With a long roar, Tang San tightly gripped the Rakshasa Demon Scythe in both hands. In an instant, a black crescent-shaped slash shot out, extending far and wide. The deafening explosion tore open the entire plaza's floor as the massive slash carved through it.
The black slash struck the metal man trapped in the Black Demon Pool, leaving it no room to dodge. With a hum, the first Soul Ring's Soul Power barrier reappeared. However, facing a thousand-year Ghost Ring, a barrier designed only for hundred-year power was naturally insufficient.
A thunderous explosion erupted as black energy burst forth, scattering metal fragments like a rain of shrapnel.
With a sharp sound, the metal man broke free from the dark Soul Power. A deep gash was clearly visible on its body, revealing internal components, yet the metal shell emitted a peculiar Soul Light, as if self-repairing.
"This Soul Guidance Device can consume Soul Power to repair its shattered metal shell? Is this a Soul Master's Domain ability?"
In that fleeting moment, Tang San leaped with unimaginable speed, delivering a mid-air punch aimed at the metal man's face. Without hesitation, the metal man countered with a punch of its own.
Their fists collided in mid-air, force against force. At that instant, an overwhelming power clashed between them, the two energies erupting like shockwaves that devastated everything around them.
A deafening "boom" resounded as the fist energy exploded outward. The metal man suffered the brunt of the impact, sent flying backward before flipping mid-air to regain its footing.
Cracks appeared on the metal man's arm, unable to withstand the terrifying force.
Tang San examined his fist, flexing his fingers as he remarked, "Truly worthy of a God-level Martial Soul and a God-given Spirit Ring. This power is unmatched by ordinary Martial Souls. I suppose I've gained quite the advantage. If I kept using the Rakshasa Martial Soul, you wouldn't accept defeat willingly."
Taking a deep breath, Tang San completely dismissed the Rakshasa Martial Soul, even deactivating the Rakshasa Domain. With a hum, the Clear Sky Hammer materialized in his hand. Raising it levelly to point at the metal man, Tang San declared confidently, "I don't know if a Soul Guidance Device like you possesses intelligence, but I'll defeat you with the Clear Sky Hammer. You have only one chance to strike."
"Give it your all."
As if understanding Tang San's words, the metal man's eyes flashed with a purple light—its thousand-year Soul Skill!
The black spear in the metal man's hands was infused with immense Soul Power. The spear itself was a Soul Guidance Device, and moreover, a long-lost offensive type!
As the metal man poured in Soul Power, the spear's power surged wildly, like a black dragon breaking free from its shackles!
"Finally using a thousand-year Soul Skill."
At this moment, the metal man's spear technique transformed drastically. The black spear in its grasp seemed to come alive as an ancient, recorded voice echoed: "Third Soul Skill—Dragon Slayer Spear!"
ROAR!! A deafening dragon's cry resounded. In the next instant, a golden dragon tore through the sky—the black spear in the metal man's hands had transformed into a gleaming golden dragon.
The metal man's spear thrust was nothing short of invincible. This was no ordinary thousand-year Soul Ring skill—it fused both the spear's technique and the Soul Ring's power, a dual integration of Soul Skill and Soul Ring!
With a single thrust, the spear pierced through space, surpassing all laws, its invincible stance nearly impossible to evade.
This Dragon Spear technique was the metal man's final strike, a replication of the most powerful and unrivaled thrust comprehended by the god-level expert it had copied when they were at the 39th rank. When this spear was unleashed, it seemed to transcend distance, making evasion impossible.
"Clear Sky Nine Absolute Heavens Techniques—Void!!" The moment the metal man thrust its spear, Tang San let out a long roar. His hammer transformed into the heavens, obliterating emptiness as it struck out in an instant. In that fleeting moment, the Clear Sky Hammer erupted with a blinding white light, illuminating the entire space.
In that split second, the Dragon Spear clashed with the Clear Sky Hammer. The hammer became the sky itself—no matter how mighty the Dragon Spear was, no matter how high the true dragon soared, it could never surpass the heavens. The true dragon, too, was suppressed by the laws of the cosmos.
A deafening metallic clang resounded, causing space itself to ripple. When the blinding white light faded, the Clear Sky Hammer remained above, forcefully suppressing the black spear. The hammer's face blocked the spear's tip, resembling a colossal mountain pressing down upon a dragon.
Crack, crack, crack—under Tang San's watchful gaze, the black spear began to shatter. From within the metal man came a long sigh, as if lamenting that it could not face Tang San in its most perfect form and had to rely on Soul Guidance Device technology to replicate a fraction of the unnamed god-level expert's former glory.
Tang San retracted the Clear Sky Hammer. Though the Soul Guidance Device had mimicked some of the techniques of a god-level expert, the Clear Sky Nine Absolute Heavens Techniques were a true Inherited Spirit Ability of the God-level, passed down by the ancestors of the Clear Sky Sect. Naturally, it would not lose to an imitation.
"What a pity."
As Tang San's words fell, the battle came to an end. The metal man's mechanical functions ceased, and the Soul Power within it dissipated. The next moment, a string of glowing text appeared above the metal man's head.
[Challenge cleared. You possess the potential to become a god.]
Then, light burst forth from the sky, scattering into countless radiant motes before dissipating. An ancient token slowly descended from above, its surface emblazoned with a dazzling golden character for "God," exuding an overwhelming pressure.
"Holy Spirit Sect's God-Level Disciple Token?" Tang San immediately looked around, up and down, muttering, "Wait, where's the rest? Is this it? Don't tell me it's stuck because it's been out of repair for too long!"
Fortunately, Tang San's fears did not come to pass. The next second, a familiar screen appeared before him—identical to the God Trial interface, except this one was golden instead of the Rakshasa God's crimson glow.
[God-Level Disciple Reward Selection.]
"Oh, there are options? Let me see." Tang San took a look and immediately fell silent. Though it claimed there were choices, in reality, there was only one God-level reward!
He guessed that the other three difficulty levels of the trial probably offered many more options, while the God-level had just this one.
[Fragment (God-Level)]
Tang San shrugged. It didn't matter—he had originally wanted the Rakshasa God's Divine Artifact Fragment anyway. Having only one choice saved him from the agony of indecision.
As Tang San tapped the screen, a grating metallic sound echoed, and a metal platform rose from the floor before him. On it rested a sealed Soul Guidance Device box.
Tang San had seen this type of Soul Guidance Device box many times before. It was an ancient design used to safeguard valuables, requiring a specific method to open. Any attempt to force it would destroy the contents inside—a security measure to prevent theft.
Tang San tapped the box with the token in his hand, causing it to open. Inside lay a palm-sized purple metal fragment, from which a familiar aura immediately emanated.
"The divine energy of the Rakshasa God—no mistake, this must be a fragment of the Rakshasa God's Divine Artifact." After all, Tang San was undergoing the Rakshasa God's God Trial, so he was quite familiar with the Rakshasa God's divine energy.
(End of Chapter)