Yuan Liu's Overpowered Flow

Yuan Liu's soul ring changes undoubtedly confirmed Chen Ming's suspicion.

The ordinary longsword in Yuan Liu's hand had now transformed into something similar to his martial soul.

At that moment, Chen Ming understood what made Yuan Liu's "Flow" martial soul so overpowered.

Chen Ming did not know whether Yuan Liu's Flow could transform all weapons, only one specific weapon, or perhaps a certain category of weapons. He did not dwell on it, because Yuan Liu had already swung his blade at him.

The longsword in Yuan Liu's hand glowed pale blue. The first yellow pattern on its blade lit up as the surrounding Heaven and Earth Vital Energy gathered madly, condensing into a highly compressed mass of energy outside the blade.

He swung horizontally, and a blade aura immediately appeared. The highly compressed mass of energy was visibly consumed as well.

Then, with strike after strike, Yuan Liu released six blade auras from where he stood.

The six blade auras curved through the air, slashing toward Chen Ming from different directions.

Chen Ming neither dodged nor evaded. Purple light burst from his body.

"First Soul Skill, Fire Lotus Overlord Body!"

Flames erupted around Chen Ming, surging upward to form a fire lotus that completely enveloped him.

The blade auras struck the fire lotus and were rapidly melted by its intense heat, unable even to touch Chen Ming's body. He stepped forward with his right foot and stomped down fiercely, shooting forward like a fire-lotus-shaped cannonball.

Where Chen Ming's right foot had landed, a crater blasted open by flames could be seen.

Seeing Chen Ming charge into close range, Yuan Liu remained completely calm. This time, his second soul ring also flickered. His first and second soul rings flashed together, once again drawing in the surrounding Heaven and Earth Vital Energy and condensing a compressed mass of energy on the blade.

Then, that energy compressed into two mark-like powers, which separately fused into the patterns of his third and fourth soul rings.

After that, Chen Ming saw Yuan Liu use his third soul skill.

Yuan Liu's third soul skill was exceptionally powerful. Whether it was Soul Power or his Flow martial soul, something surged out through the longsword and actually formed a tangible, ten-meter energy blade.

Before Chen Ming could reach Yuan Liu, he was struck head-on by the ten-meter blade.

A crack appeared in Red Lotus Protection, exposing Chen Ming's body.

That strike should have been the end of it. Even though it had nearly shattered Red Lotus Protection's defenses, it had ultimately failed to injure Chen Ming himself.

However, as the blade fell, another phantom condensed atop the ten-meter-long energy blade.

The mark that had fused into the third soul ring appeared, then suddenly shattered. The illusory blade instantly solidified and slashed down again along the same path.

Two consecutive strikes made Chen Ming's expression shift slightly.

Red Lotus Protection did not even have time to recover before the second strike came down.

This strike landed directly on Chen Ming's right shoulder, leaving a deep gash there.

With his Body Martial Soul possessing him, Chen Ming's physical defenses had been enhanced. Though this strike had wounded him badly, Chen Ming showed no fear whatsoever.

He merely shifted a step aside, then continued striding toward Yuan Liu like an enraged tiger.

Every step carried terrifying force.

Chen Ming's aura grew increasingly oppressive, making Yuan Liu feel as though he could not breathe.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring was also swallowing the light around it, becoming ever deeper and darker.

"Second Soul Skill, Power of Life!"

The visible gash stopped bleeding in the blink of an eye and even showed signs of healing.

Streams of Life Force welled up, covering the entire wound in an emerald glow.

Chen Ming threw a punch as fire elements began to gather.

Shocked, Yuan Liu channeled his Soul Power. Flow covered the surface of his longsword as he raised it to block.

The flames around Chen Ming began to converge around his Right Arm, then spun along the entire arm, forming a forward-rushing vortex of flames that suddenly erupted.

Boom!

Flames that seemed capable of burning everything exploded. Yuan Liu felt only searing heat as boundless fire enveloped him. Flames exploded everywhere and burrowed madly into his body like venomous fire serpents, wreaking havoc on his flesh and blood from within.

The two separated the instant they collided. Chen Ming retreated a full five steps before steadying himself.

Opposite him, Yuan Liu staggered back six steps. He also looked at Chen Ming, his expression grim.

How terrifying.

Was this the thousand-year soul skill from the first ring and the ten-thousand-year soul skill from the second ring?

Only now did he have the chance to be astonished by the defensive power of Chen Ming's Red Lotus Protection. It had directly ignored the third soul skill unleashed by him, a Soul Ancestor.

If his second soul skill's Yuan Liu mark had not refreshed his third soul skill and instantly added a second strike, he would not even have been able to break through Chen Ming's defenses!

Yuan Liu noticed that the red lotus around Chen Ming was recovering again as fire elements replenished it.

This meant that unless he used his third soul skill twice in succession and completely poured the damage onto that layer of Red Lotus Protection, he would never be able to attack Chen Ming's body at all!

After all, although his fourth soul skill had a higher cultivation age, it was a control-type soul skill rather than a single-target offensive one.

It was not just that the red lotus's defense was absurdly powerful, nor merely that it could repair itself through replenished fire elements. There was also that crucial self-healing ability.

Was this a ten-thousand-year soul skill?

As Yuan Liu marveled inwardly, he circulated the Flow within his body, rapidly drawing in the external Heaven and Earth Vital Energy. It transformed into Flow and coursed through his meridians once, swiftly soothing the burning sensation and restoring his scorched skin.

Chen Ming's pupils contracted at the sight.

I've run into someone from the same line of work!

Then he grew excited.

Fire elemental power gathered in both his fists. He alternated his punches, each one producing a vortex of flames that erupted and engulfed Yuan Liu.

After exchanging blows for five rounds, Yuan Liu felt utterly stifled.

This was far too disadvantageous. He was the only one getting hurt.

He roared, and his fourth soul ring flashed.

A powerful surge of Flow immediately radiated from the longsword in his hand.

The Flow erupted in an instant, spreading across the entire arena and knocking Chen Ming away.

That was right, knocking him away.

It was as though the area enveloped by Flow had become a field that could not be approached, directly repelling Chen Ming.

Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Liu released his second soul skill again, followed immediately by his third soul skill.

He slashed twice in an instant, breaking apart Chen Ming's Red Lotus Protection. Then, he spread Flow through the surroundings and instantly pulled Chen Ming over.

This time, Chen Ming saw it clearly. This was still the effect of Yuan Liu's fourth soul skill. At the instant he was pulled over, Chen Ming saw the fourth soul skill mark provided by the second soul skill shatter.

The completely seamless chain of moves gave Chen Ming no time to resist.

He had still been throwing punches when he was suddenly knocked away. Then he was struck by two ten-meter energy blades, only to be swiftly dragged before Yuan Liu without any warning.

Yuan Liu raised his longsword and slashed down viciously.

His blade carried the blade aura condensed by his first soul skill, and he aimed at the gap created by the two previous slashes from his third soul skill.

Chen Ming adjusted his posture while bringing his palms together. The remaining flames on his arms gathered, and then the four fingers of both hands met, his palms angled together while his thumbs also touched, forming a triangular opening.

Fire elements gathered and instantly formed a pillar of flames that blasted toward Yuan Liu.

Yuan Liu's pupils shrank. He immediately abandoned that strike as the second fourth soul skill mark shattered, and Chen Ming was suddenly pushed away once more.

Naturally, Chen Ming's attack missed.