Gu Han's Cultivation, the Three Heroes of Martial Soul Hall's Shock

Martial Soul City Great Soul Arena.

No. 8 Sub-Arena.

Inside the lavishly decorated, spacious Lounge.

Hu Liena quietly explained the combat order of the Martial Soul City Great Soul Arena to Gu Han.

During this time, the horn-shaped Amplifying Soul Guiding Devices responsible for notifying contestants in the Lounge continuously broadcast announcements, calling out pairs of contestants and notifying them to take the stage.

More than an hour quickly passed.

Starting from the Solo Soul Combat matches of the Soul Master Group, it was finally time for the Solo Soul Combat matches of the Soul Elder Group.

After only a few pairs of contestants had been announced, Xie Yue's name was called.

"Next will be the fourth Solo Soul Combat match of the Soul Elder Group in our No. 8 Sub-Arena. The contestants are Xie Yue, a level thirty-two assault-type Soul Elder with the Tool Martial Soul, Moon Blades, and Zi Long, a level thirty-four assault-type Soul Master with the Beast Martial Soul, Purple Flame Lion!"

"Contestant Xie Yue has currently achieved a record of twenty-two wins and seven losses in Solo Soul Combat matches of the Soul Elder Group, and is currently on a five-match winning streak. Can contestant Zi Long put an end to contestant Xie Yue's streak?"

"As for contestant Zi Long, he has already achieved a record of eighty-nine wins and forty-eight losses in the Great Soul Arena."

"Now, please welcome the two contestants to the stage!"

The Host's introductions continued to ring out from the Amplifying Soul Guiding Device, until the contestants were finally called to the stage.

"Brother! Go for it!"

As Xie Yue stood and prepared to head through the contestants' passage toward the Soul Combat Platform, Hu Liena's exquisite, charming face was filled with confidence in him. She could not help clenching her small fists and making a cheering gesture at Xie Yue.

Gu Han and Yan, standing nearby, also offered Xie Yue words of encouragement.

Xie Yue nodded. Tall and straight beneath his silver formal attire, he took a deep breath with a calm expression on his cold, stern face, then turned and walked toward the contestants' passage.

After Xie Yue left, Hu Liena led Gu Han toward the innermost part of the Lounge.

On the side of the Lounge closest to the Soul Combat Arena was an outdoor corridor resembling a balcony, situated between the two sections of Audience Seats.

It was specially provided for contestants in the Lounge to watch the Soul Combat matches.

Soon, under the gazes of Gu Han, Hu Liena, and Yan.

Xie Yue and his opponent emerged from the contestants' passages on opposite sides of the Soul Combat Arena. His opponent was an assault-type Soul Master named Zi Long, whose Martial Soul was the Purple Flame Lion and who appeared only slightly older than Xie Yue.

Under the illumination of the Soul Guiding Spotlights at the top of the arena, they ascended the Soul Combat Platform from opposite sides.

After stepping onto the platform, the two walked to its center, bowed to each other, and then gave brief introductions in accordance with the rules of Soul Combat.

Then, as the Host announced the start of the match.

Xie Yue summoned his Moon Blade Martial Soul. Two crescent-moon-like blades instantly appeared in his hands, while three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—slowly rose beneath his feet and circled his body.

Zi Long, meanwhile, summoned his Purple Flame Lion Martial Soul.

It was a majestic, imposing male lion entirely purple in color, tall and powerfully built. Long flame-like manes grew amid its fur, resembling burning violet flames.

After undergoing Martial Soul Possession, Zi Long's body immediately grew taller, his muscles swelled, and his long black hair turned purple like burning flames. His eyes became violet, while his hands transformed into lion claws the size of palm fans.

At the same time, three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—rose from beneath his feet.

After their Martial Soul Possessions, Xie Yue and Zi Long immediately charged at each other and began an intense battle.

Although Zi Long was older than Xie Yue, had several more levels of cultivation, and possessed greater practical combat experience.

A Soul Master's strength depended first on cultivation, second on Martial Soul, and third on practical combat ability.

As someone who would one day create the Self-Created Soul Skill, Full Moon, Xie Yue was clearly superior in terms of combat talent.

In the end, Xie Yue still defeated Zi Long.

After being defeated by Xie Yue, Zi Long conceded wholeheartedly.

After Xie Yue, Hu Liena and Yan also took the Soul Combat Platform one after another.

Although Hu Liena and Yan had only recently broken through to the Soul Elder realm, the opponents they encountered were all Soul Masters with cultivation above level forty-five.

However, Hu Liena was a rare spiritual control-type Soul Master, and her Demonic Fox Martial Soul was innately endowed with powerful seductive abilities.

It could be said that if Hu Liena wished, she could launch spiritual attacks against her enemies at any time, especially male enemies.

Therefore, even when facing an opponent several levels above her, Hu Liena easily secured victory because her opponent was male.

As for Yan, the Flame Lord Martial Soul was likewise an exceptionally powerful Beast Martial Soul. It possessed both strength and defense, while also carrying dual fire and earth attributes, so its combat power was naturally formidable.

Facing his opponent, Yan directly used his powerful defense to withstand attacks, then controlled the battlefield with fire- and earth-attribute Soul Skills, leaving his enemy nowhere to evade and forcing him into a head-on confrontation. In the end, Yan also claimed victory.

Finally, Gu Han's name rang out from the Amplifying Soul Guiding Device.

"Next will be the twenty-fourth Solo Soul Combat match of the Soul Elder Group in our No. 8 Sub-Arena."

"The contestants are Gu Han, a level thirty-six assault-type Soul Master with the Beast Martial Soul: Sacred Dragon! His opponent is Niu Zhen, a level thirty-eight assault- and defense-type Soul Master whose Martial Soul is the Mighty Ox!"

"Now, please welcome the two contestants to the stage!"

"What? Xiao Han, how are you already level thirty-six?!"

Although they knew that after Gu Han's Sacred Dragon evolved into the Golden Sacred Dragon, he had reached level thirty and soon broken through to the Soul Elder realm, neither Hu Liena nor Xie Yue and Yan knew Gu Han's exact cultivation level.

And when registering for Soul Combat...

The girl in charge of registration was a fan of Gu Han, and at Hu Liena's urging, she did not use the crystal ball for testing soul power on Gu Han.

Instead, she had Gu Han fill in the information himself.

Thus, when Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan learned that Gu Han's cultivation had actually reached level thirty-six, all of them were filled with disbelief.

"I don't know either. Maybe it was because the Spirit Medicine Teacher gave me, the one that allowed Sacred Dragon to complete its evolution, was simply too potent."

"Anyway, after I absorbed the Soul Ring and went back to test myself with a soul power crystal ball, my cultivation was already level thirty-six."

Gu Han looked equally uncertain as he smiled helplessly.

As for how he had gone directly from breaking through level thirty to reaching level thirty-six—

Part of it was the soul power feedback from Martial Soul: Sacred Dragon devouring the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, part of it was due to absorbing a Soul Ring beyond his level, and part of it was due to absorbing the External Soul Bone, the Tyrannosaurus Rex Gauntlet.

But the matter of the External Soul Bone was certainly best known by as few people as possible. Therefore, Gu Han simply attributed the reason he had reached level thirty-six immediately after breaking through to Soul Elder to the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.

How great would it have been if that Spirit Medicine had been given to me!

Upon learning that it was the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng Bibi Dong had given Gu Han, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan could not help but feel immensely envious.

But after their envy faded, Xie Yue remembered that Gu Han's opponent was Niu Zhen, the Great Strength Brute Ox Soul Master, and immediately gave a serious warning.

"Oh, right! Xiao Han, we happen to know your opponent, Niu Zhen, the Great Strength Brute Ox Soul Master. He's also a student at Spirit City Intermediate Soul Master Academy, a top genius with level-eight Innate Soul Power!"

"His martial soul, the Great Strength Brute Ox, is an exceptionally powerful martial soul. Both its strength and defensive capabilities are incredibly formidable. It can be said to rank second only to the Diamond Mammoth, the strongest martial soul of the strength and defense type. You must be careful when you go up later!"