Unrivaled

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear threw back its head and let out an earth-shaking roar, the sound waves rolling out as if they would shatter the air around it.

In an instant, dark golden light burst from its body, brilliant as the blazing sun. Sets of radiant patterns flowed across its once-majestic fur like lively streams, as though they had been granted life, emanating a mysterious and powerful aura as they moved.

Immediately afterward, its thick arms crossed before its chest. As the light surged wildly, the dark golden radiance all over its body rapidly gathered in front of it, forming a solid shell of light in the blink of an eye. Like an indestructible shield, it radiated a heart-palpitating power.

Bang! The fourth flying sword struck the dark golden shell before the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear. The shell shook violently but did not shatter. The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear was unrivaled in both offense and defense, not purely unmatched in attack! Its defense was still terrifying—more terrifying than that of most defensive Soul Beasts!

Bang! The fifth flying sword shot over, followed by a terrifying explosion that directly blew apart the dark golden light before the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear! Its Defense Soul Skill had been worn away!

Bang! The sixth flying sword was blocked by the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's terrifying pair of dark golden claws, each over a meter long. Though it blocked the strike, the light on those dark golden claws immediately dimmed greatly, and two of them seemed to have broken! But before the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear had even a moment to catch its breath, the seventh flying sword arrived!

Bang! Amid a violent collision and the explosion that followed, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear let out a roar filled with agony and terror. It wanted to flee, but the flying swords were too fast and gave it no chance to escape. Its claws vanished, and more than half of its arms disappeared as well! In its despairing gaze, the eighth flying sword arrived!

Bang! As the collision and explosion rang out, every plant around the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear vanished, and earth was hurled high into the air. Its aura began to plummet at an astonishing rate, while the dark golden glow over its body rapidly faded. The skin and muscles over its front vanished completely, exposing its organs. Most of its head had been destroyed, and metal fragments were embedded throughout its organs. From then on, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear would never need to be angry again—it had suddenly become exceptionally open-minded.

Accompanied by a sharp, piercing shriek through the air, Lin Xingyu's ninth flying sword—and the last one in his hand—howled forth with unstoppable momentum. In the dim light, it carved a fierce arc through the air, aimed directly at the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's enormous, deadly head.

Bang! With the crash and explosion, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's aura completely dissipated. Not a trace remained of its previously overwhelming ferocity. It truly could no longer find its head.

Amid a string of deafening booms, violent crashes and explosions intertwined as if they were about to shatter heaven and earth.

Lin Xingyu's gaze was firmly drawn to the scene before him. A massive crater fifty meters in diameter had abruptly appeared ahead, as though an invisible giant hand had viciously torn a savage wound into the earth.

At the bottom of the crater, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's unique and powerful aura spread wildly like surging tides, seeping into every inch of air and filling every corner, sending chills down one's spine.

Lin Xingyu's chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath, every inhale carrying unmistakable exhaustion. Each of those nine full-power attacks had consumed a considerable amount of Soul Power. Now, only the last twenty percent remained. Ever since becoming a Soul Master, opening his Sea of Qi, and greatly increasing his Soul Power, he had never depleted himself so close to exhaustion in such a short time. That sensation of utter weakness clung to him like a shadow, making his legs tremble faintly.

At the same time, faint golden light appeared on Lin Xingyu's right hand. However, it was concealed by the glow of the Crimson Gold Armor, and no one noticed it. Lin Xingyu sensed what seemed to be a resisting force coming from his right hand, so he mobilized his remaining Soul Power and his nearly intact vital energy to suppress it.

Very soon, the light on his right hand flashed once before quickly settling down. He sensed the changes in his right hand. There had been an improvement; he would examine the specifics after leaving.

Lin Xingyu took a deep breath, adjusted his condition, and walked toward the crater. After the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear died, it had not left behind any spiritual energy. He looked around again. The surrounding vegetation had all vanished. With such fierce battle sounds and terrifying aura spreading through the area, no Soul Beasts should dare approach, right?

Forget it! He had already obtained the greatest benefit. This trip to the Spirit Ascension Platform should end here!

Once he absorbed all the spiritual energy around him, he would withdraw. After absorbing it all, his Soul Spirit's cultivation age should reach around six thousand seven hundred years.

Absorbing this Soul Bone had improved both his Body Strength and spiritual power. The gains were substantial!

After completely absorbing all the spiritual energy around his body, Lin Xingyu pressed the Signal Distress Device on his right hand and exited the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Lin Xingyu's consciousness drifted away from the Spirit Ascension Platform like wisps of smoke, gradually returning to the real world. His eyelids trembled as he slowly opened his eyes, the phantoms of the Spirit Ascension Platform still lingering in them. Then, he straightened up inside the metal pod, moving sluggishly as though he had not fully adjusted to the transition from virtuality to reality. He had expended much and gained much; he needed time to recover.

When Lin Xingyu stood up, everyone's eyes turned toward him, including the Spirit Pagoda staff. If the others using the Man Faced Demon Spider's poison to obtain spiritual energy had merely surprised them, then Lin Xingyu's Head-on Clash and forceful killing of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear had truly shocked them!

Wu Changkong's shock was beyond words. After Lin Xingyu broke through to Soul Elder, he had come to ask Wu Changkong to test his "sword technique." Wu Changkong had been surprised by his Combined Soul Skill at the time and had believed it possessed limitless potential, but he had never imagined that as Lin Xingyu's Soul Spirit cultivation age increased, the power of this Combined Soul Skill could become so great!

Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, Wang Jinxi, and Zhang Yangzi were simply shocked that Lin Xingyu had forcefully killed the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear.

Though Wu Changkong was shocked inwardly, his expression remained as impassive as ever as he said to the six of them, "Let's go. We'll head back first. Whatever it is, we'll discuss it after we return."

"Yes!"

Wu Changkong took the lead out, and Lin Xingyu and the others immediately followed behind him.

As they walked, Wu Changkong said sternly, "You completed this examination task very well. Each of you maximized the spiritual energy you absorbed and improved greatly. Everyone receives one hundred points. You have passed this examination. Tomorrow, we will conduct a post-battle review."

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