Feeling the surging Soul Power in Dai Mubai's body, Xiao Yan and Tang San did not dare to be careless in the slightest.
Three Soul Rings and a level thirty-seven Battle Soul Elder. His strength had already exceeded Xiao Yan and Tang San's expectations.
Even Grandmaster was only a level twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster.
And Dai Mubai, standing before them, looked only a few years older than they were, yet his strength had already reached that of a level thirty-seven Battle Soul Elder. This was not just because of his strength.
It was also because of his talent.
"Sizzle!"
Cold white flames emerged from Xiao Yan's palm and slowly crept over his body. Wisps of icy chill appeared, lowering the temperature throughout the hall by several degrees.
Two Yellow Soul Rings emerged from beneath his feet, encircling him.
"Xiao Yan, Martial Soul: Bone Spirit Cold Flame, level twenty-nine Battle Soul Master."
Beside him, Tang San released his own Martial Soul as well.
Blue Silver Grass spiraled out of his palm, growing until it hung down to the floor. Intricate, eye-like patterns covered the stalks of the Blue Silver Grass.
"Tang San, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass, level twenty-nine Control System Soul Master."
Dai Mubai's eyes lit up as he sensed the presence emanating from Xiao Yan and Tang San.
He had thought only the one he had fought was worthy of his respect. He had not expected Xiao Yan, who had been watching from the sidelines all along, to possess such strength too.
What was more, he sensed a faint pressure from Xiao Yan's Martial Soul. Its power was formidable, but that only made Dai Mubai even more excited.
However, when he heard that Tang San's Martial Soul was merely Blue Silver Grass, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
"Your Martial Soul... is just Blue Silver Grass?"
"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters."
Tang San spoke Grandmaster's famous words of wisdom. Beside him, Xiao Yan frowned slightly. He did not actually think the statement was correct.
But because of the limitations imposed by Grandmaster's own talent, Xiao Yan worried that saying so would hurt him, so he had never spoken up to correct him.
Hearing Tang San say it now, Xiao Yan still said nothing.
"Good!"
Dai Mubai was even more delighted to hear it. Looking at Xiao Yan and Tang San, he said:
"Given my strength, fighting you is already a case of the strong bullying the weak. This works out perfectly. You two, come at me together!"
Xiao Yan and Tang San exchanged a glance. Neither refused.
After all, he was right. If they fought him one-on-one, neither of them could possibly be Dai Mubai's match.
"Then we won't hold back."
Xiao Yan spoke coldly, Soul Power surging within him. With Swift Step enhancing his movements, he rapidly closed in on Dai Mubai.
"Blue Silver Entanglement!"
At the same time, Tang San spoke in perfect coordination with him. Strands of Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground. When he had displayed his Martial Soul, the Blue Silver Grass had already burrowed underground to hide.
The strands of Blue Silver Grass shot toward Dai Mubai, surrounding him on all sides. In the blink of an eye, they formed a cage of Blue Silver Grass, enclosing him within.
"Cold Flame · Soul-Concentrating Pierce!"
Seeing this, Xiao Yan, who was closing in on Dai Mubai, acted as though he had expected it all along. The Bone Spirit Cold Flame in his hand condensed into pale ice crystals in midair.
"Go!"
Xiao Yan waved his hand, and the pale ice crystals whistled through the air toward Dai Mubai.
"What seamless teamwork."
Dai Mubai could not help feeling somewhat surprised by Xiao Yan and Tang San's coordination. Sensing the pale ice crystals whistling toward him, he chose not to take them head-on.
"White Tiger Protection Barrier!"
A Yellow Soul Ring flashed and merged into Dai Mubai's body. Soul Power roared out of him, instantly forming a translucent shield over his body.
"Clink! Clink, clink!"
The pale ice crystals struck the shield, producing a crisp, pleasant sound.
Ripples spread across the barrier as the pale ice crystals collided with it, and its color grew much dimmer.
"What strange ice crystals."
Dai Mubai felt the ice crystals strike his shield. Most importantly, every impact brought a slight feeling of dizziness.
And...
Dai Mubai's gaze fell on the spots where the ice crystals had shattered. As streams of cold air spread, frost had already begun to form.
"Break for me!"
Looking at the Blue Silver Cage imprisoning him, Dai Mubai stirred the Soul Power within him. His right hand transformed into a tiger's paw, and he swiped at the cage before him.
"Rip!"
Although Dai Mubai was far stronger than Xiao Yan and Tang San, to his surprise, his claw failed to tear the cage apart.
"Is this really Blue Silver Grass?"
The vines' toughness surprised Dai Mubai, but feeling the pale ice crystals striking the vines one after another, he did not dare hold out for too long.
"Still... break for me!"
The wicked light in Dai Mubai's eyes flared. He had not expected the vines to be so tough, but with a slash at full strength, he still tore open one corner of the cage.
Before the White Tiger Protection Barrier shattered, Dai Mubai had already escaped the Blue Silver Cage.
However, he had failed to notice the Soul Ring flashing beneath Tang San's feet when he tore the Blue Silver Cage open, or the seeds that drifted out of the Blue Silver Grass one after another and entered his body...
"You two aren't weak!"
A wicked light flickered in Dai Mubai's eyes as he rapidly closed in on Tang San.
As a Battle Soul Master, close combat was his strongest trump card. With the boost from his Martial Soul and Soul Power, Tang San would be no match for him at close range.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
Blue Silver Grass vines closed in from every direction, like soldiers who knew no fear of death, trying to block the space between Tang San and Dai Mubai.
But Dai Mubai was prepared. He dodged before the Blue Silver Grass could surround him, only reaching out with his tiger claws to tear through the few strands he could not avoid.
The Blue Silver Grass could be broken, but a flash of cold light whistled out from behind it.
Holding an ice-crystal spear, Xiao Yan stood in front of Tang San. The instant Dai Mubai tore through the Blue Silver Grass, he rushed toward him with the spear in hand.
He thrust the spear at Dai Mubai's chest.
"Heh heh, I was waiting for you."
Unexpectedly, Dai Mubai suddenly raised his head, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth as his scheme succeeded. Soul Power surged within him, and a Soul Ring flashed into view.
"White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!"
Surging Soul Power gathered in Dai Mubai's mouth. The next moment, a stream of milky-white energy poured out, roaring toward Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan had not expected Dai Mubai to have been preparing this attack all along, just to counterattack at this moment.
The White Tiger Fierce Light Wave was right in front of him. There was no avoiding it.
"Cold Flame · Soul Armor!"
At the critical moment, Xiao Yan remained perfectly calm. Soul Power surged within him: his second Soul Skill, Soul Armor.
A faint, translucent suit of armor appeared over Xiao Yan's body. He also held his ice-crystal spear horizontally in front of himself to block Dai Mubai's attack.
"Boom!"
The White Tiger Fierce Light Wave slammed into the ice-crystal spear with tremendous force, driving Xiao Yan's spear-holding grip back against his armor.
Cracks spread across the ice-crystal spear until it finally fell apart in midair, breaking into dazzling fragments of ice that dispersed.
The White Tiger Fierce Light Wave continued unabated, slamming straight into Xiao Yan's armor and sending him flying.