Sign-In in Douluo Dalu.

Chapter 397.

Dugu Bo quickly ushered the Heaven Dou imperial family to a safe distance, his expression dark and solemn as he turned to face the White Pontiff.

Over the past four years, his strength had grown at an astonishing pace. Compared to that detestable Chrysanthemum Douluo, his progress was nothing short of miraculous. But Dugu Bo knew his rapid advancement was all thanks to the Tianxiang Yunluo Root he had consumed.

Whenever he thought about that herb, his mind inevitably drifted to that little lunatic—Wang Feng. Over the years, Dugu Bo had scoured countless places, hoping to find some trace of him, but to no avail.

The surrounding crowd understood the gravity of the moment. Everyone knew that a confrontation between these two powerhouses was inevitable. Though the outcome was uncertain, their gazes were locked on the unfolding scene.

'Old poison has reached Rank 94, and the Tianxiang Yunluo Root brother Feng gave him has clearly worked wonders over the years,' Tang San thought to himself. 'At least he's no longer at the bottom of the Titled Douluo ranks. With his domain awakened and his strength greatly enhanced, he's a force to be reckoned with.'

His gaze shifted to Wang Feng. But the White Pontiff should also have the strength of a Titled Douluo, if not more. This won't be easy… Still, if Dugu Bo can hold his own, the Heaven Dou imperial family will be able to regain some of its dignity.

On the square, Dugu Bo took a deep breath. His expression darkened as bitterness and fury flashed in his eyes.

The Soul Hall had long been a thorn in his side. Their previous Supreme Pontiff had used flimsy excuses to act against him in the past, and now they had the audacity to bring the Golden Generation to the forefront. Unfortunately, only a few from Shrek –Academy had been there to witness the events of the Supreme Pontiff Palace, and the truth of that day remained buried.

After Xiao Wu's identity had been exposed during the battle, Dugu Bo and the others had been forced to swallow their grievances. Revealing the truth would have been impossible under the circumstances.

"Behold the true form of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor!"

With a thunderous roar, Dugu Bo activated his Martial Soul True Body.

A massive serpent king erupted into view, its body as thick as a thousand year old ancient tree. Unlike before, it didn't exude its usual nauseating poisonous stench. Instead, the air carried a faint, sweet aroma.

At a glance, one might mistake it for a harmless huge serpent.

But Tang San, ever the poison expert, knew better. That sweetness was the mark of an even more insidious toxin.

The release of the Rank 94 Titled Douluo's power boosted the morale of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family.

"Mr. Dugu has grown so much stronger!" exclaimed Prince Xue Xing, a relieved smile gracing his face.

Dugu Bo's allegiance to the Heaven Dou royal family stemmed partly from his relationship with the prince. But more than that, it was born of his long-standing enmity with the Soul Hall.

Seeing Dugu Bo's strength now gave the imperial family a renewed sense of confidence. If they could use this battle to dent the Soul Hall's prestige, it would be a massive victory for them.

Meanwhile, Wang Feng stood quietly, seemingly lost in thought.

'How should I deal with the old poison?'

He mulled over his options. 'Should I use the [Universe Divine Light] to end things swiftly? Or should I unleash [Spirit Seal] and [Icebane] to neutralize Dugu Bo entirely? Perhaps a direct assault with my sword techniques?'

Hmm... too many choices. It's almost annoying.

Wang Feng studied Dugu Bo thoughtfully. Although the old poison had grown stronger and rid himself of the poison within his body, Wang Feng bore no ill will toward him.

If he used the [Universe Divine Light], Dugu Bo's mighty Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor would likely be reduced to nothing more than a harmless garden snake.

If he chose the [Spirit Seal] control ability, he could incapacitate Dugu Bo for a few seconds—long enough to unleash the six blood lines like power for a devastating attack.

Even his swordsmanship –would suffice, as Dugu Bo's defenses weren't particularly robust among the Titled Douluo.

'Why hasn't the White Death made a move yet?' Tang San wondered from the sidelines, observing Wang Feng's calm demeanor. The Soul Hall claims his strength rivals that of a Titled Douluo, even Super Douluo. If that's true, then this man is on par with the Soul Hall's top five fighter. He's not to be underestimated.

As the tension thickened, all eyes remained fixed on the impending clash.

Bishop Salas looked uneasy.

At that moment, Dugu Bo let out a deep roar, and the eighth soul ring on his body lit up brilliantly. A faint, sinister light radiated from the eyes of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor.

"Soul Skill: Time Freeze!"

This was a highly potent control-type soul ability. Although it didn't literally freeze time world-wide, it affected quite a large area. The toxins released by the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor affected the opponent, drastically reducing their speed. To those with lower soul power, it felt as though time itself had stopped, rendering their movements agonizingly sluggish.

In an instant, the air around Wang Feng seemed to stagnate. Not even a hint of a breeze stirred.

Dugu Bo wasn't holding back. He was taking this battle with utmost seriousness.

His skull began to glow violently, and a phantom image of –it appeared above him. A beam of radiant light shot directly toward Wang Feng, who was still immobilized under the effects of "Time Freeze." Escape was impossible.

Almost instantly, a faint layer of stone began to cover Wang Feng's body.

This was the unique soul ability of Dugu Bo's skull soul bone [Medusa's Gaze]. It petrified its target, turning them into living stone.

Right from the outset, Dugu Bo unleashed his most formidable soul abilities without reservation. His animosity toward the Soul Hall left no room for hesitation.

However, he stopped short of using his ninth soul ability. The destructive range of that skill was too vast. If unleashed, it could poison not only the square and the temple but also the entire Heaven Dou City instantly and its inhabitants. Even so, the combination of his current abilities was more than enough to control most opponents.

The next moment, Dugu Bo directed his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's Martial Soul True Body to strike. Its massive tail whipped through the air like a battering ram, aiming directly for the petrified White Pontiff.

The tension among the onlookers was palpable.

Even a Titled Douluo would struggle to escape from Dugu Bo's expertly executed chain of control abilities. If this tail connected, the White Pontiff would surely suffer.

But was it really going to be that simple?

Just as the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's tail was about to land its devastating blow, a black streak suddenly descended from above with incredible speed.

It was the Armored Black Flying Sword!

Unbeknownst to anyone, Wang Feng had left the sword hovering in the air earlier when he arrived with the others.

The massive sword, glowing faintly with dark energy, crashed down with the force of a mountain. It collided with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's tail, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The ground trembled, and the sheer force of the impact caused gusts of wind to scatter in all directions.

Dugu Bo's figure staggered back as he regained his footing, his eyes narrowing with frustration. He stared at the White Pontiff, whose body remained petrified, yet his sword seemed entirely unaffected.

Of course, the Armored Black Flying Sword was unaffected. It was directly controlled by Wang Feng's mental power, and its movements were independent of his physical state.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Armored Black Flying Sword showed no sign of relenting. It launched itself toward Dugu Bo, black energy swirling around its blade.

The massive Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor was forced to defend itself, but the Flying Sword was relentless. Each strike inflicted significant damage on its form. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's strength lay in its offensive power and toxins—not its defenses. It couldn't endure the relentless assault for long.

What made matters worse was that Wang Feng, through his mental prowess, split the Armored Black Flying Sword into two. Over time, he had condensed nearly two drops of spiritual essence, allowing him to divide the sword without diminishing its power. In fact, the two swords enhanced each other, making their combined attacks even more ferocious.

The dual blades swirled like twin predators, relentlessly suppressing Dugu Bo.

And yet, Wang Feng himself remained motionless, his body encased in stone. The sight was as strange as it was unsettling—a petrified figure, yet his weapon wreaked havoc as though it had a life of its own.

...…..

Please support me and read atleast 20 chapters ahead at my patréon.

patréon.com/PrimorDuous.

I'll be very grateful. Thanks.