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**
BANG!
Under the immense strength of the Profound Sky Axe, Yan was forced back several steps.
Pressing his advantage, Ling Xiao swung his arm and lunged forward, executing a horizontal slash.
Combined with the Profound Sky Slash, a massive, narrow black-red axe-radiance condensed upon the blade. Merging with the inherent sharpness of the axe itself, the strike dealt another heavy blow to Yan.
A gargantuan, narrow axe mark appeared on Yan's chest. Intersecting with the previous wound from the Profound Sky Slash—one horizontal, one vertical—it formed a perfect cross.
The Martial Soul's defense was nearly completely breached, and the injury was severe. The Flame Lord Martial Soul, renowned for its defensive prowess, now exuded a sense of pathetic frailty.
Although his second soul skill, Rock Body, had enhanced his physical defense, the two crossing axe marks on his chest proved that his protection had become practically non-existent, utterly incapable of withstanding the Profound Sky Axe's assault.
Struck by this heavy blow, Yan's defense was shattered and a new wound added. Moreover, under the weight of the axe's massive force, Yan was sent reeling back. As he retreated, his arms spread wide and his torso tilted back, looking as if he were about to collapse.
Retreating repeatedly, Yan exerted every ounce of will to stabilize his footing. Before he could even catch his breath, his heart tightened as an intense sense of danger flared within him.
In the distance, Ling Xiao's soul power erupted with a loud shout.
Black-red soul power radiance surged as he drove his Martial Soul to its peak, raising the Profound Sky Axe high above his head and delivering a desperate downward cleave.
"Profound Sky Slash!"
The Profound Sky Slash was unleashed once more, but this time, no half-moon crescent flew through the air. Instead, a colossal axe-radiance, radiating black-red energy flames, extended directly from the Profound Sky Axe and cleaved downward.
It resembled the massive blade-qi manifested by a Nether Wolf's Nether Slash, but it bore the shape of the Profound Sky Axe and was far more domineering and fierce.
The axe-radiance exceeded thirty meters in length, brimming with a terrifying aura of authority and sharpness, as if a single strike could sever all things and destroy the world.
Yan's eyes snapped wide.
He not only pushed his Martial Soul to its absolute limit but thrust both fists forward. The Flame Lord Martial Soul reached its zenith as a torrent of dark-red flames erupted from his body, soaring into the sky.
The scorching fire condensed onto his fists as he used his giant lava arms to brace against the incoming axe-radiance.
BANG!BANG!
In a flash of fire, the scorching flames radiating from Yan were instantly cleaved open by the Profound Sky Slash, exploding outward to both sides like a spray of molten sparks.
Yan felt as if he had been struck by lightning; the lava defense on his fists was cleaved apart without suspense. Under the staggering force, he couldn't help but drop to one knee, shattering the bluestone beneath him.
With teeth clenched, Yan used both hands to desperately hold back the massive axe-radiance.
However, despite his efforts, the blade still bit into his shoulder. The incomparably sharp edge sliced through the Flame Lord's shoulder defense; this version of the Profound Sky Slash, even more powerful than the last, threatened to cleave his entire Martial Soul body in two.
Yet, despite the defense being broken, no blood flowed out.
Before Yan could process this, the black-red light suddenly dissipated. The giant axe-radiance was withdrawn as Ling Xiao halted the Profound Sky Slash. Feeling the crushing pressure vanish, Yan exhaled a deep breath and slowly stood up.
Looking at the distant Ling Xiao—who was calmly withdrawing his soul power—with a complex expression, Yan tilted his head to look at his left shoulder.
The Martial Soul defense there was indeed completely broken, leaving a clear, massive axe mark where his actual physical body was exposed, devoid of the Martial Soul's protection.
Reflecting on it now, although the Profound Sky Slash had broken his defense, the axe-radiance must have had its power reined in at the final moment, stopping before it could slice through his flesh.
Ling Xiao had actually been able to precisely halt his offensive after shattering the Martial Soul defense, destroying the Martial Soul's protection without harming the body.
Thinking of this, Yan sighed inwardly.
Ling Xiao's control over the Profound Sky Axe was truly formidable.
After staring at Ling Xiao for a long moment, Yan finally spoke, his voice heavy.
"Ling Xiao, you won."
The moment those words left his mouth, Yan's aura deflated completely; his fighting spirit was gone. With a flash of dark-red light, he deactivated his Martial Soul Possession, withdrawing the Flame Lord into his body to recover.
"Congratulations, Ling Xiao. In this battle, I gave my all, yet I still lost to you."
Yan looked at Ling Xiao with a complicated gaze as he spoke.
Hearing this, Ling Xiao smiled faintly.
Yan's strength was indeed immense—to be honest, it had exceeded his prior estimations. In order to defeat Yan today, he had been forced to use his full power as well.
"Yan, if you're not satisfied, I don't mind if you challenge me again in the future. However... I won't be waiting for you," Ling Xiao said slowly.
His tone was relaxed and easygoing, yet his eyes held a hint of seriousness. He possessed absolute confidence in himself; once someone was surpassed by him, even if he gave them the chance to catch up, they would find it difficult to even see his back.
Still, Yan's strength was not to be underestimated.
Having an opponent like him giving chase served as a form of supervision—a reminder that there could be no slackening or negligence on the path of cultivation, lest he be caught or overtaken by those he once surpassed.
"Hmph, I'm not that narrow-minded. I lost this fight fair and square. But Ling Xiao, just you wait; I will definitely surpass you."
Yan spoke with determination, a firm resolve forming in his heart.
With that, he turned and departed.
Although he hadn't sustained physical wounds, his Martial Soul had taken quite a hit. If he didn't consume specialized medicine to heal Martial Soul injuries and relied solely on soul power to nourish it, it would take a significant amount of time to recover.
Furthermore, losing to Ling Xiao in a direct frontal confrontation was a true defeat, carry a different weight than his past losses to Xie Yue.
He needed to go back, reflect, and settle his mind.
In the dark of night, Ling Xiao watched Yan's receding figure, feeling quite moved. The battle just now had been thoroughly exhilarating. Not only had he fought a "give-it-your-all" battle, but he had also settled a lingering matter in his heart.
Defeating a full-strength Yan in a head-on clash was a small goal he had set for himself six years ago. It served to prove his talent and strength to gain greater recognition from Spirit Hall, and it was also a test of the results of his years of bitter cultivation. Today, it was finally achieved.
In the future, the "Golden Generation" of Spirit Hall would likely consist of four people.
At this thought, a smile tugged at the corner of Ling Xiao's mouth.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Suddenly, the sound of applause drifted from nearby. Ling Xiao's heart jumped, and his expression instantly turned solemn as he looked toward the source of the sound.
"Who is it?"
Under Ling Xiao's watchful gaze, a figure slowly stepped out from beside a nearby arena.
She was tall with a slender waist and near-perfect proportions.
She had golden-orange short hair that reached her neck, and a faint smile played across her beautiful face. Her large eyes seemed exceptionally bright in the night, occasionally radiating a hint of charm that tugged at one's heartstrings.
Her white, form-fitting clothes were embroidered with numerous golden patterns.
It was none other than the disciple of Pope Bibi Dong—Hu Liena.
**
Enjoying the story? Support the translation and get early access to future chapters here: www.patr eon.com/c/FanficTranslator
Thanks for reading!
I have 100+ advanced chapter now on Patreon. I will post 5 advanced chapter on Patreon everyday except Sunday