The Fifth Soul Skill

Sunset Forest.

"Sect Master, that Tiger-Head Leopard over there looks to be around thirty thousand years old. It would suit you well," Hua Xiong said, pointing to a Soul Beast resting in the distance.

"Sect Master, are you sure you want to fight it yourself? If you get hurt, they'll skin me alive."

"Why don't you let me handle it?"

Hua Xiong was genuinely afraid Yang Xiu would get hurt. There were plenty of people in the Sect he couldn't beat. He knew something of Yang Xiu's strength, but he also understood what Yang Xiu meant to the Flame Emperor Sect.

"No need. If I really can't beat it, you can step in. Even if I get hurt, don't intervene right away."

"Every time I ask you to spar with me, you're all afraid of hurting me. How am I supposed to grow stronger like that? I finally have a chance here."

"But..."

"No more arguing. I'll be fine."

Hua Xiong simply couldn't win an argument with Yang Xiu.

"Fine. Just be careful."

Yang Xiu said nothing more. He summoned his Martial Soul and External Soul Bone.

He flew straight toward the Tiger-Head Leopard. As he drew close, he used his fourth Soul Skill: Shadow Clone Technique. The Tiger-Head Leopard sensed him and opened its eyes to find three identical winged humans poised to attack.

It was puzzled by their wings and identical faces, but anger soon took over. It prepared to kill all three. Before it could react, though, Yang Xiu struck.

Yang Xiu used his second Soul Skill, Claw of Fate. Three figures attacked at once, aiming for its back, rear, and neck.

The leopard sensed a mortal threat. Acting almost on instinct, it blocked the strike at its neck with one forepaw and swiped at that figure with the other. The figure dissolved like a bubble.

In the blink of an eye, a bloodcurdling howl rang through the forest and lingered on.

Yang Xiu's ambush had succeeded. The Tiger-Head Leopard's forepaws were nearly severed, and a long wound ran down its back. But it was the injury from the figure behind it that made it howl so miserably.

That figure was Yang Xiu himself. The critical-hit chances from his second Soul Skill and the guaranteed critical hit from his fourth had triggered together. Yang Xiu had prepared his strike, but when the leopard instinctively dodged, his claws tore away its anus and testicles instead. The blow left it gravely wounded.

Its eyes burned with fury. It stared bleakly at what Yang Xiu held, roaring in rage. Ordinarily, it should have fled. Even if it could never live as a beast again—no, it was still a beast without those. But the look it gave Yang Xiu promised a fight to the death. It ignored its wounds and failed to notice that its prized roar skill had done nothing to the human before it. Hatred had drowned out all reason.

Yang Xiu stood dazed for a while, then looked at what he was holding. Embarrassment washed over him. He hadn't expected the Tiger-Head Leopard to dodge on instinct. Then another thought crossed his mind.

I wonder if this stuff is nourishing. Tiger parts are, after all, and it does have a tiger's head.

He finally remembered that this was no time for such thoughts. Seeing the murderous look in the leopard's eyes, he awkwardly tossed the things away and said,

"Brother, I didn't mean to do that. I didn't know you'd dodge."

"How about we keep fighting, and I won't take your balls this time? What do you say?"

Was that something a person should say? What balls did it have left?

Soul Beasts over ten thousand years old had a measure of intelligence, and the leopard could roughly understand him. It let out a heaven-shaking roar, launching its skill again. Perhaps Yang Xiu was simply too far away for it to work. It desperately wanted to kill him, but another human stood nearby, eyeing it like a tiger watching its prey. Outnumbered, it feared being caught off guard again.

It sat down with its rear on the ground, only to leap up yowling from the pain. Yang Xiu burst out laughing at the sight. This time, he didn't hesitate. He and his remaining clone attacked.

Against the leopard's desperate assault, the other clone lasted less than a minute, even while keeping its distance. But after another two or three minutes, the leopard had lost so much blood that its head began to spin and strength drained from its body.

It finally sensed something was wrong. Its rage cooled, and it tried to flee despite its hatred for Yang Xiu. But Yang Xiu saw what it intended. With the speed granted by his Wind-Thunder Wings, how could he let it escape?

He followed like a shadow, striking whenever he found an opening. Soon, the Tiger-Head Leopard collapsed. Even as it died, there was a hint of relief in its eyes. It left behind its Soul Ring.

"Brother, don't hate me. Rest in peace."

Had the Tiger-Head Leopard still been alive to hear that, it would have fought him to the death all over again. Yang Xiu had killed it so easily not because it was weak, but because his ambush had worked. In a world where the strong preyed on the weak, who could say an ambush was wrong?

Yang Xiu sat cross-legged and began absorbing the Soul Ring.

Hua Xiong had watched from the sidelines, and now his own crotch felt strangely cold. He hadn't expected the Sect Master to be so ruthless. Once Yang Xiu began absorbing the Soul Ring, Hua Xiong went to his side and stood guard.

Yang Xiu's powerful soul crushed the Tiger-Head Leopard's lingering will. An hour later, he opened his eyes, which gleamed brightly, and stood up.

"I gained two levels? And it was actually thirty-two thousand years old."

Yang Xiu began searching the corpse. He had wanted a Soul Bone for ages, though he hadn't held out much hope. He had always thought his luck at getting one from a Soul Beast was poor.

"Hm? There is one. A Right Leg Bone!"

"Haha! Guess my luck isn't that bad."

It never occurred to him how few Soul Beasts he had killed.

"The original work said a Soul Ring and Soul Bone from the same Soul Beast were the best match. I should absorb this one."

Yang Xiu immediately began fusing with the Right Leg Bone. Time passed quickly. When he opened his eyes again, the fusion was complete.

System, open my status panel.

Yang Xiu: Yang Xiu (16 years old)

Soul Power Level: 52

Martial Souls: Divine Shadow Leopard (purple, black, purple, black, black); Dragon Soul Spear

Defense: Level 65

Spirit: Level 70

Cultivation technique: Nine Yin Manual (minor mastery)

Martial techniques: Snake-Coiling Seven-Feints Spear Technique, Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix (taught by Zhao Yun)

First Soul Skill (1,085 years): Berserk. Increases all attributes by 100% for one minute.

Second Soul Skill (11,200 years): Claw of Fate. Transforms both hands into leopard claws, increasing attack speed and attack power by 100%. Hits have a 30% chance to deal critical damage. Duration depends on Soul Power.

Third Soul Skill (1,800 years): Pursuit of Fate. Increases speed by 150% and guarantees one dodge against a small-area attack (Spirit Level 70 × 10%). If the opponent's Soul Power Level exceeds the user's Spirit Level, whether the attack can be dodged depends on the user's strength.

Fourth Soul Skill (11,000 years): Shadow Clone Technique. Summons two clones while increasing speed by 150% and attack power by 200%. Duration depends on Soul Power. Clones vanish when struck. The clones and original can switch places within fifty meters; beyond that range, the clones vanish automatically. After the switch, the first attack by a clone and the original is guaranteed to be a critical hit. This also applies to Soul Skill attacks (critical damage: n × 250%).

Fifth Soul Skill (32,000 years): Fierce Leopard's Roar. Releases a roar that attacks targets in a fan-shaped area ahead, dealing damage and causing dizziness. The closer a target is, the greater the damage and the longer the dizziness lasts. The final effect depends on Spirit Level; the skill's level is equal to Spirit Level.

External Soul Bone: Wind-Thunder Wings. Skill: Nine Heavens Thunderclap.

Right Leg Bone: Skill: Divine Movement. Extreme speed creates the illusion of teleportation. Speed × 5 for three minutes.

Yang Xiu looked over his Soul Ring and Soul Bone skills.

"Did the Tiger-Head Leopard roar earlier? I think it did. Why didn't I feel anything? Spirit power? I get it. Its intelligence was too low."

How is that my fault? Why do you have to keep taking digs at me? You're still insulting me after I'm dead, the Tiger-Head Leopard would have protested.

"As for this Soul Bone skill, it must have been too badly hurt to use it. Otherwise, even flying, I couldn't have caught it."

After a few remarks, Yang Xiu prepared to head back.

"Hua Xiong, you didn't see what happened in today's fight, right?"

"Sect Master, what was that? You want to buy me wine? You shouldn't! Nothing extravagant—ten jars will do."

"Five."

"Deal."

"Um..."

Yang Xiu rolled his eyes at Hua Xiong.

As time passed, the summoned generals had gradually become part of the family. They could even joke around now.

It wouldn't really matter if the story got out. Yang Xiu just found it a little embarrassing.

"Come on. I'll buy you that wine when we get back."

"Of course. Thank you in advance, Sect Master."

And so, their two figures slowly disappeared into the Sunset Forest.