Second Soul Skill--Execution Sword Formation

Ling Chen widened his eyes, looking at Ghost Douluo with an innocent expression.

"You have to be fair, be fair! My clones were trampled into meat patties by those soul beasts, so it's only natural that I'd be affected."

Ling Chen hadn't expected these people to have such sharp eyes; the moment something felt off, they started getting suspicious.

"You'd best not play any tricks, or we'll make sure you experience the true power of a Title Douluo!"

Ghost Douluo clenched his fists in front of Ling Chen, and Ling Chen nodded tactfully, beginning to walk back with them.

A small-scale beast tide like this would inevitably lead to friction in certain areas, resulting in infighting among the soul beasts.

As long as Ling Chen and the others followed the trail, they might even be able to pick up some scraps. The footprints on the ground were varied, but they all pointed in one direction.

The four of them followed the tracks, and before long, they saw a dying Four-Horned Flame Goat lying on the ground.

"It's a 600-year-old Four-Horned Flame Goat. The burning horns on its head can forcibly break through the defenses of thousand-year soul beasts, injecting flame into wounds and turning internal organs into blood."

Hu Liena circled the Four-Horned Flame Goat, feeling it was quite suitable for Ling Chen's assault-type martial soul.

Ling Chen didn't even glance at it, simply tossing his Green Steel Sword onto the Four-Horned Flame Goat's neck. Its soul skill wouldn't be of much help to him; if a single sword strike could solve the problem, why bother with quenching?

"What, not good enough? Or are you looking down on the low age of the soul ring?"

Seeing Ling Chen's expression, which seemed quite picky, Chrysanthemum Douluo felt rather annoyed.

Ling Chen wasn't a member of their Martial Soul Hall, so wasting the time of two Title Douluos like this naturally irritated Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.

"I need area-of-effect skills, crowd control, and group damage."

Hearing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo looked at him with disdain. Group control and group damage? Do you think you get to choose your soul skills?

Hu Liena thought for a moment and suddenly understood. If Ling Chen's domain were paired with this second soul skill, he could indeed achieve large-scale lethality.

However, whose second soul skill is an area-of-effect skill? A hundred-year soul ring only has so much power; if he wanted to find something meeting those requirements, he probably wouldn't find a single one among hundred-year soul beasts.

"Do I get the feeling you're playing us? You'd better advise him to absorb this Four-Horned Flame Goat's soul ring; it's a freebie, after all, and there's no loss for you."

Ling Chen pulled out his Green Steel Sword and kicked the carcass of the Four-Horned Flame Goat away, his face darkening.

"I decide what soul ring I want; I never asked you to hunt for me. Besides, you two are just supervisors—do you really have the right to manage me?"

Ling Chen didn't look back, continuing to follow the footprints.

"You...!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo was so angry he didn't know where to vent, and he was about to challenge Ling Chen to a contest of soul power when Hu Liena grabbed his hand.

"Chrysanthemum Grandpa, please calm your anger. Why bother with a level 20 prisoner? You are a Title Douluo; there's no need to get worked up over him."

"Hmph!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo shook off Hu Liena's hand and soared into the air.

"If he shows any sign of trying to escape today, I'll tear him into chrysanthemums on the spot!"

Immediately after, Ghost Douluo also leaped up and chased after Ling Chen.

Along the way, there were many dying soul beasts with crushed limbs, wailing in agony and unable to move.

Ling Chen appeared at this moment, successfully liberating them from their sea of suffering while incidentally collecting some interest for his efforts.

The further they went, the fewer the footprints became, while the traces of slaughter, bloodstains, and corpses increased. Ling Chen only needed to find the soul beast that survived until the end, as the strongest soul beast was often the final winner.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, hovering in the air, also saw this gruesome scene, but they were simultaneously focused on the strongest soul beast that had emerged from the slaughter.

"A Hundred-Blade Centipede?"

Looking at the hundred blade-like insect legs arranged along the sides of the centipede, Hu Liena couldn't help but gasp.

Insect-type soul beasts were rare; most hid underground and seldom surfaced.

Furthermore, most insect-type soul beasts operated in colonies, such as various ant-type soul beasts, which were adept at group combat.

The Hundred-Blade Centipede before them was an exception. In terms of size alone, it was half a person's height just while crawling, let alone if it were to stand up.

Not only that, it possessed thick insect armor that could easily withstand the attacks of other soul beasts. Its blade-like legs only needed to crawl over a target's body to leave it riddled with holes.

"Not bad, not bad. Only you are worthy of becoming my soul ring!"

As soon as Ling Chen drew his Green Steel Sword, he charged toward the Hundred-Blade Centipede, which was busy gnawing on the carcass of a soul beast.

"Clang!"

Ling Chen's Green Steel Sword struck the centipede's armor with a crisp sound, but it didn't tear through; it only left a dent.

Conversely, the powerful recoil nearly made Ling Chen drop his sword.

"So tough—no wonder those soul beasts died at your hands!"

Ling Chen retreated a few steps. His strike had carried the force of a thousand pounds, yet it had only left a dent.

Hu Liena and the two elders watched from afar, counting the centipede's legs.

A pair of legs represented one year of the centipede's life, and this one was at least 800 years old.

Ling Chen didn't want to waste time. Once his Peerless Domain was activated, the Hundred-Blade Centipede collapsed after only a few rounds.

"Little thing, I can handle you after all!"

Ling Chen did not draw the Green Steel Sword, instead sitting cross-legged on the spot to begin absorbing the Soul Ring.

"So fast?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo approached Ling Chen in disbelief, tapping the corpse of the Hundred-Blade Centipede. Its hardness was indeed impressive; if stripped, it could even be used to craft armor for the soldiers of Martial Soul Hall.

Yet, how did someone at Ling Chen's level manage to cave in this insect armor with a single strike?

Chrysanthemum Douluo stepped beside Ling Chen's Green Steel Sword, and upon seeing its razor-sharp edge, he couldn't help but shudder, feeling as though he would be easily torn apart by that keen blade.

Looking again at the indentation on the centipede's head, it was clear this sword weighed far more than an ordinary sword-type Martial Soul.

"Interesting! No wonder..."

Chrysanthemum Douluo muttered to himself; if the sword before him were wielded by Chen Xin, he dared not imagine which Title Douluo would ever risk a frontal confrontation with him.

Ghost Douluo and Hu Liena exchanged a glance, deciding to take this time to study Ling Chen's Martial Soul.

"So heavy! I can't lift it at all!"

Hu Liena tried to pull the Green Steel Sword out, but she was not the master of this blade. Just as Oscar could use a Mirror Sausage to copy Tang San's Twin Martial Souls, he likewise could not lift the Clear Sky Hammer.

After about twenty minutes, Ling Chen had finished absorbing the 876-year Soul Ring.

"Second Soul Skill—Execution Sword Formation!"

With a wave of Ling Chen's hand, a sword formation composed of ten Green Steel Swords descended. Moments later, the phantoms of the ten Green Steel Swords began to frantically shred the corpses of the soul beasts within the formation.