Ma Hongjun, sent flying, flapped the fiery wings on his back, quickly regaining his balance before diving toward Oscar again. Although he was coughing up blood and his body ached, he knew Oscar couldn't be feeling too great either.
But in truth, Ma Hongjun was overthinking. While the recoil from their earlier clash had been intense, Oscar's jade sword had absorbed much of the force.
On top of that, Oscar's external soul bone was in his left hand, making it far tougher than that of an ordinary soul master. Combined with his physical strength already close to that of a Soul Emperor Oscar had suffered almost no actual injury from the counter force.
This time, as Ma Hongjun dove again, he didn't gather fire for a blast. Instead, his right hand condensed into a massive flaming claw of pure soul power, exuding a terrifying phoenix aura. Like a hawk locking onto its prey, he lunged for Oscar.
"Flame Phoenix Phoenix Claw!"
The claw carried not only scorching heat but also a sharp tearing sensation akin to an eagle's talons.
While perhaps not as explosively destructive as his Phoenix Explosion, its raw offensive power was sharper and more direct.
With the added momentum from his dive, the attack's strength increased even further.
However, thanks to his external soul bone's passive boost, Oscar's strength and attack power were already increased by fifty percent.
With his body already at near Soul Emperor level, this boost made him no weaker than a junior Soul Emperor in sheer physical capability.
This kind of qualitative gap couldn't be bridged by Ma Hongjun's diving momentum alone.
Oscar's tricolored jade sword danced brilliantly in his hands, clearly executing the Frost Moon Sword Technique taught by his teacher, Gai Yue.
Though a Gai family inheritance, this style incorporated almost every sword form imaginable.
It had nine primary forms, subdivided into twenty seven sequences and eighty one chapters, covering swordplay from basic to advanced, along with guidance on sword cultivation itself.
At this moment, Oscar was using the fourth core form Cold Star, Flying Moon!
As the tricolored jade sword whirled in his hands, it suddenly turned icy blue, releasing a terrifying chill. The blade danced like a moon in flight beautiful yet radiating deadly intent.
Merging his sword momentum into the strike, the freezing aura peaked. When the sword swung, it was like an icy moon slashing down, colliding directly with Ma Hongjun's claw.
Cold and flame clashed, erupting in a cloud of steam. Even with soul power and fire wrapping his palm, Ma Hongjun felt a stabbing pain.
Despite using all his strength, he could only barely match Oscar for a moment before having to flap back quickly. Otherwise, his right hand would be either severed or frozen solid.
His refined phoenix fire was nearly unmatched at his level few elements could suppress it.
Yet Oscar managed to do so. Although Oscar's soul power level was two higher, the real threat came from his perfect fusion of ice attribute and sword momentum.
Sword qi already carried cutting and killing force; when combined with ice as strong as phoenix fire, Ma Hongjun was inevitably forced into a disadvantage.
Still, he didn't give up. While his self created skill and phoenix fire couldn't overpower Oscar, he still had his third soul skill unused.
His third soul ring had reached four thousand years, rivaling an ordinary fourth soul skill. Moreover, having absorbed it above his level, its power surpassed even that.
It was his strongest killing move. Unlike in the original story, it wasn't a flight skill, but a powerful offensive one.
Nor was it the "Earth King" with pure fire attribute and no phoenix bloodline.
Instead, this third soul skill came from a Cloud Piercing Bird with phoenix bloodline high fire power and capable of maximizing attack potential.
Ma Hongjun had perfectly fused with it, creating a devastating single target skill.
After being forced back, he rapidly gathered his soul power. With his second skill, Bathing Phoenix, boosting it, his third soul skill's power was maximized. He poured all remaining energy into this final strike.
If this couldn't beat Oscar, he would have no choice but to yield.
"Third Soul Skill Phoenix Cloud Piercing Strike!"
A massive fire phoenix appeared behind him, spreading its wings, sharp eyes locking instantly on Oscar.
Oscar sensed immediately that something was off this was not ordinary aura locking, but a tracking lock, like Zhao Wuji's positioning skills.
He frowned slightly. "A locking type power attack skill? Just as Teacher said same name as the fourth ring skill in the original, but completely different in effect and strength."
Indeed, while the name matched the original's fourth ring skill, it lacked the original's semi control secondary phase yet its power was massively greater, and it carried the Cloud Piercing Bird's lock on trait.
Once the target was locked, the attack would not stop until it hit unless its energy was exhausted.
This skill fully displayed Ma Hongjun's burst power, so fast that few could dodge.
If you were locked, there was only one outcome take it head on.
Oscar could have evaded by using his third soul skill to fly at Swift Tail Swallow speeds, but there was no need he wasn't afraid of this attack.
He tossed his jade sword into the sky. The ice blue blade split into three colored soul power glows, forming dozens of swords sky blue, ice blue, and crimson hovering in the air.
There were more than fifty in total. Though not as visually imposing as Myriad Swords Return to One, their power far exceeded his level twenty days.
"Sword Momentum Tri Element Sword Rain!"
With a low shout, the swords shot toward Ma Hongjun.
The fire phoenix screeched and charged toward Oscar, locked in.
First to meet it were twenty ice swords shattering on impact but draining two thirds of the phoenix's energy, freezing much of its body.
Next came twenty fire swords; the sudden ice–fire contact vaporized the phoenix, dispersing it entirely.
The remaining dozen swords roared toward Ma Hongjun.
With no soul power left except to barely keep flying, he had nothing to block with.
Seeing the swords about to skewer him, Ma Hongjun panicked and begged, "Boss, I was wrong! I won't provoke you again please call off your magic!"
At his plea, the ten swords transformed into sky blue light, reshaping into two giant hands that grabbed him and flung him toward Oscar.
This was the "Condense" ability of Oscar's external soul bone it could form anything he imagined.
But in terms of pure offense, swords were strongest since the bone came from the Violet Gold Sword Bamboo.
That was why Oscar chose the sword over a staff.
Though he hadn't forgotten the Dragon Pattern Staff technique learned from Li Yusong, his swordsmanship was far superior.
Dangling from his collar in Oscar's grip, Ma Hongjun yelped as Oscar said with a smile, "Kid, you're strong but not enough. Don't try to show off in front of your big brother again, or I won't let you off so easily next time."
Ma Hongjun bobbed his head furiously. "Yes, yes, boss! I won't dare next time please let me go this time!"
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