Li Fire Shows Its Might!

Meanwhile, atop the arena, the shock in Yu Heng's eyes could no longer be concealed.

He stared fixedly at Li Yingxue before him, his heart churning with turbulent waves.

That recent close-quarters clash had actually made him, a genius disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, feel a suffocating pressure.

How could this girl be so strong? She was actually evenly matched with me in close combat!

Yu Heng was horrified.

He had already used his family's secret technique. A layer of deep-blue, lightning-charged scales covered both his arms and legs. This was the "Dragon Transformation" state, which fused the characteristics of his martial soul into his body. Both his defense and strength far surpassed their normal levels.

Yet that mysterious masked girl had withstood his signature fighting style with nothing but her bare hands!

When did such a monstrous genius appear outside?

Li Yingxue also sensed that something was wrong.

Her opponent's Dragon Transformation possessed extremely powerful defenses. Ordinary methods seemed unlikely to inflict decisive damage.

If this dragged on any longer, it would be extremely disadvantageous for her.

"Looks like I have no choice but to show you the real thing!"

Li Yingxue snorted coldly. The green-and-gold flames around her abruptly changed. The green fire instantly turned into a purer, more violent scarlet, while a dazzling streak of golden light faintly gleamed at the very core of the flames.

Even the Green Fire Swallow martial soul behind her let out a clear, piercing cry. Its flames transformed in color as well, and her aura rose higher and higher, like a phoenix reborn from the flames.

"Blazing Claw!"

Li Yingxue curled her hands into claws, and the strange red flames wound around them like living creatures.

The next instant, she shot forward. Her fingers hooked like claws as they thrust straight toward Yu Heng's chest.

"What kind of cursed flames are these?!" Yu Heng cursed inwardly as warning bells blared in his head.

He did not dare be careless. Crossing his arms before his chest, he gathered dense dragon scales and flickering blue lightning, intending to take the attack head-on.

However, the moment their claws met, a sudden change occurred!

The flames, which had appeared solid, flowed like spilled mercury, ignoring the dragon-scale defenses on his body and passing directly through them!

Immediately afterward, piercing pain spread through every limb and bone. The flames not only ravaged his meridians, but even scorched deep into his soul, as though they intended to burn away his very consciousness.

Not good! There was something strange about these flames—they could burn the soul directly!

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning, and Yu Heng instantly realized he had run into someone he could not afford to provoke.

If he continued this entanglement, he might truly fall here today.

"Hmph, now that I've revealed my trump card, did you think I'd let you get away so easily?" Li Yingxue seemed to see through his intentions, a cold smile curling across her lips.

The battle that followed entered its fiercest stage.

Wary of those bizarre soul-burning flames, Yu Heng's attacks became broad and forceful. Every strike aimed for a swift conclusion. After each attack, he used the momentum to retreat, refusing to make physical contact with Li Yingxue as he tried to widen the distance.

But Li Yingxue matched him blow for blow, using every trick she had to stay locked in close combat.

Her figure moved like Gui Mei, with red flames trailing closely behind. With every contact, a portion of the flames seeped into Yu Heng's body.

As time passed, Yu Heng visibly withered. More and more flames accumulated inside him, and even his once-vivid blue lightning began to dim. His breathing turned rapid and scorching.

Finally, after using all his strength to knock Li Yingxue back, Yu Heng could no longer hold on. He dropped to one knee, his face flushed as sweat poured down like rain.

"I concede!" The three words were almost forced out through clenched teeth.

Li Yingxue withdrew her attack and cast him a cold glance. There was no victor's pride in her gaze, only lofty indifference.

Then, without a trace of reluctance, she turned and walked straight down from the arena.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Yu Heng staggered back to his side's luxurious private room.

The instant he entered, the spirit he had been forcing himself to maintain completely collapsed. His vision went black, and he fell straight down.

"Yu Heng!"

"Brother Heng!"

Yu Yuanzhen and the attendants in the room were shocked. They hurried forward and caught him.

Yu Heng had already fallen unconscious, and his body temperature was terrifyingly high.

Yu Yuanzhen's expression turned grave. He lifted Yu Heng onto the couch, then immediately sent a vast surge of Soul Power into his body.

"What domineering flames!" Yu Yuanzhen frowned tightly, deeply shaken.

The moment his Soul Power entered, it was met by a frenzied counterattack from that strange red fire.

Not only was the fire unimaginably hot, it was also extraordinarily stubborn. It could even follow his Soul Power to scorch his soul, its strength comparable to the lightning within his own Soul Power.

"All of you, step back!" Yu Yuanzhen shouted in a low voice. Pressing both hands against Yu Heng's dantian, he circulated his Soul Power and began frantically driving out the flames.

"I'll go invite a high-level healing Soul Master!"

Two hours later, a healing Soul Master, drenched in sweat and pale-faced, finally finished the treatment.

He shakily wiped the sweat from his forehead and said weakly, "Young Master Yu, your companion's internal burns have mostly been treated, and his external wounds have healed as well. However..."

He paused, casting Yu Yuanzhen a lingering, fearful glance. "The flames that burned him were simply too strange and overbearing. If you had not acted in time to help guide them away, I fear this old man alone would have been powerless to save him."

Upon hearing this, the tension Yu Yuanzhen had been holding finally eased. He casually tossed over a heavy bag of Gold Soul Coins and said evenly, "Thank you, Master. This is your consultation fee."

The Soul Master hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no, no. Your subordinate has already paid the consultation fee. This..."

"That was what he gave you. This is what I am giving you." Yu Yuanzhen cut him off, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Take it. Consider it my gratitude for your extra efforts."

Seeing this, the Soul Master did not decline further. A smile spread across his face as he respectfully accepted the Gold Soul Coins.

In this world, money could make even ghosts turn millstones. Besides, this was practically free money being handed to him. Only a fool would refuse it.

After sending the Soul Master away, the private room fell silent once more.

Yu Yuanzhen sat beside the bed, looking at Yu Heng's pale face as he sank into deep thought.

That sensation of having my soul burned while I was expelling those flames... it was far too bizarre.

Recalling the details of that earlier contact between their Soul Powers, a chill rose up his spine.

Those flames could not only burn flesh, but also Soul Power. Even he felt faintly wary of them.

The outside world runs deeper than I imagined. I had barely left home when I encountered a hidden genius.

Just who was that masked girl?

Complex emotions flickered in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes—anger, wariness, and the excitement of encountering a worthy opponent.