Ma Xiaotao's right fist, wrapped in the blazing flames of the Evil Fire Phoenix, collided head-on with Lin Shuo's fist, covered in seven-colored dragon scales.
Boom—!!!
A visible shock wave burst from the point where their fists met and swept violently in every direction. The Soul Fighting Platform's floor cracked inch by inch, fissures spreading across the entire arena like a spiderweb. Xi Xi, closest to the pair, was driven back by the blast, her feet carving two deep furrows in the ground. The ice wall Ling Luochеn had just formed was torn into a shower of ice shards before it could take shape.
Ma Xiaotao's expression changed drastically in that instant.
It felt like she hadn't punched someone's fist, but a mountain. No, something even more terrifying—a primordial Ferocious Beast awakening. The moment her Evil Fire Phoenix Soul Power touched Lin Shuo's fist, it was as if it had struck an insurmountable wall. The raging flames were silently swallowed, broken down, and annihilated by that layer of seven-colored light.
How could this be?! He's only a level-forty-four Soul Ancestor, while I'm a level-sixty-seven Soul Emperor! Doesn't he mainly manipulate the elements, just like me? How can he be so much stronger than I am?
The thought had barely flashed through Ma Xiaotao's mind when a terrifying force exploded from their fists. Her body flew like a stone hurled through the air, tracing a straight path before slamming into the protective barrier at the edge of the Soul Fighting Platform. The barrier shuddered violently, ripples spreading across it in circles like waves on a lake struck by a boulder.
The entire arena fell silent. Xuan Zi nearly dropped the wine gourd in his hand; liquor splashed out and soaked his beard. He had paired Lin Shuo with Dai Yueheng and told them to choose only one regular team member because he believed Lin Shuo's actual combat strength was no worse than a Soul Emperor's. Even so, he hadn't expected it to be this outrageous.
Xi Xi's body halted midair. She had planned to flank Lin Shuo while Ma Xiaotao kept him occupied head-on, but now her Lightning Leopard Martial Soul was screaming warnings—a primal fear that only arose when facing a natural enemy. She hung frozen in midair, caught between advancing and retreating.
Chen Zifeng had just drawn his Soul-Chasing Sword, its tip aimed at Lin Shuo, but he still hadn't thrust. It wasn't that he didn't want to. He didn't dare. Even their captain, Ma Xiaotao, had been knocked flying with a single punch. With his and Xi Xi's strength, even with Bei Bei backing them up, they would still be no match for Lin Shuo.
Nearby, Dai Yueheng reacted quickly. His First, Third, and Fifth Soul Rings lit up at the same time.
He activated three boosting Soul Skills at once: White Tiger Protection Barrier, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, and White Tiger Demon God Transformation. Then he charged at Chen Zifeng and Xi Xi.
Strike while your opponent is down!
The four layers of enhancement stacked together, and Dai Yueheng's aura surged to a terrifying level in an instant. He was like a true White Tiger as he pounced at Chen Zifeng and Xi Xi.
But Ma Xiaotao still hadn't fallen.
Her back slammed hard against the barrier, her blood and energy churning in her chest, her entire right arm numb. But she gritted her teeth, pushed off the barrier, and launched herself forward again. This time, she didn't try to meet Lin Shuo head-on. That single punch had made one thing perfectly clear: she had no chance of matching his strength. But battles weren't decided by strength alone.
Ma Xiaotao's Second and Third Soul Skills lit up at the same time.
Golden-red flames surged from within her, wrapping her in a flickering mantle of fire. A pair of phoenix wings, formed entirely from pure flame, unfurled behind her.
Keep my distance and wear him down with ranged attacks! Ma Xiaotao quickly worked out her plan.
She didn't expect to defeat Lin Shuo from a distance. She only needed to hold him off long enough for Ling Luochеn and the others to take out Dai Yueheng, then they could join forces and surround him. Even if Lin Shuo was stronger, he couldn't defend against all seven of them at once.
"First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line!"
A slender, blazing beam shot out, tearing through the air toward Lin Shuo's face. Enhanced by Phoenix Wings Soaring and Bathing Fire Phoenix, the beam was hot enough to vaporize steel in an instant.
Lin Shuo didn't dodge. He raised his right hand, covered in seven-colored dragon scales, spread his fingers, and caught the beam of fire. Phoenix Fire Line burst into golden-red flames in his palm, yet didn't leave a single scorch mark on his scales. Seven-colored light shone between his fingers, silently devouring the flames. He casually squeezed, and the beam went out in his palm like a candle snuffed between two fingers.
"Too weak." Lin Shuo's voice was perfectly calm.
Ma Xiaotao's pupils contracted. She shouted, "Ling Luochеn! Don't worry about me—go suppress Dai Yueheng! Xi Xi, Chen Zifeng, take him out while you have the chance!"
Lin Shuo paid no attention to how Dai Yueheng was faring. He raised his hand and clenched it in the air. A flash of silver flew from the storage ring on his finger and gathered in his palm, forming a gleaming silver spear.
It was the Silver Dragon Spear Lin Shuo had received from Gu Yuena when he awakened his Martial Soul.
He had practiced with it ever since he got it, but had never used it in actual combat.
"A weapon?" Everyone present looked at Lin Shuo in confusion. In this day and age, Soul Masters rarely used weapons. After all, unless a weapon was compatible with their own Martial Soul, it could easily do more harm than good.
Ma Xiaotao paid no attention to Lin Shuo's weapon. She opened her mouth and fired another Phoenix Fire Line.
This time she didn't aim straight at Lin Shuo, but shot the beam at the ground beneath his feet, setting off a blinding burst of flame. Using the glare as cover, she abruptly lit her Fourth Soul Ring.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Phoenix Sky-Roaring Strike!"
The ground three zhang from Lin Shuo suddenly exploded. A thick column of golden-red fire erupted from beneath it and shot into the sky. The pillar of flames burst forth from deep underground, powerful enough to swallow any enemy caught unaware.
But Lin Shuo merely turned slightly. The Silver Dragon Spear spun in his hand, and he lightly tapped its tip forward.
A silver ring of light spread out from the spear tip and collided with the towering pillar of fire. There was no explosion, no roar. The moment the pillar touched the silver ring, an invisible force split it down the middle. The flames parted to either side, sweeping past Lin Shuo and scorching the ground behind him to a wasteland of ash. The three feet of ground beneath him alone remained untouched. He hadn't even taken a single step.
"Anything else?" Lin Shuo lifted his eyes. His gaze pierced through the flames and settled on the red figure circling in the sky.
Ma Xiaotao clenched her teeth. She poured all her remaining Soul Power into her Sixth Soul Ring, holding nothing back.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Phoenix Meteor Shower!"
Clusters of golden-red fireballs rained down on Lin Shuo like flaming meteors.