Battle Soul Saint (3)

More than half the incense had burned away, yet the arena had fallen into deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned. Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? The three questions in a row left them even more bewildered.

What had they just seen?

That was a level seventy-six Spirit Saint!

Without relying on any external aid, apart from Ning Rongrong's thirty-percent strength boost, she had used only level-thirty Soul Power to knock back a Spirit Saint!

If someone had said this in the past, their first reaction would have been that it was absolutely impossible. But now, if anyone said otherwise, they would be the first to step forward and say it was true, because they had seen it with their own eyes.

A level-thirty Soul Grandmaster had not only injured a level seventy-six Spirit Saint, but had even forced him back several steps.

Outside the arena, Dai Mubai's mismatched eyes dimmed. Was this the gap between him and her?

Even against a Spirit Saint, she remained completely fearless and had even driven him back. Whether it was due to talent or not, Fu Hua's figure felt like a mountain pressing down on his heart.

This was a demon in his heart. If he overcame it, his future would be smooth sailing. If he failed, he would never make another inch of progress.

Fu Hua's calm words rang through his mind once more.

"You and I are not the same."

Yes, he was not the same as her. Fundamentally, they were different. He had already been utterly defeated by Fu Hua at the starting line.

But how could the unwillingness in his heart possibly let this go so easily?

His hands hanging at his sides clenched, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Then let me see exactly where the gap between us lies."

Zhao Wuji finally steadied himself, but the burning sensation in his chest still would not fade. The more he circulated his Soul Power, the more intense the pain became.

And those final two energy swords had ignored his defenses, worsening his injuries.

Zhao Wuji had always had a fiery temper. When had he ever suffered such injuries at the hands of juniors? For a moment, he actually forgot that this was still an assessment.

"Good brat! I never expected you to be able to hurt me. Then this strike won't have been in vain!"

Roar! It sounded like the roar of a beast.

His first Soul Ring lit up.

Immense Soul Power burst forth from Zhao Wuji's body—not the deliberately suppressed power of someone in their thirties, but the true Soul Power of level seventy-six.

His aura was like a mountain, instantly pressing down on everyone.

Tang San's expression changed as he hurriedly shouted, "Fall back, quickly!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three sounds of rushing air rang out. Along with Ning Rongrong, who had been standing beside Tang San, all five figures appeared a hundred meters away from Zhao Wuji.

Dazzling golden light shone, but it made everyone's faces darken.

First Soul Skill, Immovable Ming King Body.

Even though it was merely a century-old Soul Skill, when activated by someone at level seventy-six, it still left everyone feeling stifled, as if a mouthful of blood were lodged in their chests with nowhere to go.

"This is bad. I didn't expect Teacher Zhao to get serious," Tang San said gravely.

The others looked much the same.

Yet Fu Hua's expression remained calm, as though nothing could disturb her state of mind. That earned the admiration of everyone present.

Facing a level seventy-six Spirit Saint and still being so composed—she truly deserved to be someone capable of knocking back a Spirit Saint with level-thirty Soul Power.

Yet at this moment, only Fu Hua and Zhao Wuji knew that the situation was not as bad as it seemed.

Once Zhao Wuji fully unleashed his level seventy-six Soul Power, the burning sensation clinging to him like maggots on a bone became even fiercer, as though it would melt every bone in his body.

The more he resisted, the more powerless he felt.

"What the hell is this ability? Why does it have such terrifying effects?"

Zhao Wuji was furious, and his temper became even more violent. He poured out Soul Power as though it cost nothing, while the pain sank deeper into his bones.

Fu Hua frowned. If this continued, Teacher Zhao might injure himself.

The burning effect inflicted by the Xuanyuan Sword would cling to the target like maggots on a bone, continually damaging their body. The higher the level, the deeper the damage—not only physically, but mentally as well. A defensive Soul Master like Zhao Wuji might be able to withstand some of it, but for an Agility Attack System Soul Master like Zhu Zhuqing—

Once struck, unless Fu Hua removed the effect for them, trying to fight while resisting that burning sensation would be nothing but wishful thinking.

And Fu Hua had not even delivered the Xuanyuan Sword's second strike yet.

The Xuanyuan Sword possessed attacks of six natural attributes, with each strike producing a different effect. The first strike was fire, the second lightning, and the third ice. The effects of each attribute did not stack, but they lasted a long time.

Lightning's paralysis could only be resisted by someone born with resistance or cured by a teammate. Those with weak constitutions would be instantly defeated; even those with strong constitutions would have their movements slowed. It was killing two birds with one stone.

Ice's slowing effect was true slowing—not just of the body, but of the mind as well. It was as if the entire world had slowed down. By the time one realized what was happening, they would already be outside the arena.

Every attribute was absurdly powerful. When Fu Hua had seen the Xuanyuan Sword's attribute bonuses, she had once wondered whether this world was simply too weak. But the result was...

She was simply too strong.

That gave Fu Hua a headache. If things were like this, was she supposed to become a salted fish?

She was not that grasshopper Kiana!

So she had settled for the next best thing, sealing all her abilities and using only power and Martial Souls that conformed to this world's rules. Yet the results still did not seem obvious.

Whether it was the fighters in the Soul Fighting Arena or the random bullies on the street, none of them could stir Fu Hua's interest. Her path seemed to have reached its end.

No, the martial path could never have an end. But in this world, which did not truly revere martial arts, her path had indeed reached a dead end. If she wished to continue forward, she had to forge a new path.

That meant advancing her martial cultivation further according to this world's rules.

First, she needed to obtain her third Soul Ring. And right now, she needed to defeat the enemy before her. Otherwise, she would not even qualify to enter the academy, much less learn about the deeper mysteries of this world.

But defeat did not mean killing.

Fu Hua looked at Zhao Wuji before her and frowned.

"What do we do now? With Soul Power below level thirty, even with Ning Rongrong's boost, there's no way we can contend against a level seventy-six Spirit Saint," Xiao Wu said, her delicate brows furrowed as she looked at Tang San.

Besides being responsible for restraining enemies, Control System Soul Masters were also considered the brains of the entire team.

"Fu Hua, what do you think?" Tang San asked as he looked toward the unmoved Fu Hua.

For some reason, he felt that Fu Hua was not as weak as she appeared. She might even be the strongest person among all of them.

Not only because of Dai Mubai's reaction, but also because of the power that had driven Teacher Zhao into such a reckless frenzy.

Neither was something he could overlook. Master had once taught him never to underestimate any Soul Master's Martial Soul. There were Martial Souls in this world that even Master could not understand.

They might look ordinary on the surface, but their true effects could completely overturn one's imagination.

Fu Hua pondered briefly.

"If you trust me, leave it to me."

Fu Hua was not speaking without reason. She had the ability to endure the remaining two-thirds of the incense. If she did not want to stand out too much, even defeating Zhao Wuji would not be impossible.

But Xiao Wu was unhappy to hear that.

She immediately protested, "What? Are you saying we're dead weight? Little San and I are—"

"I understand. What do the rest of you think?"

Tang San stopped Xiao Wu, naturally drawing her displeasure. A bitter smile appeared at the corner of his lips. But while he and Xiao Wu could compromise, they still needed to ask the others for their opinions.

After all, they were a whole now. They would share glory and hardship alike.

"I don't mind. I'm an auxiliary Soul Master to begin with, and I'm basically useless right now. At worst, I can just try another academy." Ning Rongrong gave a playful smile, sounding unconcerned, but anyone could see the unwillingness in her eyes.

How could she possibly accept this? Everyone here was a favored child of heaven. How could they submit so easily?

Even the cold Zhu Zhuqing was no exception. In her one blue and one green eyes after Martial Soul Possession, there was also intense unwillingness. She nodded firmly toward Tang San and Fu Hua.

"Since that's the case, we'll leave it to you. We'll assist you when the time is right."

Calling it assistance was merely a form of comfort. Against a level seventy-six Spirit Saint, their attacks were little more than scratching an itch.

Tang San did have methods to deal with Zhao Wuji, but those were meant for life-and-death enemies. Clearly, this was not the right time. But if Xiao Wu were injured, he would undoubtedly become Asura and fight without regard for the consequences.

Fu Hua nodded.

She naturally understood the situation. Since everyone had placed their hopes on her, she certainly would not disappoint them.

With a gesture of her right hand, the Golden Sword appeared in her grasp once more.

Two deep yellow Soul Rings pulsed continuously, as though answering everyone's hopes.

"Let me see just how far the martial path of this world can go."

Soul Power belonging to a level-thirty Soul Master flowed throughout her body, making Fu Hua seem like a descending war god. The luxurious yet sharp Golden Sword resonated with her, as though it had waited a long time for this moment.

Before this, Fu Hua had been like a sword sheathed and restrained. Now, she was a blade drawn from its scabbard, its edge revealed.

But who this sword would be turned against was now Fu Hua's decision alone.

I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to return to Divine Land and fulfill my promise to Cang Xuan.

Would she remain a beast bound by promises, or become a ferocious beast freed of all restraints? At this moment, everyone had the chance to witness the might of Fu Hua, the Immortal of Divine Land.

Her second Soul Ring lit up.

Her second Soul Skill appeared.

The already heavy-looking Golden Sword was now covered by an outer energy frame, resembling an enlarged Golden Sword.

Heavy. Sharp.

Tang San and the others could find no other words to describe it. The original three-foot blade now seemed to have transformed into a ten-meter greatsword. A casual sweep appeared capable of seriously injuring anyone.

This Soul Skill matched its form as well.

Its name was: Charge Sweep.

After a three-second delay, it launched a rapid charge. Upon contact with an enemy, the skeletal energy spread outward like an exoskeleton, forming a crescent blade for a further area attack. Range: roughly ten meters horizontally.

Golden light gathered and radiated from the Xuanyuan Sword. The energy scattered through the air converged, and her level-thirty Soul Power showed faint signs of breaking through, only to be stopped at the threshold by an invisible wall.

A sense of blockage suddenly rose in Fu Hua's heart.

"Just as expected, I must follow this world's rules to break through. It seems I need to obtain a Soul Ring as soon as possible."

Soul Power was like a martial artist's dantian qi. Fu Hua had heard in Divine Land that those who practiced martial arts all possessed some of it, though most were shallow in cultivation. Some could never advance in their entire lives, and even top Grandmasters could not be said to have reached the level of the Douluo Continent.

The mysteries here were far greater.

Zhao Wuji roared. Golden light covered his entire body. The Immoveable Ming King Body had still not been broken, but its interior defenses were constantly being breached. The flames were unstoppable, coursing through Zhao Wuji's limbs and bones alongside his Soul Power.

His second Soul Ring lit up, and his Soul Skill—Great Strength Vajra Palm—activated.

His already enormous palm swelled further, golden light bursting from it as it struck down at Fu Hua with tremendous force.

At the same time, the charge finished gathering power.

The charge activated.

Fu Hua gripped the Xuanyuan Sword in both hands, pointing its tip forward. Golden light also gathered at its tip, but unlike before, this time it represented sharpness capable of piercing any shield.

Heaviness collided with sharpness.

A piercing screech erupted.

Xuanyuan Guard activated once more.

As two energy swords streaked across the sky, Zhao Wuji's muffled grunt rang out from within the clash.

He... had been injured again.

In addition to the burning flames within his body, lightning paralysis now accompanied them.

Roar!

Zhao Wuji pushed the Immoveable Ming King Body to its limit, defending against the attacks from outside. Yet he also had to divert his attention to channeling even more Soul Power to prevent his internal injuries from spreading.

Though he appeared unharmed on the surface, his insides were already in utter chaos. If not for Zhao Wuji's own strength, combined with Fu Hua's lack of intent to truly harm him, a single strike could have severely injured him.

At worst, she could send Honkai Energy—under her control—into his body along with the Xuanyuan Sword's attack. Then killing him would be as easy as turning her hand.

The charge ended, but it was also the beginning.

Sweep.

Soul Power condensed from the air formed a crescent blade, instantly separating from the Xuanyuan Sword's blade.

It swept out from before Fu Hua toward Zhao Wuji.

With a width of ten meters, an Agility Attack System Soul Master could easily evade it. But Zhao Wuji was different. Even with Martial Soul Possession enhancing his attack power and speed, he was still too slow.

Without surprise, the sweeping slash struck Zhao Wuji's Immoveable Ming King Body.

Sparks flew.

But they did not last long. An extreme chill pulled Zhao Wuji's consciousness back from the depths of his rage.

"What?"

From the point of impact, icy blue frost spread continuously. It began with his hand, then his body, gradually spreading outward. Zhao Wuji's already slow speed became even slower.

"This brat is way too strange."

This time, Zhao Wuji no longer held anything back. He fully activated his level seventy-six Soul Power and used the Immoveable Ming King Body. His third and fifth Soul Rings lit up at the same time.

Gravity Field, Gravity Squeeze.

The dual gravity instantly dragged down Fu Hua's sword-wielding hand.

Fu Hua's expression turned solemn. "What a powerful field. Gravity? But..."

It was not enough.

With Flash Step beneath her feet, she instantly appeared behind Zhao Wuji once again, preparing the second strike.

But Zhao Wuji would not give her another chance. He had already learned that this Soul Skill required charging, so he naturally would not let Fu Hua have her way.

Gravity Squeeze, fully unleashed.

But it was aimed at himself.

Crack! Crack!

The spreading ice was stopped. No—it was crushed apart.

The scattered ice crystals were transformed into water vapor under the gravity field. Mist filled the area, obscuring everyone's vision.

Tang San's eyes immediately turned purple.

Purple Demon Eye activated.

Through the mist, he saw the scene within.

Tang San murmured, "Those are... feathers?"

PS: Was that satisfying? Does it leave you wanting more?

PS1: Big shots, big shots. Today, I saw a big shot who wrote eight thousand words in a single chapter. How do they even type that much? Do they never stop? Impressive, impressive! Looks like I'm still too inexperienced.

PS2: The martial path has no end; neither does the literary path. The road ahead is still long. My own cultivation has only just begun.