"Third Soul Skill — Iron Arm Strength!"
Unwilling to concede, Iron Arm instantly activated his thousand-year soul skill, hoping to overpower Xu Yang in sheer strength.
A dark silver-golden radiance deepened across his skin, which now rivaled real steel in toughness. This soul skill didn't just enhance his defense — it also bolstered his strength.
As Iron Arm unleashed his ability, Xu Yang felt a surge of overwhelming force press down through his blade — nearly making him lose his grip.
Xu Yang was surprised. The brute strength was now more than double what it had been previously. Even with years of physical conditioning, he was momentarily outmatched.
But Xu Yang was no mindless brawler. Realizing he couldn't win in a contest of strength, he swiftly transitioned to the blade techniques he'd honed for years. Twisting his blade, he redirected Iron Arm's twin fists off to the side, narrowly brushing past his own body as he slipped behind his opponent.
With a sudden pivot, Xu Yang struck at Iron Arm's back — but just as the edge was about to land, he flipped the blade, using the back instead.
"Wham!"
The unexpected move caught Iron Arm off guard. Before he could react, Xu Yang's blade slammed into his back, carving a deep gash as blood flowed freely.
A powerful force followed — sharp blade energy pierced through Iron Arm's soul power barrier and surged into his body, tearing through his meridians.
"Aaaagh!"
Iron Arm cried out in unbearable pain. In that moment of agony, he was violently launched from the stage.
"Boom!"
He crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. His injuries looked severe, but were mostly superficial. With a soul master's recovery ability, he'd heal in a couple of days without medicine.
"...You…"
Iron Arm struggled to his feet and turned, clearly frustrated. But when he saw the blood-stained blade's dull backside, he immediately understood — Xu Yang had shown mercy. If that strike had used the edge, he would've been cleaved in two.
"...I concede!"
Knowing he was no match, Iron Arm raised his hand in reluctant surrender.
"Thank you for the match."
Xu Yang retracted his External Soul Bone, clasped his fists in a respectful salute to Iron Arm, and walked toward the rest area.
Up in Sky Room No. 13, Qian Renxue stared at Xu Yang's retreating figure, her heart filled with confusion and shock.
"That was an External Soul Bone... Just what has Xu Yang gone through these past months? Not only did he advance to the Soul Elder stage, but he also obtained an External Soul Bone. Most baffling of all — his attraction to me is growing even stronger."
She had only come today after hearing he'd participate in the duel. But she hadn't expected such dramatic progress in such a short time — soaring soul power and a soul bone no less!
Others might not recognize an External Soul Bone, but she certainly did.
In fact, many powerful factions in attendance likely recognized it too.
But that didn't matter. The rarity of External Soul Bones wasn't just about how few existed. Once fused, they couldn't be taken — not even if the soul master was killed. That made them fundamentally different from standard soul bones.
Even more striking was the pure masculine, blazing aura surging from Xu Yang. Even without activating his martial soul, it surpassed the intensity she had once felt when his martial soul was fully unleashed. If he were to activate it again…
She didn't even dare imagine the desire her own martial soul might erupt with.
"Even the Cloud Mirage Skull might not be able to suppress it…"
"Uncle She, what exactly has Xu Yang been doing lately?" Qian Renxue suddenly asked.
"Miss, I'm not entirely sure," She Long responded. "A while ago, Dugu Bo suddenly appeared at the Royal Heaven Dou Academy and took Xu Yang away. I didn't dare follow for fear of being discovered and ruining your plans. Later, Xu Yang took leave and returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect…"
He didn't finish, but the implication was clear:
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect housed two Title Douluo, and he wouldn't risk exposing himself there.
"So, the key lies with Dugu Bo," Qian Renxue thought sharply, instantly identifying the critical lead.
"Shall I and Ci Tun go apprehend Dugu Bo to interrogate him?" She Long offered.
"No need," Qian Renxue shook her head. "Keep investigating in secret. If you make a move, it could expose me and ruin our broader strategy. My main objective now is to secure my foothold in the Heaven Dou imperial family."
She turned again toward the arena. "Let's do things the usual way. As for Xu Yang — leave it for now."
"How about Xue Luochuang? Is everything arranged?"
A sly smile crept onto She Long's face. "All ready. His death is assured during the next spirit beast hunt."
"Good. Let's keep watching," Qian Renxue nodded and refocused on the Soul Arena.
"How did it go?"
Xu Yang had just returned to the rest area when Dugu Yan approached.
"Not bad. More effective than I expected."
Xu Yang smiled and nodded. Though the fight had ended quickly, he'd gained a lot.
"Why use your External Soul Bone and not your martial soul? With your strength, you could've ended it instantly," Dugu Yan said while leaning affectionately on Xu Yang's arm.
"Can I casually reveal my soul ring configuration?" Xu Yang rolled his eyes. "I only showed you all back at the academy because I trust you."
Now that whale rubber allowed for ten-thousand-year fourth rings, such configurations were no longer unimaginable. But a ten-thousand-year third ring was still shocking — it meant he could eventually absorb a hundred-thousand-year ring at the Soul Douluo level. That was a huge advantage.
He had revealed it to Qin Ming and the others only because they would be his teammates. It was better to disclose it upfront and earn their help in keeping it secret.
"Hehe, you're the best!" Dugu Yan smiled sweetly, resting her head on his shoulder. Xu Yang struggled briefly, then gave up and let her be.
After a short wait in the rest area, it was Yu Tianheng's turn. His opponent was a level-28 Tool Soul Master — quite formidable. Though Yu Tianheng's martial soul was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the four-level soul power gap made it a hard-fought match.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin