Chapter 337: Xu Sanshi's Decision
Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth, his expression growing increasingly grim. Xiao Hongchen's firepower was too overwhelming if this continued, he might not be able to hold on. His Mysterious Nether Turtle Shield could very well shatter under the barrage.
"If only my Black Tortoise bloodline could fully awaken…" he thought bitterly. "Then my Mysterious Nether Turtle Shield would evolve into the Black Tortoise Shield, greatly enhancing its defense. Even Xiao Hongchen's soul cannons wouldn't be able to leave a single crack on it."
But he had no choice but to grit his teeth and press forward, closing the distance between himself and Xiao Hongchen. At the same time, he activated a defensive soul barrier, its pale golden glow helping him absorb some of the incoming blasts.
Shrek Academy couldn't compare to Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy in terms of soul tools, but for the tournament, this level of defense should be enough.
After all, with Xiao Hongchen's cultivation at the Soul Emperor level, he could, at most, be a Rank 6 Soul Engineer.
This meant that, in most cases, Xiao Hongchen could only use Rank 6 soul tools. Even his strongest cannon blasts were probably only at the sixth rank.
"A mere Rank 6 soul tool... I can handle it!"
However, Xiao Hongchen's eyes flashed with a bloody red glow as his sixth soul ring gleamed even more intensely than before.
As a Martial Soul Second Awakening user, his soul skills had undergone significant enhancements. The awakening process had triggered the latent power in his bloodline, allowing his martial soul to evolve.
And his martial soul was the legendary Three Legged Golden Toad.
According to Douluo Continent's ancient myths, the Three Legged Golden Toad was a divine beast. This meant that Xiao Hongchen's martial soul carried traces of a divine bloodline.
"Sixth Soul Skill Metal Manipulation!"
He thrust his hand forward in a grasping motion toward Xu Sanshi.
CRACK!
Xu Sanshi's defensive soul barrier shattered instantly.
The rare metals that made up the soul barrier melted into liquid, then swiftly solidified into sharp metallic swords.
Under the sunlight, these razor sharp swords gleamed with a chilling light before they shot straight at Xu Sanshi.
The air trembled with a piercing whistle, like a death knell ringing in Xu Sanshi's ears.
High Above the Arena
Xu Tianran instinctively gripped the armrest of his chair, his eyes widening in amazement.
"Hall Master Jing, you have quite the grandson!" he exclaimed.
"Xiao Hongchen's ability to shatter an opponent's soul tools and manipulate rare metals is simply incredible! If he faces another Soul Engineer, wouldn't he be completely unstoppable?!"
"Furthermore, I noticed that his martial soul seems… different from before. Hall Master Jing, care to explain?"
Jing Hongchen forced a smile before responding, "Your Highness, Hongchen was fortunate. His martial soul evolved through his bloodline awakening. Naturally, his soul skills have also been strengthened."
Xu Tianran nodded thoughtfully. Luck was an unpredictable force, and throughout Sun Moon Empire's history, there had indeed been cases where individuals gained immense power through sheer fortune.
Back on the Battlefield
Xu Sanshi's expression grew even more serious.
With metal swords and soul cannon fire threatening him from all directions, he had no choice but to counterattack.
"Second Soul Skill Mysterious Nether Shield Array!"
His Mysterious Nether Turtle Shield suddenly expanded threefold, but it wasn't just an illusion its number increased dramatically, forming a gigantic shield array.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted as soul cannon blasts crashed into the shield array, creating blinding flashes of fire and violent shockwaves.
Though Xu Sanshi blocked the cannon fire, the metal swords were different.
Originally, the metallic swords were heading straight for his shield, but under Xiao Hongchen's mental control, they suddenly curved mid air.
Now, they were targeting Xu Sanshi's exposed back.
If they struck, Xu Sanshi would suffer severe injuries.
"Damn it!" Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth.
His first soul ring lit up, radiating a golden yellow glow.
"First Soul Skill Mysterious Nether Tremor!"
A wave of black energy erupted from his shield, rippling outward in all directions for ten meters.
The metallic swords were instantly repelled, unable to get any closer.
For a brief moment, Xu Sanshi finally caught his breath.
But the very next second, another barrage of soul cannon fire rained down upon him.
Smoke and dust filled the air. Flickering firelight danced through the chaos.
Xiao Hongchen, however, looked completely relaxed.
His Sealed Milk Bottle ensured that his soul power wouldn't run out anytime soon.
Since he wasn't worried about energy consumption, he freely unleashed cannon blasts without restraint.
As for ammunition, his storage soul tools were packed to the brim with cannon shells and rare metals.
If he wanted to, he could bombard Xu Sanshi for an entire day.
A Few Moments Later…
Xu Sanshi coughed up a mouthful of blood.
His face had gone pale, and his breathing was labored.
He couldn't hold on much longer.
At this rate, he was going to be completely overwhelmed by the endless cannon barrage.
His soul power was running low, and even though Shrek Academy had acquired some Sealed Milk Bottles, they were heavily restricted by the Sun Moon Empire's trade policies.
Only low grade Milk Bottles ever made it onto the black market.
Even with his status, Xu Sanshi only had a single Rank 4 Milk Bottle a gift from Dean Yan Shaozhe, who had obtained it from the notoriously stingy Dean Qian Duoduo.
Of course, Qian Duoduo's stinginess stemmed from his desire to develop a domestically produced alternative to the Milk Bottle.
"I told Nannan I would win…" Xu Sanshi thought bitterly. "I can't afford to lose!"
"If I lose now, she'll just think I'm nothing more than a loudmouth who can't back up his words!"
His eyes hardened he had no choice but to use his trump card, Mysterious Nether Swap.
If he didn't, he might not even survive this round, let alone defeat Huo Yuhao later.
Making his decision, Xu Sanshi stopped charging forward and instead sprinted toward the edge of the stage.
Perhaps because of how intense recent battles had been, the Sun Moon Empire had reinforced the competition stage, ensuring that it could sustain damage without breaking apart.
As a result, the arena remained mostly intact.
In mere moments, Xu Sanshi reached the very edge of the stage.
Then, in a sudden and dramatic motion, he leapt into the air appearing as if he was about to jump off the arena entirely.
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