Battle Against Zhao Wuji

"Cough, cough. Though I'm a little reluctant to interrupt you two brothers catching up, the assessment is about to begin. Are you ready?" Zhao Wuji rose from his chair, interrupting Tang San and Tang Liu.

"Brother, let's pass the assessment first. Then we can have a proper talk." Tang Liu stood up first and looked at Zhao Wuji.

"Alright." Tang San stood as well, rubbing Tang Liu's shoulder-length hair.

Still, looking at Tang Liu, who only came up to his chest, Tang San found it somewhat strange.

"Don't worry. Dad raised me well. He didn't starve me, and I'm not underdeveloped." Tang Liu saw what he was thinking and said so.

Tang San nodded and smiled. "Then you'd better work hard at growing taller."

"Hmph. I'm still young, anyway." Tang Liu rolled his eyes.

"Ready, little ones?" Zhao Wuji asked with a smile.

"Teacher Zhao, let's begin." Tang San stepped forward, shielding Tang Liu and Xiao Wu behind him as he spoke in a low voice.

"Alright." Zhao Wuji lit another stick of incense, then stood still where he was. "Come on. Let me see what tricks you have."

Tang San and Ning Rongrong released their Martial Souls, while Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing activated Martial Soul Possession.

However, they all had two yellow Soul Rings.

Tang Liu smiled faintly, stuffed Little Funi back into his clothes, and released his Martial Soul.

Crystal-like vines unfurled as the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor slowly grew. Then one yellow, one purple, and one black Soul Ring rose beneath his feet.

This time, the Soul Rings did not encircle the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor. Instead, they pulsed around his body.

"A Soul Elder, and a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring!" Zhao Wuji's pupils constricted before he burst into laughter. "Good. Another impressive little monster."

Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu all looked at Tang Liu differently now.

After a brief daze, Tang San only felt happy.

The stronger his younger brother was, the more gratified he felt.

"Zhu Zhuqing, go fulfill an assassin's duty!" Tang Liu shouted as his second Soul Ring lit up.

A transparent blue vine streaked with golden patterns silently coiled around Zhu Zhuqing's left arm. Then her graceful figure vanished.

"Invisibility?" Zhao Wuji gave a soft sound of surprise.

"Xiao Liu, give me Ethereal Defense," Tang San said.

Even after six years, he still remembered his younger brother's first soul skill.

"Coming."

Tang Liu answered, and his yellow Soul Ring lit up. Another vine wrapped around Tang San's left arm.

Yet Tang San did not turn invisible like Zhu Zhuqing. He had merely entered an intangible state.

The instant Ethereal Defense was applied, Tang San activated his first soul skill, Bind.

Blue Silver Grass surged forth, quickly tying Zhao Wuji up tightly.

"Mere Blue Silver Grass thinks it can trap me?" Zhao Wuji laughed, about to exert his strength and snap the Blue Silver Grass.

But soon, he cried out in uncertainty.

"What's going on?"

Blue Silver Grass clearly bound his body, yet when he exerted force, it was as though he had touched nothing at all. Naturally, all that strength fell into empty air.

"Hehehe." Tang Liu gave a mischievous laugh.

His first soul skill was somewhat paradoxical. Just like Zhao Wuji's current situation: the Blue Silver Grass restrained him and prevented him from moving, yet he could not touch the Blue Silver Grass at all.

It was precisely this paradox that made his first soul skill incredibly useful.

At that moment, a pitch-black claw flash appeared. Zhu Zhuqing, still invisible, had made her move.

First soul skill, Hell Stab!

It shot straight toward Zhao Wuji's eyes.

Zhao Wuji had no choice but to release his Martial Soul to block Zhu Zhuqing's strike.

Soul Power surged, and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was finally severed by the Soul Power radiating from Zhao Wuji's body.

He swiftly raised a hand to block Zhu Zhuqing's attack while his other hand grabbed toward her.

Once Zhu Zhuqing attacked, she naturally emerged from concealment, and the vine on her left arm vanished.

But at that moment, another vine appeared from thin air around her left arm. In the next instant, Zhao Wuji's hand passed through Zhu Zhuqing's body, while Zhu Zhuqing passed through Zhao Wuji's body.

She froze for only a moment before immediately striking Zhao Wuji with Hell Hundred Claws.

For a time, the sounds of metal clashing rang out without end.

"Seven Treasures Famous: first, speed; second, strength!"

Ning Rongrong recovered from the shock of Tang Liu's Soul Rings and began supporting everyone.

The thirty-percent boost instantly elevated Zhu Zhuqing's attacks to another level.

At the same time, Xiao Wu made her move.

Every light tap of her toes against the ground launched her four or five meters forward.

Within a single breath, she reached Zhao Wuji, hooked her legs around his neck, and unleashed her first soul skill, Waist Bow!

At that moment, Zhao Wuji's feet became tangled in masses of Blue Silver Grass. With a pull from Tang San using Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, Zhao Wuji slid backward.

Combined with Xiao Wu's Waist Bow, Zhao Wuji was immediately flung into the air.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing, who had been waiting for an opportunity nearby, attacked again. Hell Stab caught up to Zhao Wuji's airborne figure, followed by Hell Hundred Claws.

Sparks flashed continuously across Zhao Wuji's body. But he had released his Martial Soul, and his defense was astonishing. Zhu Zhuqing could not harm him at all.

The moment Zhu Zhuqing's attack ended, Xiao Wu's attack followed right after.

She planted a foot against Zhao Wuji's lower abdomen and smashed him heavily into the ground.

Two strands of Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing's waists, pulling them back to Tang San's side.

By then, the stick of incense had only burned through nearly one-third.

"Not bad. You're all quite good." Zhao Wuji laughed as he stood up. "But next, it's my turn to attack."

As soon as he spoke, the first Soul Ring on his body lit up.

First soul skill, Immovable Wisdom King Body!

A visible ring of energy shot outward at high speed. Just as it was about to reach them, Tang Liu's pitch-black third Soul Ring quietly lit up.

Host: Tang Liu (Male)

Age: 12

Soul Power: 43

Martial Soul One: Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor

...

Third Soul Ring: Soul Skill, Ethereal Protection [Designate up to 10 (upgradeable) targets and apply Ethereal Protection to them. For the next 5 (upgradeable) seconds, all attacks directed at targets under Ethereal Protection (including special effects) will have 95% of their maximum damage negated (or 90% of the theoretically optimal effect of special effects negated). At the same time, targets under Ethereal Protection will gain an additional 60% damage reduction for 5 (upgradeable) seconds. Ethereal Protection cannot be applied again while it remains active.]