When they heard Nie Li's words, Chen Linjian and the others watching couldn't help but laugh.
If Chu Yuan had taken Nie Li seriously from the start, he wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state. Instead, he'd been so full of himself that he'd clasped his hands behind his back and offered to let Nie Li have three moves. He hadn't even lasted one. He'd tried to show off and ended up looking like a fool. What a brutal lesson.
Ye Ziyun glanced at Nie Li's utterly harmless expression and couldn't help smiling. Nie Li was really too mischievous!
After a while, Chu Yuan finally climbed to his feet. His face was livid, and the muscles there twitched now and then. He was clearly still forcing himself to bear the pain. The laughter around him sounded especially grating, and a murderous chill flickered in his eyes. "You brought this on yourself. I'm going to kill you!"
Chu Yuan sprang up and lashed out at Nie Li with a sweeping kick. Only after reaching Silver Rank and subduing a demon spirit could one cultivate martial techniques. But Chu Yuan was a scion of a prominent family, so he had still learned the rudiments of a few. This sweeping kick had evolved from the Chu Family's Whirling Wind Leg.
Chu Yuan's kick whistled through the air.
There was no way Nie Li would try to match Chu Yuan's physical strength head-on. He turned slightly to the side, and Chu Yuan's sweeping kick whistled past his cheek. Nie Li raised his leg high and kicked toward Chu Yuan's chin.
Although Nie Li was weaker than Chu Yuan, his movements when executing martial techniques and his grasp of the timing in a fight were far more precise. He also kept targeting Chu Yuan's blind spots.
Chen Linjian raised an eyebrow at the sight. Nie Li really was a freakish genius. He was only thirteen, yet he already knew so much about inscription patterns, and he was also remarkably skilled in martial techniques. Nie Li's attacks looked simple, but they were actually sharp and domineering. If Chen Linjian had been in Chu Yuan's position, he probably wouldn't have had time to react. It was hard to imagine how powerful Nie Li would become once he reached Silver Rank and fused with a demon spirit.
Chu Yuan suddenly lost sight of his target and felt a jolt of alarm. The next instant, his chin erupted in pain, and his whole body flew five or six meters before crashing heavily to the ground.
The surroundings fell as silent as the grave. You could have heard a pin drop.
"What happened?"
When Nie Li had first knocked Chu Yuan to the ground with an elbow strike, everyone had thought Chu Yuan had simply been too careless and let Nie Li catch him off guard. If Chu Yuan got serious, surely Nie Li wouldn't stand a chance. But, to everyone's surprise, Chu Yuan had attacked first this time, and Nie Li had still knocked him to the ground with a single move.
If it had happened once, they could have put it down to luck. But twice in a row? Could it really be nothing but luck?
Everyone stared in utter shock at the boy before them, whose features still looked young and tender. The fierce, domineering aura radiating from Nie Li was nothing like that of a thirteen-year-old.
Hu Yan Ruolan watched Nie Li's back, her bright eyes glittering.
"Looks like Big Sister still underestimated you!" Hu Yan Ruolan's alluring red lips parted slightly, her voice carrying an indescribable sensuality.
There were far too many secrets about Nie Li waiting to be uncovered.
Ye Ziyun was surprised too, but quickly came to terms with it. The Nine Revolutions Ice Phoenix Art Nie Li had taught her was far more powerful than any cultivation method she had ever seen. Nie Li must have cultivated an even more powerful art himself. It probably wasn't so difficult for him to challenge someone of a higher rank.
Seeing Chu Yuan sent flying, Shen Yue clenched his fists so tightly his nails nearly pierced his palms. Nie Li was far more difficult to deal with than he had imagined!
After being knocked to the ground twice in a row, Chu Yuan felt deeply humiliated. He was a Bronze 3-star Demon Spirit Master, and his physical strength alone was at Bronze 1-star level, while Nie Li hadn't even reached Bronze 1-star!
He could tell that Nie Li wasn't very strong—far weaker than him!
And yet he had lost. Lost in a way that made no sense, and in the most humiliating fashion!
Chu Yuan glared at Nie Li, his eyes bloodshot. His Soul Sea churned violently, and his Soul Power surged out of him.
Before fusing with a demon spirit, Soul Power had no truly tangible means of attack. One could only drive it into an opponent's Soul Sea.
Chu Yuan's Soul Power had reached 376, not far from Bronze 4-star. If he forced all of it into his opponent's Soul Sea, he might burst it open. If someone's Soul Sea burst, they would never be able to become a Demon Spirit Master in this lifetime! Without a Soul Sea, one couldn't cultivate Soul Power!
Glory City was constantly threatened by demon beasts, so Demon Spirit Masters tended to stand together and generally avoided killing one another. Even when they dueled, they didn't go that far!
But Chu Yuan couldn't care less about any of that now!
"Die!" Chu Yuan's eyes gleamed with malice, and a savage grin twisted his face. His Soul Power surged toward Nie Li's Soul Sea like a rising tide.
"Chu Yuan, stop!" Hu Yan Lanruo cried out in alarm. Chu Yuan was going for the kill! If Nie Li's Soul Sea burst, he would be crippled!
Ye Ziyun's face had gone pale too. She had said she'd rather see Nie Li get beaten up, but now that he was truly in danger, she couldn't help worrying about him—even if it was only the concern one friend felt for another.
With Chu Yuan's level of Soul Power, he could crush Nie Li with ease!
Chen Linjian stared intently at Nie Li. What would Nie Li do now? He had challenged Chu Yuan himself, after all. Surely he had some kind of trump card?
Everyone around them held their breath and stared fixedly at Nie Li.
Feeling the surging Soul Power rushing toward him, a cold gleam flashed through Nie Li's eyes. Earlier, he had overcome a stronger opponent by striking a single point to shatter the whole, breaking through Shen Yue's Soul Power. But that had been because Shen Yue's Soul Power was only twice as strong as his own. Chu Yuan's was more than four times stronger. That same tactic probably wouldn't work.
A Bronze 3-star Demon Spirit Master had far better control over Soul Power than Shen Yue.
"If you want to burst my Soul Sea, then come on!" Nie Li snorted. Opportunity and danger always went hand in hand.
Feeling Nie Li's Soul Power retreat without putting up a fight, Chu Yuan gave a smug, cold laugh. Let's see what else you can do. Die! His Soul Power poured unhindered into Nie Li's Soul Sea.
Hiss! Nie Li sucked in a sharp breath. The surging Soul Power rampaged through his Soul Sea, almost bursting it open!
Although Nie Li carried all the experience of his previous life, he had only just begun cultivating Soul Power. His Soul Sea was still very small and couldn't suddenly withstand such an enormous influx of power. Fine cracks spread across it.
Wave after wave of pain drained the color from Nie Li's face. The agony of a Soul Sea breaking apart was more than an ordinary person could bear.
Nie Li silently repeated the incantation of the Heavenly Dao Divine Art, driving his Soul Power to mend the cracks and keep his Soul Sea from bursting.
Seeing Nie Li's pale face and the huge drops of sweat falling one after another, Chu Yuan was overjoyed. Soul Power was Nie Li's weakness. His Soul Power was far too weak! Chu Yuan frantically stirred his Soul Sea, sending wave after wave of Soul Power crashing into Nie Li's.
Burst!
As long as Nie Li's Soul Sea burst, he would truly be crippled!
Wave after wave of Soul Power rushed into Nie Li's Soul Sea. Under the onslaught, it slowly expanded, and every bit of growth brought unimaginable pain. Each time it felt as if his Soul Sea was about to burst, the Heavenly Dao Divine Art would circulate, and Nie Li's Soul Sea would somehow hold on.
Crack after crack appeared, then mended again and again.
Under this terrible torment, Nie Li's Soul Power gathered like trickling streams merging into one, gradually growing stronger.
"What's going on?" Chu Yuan frowned. Every time his Soul Power nearly burst Nie Li's Soul Sea, Nie Li somehow held on. He had no choice but to drive more Soul Power into it.
Just a little more, just a little more...
But Chu Yuan gradually realized that his Soul Power was nearly exhausted, while Nie Li's Soul Sea still hadn't burst.
How could this be?
Why hadn't Nie Li's Soul Sea burst, even after enduring all of his Soul Power?
Nie Li was still in intense pain, but his gaze was slowly clearing. As his Soul Sea expanded and grew stronger, the searing pain had eased a little.
Soul Power was a mysterious force, invisible and intangible. But once one began cultivating it, its existence could be felt clearly.
It was said that Soul Power was a gift from the gods!
With powerful Soul Power, one could break through the limits of the human body and step onto the path to supreme strength.
Everyone had a Soul Sea deep within their mind. As one cultivated Soul Power, the Soul Sea grew larger and larger.
When Soul Power far exceeded the Soul Sea's capacity, the Soul Sea could easily be forced to burst.
But this was also an opportunity. Chu Yuan's Soul Power hadn't burst Nie Li's Soul Sea. Instead, it had helped expand it. After absorbing so much Soul Power, Nie Li's Soul Sea had grown by more than thirty percent.
"Now that you're here, don't even think about leaving!" Divine light burst from Nie Li's eyes as his Soul Sea slowly sealed itself.
"Not good!" Chu Yuan felt his Soul Power being dragged in. His face went white with fear, and he hurriedly tried to pull it back.
What kind of freak was this? Demon Spirit Masters generally had to reach Silver Rank, or even Gold Rank, before they learned how to seal their Soul Seas. By then, their Soul Seas could hold demon spirits. But Nie Li hadn't even reached Bronze Rank, and he already knew how to seal his Soul Sea!
Once Nie Li sealed his Soul Sea, Chu Yuan's Soul Power would be trapped inside, with no way out. Nie Li could then absorb it bit by bit and make it his own!
No wonder Chu Yuan was scared out of his wits. The Soul Power he had cultivated so painstakingly was about to become someone else's!
~Brothers and sisters, this new book needs your support!!!~
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