Battling Zhao Wuji (Part Two)

"This Teacher Zhao isn't all that impressive," Xiao Wu said, clapping her hands.

With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's amplification, Tang Xuan and the others had expended little Soul Power during their barrage of attacks.

Although they seemed to have the upper hand, neither Tang Xuan nor Tang San let down his guard. They kept their eyes fixed on Zhao Wuji.

Zhao Wuji walked out of the dust and brushed himself off. Apart from looking somewhat disheveled, he had suffered no damage. The moment Tang Xuan and the others saw him, they immediately assumed their fighting stances again.

"Ptooey, ptooey! An eighty-year-old mother gets bested by her own child... damn!" Before Zhao Wuji could finish lamenting, Xiao Wu's flying kick came straight at his face. This time, however, he was prepared and blocked her attack.

"Second Soul Skill: Charm!" Xiao Wu activated her second Soul Skill. Charm could make an opponent hallucinate, clouding their mind.

Seeing Xiao Wu use Charm on Zhao Wuji, Tang Xuan hurriedly shouted, "Xiao Wu, stop! It's dangerous!" Zhao Wuji's level was far higher than hers. Not only would Charm fail to affect him, but Xiao Wu would also suffer the skill's backlash.

"Third Soul Skill: Spider Web Restraint!"

"First Soul Skill: Entanglement!" Tang San first restrained Zhao Wuji, then tried to pull Xiao Wu back with his Blue Silver Grass. But he was already too late. Xiao Wu suffered the skill's backlash and was blasted away by Zhao Wuji's Soul Power. Tang San swiftly leaped up and caught her. Zhu Zhuqing tried to sneak up on Zhao Wuji, only to be sent flying by a palm strike as well. Tang San's Soul Skills did little against Zhao Wuji's overwhelming Soul Power. By then, Ning Rongrong could no longer sustain the simultaneous amplification of several people. Having exhausted too much Soul Power, she slumped to the ground.

"Kid, admit defeat." Zhao Wuji was clearly speaking to Tang Xuan. Three of their five members were already out of action, while the incense stick had not even burned halfway down.

Tang Xuan glanced at the others and said, "Teacher Zhao, let me face your test alone now. You can light another stick of incense. If I lose before it burns out, we'll leave willingly."

Zhao Wuji stared at Tang Xuan incredulously, wondering whether he had misheard. "Kid, are you sure? All five of you failed to pass just now. Now you want to face me alone? Do you think you can win?"

"Where there's a will, there's a way. How can I know it won't work without trying?" Tang Xuan said calmly. He had held back earlier precisely because he wanted to spar with Zhao Wuji alone and see just how far his strength could take him.

"Brother, let me fight with you," Tang San said. Zhao Wuji was powerful, and he feared Tang Xuan would suffer if he faced him alone.

"San, just take care of Xiao Wu. Your big brother will be fine. In a moment, I'll show you how to beat up a bear," Tang Xuan said confidently.

"All right. Be careful, Brother." Since Tang Xuan had said so, Tang San chose to trust him unconditionally.

By then, Zhao Wuji had planted a freshly lit incense stick in the ground. "Kid, let's begin," he said.

"Level thirty-nine Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. Teacher Zhao, please instruct me." Three Soul Rings-two purple and one black-appeared around Tang Xuan once more. Even though Zhao Wuji had already seen them, he was still astounded. This kid's talent ranks among the very best on the entire continent. Even if he fails the test, I have to find a way to keep all of them here, Zhao Wuji thought.

"Level seventy-eight Great Strength Vajra Bear, Power Attack System Battle Soul Saint." Seven Soul Rings appeared around Zhao Wuji in succession: two yellow, two purple, and three black. This was universally recognized as the ideal Soul Ring configuration on the continent. By announcing his level and releasing his Soul Rings, Zhao Wuji fully demonstrated how seriously he took Tang Xuan as an opponent.

"Teacher Zhao, watch out!" Tang Xuan threw a punch at Zhao Wuji. Refusing to be outdone, Zhao Wuji met him head-on with a punch of his own. Their first exchange was a contest of pure strength, but the result shocked everyone, especially Dai Mubai. He could scarcely believe his eyes. Level thirty-nine against level seventy-eight-a gap of thirty-nine levels. Yet when their fists clashed, it was the level seventy-eight Zhao Wuji who came off worse! Zhao Wuji stumbled back several steps before regaining his balance, while Tang Xuan stood rooted to the spot. Heavens! Could someone tell him what had happened to this world? Since when could a Soul Elder stand against a Soul Saint? A moment ago, he had been inwardly mocking Tang Xuan for recklessly meeting Zhao Wuji head-on. The very next second, reality had slapped him hard across the face.

Tang Xuan and Zhao Wuji clashed repeatedly, every punch striking flesh. In every exchange, Tang Xuan held a slight advantage.

"Kid, you've got incredible strength!" After several exchanges, Zhao Wuji's arms were already aching and numb. He found it strange. Isn't this kid a tool Soul Master? How is he stronger than a beast Soul Master like me?

"Kid, watch yourself!"

"Second Soul Skill: Great Strength Vajra Palm!" Zhao Wuji began using his Soul Skills. His enormous golden palm slammed toward Tang Xuan. But instead of answering with a Soul Skill of his own, Tang Xuan simply met it with a punch. They remained evenly matched, the collision of their tremendous power making the ground tremble.

His raw strength alone could already match Zhao Wuji's. Now it was time to see what he could achieve with his Soul Skills. With a thought, the Godslayer Sword appeared in Tang Xuan's hand.

"First Soul Skill: Sword Slash!" His sword slashed toward Zhao Wuji at lightning speed.

Seeing that this was only Tang Xuan's first Soul Skill, Zhao Wuji gave it little thought and did not use a Soul Skill to defend himself. He simply blocked with his arms. The slash left a shallow wound across them. Fortunately, Zhao Wuji had thick skin and tough flesh. Anyone else would have had their hands severed.

Tang Xuan pressed his advantage, unleashing three consecutive slashes straight at Zhao Wuji's face.

"First Soul Skill: Immovable Bright King Body!" Having learned his lesson, Zhao Wuji no longer dared to be careless. He hurriedly activated his defensive Soul Skill. Tang Xuan's three attacks struck the protective barrier surrounding him, forcing him back several steps without breaking through his defenses.

"Kid, let's see how you break through my defenses!" Zhao Wuji remained confident in his defenses. His title of Immovable Wisdom King was no empty boast.

As if having thick skin is something to brag about.

"Second Soul Skill: Sword Burst!" Let's see whether your hide is tougher than my sword is sharp. The sword force struck Zhao Wuji's protective barrier and exploded, shattering his defenses and forcing him back several steps.

"Great Strength Vajra Palm!" With his defenses broken, Zhao Wuji took the initiative to attack Tang Xuan, hoping to turn the tables. Tang Xuan would not give him that chance. He released his Dragon Wings and swept them outward, rising off the ground. Zhao Wuji's attack missed.

Zhao Wuji watched Tang Xuan soar into the sky. Heavens! This kid can even fly! Tang Xuan kept giving him one shock after another.

Tang Xuan left the ground and abandoned his head-on clashes with Zhao Wuji. They consumed too much Soul Power. Although his reserves were substantial, he still needed to manage their expenditure properly. Speed was Zhao Wuji's weakness, so he would wear him down from the air for a while first.

Turning the Godslayer Sword's edge, Tang Xuan unleashed the first form of the Godslayer Sword Art: Sword Energy Sweeping Far and Wide. A streak of sword light shot forth, splitting into countless streams of fierce sword energy that all hurtled toward Zhao Wuji. This sword form was no less powerful than Tang Xuan's three Soul Skills. It would give Zhao Wuji plenty to swallow.

Faced with the countless streams of incoming sword energy, Zhao Wuji could barely keep up. Every so often, Tang Xuan added a few more slashes to pile on the damage. As long as Tang Xuan's Soul Power held out, this sword energy would never cease.

This brat is pushing me too far! He's using his advantage in the air and his superior speed to keep sneaking in attacks. And this troublesome sword energy... this kid is strange beyond belief!

"Sixth Soul Skill: Great Strength Vajra Roar!" In desperation, Zhao Wuji directly activated his sixth Soul Skill. A black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring emerged around him.

"Everyone, cover your ears!" Seeing Zhao Wuji use his sixth Soul Skill, Dai Mubai hurriedly warned the others.

Powerful sound waves spread outward from Zhao Wuji. Although the attack was primarily directed at Tang Xuan, it also placed enormous pressure on Tang San and the others nearby. The sound waves shattered Tang Xuan's sword energy. He landed on the ground and sealed off his five senses with Soul Power, circulating the Nine-Turn God-Slaying Art to withstand Zhao Wuji's sixth Soul Skill.

"Third Soul Skill: Gravity Enhancement!"

"Fourth Soul Skill: Position Tracking!"

"Fifth Soul Skill: Gravity Compression!" Now truly fired up, Zhao Wuji used three Soul Skills in succession.

Damn! The pressure's increasing. My body's heavier, and my movements are slowing down!

"Fourfold gravity!" Seeing that Tang Xuan had not fallen, Zhao Wuji increased the gravity further. "Impressive, kid! You can still remain standing under fourfold gravity. Such astonishing talent and potential!" Zhao Wuji marveled again.

But for the sake of my dignity, and my future authority as his teacher, I still have to teach this kid a lesson. He needs to learn to respect his teachers and elders.

"Second Soul Skill: Great Strength Vajra Palm!"

Sluggish and stuck in place, Tang Xuan watched Zhao Wuji's attack draw nearer. This old rascal Zhao Wuji is getting serious! I can't just sit here and wait to die!

Zhao Wuji's palm drew close, yet Tang Xuan still did not move. The spectators' hearts rose into their throats.

"Third Soul Skill: Sword Domain!" At this critical moment, Tang Xuan finally unleashed his third Soul Skill. This was the third Soul Skill granted to him by that twenty-thousand-year-old Great Strength Vajra Monkey. It was a domain-like skill. Any opponent caught within it would have all their attributes reduced by fifty percent, while all of Tang Xuan's own attributes would increase by fifty percent! Naturally, its effects weakened against Soul Masters whose levels were far above his. All of Zhao Wuji's attributes had fallen by thirty percent. The gravity suppressing Tang Xuan diminished by more than half, and Zhao Wuji's attack slowed considerably as well. But his iron palm was already only a foot or so from Tang Xuan's chest. Unable to dodge, Tang Xuan held the Godslayer Sword horizontally before his chest and took Zhao Wuji's palm strike head-on. Although Zhao Wuji's strength had been greatly reduced, Tang Xuan was still knocked back several meters.

"Strange. Why does my strength seem so much weaker? Even my Soul Power seems to have drained away considerably." Seeing that his punch had only forced Tang Xuan back, Zhao Wuji voiced his confusion. He looked up at Tang Xuan. Could this kid be behind it again?