The Puzzling Soul Ring

Smack!

Yun Chen's fist struck Wu Zhangkong's palm, and the force left even Wu Zhangkong's hand slightly numb. Wu Zhangkong frowned. He had intended to use Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon to fling Yun Chen away, but Yun Chen's strength had actually shattered the Soul Power covering his palm and broken the technique.

However, his surprise lasted only an instant before Wu Zhangkong grabbed Yun Chen's fist. Though Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon had been broken, he could still seize Yun Chen directly and throw him out.

Unfortunately, just as Wu Zhangkong prepared to swing his arm, Yun Chen had already leaped up, driving his knee straight toward Wu Zhangkong's abdomen. He even sharply pulled back his arm, using Wu Zhangkong's grip on his fist to close the distance between them.

Though Yun Chen's offensive had some structure, it was still far too immature before Wu Zhangkong. In the end, the knee strike failed to land. After all, Wu Zhangkong was the one holding Yun Chen's fist, so the initiative was his. All he had to do was let go and use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to easily evade Yun Chen's attack.

Unfortunately, the instant Wu Zhangkong shifted aside, chains formed of frost had already bound his legs. Ever since Yun Chen had voiced his belief that the sun, moon, and stars would forever remain in the Spirit Ascension Platform, Xu Xiaoyan had been exploring a way to use Star Chain during the day.

In the end, she found a way. However, she still could not fully master it, so it took her quite a while to unleash the soul skill.

But when someone possessed an awakened, decisive soul skill, it did not matter if it took a little longer to use. As long as it could be unleashed, it could determine the outcome. Yun Chen's earlier offensive had been intended to buy Xu Xiaoyan time.

The moment Wu Zhangkong was bound, Yun Chen threw out his fist without hesitation. A roaring crimson lion head shot forth and struck Wu Zhangkong, kicking up a cloud of dust.

When the dust settled, Wu Zhangkong appeared in everyone's sight. His white clothes had gained a few wrinkles, and the long hair behind him slowly drifted down, but he had not suffered a single injury.

"You two did very well," Wu Zhangkong commented.

In that battle just now, he had been completely caught off guard by Xu Xiaoyan's absolute control. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult for Yun Chen to land a solid hit on him.

Wu Zhangkong looked at the pale-faced Xu Xiaoyan. "Just now, was that a trait of your Martial Soul?"

Xu Xiaoyan nodded. "My Ice Staff Martial Soul is a Mutated Martial Soul."

Wu Zhangkong nodded lightly, then turned to Yun Chen. "Was that move just now your third soul skill?"

Hearing Wu Zhangkong's question, Yun Chen shook his head. That punch had not been his third soul skill. Since obtaining his third Soul Ring, he had never used that soul skill.

The reason was not that his third soul skill was useless or overly powerful, but that he could not use it.

When he obtained his first and second Soul Rings, he could easily sense the existence of the soul skills through his Martial Soul. Yet through his Martial Soul, he could not sense what kind of soul skill his third Soul Ring contained.

Moreover, the origin of his third Soul Ring was rather strange. He had not absorbed a second hundred-year Soul Spirit, nor had his first Soul Spirit, the Blood Rage Lion Tiger, completed its ascension to a thousand-year level. It should not have been able to provide him with a third Soul Ring.

Yet on that night when the typhoon raged, he had somehow obtained this third Soul Ring. And after obtaining it, he felt his blood and vitality become exceptionally abundant. It had increased by nearly fifty percent compared to before he acquired the Soul Ring.

Yun Chen had not mentioned this matter to anyone, because he could sense that the connection between his third Soul Ring and his Martial Soul seemed somewhat unusual. He was unsure whether this was a special phenomenon, so he wanted to ask Mu Ye for his opinion the next time they met. After all, on this continent, the person with the deepest understanding of blood and vitality and Body Martial Souls was probably this Body Sect leader, the Body Douluo.

"A Self-Created Soul Skill?" Wu Zhangkong asked, raising a brow.

"Not exactly." Yun Chen shook his head. "It's a method for a Body Martial Soul to mobilize Bloodline Power. I merely applied it to attacking."

Hearing Yun Chen say that, Wu Zhangkong nodded. Shrek Academy had also conducted some research into Body Martial Souls, so he naturally knew a little about them. The combat techniques created by Body Martial Soul masters through their own blood and vitality were absolutely no weaker than the soul skills of Soul Masters at the same level. Yun Chen's Martial Soul had granted him abundant Bloodline Power, and his ability to apply it to attacks also showed his talent.

"Until your cultivation rises further, do not spend too much energy on Self-Created Soul Skills. At your current stage, cultivation should remain your priority," Wu Zhangkong instructed.

"I understand, Teacher Wu," Yun Chen replied.

Only after sending Yun Chen and Xu Xiaoyan back into formation did Wu Zhangkong begin his evaluation.

"After the two battles just now, you should have realized the importance of practical combat skills, right?"

Hearing his question, Xie Xie, Gu Yue, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi all nodded solemnly.

"However, Yun Chen and Xu Xiaoyan's victory did not rely solely on Yun Chen's practical combat skills, but also on the tacit coordination between the two of them. In this regard, Gu Yue and Xie Xie, the two of you performed far worse," Wu Zhangkong continued.

Wu Zhangkong's assessment made Xie Xie lower his head. He wanted to say that he also wished to cooperate properly with Gu Yue, but she simply refused to pay any attention to him. Yet he had never considered that the problem was partly due to his usual behavior making Gu Yue dislike him.

"In the upcoming practical combat classes, I will focus on training your individual combat skills and your coordination with one another. We will begin in teams of two, keeping the groups as Xie Xie and Gu Yue, Yun Chen and Xu Xiaoyan, Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi for now. Once you can meet my requirements, I will teach you some more useful things."

Upon hearing Wu Zhangkong say this, Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi immediately became interested.

"Is it the footwork Teacher Wu used just now?" Zhang Yangzi asked.

Xie Xie's eyes also lit up. As Agility Attack System Soul Masters, he and Zhang Yangzi were very interested in Wu Zhangkong's exquisite footwork.

"If you can meet my requirements," Wu Zhangkong repeated.

He certainly would not pass down the Tang Sect's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to outsiders. But if these students met his requirements, he would not mind bringing them into the Tang Sect. Once they joined, they would naturally be able to exchange for the Tang Sect's secret arts. However, Zhang Yangzi and the others did not yet qualify.