"The Liu Family sure is domineering. Then let me see what you're capable of!" Qin Yuan's gaze turned cold, and a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar!" He deliberately raised his voice to mislead his opponent.
Liu Chen froze, realizing something was terribly wrong, and tried to retreat.
But Qin Yuan only had Soul Power Level 54. How could he use a Martial Soul Avatar?
That was nothing more than his Fifth Soul Skill.
The Battle Saber Martial Soul was wreathed in flames. Qin Yuan rushed forward and, while his opponent was momentarily distracted, brought his blade down on Liu Chen's thigh.
The Liu Family's inherited Martial Soul was the Leopard Cat. An injury to the legs would greatly hinder its speed.
"Damn it, how dare you trick me!" Liu Chen roared in anger and prepared to fight back.
But Qin Yuan's Blade Technique flowed as naturally as if it were one with him, and his combat prowess was overwhelming.
That brief moment of distraction had put Liu Chen at a severe disadvantage, leaving him unable to break free for the time being.
Liu Chen was only a low-tier Spirit Emperor, while Qin Yuan was among the strongest Soul Kings. With the advantage in his hands, how could Qin Yuan let Liu Chen escape so easily?
He unleashed dozens of slashes in succession. The blade light lingered, weaving into a vast net that cut off Liu Chen's escape routes.
Amid the clash of blades, Liu Chen was cut several times. The wounds on his legs were especially severe, as if Qin Yuan had struck his Achilles' heel.
As his disadvantage continued to grow, Liu Chen was utterly astonished.
At the same time, he became even more certain that Qin Yuan must have come from a major power.
He had seen plenty of Soul Masters with a Blade Martial Soul, but this was the first time he had met one with a Blade Technique as refined as Qin Yuan's.
Only major powers had inherited cultivation techniques!
But so what? He was a Spirit Emperor. How could he lose so easily to a Soul King?
"Sixth Soul Skill, Leopard Shadow Throat Claw!"
Vast Soul Power gathered in his palm, and sharp claws sprang from his fingertips.
His right leg was badly injured, severely limiting his movement. Without the support of one leg, the Sixth Soul Skill was weakened, but it was still not to be underestimated.
At a disadvantage in Soul Power Level, Qin Yuan had no intention of meeting it head-on. He dodged the attack.
After retreating more than a dozen steps, he quickly steadied himself, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "You've been pampered for so long, and this is all you've got?"
The Liu Family had thrown its weight around in Silvis City for years. Its senior members rarely had to fight.
A Soul Master's combat ability depended on extensive battle experience. In that regard, Liu Chen was far inferior to Qin Yuan, who had lived by the blade.
Besides, Liu Chen was old. Judging by appearances, his Soul Power Level had once been at least 65. His age had caused his Soul Power Level to decline considerably, and he could no longer fight at full strength.
Liu Chen finally had a chance to catch his breath. The pain in his right leg was so intense that he grimaced and began breathing rapidly. "Kid, you think you can beat an old hand with wild punches? You're not good enough! A Spirit Emperor is always a Spirit Emperor. A mere Soul King like you can't shake one!"
After venting his anger, his right leg went completely numb.
At his age, the wound was slow to heal. Blood gushed from it like a spring; if it continued, the loss of blood alone would be enough to kill him.
Qin Yuan, by contrast, was indeed injured, but Ye Lingling healed him, and he recovered completely in an instant.
Liu Chen didn't dare let the fight turn into a war of attrition. He wanted to treat his wound before fighting again.
But he had to remember: this was a life-and-death battle. Why would Qin Yuan give him a chance to catch his breath out of respect for his age?
"Fourth Soul Skill, Earth Splitting Chop!"
Qin Yuan gripped the hilt with both hands, raised the Battle Blade high, and brought it down with a mighty slash.
The blade's energy tore across the ground, leaving a deep furrow, yet its force did not diminish.
Struggling to respond, Liu Chen dragged his injured right leg and toppled to the side, barely evading the blade's energy.
Qin Yuan pressed on, rushing toward him once more.
Liu Chen was like a severely wounded tiger. The ferocity and savagery in his heart remained, but his body could no longer withstand such an intense fight. He kept swiping with both claws, making one final stand.
The eastern horizon began to pale, and sunlight slowly spilled across the land.
A golden glow rose through the hazy mist among the trees.
Even a dying camel was still bigger than a horse. Qin Yuan was merely an ordinary Soul Master with somewhat better talent, and it had taken considerable effort to kill a Spirit Emperor despite the gap in levels.
After nearly half an hour of fierce fighting, Qin Yuan finally cut off Liu Chen's head. Blood spurted out and mingled with the mist, turning pale red in the sunlight.
Qin Yuan gasped for breath, but he still couldn't stop.
The noise of the fight and the stench of blood would soon attract the attention of other experts. If the Liu Family's main forces showed up, they would have no chance of escape.
With Ye Lingling in one arm, Qin Yuan hurried away into the mist.
Not far away, a pair of eyes watched them leave.
The observer was the head of the Yao Family, a Spirit Saint.
He had never intended to pursue Qin Yuan and Ye Lingling; he had only wanted to make trouble for the Liu Family.
He was the one who had introduced that Liu Family traitor to Spirit Hall. He had planned to protect the man at the right moment, but he hadn't expected Liu Chen, who had gone after the traitor, to be killed by Qin Yuan along the way.
Qin Yuan's display of strength convinced him even more that the man came from an extraordinary background.
Besides, the Liu Family had tried to win Ye Lingling over for a long time without success. If Qin Yuan didn't have some crucial token, why would Ye Lingling agree to leave with him?
The head of the Yao Family put the matter out of his mind and stayed where he was. When the Liu Family's people caught up, he would cover for Qin Yuan and Ye Lingling.
Of course, the head of the Yao Family had to admit that Qin Yuan's plan was clever—and audacious.
In an unfamiliar place, he had dared to use the Yao Family to hold the Liu Family in check.
What was more, the Yao Family had taken the bait of its own accord.
With such a clear head, if Qin Yuan could become the Yao Family's son-in-law, the family would have a worthy successor.
With the Liu Family no longer a threat, the rest of the journey went much more smoothly.
They weren't conspicuous, and to be safe, Qin Yuan chose the main roads. They hardly encountered any bandits along the way.
Heaven Dou City.
More than two months had passed since Ning Rongrong had obtained her First Soul Ring.
Her state of mind was much like that of a kindergarten child longing for primary school. Once she got there, she would realize how nice kindergarten had been.
Now that she had become a true Soul Master, Ning Rongrong inevitably had to study the ways of Soul Masters.
She had no interest in either theoretical lessons or practical training. Instead, the long hours of study had made her intensely resentful of them.
After finally sneaking out, she suddenly realized she didn't seem to have any friends she could even talk to.
As the young heiress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and its future successor, anyone who approached Ning Rongrong was bound to have an ulterior motive.
For her safety, Ning Rongrong had always lived inside the carefully crafted cocoon Ning Fengzhi had made for her. Nearly everyone she spoke to was a guard assigned by Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Rongrong looked utterly dejected as she wandered aimlessly through the streets of Heaven Dou City like a headless fly.
Before she knew it, she had arrived in front of a shop.
It belonged to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, but not long ago, her father had bestowed it upon the Golden Saber Squad.
Ning Rongrong raised an eyebrow. For some reason, she found Qin Yuan of the Golden Saber Squad quite interesting.
All she wanted now was to talk to Qin Yuan and ease her boredom.
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