Is This Still Human?

Flender's heart felt as if an invisible hand had clenched around it, nearly making it leap from his throat.

What earth-shattering matter could possibly warrant a Title Douluo coming in person?

After hearing Spirit Eagle Douluo's request, his gaze abruptly shifted to Tuoba Yan.

Three soul rings floated beneath the young man's feet.

Yellow, purple, and black shimmered beneath the sunlight, clearly marking him as a three-ring Soul Elder with a Soul Power Level somewhere between thirty-one and forty.

Yet this soul ring configuration completely overturned common sense.

The yellow ring was followed by a purple one, while a black soul ring actually circled outermost—an ultimate configuration that clearly surpassed the standard.

Although the combined age of the three soul rings did not exceed twenty thousand years, Zhao Wuji's seven rings had a total age of over sixty thousand years, more than three times Tuoba Yan's.

Flender pushed up his glasses with his index finger, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes behind the lenses. "Your Excellency, are you certain?"

He knew the gap between them all too well.

For every additional year a soul ring possessed, its added attributes increased by another measure.

And in terms of Soul Power Level, seventy-one against thirty-eight was an insurmountable chasm.

Not to mention that Zhao Wuji had immersed himself in the path of soul masters for decades. His combat experience was far beyond that of a young man.

No matter how one looked at it, this fight should have been a one-sided beating.

"I do not speak in jest." Spirit Eagle Douluo's voice remained calm and even.

"Fine." Flender reached out and patted Zhao Wuji on the shoulder, his tone firm beyond question. "Wuji, this is all I can do for you. He's only a child. Don't hold anything back. End this quickly."

Zhao Wuji was holding back a nameless rage.

Flender had only just arrived. How could he possibly have seen how monstrous Tuoba Yan was?

He dared say that among all of Shrek's graduates, none had ever been more outrageous than this young man.

But with the pressure of a Title Douluo bearing down on his back, he could only grit his teeth and agree.

"Fifth Soul Skill—Gravity Compression!"

A miniature black hole abruptly appeared behind Zhao Wuji.

The surrounding stones and blades of grass were instantly dragged into a spinning vortex. Even Tuoba Yan, a hundred meters away, felt his body sink slightly.

Then the fourth soul ring lit up with a red glow.

"Fourth Soul Skill—Location Tracking!"

The Vigorous Vajra Bear martial soul possessed unparalleled defense, but speed was its sole weakness. Using these two moves together was meant to make up for that flaw and lock his opponent within the gravitational field.

Tuoba Yan lightly tapped the ground with his toes, and his body suddenly rose half a foot into the air.

A golden halo from the Chicken Charm flickered around his ankles. His body, which should have been dragged down by gravity, was instead as light as a feather.

He twisted at the waist and spread his arms like a great bird unfurling its wings—the opening stance of Wudang's ultimate art, Ladder Cloud Leap.

"Whoosh—"

The black hole's pull suddenly surged, and shattered stones and grass clippings formed a violent vortex behind Zhao Wuji.

Yet every step Tuoba Yan took landed upon an invisible node of force. His figure shifted left and right, always drifting away just before the gravitational field's strongest point descended upon him.

When the red glow of the fourth soul skill chased after him like a shadow, he suddenly shot more than ten feet upward. His boots tapped the air three times, and in the instant he used the spiraling airflow to evade the beam, the Dragon Whisker Needle sliding from his sleeve was already glinting faintly between his fingers.

"Kid, if you've got guts, stop dodging!"

Zhao Wuji roared as he drove his Soul Power forth. The gravitational field abruptly expanded threefold, and the air became as thick as congealed paste.

Yet Tuoba Yan's figure only became more elusive. The golden charm around him flickered in and out of brightness. At times, he swept away like a kite with its string cut; at others, he weaved through the rain of rubble like drifting willow catkins, always staying mere inches beyond the bear claws' reach.

Flender stared at the battle, chaotic light and shadow reflecting off his lenses.

He had already calculated Tuoba Yan's Soul Power consumption.

Reaching such heights with Ladder Cloud Leap consumed half a level of Soul Power each time, while maintaining levitation cost at least three levels every quarter hour. By all rights, Tuoba Yan should not have been able to sustain Ladder Cloud Leap for longer than a quarter hour.

Yet half an hour had passed, and that figure in green still darted through the gravity vortex.

Every swing of Zhao Wuji's bear claws missed by only a hair, but the dust they kicked up far outnumbered the times they struck anything.

"Roar!"

Zhao Wuji slammed his fists against his chest, and the dark golden fur of his Martial Soul Avatar began to lose its luster.

The power surging through his body was draining away at an astonishing rate, while unstable ripples spread across the black hole sustaining Gravity Compression.

When the final wisp of golden light faded from his seventh soul ring, his enormous body abruptly shrank back to human form, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath.

At that moment, Tuoba Yan suddenly changed his fighting style.

He no longer evaded. He landed steadily thirty feet away, the ease in his eyes vanishing completely, replaced by icy focus.

"The real battle begins now."

Before the words had even faded, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

"Buddha's Wrath Fire Lotus!"

"Flame Burst—Rasengan!"

"Flame Bind!"

One Self-Created Soul Skill after another erupted, flames and force intertwining into a dense web of attacks.

Even more astonishing was Tuoba Yan's movement technique. Dragon Step and Ladder Cloud Leap alternated seamlessly, sometimes weaving like a swimming dragon, sometimes flashing past like a startled swan.

-The Dragon Whisker Needles flung from his sleeves specifically sought out the weak points in the protective Aura Barrier.

Flender watched, utterly dumbfounded, and muttered to himself, "Is this still human?"

"He's more like a little monster." There was a hint of approval in Spirit Eagle Douluo's voice.

With his Martial Soul Avatar released, Zhao Wuji's agility, strength, and defense had all been weakened by half. The Dragon Whisker Needles had also cramped the muscles in his right arm. Every punch pulled at his wounds, making cold sweat stream down his body from the pain.

Despite the pain wracking his body, he had no choice but to keep fighting.

Muscles were the driving core of strength.

Muscle injuries severely affected Zhao Wuji's ability to unleash his greatest power.

Tuoba Yan had clearly come prepared. He had calculated Zhao Wuji's condition with perfect precision. His earlier evasive battle had plainly been meant to wear down Zhao Wuji's Soul Power and the duration of his Martial Soul Avatar.

Flender's heart tightened. If this continued, Zhao Wuji would undoubtedly lose.

He instinctively stepped forward, only to be stopped by Spirit Eagle Douluo's icy voice.

"What, are you planning to go back on your word?"

The instant his steps halted, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted ahead.

"Holy Dragon Shattering Strike!"

A crimson-gold dragon-shaped blaze surged from Tuoba Yan's right arm and slammed viciously into the massive palm Zhao Wuji had hastily swung out.

A shockwave exploded outward from the two of them. The street caved in half a foot, and shattered stones shot through the air like bullets.

When the smoke cleared, Zhao Wuji stared blankly at the charred claw marks on his chest. Sweetness rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Soul bone!"

The words that could stir a bloody storm throughout the world of soul masters were forced out between his teeth, carrying endless disbelief.

Zhao Wuji had never imagined that after fighting fiercely for nearly an hour, Tuoba Yan still had such a powerful killing move hidden away.

With a loud crash, Zhao Wuji's burly body toppled to the ground, sending dust flying into the air.

"Wuji!"

Flender could no longer care about anything else and instantly rushed to Zhao Wuji's side.

There were eight wounds on his body, each the size of an infant's fist. They had all been caused by Dragon Whisker Needles. Though not fatal, the pain pierced to the bone.

Tuoba Yan was not doing well either.

During nearly an hour of all-out fighting, he had taken four heavy blows from Zhao Wuji. It felt as if every bone in his body was screaming in pain.

If not for the Horse Talisman's healing ability repairing his injuries again and again, he would have collapsed long ago.

At that moment, he clutched his chest. The glow from his first soul ring, "Holy Healing Nine Turns," was unusually dim, clearly showing that his Soul Power was nearly depleted.

Spirit Eagle Douluo flashed to Tuoba Yan's side and asked with concern, "Are you all right?"

"I won't die."

The boy panted as he walked step by step toward Zhao Wuji.

Flender abruptly rose to his feet and blocked his way. "What are you doing?"

Tuoba Yan raised his bloodshot eyes. His voice was hoarse but resolute as he said, "Taking him into custody."