Xiaoqiang, Tuoba Yan

The Ox Talisman granted its user immense strength, enough to effortlessly punch through walls, split the earth, and greatly enhance the power of both arms.

Furthermore, the Ox Talisman could make its user more robust, multiplying their muscle mass.

As soon as he finished speaking, Tuoba Yan charged at the masked man.

The masked man stood ready.

"Second Soul Skill: Chicken Charm: Mental Force Cage!"

As he charged, golden chains of mental force pierced through the air, binding the masked man inside a cage in the blink of an eye.

When Tuoba Yan came within ten meters of the masked man, he copied the man's earlier move and leaped stylishly into the air.

Then, enveloped in deep blue light, he descended straight down toward the masked man from above.

"Third Soul Skill: Ox Talisman: Thousand Jun Falling!"

Tuoba Yan smashed down on the immobile masked man with the force of Mount Tai pressing down.

With a bang, the fallen leaves on the ground were blasted away as the earth caved in, triggering a ground-rending shockwave within a ten-meter radius.

The masked man was in so much pain that his eyes nearly popped out. With a gasp, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Thousand Jun Falling was a Self-Created Soul Skill developed by Tuoba Yan based on the abilities granted by the Ox Talisman.

Since he had only obtained the Ox Talisman recently, Tuoba Yan had developed only this one Self-Created Soul Skill so far.

Looking down at the heavily injured masked man, Tuoba Yan snapped, "Talk. Who's the mastermind behind you?"

"Third Soul Skill: Bing Xuan Feng Bao!"

For the third time, the masked man unleashed the battle saber in his hand.

The edge of the Han Bing Zhan Dao nearly grazed Tuoba Yan's ankle. At the critical moment, Tuoba Yan sprang away.

Even so, a shallow wound was left on Tuoba Yan's ankle.

The masked man slapped his palm against the ground and used the force to propel himself upright.

"Hmph, you want to know who's behind me? You won't live long enough today!"

Holding his saber, the masked man slashed at Tuoba Yan once more.

"Second Soul Skill: Chicken Charm: Ladder Cloud Leap!"

Ladder Cloud Leap was the Wudang Sect's supreme lightness skill, created by Zhang Sanfeng and originating from Jin Yong's novel, The Legend of the Condor Heroes. It was considered the pinnacle of lightness skills. It emphasized nimble movement rather than confusing opponents with ever-changing footwork. Its essence lay in a light body and freedom in advancing, retreating, ascending, and descending.

It had originally been a secret art of the Wudang Sect.

Tuoba Yan did not know Ladder Cloud Leap, but he possessed the Chicken Charm, which could make objects lose their gravity.

By cleverly using Suspended Flight on himself and controlling its degree of weightlessness, Tuoba Yan discovered that he could freely move vertically through the air. The effect was similar to the Wudang Sect's Ladder Cloud Leap.

Aside from Suspended Flight and Mental Force Cage, Ladder Cloud Leap was the third Self-Created Soul Skill developed from the Chicken Charm.

The masked man continued attacking Tuoba Yan.

Relying on the terrain of the forest, Tuoba Yan deftly used Ladder Cloud Leap to circle around the masked man.

During the battle, Tuoba Yan attempted to use Suspended Flight on the masked man. However, due to the vast gap in their levels and the masked man's resistance, Suspended Flight almost failed to produce its intended effect again.

It was worth mentioning that both Tuoba Yan and the masked man were Soul Masters above level thirty.

When Tuoba Yan used Mental Force Cage to restrain the masked man again, the masked man swung his saber and instantly broke free.

At one moment, a cold glint flashed in the masked man's eyes. He suddenly turned and swung his saber at an ancient tree as thick as an embrace beside him.

With a crack, the trunk snapped, and the ancient tree came crashing down, sending wood chips and fallen leaves flying everywhere.

Tuoba Yan was using Ladder Cloud Leap to evade, but his vision was instantly blocked by the scattering branches and leaves.

In that instant, the masked man closed in like a shadow, sweeping his battle saber horizontally with a piercingly cold wind.

Tuoba Yan's pupils contracted sharply. He hurriedly twisted his body to dodge, but with his vision obstructed, he was half a beat too slow.

With a sharp slash, the icy blade grazed his right shoulder. Then the masked man twisted his wrist, and the blade traced a tricky arc, precisely cutting toward Tuoba Yan's left arm.

Tuoba Yan instinctively raised his arm to block, but he had not expected the masked man's strike to conceal such skill. Borrowing the force of the falling tree's impact, the blade severed his left arm with lightning speed!

"Urgh!"

Tuoba Yan let out a muffled groan as blood sprayed from his severed arm.

After succeeding, the masked man immediately leaped back and sneered. "Kid, enjoy the pain of losing an arm!"

The severed arm spun through the air and fell to the ground. Tuoba Yan swayed, and his face instantly turned as pale as paper.

Anyone could tell that Tuoba Yan would not be able to hold on for long. He was destined to die today.

However, another unexpected change occurred.

The first soul ring beneath Tuoba Yan's feet lit up with yellow light.

A white glow enveloped Tuoba Yan.

The arm that had fallen a meter away actually rejoined the wound automatically beneath the white light.

Even the blood on the ground flowed back into Tuoba Yan's body as though time had reversed.

Tuoba Yan, whose face had been pale moments ago, regained its normal color.

After fighting for so long, there was not a trace of fatigue on Tuoba Yan's body.

The masked man, on the other hand, had expended far too much physical strength and Soul Power in the prolonged battle of attrition.

Staring at what had happened before him, the masked man's eyes widened in disbelief as he cried, "Can this get any more ridiculous?!"

A support-type Soul Master possessing the abilities of a control-type Soul Master.

Ridiculous.

Possessing the strength of a power-type Soul Master.

Ridiculous.

Possessing the agility of an agility-type Soul Master.

Ridiculous.

And now, he even possessed what looked like an immortal ability.

Ridiculous.

The masked man cursed inwardly. This was beyond ridiculous.

These seemingly ridiculous things were actually perfectly reasonable.

Tuoba Yan's martial spirit was the Saint Martial Spirit. The twelve talismans each possessed different abilities.

These abilities could support others, and they could also support the Soul Master himself.

The stronger the talismans' wielder, the stronger the talismans became.

The power Tuoba Yan displayed now was merely the tip of the iceberg of the Horse Talisman, Chicken Charm, and Ox Talisman's abilities.

Tuoba Yan asked again, "Don't say I didn't give you a chance. Tell me honestly who the mastermind behind you is, and I'll give you a quick death. If you resist, have you seen what my Soul Skills can do? I'll make you beg for life and crave death."

"Hmph." The masked man said disdainfully, "You're just a three-ring Soul Elder. Keep dreaming!"

The masked man did not choose to sit and wait for death. He charged at Tuoba Yan again.

Relying on his superior level, he could always cut something off Tuoba Yan—sometimes an arm, sometimes a foot, sometimes a slash across Tuoba Yan's shoulder.

However, every time, Tuoba Yan used the Horse Talisman to restore himself to perfect condition.

The Horse Talisman was not merely for healing. As long as he had sufficient Soul Power, possessing the Horse Talisman was equivalent to possessing an indestructible body. No external force could hope to destroy the body of a Horse Talisman wielder.