A True Genius

His strength was no weaker than that of a strength-attack-type Soul Master. Qin Xuan watched ahead intently. Bibi Dong's eight spider legs twitched rhythmically as she slowly turned around and stepped out, no longer concealing herself.

The two briefly ceased fighting.

From the beginning of the battle until now, both Bibi Dong and Qin Xuan had primarily been probing each other.

And now—

They had more or less finished testing one another.

"Qin Xuan, you have indeed greatly exceeded my expectations. You perfectly withstood my previous wave of attacks and were even unafraid of my poison mist. I have to admit that you now possess the qualifications to fight me as an equal."

Twenty paces away from Qin Xuan, Bibi Dong stopped. Her exquisite face, made bewitching by her Martial Soul Possession, was filled with undisguised approval.

Qin Xuan smiled. "Likewise. Holy Maiden, your strength has also greatly exceeded my expectations. Though you are a control-type Soul Master, you possess the abilities of agility-attack and strength-attack types as well. Across all of Douluo Continent, few could accomplish that. The Death Spider Emperor is truly powerful."

He was not merely flattering her or deliberately currying favor.

Rather, that was what he had personally experienced after fighting Bibi Dong. In the original story, Bibi Dong at Level-Ninety-Nine had been crushed by Tang San at Level-Ninety-Three.

But that had all been based on Bibi Dong being affected by the Rakshasa God's trial and only being able to call upon Level-Ninety-Eight Soul Power, while Tang San had that shameless Sea God Poseidon fighting for him.

The real Bibi Dong's combat power was absolutely terrifying. She possessed the ability to fight above her level.

Forget dealing with a Soul Emperor—even against a Soul Douluo, she could probably take them down.

Of course, all of that assumed Qin Xuan was an ordinary Soul Emperor.

"Then be careful." Bibi Dong launched the attack first. Her third Soul Ring lit up, and a dark purple spiderweb sprayed forth, shrouding Qin Xuan in hazy purple poison mist.

It rapidly expanded and reached Qin Xuan in the blink of an eye.

"So fast." Qin Xuan knew this was Bibi Dong's third soul skill, Death Spider Web Binding. Not only was it terrifyingly poisonous, but it also possessed immense restraining power and could be cast consecutively. Once she reached the Titled Douluo level, she could easily bind even enormous Soul Beasts such as the Sky Azure Bull Python or Titan Giant Ape.

Soul Power flowed into the Everbright Sword, and golden-red flames rose from its blade. Qin Xuan gave Bibi Dong no opportunity to bind him. With a single slash, he split the web in two. It then burst into blazing flames and was reduced to ashes in moments.

"Has his Vermilion Bird flame already become this powerful?"

Seeing Qin Xuan effortlessly destroy her third soul skill without using a soul skill himself, Bibi Dong was somewhat surprised. The eight spider legs beneath her moved swiftly, and several more webs shot out one after another from different tricky angles.

Qin Xuan's third Soul Ring lit up, and the golden-red firelight on the Everbright Sword swiftly spread over his entire body.

Accompanied by a clear phoenix cry, two fiery red wings unfurled from behind him.

Qin Xuan's only auxiliary soul skill, his third soul skill, Vermilion Bird Possession, had been activated.

At that moment, the Everbright Sword seemed to come alive in Qin Xuan's hand. As several streaks of golden-red sword light flashed past, every spiderweb was instantly torn into pieces.

Seeing this, Douluo Qian Jun, standing before the angel statue, immediately brightened. "Has Xuan'er overcome that weakness?"

As Qin Xuan's teacher, Qian Jun naturally knew Qin Xuan's soul skills inside and out. He knew full well how powerful Qin Xuan's third soul skill was. It could instantly increase the Vermilion Bird flame's power by fifty percent.

It could also allow the Vermilion Bird sealed within his sword Martial Soul to attach itself to his body in the form of a beast Martial Soul, temporarily allowing a beast Martial Soul and a weapon Martial Soul to coexist.

However, while using Vermilion Bird Possession, Qin Xuan would lose his reason and become a beast that knew only slaughter until his Soul Power was exhausted.

It was like harming himself eight hundred to kill a thousand enemies—practically useless.

But things were different now. Ever since refining the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent Inner Core, the Vermilion Bird's seal had been lifted, and its resentment had vanished along with it. Naturally, the side effects no longer existed.

With Vermilion Bird Possession, Qin Xuan's strength, speed, defense, and even his flames had undoubtedly received a comprehensive enhancement.

His movement technique activated beneath his feet, and in almost the blink of an eye, Qin Xuan arrived at Bibi Dong's side.

This time, it was Bibi Dong's turn to be shocked. In terms of speed, she was no weaker than an Agility-attack-type Soul Saint of the same level, yet she had encountered a Soul Emperor whose speed was not much inferior to hers.

"I can't dodge this. Fourth soul skill, Thorned Spider Armor." Bibi Dong was, after all, a true genius. Qin Xuan's speed had not caught her off guard.

Her fourth Soul Ring lit up. Purple-black poisonous spikes over a meter long instantly covered every part of Bibi Dong's body, while the purple carapace on her body became exceptionally thick and heavy.

Buzz!

Clang!

A sharp sword hum and an ear-piercing metallic scrape rang out in succession. Sparks flew everywhere as Qin Xuan's Everbright Sword was blocked by Bibi Dong's Thorned Spider Armor.

However, Qin Xuan's Vermilion Bird flames left Bibi Dong in great discomfort. The black poisonous spikes covering her body shifted direction. While some locked the Everbright Sword in place, four others avoided his vital points and stabbed toward Qin Xuan's shoulders and forearms.

As long as Qin Xuan was struck, even if only grazed, there would be no need to continue this battle.

Once Qin Xuan was poisoned by the Death Spider Emperor Venom, he could no longer possibly be her opponent.

Qin Xuan's expression tightened. His second Soul Ring lit up, and invisible sword qi swiftly attached itself to his entire body before erupting into an immensely powerful repulsive force. The ground beneath their feet instantly cracked and collapsed.

Sand and rocks flew everywhere, rapidly spreading from the two of them and forming a small tornado.

Yet Bibi Dong remained completely unmoved. Only the four black poisonous spikes seemed to encounter an extraordinarily powerful resistance, their speed drastically slowing, though they still inched toward Qin Xuan's forearms and shoulders.

Bibi Dong said seriously, "It's useless, Qin Xuan. Your third soul skill did surprise me, but I know your first five soul skills inside and out. I will not give you the chance to use any other soul skills."

Qin Xuan's second soul skill was called Everbright Sword Song. Everbright Sword Qi would envelop his body and repel every enemy around him. It could also be used defensively to create a protective barrier for ten seconds. It was an exceptionally powerful skill and Qin Xuan's only defensive soul skill.

However, its limitations were not small. Once the sword qi erupted, he could no longer use the protective barrier. Moreover, if his body was restrained, he could not knock away the target restraining him.

In Bibi Dong's eyes, Qin Xuan had already lost the moment he chose to fight her at close range.

As for Qin Xuan abandoning his sword, Bibi Dong had not failed to consider it. But as a weapon Soul Master, once he lost his Martial Soul, he would be even less likely to be her opponent.

"I never said I was going to use another Soul Ring skill." Qin Xuan smiled as his sword stance abruptly changed. His vertical sword became horizontal, and he gripped Everbright in reverse.

The sword qi unleashed by Everbright Sword Song suddenly converged, and Qin Xuan borrowed its force to execute Four Directions Throughstrike.

Crack—

The next moment, a scene that shocked Bibi Dong and everyone present apart from the six Grand Worships appeared. The poisonous spider spikes on Bibi Dong's Thorned Spider Armor had actually been severed by Qin Xuan without him using any Soul Ring skill.

P.S. Second update. Please vote with monthly tickets.

These chapters are only transitional. They will end tomorrow.

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