Chapter 224: Suppressing Elder Chen, Shocking the Body Sect
By the side of the Martial Arena, the gazes of dozens of disciples were entirely focused on the elevated stage.
Wang Yanfeng's earlier words had voiced exactly what the majority of the crowd was thinking.
Chen Lü lowered his hand after wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. He stared at the two figures standing opposite each other on the stone platform, his brows knitting tightly together.
The surrounding disciples whispered among themselves, their murmurs rising and falling like a restless tide.
"Senior Brother Liu Yuan is only around Rank 60, right? Elder Chen is a genuine Titled Douluo."
"Even if it is just a spar and Elder Chen holds back, the gap in cultivation is simply too massive. What exactly is Senior Brother Liu Yuan thinking?"
"I have no idea. But since the Sect Master is also present, it shouldn't be a reckless move."
Gu Tong walked out from the shade of a large tree and stopped at the edge of the field. He did not join the ongoing discussions, merely watching the stage in quiet contemplation, a thoughtful glint flickering in his eyes.
At that moment, a tall, imposing figure approached from the far side of the Martial Arena.
Long Aotian.
He had clearly just finished his physical body tempering beneath the back mountain's waterfall. He wore nothing but a thin, unfastened training robe draped over his upper body, the hem still dripping with cold water that darkened the dirt beneath his bare feet. Having heard the rising commotion, he had rushed straight over.
"Eldest Senior Brother is here," someone whispered.
The crowd of disciples automatically parted, carving out a clear path for him.
Long Aotian strode to the edge of the field, his sharp gaze cutting through the crowd to land squarely on the arena. He remained silent, observing the standoff with quiet intensity.
Chen Lü leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Senior Brother, what is Liu Yuan trying to achieve here? Is there really any need to spar with an elder like Elder Chen?"
Long Aotian did not answer right away.
His eyes shifted from Liu Yuan's relaxed posture to Elder Chen's seasoned stance, analyzing the subtle shifts in their breathing.
"Since he wants to spar, it means he believes it is necessary." Long Aotian's voice lacked volume, yet it carried absolute certainty.
Chen Lü blinked, momentarily stunned by the conviction in that statement.
Long Aotian continued, his tone flat. "Last time, when he sparred with Elder Li, everyone here also thought it was completely unnecessary. What was the end result?"
Chen Lü fell dead silent.
His mind flashed back to the brutal scene of Liu Yuan utterly crushing Elder Li on this very stage. That one-sided suppression had shattered every expectation the sect held.
Long Aotian did not spare Chen Lü another glance. His attention locked back onto Liu Yuan, the burning curiosity in his eyes intensifying with every passing second.
'Just how much did Junior Brother improve during this closed-door meditation?' he muttered inwardly.
Up on the elevated arena, Elder Chen casually flexed his wrists.
His left hand remained wrapped in thick medicinal plaster from a previous encounter, but his right hand was free. He unbuttoned his cuff and methodically rolled the sleeve up past his forearm.
Beneath the glaring sunlight, Elder Chen's bare hands took on a faint, metallic golden luster.
That was his Martial Soul—Hands.
As a Rank 92 Titled Douluo, his hands had endured decades of agonizing tempering. They were weapons forged from flesh and bone, far removed from those of any ordinary mortal.
He glanced down at the restless disciples below the stage, offered a faint smile, and turned his attention back to Liu Yuan. "It seems everyone is quite curious about our little exchange."
Liu Yuan stood opposite him. His posture was perfectly relaxed, his expression an unreadable mask of calm. He offered no verbal response.
Elder Chen let out a low chuckle. "However, if they witness your current level of strength, I am afraid it will escalate into far more than mere curiosity."
Liu Yuan gave a slight nod, acknowledging the words, but kept his silence.
Realizing the small talk had run its course, Elder Chen withdrew the smile from his weathered face. His gaze sharpened, turning deadly serious.
"Let us begin," Liu Yuan said, his voice smooth and even.
Elder Chen took three measured steps backward, creating a proper engagement distance.
He raised his right hand. Instantly, nine spirit rings erupted from the ground beneath his feet, locking into a flawless vertical alignment.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red.
The absolute pinnacle configuration of a nine-ring Titled Douluo. That final, blood-red hundred-thousand-year spirit ring pulsed with an oppressive aura, its crimson glow exceptionally striking under the midday sun.
A collective hiss of drawn breath swept through the disciples bordering the arena.
Elder Chen ignored the rising wave of shock below the stage.
He kept his eyes locked on his opponent and spoke in a measured, flat tone. "Liu Yuan, feel free to launch your assault. I will control my strength to an appropriate degree."
Liu Yuan nodded once.
He did not speak. He did not shift into a defensive stance or make any preparatory movements.
The only change occurred within his eyes. The three pupils in his eyes contracted sharply, and a deep, purple-gold light ignited deep within the center of his gaze.
Then, he vanished.
His figure tore across the arena, leaving behind a distorted, blurry afterimage. His explosive acceleration was so violent that the vast majority of the disciples below completely lost track of his movement trajectory.
"Qilin Precious Technique."
Liu Yuan's voice exploded like thunder in the open air.
A dense layer of dark golden light patterns erupted across the surface of his right fist. The sheer kinetic force of his punch tore through the air, generating a low, deafening hum as it drove straight toward Elder Chen's chest.
Elder Chen did not attempt to dodge.
He simply raised his right hand, splaying his fingers wide, and met Liu Yuan's incoming fist head-on.
Fist and palm collided. A dull, heavy thud echoed across the training grounds.
Elder Chen's upper body swayed. His back foot slid backward, grinding against the stone to stabilize his stance.
He glanced down at his palm; the faint golden luster coating his skin had visibly dimmed from the impact.
"Not bad at all," the elder praised.
But Liu Yuan's assault had only just begun.
His left eye narrowed a fraction of an inch. A slender, highly concentrated dark golden ray of light shot forth from his pupil.
His first Spirit Ability, Spirit Ray. The target of this piercing beam was not Elder Chen's body, but the solid bluestone slab a mere half-inch in front of the elder's right foot.
The ray struck the stone, instantly melting a finger-thick, charred hole deep into the foundation.
Elder Chen's forward momentum halted abruptly. He was forced to twist his torso sideways to evade the scorching aftershocks of the blast.
It was this single, reactionary sidestep that caused his center of gravity to waver for a fraction of a second.
Liu Yuan seized the opening with ruthless precision.
His figure pressed forward, riding the momentum of his previous strike. His right leg whipped through the air, the sheer velocity howling like a gale as it swept viciously toward Elder Chen's lower body.
Elder Chen snapped his leg up to block. Bone met bone as their shins collided with a sickeningly heavy impact.
Another muffled shockwave rippled outward.
Elder Chen was forced back half a step. Liu Yuan also rebounded half a step.
Yet, even as he retreated, Liu Yuan's left eye flared again. A second Spirit Ray tore through the distance, forcing Elder Chen to hastily throw up his arm in defense.
The concentrated beam slammed into the spirit power shield enveloping the elder's forearm, emitting a harsh, sizzling hiss.
A visible dent warped the surface of the golden shield. While it failed to pierce through the defense, the sheer kinetic weight behind the attack clearly forced Elder Chen's arm to sink downward.
"Senior Brother Liu Yuan is actually suppressing Elder Chen?" A disciple below rubbed his eyes, refusing to believe the sight unfolding above.
"Look closely, you fool. Elder Chen isn't taking this seriously at all," another disciple quickly countered, though his voice lacked absolute certainty.
"Even so, Senior Brother Liu Yuan's speed and raw power are vastly superior to what he displayed before his closed-door meditation. And he is only at Rank 60 or so!"
Long Aotian stood at the very edge of the field, his thick arms crossed tightly over his bare chest.
He remained silent, but the deep furrow between his brows betrayed his intense focus.
He saw the reality of the exchange with crystal clarity.
Elder Chen was indeed holding back. The elder's counterattacks were strictly regulated to a very low intensity, and he spent the vast majority of the exchange merely defending, parrying, and evading.
However, the sheer velocity and explosive force Liu Yuan currently displayed had skyrocketed compared to a mere half-month ago.
"The fundamental quality of his spirit power has mutated," Long Aotian whispered under his breath.
He could feel the difference in the air.
With every single strike Liu Yuan unleashed, his spirit power felt exceptionally dense. It carried a terrifying, penetrating stability that simply did not exist before.
Even though it was technically only Rank 62 spirit power, the destructive yield Liu Yuan produced far exceeded any Spirit Master of the same rank Long Aotian had ever witnessed in his life.
Up on the arena, Liu Yuan's offensive rhythm grew increasingly suffocating.
His fists were entirely wrapped in swirling dark golden light patterns. Every strike, every kick, every elbow was accompanied by a heavy, muffled detonation upon impact.
Although Elder Chen managed to intercept every single blow, the sheer downward force of the strikes took a toll. With every parry, a faint, crushed footprint appeared beneath the elder's feet.
That was the reinforced bluestone slabs actively deforming under the crushing pressure of their exchange.
"Fourth Spirit Ability, Ultimate Sublimation."
Liu Yuan's fourth black spirit ring flared to life.
His physical aura instantly detonated, surging upward by a massive margin. His already dense spirit power became suffocatingly heavy. His movement speed spiked, and the sheer kinetic weight behind his strikes multiplied.
When their fists and shins clashed this time, Elder Chen's entire body swayed violently, the impact nearly breaking his rooted stance.
Elder Chen finally dropped his casual demeanor.
While he still refused to draw upon his full cultivation, the intensity of his defense skyrocketed. After catching a devastating straight punch, the elder immediately countered with a sweeping palm strike, forcing Liu Yuan to duck and weave.
The close-quarters clash between the two accelerated into a blinding blur. The sound of their limbs colliding echoed across the training grounds, as rapid and dense as a torrential downpour striking a war drum.
The disciples below the stage watched, their jaws practically hitting the floor.
"Senior Brother Liu Yuan is actually trading blows evenly with Elder Chen?!"
"Are you blind? Didn't you notice? Elder Chen has started to actively counterattack! He isn't just defending anymore!"
"Just what kind of monstrous strength is this?"
Chen Lü stood frozen at the edge of the field, his mouth hanging slightly open, entirely forgetting to close it.
Wang Yanfeng's hand unconsciously gripped the fabric of his own robe, his knuckles turning white.
Gu Tong kept his eyes peeled wide, refusing to blink even once for fear of missing a single micro-movement.
Long Aotian's brow furrowed even tighter, forming deep creases on his forehead.
He could see the deeper layer of the fight. Although Elder Chen was now counterattacking, the elder still had not used a single true killing move.
Those counters were merely ordinary physical strikes, completely devoid of attached Spirit Abilities or the overwhelming suppression of his Martial Soul Avatar.
But even taking that into account, for Liu Yuan to hold his ground and not fall into an immediate disadvantage during a high-intensity physical confrontation against a Titled Douluo was an unfathomable leap in combat prowess.
Right at that moment, Elder Chen decided it was time to end the probing phase.
He suddenly clenched his right fist. A blinding golden luster seeped out from the gaps between his fingers. The fifth black spirit ring beneath his feet ignited. It was his fifth Spirit Ability, a technique renowned for its heavy impact. He intended to use this specific move to finally force out Liu Yuan's absolute limits.
However, in the exact microsecond his Spirit Ability began to manifest, a dangerous light flashed within Liu Yuan's eyes.
"Seeing Through the Void."
A murky, grayish-brown light leaped outward from the center of Liu Yuan's brow. It was the unique spiritual fluctuation of the Destruction Beast Spirit Soul. The eerie light shot forward, silently washing over Elder Chen's body.
Elder Chen's confident expression instantly warped into shock.
He felt the highly condensed spirit power circuit within his meridians suddenly sever. The moment that grayish-brown light touched him, his internal energy pathways were forcibly jammed.
The spirit power that had been flowing with smooth, torrential force instantly derailed into chaotic turbulence. His fifth Spirit Ability, which had been a fraction of a second away from unleashing, was violently aborted. The sudden backlash of derailed spirit power caused the elder's right arm to tremble uncontrollably.
"This..."
Elder Chen stood completely stunned.
He had cultivated for decades, fighting countless battles of life and death, yet he had never once encountered a phenomenon like this.
His Spirit Ability had actually been forcibly canceled right in the middle of its activation sequence.
It was not just Elder Chen who noticed the anomaly; the sharp-eyed disciples below caught the sudden fizzle of energy as well.
"Elder Chen's Spirit Ability... it didn't activate?" a disciple exclaimed, his voice cracking.
"Did Senior Brother Liu Yuan just interrupt a Titled Douluo's skill?!" another disciple gasped, clutching his head in disbelief.
Long Aotian's eyes flared with intense light. He saw the mechanics of the exchange perfectly. Liu Yuan had used the innate ability of the Destruction Beast Spirit Soul—Seeing Through the Void. The core function of that skill was to directly interfere with an opponent's internal spirit power circuits, rendering them completely unable to smoothly channel Spirit Abilities.
But the sheer gap in cultivation ranks between Elder Chen and Liu Yuan was a massive chasm! For this disruption skill to actually take effect on a Rank 92 Titled Douluo could only mean one terrifying reality.
Liu Yuan's mental force had evolved to an entirely different dimension.
Liu Yuan did not give the stunned elder a single millisecond to catch his breath or recalibrate his energy.
He immediately triggered his own fifth Spirit Ability.
"Forbidden Domain."
A rapidly expanding circle of dark purple light erupted from beneath Liu Yuan's feet, instantly washing over half of the massive arena.
Elder Chen was swallowed by the purple glow. The moment the light touched him, he felt as though the very space around his body had solidified into lead. An invisible, crushing weight pressed down on his shoulders, rendering his physical movements terrifyingly sluggish, and his internal spirit power circulation felt as though it were dragging through thick mud.
"Dominator."
Liu Yuan's fifth spirit ring flared a second time, pulsing with dark energy.
The dark purple light saturating the arena grew impossibly dense. Within the confines of this domain, Liu Yuan's physical form became entirely elusive. His movement speed spiked to such an extreme degree that Elder Chen's naked eyes could barely track the afterimages.
Then, the air tore open.
Thick, dark purple chains shot out from the void itself.
These ethereal chains hummed with a sinister vibration as they converged on Elder Chen from every conceivable blind spot. Elder Chen gritted his teeth and raised his heavy arms to block, but his reaction speed was severely crippled under the absolute suppression of the Forbidden Domain. He simply could not keep pace with the blinding speed of the chains' binding assault.
The first chain snapped tightly around his right wrist, locking it in place.
The second chain coiled viciously around his left forearm.
The third, the fourth, the fifth...
In the span of a few short breaths, Elder Chen's arms, legs, and entire torso were completely mummified by the suffocating dark purple chains.
He let out a low grunt, attempting to forcibly flex his muscles and shatter the bindings with pure physical strength. But the moment he exerted force, the chains constricted even tighter, biting into his clothes., a terrifying spirit power suppression effect bled directly from the chains into his body, making his internal energy circulation increasingly stagnant and difficult to command.
Elder Chen stood frozen in the very center of the arena, his entire body tightly bound by the dark purple chains, completely unable to move a single inch.
He lowered his gaze to stare at the restrictive chains wrapping his torso, then slowly raised his head to look directly at Liu Yuan.
By the side of the Martial Arena, there was dead silence.
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