Dragon and Snake Clash (Part 1)

The collision between the two sides finally began.

Mighty God Chen Dongqing no longer dared to hold back in the slightest. His first, third, and fifth soul rings lit up with dazzling brilliance at the same time.

Yellow and purple light interwove, and his body swelled once more as though it were a balloon.

His originally three-meter-tall body suddenly expanded to over five meters, making him look like a towering giant standing upon the arena.

"Th-this... this is Mighty God's combined soul skill, Giant God Transformation!"

"That's right. It is said that when his martial soul mutated, his soul skills mutated along with it. They can be combined with one another to unleash even greater power."

The spectator stands immediately erupted in an uproar as people began discussing it in hushed voices.

Dugu Chen's eyes brightened slightly. Even his soul skills had mutated along with it?

There had been precedents for this throughout history, but witnessing it with his own eyes was still remarkably astonishing.

"Good!"

Rather than being alarmed, Dugu Xin was delighted. He soared into the air as his first yellow soul ring suddenly lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Jade-Scale Purple Poison!"

A layer of emerald-colored air burst around Dugu Xin. Then, he opened his mouth wide, and the Jade-Scale Serpent Emperor phantom behind him likewise opened its gaping jaws.

A stream of Violet Nether Poison Breath shot forth in an instant, carrying genuine jade-colored waves of air as it streaked toward Chen Dongqing.

This attack was incredibly fast. With Chen Dongqing's massive build, he was nothing more than a living target.

Violet Nether Poison Breath could invade the body's meridians, disrupting soul power while breeding illusions and inflicting continuous damage upon the enemy.

"Roar—"

Enraged by Dugu Xin's attack, Chen Dongqing threw back his head and released a piercing roar that seemed to split stone and metal.

His martial soul had an enormous flaw. While it was indeed immensely powerful, that strength came at the cost of his rationality.

For every bit his body grew, his reason diminished by the same measure.

Now, with little reason left to begin with and the purple poison further interfering with him, he became even more berserk and bloodthirsty. Swinging his arms, he charged toward Dugu Xin in great strides.

His pair of brownish-yellow iron fists clenched in midair before smashing furiously toward him.

Dugu Xin shifted aside and dodged the blow. The first punch missed, but Chen Dongqing's next fist came crashing down immediately afterward.

This time, Dugu Xin did not evade. His fifth black soul ring suddenly lit up, and ink-black radiance flashed across the entire arena.

"Fifth Soul Skill, Serpent Emperor Heavenly Shield!"

Dugu Xin's soul power surged as Serpent Emperor Shield Aura instantly formed a shield to block the attack. The shield was made of poisonous mist, and anyone who touched it at close range would suffer a backlash from the poison.

Sure enough, when Chen Dongqing's fist came down, an emerald wave of air burst from the shield alongside the rebounding force.

Large amounts of Jade-Scale Serpent Poison invaded his body, gradually staining even his thick brownish-yellow skin with a layer of emerald.

Dugu Xin fought while retreating, fully displaying the finest qualities of a poison-attribute soul master.

The true strength of poison-attribute soul masters had never been close combat, but sustained attrition.

According to the law of conservation of energy, the enemy growing weaker meant he grew stronger. Poison-attribute soul masters only became stronger as they fought, while their opponents grew weaker. Victory would naturally fall into their hands.

Over the next minute, Dugu Xin relied on his second soul skill, "Serpent Emperor's Swift Advance," to greatly enhance his movement and evasion abilities.

Using kite tactics, he successfully dragged the battle out until Chen Dongqing's snake poison flared up, defeating his opponent in one stroke.

"My apologies for the offense."

Looking at Chen Dongqing, who had already dismissed his martial soul possession, Dugu Xin approached with a smile.

He cupped his fist in his palm and gave a graceful bow, then dispelled the Jade-Scale Serpent Poison from Chen Dongqing's body.

As Chen Dongqing felt the snake poison receding, a complicated expression flashed through his eyes when he looked at Dugu Xin. He returned the gesture as well.

"Young Master Xin is exceptionally strong. I willingly concede defeat!"

After saying that, he voluntarily leaped down from the arena. From that moment on, Dugu Xin officially took his place as the arena champion.

A faint smile flashed through Qian Xunji's eyes. He beckoned to a guard beside him.

"This Chen Dongqing is quite capable. Invite him to join Spirit Hall."

"Yes, Your Holiness!"

Upon receiving the order, the guard did not delay and immediately withdrew.

In the time that followed, challengers continued taking the stage. Yet Dugu Xin always welcomed them with a smile, his strength overwhelmingly formidable. No one could harm him at all.

Once the snake poison took effect, every one of them ended in defeat.

At the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's spectator stand.

A sharp-looking man with short blue hair spoke to Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect Master Yu Yuanzhen.

"Sect Master, I request permission to fight!"

Yu Yuanzhen glanced at him and nodded in approval. "Go. It is time for everyone to witness the strength of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect!"

"Yes."

The man could not hide the excitement on his face as he answered eagerly.

As his words fell, he sprang up onto the arena and looked arrogantly at Dugu Xin.

"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, Yu Xiaolie!"

Dugu Xin's gaze sharpened. So he was from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, home to the continent's number one beast martial soul. It seemed he had finally encountered a worthy opponent!

"You are strong, but I'm sorry, because... I'm stronger!"

Yu Xiaolie grinned. Two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings slowly rose from beneath his feet, six rings in total, circling around him in a steady rhythm.

"This Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect brat is far too arrogant. Young Master Dugu is a seven-ring Soul Saint, yet a mere six-ring Soul Emperor dares to boast so shamelessly..."

"Shh, lower your voice. He is from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect."

Among the spectators, many were extremely displeased by Yu Xiaolie's overbearing words.

But because of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's status, no one dared to openly challenge him.

Dugu Xin on the arena, however, did not become careless simply because Yu Xiaolie was a Soul Emperor.

Even a lion used its full strength when hunting a rabbit.

This was the most important creed his father had taught him.

He took a deep breath. His first soul ring lit up again, and a blast of Jade-Scale Purple Poison shot toward Yu Xiaolie.

Yu Xiaolie curled his lips into a cold smile and sidestepped the attack. The Jade-Scale Purple Poison landed on the arena, instantly producing a sizzling sound of corrosion.

With a cold snort, Yu Xiaolie's body erupted with a deep dragon's roar as he released his martial soul.

A dazzling mass of blue light suddenly lit up from between his brows. Immediately afterward, the blue light spread, flowing from his forehead across his entire body.

His arms changed first, becoming incredibly thick and covered in a layer of blue-purple scales. His hands transformed into claws.

Next came his legs. They suddenly became dragon legs as well, similarly covered in blue-purple scales. Every step he took made the ground tremble several times.

Blue-purple serpentine lightning continuously coiled around him, gathering over and racing along his arms.

Intense electric light exploded across his body. A tyrannical aura spread outward in an instant, its pressure blanketing the entire arena.