You'd Better Be Ready to Take This. If You Accidentally Die, I'll Have a Hard Time Explaining It

On the platform, the light of Dai Mubai's first Soul Skill enveloped him in a protective barrier.

He assumed a defensive stance, but his venomous eyes remained fixed on Dai Weisi, as if he meant to flay him alive with his gaze.

The atmosphere in the viewing stands had shifted from shock and awe to deep suspicion.

"How is the eldest prince going to attack without using a Soul Ring? Surely he can't be planning to hit him with his fists?"

"The White Tiger Protection Barrier is the most orthodox defensive Soul Skill of the White Tiger Martial Soul. When fueled by a Soul King's Soul Power, it's incredibly sturdy!"

"Perhaps... the eldest prince will use a weapon?"

Someone ventured the guess.

Others immediately voiced their agreement, only for the idea to be quickly dismissed.

"What weapon could be that powerful? Did he bring an army ballista with him? How could that be..."

"Could it be... the eldest prince has a second Soul Bone? An offensive Soul Bone?"

The moment the thought arose, everyone instinctively snuffed it out.

For a person to possess even one Soul Bone was an extraordinary stroke of fortune.

Two? That was practically a myth! In the thousand years since the founding of the Star Luo Empire, no one had ever heard of anyone being so fortunate.

On the imperial throne, the Star Luo Emperor's face was as still as water. His fingers tapped unconsciously on the armrest, and his gaze was so deep that no one could tell what he was thinking.

Zhu Xiaotian, head of the Zhu Family, had returned to his seat, but his rigidly upright posture showed just how unsettled he was.

He glanced at Zhu Zhuyun, who stood behind Dai Weisi on the arena platform. Father and daughter's eyes met, but Zhu Zhuyun gave a faintly mocking smile.

The Spirit Hall Platinum Bishop serving as referee had also put away his earlier look of amusement.

His eyes narrowed, a sharp gleam flashing in them. Like a falcon that had spotted unparalleled prey, he stared unblinkingly at Dai Weisi, as if he wanted to see through him inside and out.

Under countless watchful eyes, Dai Weisi finally moved.

Unlike Dai Mubai, he did not assume a stance. He merely raised his right hand casually, a gentle smile even touching his face as he spoke softly to Dai Mubai:

"Imperial brother, are you ready?"

"Hmph! Putting on an act!"

Dai Mubai snorted coldly and poured his Soul Power into the White Tiger Protection Barrier without holding anything back.

Dai Weisi seemed not to have heard him. His smile remained unchanged, but a hint of curious amusement entered his voice.

"This move of mine might be a little powerful, and I don't have very good control over it myself."

"You'd better be ready to take it. If you accidentally die, I'll have a hard time explaining it to imperial father."

His words were light, as though he were joking, but everyone who heard them felt a chill for no apparent reason.

Dai Mubai was so furious his three corpse gods leaped in rage. What was this? Naked contempt!

"Cut the nonsense! Show me what you've got!"

He roared.

"All right."

Dai Weisi answered, and a blinding light suddenly flashed from his raised right hand.

But it was not a sacred golden light. It was dark gold, deep and overbearing!

The light gathered, not covering his entire arm, but concentrating solely on his hand.

"Crack! Crack, crack!"

With a grating sound of bone grinding against bone, five fearsome claws, each over a foot long and dark gold from end to end, sprang from Dai Weisi's fingers!

The claws were incomparably sharp, gleaming with the cold light of metal. Thick at the base and as fine as needles at the tips, they were covered in profound dark golden patterns. An unrivaled air of savagery and tyranny soared into the sky!

Merely looking at those five claws made people feel as though their souls were about to be torn apart!

"Is that... a right arm bone?"

"No! The light is only on his hand! Is... is it a right palm bone?"

"A palm bone? Soul Bones come in that part too? I've never even heard of one!"

The nobles in the viewing stands were utterly bewildered. They racked their brains, but none could figure out what it was.

Just then, the Platinum Bishop on the platform could no longer maintain his composure. He suddenly spoke, his voice turning shrill with extreme shock.

"An External Soul Bone!!"

"Heavens! It's actually an External Soul Bone, even rarer than a torso bone!"

At those words, the entire venue fell silent. A pin could have been heard dropping.

Then an uproar erupted like a roaring mountain and a surging sea!

An External Soul Bone!

The term might have been unfamiliar to ordinary Soul Masters, but everyone present was a powerful figure in the empire, with extraordinary knowledge.

They instantly understood what those words meant!

The Platinum Bishop's chest heaved as he stared fervently at Dai Weisi's right hand. Even his voice trembled a little:

"External Soul Bones are an unusual kind of Soul Bone. They aren't guaranteed to appear when a Soul Beast dies. Instead, there's an extremely small chance that one will appear in the strongest, most distinctive part of a Soul Beast's body!"

"Their greatest feature is that they can evolve as their owner grows stronger! This... this is practically a gift from the gods!"

His words exploded in everyone's hearts like a succession of heavy bombs.

A Soul Bone that could evolve!

That meant this Soul Bone had limitless potential!

Prince Cheng, Dai Tianfeng, had lost all color in his face. He was as ashen as a corpse.

An External Soul Bone... how could he have an External Soul Bone!

On the platform, the instant Dai Mubai saw the Dark Gold Dreadclaw, his face turned livid once more!

An External Soul Bone!

Of course he knew what it was!

In the finals of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, hadn't Tang San relied on his External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, to perform miracle after miracle and ultimately lead his team to victory over the powerful Spirit Hall Team?

That scene was still fresh in his memory!

Jealousy, fear, resentment... all manner of emotions tangled wildly in his heart, nearly driving him mad.

Why! Why did Dai Weisi have something so heaven-defying too?!

Was he really the chosen son of heaven?!

No! I don't believe it!

One frenzied thought propped up the last of his reason.

So what if it's an External Soul Bone!

Dai Mubai roared at himself inwardly.

Tang San's Eight Spider Lances evolved step by step from a Thousand-Year Soul Bone! Your palm bone looks to be quite old, but without having evolved, how strong can it be?

At most... at most, it's only equivalent to an ordinary Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone!

I'm a level fifty-one Soul King! My White Tiger Protection Barrier, together with the White Tiger Vajra Transformation, should be enough to withstand an attack from a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skill! I'm not afraid of you!

His intense self-hypnosis brought a trace of life back to Dai Mubai's eyes.

He stared fixedly at Dai Weisi, placing all his hopes on the white barrier in front of him.

Dai Weisi took in every change of expression on his face, and the mocking curve of his lips grew more pronounced.

He slowly raised the menacing Dark Gold Dreadclaw. Its five claws swept through the air, leaving trails of afterimages, and even space itself seemed to ripple.

"Imperial brother, watch closely."

"This move of mine is called..."

He spoke each word distinctly. His voice was not loud, but it carried a judgment-like authority and reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Dreadclaw-World-Destruction!"

The instant the words left his mouth, Dai Weisi swung his arm down!

Five dark golden claw lights, solid as substance, burst from his claws. In midair, they instantly merged into one, becoming a massive claw-shaped shadow several dozen feet long that looked ready to tear heaven and earth apart as it hurtled fiercely toward Dai Mubai!