Note: Don't Forget to join my Patreon.com/flokixy to get access to +50 Advance Chapters or unlock the full story from the shop support so I can bring more Chapters for you
The air in the arena was thick with tension. The crowd, though silent for the most part, could feel the intensity of the battle unfolding before them. Every movement, every strike, carried the weight of strategy and raw power.
"Too bad for you—we're both Soul Masters, but your attack power can't compare to mine!" Yuwen Tuo declared confidently as he tightened his grip on his blade and unleashed a powerful slash.
The clash between Yan's Burning Blade and Xiong Gang's Winged Guillotine sparked a shower of fiery embers. Despite the ferocity of the impact, Yuwen Tuo stood firm, while Wang Dong was sent staggering backward nearly seven or eight meters.
"Damn it, that hurts!" Wang Dong winced as she examined her wings. Not only had they been slashed by the blade, leaving bloody streaks, but parts of them had also been scorched. The searing pain was unbearable.
For the first time at this level, she found herself so thoroughly outmatched. Yuwen Tuo's soul ring configuration matched hers, and her once-proud over-limit setup offered no advantage against him.
"Wildfire Rampage Strike!" Yuwen Tuo muttered under his breath as he swung his fiery blade horizontally. A blazing wave of energy surged across the arena floor, hurtling toward Wang Dong.
Just then, a massive bear leaped into position directly in front of Wang Dong.
"Second Soul Skill: Bear Shield Guard!" The bear's body was enveloped in an impenetrable layer of tough hide, characteristic of a defensive-type soul master. This technique could block most attacks from opponents below the rank of Soul Elder.
Unfortunately, this wasn't just any ordinary Soul Elder. With the dual amplification of his Burning Blade and the Wishful Disk, Yuwen Tuo's attack power far exceeded that of a typical Soul Elder.
The blade tore through the shield, leaving a deep gash across the bear's chest.
"Bear Gang, are you okay?" Wang Dong rushed to help him up. Only then did Yuwen Tuo learn that the bear's name was Bear Gang.
How fitting.
His martial soul was a bear, and his personality seemed equally unyielding—bold enough to take a blade strike head-on with his bare body.
"I'm fine… watch out, he's coming again!"
Yuwen Tuo wasn't one of those clichéd villains who would wait for the protagonists to finish their dialogue before attacking. Seeing both Wang Dong and Bear Gang standing together, his immediate thought was to knock them both out of the arena in one swift motion.
Fortunately, Huo Yuhao's shared mental assistance was still active. Bear Gang reacted in time, pushing Wang Dong out of harm's way. They narrowly avoided the lethal slash.
"First Soul Skill: Giant Bear Claw Strike!"
Bear Gang extended his massive bear paw, swiping viciously at Yuwen Tuo's shoulder. At the same time, Wang Dong circled behind for a surprise attack, her wings slicing toward his back.
It was then that the sound of a flute filled the air. Xiao Xiao played the Nine Phoenixes Welcome Flute, slowing down their movements. But more importantly, she was helping Yuwen Tuo find the rhythm for his next sequence of strikes.
Once again, Yuwen Tuo's blade danced with precision. It was as if eyes had grown on his back—he sidestepped gracefully, dodging Wang Dong's wing strike, then parried Bear Gang's claw attack with ease.
With Xiao Xiao's slowing effect in play, countering their combined assault posed little challenge for Yuwen Tuo.
Today's fighting style was entirely different from yesterday's. When facing Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er, his blade techniques were bold and forceful, emphasizing overwhelming strength. Today, while the fundamental moves remained the same, the execution felt distinct. The power behind each strike had diminished, but the frequency of his attacks had noticeably increased.
And it wasn't purely speed either. Sometimes, his movements would abruptly slow, reducing the force to its minimum, yet still managing to neutralize Wang Dong and Bear Gang's joint attacks.
If there was one word to describe his technique, it would be "versatile"—alternating between fast and slow, dynamic and static, offensive and defensive with perfect balance.
"It's the music," Ning Tian said, crossing her arms. "Xiao Xiao isn't playing the same tune as yesterday. Yuwen Tuo is adapting his blade dance to match the rhythm of the music."
She was spot-on. Indeed, it was all thanks to the melody.
Today, Xiao Xiao was performing the second piece of The Six Songs of Early Spring: the Rainwater Melody!
During the Rainwater season, the weather fluctuated unpredictably—it was one of the periods with the most cold fronts throughout the year, alternating between warmth and chill.
Much like Yuwen Tuo's current fighting style—unpredictable in pace, shifting seamlessly between offense and defense.
"This isn't working. Yuwen Tuo is too strong. His blade techniques are too adaptable, specifically designed to counter us," Huo Yuhao thought grimly.
Originally, with Wang Dong and Bear Gang supported by his Mental Sharing ability, Yuwen Tuo's attacks shouldn't have mattered; they could foresee every move he made. Yet somehow, even knowing what was coming, they couldn't do anything about it.
When dealing with Wang Dong, who was faster and capable of flight, Yuwen Tuo deliberately slowed his blade techniques. The moves became so deliberate that they didn't require spiritual detection to track—but despite their slowness, they formed an unbroken defensive line, leaving no openings. Wang Dong could see everything clearly, but she simply couldn't penetrate his defenses.
On the other hand, when facing Bear Gang, Yuwen Tuo accelerated his strikes to their absolute limit, moving as swiftly as thunder. Even with Huo Yuhao's assistance to predict the trajectory, Bear Gang's sluggish reflexes left him unable to keep up. By the time he realized where to defend, Yuwen Tuo's blade had already sliced through his flesh. These were strikes that couldn't be blocked, no matter how well you anticipated them.
"Wang Dong can't break through, and Bear Gang can't keep up. If this keeps up, we'll suffer a crushing defeat," Huo Yuhao quickly brainstormed. As a control-type soul master and team leader, he had to come up with a solution.
In truth, if he and Wang Dong could use their Spirit Fusion Technique now, they might still stand a chance. Unfortunately, their fusion skill was still on cooldown. According to Teacher Zhou Yin, it wouldn't be usable for another three to seven days. They needed another plan.
"Breaking through Yuwen Tuo's side is too difficult. We'll have to target someone else instead. Lian Yue may be useful, but she's not the key. If we defeat Xiao Xiao, her musical effects will dissipate, disrupting Yuwen Tuo's rhythm. Without the slowing effect, Wang Dong and Bear Gang won't fight so passively." With this plan in mind, Huo Yuhao activated the Light of his Spirit Eyes.
"Spirit Shock!"
He intended to stun Xiao Xiao.
This technique inflicted severe mental damage on the enemy, and when combined with the Tang Sect's ultimate skill, the Purple Extreme Pupil, its power doubled. Given Xiao Xiao's mental fortitude, she wouldn't be able to withstand such a sudden assault.
"No, Yuhao! When using this technique, your own mental sea is exposed…" Tian Meng Ice Silkworm warned urgently.
Under normal circumstances, Huo Yuhao's strategy would pose no issue. But this time, they were up against Yuwen Tuo.
Had he forgotten? Tian Meng Ice Silkworm had warned him before—Yuwen Tuo's mental strength was at least three times greater than his own.
A non-mental-type soul master possessing such formidable mental power likely practiced some form of advanced mental cultivation technique. Such techniques often included methods to detect and counterattack invading mental forces.
Opening his mental sea at this moment was extremely dangerous.
But it was too late. Tian Meng Ice Silkworm's warning came a step too late—Huo Yuhao's mental energy had already surged outward.
Even as Yuwen Tuo effortlessly countered Wang Dong and Bear Gang, he still sensed the incoming mental wave.
"Heh, perfect opportunity!"
A faint smile crossed Yuwen Tuo's lips as a flicker of brown and blue light flashed in his eyes. A ripple of mental energy intercepted Huo Yuhao's Spirit Shock, not only nullifying it but also reversing its effects back onto him.