Oscar's Soul Skill

The others also noticed the change in Oscar and did not dwell on what had just happened. After all, Oscar was still absorbing his soul ring, and that was the most important thing right now.

Tang San took Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun around the area, scattering lime powder and powdered soul beast dung to mask the smell of blood and keep other soul beasts away. Only after more than half a day did Oscar successfully finish absorbing his soul ring. A deep purple third soul ring appeared outside his two yellow soul rings, their yellow and purple lights reflecting off one another. Two yellow rings and one purple ring pulsed in an orderly rhythm around Oscar, marking the completion of his advancement into a Soul Elder.

Once Oscar finished absorbing the ring, he sprang up from the ground and lunged toward Tang Xuan for a bear hug, only for Tang Xuan to hold him at arm's length. If you have something to say, say it. Stop trying to hug me at every turn.

Ma Hongjun jumped out. "You sleazebag, Oscar! Why did absorbing a soul ring make you so desperate? You rushed straight at Brother Xuan for a hug. Is your new soul skill called Pounce? Haha!" Ma Hongjun burst out laughing.

"You damned fatty, what do you know? My soul power reached the peak of level thirty-two as soon as I finished absorbing the ring! I'll reach level thirty-three before long, and it's all thanks to Xiao Xuan!" Oscar gazed at Tang Xuan with eyes full of admiration, sending chills crawling over him.

"Level thirty-two!"

"Brother Xuan, I want to absorb a soul ring beyond my age limit too! You can't favor one of us over the other! Brother Xuan, you know I'm your most devoted fanboy!" Upon hearing Oscar's words, Ma Hongjun hugged Tang Xuan's leg at lightning speed. One gazed at him affectionately while the other clung shamelessly to his leg. The ridiculous scene left everyone else helpless. Seeing Tang Xuan's expression grow darker and darker, they struggled to hold back their laughter.

"When do you think Xiao Xuan will draw his sword?"

"Any second now!" They were particularly eager to see Ma Hongjun and Oscar get beaten up.

Their amusement pushed Tang Xuan beyond the limits of his patience. The aura around him surged, sending Oscar and Ma Hongjun flying.

Everyone settled down at once. Tang Xuan took a deep breath and composed himself.

"Oscar, get your ass over here and tell us about your third soul skill. Stop playing dead." At Tang Xuan's words, Oscar hurried over.

He answered obediently, "My third soul skill is called Spicy Flying Big Sausage. It lets a soul master fly at the speed of a Red-Feather Snake for three minutes. But if I use it myself, I can keep flying as long as I have enough soul power."

"Your third soul skill can already help soul masters fly?" Ning Rongrong's heart jolted. As a fellow support-type soul master, she knew how difficult that was. Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had never produced a skill that could let a soul master fly, and this was only his third soul skill! She was truly beginning to believe that Oscar might one day affect the standing of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"Only three minutes? That's a little short."

"A Red-Feather Snake can reach a top speed of a thousand meters per minute. Even many agility-type soul masters struggle to match that. Xiao Ao's third soul skill lets someone fly at that speed for three minutes, which is already incredibly fast," Tang San explained.

"How many can you make in one go now? And how long can the sausages be stored after you make them?" Tang Xuan asked in quick succession.

Oscar thought for a moment before answering, "I can make about ten in one go right now, and they'll keep for around three days."

"Letting a soul master fly for three minutes is already an incredible soul skill, Xiao Ao," Dai Mubai said enviously. If he had not already obtained his third soul ring, he would have wanted to absorb a ring beyond his limit too. The benefits were far too tempting.

Ning Rongrong watched Oscar, her thoughts unreadable.

They had lingered a little too long, and the smell of blood had already attracted some soul beasts. Several flying soul beasts circled overhead.

Tang Xuan looked up. "Fatty, your soul ring has delivered itself to our doorstep too."

"Where? Brother Xuan, where is it?" Ma Hongjun looked all around but saw nothing. Tang Xuan kicked him. "Look up at the sky!"

"See that fiery-red eagle?" Everyone followed the direction of his finger. Sure enough, among the soul beasts overhead was an eagle-like soul beast wreathed in flames.

"That's a Lie Yan Eagle, with over three thousand years of cultivation. In a moment, I'll drive away the soul beasts around her. Mubai, Xiao San, Fatty, and Zhuqing, each of you eat one sausage from Oscar's third soul skill. Once I scatter the others, block the Lie Yan Eagle's escape from four directions. I'll handle subduing her."

"Spicy Flying Big Sausage!" Oscar quickly made four sausages and handed them to the four of them. After they ate the sausages, a pair of illusory crimson wings grew from each of their backs, looking almost unreal.

Tang Xuan spread his Dragon Wings and shot upward. He slashed once with the Godslayer Sword, and a streak of sword light split into several streams of sword energy, each hurtling toward one of the soul beasts above. Only a few reacted swiftly enough to dodge the sudden attack. One or two lost their balance after being struck and plummeted downward. The remaining soul beasts began scattering. The four on the ground had long been ready, and they seized their chance to leap into the air, blocking the Lie Yan Eagle's escape from four directions. The scattered soul beasts fled upon sensing Tang Xuan's presence. Instinct told them this human was dangerous.

Tang Xuan's sword energy had not struck the Lie Yan Eagle. She warily watched the humans blocking her path, especially the one who had just attacked her. He was a dangerous opponent. She studied them carefully, hoping to find an opening through which she could escape.

"Still thinking of running?" Tang Xuan smiled contemptuously, taking in every subtle movement she made. With his current strength, even a ten-thousand-year soul beast posed no problem, much less this mere thousand-year soul beast.

"Slash!" Tang Xuan angled his blade and slashed at the Lie Yan Eagle. A strand of sword aura split into a second and then a third in an instant. All three slashed out together, as though he had unleashed his first soul skill three times in succession. The Lie Yan Eagle dodged the first attack but was struck by the second and third.

This despicable human! Furious, she beat her wings and sent countless fireballs shooting toward Tang Xuan. Unfazed, he swept out several wisps of sword energy and shattered every fireball. Scattered sparks drifted down like a fiery meteor shower. The Lie Yan Eagle seemed unable to believe that the human before her had so easily broken her attack. She beat both wings and attacked again. This time, she launched several times as many fireballs, each packed with even greater energy. They hurtled toward Tang Xuan like a meteor shower. The Lie Yan Eagle followed close behind, charging at him like a rocket.

"Second soul skill, Sword Dragon Break!" Tang Xuan's purple second soul ring lit up. He swung his sword, unleashing a torrent of violent energy from the Godslayer Sword to meet the incoming fireballs. Boom! A deafening explosion rang out, and the two forces canceled each other out. The Lie Yan Eagle swooped in behind them, raising her sharp talons to rake Tang Xuan. He swung his sword to block. Talons struck the blade with the clang of metal, even throwing off tiny sparks. Tang Xuan pulled his sword free of her claws and put some distance between them.

"Third soul skill, Sword Prison!" To finish her off as quickly as possible, Tang Xuan activated his third soul skill directly. His black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring shone around him. To outside observers, nothing had happened; Tang Xuan and the Lie Yan Eagle merely remained motionless in a standoff. But in the Lie Yan Eagle's perception, she had fallen into a strange realm where only she and that human existed. Strange chains bound her in place.

"Huh? Why isn't that soul beast moving?" Everyone was puzzled by the sight.

Zhao Wuji hurried forward and placed a hand on Ma Hongjun's shoulder. "Hongjun, relax. Your soul ring is as good as yours." Having personally experienced Tang Xuan's third soul skill, Zhao Wuji knew how terrifying it was. With all attributes forcibly reduced by fifty percent, how could anyone fight someone as powerful as Tang Xuan? Even a high-level Soul Saint like him had suffered at its hands, let alone a mere thousand-year soul beast.

At that moment, Tang Xuan moved. "Sword Dragon Break!" He swung his sword and unleashed his second soul skill. The Lie Yan Eagle's pupils widened instantly, and she struggled even harder against the chains binding her. Those chains were formed from Tang Xuan's spiritual power, a further development of his third soul skill. His spiritual power rivaled that of a Soul Saint, so the chains he manifested were certainly not something a three-thousand-year-old Lie Yan Eagle could break free of. Only death awaited her. The ferocious attack struck her body and exploded with a bang! The spiritual chains binding her withdrew, and the gravely wounded Lie Yan Eagle fell from the sky. The Godslayer Sword came flying after her at tremendous speed. Just as she hit the ground, it descended silently, pierced her body, and pinned her to the earth.

Tang Xuan retracted his Dragon Wings and drifted down from midair, the Godslayer Sword reappearing in his hand. He stood to one side with a tranquil expression, quietly watching the Lie Yan Eagle's final death throes. It was not that he was cold-blooded. This world was simply one where the strong devoured the weak. Its supreme law of survival was that the fit survived and the unfit were eliminated. Everything was done for survival, and he had no other choice. He could not change nature's selection.

Tang Xuan suddenly realized that it had been a long time since he had reflected like this. His hands were already stained with plenty of blood. He had killed people in the Soul Fighting Arena's death matches-quite a few people, to be precise. At first, it had troubled him, but perhaps after seeing so much bloodshed, he had stopped feeling anything. Aside from the people he cared about, what importance did anyone else hold? It was not as though he had committed some outrage against heaven and humanity.

Swordsmen were often lonely. The great path of the sword was strewn with thorns, demanding a resolute heart and a willingness to endure solitude. Tang Xuan looked at the Godslayer Sword in his hand. Perhaps as his cultivation in the sword way advanced, he had unknowingly been influenced by the sword, growing increasingly indifferent to the world around him. Everyone who had watched the battle had already gathered around, but seeing him standing there in silence with a cold expression, they hesitated to speak.

Tang Xuan looked at the others and said to Ma Hongjun, "Fatty, take the pill and come absorb your soul ring." With that, he walked alone to a large tree, sat on the ground, and began circulating his power in meditation. He did not put away the Godslayer Sword, casually thrusting it into the ground beside him instead. Having just devoured some of the Lie Yan Eagle's soul power, the sword flickered with a faint light, giving it a distinctly eerie appearance.