's no need for you to know, is there?"
"I'll beat you next time," Demon Suppressing Douluo said coldly.
"Very well. I'll be waiting."
Yue Guan replied with a calm smile, then turned to glance toward another battlefield. He made no move to assist Gui Mei—choosing instead to hover quietly in the sky, a serene observer amidst chaos.
Demon Suppressing Douluo staggered to his feet, his gaze also shifting to the distant clash between Glowing Feather Douluo and Ghost Douluo.
A look of grim determination flashed through Glowing Feather Douluo's eyes.
After several intense exchanges, he had realized the truth—Gui Mei's power far surpassed his expectations.
And now, even Demon Suppressing Douluo had been defeated by Yue Guan. That was something he never thought possible.
What stung his pride even more was that Yue Guan hadn't even gone to help Guide Mei. It was clear he believed his comrade could handle the fight alone. That silent confidence felt like an insult.
With no hesitation left, Glowing Feather Douluo pulled back the string of his ice bow once more. His ninth soul ring flared with dazzling brilliance.
Instantly, the surrounding air temperature plummeted. Even the light itself seemed to freeze in place.
Ninth Soul Skill — Glowing Feather Ice God Break!
A single arrow formed—a fusion of radiant light and bone-chilling frost—and shot forth at blinding speed, piercing the heavens.
The arrow wasn't just fast; it carried the dual destructive forces of light and ice.
Even if it missed its mark, the ensuing explosion would still unleash a devastating shockwave of energy.
But Gui Mei merely smirked, as if he had foreseen everything.
"Glowing Feather Douluo… Demon Suppressing Douluo has already been defeated. It's time to end this battle."
The moment his words faded, a flash of eerie light gleamed from his left leg—and his form vanished completely.
The arrow shot past, tearing through the air and detonating far in the distance, shaking the sky with its force. But it had struck nothing.
As Glowing Feather Douluo's eyes widened in alarm, the space above him suddenly twisted.
Gui Mei reappeared—barely twenty meters away.
His eighth soul ring flared ominously.
In an instant, dozens of ghostly skulls materialized around him, exuding a chilling, sinister aura. Like artillery shells, they screamed through the air, hurtling toward Glowing Feather Douluo with deadly precision.
Glowing Feather Douluo's expression turned pale. He hastily unleashed his ultimate defense—Extreme Radiant Barrier—a shield of pure light that enveloped him.
But the moment the first skull exploded, his heart sank.
Each detonation carried immense destructive power, infused with violent waves of dark energy. Even his strongest barrier began to tremble under the onslaught.
The explosions came one after another—
Deafening. Relentless. Overwhelming.
The radiant barrier shuddered violently… and then shattered with a thunderous boom.
The shockwave engulfed him, slamming his body down toward the ground with unstoppable force.
Glowing Feather Douluo's body slammed heavily into the ground, raising a cloud of dust and debris.
Seeing this, Demon Suppressing Douluo's eyes widened in shock.
He had lost to Yue Guan because of his own arrogance—he had underestimated his opponent. But Glowing Feather Douluo had fought with everything he had… and still lost to Gui Mei.
What made it worse—Gui Mei hadn't even used his most powerful, hundred-thousand-year-old ninth soul skill.
Yue Guan's figure flickered, and he appeared beside Gui Mei, smiling faintly.
"Old Ghost, you're still as ruthless as ever."
Gui Mei chuckled softly, retracting his soul power.
"You're not bad yourself. To defeat Demon Suppressing Douluo in such a short time—impressive."
For Titled Douluo, every rank above ninety-five represented an enormous chasm. And Gui Mei had already reached rank ninety-eight, while Glowing Feather Douluo was still at ninety-six.
At that level, even a single rank's difference could mean absolute suppression.
What's more, Gui Mei's dark attribute completely restrained Glowing Feather Douluo's light attribute, rendering his attacks powerless. All of Glowing Feather's struggles had been in vain.
He staggered to his feet, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, yet his eyes still burned with stubborn resolve.
He and Demon Suppressing Douluo had once been confident—two Titled Douluo of the Spirit Hall, unmatched in their pride.
But now, both have been utterly defeated.
"Why?! How could your strength skyrocket so much in such a short time? What did you two do?!"
Gui Mei only smiled faintly.
"That's a secret. We're not obliged to tell you."
He exchanged a glance with Yue Guan. Both of them wore the same calm, knowing smile.
"Go back and tell Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong this—there's no way we're ever returning to Spirit Hall. They'd better give up on that idea."
"Old Guan, let's go."
The moment the words left Gui Mei's mouth, the two figures vanished into the distance, leaving only ripples of soul power behind.
Demon Suppressing Douluo and Glowing Feather Douluo supported each other, watching the direction where Gui Mei and Yue Guan had disappeared. Their eyes were filled with rage and bitter unwillingness.
"The power those two now possess… It's far beyond what we imagined. Especially Ghost Douluo—his strength is unfathomable. We must return immediately and report everything to the Grand Worship."
---
Not long after, Gui Mei and Yue Guan arrived at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, had been waiting there for quite some time.
"Finally, you two decided to show up. What took you so long? What happened to Tang Hao?"
Yue Guan shook his head with a faint sigh.
"They had mysterious help. Because of that, Tang Hao managed to escape."
Dugu Bo blinked in confusion.
"Mysterious help? What do you mean by that?"
Yue Guan then recounted everything that had happened—how a strange power had interfered, how Tang Hao had slipped away, and finally, how they'd encountered and defeated Glowing Feather Douluo and Demon Suppressing Douluo.
When Dugu Bo heard the full story, his expression turned grave.
"It's fortunate that your strengths have skyrocketed. Even if you face those high-ranking worshippers of Spirit Hall now, you won't have to fear them. But you've humiliated Glowing Feather Douluo, and Demon Suppressing Douluo—Spirit Hall won't let this slide. Qian Daoliu may even send more people… perhaps he'll act himself."
Gui Mei replied calmly:
"We've already prepared for that. No matter what comes, we fear no enemy. The Continental Soul Master Tournament is approaching—Spirit Hall won't make any major moves for now."
Dugu Bo nodded slightly.
"That's true. You can stay at my mansion for a while and rest. It's safer here."
His gaze shifted to Yue Guan.
"Yue Guan, there are countless Spirit Hall informants inside Heaven Dou City. Old Ghost's youthful appearance makes him unrecognizable, but you… You've hardly changed at all. Your temperament stands out—you'd be recognized instantly. Best to stay inside the mansion and avoid going out."
Yue Guan smiled faintly.
"Is that all? That's easy enough."
He waved his hand dismissively.
"Turn around for a moment. Give me a few seconds."
Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow.
"What are you up to, Yue Guan? Is acting all mysterious?"
Yue Guan's lips curved into a mischievous grin.
"You'll find out soon enough."
—
End of Chapter