Doulou Dalu 51

"You want to kill me... Go to hell..."

Lin Fan's purple fire sword slashed down with incredible speed, severing the bald soul master's arm in one swift motion. Without hesitation, he struck again, slicing through the man's chest. The bald soul master collapsed to the ground, vomiting blood as the last of Lin Fan's flying sword attacks pierced through him. He died instantly.

Only then did Lin Fan's invincible state fade. He remained standing within his sword formation, his presence still commanding the battlefield.

As the dust settled, the arena revealed the brutal outcome. The bald soul master lay in a bloody mess, while two other opponents had also fallen, lifeless, on the iron-stone arena.

Lin Fan exhaled softly. In truth, he had deliberately allowed the three soul masters to endure his sword formation together, hoping to spare at least two of them. His intention had been to eliminate only the bald soul master, but his opponents were weaker than he had expected. Compared to Tang Long and Tang Ye, they still had a long way to go. Nevertheless, he had not anticipated that they would perish as well.

"You killed him..." The short-haired female captain, a Soul King, gritted her teeth in the air. Her expression was a mixture of fury and disbelief. First, one of her teammates had been crippled, and now another—a level 49 peak Soul Master—was dead. Their team's strength had been severely compromised in the finals.

Just as she was about to charge at Lin Fan in a desperate attempt for revenge, a voice echoed from above.

"Stop! The Blazing Fire Sect violated the rules by using poison weapons. This match is over! Victory goes to the Haotian Sect!"

A wave of murmurs spread through the crowd. At that moment, the restriction barriers around the ring flickered, and several black needles laced with deadly poison clattered onto the ground with a sharp metallic sound.

"What... This—?" The short-haired captain's eyes widened in shock. "Who did this? How is this possible?"

Lin Fan withdrew his martial spirit and cast a calm glance at the fallen soul master. "Of course, it was the dead one. You're a good captain, but unfortunately, your teammates let you down."

The arena quickly cleared, and Lin Fan turned toward the audience before deactivating his Heavenly Eye. The soul power consumption was significant, but nothing he couldn't handle. At his current level, he could sustain it for over an hour—more than enough for these matches.

High above the arena, the host picked up her microphone and, with barely contained excitement, announced, "I can't believe what we just witnessed! This newcomer from the Haotian Sect possesses twin martial spirits and ten-thousand-year soul skills. This is simply unprecedented!"

The stadium erupted into cheers. Lin Fan had single-handedly taken down one of the tournament's strongest teams, securing three consecutive victories. His popularity skyrocketed.

Yet, what truly shocked the audience wasn't just his strength—it was his talent. A seemingly ordinary soul master had demonstrated the impossible: twin martial spirits and overwhelmingly powerful soul skills.

Most soul masters knew that a ten-thousand-year soul skill at his level should have been impossible. And yet, Lin Fan had not only wielded such a skill but had also used it to annihilate opponents who far outclassed him in rank. Compared to Spirit Hall's Saintess, Bibi Dong, whose sheer power was undeniable, Lin Fan's rise to fame felt more like a miracle.

Among the spectators, admiration wasn't limited to the female disciples—many male disciples, particularly those struggling with lower soul power levels, now saw Lin Fan as an inspiration. He had shattered the belief that soul power alone determined strength.

As Lin Fan walked down from the arena, the short-haired captain of the Blazing Fire Sect passed him, her gaze lingering on him with a mix of resentment and intrigue.

"You're powerful… and mysterious," she admitted. "I won't forget this. After the tournament, let's meet. My name is Chiyan."

Lin Fan hesitated for a brief moment before responding nonchalantly, "Maybe. We'll see." Internally, he groaned. Another one? I'm not looking to add to my troubles… or my family.

As Chiyan walked away, all eyes remained on Lin Fan—including those of the powerful figures in the VIP stands.

Tang Xiao turned to his brother, Tang Hao, and smiled. "Your instincts were right. This kid is bringing glory to our Haotian Sect."

Tang Hao, though less expressive, had a glint of approval in his eyes. "Two matches remain in the preliminaries. If he wins both like Huo'er, his reputation will surpass even the Saintess of Spirit Hall. After all… he's still just a Soul Master."

Tang Xiao nodded thoughtfully. "The Ice Phoenix Family shouldn't be a problem. But against the Demon Sect, it would be wiser to let Huo'er take the fight."

Elsewhere, in the royal VIP section, Emperor Xue Ye was equally intrigued. "Twin martial spirits… ten-thousand-year soul skills… as a mere Soul Master? Unbelievable. Find out who he is and which family he belongs to—immediately."

Meanwhile, Bibi Dong, seated in silence, watched Lin Fan intently. Her fingers gently gripped the edge of her chair, and her lips curled slightly. A mix of emotions flickered across her face—admiration, nostalgia, and something deeper.

"You're still the same... I only hope I can wait long enough for the day when you'll truly stand by my side."

Qian Xunji, standing nearby, was far less composed. His gaze was locked onto Lin Fan, his expression grim. Around him, several Spirit Hall elders exchanged worried glances.

They knew the lethality of the black needles. Even a Soul Emperor would have struggled to withstand them at such close range, and the poison could incapacitate a Soul Saint. The Spirit Hall had never used such weapons in a formal competition—it would tarnish their reputation. Yet, despite their plan, Lin Fan had emerged unscathed.

"This shouldn't be possible," Qian Xunji muttered. His fingers tightened into a fist. "A ten-thousand-year soul skill at this level is absurd. And yet, not only does he have it, but it also grants him an invincible state? This is something only Soul Douluo-level masters should be capable of! Who the hell is he?"

His expression darkened. For the first time, he felt a real, unsettling sense of danger from Lin Fan.

Back in the Haotian Sect's stands, Lin Fan barely had time to catch his breath before he was surrounded. Tang Huo'er, Ye Keke, Shui Yue'er, and Liu Erlong all turned their gazes toward him, their expressions unreadable.

Before he could react, the host's voice rang out again:

"In the next match, Spirit Hall will face the Fighting Power Clan! Contestants, please step forward!"

As Lin Fan prepared to leave, his mind remained focused—not just on the tournament but on the storm that was undoubtedly brewing in the shadows.