Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
******
Feng Xiaotian's offhand remark completely ignited Ling Leishi's rage.
No one understood his own strength better than he did. Had Feng not jabbed right at his sorest spot, he would never have lost his temper like this.
Though he bore the title of Titled Douluo, he knew all too well that his real combat power was scarcely beyond that of a formidable Soul Douluo. Compared with those monstrously strong Soul Douluo, he merely possessed one more spirit skill.
Now a junior had mocked him to his face. The anger he'd suppressed finally burst its banks.
"Fourth spirit skill—Rampaging Thunder Charge!"
Before the words left his lips, a phantom thunder-boar over ten zhang tall erupted from his back, roaring until heaven and earth shook.
Ling Leishi's eyes flashed with cold light. In the blink of an eye, he blasted toward Feng Xiaotian like a streak of scarlet.
Sensing the breath of death, Feng Xiaotian reacted on pure survival instinct, kicking free of his flying soul tool.
"Boom!"
A hurricane roared past his ears as the soul tool was smashed to pieces by Ling Leishi's charge and detonated in midair.
Feng Xiaotian immediately activated his spirit possession, unfurling his Gale Twin Wings to hold himself aloft. He hadn't even caught his breath before Ling Leishi wheeled and came barreling at him again.
Shocked, yes—but Feng Xiaotian had seen his share of big scenes. A mere Titled Douluo was not enough to make him lose his head.
He steadied his mind, recalling the teachings of his two masters, Lan Minghua and Yun Shan: Don't get stuck in one way of thinking.
Thoughts whirled. This guy is fast, but only in a straight line. He's clearly not used to aerial combat and is nowhere near as nimble as I am. In that case, I'll go all-in on flight and evasion!
He was only a Soul Emperor, but his fifth ring came from a 50,000-year Spinetail Swift. That ring gifted him terrifying speed in the air; at full throttle, he was no slower than a Soul Douluo. Ling Leishi, on the other hand, was an assault-type Titled Douluo—speed was never his forte. On top of that, he'd only recently ascended; his flight technique was abysmal.
Watching the oncoming charge, Feng Xiaotian smiled faintly. His wings beat once—and his body rocketed straight up.
Ling Leishi could only watch helplessly as Feng slipped past his charge, powerless to turn in time. That was the flaw of his skill: no agile turning.
"Damn brat—so he's a flying spirit master!" Ling Leishi cursed inwardly, when a keen whistle cut past his ear.
He turned and saw several cyan wind blades scything toward the vulnerable spots at his neck.
He dares?!
He had never expected Feng Xiaotian to counterattack instead of fleeing. Sticking to him like a shadow, Feng sent one razor-edged wind blade after another at his vitals.
Don't be fooled by his Soul Emperor rank; with focus, every strike counted. Hit a vital point, and even a Titled Douluo would bleed.
Ling Leishi's pupils shrank. He hadn't thought Feng Xiaotian's attacks would be so efficient—each blow aimed perfectly. Unforgivable. I actually feel threatened… by a Soul Emperor!
He didn't hesitate. He poured on speed, twisting just enough to spare his weak points.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The wind blades smashed into him, leaving only faint white marks.
Feng Xiaotian sneered. Those attacks had just been feints.
Seeing the smirk on Feng Xiaotian's lips, Ling Leishi's fury exploded. It was one thing to be mocked by a mere Soul Emperor—quite another to be toyed with. He was a Titled Douluo! Did his pride mean nothing?
"Little bastard, I'll flay you alive!"
He hurled another spirit skill in pursuit. But as an assault-type fighter, most of his power required close range; he had few long-distance options.
Feng Xiaotian grinned. His fifth ring flared. The cyan wings on his back swelled to several times their size, then snapped once—and in the next instant, he became a streak of azure lightning, visibly widening the distance between them as Ling Leishi's attack slashed empty air.
Feng Xiaotian shot him a teasing glance, then barked an order to the surviving half of the Aerial Legion: "Soldiers, hear my command—exterminate the remaining Star Luo troops!"
Well-drilled, the Aerial Legion did not panic despite their heavy losses. At the order, they immediately launched a second wave. One by one, they dove over the Star Luo troops below, fingers pulling the triggers of the Zhuge God-Crossbows mounted on their flying soul tools.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
In an instant, a storm of bolts darkened the sky, swallowing the remnants of the Star Luo army.
Ling Leishi snapped back to his senses, his eyes splitting with rage. He knew that if the army were wiped out, even a victory here would be a hollow one. But at this moment, he was powerless, forced to watch.
When the iron storm passed, the last ten to twenty thousand soldiers had been turned into sieves. Even the soul master troops, defending with all their might, could not avoid annihilation.
"Aaaahhhh!"
Ling Leishi's cry was one of grief—and then it became pure wrath. His eyes spat fire as he locked onto Feng Xiaotian, wishing he could devour him whole.
"Boy—die!"
With a roar, he lunged again.
Feng Xiaotian remained unruffled, directing the remaining flyers to surround Ling Leishi. Today, the weak would topple the strong. A Soul Emperor would slay a Titled Douluo.
The Aerial Legion pushed their soul tools to maximum speed, moving several times faster than before. Those who had survived Ling Leishi's earlier assault were the elite of the elite. To them, a flying soul tool was like wings on a bird—an extension of the body, perfectly controlled.
Like a cloud of crows, they closed in, launching surprise shots from heavy-duty Zhuge God-Crossbows whenever an opening appeared. Those heavy crossbows hit like hammers—each bolt carried the force of a full-power blow from an assault-type Soul Sage. Even as a Titled Douluo, Ling Leishi dared not meet so many at once.
"Second spirit skill—Raging Carapace!"
Hard scales like those of the Thunder Boar erupted across his skin. Bolts hammered against him in a relentless, clanging hail.
He blocked them—but Ling Leishi was about to go mad. A dignified Titled Douluo, driven into such a sorry state by a flock whose highest rank was Soul Emperor? Unforgivable!
"I'll kill you all! Eighth spirit skill—Thunder Cataclysm!"
Lightning roared to life. Centered on Ling Leishi, a hundred-meter sphere of crackling destruction snapped into being—the Thunder Domain. Its power was immense, but it had a fatal flaw: while channeling it, he could not move.
Feng Xiaotian saw it at once and commanded the Aerial Legion to pull back, easily slipping out of the domain's range. Not only that, they continued to pepper him from outside with their heavy crossbows.
Ling Leishi fumed, but he could do nothing. Feng Xiaotian and the Aerial Legion were fighting a guerrilla war: when the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we strike; when the enemy withdraws, we pursue.
Even as a Titled Douluo, Ling Leishi was battered until he was a mess of dust and grim embarrassment.
Behind Tianlong Hall, on the Rear Mountain
Lan Minghua lay on a smooth stone slab, his eyes on a shimmering, mirror-like soul tool. It functioned like a projector, relaying the battle between Feng Xiaotian's forces and Ling Leishi. He could see this because a Titled Douluo from the Tianlong Empire was observing from the shadows, transmitting the image back.
"Heh. Looks like Yun Shan trained him well."
Pleased with Feng Xiaotian's performance, Lan Minghua couldn't help but laugh.
Not far away, Oscar, who had been practicing sword forms, sheathed his blade and trotted over.
"Master, what are you watching?"
Lan Minghua rapped him on the head, hating iron for not becoming steel. "Your junior brother."
Oscar craned his neck. The moment he saw the image, he yelped.
"Junior Brother Xiaotian—he… he's fighting a Titled Douluo?!"
His eyes went wide with shock.
Lan Minghua cast him a sidelong glance. "How pathetic. He's not just fighting. He's planning to kill that Titled Douluo."
"W-what?!" Oscar went pale. He hadn't imagined his junior brother's ambition was so great—to try to kill a Titled Douluo with the strength of a Soul Emperor!
Seeing his disbelief, Lan Minghua struck again: "Don't believe me? Then watch and see if your junior brother can pull it off."
On the projection, Feng Xiaotian's lips curled into a slight smile.
It looked like… he'd found a way.
(End of Chapter)