Dai Huabin pushed himself up on trembling arms.
The injuries to his body were secondary; what truly consumed him was unwillingness!
I, the direct son of the White Tiger Duke, the greatest genius of my clan in nearly a thousand years—how could I lose to someone like this?
Why?!
And without even the strength to resist.
Scarlet blood mixed with shattered teeth stained the floor before him. The air around Dai Huabin distorted. His twin pupils suddenly turned blood-red, and his third soul ring, radiating noble purple light, rose into the air. His body, already strengthened by White Tiger possession, swelled even further, muscles grotesquely bulging. His upper garment tore apart completely, revealing clear outlines of muscle.
Most bizarre of all, black stripes appeared across his skin. Without fur, he already looked like he wore a tiger's hide.
His tiger claws grew larger still, the blades extending from them gleaming a bright silver. His entire body shone with blinding golden light, as if plated in gold. His blood-red eyes radiated bloodlust, his whole being exuding the aura of a king among beasts.
When his third soul skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, was unleashed, the enormous boost to his body allowed him to stand tall again despite his earlier decline.
Intense golden light burst from Dai Huabin, his speed and power soaring.
With a furious roar, he once again charged at Xu Zihuang.
"Huabin!" Zhu Lu, locked in combat with Nanmen Yun'er, noticed Dai Huabin's blood-soaked figure from the corner of her eye and couldn't help crying out.
Xu Zihuang's exchange with Dai Huabin just now had been so fast, it hadn't lasted even three seconds.
In her heart, Dai Huabin had always been untouchable—yet he had ended up like this.
A flash of jade light swept by. The razor edge of danger at her snow-white neck snapped Zhu Lu back to reality. Her Netherworld Cat claws clashed against the emerald blade formed from Nanmen Yun'er's first soul skill.
Sparks flew as both were forced back. Their gazes locked.
Both were agility-type battle soul masters of similar cultivation and martial soul quality.
Though Nanmen Yun'er might not be able to defeat her, Zhu Lu likewise couldn't easily break away to support Dai Huabin—unless she spent enormous soul power on her soul skills.
Meanwhile, Tuoba Yu and Cui Yajie's battle was equally deadlocked.
Cui Yajie's Nine-Tailed Fox martial soul lay between spiritual and assault types, and she had chosen to cultivate along both paths.
Tuoba Yu's White Armored Earth Dragon was technically an assault-type, yet its defense was outstanding, a martial soul that combined both offense and defense.
Neither held an absolute advantage over the other.
The battle remained stalemated.
At that moment, amid violent roars, Dai Huabin and Xu Zihuang clashed once again.
In terms of fighting style, Dai Huabin, with the top-tier beast martial soul White Tiger, was the fiercest of assault-types. Now nearly bereft of reason, he held nothing back.
Every strike aimed to kill.
His tiger claws slashed relentlessly at Xu Zihuang.
At the same time as he used White Tiger Vajra Transformation, his first soul skill, the White Tiger Barrier, reactivated, the defense Xu Zihuang had broken earlier.
First soul skill White Tiger Barrier stacked with third soul skill White Tiger Vajra Transformation—this was his strongest attack mode.
Xu Zihuang stood his ground, his calm golden eyes fixed on Dai Huabin. Every subtle movement allowed him to dodge with minimal effort, or else block with his dark-red crystal dragon arms.
It was a brutal, close-range brawl—fists and claws crashing together.
Under the White Tiger Barrier, Dai Huabin's claws glowed white, blades flashing, as they struck violently against Xu Zihuang's crystal dragon arms.
The White Tiger martial soul was indeed a top-tier beast martial soul, tremendously boosting physical strength. But Xu Zihuang was no ordinary control-type soul master. His second martial soul, the Purple Sovereign Thunder Prison Dragon, was itself among the highest of beast souls.
Though he hadn't yet obtained a soul ring for it, its influence was already subtly remolding Xu Zihuang's body. Combined with years of rare treasures, heavenly herbs, and the external soul bone Dragon Claw, his strength already surpassed Dai Huabin's.
The screech of metal grinding echoed as sparks burst between them. Xu Zihuang remained utterly unmoved, not a single step forced back. By contrast, Dai Huabin staggered under the rebound force, his blood surging chaotically.
Anger and unwillingness raged within him.
With Xu Zihuang's Golden Eye martial soul instinct, he perfectly blocked every strike. But Dai Huabin lacked such ability. In just moments, he had already endured several of Xu Zihuang's counterattacks.
Suddenly, Xu Zihuang stepped back, seizing on Dai Huabin's opening. His fist slammed hard into Dai Huabin's chest.
Shards of light scattered—the White Tiger Barrier shattered once again beneath Xu Zihuang's raw body and soul power.
Without its protection, Dai Huabin's body suffered even greater damage.
The White Tiger Vajra Transformation greatly boosted him, but the human body had limits.
A vicious kick smashed into Dai Huabin's chin, hurling him away. Xu Zihuang glanced at his crystal dragon arm, stained with Dai Huabin's blood, and casually dispersed it into fragments of light.
Dai Huabin panted like a dying dog, glaring at Xu Zihuang with venomous eyes.
A flash of savagery lit his gaze. Enduring the agony wracking his body, he suddenly bolted toward the battlefield of Zhu Lu and Nanmen Yun'er.
At the same time, Zhu Lu moved. Burning huge amounts of soul power, she unleashed Nether Hundred Claws, then accelerated instantly with her first soul skill Nether Stab to rush toward Dai Huabin.
Nanmen Yun'er realized something was wrong and tried to stop Zhu Lu, but Xu Zihuang's calm voice intervened.
"Yun'er, don't stop her. Leave the rest to me."
His tone was gentle, yet carried an unshakable composure—a sharp contrast that left a deep impression.
Even after his earlier battle with Dai Huabin, Xu Zihuang remained composed. His uniform wasn't even creased, his smooth black hair flowing with streaks of violet at his temples, lending him an otherworldly air.
Watching his tall, confident figure from afar, Nanmen Yun'er felt herself dazed.
Such strength and confidence in a youth—its allure was undeniable.
Xu Zihuang's calm gaze fell on the rapidly converging Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu.
Today, I will utterly shatter your pride.
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