Black Monarch Martial Soul

"This battle could only be called a disastrous defeat. Aside from Dugu Yan and Dugu Feng, the rest of you were practically beaten down by the Golden Sheep Team."

"Teacher, we didn't want that either. We never expected them to have such a powerful control-type skill that directly divided the arena."

"And they seemed to have prepared for it long ago. The instant the arena was divided, they rushed straight in front of us. We had planned to destroy those walls, but we never got the chance."

Yu Tianheng spoke somewhat unwillingly. His opponent had been a level 38 Soul Elder, far stronger than him.

Fortunately, his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul was powerful enough. He had fought the opponent for quite some time without being defeated.

But the two Shi brothers had not been so fortunate. They were defense-type soul masters, while the enemy's Golden Sacred Sheep Martial Soul could both defend and attack.

They had been directly countered.

Yu Feng had fared somewhat better. Relying on the advantage of being a flying soul master, he had dodged the opponent's attacks.

But in the end, because he had expended too much Soul Power, the opponent caught an opening and struck him in the chest with an elbow.

If Dugu Feng had not released Toxic Toad Devouring Breath at the end, gradually transforming that Soul Elder's Soul Power into poison that numbed his own meridians,

he would likely have been defeated just like Ye Lingling.

"Still, this cannot be entirely blamed on you. The Golden Sheep Team was specially brought in by the Great Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City. Their original intention was to defeat us, but they ended up being defeated by us instead. Even so, it is time to stop while we are ahead."

"As the saying goes, leave room for others and you will meet again someday. I have already spoken with the Great Soul Arena's steward. Tomorrow, we will leave Heaven Dou City and head for the next city. They have offered 3,000 Gold Soul Coins as our travel expenses."

Qin Ming also knew they could not go too far. There was no need to offend the Soul Arena of Heaven Dou City over this.

After all, aside from the Gold Soul Coins earned from each battle, they had not placed any extra bets to win money.

There was no need to do something thankless and exhausting.

In truth, Qin Ming had hoped that the Imperial Fighting Team would lose once this time. That would have been a good way to curb the arrogance in their hearts.

But with Dugu Feng serving as an unshakable pillar, they simply could not lose.

"Teacher, I want to focus on cultivation for the time ahead. I have already obtained a Gold Soul Badge from the Great Soul Arena. I don't think there is any need to gain more experience through Soul Arena battles."

After speaking, Dugu Feng took out his Gold Soul Badge. Qin Ming looked at the golden badge, and a trace of shock flashed through his eyes before quickly returning to normal. After all, Dugu Feng was a monster.

Any unreasonable thing became perfectly reasonable when placed upon him.

"Very well. I will find another reserve member to join the Imperial Fighting Team. This semester, I will take them to Dio Province to challenge the various cities."

"I hope that by next semester, I will see a breakthrough in your strength."

Dugu Feng nodded.

Early the next morning, Dugu Feng packed his luggage. Before he left, Gu Lei and Dugu Yan came to see him off in person.

"Sister Yan, while I'm gone, the team is in your hands."

"Xiaofeng, don't underestimate me. My talent is no weaker than yours now. Just last night, my Soul Power broke through to level 41. Be careful, or your big sister might surpass you one day."

"Don't worry, Sister Yan. I will definitely be the mountain you can never cross."

Dugu Feng spoke in a joking tone, earning a glare from Dugu Yan.

Dugu Feng then looked at Gu Lei.

"When I return, I hope you will have broken through to Soul Elder. Don't disappoint me. Train diligently. Only then will our Martial Soul Fusion Skill be usable."

Gu Lei nodded, his eyes brimming with tears. Without Dugu Feng, he would not have the cultivation resources he had today.

"Don't worry, Teacher. I definitely won't disappoint you."

"Good. I'll be leaving first."

After speaking, Dugu Feng left Heaven Dou Royal Academy and walked down the bustling streets. Suddenly, he sensed a gaze watching him from the shadows.

Dugu Feng vaguely caught a trace of killing intent within that gaze. Without showing any outward reaction, he quietly made his way into a sparsely populated alley.

"You deliberately lured me here. Do you think you have the strength to deal with me?"

The person following him in secret had also realized that Dugu Feng had discovered him. He no longer hid and appeared directly behind Dugu Feng.

"You are quite clever. You knew I had discovered you, yet you still dared to follow me. How confident are you in your own strength?"

"That is what I should be asking you. You are merely a Soul Ancestor, yet you dared to lure me here. It seems you do not know that Heaven Dou City is full of hidden experts."

Their eyes met, and each caught the killing intent in the other's gaze.

"You were sent by Spirit Hall."

Dugu Feng looked at the thin man behind him, whose nose was pointed and whose face was sharp and monkey-like.

Dugu Feng could sense a chilly flow of Soul Power from the man. He was clearly no harmless individual.

The man did not answer. Six soul rings slowly rose beneath his feet.

Two yellow, two purple, two black.

A six-ring Soul Emperor.

"I know you are an expert at using poison, but I wonder whether you can withstand my Black Monarch's Poison!"

A pitch-black serpent Martial Soul slowly rose behind the Soul Emperor. It had vicious horns on its head and green light in its eyes.

"The king among serpents, the Black Monarch!"

Dugu Feng had seen this serpent Martial Soul in Dugu Bo's ancient texts.

Among serpent Martial Souls, this one was a king-level existence.

The Black Sovereign's poison could attack both soul and flesh, sharing similar qualities with Dugu Yan's Jade Spirit Serpent Emperor poison.

However, once this Martial Soul reached the Soul Emperor stage, its cultivation speed became extremely slow. Even with Innate Full Soul Power,

reaching the Soul Douluo realm was already considered outstanding talent.

"Sixth Soul Skill! Black Monarch Serpent Prison!"

Before Dugu Feng could react,

the Black Monarch Soul Emperor's shadow instantly transformed into serpent shadows, spreading darkness in every direction.

In just a moment, darkness had already enveloped Dugu Feng's surroundings.

Within this pitch-black environment, several Black Monarch serpent shadows hidden in the darkness attacked Dugu Feng from all sides.

Dugu Feng did not resist, allowing the serpent shadows to bite into his body.

"Good boy. You have guts, daring to test poison with your own body."

"My name is Black Spring. If it were not for my orders, I truly would like to have a contest between ancient poison soul masters with you."

A contest between ancient poison soul masters meant both sides would use their respective poisons to invade the other's body, seeing who could neutralize the other's poison and kill the other first.

They did not compete in Soul Skills. They competed in the toxicity of their Martial Souls.

That was how they determined whose Poison Path was superior.

"I see. Your snake venom can attack the soul, causing a person to lose all five senses and ultimately become forever lost in this endless darkness."

"Until the body dies. What terrifying poison. It does not destroy the body, but the mind. Boundless darkness, yet the mind remains alive. You cannot move, your consciousness is clear, yet you cannot speak. What a torment!"

The feeling was like sleep paralysis. Your mind was clearly awake, but your body could not move at all. You wanted to wake up, yet could not awaken.