Xu Yan by Day

"Is that so?"

Xu Yan's expression tightened. With a flick of his palm, the crimson Blazing Sun Pistol appeared in an instant.

Its muzzle locked onto the scarred man.

"If you're so confident, why not make a bet?"

The moment he caught sight of that Level 6 soul-tool pistol, the scarred man's heart clenched.

A trace of wariness rose instinctively within him.

But in the next instant, every hint of fear vanished from his eyes, leaving only a confident sneer on his face.

"So what if we bet? I bet there are no bullets in your gun!"

???

Xu Yan paused slightly. Those words sounded strangely familiar.

"Boys, attack! Leave no one alive!"

The scarred man barked the order.

Several Soul Rings rose simultaneously from beneath the five men's feet.

The four Soul Elders completed their Martial Soul Possession in an instant.

Wreathed in chilling killing intent, they charged at the four of them.

A deliberately feigned hint of helplessness flickered through Xu Yan's eyes.

He raised his hand and put the Blazing Sun Pistol back into his soul-tool storage ring.

"Xu Yan! Why did you put your gun away?"

Xu He's expression changed sharply, panic seizing him at once.

One Soul Ancestor and four Soul Elders stood against them. Their own strength alone could never hold them off!

"There are only three bullets left in the gun. I can't waste them carelessly."

Xu Yan explained calmly, "Who knows whether they have more ambushers waiting in the shadows?"

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, a glimmer of excitement shining in his eyes.

"Besides, it's daytime now."

"So he really is out of bullets!"

At the sight, the scarred man was wild with delight, secretly congratulating himself on his judgment.

Without that Level 6 fixed-shell Soul Cannon, Xu Yan was nothing more than a tiger stripped of its fangs—nothing to fear.

"Let's see how you keep acting so arrogant!"

The scarred man stamped hard against the ground and shot forward.

An earthshaking bovine roar thundered across the battlefield.

His Mad Bull Martial Soul fully possessed him!

"First Soul Skill: Berserk!"

His body abruptly swelled, his eyes turning blood-red.

Blood energy churned violently around him as his combat strength and speed surged together.

He instantly left his subordinates behind and charged straight at Xu Yan.

"Hold him off head-on. Leave the others to me."

Ji Juechen drew his sword. Emerald sword light flowed along it, his expression steady and calm.

Opponents at his own cultivation level posed no pressure to him.

Xu Yan nodded slightly, utterly confident in Ji Juechen's strength.

In the original novel, Ji Juechen had been constrained by his background. His innate Soul Power had been low, at only Level 3.

His Martial Soul's shortcomings had been even more pronounced, making his path of cultivation fraught with hardship.

He could only painstakingly hone himself with a sword of Extraterrestrial Meteoric Iron, relying on sword intent alone to grow stronger against the odds.

Even after he gained insight into the way of the sword and broke through his limits later on, the flaws in his body and Martial Soul remained.

Wang Qiu'er had utterly crushed him in battle, smashing his sword of Extraterrestrial Meteoric Iron in two with a single punch.

In the end, he could only rely on the Sword of Judgment, a Level 8 Soul Tool, to fight.

He had none of the presence a top swordsman ought to possess.

But after Xu Yan awakened his Martial Soul at six and learned that he was a transmigrator,

he had sent people to find Ji Juechen.

As for this sword fanatic, pure of heart and single-minded in his pursuit of the way,

Xu Yan had always liked him when reading the novel.

He was well worth befriending!

Afterward, Xu Yan had used the imperial family's resources to purchase Soul Ascension Pills, Mystic Water Pills, whale rubber, and more.

They had raised Ji Juechen's innate Soul Power considerably.

But the moment Ji Juechen truly underwent a complete transformation

had come two months earlier, after Xu Yan obtained the Spirit-Devouring Blade from the black market.

In truth!

What no one knew was that the Extreme Yang Power Xu Yan had awakened at six

possessed not only ultimate fire, but ultimate light and the sacred attribute as well.

The twin energies of yin and yang encompassed every elemental force in the world.

Xu Yan's Extreme Yang Power could manifest various natural elements containing yang attributes.

He had simply unlocked only three attributes so far.

To avoid drawing the Holy Spirit Cult's attention, however, Xu Yan had never once used his sacred power in public.

Earlier, after purifying the evil energy on the Spirit-Devouring Blade,

Xu Yan had cut off a small piece of gold of life and given it to Yan Feng, Xu He, and Ji Juechen.

With the immense life force within the gold of life, not only had Ji Juechen's Martial Soul been elevated,

but the Extraterrestrial Meteoric Iron in his hand had also completely fused with his Martial Soul, giving birth to the rare Life Sword Intent.

His strength had increased severalfold.

Handling a few Soul Elders of his own level was more than within his abilities.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Xu Yan instructed them:

"Xu He, provide ranged support. Yan Feng, handle protection."

"Understood!"

Both answered at once, their expressions solemn.

Xu He swung his arm, bringing a Level 2 Soul Cannon into position in an instant, ready to provide support at any moment.

Watching the scarred man charge toward him, Xu Yan lit a cigar.

He grinned, the fighting spirit in his eyes blazing to life.

"Flame Emperor!"

The next instant!

Scorching flames gushed from his body, enveloping him in an instant.

He assumed his true Flame Emperor form.

Two purple Soul Rings slowly rose beneath his feet.

The instant his Martial Soul possessed him,

the yang energy between heaven and earth seemed to greet its returning king, surging madly into his body.

The crimson-gold flames burning around Xu Yan abruptly grew denser.

His body swelled along with them.

He grew slightly taller, the contours of his muscles becoming tighter and more powerful.

"The newly risen sun still isn't enough. It only doubled my combat strength."

Xu Yan rolled his shoulders, somewhat dissatisfied.

This guy seems much stronger than before?

Seeing Xu Yan's transformation, the scarred man's expression shifted slightly, an inexplicable heaviness settling in his heart.

He had not seen Xu Yan use a Soul Skill, yet his aura had surged severalfold out of nowhere.

Could he have taken some kind of enhancement potion beforehand?

The scarred man's gaze sharpened. "Hmph! A boost from some crooked trick means nothing against the absolute suppression of a higher cultivation level!"

He crossed the hundred-meter distance in a flash.

"Die, brat!"

"Third Soul Skill: Mad Bull Mountain-Crushing!"

His terrifying fist suddenly blasted forward.

The wind of his punch howled and roared.

Its violent force was already sending loose stones flying from the ground.

With an overwhelming might that could cleave mountains and shatter stone, it hurtled straight at Xu Yan's skull.

It seemed poised to explode Xu Yan's head with a single blow.

And yet—

Faced with this fatal punch, Xu Yan neither dodged nor retreated.

Instead, a savage, frenzied grin spread across his face.

He planted his feet firmly and drew his body back, the muscles of his right arm suddenly tightening as he clenched his fist.

He grinned. "Have you... ever seen the sun?"

"What?" The scarred man froze, bewildered.

Just then, the two Thousand-Year Soul Rings beneath Xu Yan's feet flashed one after another.

In an instant, he compressed and gathered every last bit of the raging flames around him.

Layer upon layer converged over his fist.

They actually condensed into a dark-red, fiercely burning miniature "sun."

What a terrifying temperature! What Soul Skill is this?!

The scarred man's pupils contracted sharply.

Staring at Xu Yan's magma-like right fist, he suddenly felt a powerful surge of unease.

"Second Soul Skill: Flame Fist: Heaven-Burning Cannon!"

With doubled combat strength and the additional fifteen-percent strength boost from Xu He's cigar, his fist

blasted forward with ferocious force.

The power of that punch was enough to pulverize a boulder.

BOOM!!!

A deep, thunderous crash suddenly erupted.

It was as though a high-level soul-tool bomb had detonated between them.

Their Twin Fists collided squarely!

A blazing-white wave of savage force spread madly in every direction from the point of impact.

Every weed and loose stone within ten meters was hurled into the air and crushed!

The assassins who had been following close behind, along with Ji Juechen and the others,

all had their advance interrupted by this sudden eruption of violent energy.

Raging Soul Power and scorching flames tangled and collided.

After only a brief instant,

the vicious grin on the scarred man's face froze.

He felt as though he had punched the mouth of an erupting volcano.

The immense strength granted by his Mad Bull Martial Soul collapsed in an instant.

At the same time, a scorching, explosive energy surged madly back through the meridians of his arm!

"Aaargh—!"

A piercing scream of agony instantly rang across the battlefield.

The scarred man hurtled backward, the sleeve over his entire right arm charring and crumbling in an instant.

A spiderweb of crimson, seared cracks burst across his skin.

Wisps of smoke kept rising from his pores.

His right arm had nearly been crippled.

Xu Yan fared little better, his entire body flying backward as well.

He slammed heavily into the wall of a house.

He spat out a large mouthful of blood.

The wall collapsed with a crash, raising a skyful of dust.

[PS: My new book is still getting started, so I'm begging all you handsome, wealthy big shots for some support.

Spare me a few recommendation votes and monthly votes so I can get a taste.

If that's too much, simply keeping up with the book is fine too. I bow in thanks!]