Matricide!

"Teacher, you've misunderstood. I haven't had any miraculous encounters; I've simply worked harder at my cultivation than others."

Li Han retreated while feigning terror, speaking as he moved.

"Hmph, you won't talk? No matter. I have ways to make you spill everything soon enough! First Soul Skill! Ghost Hand Bind!"

Mo Hen let out a loud shout, controlling the ink-colored ghost hand as it lunged directly toward Li Han.

Li Han had just witnessed this move.

The eight-hundred-year-old Lone Bamboo had been seized by it and left completely unable to resist, let alone himself.

Therefore, he had to dodge!

Smoke-Drifting Steps!

Li Han's gaze sharpened. With a tap of his foot, he retreated violently just before the ghost hand could seize him, narrowly avoiding the strike.

"Hm?"

Seeing that Li Han had actually evaded a strike he deemed certain to land, Mo Hen's face filled with shock.

Such incredible speed!

This was not the speed a Soul Master who had just obtained their first soul ring should possess.

"Fine footwork! You truly do have secrets!"

After his surprise, Mo Hen was overcome with wild joy.

He knew he had guessed correctly.

Furthermore, the treasures Li Han possessed were likely far greater than he had imagined.

"Teacher Mo Hen, it seems you have no intention of letting me, your student, go today. I had truly thought you were a good man."

Li Han landed to the side and spoke softly, his eyes filled with gravity.

"Hahaha! A good man? What use is being a good man? For commoner Soul Masters like us, without talent or background, if we don't seize the few opportunities that come our way, we will never have a chance. Li Han, you are a person of fortune, but now, I am more qualified than you to possess this fortune! Everything you have will be mine!"

Mo Hen's face twisted into a look of madness as he roared.

"Second Soul Skill! Ghost Shadow Demon Hand!"

The ink-colored ghost hand vanished instantly, and Mo Hen's hands transformed into pitch-black, razor-sharp claws, while blood-red light erupted from his eyes.

Stomping the ground, Mo Hen charged in front of Li Han, swiping a claw toward his throat.

Li Han immediately raised the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo staff in his hand to block.

Thud!

Under the heavy impact of the pitch-black claws, Li Han was sent flying several meters away, only regaining his footing after performing a somersault.

"Such immense strength. Is this the full-force strike of a level twenty-five Soul Grand Master?"

Li Han opened and closed his hands around the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo staff, easing the shock from the blow.

Had he not been cultivating the Elephant Armor Skill, granting him thick skin and great strength, he feared he wouldn't have even been able to hold onto the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo staff after that strike.

"This broken bamboo is quite sturdy; it didn't even crack after taking a hit from my claw. As expected of a nearly thousand-year soul ring, your Lone Bamboo has provided quite a boost to your defense."

Mo Hen assumed it was the enhancement from the soul ring, unaware that the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo was inherently indestructible, far beyond what a mere Soul Grand Master could shake.

Li Han naturally wouldn't explain; he was currently calculating how to deal with Mo Hen.

The enemy was level twenty-five, while he was level sixteen. The gap in strength was vast, but it was not an unwinnable fight.

Because he had his trump cards.

The Elephant Armor Skill for strength and defense, the Azure Essence Sword Art for endurance, Smoke-Drifting Steps for evasion and surprise attacks, and the Blinking Sword Technique to kill invisibly.

With all these combined, even with a nine-level gap, he had the power to fight.

Most importantly, Li Han knew Mo Hen's soul skills, while Mo Hen knew nothing of Li Han's hidden cards.

Mo Hen had ultimately underestimated him, and as such, had made no effort to hide his strength along the way.

After all, in his eyes, Li Han was far too weak.

Mo Hen attacked continuously, his pair of ghost claws far more terrifying than Wang Sheng's tiger claws.

Claw shadows rained down upon Li Han, forcing him to push his Smoke-Drifting Steps to their absolute limit just to barely evade the onslaught.

As time dragged on, a sense of irritation began to grow in Mo Hen.

"How is this brat so slippery?"

This won't do. After all, this is the Soul Hunting Forest, surrounded by soul beasts. If I exhaust too much of my energy, I'll be in danger.

Mo Hen thought to himself, then unleashed his full level twenty-five soul power, his speed soaring!

In the blink of an eye, Mo Hen had closed the distance between himself and Li Han.

"First Soul Skill, Ghost Hand Bind!"

Mo Hen used his first soul skill again, and pitch-black ink-colored ghost hands emerged, lunging fiercely toward Li Han.

"First Soul Skill, As-You-Will!"

This time, Li Han did not dodge, but instead activated his first soul skill.

He drove the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo staff in his hand into the ground, and it suddenly elongated by five meters. Li Han grabbed the bamboo, his body vaulting upward along with the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo.

This sudden change caused the ghost hands to miss Li Han, grabbing onto the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo instead.

The next moment, white lightning flickered across the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo.

Evil-Warding White Lightning!

The ghost hands were struck by the white lightning and instantly began to emit black smoke.

"Ah!"

Mo Hen let out a miserable shriek, feeling a numbness in his chest that nearly made him vomit blood.

Martial Soul backlash!

"How does this Lone Bamboo martial soul have lightning?"

Mo Hen was shocked.

At this moment, Li Han stepped onto the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo and pushed off with all his might!

The Heavenly Thunder Bamboo bent under the force of the kick, then instantly snapped straight!

Utilizing the resilience of the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo, Li Han's speed during this assault was incredibly fast, bringing him before Mo Hen in almost the blink of an eye.

The next moment, a dagger appeared in Li Han's hand.

It was the very dagger Mo Hen had given him to hunt soul beasts!

Blinking Sword Technique!

Use every available advantage to slaughter the enemy!

A cold glint flashed in Li Han's eyes. Seizing the moment of Mo Hen's stiffness from the backlash, he plunged the dagger straight into Mo Hen's chest!

Seeing Li Han attack, Mo Hen's expression changed drastically.

By the time he reacted, the dagger was already embedded in his chest.

"Ah!"

Mo Hen screamed again, then flew into a rage.

"Bastard!"

With a surge of soul power, Mo Hen slammed his right hand into Li Han, sending him flying!

At the last moment, Li Han extended his right arm to block, but under the immense force, he was sent flying several meters away, landing in a daze.

Yet, he endured the pain, rolled over, and looked at Mo Hen.

The dagger was buried three centimeters into his chest; though injured, it was not fatal.

"Still not enough."

Li Han forced his soul power up, and the Heavenly Thunder staff in the distance vanished, replaced by the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo appearing in his right hand.

Whoosh!

Li Han leaped up, hurling the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo in his hand toward Mo Hen.

"Brat! I'll kill you!"

Sustaining injury after injury, Mo Hen's composure shattered. He no longer cared about any opportunities; he only wanted to slaughter Li Han to vent the hatred in his heart.

Facing the incoming Heavenly Thunder Bamboo, he channeled his soul power, and the ghost hands condensed once more.

"First Soul Skill, As-You-Will!"

Li Han let out a low shout, his soul power pouring out as the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo instantly grew larger, longer, thicker, and heavier!

The Heavenly Thunder Bamboo, originally twenty centimeters long and two fingers wide, transformed in an instant into a ten-meter-long, bowl-thick giant bamboo, crashing down with immense weight.

The ghost hands that had just condensed tried to resist, but under the Evil-Warding White Lightning coating the bamboo, they instantly dissipated.

"What!"

Mo Hen was terrified.

The next moment, the giant Heavenly Thunder Bamboo crashed down!

Mo Hen hurriedly raised his hands to block, but a massive force slammed into his arms, causing them to instantly hang limp.

The giant Heavenly Thunder Bamboo vanished. Looking up, Li Han, having activated his Smoke-Drifting Steps, was already before him, thrusting the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo staff forward!

The staff struck true, landing squarely on the hilt of the dagger already embedded in Mo Hen's chest.

The blade was driven entirely into his chest in an instant!

A fatal wound!

"You..."

Mo Hen stared at Li Han, who had landed before him, in utter disbelief. He could never have imagined that a seven-year-old child would possess such combat technique.

"It's over, Teacher Mo Hen."