Qian Renxue Ran Out of Power? Cough-Sorry, I Was Distracted Just Now! Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger!

Tang San, who was hiding behind a rock and watching the battle, looked at Ling Xiao suspiciously too.

He couldn't tell what method the other man had used to break Old Poison Freak's move.

Who exactly was this man?

There was no doubt, though: he wanted the Immortal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, just like Tang San did.

Anyone who dared to steal this crucial opportunity from him—

Whoever they were—

Had chosen their own path to destruction!

No matter where the man fled, Tang San would make sure his soul was annihilated.

But he had no chance to intervene now. All he could do was pin his hopes on Dugu Bo.

"Old Poison Freak, you have to hold on!"

Inside the sea of consciousness,

Qian Renxue was stunned by what she had just witnessed.

Only now did she realize—

Her teacher wasn't being foolish. He had been teaching by example, imparting knowledge and guiding her.

Her face burned.

She had misunderstood her teacher again!

But then,

Her attention was drawn firmly to what Ling Xiao had just said.

"Water can turn into ice, and ice can turn into water."

"Does that mean—"

"Soul Rings and Soul Skills aren't fixed?"

"As long as you know how, you can turn an offensive Soul Skill into a defensive one,"

"and even..."

"The limit of nine Soul Skills might no longer exist?"

"This could overturn the entire cultivation system of the Douluo Continent!"

She wasn't sure whether she'd understood correctly, but she had already made up her mind.

As soon as Ling Xiao had some free time, she would ask him about it!

Having made his grand display,

He had broken Dugu Bo's Soul Skill with a single strike and achieved his goal of teaching.

Ling Xiao had no intention of wasting any more words on him.

"I've played with you long enough. It's time to end this."

"Now, it's my turn to strike!"

His expression turned solemn as the aura around him surged. He prepared to finish things with one blow.

Dugu Bo snapped out of his shock. For the first time, a grave look like that of a man facing a formidable enemy appeared on his shadowed face.

He could tell the other man wasn't ordinary. In fact, he surpassed every powerhouse Dugu Bo had ever encountered.

The only person who might compare—

Was probably the mysterious pope of Spirit Hall.

Dugu Bo's nerves were taut. He didn't know whether he could withstand the other man's strike.

But he had no regrets!

At worst, they would die together!

He had already prepared himself to face death. Yet after the other man made his declaration—

He just stood there without moving!?

Wind howled through the valley, churning the poisonous mist.

Dugu Bo stood ready for battle, while Ling Xiao remained utterly still...

The atmosphere grew especially strange...

"Teacher? Teacher! What's wrong now?"

Qian Renxue was baffled.

"Why do you keep asking? You've got some nerve!"

Ling Xiao's frustrated voice rang out in her sea of consciousness.

"This is so damn embarrassing!"

"Why are you so weak?"

"I haven't even done anything. How am I out of power already? No, wait... how am I out of Soul Power?!"

He'd been too busy playing around just now, putting on one grand show after another and building up the suspense.

Now that he was ready to strike the finishing blow,

He'd realized that all the Soul Power Snake Lance Douluo and the others had previously transferred to Qian Renxue had been used up by his antics!

"Huh? Then... what do we do now?"

Qian Renxue sounded a little aggrieved. This wasn't her fault! He was the one who'd insisted on showing off!

"Maybe... we should retreat for now?"

"While the other man's still scared of you..."

That was what Ling Xiao had planned to do in the first place.

Without Soul Power, he couldn't fight...

He couldn't exactly burn through his own soul power again, could he?

In his current half-dead state, just a little more drain would leave him a pile of scraps. It wasn't worth it.

Dugu Bo was just one man. Once they got back and recharged, Ling Xiao could return to seize the Immortal Herbs and settle the score in no time.

But when Qian Renxue put it that way, he couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.

He'd worked so hard to build up his image as a noble and righteous teacher in front of his disciple.

Was he really going to be driven off in disgrace by a mere Titled Douluo?

Didn't he have any pride?

"Relax. Leave it to your teacher! So what if I don't have Soul Power?"

"I can still beat him until he's crawling on the ground!"

Ling Xiao bluffed, even as his mind raced.

"There are so many Immortal Herbs here. Maybe... I could grab a few and replenish my Soul Power on the spot?"

"No, no."

"With Qian Renxue's body in its current state, she'd have to work hard to suppress the immense medicinal power,"

"let alone while we're in the middle of a fight. Suddenly dropping to the ground to munch on an Immortal Herb—"

"That'd ruin my whole image!"

"Better to just run away!"

"Or... should I spend a little of my soul power and kill the bastard?"

As he hesitated,

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Ling Xiao.

He abruptly remembered—didn't he still have six "backup batteries"?

Those six Soul Bones, each ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine years old,

Contained the purest Soul Power.

Ordinary Soul Masters could only use the Soul Skills attached to a Soul Bone,

But he could draw the Soul Power at its source straight out of the bones.

As for whether their quality would drop—

He could replenish them later. There were so many Immortal Herbs right here!

No sooner had the thought occurred than he acted.

His spiritual power was scant, but in terms of its level,

Not to mention a Limit Douluo,

Even a First-Level God—or certain God Kings—might not measure up to him.

After those six Soul Bones had fused into Qian Renxue's body,

A strange force of rules had left them suspended between reality and illusion,

But it couldn't stop his spiritual power from breaking in by force.

Several streams of the purest Soul Power were drawn out,

Turning into a warm current that surged through his body.

In an instant—

Ling Xiao felt like himself again!

"Cough—sorry, I was distracted just now!"

He looked back at Dugu Bo, his tone once more calm and unconcerned.

"It's not too late to kneel and beg for mercy!"

Dugu Bo had been wondering whether the other man was preparing some ultimate move.

After waiting for ages, all he got was that one line—

And his confusion and unease instantly turned to fury.

"Don't be so arrogant!"

"Seventh Soul Skill—Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Avatar!"

Dugu Bo threw caution to the wind, instantly concentrating all his Soul Power into his Seventh Soul Ring.

His body vanished.

Behind him, the several-zhang-tall phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor solidified, giving off a rank stench and a chilling aura.

Without the slightest hesitation, its tail swept toward Ling Xiao with a sharp whistle.

Ling Xiao dodged with ease...

Then the giant serpent's gaping jaws came snapping down over his head!

"I told you. The game ends here!"

Ling Xiao's voice turned cold.

"Looks like you have no intention of turning back!"

Ling Xiao didn't dodge. He focused his Soul Power into his fist,

And the instant the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's jaws came down—

He threw a punch!

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's head was pierced clean through by his fist, and dark green venom rained down!

Riding the force of his punch, Ling Xiao soared into the air and hovered overhead, his robes snapping in the wind.

Looking down at the giant green serpent on the ground, half its head smashed to pieces yet still roaring and thrashing,

He raised a finger.

"Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger!"

In the empty sky, a gigantic finger formed from Soul Power appeared.

It came down with overwhelming force—

Boom!

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor was driven straight into the earth.

Dugu Bo's dilapidated little courtyard crumbled into dust, leaving a massive crater in the ground.

Dugu Bo's Martial Soul Avatar was shattered. Blood ran from his seven orifices as he lay at the bottom of the ruins.

"The victor rules... Kill me or dismember me, do as you please!"

"But my granddaughter knew nothing of this, and she never offended you, Your Excellency... Please spare her life!"

Dugu Bo struggled up from the ruins, then bent his knees and dropped heavily to the ground.

The proud Old Poison Freak, who had never once bowed his head to anyone in his life,

Now lowered his usually arrogant head.