Qian Daoliu reached out with a look of doting affection, his palm gently stroking Xiaoxue’s hair. The tenderness in his loving gaze as he looked at her was plain to see.
Observing this scene, Mo Chen formed his first, deep impression of this legendary Titled Douluo known as the Angel Douluo.
At that moment, Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had been standing silently to the side, stepped forward. He possessed a brawny, towering physique that stood like an immovable mountain. His golden-brown eyes glinted with a sharp, falcon-like light as they locked firmly onto Mo Chen.
Golden Crocodile Douluo spoke slowly, his voice deep and resonant: "So you are the youngest general of the Heaven Dou Empire whose name has spread so far? To have attained the rank of a level 95 Titled Douluo at only 21 years of age—such talent is truly that of a genius among geniuses!"
He paused for a moment, his tone turning grave: "However, this is the Supplements Hall. With your current strength of only level 95, you are not qualified to enter this place."
Faced with Golden Crocodile Douluo’s undisguised attempt to intimidate him, Mo Chen did not change his expression, nor did he show a trace of fear. He stood tall, chest out, and looked directly at the other man with a firm gaze, responding calmly: "Whether or not I am qualified to enter this place is not something decided by mere words. Only he whose fist is harder has the right to set the rules."
Hearing this, Xiangmo Douluo and Qianjun Douluo exchanged a glance and shared an identical, meaningful smile. Their eyes held a newfound appreciation for Mo Chen. Clearly, Mo Chen’s bold and confident words had left a favorable impression on them.
Meanwhile, Qingluan Douluo let out a cold snort. His indifferent gaze, like a biting wind, swept across Mo Chen’s handsome yet resolute face before he said softly, "Hmph, interesting."
Qian Daoliu kept his doting gaze fixed on Xiaoxue, completely ignoring everything else happening before him.
"Grandfather, Mo Chen’s talent is truly exceptional, and besides..." Xiaoxue began urgently. However, Qian Daoliu interrupted her, unhurried and calm: "Xiaoxue, whether or not he is qualified to enter our Supplements Hall cannot be decided by a few words. What’s more, this Mo Chen is a general of the Heaven Dou Empire."
As Qian Daoliu’s words fell, Xiaoxue, who had been preparing to recount more of Mo Chen’s virtues, froze in place. At the same time, Mo Chen, who had been listening quietly, frowned, a look of surprise crossing his face.
He immediately retorted without hesitation: "Wait, if you’ll pardon me for speaking plainly, it seems I never mentioned that I wanted to join any Supplements Hall, did I?"
Mo Chen’s words were like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly creating a thousand ripples. For a fleeting moment, the entire hall fell into a terrifying, deathly silence. All six of them stared at Mo Chen with wide eyes and open mouths, unable to believe he had spoken so bluntly.
Faced with their astonished gazes, Mo Chen appeared completely at ease. He gave a light shrug and said slowly, "I only came here to escort Miss Xiaoxue safely home. Once the mission is complete, I will naturally be leaving."
After saying this emotionlessly, Mo Chen turned around and began to walk away without hesitation.
Just as he made his move, however, the previously silent Xiangmo Douluo roared, "Don't get cocky, kid! Did I say you could leave?"
Hearing the threatening tone, Mo Chen did not stop. He continued striding forward, replying without looking back, "My legs are my own. If I want to leave, no one can stop me."
Such insolence clearly infuriated Xiangmo Douluo. His eyes flared, and with a roar, a Coiling Dragon Stick shimmering with golden light appeared in his hands. His aura erupted, and the terrifying pressure of a level 96 Titled Douluo surged toward Mo Chen like a raging sea.
In the blink of an eye, Xiangmo Douluo vanished and reappeared behind Mo Chen. He raised the Coiling Dragon Stick high and brought it crashing down with immense force. The attack was so powerful it seemed to tear the very air, emitting a sharp, shrill whistle.
Reacting with incredible speed, Mo Chen waved his right hand, and a long spear suddenly appeared in his grip. Simultaneously, he thrust the spear backward to meet the descending stick.
A deafening "clang" rang out. As the spear and stick collided, sparks flew, and a powerful shockwave rippled outward from the point of impact.
"Good kid, fast reactions!" Xiangmo Douluo exclaimed, stunned. He gripped his stick tighter, his arm muscles bulging as he poured more strength into his strike.
Mo Chen frowned, took a deep breath, and began to increase his own output. As seconds ticked by, to everyone’s surprise, even though Mo Chen was a level lower, the tide seemed to be turning in his favor.
Suddenly, with a thunderous bang, Mo Chen exerted a burst of power that rushed toward Xiangmo Douluo like a collapsing mountain. Caught off guard, Xiangmo Douluo was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string. He tumbled through the air several times before barely regaining his footing, sliding back a dozen steps and leaving deep footprints in the floor.
Xiangmo Douluo looked at Mo Chen with unconcealed appreciation, though he quickly masked it. He performed a flourish with his staff and his third soul ring suddenly lit up.
"Third Spirit Skill: Demon Subjugation!"
With a roar, Xiangmo Douluo swung his stick with all his might. Instantly, the air rippled, and over a dozen afterimages identical to Xiangmo Douluo appeared out of thin air, lunging at Mo Chen with their own staffs.
Mo Chen was somewhat at a disadvantage, as most of his Spirit Skills were auxiliary buffs, with very few offensive ones. Faced with the onslaught, he was forced into a defensive position. To compensate, he had created a series of self-developed skills.
"Void Body!"
In an instant, blurry phantoms flickered at Mo Chen’s side, swinging their sticks at him. Miraculously, when the sticks made contact with Mo Chen’s body, they passed through him as if he were nothing but thin air.
Then, Mo Chen whispered, "Void Dream."
Suddenly, the real Xiangmo Douluo, standing dozens of meters away, underwent a dramatic change in expression. He realized in shock that his own illusions had changed targets; they were now turning, wielding their sticks, and raining down attacks upon the original Xiangmo Douluo.
The air was filled with shadows of staffs, leaving him no room to dodge. He was forced to scramble desperately to defend himself.
Simultaneously, the long spear in Mo Chen’s hand vanished, replaced by a deep purple longbow. As he drew the string, a low, soul-shaking hum vibrated through the air. A terrifying energy gathered on the arrow, distorting the space around it.
"Torch Dragon’s Star: Lament of the Dragon Galaxy."
"What terrifying Soul Power fluctuations!" Golden Crocodile Douluo muttered, his brow furrowed in gravity.
Just as Mo Chen released the arrow, a green figure flickered like a phantom beside him. Qingluan Douluo swung his hands, his twin blades flashing like lightning as he hacked at Mo Chen with astonishing speed. Cold light shone and blade-winds whistled as he landed several strikes in the blink of an eye.
Mo Chen did not panic. He dodged the first few blows, then shifted his bow into a pair of sharp blades, meeting Qingluan Douluo’s attack head-on. Four weapons clashed in the air, sending sparks flying like brilliant fireworks.
The Supplements Hall was enveloped in light and shadow. They traded blows, neither yielding an inch. Intense sword qi erupted from the fray, leaving deep gouges in the architecture of the hall.
"Although we have only fought for a few seconds, I can clearly feel that Number Seven is likely no match for you," Qingluan Douluo said, his voice deep as he swung his blades. Seizing a moment of respite, he took a deep breath. "Eighth Spirit Skill: Clear Sky Sea of Clouds, Sound of Utter Silence!"
As the skill activated, Mo Chen felt a powerful force wash over him and froze. Before he could react, he felt as if an invisible hand had gripped him, dragging him toward an endless void. Within moments, he felt trapped in a quagmire, completely losing control over his movements.
Qingluan Douluo stopped his blades, staring at the swirling void where Mo Chen was trapped, a subtle hint of triumph in his eyes. Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded slightly: "Qingluan’s eighth spirit skill—even a level 97 Titled Douluo would struggle to break free in a short time."
However, just as they thought they had secured Mo Chen, a low voice emanated from the void: "Torch Dragon Domain: Eternal Purgatory!"
The instant the words were spoken, the brilliant, golden-lit hall was shrouded in a heavy shadow, turning dark and oppressive. The air seemed to solidify, making it difficult to breathe.
Qingluan Douluo and Golden Crocodile Douluo were horrified to find themselves standing in a desolate, savage world. Countless chains erupted from the void, binding their limbs and rendering them unable to move. Moreover, a host of negative effects—lethargy, burning, weakness, purification, chaos, erosion, and drowning—began to plague them.
"Innate Domain!" Qian Daoliu’s heart skipped a beat, and his usual composure vanished.
Xiaoxue stared with wide, unbelieving eyes at the chains binding her. She struggled, but found them impossibly sturdy. Worse, she could feel her Soul Power draining away at an alarming rate.
Just then, a crisp sound of shattering echoed through the void. They looked up to see Mo Chen breaking free from his shackles. He radiated a heart-stopping aura, and while chains were wrapped around him too, they lay obediently in his palm like tamed pets. As the creator of the domain, Mo Chen could command these chains to drain the Soul Power of those trapped within.
Just as Mo Chen prepared to strike again, the situation growing dire, the statue of the Angel God suddenly erupted in a blinding, radiant light. It illuminated the entire space like the dawn. The sacred light of the Angel God surged forth, not only dispelling Mo Chen’s domain but causing all the chains to vanish in an instant.
Qian Daoliu stared at Mo Chen, his eyes filled with undisguised appreciation. He spoke slowly: "Such a genius will surely achieve the status of a god one day."
Qian Daoliu had sensed the presence of the Angel God; it was not he who had dispelled the domain, but the Angel God herself. This meant Mo Chen’s talent had been recognized by the Angel God.
It was only a pity the boy did not possess the Angel Martial Soul.