The Xiao family are descendants of two of the Seven Monsters of Shrek from ten thousand years ago—Xiao Ding Douluo, Xiao Xiao, and Xu He, the Source of Destruction.
Since Xu He carried the imperial bloodline of the former Sun-Moon Empire, the Tang Sect entrusted the couple with overseeing the branch in Mingdu after establishing it there.
Their family has managed the Mingdu branch of the Tang Sect for ten thousand years.
The Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron (Sansheng Zhenhun Ding) is also one of the most well-known martial souls in Mingdu.
In Mingdu, some of the ancient noble families recognize the Xiao family more than they do the imperial family.
Xiao Yicai, twenty-eight years old, is a Rank 67 Soul Emperor, possessing Two-Word Battle Armor and a martial soul identical to his ancestor Xiao Ding Douluo: the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron.
These details were so well-known that Xia Yi didn't even need to look them up.
The moment Xiao Yicai appeared in the Soul Battle Arena, reporters immediately dug up his background.
Both online and at the venue, he was met with nothing but criticism.
Yet, he turned a deaf ear to the insults, standing calmly in the Soul Battle Arena, waiting silently for Xia Yi.
Xia Yi exhaled deeply and strode into the Soul Battle Arena.
No matter whom the Tang Sect sent, he would not back down.
"Xiao Yicai, please give me your guidance." Seeing that Xia Yi entered without hesitation, a glint flashed through Xiao Yicai's eyes.
"Then allow me to 'guide' you." Xia Yi grinned mischievously.
Xiao Yicai's face darkened instantly. He had only been being polite, but Xia Yi actually dared to take his words literally.
He was a Soul Emperor with Two-Word Battle Armor—what right did Xia Yi have to say he would "guide" him?
"Hmph! Let's see if your strength matches your arrogance." Xiao Yicai snorted coldly and immediately summoned his martial soul.
A massive black cauldron materialized beside him, and six soul rings (purple, purple, purple, black, black, black) slowly rose from beneath his feet.
Then, he turned to face the audience and reporters, speaking loudly:
"Everyone, I know what you're thinking. Yes, I am indeed a Soul Emperor, but I had my grandfather seal my soul power at Rank 49. That's why my last two soul rings are gray—a result of the seal. Right now, I am just a Soul Ancestor, which makes me a fair opponent for Xia Yi, who challenged all Tang Sect experts below the Soul King level."
"Shameless!" Before Xia Yi could respond, someone in the audience shouted angrily.
"A regular Soul Ancestor and you are not the same! Soul power compression begins at the Soul King level—you may be a Soul Ancestor now, but your soul power has already been compressed. Plus, your physical fitness and combat experience are still that of a Soul Emperor. Those things can't be sealed! What about your spiritual power and Battle Armor? Did you seal those too? How dare you call yourself a Soul Ancestor?"
"What a disgrace! If you can't afford to lose, then don't accept the challenge. With tactics like this, how can the Tang Sect claim to be an honorable sect with a 20,000-year legacy?" another person sneered.
"Silence!"
A thunderous voice boomed through the arena.
A Titled Douluo, wearing Three-Word Battle Armor, slowly rose into the air.
Nine soul rings glowed around him, radiating an overwhelming pressure that instantly silenced the crowd.
"Anyone who disrupts the match will be removed. You may speak after the battle." The referee's voice was cold and authoritative.
Then, he turned to Xia Yi and Xiao Yicai.
"Are you both ready?"
The Tang Sect had anticipated the public backlash.
However, to avoid a complete shutout, they had no choice but to use these tactics.
Still, they didn't dare to overdo it—sending out three sealed Soul Emperors would completely ruin their reputation.
At this point, they had already lost too many matches.
They didn't care about losing two more—as long as they could defeat Xia Yi and avoid a clean sweep, that would be enough.
"I'm ready." Xia Yi nodded solemnly.
"I'm ready as well." Xiao Yicai smirked coldly, locking eyes with Xia Yi.
"Begin!"
At the referee's command, Xiao Yicai struck first.
His fourth soul ring lit up, and the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron rapidly expanded in mid-air.
The massive black cauldron exuded a boundless sense of majesty, making the surrounding air feel heavy and oppressive.
It felt less like a cauldron and more like an unstoppable mountain, crashing down upon Xia Yi.
This was Xiao Yicai's Fourth Soul Skill: Three-Life Soul Suppression—a technique that could seal both body and soul.
Ten thousand years ago, his ancestor Xiao Ding Douluo Xiao Xiao had possessed the same soul skill—but as a Fifth Soul Skill.
At that time, Xiao Ding Douluo's version of this ability had gained legendary fame.
The skill had been obtained by slaying a Zhupo Dragon, so every Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron user in the Xiao family had since sought out the same soul spirit from the Spirit Pagoda.
With some luck, they could inherit the skill.
Xiao Yicai had been one of those lucky ones.
But perhaps his luck had run out—otherwise, he wouldn't have encountered Xia Yi.
Using a cauldron against Xia Yi…
A certain hidden girl nearly burst out laughing.
As the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron crashed down, Xia Yi suddenly went silent.
He even retracted his martial soul, canceling his spirit possession.
Seeing the fox tails behind Xia Yi disappear, Xiao Yicai grinned.
"Oh? I haven't even touched him yet, and the seal is already working? His martial soul has been suppressed! Haha… Ha—"
His laughter abruptly stopped.
His eyes widened in shock.
Xia Yi had casually reached out and pressed his palm against the incoming cauldron.
Xiao Yicai's expression changed dramatically—in that instant, he lost control of his martial soul.
His Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron—his very essence—was no longer responding to him.
Xia Yi gripped the cauldron firmly, then tapped it twice with his fingers.
"Dong!"
A deep, resonant sound echoed from the cauldron—like a heartbeat, like a war drum.
The moment the sound rang out, Xiao Yicai collapsed onto his knees.
Even the Titled Douluo referee—a Three-Word Battle Armor master—felt his body freeze.
That sound seemed to resonate from the depths of his blood and soul, commanding him to kneel.
If not for his immense cultivation, he might have fallen even harder than Xiao Yicai.
Due to the elemental barrier in the arena, the sound didn't travel outside—but still, the crowd instinctively looked up, feeling an overwhelming urge to kneel in reverence.
Even Gu Yue and Wujin's opponents, despite being behind two protective barriers, were distracted, allowing themselves to be easily knocked out.
Among the tens of thousands at the Tang Sect's entrance, only Gu Yue, Wujin, and one other person remained unaffected.
A certain hidden girl smirked.
"As expected of our leader… but he really needs to learn how to control his power."
She had promised Silver Snow Sister to play a trick on the Silver Dragon King, and she had also agreed to help Meng Hongchen uphold the reputation of the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy. But that damn Xue Qiling, that dead snow monster, still demanded that she strictly follow the rules of the Douluo Continent—not to cause trouble, not to interfere with the team leader unless absolutely necessary.
"Hmph! That dead snow monster, pervert, womanizer!" The girl pouted slightly.
If she harbored resentment toward anyone the most, it was undoubtedly Xue Qiling.
Her resentment toward Xue Qiling was even deeper than the one she had for Xia Yi.
Even with her Silver Snow Sister, Xue Qiling still wasn't satisfied—he actually had a whole bunch of other women!
But since she needed something from Xia Yi, she had no choice but to behave.
If she didn't take the opportunity to come to the Douluo Continent and "take revenge" on Xia Yi before he regained his memories, then once he did recover them, she would lose her chance completely.
By then, forget about revenge—she probably wouldn't even dare to think about it.
On the battlefield, Gu Yue and Wu Jin exchanged glances. Looking at the people gazing at Xia Yi as if he were an emperor, they asked in confusion, "What's going on here?"
(End of Chapter)