Tang San wasn't foolish. His father knew his capabilities best. Accumulating one hundred points through consecutive victories in a Black Iron-level Soul Duel Arena wasn't particularly difficult—not just for him, but even some talented disciples of the Clear Sky Sect could achieve it.
Thus, Tang San immediately guessed that his father must have "other arrangements" in store!
Hearing Tang San's shout, a burly man appeared beside the black-robed figure from Spirit Hall. The emblem on the man's clothing unmistakably identified him as a member of the Elephant Armor Sect, one of the Lower Four Sects.
"Your Elephant Armor Sect sent someone?" The black-robed Spirit Hall member glanced at the elder from the Elephant Armor Sect beside him and asked.
Huyan Ning of the Elephant Armor Sect clasped his fists respectfully toward the black-robed man and replied, "Reporting to the Bishop, Tang Hao contacted our sect leader, hoping we could send a capable Great Soul Master to test Tang San's combat prowess."
Upon hearing this, the black-robed man sneered, "Hah, it seems Tang Hao truly looks down on your Elephant Armor Sect, using you as human Soul Power testing crystals."
Huyan Ning snorted coldly, his displeasure evident. "Hmph! That Tang Hao is utterly arrogant. He even allowed us to use external aids like medicine and armor—such disrespect!"
When Huyan Ning first heard Tang Hao's demands, he had been furious. How could anyone be so disdainful? What did he mean by "external aids are permitted"? If not for Tang Hao's status as the Clear Sky Douluo, he wouldn't have left the Elephant Armor Sect alive!
A strange glint flashed in the Spirit Hall Bishop's eyes before he retrieved a small, round object from his Soul Guidance Device.
"Bishop, what is this?" Huyan Ning asked.
The Spirit Hall Bishop smiled faintly. "This is a pill refined by our Spirit Hall. It can temporarily double the Soul Power of any user below the Soul Elder rank, enhancing their strength."
Hearing that it was a strength-boosting pill, Huyan Ning's eyes widened. Such pills, which directly amplified power, were exceedingly rare. "What are the side effects of this pill?" he asked.
Huyan Ning wasn't stupid—pills that temporarily boosted Soul Power couldn't possibly be without drawbacks.
The Spirit Hall Bishop chuckled darkly, his words laced with implication. "What does it matter if there are side effects? It's just a Great Soul Master, after all."
He shoved the pill into Huyan Ning's hand and said, "I don't care what methods you use. The Pope needs to know the true strength of that boy called Tang San—whether he has the potential to become the next Tang Hao."
"This is an order. If your Elephant Armor Sect wishes to replace the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon as the strongest Beast Spirit sect and ascend to the Upper Three Sects, then serve the Pope well. In the future, His Holiness will surely fulfill your aspirations."
As Huyan Ning stared at the pill in his hand, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. The Elephant Armor Sect didn't have a single Titled Douluo among them. Their strongest member, the sect leader "Heavenly Elephant" Huyan Zhen, was only level 89—just one step away from level 90, yet it was a step he would likely never cross in this lifetime.
The gap between the Upper Three Sects and the Lower Four Sects was something outsiders could scarcely comprehend. If the Lower Four Sects truly wished to surpass the Upper Three, the Spirit Hall was their only hope.
While the Elephant Armor Sect and Spirit Hall were still deliberating, Tang San had already begun dominating the arena.
The other three sects of the Lower Four Sects—Wind Sword Sect, Fire Leopard Sect, and Rock Antelope Sect—had each sent out Soul Masters at the 29th level. Although their strength was similar to Tang Lihui's, Tang San merely activated his Slaughter Martial Soul to enhance his physical abilities. With the added support of Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and Purple Demon Eyes, he effortlessly defeated all three of them barehanded, leaving them no chance to fight back.
Although Tang San had also used his Martial Soul, consuming a bit of Soul Power, to others, it appeared as if he hadn't even used his Martial Soul at all, relying solely on his physical prowess to overpower the Soul Masters of the Lower Four Sects.
"Damn, is the Clear Sky Hammer Spirit of the Clear Sky Sect really that powerful? He didn't even need to use his Martial Soul to beat those Great Soul Masters from the Lower Four Sects who had winning streaks in the Soul Duel Arena."
"Stop joking around. Didn't you see Tang Lihui in the first match? He's also from the Clear Sky Sect, yet he was completely crushed by Tang San."
"Someone, please save us and put an end to this demon king!!"
For a moment, the arena was filled with cries of despair. Everyone had subconsciously labeled Tang San as the ultimate villain, hoping someone could defeat him.
Yu Hanwen, a powerhouse of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan who had brought his juniors along, couldn't help but smile bitterly. Looking at his initially confident but now dumbfounded and sweat-drenched junior, he asked, "Still confident you can beat him?"
"I-I…" The junior, Yu Yuanlei, stammered, "Even Young Sect Master Yu Tianheng couldn't have defeated Soul Masters of the same level barehanded without using any Martial Soul or Soul Skills when he was at the 24th level."
Yu Hanwen shook his head. "No, he couldn't. For us Soul Masters, everything lies in our Martial Souls. Although Beast Spirits do enhance our physical bodies as we level up, if we don't use our Martial Souls or Soul Skills, we're no longer Soul Masters—just exceptionally strong ordinary people."
The essence of being a Soul Master lies in the ability to wield a Martial Soul in battle.
On the Douluo Continent, everyone can awaken a Martial Soul, but not everyone can become a Soul Master. The conditions to become one are extremely stringent, with fewer than one in ten succeeding. Thus, Soul Masters have always been the most revered profession on the continent, surpassing even blacksmiths and alchemists in status.
"Elder, are Item Martial Souls truly stronger than Beast Spirits? Which type of Martial Soul is more powerful?" Yu Yuanlei was genuinely shaken this time. If Beast Spirits couldn't even surpass Item Martial Souls in physical strength, what was the point of having one?
Their greatest advantage paled in comparison.
Hearing this question, Yu Hanwen frowned deeply. When it came to Beast Spirits, their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit was arguably the strongest in the world, while the Clear Sky Sect possessed the most formidable Item Martial Soul.
"Normally, Beast Spirits are slightly stronger than Item Martial Souls. When both sides use their Martial Souls with comparable Soul Power and Soul Rings, a Beast Spirit Soul Master can defeat an Item Martial Soul user. That's because Beast Spirits grant us formidable physical prowess—our limbs become weapons," Yu Hanwen explained.
"But… that's under ordinary circumstances. In special cases, Item Martial Souls surpass Beast Spirits." Yu Hanwen sighed, glancing at the seemingly invincible figure on the stage before continuing, "If one possesses a powerful weapon inheritance, then Item Martial Souls gain the upper hand."
"Inheritance?"
"Right, simply put, it's the method of wielding a weapon. You've heard of the Clear Sky Sect's Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, haven't you? Even with the same Clear Sky Hammer, the difference between someone who can use the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique and someone who can't is like heaven and earth. The method of wielding a weapon applies to all Clear Sky Hammers—it's very versatile. There are even rumors that the Clear Sky Sect possesses divine techniques passed down from Tang Haotian, the founder of the sect in ancient times."