Battle Skill, External Soul Bone Acquired

"Battle Skill! Wrath of Asura!"

Just as the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear raised its right arm, Jiang Xiu's Dark Straight Blade pressed close against the beast's left arm, extending inward. The blood-red flames on the blade incinerated patches of dark gold fur instantly.

The blade plunged deep into the joint of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's left arm and slashed fiercely. The beast's formidable defense was shattered in an instant, and the blood was scorched dry before it could even flow out.

Furthermore, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear felt two diametrically opposed sensations of searing heat and biting cold erupting in its left arm, as if it were caught in an Ice and Fire Dual Heaven.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Jiang Xiu said nothing, merely exerting force. Under the pressure of his battle skill, spiderweb-like cracks rapidly spread across the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's sturdy bones.

"Snap!"

A crisp sound rang out the next moment. A thick arm flew into the air, blood dripping from it and soaking into the black soil, blooming like blood-red plum blossoms.

But it was not over yet. Just as the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear retreated in pain, the Shadow Monarch behind Jiang Xiu also brought its blade down. A series of blood-red flames surged, their power even greater than Jiang Xiu's strike.

A flicker of fear finally crossed the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's eyes. As it retreated, it instinctively raised its right arm to block.

"Rumble!"

A continuous series of explosions erupted, and plumes of smoke billowed upward. The surrounding soul masters stared intently into the haze.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

As the smoke gradually dissipated, two figures slowly emerged.

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear no longer possessed its former majesty. Its left arm was gone, blood gushing from the stump, and its right arm hung limply at its side. Residual blood-red flames continued to burn on its chest, and a wound deep enough to reveal bone spanned its body.

Yet, relying on its immense vitality, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was not dead. It stumbled as it turned to flee into the forest behind it.

"I didn't say you could leave."

A faint voice sounded. Jiang Xiu's figure appeared behind the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear like a ghost. His left hand, covered in dark soul power, curled slightly and thrust forward, piercing ruthlessly into the beast's back. With a sudden grip, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's massive body went rigid.

Immediately after, the beast's giant frame shuddered one last time. Its once fierce and bloodthirsty eyes slowly lost their luster, and it finally collapsed to the ground.

"He's practically a superman."

Xie Xie swallowed hard and muttered to himself.

To go head-to-head with a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, kill it, and emerge without a single injury—it was simply outrageously strong.

Perhaps he was even stronger than those monsters at Shrek Academy...

"Boss, that only took two and a half minutes. Your battle skill has grown stronger again; you're almost touching the threshold of Blade Intent."

Great King Na'er leaped over to Jiang Xiu's side and said with pleasant surprise.

"It's alright, I suppose I'm gradually finding my own path."

Jiang Xiu's lips curled slightly as he sheathed his straight blade and chuckled.

The battle skill he had just unleashed was something he had gradually explored based on the Body Sect's techniques. With the help of his master's medicinal baths, he had managed to intertwine his blood energy and soul power to unleash a strike at one hundred and fifty percent of his own strength.

It required consuming both blood energy and soul power simultaneously, making it a decent trump card for catching opponents off guard, and he was still in the process of refining it.

As for the Blade Intent Great King Na'er mentioned, it was both a form of one's own will and an understanding of one's weapon. For example, Yun Ming's Spear Intent allowed him to reach the realm of unity between man and spear once attained, which not only doubled his combat power but also allowed him to remain undisturbed by external factors and hold fast to his original intent.

However, Jiang Xiu was still a hair's breadth away from that breakthrough.

"Hey! What is that?"

At this moment, Tang Wulin suddenly noticed that this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was extremely strange. After it died, its body did not dissipate into energy like other soul beasts; instead, it began to flicker with dark golden light and showed signs of disintegration.

In the span of a single breath, the entire body of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear turned ethereal and vanished into thin air. However, on the ground where it had disappeared, a piece of bone remained.

This bone looked like a miniature version of a dark gold terrorclaw, covered in dark golden cloud patterns. The entire bone was as clear and translucent as crystal, faintly emitting a dark golden halo.

"This... this looks like a soul bone, and one of the rarest External Soul Bones at that."

Xie Xie said in shock.

In this era where soul beasts were on the verge of extinction, soul bones were the equivalent of heirloom treasures for major families—things that were impossible to find even if one sought them out. And yet, one had appeared right before their eyes.

Furthermore, External Soul Bones could increase in age as the soul master grew stronger. There was once a soul master who, after obtaining a Dark Gold Terrorclaw soul bone and cultivating to the rank of Title Douluo, could truly manifest a claw a thousand meters long that could rend space itself.

With information so readily available now, there were those among the surrounding soul masters who knew their stuff, and greed instantly surfaced in their eyes.

"How about you let me have this soul bone? I'm willing to pay for it. My father is Zhang of the East Sea..."

"Buy it? Why buy it when you can just take it for free?"

"You want the soul bone after we killed the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear? You can't have all the good things for yourself."

The surrounding soul masters gradually closed in, whispering among themselves. Most of those who could enter the Spirit Ascension Platform during a riot period came from extraordinary backgrounds. Seeing the soul bone right there, their minds were completely captivated.

"It seems you've run into some trouble."

Gu Yue landed beside Jiang Xiu, her red lips curling slightly. She looked at the surrounding soul masters, but there was not a hint of fear in her eyes.

"A bunch of clowns looking for a death sentence. What is there to fear? Watch me break them in one strike."

Great King Na'er held her Silver Dragon Spear horizontally, puffed out her chest, and raised her head proudly. Great King Na'er declared that she could take on ten of them!

"If they want it, they should first see what kind of strength they actually possess."

Jiang Xiu raised his hand, and the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's right bone claw fell into his palm as he said calmly.

"What a bunch of idiots. Do they have no idea what their own strength is? If they could actually snatch it, I'd eat it right here. Let's go, little sister."

Xu Xiaoyu looked at the crowd surging forward and let out a disdainful snort, then turned to lead Xu Xiaoyan away.

"Brother, why don't we help them? It could be considered a good deed."

Xu Xiaoyan didn't take a step, but spoke in a soft voice instead.

"Hmm... that works too. These two certainly have extraordinary skills, though I have no idea which great family they hail from. I don't recall anyone like them in the East Sea."

Xu Xiaoyu pondered for a moment and gave a slight nod, though he remained somewhat puzzled.

But just as the tension reached its breaking point, a booming voice rang out.

"The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear is the guardian of the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, and the spirit bone it left behind belongs to the Spirit Pagoda. All of you, disperse at once, or your participation in this Spirit Ascension will be terminated immediately."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of those around them shifted. After hesitating for a moment, they finally let out sighs, cast one last unwilling glance at the spirit bone in Jiang Xiu's hand, and began to disperse.

Although they were green with envy over the spirit bone, they weren't foolish enough to go against the Spirit Pagoda. Otherwise, they wouldn't even need the Spirit Pagoda to act; the factions behind them would expel them immediately.

The prestige of the Spirit Pagoda was beyond question.

"Young friend Jiang Xiu, you may keep that spirit bone. Consider it a reward for slaying the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear."

At that moment, a voice echoed in Jiang Xiu's ear; it was none other than Vice Pagoda Master Liu from before.

"Then I thank you, Vice Pagoda Master Liu."

Jiang Xiu's eyes flashed, and he gave a slight nod.

Meanwhile, in the monitoring room outside.

Leng Yaozhu, dressed in red, sat opposite Vice Pagoda Master Liu.

After finishing his task, Vice Pagoda Master Liu looked at Leng Yaozhu with a kindly expression and asked cautiously.

"Is Pagoda Master Leng satisfied?"

"Mm, you did well."

Leng Yaozhu nodded slightly, her gaze seemingly piercing through the Vice Pagoda Master before her, waiting for him to speak.

"About that... Pagoda Master Leng, regarding the matter of my grandson's promotion to an official at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters..."

Vice Pagoda Master Liu asked tentatively.

"Hmm? What official? You mean a deacon."