Soul Battle, Tuoba Ye

After the grade assessments ended, Martial Soul Academy entered a long holiday.

Time flew by, and three months quietly passed. After the New Year, Jin Yan turned seven.

During those three months, Jin Yan kept a low profile. He spent most of his time cultivating in the Worship Hall, only occasionally coming out to maintain his relationships with Xu Yu and the others.

Jin Yan did not take the initiative to disturb Chrysanthemum Douluo. He knew that once the other man could no longer hold back, he would definitely come looking for him. If Jin Yan rushed to seek him out, he would not only hand the initiative over to the other side, but Bibi Dong might also recognize his plan with her intelligence.

Since he had already made his plans, Jin Yan could not allow even the slightest flaw to appear.

Of course, under the guidance of several Worshiper Grandfathers, Jin Yan also visited several titled Douluos from the Elder Hall.

Demon Bear Douluo and Ghost Leopard Douluo were both staunch supporters of the Worship Hall, and they treated Jin Yan, one of their own, quite cordially.

Spirit Kite Douluo had only broken through to the Titled Douluo rank in recent years. It was said that her breakthrough had something to do with Bibi Dong, and she was close to her. Moreover, she was Yan's nominal teacher.

Sure enough, although Spirit Kite Douluo met Jin Yan with a proper smile on her face, she offered no indication whatsoever. Jin Yan could only tactfully take his leave.

The Elder Hall also had a Spirit Turtle Douluo. He could be considered one of Spirit Hall's old guard, already around one hundred and twenty years old, about the same age as the Sixth and Seventh Worshipers. His martial soul was the Azure Sea Spirit Turtle.

Unfortunately, his talent truly fell a little short. Even now, he had only barely reached Rank 93, and he was likely without hope of advancing any further in this lifetime.

Jin Yan found this man rather troublesome.

His personality was just like his martial soul's. He had gone through life without desires or demands. Normally, he offended neither the Worship Hall nor the Pope's Palace and belonged to the neutral faction. With both his seniority and Titled Douluo strength, neither side could say much to him.

As for the final two Titled Douluos of the Elder Hall, Snake Lance and Cixue, they were away on missions, so Jin Yan had no chance to meet them.

Overall, though, things were looking good. Of the Elder Hall's eight Titled Douluos, four had already clearly taken his side. Jin Yan believed that Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were only a matter of time. That would make six Titled Douluo powerhouses on his side, and with the seven worshiper elders, Jin Yan's influence within Spirit Hall had rapidly risen over the past three months.

As for what he had promised Li Kai and the others, Jin Yan made good on his word. Other than Xu Yu, he had arranged everything for them.

With three top-tier Spirit Douluos personally teaching them, the three boys' future achievements would be limitless.

The Great Soul Arena of Spirit City was packed with people.

After obtaining his token, Jin Yan entered a private room to wait.

"Kid, what are you doing here? With your current strength, coming here won't do you much good."

The Golden Dragon King's long-absent voice rang out in his mind.

"Although I am strong now, it has all been built up through various resources. My combat experience is severely lacking, and my research into that Self-Created Soul Skill has stalled because of it.

"Though my grandfathers are also highly experienced in battle, they always unconsciously hold back when facing me. Their moves aren't ruthless enough. Here, I can observe what true life-and-death soul battles look like, which will greatly improve my combat experience."

Jin Yan explained.

"You do have a point. Do as you please."

Before long, amid the host's shout, Jin Yan slowly walked onto the arena.

When he saw his opponent, Jin Yan could not help but freeze for a moment.

His opponent was an extremely burly youth who did not appear very old, perhaps eleven or twelve. His tower-like body made him look immensely intimidating.

The other boy recognized Jin Yan as well and cried out in surprise.

"Jin Yan? Why is it you?"

Jin Yan smiled. "Tuoba Ye, I hope you will go easy on me."

Tuoba Ye was also one of the geniuses Jin Yan had met at Martial Soul Academy. He came from the White Armored Earth Dragon Clan, but his martial soul had undergone the rare beneficial mutation into the superior martial soul of the White Armored Earth Dragon: the White Armored Sacred Dragon.

A single word made all the difference, yet the strength of the martial souls was worlds apart.

Though the White Armored Earth Dragon was also a top-tier martial soul, it could only be considered the bottom rung among them. The White Armored Sacred Dragon, however, was an exceptionally powerful existence even among top-tier martial souls. Its defensive power in particular had even earned the Golden Dragon King's approval within Jin Yan's body.

After both sides saluted, the referee announced the start of the match. Tuoba Ye was the first to release his martial soul. Platinum light blossomed from within his body, similar to when Jin Yan released his martial soul. Fine white dragon scales appeared over his body and along both sides of his cheeks. The scales were dense and thick, gleaming like crystal beneath the Soul Guidance Lamps. A pair of short, thick dragon horns grew from his head, while two yellow and one purple Soul Rings appeared beneath his feet.

Jin Yan released his martial soul as well.

When Jin Yan's Soul Rings appeared, they naturally caused another uproar throughout the soul arena.

However, Jin Yan automatically shut out those sounds. This was Spirit Hall territory, after all, and everyone who entered had to undergo strict inspection. Furthermore, Zhang Yan, an eighty-ninth-rank Spirit Douluo, was secretly protecting him. Jin Yan had nothing to fear.

Before the match had even begun, invisible dragon might had already collided in the arena.

Yet Jin Yan possessed the pure bloodline of the Golden Dragon, and his dragon might was far stronger than the pressure of Tuoba Ye's White Armored Sacred Dragon.

I can't drag this out any longer. Otherwise, things will only get harder for me. Tuoba Ye sighed inwardly as his first and second Soul Rings lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Dragon Scale Body Protection!"

"Second Soul Skill, Sacred Dragon Power!"

Empowered by his Soul Rings, Tuoba Ye charged directly at Jin Yan. His fist whipped up a fierce gale as it flew straight toward him.

Faced with his attack, Jin Yan had no choice but to take it seriously. His golden-scaled dragon claw blocked the blow, while the crocodile tail behind him swept heavily at Tuoba Ye's calf like a whip.

The howling wind set alarm bells ringing in Tuoba Ye's heart. The muscles in his calf abruptly swelled, pressing tightly against the silver-white dragon scales. Relying on the formidable defense of his first Soul Skill, he actually withstood Jin Yan's tail strike head-on.

Before he had time to think, Jin Yan's next attack followed immediately.

Jin Yan's first Soul Skill flashed, and his body abruptly expanded by a full circle. His powerful dragon claw crashed down toward Tuoba Ye.

"Damn, you're way too hard to deal with! Are you really treating me like a punching bag?"

Facing Jin Yan's relentless attacks, Tuoba Ye felt extremely frustrated. He twisted his body and barely dodged Jin Yan's claw strike, while his third Soul Ring lit up.

"Try my third Soul Skill, Holy Dragon Destruction!"

Tuoba Ye suddenly pulled away from Jin Yan. At the same time, platinum light rapidly gathered in his mouth before a thick beam of energy shot toward Jin Yan.

With the enhancement of two Soul Rings, the power of Tuoba Ye's third Soul Skill already rivaled that of an ordinary Soul Ancestor. Terrifying soul skill fluctuations erupted across the arena.