Gu Yuejin's sudden arrival was like a meteor crashing into a tranquil lake.
The Rank 9 Soul Master's feverish expression froze, replaced by utter disbelief.
His name was Wang Yang, and his title was "Sky Peng." He was a Titled Douluo at rank ninety-one.
He was also one of the most prominent figures in the entire Sun Moon Empire.
Yet now, he sensed a deadly threat from a mere youngster.
"A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring? How is that possible?!"
Wang Yang's heart shook, and his movements slowed for half a beat.
A Soul Sage this young, with such an astonishing Soul Ring configuration—even the monsters secretly raised by Mingde Hall couldn't compare.
Even Shrek Academy might not be able to raise a monster with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring in the seventh slot!
But the situation left him no time to think.
The Platform of Deification in his hands was greedily devouring Soul Power, firmly suppressing Snow Empress as she tried to fight back.
He had to maintain the seal while splitting his attention to face this mysterious enemy, leaving him at a severe disadvantage.
"Whoever you are, you'll die for ruining my plans!"
Wang Yang barked, and the Flight Soul Tool on his back spewed brilliant streaks of light.
He used his high speed to open up some distance, while bringing out his signature creation—a Rank Nine Soul Tool, the Sky Peng This.
Boom, boom, boom!
Dozens of Level Eight Fixed Soul Tool Cannons opened fire at once, and a dense barrage instantly blanketed the area where Gu Yuejin stood. The explosions were deafening.
Facing the overwhelming rain of cannon fire, Gu Yuejin remained impassive. He didn't even break stride.
"Pathetic tricks."
In an instant, countless blue-gold vines burst from the ground. Seemingly alive, they wove together in the air, forming a massive net.
Blue Silver Emperor Talent Domain—Eternal Forest!
The vines were not only incredibly tough, but their fusion with Gu Yuejin's terrifying physical strength also made them exceptionally well suited to the icy environment.
The Fixed-Soul-Tool Cannonballs, powerful enough to shatter mountains, struck the net of vines and raised only ripples. The vines' extraordinary resilience dispersed the force without a trace.
What was more, the vines pursued Wang Yang through the air like his shadow, coiling around him like weeds clinging to bone and forcing him to dodge desperately.
"Damn it! Is this really Blue Silver Grass?!"
Wang Yang grew more alarmed with every exchange.
His opponent's defense was flawless, and he could even predict the trajectory of every attack.
A strange light shimmered in Gu Yuejin's eyes. His Body Martial Soul's eyes and brain were working in perfect coordination.
In his field of vision, every one of Wang Yang's movements and every shift in his Soul Power broke down into slow motion.
Even the extremely fast attacks of a Rank Nine Soul Tool became easy to read.
He could even calculate the cannonballs' landing points with perfect clarity.
A sidestep, a duck, a shift to the side.
Gu Yuejin danced through the barrage like a phantom, avoiding each lethal strike by a hair's breadth.
"This guy... He knows Soul Tool attack patterns far too well!"
Cold sweat beaded on Wang Yang's forehead.
His Soul Power was rapidly draining as he maintained the Platform of Deification, and his attacks were growing increasingly erratic.
On the other side of the battlefield,
While the two were locked in fierce combat, Huo Yuhao followed Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's directions and quietly made his way to the edge of the Platform of Deification.
There, Snow Empress's figure was faint, but her mind remained clear.
Though the seal held her down, the pride of the Ruler of the Far North made her hostile toward any creature that approached.
"Get away..."
Sensing someone near, Snow Empress forced herself to gather her strength and sent a blast of ultimate cold straight at Huo Yuhao.
"Watch out!"
Huo Yuhao was horrified. This was an attack from a seven-hundred-thousand-year Ferocious Beast. Even at the end of her strength, she could kill him—a Soul Master with just one Soul Ring—in an instant.
At that moment, a golden light shot from between his brows.
A huge, translucent sheet of golden skin appeared in front of Huo Yuhao.
It was Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's shed skin!
Pfft—
The blast of cold struck the shed skin, raising only a cloud of white mist. Huo Yuhao was unharmed.
"Snow Empress! Don't attack!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's plump Soul Spirit projection wriggled out and called anxiously, "We're all Far North Beasts. Far North Beasts don't kill their own!"
At the sight of the giant caterpillar, a flicker of surprise crossed Snow Empress's murderous eyes.
"An Ice Silkworm? No, the Ice Silkworms of the Far North couldn't possibly grow this big..."
Even so, the aura of a fellow Far North Soul Beast emanating from Sky Dream Ice Silkworm eased her tense nerves a little.
At least he seemed slightly more trustworthy than that despicable human.
Back on the main battlefield,
Gu Yuejin and Wang Yang's fight had reached a fever pitch.
Wang Yang was a Titled Douluo, after all. Though he was being held back, he was still a formidable opponent when he fought for his life.
"You asked for this, kid!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Wang Yang's eyes. He prepared to unleash his full strength, even if it meant both of them were gravely injured, to force Gu Yuejin back.
But this was exactly what Gu Yuejin had been waiting for.
As Wang Yang gathered his strength, Gu Yuejin deliberately left an opening, his figure pausing for the briefest moment.
"Now!"
Wang Yang was overjoyed, thinking his opponent was running out of Soul Power. He instantly aimed the cannon at Gu Yuejin's heart.
But in the next moment, he saw the mocking smile on Gu Yuejin's lips.
"Had enough."
Vmmm—
A dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from within Gu Yuejin.
His skin, bones, and meridians seemed to turn into pure gold.
Body Martial Soul—Golden Grade Second Awakening!
All attributes increased threefold!
His already terrifying aura surged to a suffocating level, faintly surpassing even Wang Yang, a Titled Douluo.
"What kind of monster is this?!"
Wang Yang's pupils contracted to pinpoints, and terror swept over him like a tide, drowning out reason.
"It's over."
Gu Yuejin gave him no chance to regret it.
He poured all his Soul Power into his Seventh Soul Skill. Turning into a golden streak of light, he ignored the Soul Tool Cannon that was about to fire and slammed straight into Wang Yang's chest.
True Body!
The impact came down like Mount Tai, carrying a force so savage it could crush all in its path.
Crack!
The Rank Nine Soul Guide Shield Wang Yang had always prided himself on shattered like paper.
Then came the sharp crack of breaking bones.
"Pfft—"
Wang Yang spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward like a cannonball.
Before he hit the ground, Gu Yuejin's eyes once again shone with an eerie purple light.
Mental Shock! (According to the Body Martial Soul's rules, any body part could serve as a temporary Martial Soul.)
It was a direct strike to the soul, unleashed by the Body Martial Soul.
Already gravely wounded, Wang Yang felt as if a red-hot iron rod were twisting through his brain. His consciousness instantly went blank.
Whoosh!
Gu Yuejin followed him like a shadow, appearing at Wang Yang's side in an instant. He held his right hand like a blade and struck the back of Wang Yang's neck with a heavy chop.
Thud.
The Rank 9 Soul Master who had once dominated the Sun Moon Empire didn't even manage a groan before passing out.
The Platform of Deification slipped from his hands, and Gu Yuejin caught it securely.
"Phew..."
After dealing with this major threat, Gu Yuejin was breathing a little heavily.
After all, he had fought someone nearly twenty ranks above him. Even though his opponent was a Titled Douluo who specialized in Soul Tools, the battle had taken a heavy toll.
He weighed the Platform of Deification in his hand, preparing to check on Snow Empress.
Suddenly—
Rumble!
A soul-shuddering roar rang out from the distant horizon.
Then an overwhelming pressure, a hundred times stronger than before and charged with boundless fury, swept across the entire snowy plain.
The howling wind and snow came to a complete standstill.
"Who dares lay a hand on her?!"
A murderous cry rang through the sky.
A jade-green blur tore through the firmament like a blade and arrived in an instant.
It was a scorpion less than two meters long, its entire body jade-green and radiating the majesty of an emperor.
Ice Jade Scorpion—Ice Empress!
The moment she landed, she saw a sight that made her eyes blaze with rage—
The area around her was devastated, scarred with signs of battle.
Snow Empress was trapped where she stood, her aura weak.
And a human boy was standing right beside her, looking "suspicious."
Another human held the strange metal platform that had trapped Snow Empress.
In an instant, rage burned away all of Ice Empress's reason.
This was one hell of a misunderstanding.
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