Lin Ming, This Time, I'll Protect You!

Facing the Soul Saint before him, Lin Ming no longer dared to hold anything back.

Strength comparable to a Soul Saint still fell just short when facing a genuine Soul Saint.

Lin Ming pushed Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to its limit while activating Purple Demon Eye, attempting to find a flaw in the Blazing Lion Soul Saint's defenses.

But his opponent was, after all, a Soul Saint who had cultivated for many years. In terms of combat experience, he was still superior to Lin Ming.

But Lin Ming was no pushover either. The Sky-Propping Spear in his hand whirled continuously, forcing his opponent back again and again. After all, the Sky-Propping Spear's sharpness was not something a Soul Saint could catch barehanded, especially when it carried Lin Ming's own Spear Intent.

Lin Ming's Sky-Propping Spear Intent had already reached a certain level. Combined with the spear's innate sharpness, its killing power had far surpassed what someone of his realm should possess.

Using all his soul skills at once rapidly drained Lin Ming's Soul Power.

"Damn it! Was I really going to fall here today?"

Lin Ming gritted his teeth and held on, roaring angrily in his heart, Xu Sanshi, you ugly turtle bastard, I definitely won't let you kill me that easily!

Seizing an opportunity, he flashed aside to evade an attack from the Blazing Lion Soul Saint, then charged straight toward Xu Sanshi.

If I can't beat him, can't I at least kill a Soul Elder like you?

With the Sky-Propping Spear in hand, Lin Ming charged toward Xu Sanshi with unstoppable momentum, intending to kill him outright.

Xu Sanshi immediately panicked. No matter how he looked at it, he had never expected Lin Ming, a mere Soul Ancestor, to break free from a Soul Saint's attacks.

"Uncle Li, save me!"

Xu Sanshi shouted in terror.

Just as Lin Ming was about to succeed.

A powerful blast of air violently sent him flying.

A massive lion, its entire body blazing with raging flames, stood before Xu Sanshi, protecting the panicked young man.

It was the Blazing Lion Soul Saint from earlier. This was what he looked like after activating his Martial Soul Avatar.

"Hehe, Lin Ming, I refuse to believe that no matter how powerful a mere Soul Ancestor like you is, you can defeat a Soul Saint after he activates his Martial Soul Avatar! Uncle Li, kill him. Don't let this drag on!"

As soon as Xu Sanshi finished speaking, the enormous Blazing Lion slowly walked toward Lin Ming.

The pressure of a Soul Saint after activating a Martial Soul Avatar was extraordinary. Lin Ming felt his breathing grow labored, and even his strength was somewhat suppressed.

"No. No matter what, I can't fall here!"

Faced with the approaching Blazing Lion, Lin Ming advanced rather than retreated. Holding the Sky-Propping Spear, he repeatedly thrust it forward.

First came a thrust, then a horizontal sweep, followed by an upward strike, and finally a downward slash.

That was right. He had unleashed the Thirty-Six Sky-Propping Spears. Combined with his Spear Intent, each strike was stronger than the last.

His relentless momentum left the Blazing Lion unable to find an opening between Lin Ming's attacks, forcing him to defend passively.

When had a mighty Soul Saint ever suffered such humiliation?

At once, he let out a furious roar. The flames around his body solidified and burst outward, sending Lin Ming flying once more.

In order not to interrupt the charge-up of the Thirty-Six Sky-Propping Spears, Lin Ming continued swinging through empty air to build up his stacks even with no enemy before him.

Instead, this allowed the Blazing Lion Soul Saint to notice something was wrong.

He could feel it. Every one of Lin Ming's attacks was stronger than the last.

"There's something strange about this brat!"

The Blazing Lion Soul Saint sensed trouble and immediately took the initiative to attack.

His massive lion claw viciously raked toward Lin Ming.

Lin Ming had already charged up to the twenty-third strike. He immediately leaped into the air and brought his spear down against the incoming claw.

Boom

The Sky-Propping Spear collided with the claw, sending dazzling sparks flying.

Lin Ming retreated only half a step. At this moment, his strength was actually nearly equal to that of a Soul Saint who had activated his Martial Soul Avatar.

The Blazing Lion Soul Saint was deeply shocked, and his determination to kill Lin Ming only grew firmer.

He had a premonition that if he failed to kill Lin Ming today, then within five years—no, within three years—Lin Ming's strength would definitely surpass his own.

An enemy with such terrifying growth speed would be a catastrophic disaster to him, to Xu Sanshi, and even to the forces behind them.

And now, while this disaster had yet to fully grow, was the best time to snuff him out in the cradle.

Lin Ming's strength continued to rise, but after fighting for so long, he was already nearing exhaustion.

No matter what, he could not swing the thirty-sixth strike.

"Twenty-five, twenty-six..."

Lin Ming was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath.

The Blazing Lion Soul Saint was not having an easy time either.

He could not believe, even if beaten to death, that while in his Martial Soul Avatar state, he had fought for so long and still could not defeat a Soul Ancestor.

If word of this got out, his peers and old friends would laugh themselves to death.

"Sixth Soul Skill, Blazing Roar!"

He finally could not take it anymore. Regardless of the fact that Lin Ming was already utterly exhausted, he directly unleashed his sixth soul skill.

A massive phantom of a Blazing Lion condensed before the Soul Saint.

The phantom roared, and the temperature of the surroundings rose because of its appearance.

Under the Blazing Lion Soul Saint's control, the phantom roared as it charged toward the utterly exhausted Lin Ming.

Lin Ming gripped the Sky-Propping Spear tightly, his heart filled with unwillingness. Damn it, was I really going to fall here today?

The moment those words surfaced in his heart, he vaguely sensed an unseen will rejecting that thought.

And the unease he had felt earlier also vanished.

Just as the Blazing Lion phantom was about to strike Lin Ming.

A full moon appeared in front of Lin Ming.

Zhang Lexuan's graceful figure appeared before him.

Although Lin Ming did not appear seriously injured, he was already utterly exhausted, swaying on the verge of collapse as both his Soul Power and physical strength ran dry.

"Lin Ming, are you all right?"

At that moment, a black-gold arrow shot toward Lin Ming.

"Hmph!"

Zhang Lexuan snorted coldly and casually waved her hand. A streak of moonlight flew out and knocked the arrow away.

This was the gap between a Soul Emperor and a Soul Saint.

Not everyone was like Lin Ming, capable of fighting above their level.

Between a Soul Emperor and a Soul Saint lay an insurmountable chasm.

Looking at Lin Ming's haggard face, Zhang Lexuan stroked his cheek with heartache. "Lin Ming, this time, I'll protect you!"

Then she turned around and looked at the three people opposite her.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black!

Seven Spirit Rings pulsed beneath her feet.

The gentleness in Zhang Lexuan's eyes from when she faced Lin Ming was gone, replaced by boundless killing intent.

"You dared to harm someone from our Shrek. You will pay the price for this!"

With that, the seventh Spirit Ring behind her suddenly lit up, and an enormous full moon rose behind Zhang Lexuan.

Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar!