Your So-Called Pride Means Nothing to Me

Gu Rong felt the golden halo spread beneath his feet, and his body stiffened slightly.

He lowered his head to look, then raised it again, his brow furrowing.

"What is this?! And how does he have a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?!"

His voice held a trace of shock, but he showed no fear.

No matter what, he was a Titled Douluo, a peak powerhouse standing at the very pinnacle of the continent. If he let himself be frightened by a Soul Saint, how could he ever improve?

"Wait!"

Gu Rong's expression changed abruptly. Once the golden domain enveloped him, he was astonished to discover that his strength had been forcibly suppressed by a full two-tenths!

His speed, strength, reflexes, perception... every aspect of him was being suppressed!

His brow knotted into a tight frown. Just as he was about to sense out what was strange about the domain, Yan Lingji moved.

She spread her arms wide, like a phoenix unfurling its wings, and her entire body was wrapped in a layer of pearly-white flames.

"Mystic Bird Vermilion Bird—Descend!"

Her voice was cool and distant, as if it came from beyond the heavens.

A phantom of the Mystic Bird Vermilion Bird, with a wingspan of over a hundred meters, appeared behind Yan Lingji in an instant.

The giant bird was crimson from head to tail, every feather distinct down to the finest detail. Its eyes were like two burning white flames, deep and imposing. It gazed down upon the world below, as if scrutinizing every unclean thing.

Two points of pearly-white flame lit in Yan Lingji's eyes, shining in concert with the eyes of the Vermilion Bird behind her.

Her voice rang out, dignified and cool:

"Vermilion Bird Burning Heaven Domain!"

"Screee!"

The Mystic Bird Vermilion Bird threw back its head and cried out. Its clear, far-reaching call shot straight into the clouds, splitting the layers of sky above with a rift.

It gently beat its wings, and countless flecks of pearly-white fire drifted down like snowflakes, enveloping all three people present.

A domain of flame formed in an instant!

Within the domain, Gu Rong's body stiffened. His Soul Power was suppressed once more.

This time the suppression was stronger and more complete.

With the two domains stacked together, he could only wield half of his peak strength.

"Why is this happening?!"

At last, a trace of panic crept into Gu Rong's voice.

He couldn't understand how two people standing before him, both no more than Soul Saints, could suppress the power of a Titled Douluo.

Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but none could explain what was happening before his eyes.

"Something's not right."

He murmured under his breath, already beginning to consider retreat.

He had lived long enough to see too many gifted young talents fall by the wayside. Those prodigies often died because they didn't know when to advance and when to retreat. He wasn't one of them.

"Sixth Soul Skill—Bone Needle Array!"

Gu Rong barked the command, and his Sixth Soul Ring flashed at once.

He slammed both hands against the ground, pouring a chill Soul Power from his palms into the earth.

The ground beneath Zhao Linchuan and Yan Lingji suddenly shuddered. Countless fine bone spikes burst from the soil like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, packed together and sharp as needles, their surfaces glinting with a cold sheen.

The spikes stabbed toward them from all directions, sealing off every route of escape.

Zhao Linchuan reacted at once. He dropped to one knee, raised his right hand, gripped the hilt of the Supreme Ease Golden Edge in reverse, then drove the long sword into the earth!

"Boom!"

Golden Soul Power poured from the tip of the sword into the ground, like a golden dragon burrowing beneath the earth.

The ground began to split in an erratic web. The crack of breaking bone mingled with the clang of metal, ringing without end.

A vast glow of golden light rose from the cracks, illuminating the ground for hundreds of meters around them as brightly as day.

Suddenly, the rising light seemed to be guided by some invisible force. It began to surge toward a single point.

More and more golden flecks gathered, shining brighter and brighter, until a miniature sun took shape on the ground.

The light was blinding, making Gu Rong narrow his eyes.

Then, in the next instant, a golden phoenix with a wingspan of ten meters took shape.

The Golden Phoenix was made entirely of pure golden Soul Power. Its eyes were like two golden gems, sharp and cold, fixed upon Gu Rong in the distance.

Still half-kneeling, Zhao Linchuan gripped the sword hilt with both hands, pouring golden Soul Power into the earth as if it cost him nothing. His robes snapped in the blast of air, and the hair at his brow whipped in the wind.

In the blink of an eye, a golden path ten zhang wide rose from the ground, stretching straight into the distance.

The path blazed with scorching light, gilding everything along the way.

And at its end stood none other than Bone Douluo—Gu Rong!

"Phoenix Cry—Heavenlight Guide!"

"Screee!"

At Zhao Linchuan's words, the Golden Phoenix instantly threw back its head and cried out. Its entire body became a streak of golden sword energy, racing along the golden path to strike at Gu Rong!

It moved so fast that even light seemed unable to catch its trail.

The air split wherever it passed, and the ground was plowed into a deep trench. Gravel and dust spiraled into the air, forming a golden whirlwind.

Seeing this, Gu Rong didn't dare be careless. He barked a command, and his Seventh Soul Ring flashed—

"Seventh Soul Skill—Bone Dragon True Body!"

"Roar!"

A low dragon's roar rang out above Gu Rong's head. A massive phantom of a Bone Dragon descended in an instant, completely enveloping him.

The Bone Dragon was made entirely of ghastly white bones. Its head was held high, and two ghostly green flames burned in its eye sockets as it stared at the oncoming Golden Phoenix.

"Clang!"

The Golden Phoenix and the Bone Dragon collided head-on, and a deafening clash of metal rang across heaven and earth.

Wave after wave of Soul Power ripples spread from the point of impact, like rings on a lake, sweeping in every direction.

Trees snapped at the roots wherever the ripples passed, rocks crumbled to dust, and layer after layer was shaved from the ground.

The Golden Phoenix pressed forward inch by inch, its beak like a peerlessly sharp blade, steadily grinding away at the Bone Dragon's defenses.

With every inch it advanced, countless golden flecks peeled from its body and vanished into the air.

And another fine crack appeared across the Bone Dragon's body, with ghostly green light leaking from the fissure like blood.

Gu Rong thrust both hands forward, propping up his Martial Soul Avatar. The veins at his temples bulged, and his face was filled with disbelief.

His Bone Dragon was said to be the best defensive Martial Soul under heaven, hailed as "the world's greatest defense."

Yet this Soul Saint's attack was tearing through his defenses and grinding away at his Martial Soul Avatar, bit by bit!

It made no sense. None at all!

While he was still reeling from the thought, Zhao Linchuan had already risen to his feet.

He held his sword across his chest and lightly traced the blade of the Supreme Ease Golden Edge with the fingers of his left hand. His voice low, he said, "Your so-called pride means nothing to me."

"Fifth Soul Skill—Sharp Arrow!"

(The Martial Soul of Yan Lingji is the "Mystic Bird • Vermilion Bird," not that red sparrow. From now on, it will be called "Mystic Bird" or "Vermilion Bird" for short.)