Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, watching from nearby, were instantly startled. Their composure, once steady as a mountain, was utterly shattered by the sight before them. Their weathered eyes widened like bronze bells as they stared straight at the center of the battlefield.
Snake Granny's lips parted slightly, as though she had forgotten how to speak. Only after a long moment did she exclaim in disbelief, "Old man, look! Are my old eyes failing me? This... how is this possible? Such a young Soul Saint, with such an astonishing Soul Ring Configuration... could this be the legendary Divine Son descended into the world?"
Dragon Duke's eyes were also filled with shock and bewilderment. He drew a deep breath, as though trying to calm the surging waves within him, then slowly said, "Your eyes aren't failing you. This is my first time seeing such a marvel, too. I finally know who he is. That young man in Suotuo City who defeated a Level 85 Soul Douluo with his Soul Saint cultivation caused a sensation throughout the Soul Master World. He is that sixteen-year-old Level 74 Soul Saint."
Hearing her grandparents' conversation, Meng Yiran could not help feeling a ripple stir in her heart.
Though she was young, as a member of a Soul Master family, she naturally knew something of the remarkable happenings in the Soul Master World.
That peerless sixteen-year-old prodigy had long since left a deep impression on her.
She simply had not expected that seeing him in person would leave her even more captivated by his bearing.
The young man not only possessed astonishing cultivation, but was also handsome and dashing, with an extraordinary presence.
Every move he made seemed to carry an indescribable charm that made people fall for him despite themselves.
Meng Yiran could not help thinking to herself, What a wonderful thing it would be to become the partner of such an outstanding young man.
Yet she also knew that such a thought might be nothing more than her own wishful thinking.
Such a prodigy was destined to be the dream lover of countless girls. How could I possibly win his favor so easily?
At that thought, Meng Yiran sighed softly and buried those tender feelings deep in her heart.
Snake Granny gazed at the tense battlefield in the distance. After pondering for a moment, she slowly turned toward Dragon Duke beside her and asked quietly, "Old man, do you think we should intervene?"
Hearing this, Meng Yiran immediately grabbed Snake Granny's hand, her eyes filled with anxiety. "Grandpa, Grandma, you... you aren't really planning to attack Chen Xuanqing, are you?"
Her voice trembled slightly, clearly afraid of what might happen.
Seeing Meng Yiran's anxious expression, Dragon Duke and Snake Granny could not help feeling amused.
They could tell at a glance that their granddaughter had feelings for Chen Xuanqing, and knew she did not want to see him hurt.
Dragon Duke gently patted the back of Meng Yiran's hand and said with a smile, "Yiran, don't worry. How could we hurt your sweetheart? We just want to see how this battle turns out. After all, that lad Chen Xuanqing is quite strong, and we'd like to see his true strength. If necessary, we'll step in to help him, too."
Hearing her grandfather's words, Meng Yiran lowered her head bashfully, but the worry in her heart eased a little.
She lightly bit her lip, then nodded firmly, agreeing with her grandfather.
A gentle breeze passed through, rustling the leaves in the forest, while sunlight slanted down through the uneven, swaying shadows of the trees.
Chen Xuanqing fixed his gaze on Zhao Wuji ahead of him and took a deep breath. His enormous body suddenly sprang into the air, and he slammed a claw toward Zhao Wuji.
"Zhao Wuji, take this!" Chen Xuanqing roared, his voice echoing through the forest.
Seeing this, Zhao Wuji dared not be careless. He quickly activated his Martial Soul Avatar and raised both arms, bracing himself for the ferocious attack.
But he had underestimated Chen Xuanqing's strength-and underestimated the might of the Crocodile Ancestor Martial Soul even more.
Chen Xuanqing's claw carried astonishing force, tearing straight through Zhao Wuji's defenses.
Zhao Wuji traced an arc through the air before hurtling backward, smashing through several large trees.
"This... how is this possible!" Lying on the ground, Zhao Wuji stared at Chen Xuanqing in disbelief. A flicker of fear crossed his eyes. He had never imagined he would be defeated in a single move by a Soul Saint whose level was lower than his own.
Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun froze in midair.
He had originally intended to disrupt the battle from above, never expecting Chen Xuanqing to be so powerful.
Seeing Zhao Wuji's miserable state, Ma Hongjun could not help feeling a chill rise within him.
"It's your turn, Ma Hongjun!" Chen Xuanqing turned his gaze toward Ma Hongjun, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
Ma Hongjun's heart clenched. He knew he could not simply sit and wait for death.
He quickly pulled himself together, preparing to face Chen Xuanqing's attack.
"First Soul Skill: Phoenix Fire Line!" Ma Hongjun spat a stream of scorching flame from his mouth, trying to use its recoil to put distance between himself and Chen Xuanqing and evade the blow.
But Chen Xuanqing was far faster than he had imagined. With a lightning-fast sweep of his tail, he struck Ma Hongjun squarely in midair.
Ma Hongjun only had time to scream before Chen Xuanqing's tail sent him flying. He met the same fate as Zhao Wuji, crashing heavily to the ground, his life or death unknown.
With those two dealt with, Chen Xuanqing felt relieved and turned his attention to Xiao Wu's and Zhu Zhuqing's battles.
The battle between Xiao Wu and Tang San was particularly eye-catching.
Although Xiao Wu had one more Soul Skill than Tang San and was considerably higher in level, his flexible responses and masterful hidden weapon techniques still left her somewhat hamstrung.
Relying on the footwork of Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Tang San flitted about unpredictably like a phantom, sometimes weaving among the treetops and sometimes racing close to the ground.
Enhanced by Mysterious Jade Hand and Purple Demon Eye, the hidden weapons in his hands attacked relentlessly, leaving Xiao Wu struggling to keep up despite her higher Soul Power Level.
On the other side, Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai's battle was just as fierce.
After eating the Devil Fruit, Zhu Zhuqing's strength had soared. Her movements were agile and swift, and every attack went straight for Dai Mubai's vital points.
Although Dai Mubai possessed great strength, more abundant Soul Power than Zhu Zhuqing, and an additional Soul Skill, her nimble, ever-changing offensive still left him struggling.
Especially here in the Star Dou Great Forest, Zhu Zhuqing, transformed into a Nine Nether Netherworld Cat, seemed to blend into her surroundings, making her attacks even harder to predict.
Just then, Tang San suddenly let out a low growl. He sprang into motion, and the hidden weapons in his hands suddenly shot toward Xiao Wu like a torrential downpour.
Though Xiao Wu reacted swiftly and dodged aside, the dense barrage of hidden weapons still forced an opening in her defenses.
Seeing this, Chen Xuanqing immediately leaped up and charged toward Xiao Wu.
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