Eight Extremes Gale
"If I make a move, you won't be able to withstand it," Hun Xiu said calmly, exuding an air of confidence as he stood unmoving. His wooden sword remained in hand, while the powerful storm of dou qi tousled his black hair and white robes.
Despite the chaos around him, Hun Xiu appeared relaxed and composed, like a mountain that couldn't be shaken.
To onlookers, he might have seemed pretentious, but considering his strength, it was clear he wasn't bluffing. He was simply stating the truth: if he made a move, Hun Dou Luo wouldn't stand a chance.
Some believed that Hun Xiu was being courteous by allowing Hun Dou Luo to attack first, even giving her the opportunity to admit defeat gracefully. However, others interpreted it as arrogance, as if he were looking down on her for being a woman—though they had no concrete proof of this.
"Hun Xiu, are you certain you don't want to make the first move?" Hun Dou Luo asked, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yes," Hun Xiu replied, nodding slightly. "You may go first."
He added lightly, "Since you're a woman, I'll give you three moves. That way, you can lose with dignity."
Hun Dou Luo scoffed coldly. "You'll regret underestimating me, Hun Xiu," she said, her tone brimming with confidence.
Hun Dou Luo began forming seals with her palms. Immediately, the surrounding energy became turbulent. White wings sprouted from her back, and she ascended into the air, standing in the void.
As her seals changed, the energy between heaven and earth continued to grow more restless. A tornado began to form in her palm—a small vortex no larger than her hand, but one that radiated terrifying power.
Hun Dou Luo glanced down at Hun Xiu, who stood on the stage below. His stance remained unchanged: he held his wooden sword casually, looking like a serene and elegant swordsman.
"Hun Xiu, are you sure you'll allow me three moves?" she asked.
"Of course," Hun Xiu said, looking up at her. His gaze initially fell upon her legs beneath her white skirt—long, straight, and fair—before quickly moving back to her face. "Go ahead. I keep my promises. If I go back on my word, I'll admit defeat."
"Good. Don't cry about it later," Hun Dou Luo said, her lips curling into a faint smile.
She knew that defeating Hun Xiu outright was unlikely. His strength was an enigma to the younger generation of the clan. However, she believed she could force him to take her seriously.
With that, the tornado in her palm shot forward like a wild, untamed force.
The moment the tornado left her hand, it grew exponentially in size, transforming into a raging storm that howled and roared. The younger generation of the Soul Clan watching from the stage felt its immense power and hastily activated protective barriers.
"Earth-level fighting skill—Eight Extremes Gale," someone muttered from the crowd, recognizing the technique.
"Wow! Hun Dou Luo isn't holding back at all. Her first move is already a earl-level fighting skill!"
"Can you blame her? Her opponent is Hun Xiu. She can't afford to hold back."
"But still, giving her three moves? Isn't that a bit too much of a handicap?"
The crowd buzzed with excitement and curiosity. Everyone wondered whether Hun Xiu would be able to withstand such an attack.
---
The violent winds tore through the void, their force threatening to rip apart anything in their path. Yet, as the storm raged around him, Hun Xiu remained still, his wooden sword in hand, his expression calm and indifferent.
It was as if he was standing in the eye of the storm, completely unaffected by the chaotic winds around him.
"Hun Dou Luo," he said, his tone casual, "this wind feels a bit weak. It's not enough to do anything to me."
As he finished speaking, a wave of energy surged from his body. In an instant, the fierce winds dissipated, leaving only silence in their wake.
Hun Xiu slowly descended back to the ground.
---
The crowd fell into stunned silence. They had thought Hun Dou Luo's attack might at least inconvenience Hun Xiu. But instead, he had neutralized a earth-level fighting skill without even lifting a finger.
Even the Soul Clan's more powerful members, like Hun Feng, Hun Yu, and Hun Huan, were left in awe. Although all three of them far surpassed Hun Dou Luo in strength, none of them could have nullified such a powerful technique as effortlessly as Hun Xiu had just done.
Hun Dun, the elder acting as the referee, nodded in silent approval.
"Although Hun Xiu is only a two-star Dou Huang, the power he just displayed rivals that of a Dou Zong," he thought. "This boy truly deserves his reputation as the Soul Clan's greatest genius."
Hun Dou Luo, still hovering in the void, was stunned. Her earth-level fighting skill—unleashed with the full force of her eight-star Dou Wang strength—had failed to even scratch Hun Xiu.
Her confidence faltered as she realized the terrifying gap in their strength.