Did I Say You Could Run?!

Yang Jian had not even finished speaking.

The Dragon-Subduing Nail in his hand had already sunk into Dragon Duke Meng Shu's chest.

There was a reason he had not chosen the neck or another spot where a single strike could kill.

For one, he worried he would not be able to kill him. After all, even without deliberately guarding himself, an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo's instinctively circulating soul power alone would make his defenses difficult to pierce.

For another, the neck was too sensitive a target. If Meng Shu dodged, wouldn't all his effort have been wasted?

Of course.

Most importantly, Yang Jian simply felt there was no need.

He had only intended to suppress a portion of Meng Shu's soul power, not to kill him with this single Dragon-Subduing Nail.

There was no need to invite unnecessary complications.

By comparison, Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang suffered a far worse fate.

Even as Yang Jian spoke, the once-miniature Leifeng Pagoda grew larger and larger.

It enveloped Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang's entire body and slammed down over her.

If someone suddenly looked out from inside, all they would see was a tower several meters tall that had inexplicably appeared there, with no sign whatsoever that someone was imprisoned within.

[Ding! Extreme emotional fluctuations detected in Flender. Reward: current physique increased by 10%.]

[Ding! Extreme emotional fluctuations detected in Zhao Wuji. Reward: one bottle of Berserk Pills.]

[Ding! Intensifying fear detected in Meng Shu. Reward: current soul resilience increased by 15%.]

[Ding! Detected...]

[...]

[Ding! Intensifying negative emotions detected in Yu Xiaogang, with fear, dread, and other such feelings taking root. Reward: current soul power increased by two levels.]

[Ding! Tang San's anger has condensed into threads, his eyes are bloodshot, and his emotions are fluctuating abnormally. Reward: upgraded Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track-Snow-Treading Without a Trace.]

[Snow-Treading Without a Trace: when activated, grants incredible speed and effortless grace of body and mind, making the user's movements difficult to predict.]

Sure enough.

He had made the right decision.

This wave of rewards had not only raised his soul power to level fifty-one, but also brought him other benefits.

As these thoughts passed through Yang Jian's mind, he said, "Old man, Old Zhao, what are you two standing around for? Give me a hand!"

"Oh, oh, oh..."

"Oh, right!"

Only then did Flender and Zhao Wuji snap out of their daze.

They immediately hurled Soul Skills at Dragon Duke Meng Shu as though they cost nothing.

"No!"

"Why has my soul power level been suppressed to that of a Soul Emperor?!"

"What kind of sorcery is this?!!"

Dragon Duke Meng Shu wailed.

Looking as though he had seen a ghost, he instinctively pulled out the Dragon-Subduing Nail.

Blood instantly sprayed into the air.

The rusty tang of blood filled the air around them.

However.

The suppression did not vanish as Dragon Duke Meng Shu had expected.

His face once again drained of color in alarm.

At the same time, Flender and Zhao Wuji each unleashed several more Soul Skills at him.

Forced to use his third, sixth, and Seventh Soul Skills in succession, he still only barely withstood Flender and Zhao Wuji's combined assault.

There was no denying it.

A Soul Douluo truly was no ordinary powerhouse.

Though he could only wield Soul Emperor-level soul power, he still managed to hold on against Flender, a level seventy-eight Soul Saint, and Zhao Wuji, a level seventy-six Soul Saint, relying on his seventh and eighth Soul Rings and his own combat experience.

Of course.

This was also because Flender and Zhao Wuji had both used their Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar, earlier, and had yet to fully recover their strength.

Still.

What astonished Yang Jian even more was the Dragon-Subduing Nail.

He had never expected that his overall strength, based on what had just been level forty-nine soul power, would allow him to use the Dragon-Subduing Nail to such effect.

"Rongrong, boost me."

Seeing that even Flender and Zhao Wuji together could not subdue Dragon Duke Meng Shu quickly, killing intent surfaced in Yang Jian's eyes.

After all, he had no idea how long the Leifeng Pagoda could hold Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang.

The situation was already slipping out of control. If Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang escaped and the two unleashed their combined Soul Skill...

They really could forget about fighting then.

And so.

Yang Jian immediately called out to Ning Rongrong.

"Sure thing, hubby!"

Hearing Yang Jian finally take the initiative to ask for her help, Ning Rongrong's mood instantly soared. "Seven Treasures Turn, Glazed Light Emerges, Seven Treasures Have Names-"

"First: Strength!"

"Second: Speed!!"

Feeling the boost to the soul power within him, Yang Jian suddenly felt he could take on a Soul Emperor alone with his bare hands.

"Hah!"

"Even if your dark arts have dropped my soul power to the Soul Emperor level, having an extra Soul Ring still gives me an advantage you cannot match!"

"And from the looks of it, neither of you can use your Martial Soul Avatar now, can you?!"

"Then die!!"

"Eighth Soul Skill-"

"Ten Thousand Dragons Shattering Mountains Formation!"

The instant his words fell.

Dragon Duke Meng Shu raised his Dragon-Headed Staff high, and the eighth black Soul Ring beneath his feet abruptly flashed.

The dragon head atop the staff roared at the heavens. Countless phantoms of flood dragons, with dragon heads and serpentine bodies, burst forth, blanketing almost everything within a hundred meters of Dragon Duke Meng Shu.

The flood dragon phantoms spraying from the Dragon-Headed Staff were half illusory, half solid. Even with their power greatly diminished...

They still battered Flender and Zhao Wuji until the two could do nothing but defend, leaving them utterly bedraggled.

However.

Dragon Duke Meng Shu was hardly any better off than either of them.

Already terribly weakened after being impaled by Yang Jian's Dragon-Subduing Nail, he had now unleashed his Eighth Soul Skill while his Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar, was active.

His internal and external injuries worsened visibly.

"Hahahahaha..."

"A pack of ants!"

"So what if you used dirty tricks to suppress my soul power?!"

"I've still beaten you until you can't even lift your heads!"

"Hahahaha..."

"I'll remember today's humiliation!"

"This time, I, Dragon Duke Meng Shu, admit defeat. The next time we meet, I'll take your wretched lives!!!"

With that, Dragon Duke Meng Shu...

Completely disregarded Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang, who was still imprisoned beneath the Leifeng Pagoda, and paid even less attention to Meng Yiran, who stood watching in the distance.

He simply took off alone in another direction.

"Trying to run already?"

"Did I say you could run?!"

"Xiaotian!"

"Woof-!!!!"

Hearing Yang Jian's call, Xiaotian immediately jumped onto his shoulder.

"Second Soul Skill-"

"Holy Light Baptism!"

As the words fell.

Xiaotian pushed off hard with all four legs, leaping from Yang Jian's shoulder.

Those four short little legs spread out in midair, and the golden canine body, only slightly larger than a palm, hovered there.

The next moment.

Xiaotian suddenly opened its mouth. A wave of energy far larger than five or six Xiaotians abruptly formed, then chased after Dragon Duke Meng Shu like an enormous Holy Light Cannonball!