Speechless Xuan Qing

Seeing that his prolonged assault failed to break through, Feng Xiaotian felt his stamina bottoming out. Gritting his teeth, he ignited his third soul ring.

"Third Soul Skill: Gale Wings."

A pair of cyan wings unfurled from his back, his aura turning volatile. This soul skill not only granted him flight but also restored his body to its peak state.

"Watch out. What comes next is my Self-Created Soul Skill: Gale Demon Wolf, Twenty-Eight Consecutive Slashes!"

On the first slash, Xuan Qing used his dragon claw to parry, though he was forced back a step.

On the second slash, the force was greater, and Xuan Qing retreated again.

With every subsequent slash—the third, the fourth—the power and speed only grew.

The bloody gashes on Xuan Qing's body multiplied and deepened.

Feng Xiaotian was like a tireless machine, slashing frantically.

Twenty-eight strikes, one after another, continuous and relentless. The arena was filled with the glint of blades and a chilling murderous intent.

"That's the twenty-eighth slash! Friend, can you still hold on?"

Feng Xiaotian roared as his wings transformed into a massive guillotine, hacking down viciously.

This strike gathered the power of the previous twenty-seven, reaching a terrifying peak. The air itself was torn apart, emitting a shrill whistle.

Watching the descending guillotine, a smile bloomed on Xuan Qing's face.

"I have seen your Self-Created Soul Skill. Now, it is time to let you see mine."

Cyan-green energy emerged around him, flowing like water.

The flow grew denser and more solid, finally roaring toward the heavens as it transformed into a massive water dragon.

The water dragon coiled, its draconic might overwhelming.

Ning Rongrong and Zhuqing, who had experienced it firsthand, recognized it immediately.

So did Ning Fengzhi and Dugu Bo; all four knew this was the very move that had defeated the Shrek Seven Devils.

"This is my Self-Created Soul Skill. I have named it—"

"Panna Yao Yue!"

Watching the massive guillotine, Xuan Qing rotated his right hand and let out a low shout.

"Cloud Dragon Manifestation, break!"

The massive water dragon roared at the sky, charging toward Feng Xiaotian with terrifying momentum.

A look of resolve flashed in Feng Xiaotian's eyes as he roared.

"Come on! Let's see who is stronger!"

The massive cyan guillotine and the roaring water dragon collided with a boom.

"BOOM—!"

A deafening explosion rang out. The collision of their soul power generated a violent shockwave that swept across the entire arena.

The audience held their breath, staring fixedly at the stage. The power of this strike was something many a Soul Ancestor could not achieve; they were desperate to know who had won.

As the dust settled, the scene on the arena was revealed.

Feng Xiaotian lay on the ground, his face pale and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His wings had dissipated, and his clothes were tattered, leaving him in a sorry state.

Xuan Qing stood where he was; despite his injuries, his aura remained steady. He had won, and the victory was beyond doubt.

Feng Xiaotian struggled to sit up and gave Xuan Qing a thumbs-up. He smiled—a carefree and sincere smile.

"Impressive! I, Feng Xiaotian, have never submitted to anyone in my life, but you are one of them. Losing to you is no injustice."

Xuan Qing walked over and reached out to pull him up, his movements natural.

"You are too kind. Your soul skill is not bad either. If the carrier were a ten-thousand-year soul skill, the power could double, but as a thousand-year soul skill, it hits its limit at the seventh slash."

Feng Xiaotian froze. He had never considered this issue before, always believing that a Self-Created Soul Skill would grow stronger with practice. Now, awakened by Xuan Qing's words, he realized the gravity of the problem.

"Thank you for the guidance. I truly never considered that. The carrier has its limits; if I persist blindly, I fear I might truly walk down a wrong path and ruin my future."

"No need to thank me. You are an excellent opponent, easily in the top three of the younger generation on the entire continent."

"The hands of a clock always point forward; we cannot afford to stand still."

"I hope someone can keep up with my pace. I do not wish to look back and find no one behind me; that would be far too lonely."

Feng Xiaotian nodded heavily.

"I understand. I will continue to work hard, striving for the day I can stand shoulder to shoulder with you."

"I shall wait."

On the stage, the referee announced.

"Xuan Qing wins this match. Who will challenge next?"

The audience fell into a deathly silence.

Huo Wu's expression shifted constantly. She wanted to go up, but she dared not. She was combative, but not stupid; if Feng Xiaotian had lost, she would only be throwing her life away.

Shui Bing'er's expression was grave; she knew she was no match for him, as Xuan Qing's strength had already surpassed the scope of a Soul Elder.

Just as the crowd hesitated, a crisp voice rang out.

"I'll do it!"

Everyone looked over to see Shui Yue'er. She hopped onto the arena stage, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Xuan Qing with a lovestruck expression.

She didn't look like she was there to fight; she looked more like she was there to gawk at a handsome man.

"Little brother, you're so amazing! Big sister here is named Shui Yue'er, a level 32 Soul Elder."

"How about we have a match? If you lose, you treat me to a meal, and if you win... how about you become my boyfriend?"

The entire arena erupted in an uproar.

This girl was a bit too bold, wasn't she? Confessing in front of such a large crowd?

Shui Bing'er covered her face with her hand, feeling like she wanted to die. This younger sister of hers was truly embarrassing her to the ends of the earth.

"Yue'er! Get down! Stop messing around!"

Shui Yue'er chuckled.

"Sis, I'm not messing around. It would be a shame to miss out on such a handsome little brother. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

The corner of Xuan Qing's mouth twitched, and he spoke, somewhat speechless.

"Big sister, I'm only ten years old. This counts as an old cow eating tender grass; isn't that inappropriate?"

Shui Yue'er refused to accept that.

"So what if you're ten? A woman three years older is like holding a Gold Brick. I'm not even fourteen yet, so you could hold more than one. Besides, I'm not bad-looking, and my figure is great too. You wouldn't be losing out, and as for height, I'm still growing."

Xuan Qing helplessly covered his face; this girl was beyond saving.

"Can we start yet?"

The referee, also holding back laughter, nodded quickly.

"You may. The match begins."

For the first time, Xuan Qing officially released his soul rings. Another wave of gasps erupted from below the stage; although they had heard rumors of a ten-thousand-year third ring, seeing it with their own eyes was still too much of a shock.

"First Soul Skill: Azure Scale Rain and Marsh."

Cyan raindrops descended from the sky, shrouding the entire arena. As the rain touched Xuan Qing, his injuries began to recover at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Meanwhile, as it fell upon Shui Yue'er, her soul power began to vanish rapidly.

Shui Yue'er's expression changed, and she hurriedly summoned her martial soul.

"You only have one hundred seconds. If you can't defeat me within one hundred seconds, you lose."

Shui Yue'er gritted her teeth and activated her third soul skill. The phantom of the Lustrous Jade Dolphin lunged at Xuan Qing, but it didn't even leave a mark when it struck his Dragon Scales.

Shui Yue'er stomped her feet in anger.

"You're cheating! How is anyone supposed to fight this soul skill? You're such a dense blockhead, refusing a soft, fragrant girlfriend! So many people want to pursue me, and I haven't even said yes to them."

Xuan Qing truly couldn't handle this type of girl, so he simply looked toward the referee.

"Can I forfeit? Let her win; I don't want to fight anymore."

The referee was struggling to hold back his laughter, but he nodded nonetheless.

"You may. In this match, Shui Yue'er is the victor. Xuan Qing has voluntarily forfeited, and the defense of the arena has failed."

As if granted a reprieve, Xuan Qing jumped off the stage and returned to the VIP seats. He collapsed into his chair and let out a long sigh of relief.