Empowered by Ao Yin's formidable spiritual power, his second soul skill—Spirit Binding—became incomparably potent!
Sure enough, Zhao Wuji was struck by the second soul skill. In an instant, he lost focus and froze completely!
Ao Yin's gaze sharpened. He gripped the Ice-Fire Coiling Dragon Staff with both hands and savagely smashed it down!
Boom!
Zhao Wuji came to his senses and immediately felt his shoulder sink. He had no time to dodge and took the blow head-on, letting out a muffled grunt as he staggered back half a step!
Gulp.
Dai Mubai stood to one side, cold sweat streaming down his back.
He stared fixedly at the two people locked in battle at the center of the field, utterly shocked.
Good heavens!
Ao Yin could actually fight Zhao Wuji to this extent?
Zhao Wuji was no ordinary Soul Sage.
The Immovable Bright King!
He was one of the strongest even among Soul Sages.
And now, he had actually been forced back half a step by a three-ringed Soul Elder?!
"Awesome! This is incredible!"
Yet Zhao Wuji not only felt no pain, but was unusually excited!
"Kid, you're not bad!"
"Again!"
Zhao Wuji threw back his head and laughed, but his hands did not stop moving in the slightest.
He suddenly slammed a fist into the ground.
Bang!
Broken rocks exploded, dust filling the air and directly blocking Ao Yin's vision.
The fifth black Soul Ring suddenly lit up.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Gravity Squeeze!"
"Kid, you won't be able to stop me this time!"
Crack, crack, crack—
A black vortex appeared out of thin air, its violent suction force madly dragging at everything around it.
Ao Yin did not rush to resist the vortex's pull head-on.
With a backhand swing, he sent out a staff aura that tore apart the streams of gravitational force rushing toward Xiao Wu and the others.
"Xiao Wu, take Rongrong, Zhu Qing, and the others away from here."
"But, Brother Ao..."
"Go!"
Ao Yin's voice was cold and hard, leaving no room for discussion.
Though Xiao Wu was worried, she still led Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong in retreat.
They knew that in a battle of this level, staying behind would only hold Ao Yin back and distract him.
Zhao Wuji watched this and secretly nodded.
"Even while in danger himself, he still protected his companions first. His character passes.
But even so, you will still lose today. This spar should end!"
He crazily poured Soul Power into his fifth Soul Ring, and the vortex's suction grew increasingly stronger.
Zhao Wuji made up his mind:
I am the Immovable Bright King, a Soul Sage. I absolutely cannot lose to a freshman in front of everyone. I can't afford that humiliation!
At that moment, Ao Yin suddenly grinned.
"Teacher Zhao is right. It is time for this to end."
Hearing Ao Yin's words, Zhao Wuji assumed that he had grown fearful and was preparing to surrender. A meaningful smile immediately appeared on his face.
"It's good that you understand.
This is my fifth soul skill, Gravity Squeeze. Its power far exceeds the limit of what you can withstand.
Surrender obediently now, and I can hold back and show mercy, sparing you some physical suffering."
Ao Yin curled his lips faintly, his smile slightly cold. "Heh heh, Teacher, you've misunderstood what I meant."
"What?"
Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted slightly. For a moment, he failed to understand Ao Yin's intentions.
In the instant he hesitated!
The second and third Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings around Ao Yin flashed at the same time, suddenly erupting with blinding black radiance!
Buzz—!
The intense light shot into the sky, and his aura changed abruptly!
The Ice-Fire Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand trembled slightly. The flames and frost at both ends of the staff transformed into layers of strange, illusory streams of light that swirled around it.
Ao Yin raised his eyes and smiled calmly.
"Teacher Zhao, what I mean is... you're the one who should surrender!"
Zhao Wuji's expression changed drastically as stormy waves surged through his heart!
His pupils shrank sharply. "A third Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring... What soul skill does it have?!!"
The corners of Ao Yin's mouth rose slightly!
"Second soul skill, Spirit Binding, stacked with... third soul skill—Silk Transformation!"
This third soul skill was naturally provided by Ao Yin's third Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, the Blood Jade Spider!
Ao Yin raised his hand and threw the Ice-Fire Coiling Dragon Staff.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The Coiling Dragon Staff rapidly trembled and spun through the air.
A crimson fire dragon burst from the fiery end of the staff, while a frost dragon condensed from its icy end.
The two dragons circled the staff for an instant before their bodies suddenly stretched and condensed. Shedding their dragon forms, they transformed into two exceedingly thin strands of staff aura.
One was crimson as blood, the other white as jade frost.
"Staff Aura into Silk!"
Though the two strands of Blood Jade Spider Silk were formed from staff aura, their sharpness rivaled sword aura!
The two ice-fire threads shot through the air. As Zhao Wuji's mind was struck and his Soul Power stagnated, the sharp threads instantly pierced into the vital acupoints all over his body!
Sizzle—
The Blood Jade Spider was inherently venomous. After being absorbed by Ao Yin, its poison had further been enhanced with fire poison and frost poison, becoming even more vicious!
The toxins instantly invaded his meridians, and Zhao Wuji's immense Soul Power violently stalled on the spot.
Even with his powerful body and Copper Skin, Iron Bones, waves of piercing agony still tore through him!
Zhao Wuji's face darkened abruptly. "This poison... is this vicious?"
If this continued, he would completely lose the dignity of a mighty seven-ringed Soul Sage today!
Overwhelming fury instantly surged into his heart!
"Kid, you've successfully enraged me!!"
"Seventh Soul Skill—Mighty Vajra Bear, Martial Soul Avatar!!"
A thunderous explosion resounded throughout the entire arena!
Zhao Wuji's body was instantly covered in thick brown fur, and his two-and-a-half-meter-tall burly frame suddenly expanded!
His bones crackled, his muscles swelling madly in a terrifyingly exaggerated fashion!
In an instant, his body forcefully grew to nine meters tall!
A gigantic Mighty Vajra Bear true form appeared, its yellow-brown fur spreading wildly, golden eyes glaring in rage as the domineering pressure of a Soul Sage swept across the surroundings!
The breaths of everyone watching stopped at once!
Ao Yin's gaze narrowed. His expression remained calm, but his fighting spirit boiled.
"A Soul Sage's Martial Soul Avatar... Teacher Zhao is truly furious now."
He showed not the slightest panic.
The stronger his opponent was, the more fiercely his battle intent burned!
Southern Bright Lihuo blazed around him. Deep within the firelight, a Dark Sacred Dragon vaguely coiled behind his back!
"Dark Sacred Dragon, possess me!"
Southern Bright Lihuo was merely the outward appearance, concealing the Dark Sacred Dragon beneath its flames!
Ao Yin gripped the Coiling Dragon Staff tightly, its tip pointing directly at the enormous bear. His voice boomed like thunder:
"Come!"
The frenzied Zhao Wuji did not waste words. His giant palm crushed down from above with overwhelming force!
"Second Soul Skill—Mighty Vajra Palm!!"
Boom!!
The giant palm covered heaven and earth, its power terrifying beyond measure!
Ao Yin fiercely stomped on the ground!
Crack—
The hard floor instantly shattered!
He shot forward like a cannonball, directly facing the horrifying strike of the Soul Sage's true form!
With Dark Sacred Dragon possession stacked with the power of all phenomena, Ao Yin let out a full-throated roar!
"Dragon-Elephant Power!!"
Crack, crack, crack!
Staff and palm collided explosively!
The two terrifying forces locked against each other for a single instant!
The next second—
A heaven-shaking blast erupted!
Boom!!
Sand and rocks flew through the center of the battlefield, the ground collapsing and exploding into an enormous crater!
A violent hurricane of Soul Power swept across the entire field!
Though Dai Mubai, Tang San, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu had retreated far to the side, they were still struck by the aftermath and all sent flying by the shockwave!
The Holy Dragon Staff's power clashed madly against the Vajra giant palm of the Martial Soul Avatar!
Bang—!
The two were sent flying backward at the same time!
Ao Yin viciously planted the Coiling Dragon Staff into the ground!
A long, deep trench was carved across the ground. Borrowing the resistance, Ao Yin barely steadied his staggering body.
Zhao Wuji was also somewhat disheveled. His entire Martial Soul Avatar flickered unceasingly before he finally dropped to one knee.
The entire arena fell silent.
After a long while, the enormous phantom of the Vajra Bear slowly dispersed, and Zhao Wuji returned to human form.
The poison from Tang San's Dragon Beard Needle, Ao Yin's Blood Jade Spider venom, as well as the fire and frost poisons could no longer be suppressed. Zhao Wuji's entire body went numb, and he hurriedly used Soul Power to protect his heart.
Seeing this, Ao Yin's expression remained calm as he spoke lightly.
"Teacher Zhao, although I did not last for a full incense stick's time."
"From the current situation, however, this spar..."
"The victor has already been decided."
Zhao Wuji's lips had turned black. Looking at the youth before him, his gaze was extremely complicated, but he still spoke.
"I lost."
"Quick! Detoxify me!"
Ao Yin panted lightly.
"Thank you for letting me win!"
Before you continue