The blade-wielding man dashed forward several more steps.
Suddenly, his entire body erupted with a crimson glow as he shifted to gripping his massive blade with both hands. The already broad weapon expanded further, now twice the size of his own body.
With a violent pivot, the man turned.
"You want the Soul Bone? Let's see if you can survive to claim it!" His frenzied roar shook the entire forest.
The surrounding woods echoed with startled shrieks and hoofbeats as countless Spirit Beasts were disturbed by the commotion.
The man leaped high, bringing his blade crashing down toward his pursuers.
This must be the Xiahou Mang Old Snake mentioned! Dugu Feng marveled at the overwhelming aura. This power feels beyond just a Soul Emperor.
The Blade Soul was known for its domineering, unyielding offensive power, and Xiahou Mang's technique resembled the Weapon Soul Avatar - man and blade becoming one. No wonder his family became a subsidiary of the Clear Sky Sect; their styles shared similarities.
Xiahou Mang had completely merged with his colossal blade, his movements inseparable from the weapon's path. To Dugu Feng's eyes, the world seemed filled with nothing but flashing steel.
"Six years ago you escaped. Now you've reached Soul Saint rank, but today your luck runs out!" boomed a thunderous voice.
Dugu Feng saw streaks of white light that, upon closer inspection, revealed themselves to be reflections off white scales illuminated by Spirit Rings. Three powerfully built figures covered in white scales advanced - the leader bearing seven Spirit Rings (Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black), flanked by two others with Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Purple, Black configurations. The voice had come from the leading Soul Saint.
One Soul Saint and two Soul Emperors.
Their white scale armor identified them as White Armored Earth Dragon users - members of the Sacred Dragon Sect?
The trio emitted intense white light that coalesced into a massive spectral white dragon. The apparition swayed through the air before colliding violently with the crimson blade energy.
BOOM!
A devastating shockwave radiated outward, leveling dozens of surrounding trees.
Xiahou Mang, still merged with his blade, staggered backward from the impact while the three Sacred Dragon Soul Masters grimaced, suppressing their churning blood and energy. The clash had been nearly evenly matched.
Suddenly, the earth trembled violently as if struck by an earthquake.
An enormous figure over three meters tall burst from the side, its form barely humanoid. Yet Dugu Feng recognized it as a member of the Huyan family - their Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul.
This mammoth Soul Master charged directly toward Xiahou Mang with unstoppable momentum.
"The Elephant Armor Sect working with Sacred Dragon Sect? Has Elephant Armor also pledged allegiance to Spirit Hall? Or have all Five Element Academies surrendered to them?" Old Snake's thoughts turned grim - this was no trivial development.
Xiahou Mang, still recovering from his clash with the Sacred Dragon fighters, found himself caught mid-transition between spent and renewed strength. The tank-like Diamond Mammoth struck him squarely, sending his body flying backward as he coughed up blood.
"Die now!" The Sacred Dragon Soul Saint advanced mercilessly.
Xiahou Mang's eyes burned with ferocity as he gripped his massive blade. His earlier escape had already drained much of his Soul Power. Now facing two Soul Saints - including this Sacred Dragon expert whose White Armored Earth Dragon, though a lesser dragon variant, ranked among the strongest at Soul Saint level with terrifying speed - he found himself hard-pressed on all fronts.
The Elephant Armor Sect's Huyan Lie was particularly thick-skinned and tough, practically impossible to kill.
The battle erupted once more.
Xiahou Mang's Soul Bone was also revealed—a dull yellow helmet that appeared on his head, unremarkable and unadorned.
Yet it was a genuine Spirit Bone Ability.
His Soul Bone was a defensive skull bone, the very same one Huyan Li had used during the Soul Master Competition.
Seeing this, Dugu Feng couldn't help but feel disappointed.
This wasn't a particularly powerful Soul Bone. Even if it were offered to him, he might not have wanted it.
After all, he possessed the Core Pearl, so the urgency to resist the dangers of poison backlash wasn't as pressing.
If he were to absorb a Soul Bone, it would have to be at least fifty-thousand years old—preferably a hundred-thousand-year one. Tang San's Soul Bones were mostly hundred-thousand-year, after all.
He couldn't afford to fall short.
This skull bone, at best, was only ten-thousand years old.
The fact that Xiahou Mang had resorted to using his Soul Bone meant he was nearing his limit.
This wasn't the first time they had fought.
Xiahou Mang had fled multiple times, only to be caught again.
On this night, despair began to creep into Xiahou Mang's heart.
"Come this way!" A sudden voice transmission reached Xiahou Mang's ears.
His eyes lit up—someone was hiding nearby.
He quickly retreated in the direction of the voice, cautiously fighting as he moved.
The voice had naturally come from Old Snake.
Old Snake chuckled darkly.
The prey had indeed walked right into the trap.
Then, in Dugu Feng's perception, the surrounding toxins thickened. The air was filled with the colorless, odorless Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom.
This version of the venom was far more concealed than the one condensed from his first Soul Skill.
Not only were the particles minuscule, making them difficult to detect with spiritual power, but they were also completely undetectable by sight or smell.
Clearly, Old Snake had mastered the Azure Phosphorus Violet Venom to an extremely profound level.
Dugu Feng could sense it only because his Core Pearl was vibrating. He quickly suppressed it—the high-quality venom seemed to stir an unusual eagerness in the pearl.
Now, it was time to witness Old Snake's silent killing technique.
Just how lethal could a poison-attribute Soul Master truly be?
But in the next moment, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
"Now!"
Xiahou Mang, who had been retreating, suddenly roared and turned, leaping toward Dugu Feng's hiding spot.
Xiahou Mang was ruthless. After approaching Old Snake's vicinity, he had naturally detected Dugu Feng as well.
Dugu Feng had hidden perfectly.
But the gap between a one-ring Soul Master and a Soul Saint was simply too vast.
Once Xiahou Mang knew someone was hiding here, he had no trouble spotting Dugu Feng.
However, he hadn't detected Old Snake.
Instantly, he realized that this weak Soul Master must be connected to the person who had secretly transmitted to him.
Who wouldn't covet a Soul Bone?
Xiahou Mang had no intention of entrusting his life to someone else.
So, while shouting, he was also alerting Huyan Lie to the presence of others nearby.
He wanted the two sides to clash, giving him a chance to escape.
To avoid surprises, he even planned to seize Dugu Feng first—if the hidden party was powerful, this would at least make them hesitate.
A mere one-ring Soul Master?
He could capture him in an instant.
If the hidden party thought they could reap the rewards without effort, they were sorely mistaken.
A vicious glint flashed in Xiahou Mang's eyes. As he closed the distance, he finally got a clear look at Dugu Feng—a child.
Very young.
But it was a shame. Even if he escaped after capturing him, he wouldn't spare the boy's life.
He could already guess that the child's face would show a look of terror.
But the next moment, Xiahou Mang was surprised.
The child actually smiled?
Had he lost his mind from fear?
Well, it made sense. He had never seen such an aloof and domineering Soul Saint before, nor had he ever witnessed a Spirit Bone Ability. After all, he was still just a child!
What an innocent age—pity he was about to die.