Soul Sage? Torture

Zhang Ming's face darkened. "Good, good, good. You've got some nerve. I'd like to see what tricks you, Song Yu, have up your sleeve to dare spout such nonsense!"

Soul Power surged through Zhang Ming's body, and he immediately activated his Martial Soul Possession. Two yellow, two purple, and three black Soul Rings—the optimal configuration of seven Soul Rings—shone brilliantly around him. The black Soul Rings in particular appeared mysterious and powerful.

With his Martial Soul Possession activated, Zhang Ming's appearance changed drastically. Thick fur grew all over his body, green flames burned in his eyes, and his hands turned into sharp claws, making him look exceptionally eerie.

Zhang Ming's Martial Soul was called the Ghost Spirit Beast. It specialized in spiritual attacks and was a rather powerful high-grade Martial Soul.

However, although Zhang Ming's Martial Soul looked sinister, he was not an Evil Soul Master.

In fact, most of the soul masters in the Xishui Alliance were not Evil Soul Masters. Only a small number of upper-ranking members were Evil Soul Masters who remained clearheaded and were not especially vile.

The Holy Spirit Cult behind the Xishui Alliance was not stupid. It knew that meticulous work such as managing an organization and conducting business could not be entrusted to Evil Soul Masters whose minds had been clouded by slaughter and desire. Such tasks had to be handled by people with clear minds.

Seeing Zhang Ming release his Martial Soul, Wang Chen immediately took out a Level 7 Soul Cannon from his Storage Soul Tool and fitted Level 7 Flying Soul Tools onto his arms and back.

Then, the Golden Soul Tool Ring on his left hand flickered faintly. Concealed by a false image, Wang Chen silently merged his Artifact Spirit Martial Soul into the Soul Cannon.

To conceal his identity, Wang Chen was unwilling to expose his Martial Soul. Nor did he use the Soul Tool spear he commonly wielded, lest someone identify him in the future through his Martial Soul and his usual Soul Tool.

There was a saying: do bold and diligent deeds with the caution of treading on thin ice.

Wang Chen had never lacked the courage to act, but he was equally cautious.

Without that caution, he would never have been able to infiltrate the Ordinary Alliance and become one of its higher-ups.

Wang Chen and Zhang Ming locked eyes, sparks seeming to fly between them. Then they headed to a Trial Field within the Ordinary Alliance branch.

The Ordinary Alliance branch covered several acres and was equipped with every kind of facility. Naturally, it did not lack places for sparring and combat.

The two stood thirty meters apart in a three-hundred-meter-wide arena, staring each other down.

The air around them seemed to grow heavy under the fluctuations of their Soul Power, while their subordinates watched the confrontation tensely.

Wang Chen's gaze sharpened, and he struck first.

He raised his hand and fired a cannon blast. At the same time, he used World Domination, fusing Soul Power, Spiritual Power, and will into a terrifying force before pouring it into the Soul Cannon.

The Level 7 Soul Cannon was terrifyingly powerful. Red light surged from its savage muzzle.

"Boom!!"

Accompanied by a tremendous roar.

Concealed by the false image from the Golden Soul Tool Ring on his left hand, four pitch-black Soul Rings around Wang Chen lit up simultaneously.

First Soul Skill, Attack!

Second Soul Skill, Break!

Third Soul Skill, Condense!

Fifth Soul Skill, Soul!

The first three Soul Skills respectively enhanced Soul Tool attacks, weakened the enemy's defenses, and boosted attack power and attack speed.

The Fourth Soul Skill locked onto the enemy with Spiritual Power, ensuring that the next attack would hit without fail while also adding a spiritual attack capable of inflicting mental damage.

Enhanced by the four ten-thousand-year Soul Skills of his Artifact Spirit Martial Soul, the Level 7 Soul Cannon's attack became extraordinarily terrifying.

Among Level 7 Soul Tools, it could be said to be absolutely invincible, fully capable of contending with a Level 8 Soul Tool.

A terrifying, scorching red beam a meter thick, as though it could ignite the very air, shot toward Zhang Ming like a white rainbow piercing the sun, swift as lightning.

Zhang Ming's Ghost Spirit Beast Martial Soul specialized in spiritual attacks, so his Spiritual Power was stronger than that of Soul Sage powerhouses at the same level. It was even no weaker than that of a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse.

The instant his Spiritual Power detected the red beam, his expression changed.

Zhang Ming was shocked. How is that possible? How could a Level 7 Soul Tool unleash such a powerful attack? Damn it, I underestimated him. No wonder he dared act so arrogantly—he really does have some skill.

Zhang Ming immediately realized that he could not take this attack head-on.

One yellow, one purple, and one black Soul Ring around Zhang Ming lit up at once. All three were enhancement-type Soul Skills. Two enhanced Spiritual Power, while the other enhanced Soul Power.

Under the amplification of the three Soul Rings, Zhang Ming's Spiritual Power and Soul Power both rose considerably.

Zhang Ming fiercely activated the Propulsion Soul Tool on his back and rapidly dodged aside.

However, Wang Chen's Fifth Soul Skill, Soul, was a locking skill. No matter how Zhang Ming dodged, the red beam continued sweeping accurately toward him.

Moreover, Wang Chen's Third Soul Skill enhanced both attack power and attack speed. In only a few breaths, Zhang Ming was caught by the red beam.

Seeing that he could not evade it, Zhang Ming immediately released the shield of a Level 7 Defensive Soul Tool. A round golden barrier appeared, firmly protecting him within it.

Yet what left him dumbfounded was that the Defensive Soul Tool was directly shattered by the red beam, having barely served any purpose at all.

A smile curled at Wang Chen's lips in the distance. His Second Soul Skill was specifically designed to break defenses.

"Boom!!"

Amid the violent explosion, a green beast over ten meters tall appeared at its center.

This green beast was Zhang Ming after using his Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar.

The red beam had left a savage, horrifying wound running through Zhang Ming's body. Not a drop of blood flowed from its edges; they had clearly been seared shut by the intense heat.

The wound on Zhang Ming's body burned fiercely, but what tormented him most was his mind.

The terrifying Spirit Impact, carrying an overbearing and domineering spiritual intent, continuously battered his Sea of Consciousness.

It felt as though someone had smashed his brain open with a massive hammer.

Fortunately, his Spiritual Power was strong, and he barely managed to withstand it.

When Wang Chen saw that Zhang Ming had not collapsed, he was somewhat surprised. An ordinary Soul Sage would not have been able to endure that move.

A Level 7 Soul Cannon was already remarkably powerful, no weaker than the ten-thousand-year Fifth Soul Skill of an ordinary Soul Sage.

Combined with the amplification from several soul skills over ten thousand years old, as well as the spiritual will damage attached to it, an ordinary Soul Sage would probably have dropped dead from a single hit.

Zhang Ming's Spiritual Power was quite formidable.

At that moment, blood vessels surfaced in Zhang Ming's huge eyes as he stared fiercely at Wang Chen. Having been beaten so badly, his fury had truly been ignited.

Strengthened by three amplification soul skills and his Martial Soul Avatar, Zhang Ming's power reached its peak. Then, his black sixth Soul Ring lit up, and a terrifying Spirit Impact swept toward Wang Chen.

Watching Zhang Ming's Spirit Impact, Wang Chen thought helplessly, Wouldn't it be better to just fall? Why insist on struggling?

In an instant, Wang Chen vanished from where he stood, then appeared out of thin air behind Zhang Ming.

With a deafening boom, Zhang Ming, unable to react in time, crashed to the ground.

At the same time, at the Hongchen Family.

A white-haired, blue-eyed beauty with delicate features, fair skin, and a graceful figure looked at the news that the First Prince, Xu Tianran, had become Crown Prince, and could not help but feel deeply worried.

Three years had passed, and she had grown up...