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The battlefield was eerily silent, save for the faint rustling of leaves stirred by an unseen wind. The air crackled with tension as two figures stood facing each other, their gazes locked in a fierce contest of wills. On one side stood Bei Bei, a formidable three-ringed Soul Elder of the Tang Sect, known for his mastery of lightning-based techniques. Opposite him was Yuwen Tuo, a first-year student whose reputation preceded him despite his apparent youth. His eyes glowed with an eerie brown-blue hue—a sign that he had awakened the latent power within.
The Five Realms of the Pupil Technique
This pupil technique was divided into five realms of mastery, each more profound than the last.
1. The Heavenly Eye (First Realm):
This was the foundational stage, allowing the user to see the causes and effects of karmic actions. While it could discern surface-level phenomena, it did not penetrate to the root cause.
2. The Wisdom Eye (Second Realm):
At this level, one could perceive the origins of events and even predict future outcomes. Those who cultivated the Wisdom Eye were said to understand the intricate web of causality, marking them as enlightened beings.
3. The Dharma Eye (Third Realm):
This realm granted insight into the fundamental laws governing the universe, enabling its wielder to measure all things according to universal order. Masters of the Dharma Eye viewed the world through simple yet profound principles.
4. The Divine Eye (Fourth Realm):
Infused with divine energy, this stage allowed the practitioner to view all existence with compassion. Users could alter others' fortunes and fates through wisdom, merit, and strategic planning.
5. The Dao Eye (Fifth Realm):
The pinnacle of mastery, the Dao Eye enabled one to perceive the cosmos from a grand design perspective, wielding dominion over spirits themselves. Practitioners at this level could directly reshape another's destiny and elevate their soul.
This ultimate technique was crafted by Grandmaster Yuwen Tuo himself, combining the destructive might of the Xuanyuan Sword, the temporal-spatial essence of the Kunlun Mirror, and the unique characteristics of his own Yin-Yang Demon Eyes. It represented the culmination of his life's work, tailored specifically for his disciple. When activated, the user's eyes would transform into a striking brown-blue color. If fully mastered, its power rivaled even the innate demonic pupils of the grandmaster, which were imbued with the force of the Kunlun Mirror.
Though there was no blood relation between master and apprentice, they bore a striking resemblance, partly due to the influence of the Xuanyuan Sword. Yuwen Tuo, as the sword's master, had unknowingly imprinted his likeness onto his disciple's form when fragments of the sword reconstructed the young man's body. Over time, however, subtle differences emerged, softening the sharpness of his features while adding a touch of nonchalance.
Despite its immense potential, this technique was notoriously difficult to cultivate. Even in the spiritually abundant world of the Xuanyuan Sword, it took Yuwen Tuo over a decade to barely reach the third realm. Here on Douluo Continent, breaking beyond the third realm seemed nearly impossible without extraordinary luck. Reaching the fourth or fifth realms required ascending to higher planes of existence.
Currently, Yuwen Tuo hadn't even entered the first realm—the Heavenly Eye. He remained at the "human eye" stage, possessing only slightly enhanced vision compared to ordinary individuals. Yet, as his brown-blue eyes met Bei Bei's gaze, the latter felt an inexplicable sense of unease and pressure.
"First soul skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"
As the senior student and a three-ring Soul Elder, Bei Bei couldn't help but make the first move. A dragon-shaped claw composed of azure-purple lightning surged forth, hurtling toward Yuwen Tuo with explosive speed.
Yuwen Tuo's eyes narrowed. Though Bei Bei moved swiftly, to Yuwen Tuo, it appeared as if the attack unfolded in slow motion. With a slight backward lean, he effortlessly evaded the strike.
Extending a finger, he pointed forward.
In martial arts, precision often trumped brute force. Against techniques reliant on palm strikes, fingertip attacks served as their natural counter. Concentrating on the intersection of two major lines forming a people-shaped pattern on Bei Bei's palm, Yuwen Tuo tapped lightly. Instantly, Bei Bei recoiled, clutching his hand in pain.
"What's going on? His strength isn't overwhelming, so why does this hurt so much?" Bei Bei thought, wary now. "Xuan Yu Hand!"
The Xuan Yu Hand, a legendary technique of the Tang Sect, hardened the hands like jade, rendering them impervious to toxins and physical damage. In its peak state, it made the hands nigh indestructible. Combined with the Thunder Dragon Claw, it promised devastating results.
"Huh? Why is Bei Bei using the Xuan Yu Hand already? Is Yuwen Tuo really that strong?" Tang Ya wondered aloud, unaware of the nuances of their earlier exchange. To her, it seemed excessive for a senior to exert such effort against a mere first-year student.
"The Xuan Yu Hand? Unfortunately, it won't help," Yuwen Tuo chuckled. As the electrified dragon claw charged once more, he remained unperturbed. Lifting his finger again, he struck a different point—this time targeting the midpoint along the radial side of Bei Bei's first metacarpal bone, where flesh transitioned from red to white.
At its core, the Xuan Yu Hand was akin to advanced Iron Sand Palm techniques. And Yuwen Tuo's Scorching Yang Flame Finger? It was specifically designed to counter such methods.
"Ugh…" Bei Bei's breath hitched as his entire body convulsed. The accumulated electricity dissipated instantly, leaving his hardened hand vulnerable once more. Seizing the opportunity, Yuwen Tuo delivered a punch straight to Bei Bei's abdomen, sending him flying toward the edge of the arena.
"Bei Bei, what's wrong? Keep fighting!" Tang Ya cried anxiously, stomping her feet. She couldn't comprehend how someone weaker than Bei Bei could dominate their exchanges so decisively.
"Xiao Ya!" Hearing Tang Ya's voice snapped Bei Bei back to reality. "Damn it, I can't lose! As the eldest disciple of the Tang Sect, losing here to a freshman would shame both Xiao Ya and our sect. Third soul skill, Wrath of Thunder!"
With those words, Bei Bei unleashed his thousand-year soul skill, unleashing torrents of amplified lightning energy. Sensing danger, Yuwen Tuo quickly retreated, executing two backflips to put distance between them.
The Wrath of Thunder temporarily boosted Bei Bei's soul power by over fifty percent, multiplying his lightning attribute several times over.
"What's happening? Bei Bei just used his third soul skill!"
"Against a single-ring soul master, is that really necessary?"
"Something's off. Didn't you notice? Both close-range exchanges ended with Bei Bei at a disadvantage!"
"This freshman is incredible… but how is he doing it?"
Yuwen Tuo smirked. "Oh? Finally getting serious, are we?"
"I underestimated you," Bei Bei admitted grimly. "I thought my first soul skill alone would suffice against someone of your rank. Clearly, I was wrong—you're far stronger than I anticipated. What was that finger technique?"
"Scorching Yang Flame Finger," Yuwen Tuo replied calmly.
Derived from the Divine Fire Avatar Manual, this technique involved channeling fiery energy into precise points across the opponent's body, exploiting specific acupoints for maximum effect. For instance, during their initial clash, Yuwen Tuo had targeted the Laogong Point located in the center of Bei Bei's palm. Striking this area disrupted internal energies, causing intense pain. During their second exchange, he aimed for the Yujie Point, disrupting Bei Bei's flow of qi entirely.
Each strike demonstrated Yuwen Tuo's surgical precision and mastery over his art. As the battle raged on, it became clear that raw power wasn't always the deciding factor in combat.
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