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The blazing flames of the Phoenix Fire erupted, instantly engulfing the ten air blades Flender had unleashed.
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However, Flender's strength surpassed that of the Fire Phoenix. The air blades swallowed by the Phoenix Fire didn't vanish completely.
In the blink of an eye, the slightly diminished air blades pierced through the roaring flames and slashed directly toward the Fire Phoenix.
"CHIRP—!"
An angry phoenix cry rang out as a golden-red glow enveloped the Fire Phoenix's body.
"BOOM BOOM BOOM—!"
The next moment, the ten air blades struck the Fire Phoenix's body in rapid succession, producing a series of dense collision sounds.
Having been weakened by the Phoenix Fire and blocked by its protective soul power, and considering Flender's fourth soul skill wasn't particularly high-level, the first round of combat left Flender at no clear advantage.
"Fifth soul skill, Owl Feather Strike!"
Unfazed by his failed initial attack, Flender activated his fifth soul ring. His Owl wings trembled, and a dense array of orange-golden feathers materialized before shooting out like countless arrows toward the Fire Phoenix.
Unlike his previous fourth soul skill, Flender's fifth soul skill was over ten thousand years old. The dense orange-golden feathers carried far greater destructive power than the earlier air blades.
Even though the Fire Phoenix reacted quickly, spewing Phoenix Flames to burn the feathers and dodging some, many still struck its body.
Though Flender's Eagle Feather Strike was an area-of-effect skill and not as powerful as single-target offensive skills of the same age, the protective soul power covering the Fire Phoenix's body was still pierced by the feathers.
"PU PU PU PU—!"
Phoenix feathers shattered, and blood blossomed as fist-sized holes appeared all over the burning phoenix body.
Though numerous, these wounds were minor for a phoenix with a wingspan of over three meters. At most, they were light injuries that barely affected its combat capabilities.
If this Fire Phoenix had grown to be a hundred-thousand-year-old one and mastered the Phoenix Domain, even such severe wounds wouldn't matter. It could even regenerate from a shattered body through rebirth in flames.
Putting aside the battle between Flender and the Fire Phoenix in the sky, Chu Chengzhou below began his own actions.
A faint blue glow of soul power lit up as his True Spirit Flag martial soul manifested. Then, his second soul ring shone brightly, and amidst the surge of soul power, the Light Lion summon abruptly appeared beside him.
"Little Bai, give me your blessing, then back off!"
Patting the lion's head and giving instructions, Chu Chengzhou held his bow in his left hand while a white-gold arrow, condensed from highly concentrated soul power, materialized in his right hand.
The next second, a streak of white-gold light surged from Little Bai's body and merged into Chu Chengzhou's.
Instantly, Chu Chengzhou felt invigorated, with all his attributes increasing by over 30%.
Then, he released the arrow. A streak of white light shot toward the small phoenix in the nest, which had been focused on the aerial battlefield.
'WHOOSH—'
A faint sound of slicing air echoed as the light-attribute soul-powered arrow crossed a hundred meters in an instant.
At the critical moment, the small phoenix, distracted by the aerial battle, suddenly sensed a threat. Instinctively, it lowered its head and crossed its wings in front of its body.
This instinctive action temporarily saved its life.
"PU—!"
Blood splattered as the sharp white-gold arrow pierced the small phoenix's right wing.
Perhaps due to its youth (or ignorance), or simply being overly sheltered, the small phoenix hadn't anticipated someone would attack it with a hidden arrow while its mother was engaged in battle.
Without releasing its protective soul power in time, its physical defenses alone couldn't withstand the incoming arrow.
Moreover, with the Light Lion's Blessing enhancing his soul power, Chu Chengzhou's current attributes rivaled those of a three-ring Soul Elder.
Coupled with the purple-grade archery skill, whose power equaled a millennium-level offensive soul skill, and the lack of tough scales on flying-type soul beasts, the small phoenix naturally suffered a significant blow when its right wing was pierced.
"CHIRP—!"
Seeing the arrow that had pierced its right wing, mere feet from its head, and slowly dissipating into soul power, the small phoenix let out an enraged cry.
Suppressing the intense pain in its right wing, it flapped its wings and flew out of the nest.
Though the soul-powered arrow was only as thick as a finger, the small phoenix, with a wingspan of five feet, retained its ability to fly despite the injury.
However, its once elegant and noble posture was now distorted, resembling a clumsy "left-handed" phoenix.
"Tsk~, it's still a soul beast after all!"
Seeing the small phoenix take to the sky, Chu Chengzhou inwardly sighed.
If a human soul master had an arrow pierce their thigh, their speed and combat effectiveness would plummet drastically. However, for the small phoenix, though large among soul beasts, it was still relatively small compared to humans. A thumb-thick wound on its body was equivalent to a needle piercing a human palm.
Such injuries, though painful, didn't significantly impact its combat capabilities.
'WHOOSH—'
Another arrow shot out. This time, the prepared small phoenix narrowly avoided it and charged straight at Chu Chengzhou.
Enraged, the small phoenix vowed to incinerate this treacherous two-legged creature.
"CHIRP—!"
When a phoenix cries, it either heralds great fortune or great calamity.
Sure enough, a torrent of scorching Phoenix Flames erupted from the small phoenix's mouth.
The moment the Phoenix Flames appeared, Chu Chengzhou sensed their searing heat.
True Phoenix Flames far surpassed Ma Hongjun's chicken-fire imitation. Even solid steel would melt instantly under them, and Chu Chengzhou had no intention of letting his flesh experience such fiery passion.
Taking advantage of the flames obscuring the small phoenix's vision, Chu Chengzhou swiftly shot another arrow and retreated without pause. In the blink of an eye, he escaped the range of the Phoenix Flames.
What was it like to have an arrow burst forth from within the flames just after spitting out Phoenix Fire?
The small phoenix didn't know if other phoenixes had experienced this, but it certainly did—and it was terrified.
Overwhelmed, the small phoenix hastily mobilized its soul power, forming a layer of protective soul power around its body.
"PU—!"
The next moment, the arrow struck. Piercing through the protective soul power, the sharp arrow plunged three inches deep into the phoenix's chest.
"CHIRP—!"
Though it hadn't hit a vital spot or fully penetrated the chest, the repeated arrow strikes further fueled the small phoenix's rage.
These despicable two-legged creatures were truly insufferable, resorting to cowardly sneak attacks!
Anger clouded its judgment, and even a noble phoenix wasn't immune to losing its composure.
Unable to vent its anger, the small phoenix entered a berserk mode, spewing Phoenix Flames nonstop.
Indeed, the flames were free, but they consumed soul power!
Fortunately, Chu Chengzhou's physical prowess and purple-grade agility skill allowed him to dodge nimbly. Otherwise, any other Level 30 soul master—even a pseudo-Soul Elder specializing in agility—would have surely experienced the full brunt of the enraged phoenix's flames.
Under the small phoenix's explosive assault, Chu Chengzhou was forced to constantly shift his position, unable to find an opening to shoot.
But he wasn't frustrated. Though soul beasts possessed more soul power than human soul masters of the same level, it wasn't infinite.
The immense power of Phoenix Flames also meant substantial soul power consumption. Spraying flames indiscriminately like this, the small phoenix would soon deplete its soul power, giving Chu Chengzhou a chance to counterattack.
Meanwhile, Flender, battling the larger phoenix above, noticed that Chu Chengzhou, though at a disadvantage against the rampaging small phoenix, hadn't yet shown signs of defeat. He refocused on fighting the larger phoenix.
As for the larger phoenix? Seeing its offspring suppressing the evil two-legged creature, and with a formidable opponent before it, it had no intention of descending to deal with Chu Chengzhou.
It was said that ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts possessed intelligence, but unless they reached fifty thousand years or more—or were spirit-type soul beasts—their intelligence was comparable to that of brain-damaged beings.
In the larger phoenix's eyes, its offspring was making the two-legged creature jump around frantically, unaware that its child was walking toward doom.
As Chu Chengzhou expected, after dodging flames for several minutes, the small phoenix, recklessly spewing Phoenix Flames, began to run out of soul power and showed signs of exhaustion.
This small phoenix was over five thousand years old, equivalent to a four-ring Soul Elder among humans.
The fact that it could unleash flames continuously for so long was thanks to its Phoenix body. If it were a four-ring human soul master like Ma Hongjun, he'd collapse within a minute.
All show, no substance—this described the berserk small phoenix perfectly.
Aside from consuming a significant amount of Chu Chengzhou's soul power, its Phoenix Flames hadn't even singed a corner of his clothes.
Of course, the berserk small phoenix wasn't weak. It was Chu Chengzhou's quick reflexes and agile movements that allowed him to evade every wave of flames.
Any other soul master, even a four-ring Soul Elder, would have struggled to withstand the small phoenix's assault.
Seeing the small phoenix falter, the tide of battle turned. Chu Chengzhou raised his bow and fired an arrow.
'WHOOSH—!'
A streak of white light flashed. The severely drained and weakened small phoenix failed to dodge completely. The arrow pierced through its protective soul power, striking its left wing.
Instantly, phoenix feathers broke, and blood splattered. After its right wing, its left wing was now injured as well.
"CHIRP—!"
The familiar intense pain returned, and the small phoenix let out an angry cry.
However, this time, the fear of death overshadowed its rage. With little soul power remaining, the small phoenix was frightened.
It was just a baby phoenix, barely a few hundred years old, always protected by its mother. It had never experienced such a situation.
Enduring the pain, it flapped its wings and hurriedly ascended into the sky.
Its instincts told it that phoenixes belonged to the skies. If it could reach a high altitude, the treacherous two-legged creature below wouldn't be able to harm it.
Seeing the small phoenix attempt to flee, Chu Chengzhou naturally couldn't allow it. If it escaped, how would he obtain his third soul ring? He immediately fired a volley of soul-powered arrows.
Unsurprisingly, with both wings damaged and its flight speed and agility greatly reduced, the small phoenix was struck by several more arrows.
However, its sizable body and protective soul power provided decent defense. Though hit, none of the wounds were fatal. After losing a slender golden-red feather and many broken phoenix feathers, it gained a few more holes in its body but managed to ascend to a kilometer above the ground, dragging its injured form.
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou could only shake his head in resignation.
A kilometer above the ground was beyond the effective range of his arrows.
After all, the arrows were condensed from his soul power. Once released, they would quickly dissipate without his control.
Without the ability to pierce through space, the kinetic energy of the arrows dropped sharply after a certain distance. The time required for the arrow to hit its target after leaving the bowstring rendered the once rock-piercing soul-powered arrows soft and ineffective.
Moreover, the arrows were sizable. At a kilometer's distance, the small phoenix would surely react in time and dodge. Continuing to shoot would be futile.
Of course, this predicament was temporary. As his soul power level, control abilities, and archery skill improved, his soul-powered arrows would become denser, with increased range and power.
If he wanted this five-thousand-year-old small phoenix as his third summon, he'd have to rely on Flender.
After all, no matter how powerful a tank was, it couldn't shoot down a fighter jet in the sky.
"CHIRP—!"
The small phoenix, now high in the sky, called out to its distant mother with a face full of grievance.
Had its mother not been battling the winged evil two-legged creature, it would have flown over to accuse the creature of treachery and sought revenge with parental support.
"Hmm? That kid really won?"
Glancing at the injured and grievance-filled small phoenix in the distance, Flender was astonished.
He hadn't expected Chu Chengzhou's strength to be so extraordinary.
A five-thousand-year-old Fire Phoenix's strength was at least equivalent to an outstanding four-ring Soul Elder.
While such strength was nothing to Flender, a seven-ring Soul Sage, Chu Chengzhou was merely a Level 30 pseudo-Soul Elder!
"Seventh soul skill, Owl True Body!"
Without further thought, Flender unleashed his seventh soul ring, activating his martial soul's true form.
Chu Chengzhou had already defeated a phoenix far stronger than himself. If Flender, a Level 78 Soul Sage, couldn't subdue a thirty-thousand-year-old Fire Phoenix, it would damage the reputation of a Soul Sage!
Amidst a surge of soul power, Flender transformed into a massive owl, his aura skyrocketing.
For high-level soul masters, the boost from a martial soul's true form was significant.
The higher the soul power level, the greater the gap between different levels of soul masters.
Under similar conditions, a six-ring Soul Emperor could crush a five-ring Soul King. But an eight-ring Soul Douluo without their true form couldn't dominate a seven-ring Soul Sage with it.
It could even be said that weak Title Douluo like Dugu Bo or She Long couldn't defeat a seven-ring Soul Sage with their true form activated, barring the use of ultimate techniques.
The Fire Phoenix, already no match for Flender, became even more outclassed after he activated his true form.
The King of Birds, the Fire Phoenix, being suppressed by a fat owl?
This wasn't strange. After all, someone's fart-based martial soul could transform into a golden dragon!
"CHIRP! (Run!)"
With Flender's strength surging, the struggling Fire Phoenix spat out another burst of Phoenix Flames, slightly forcing Flender back. It then let out a cry, signaling its offspring to flee.
As long as the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn. Since they couldn't defeat these evil two-legged creatures, fleeing was the best option.
As for the dignity of the King of Birds?
These days, many phoenixes were hunted by two-legged creatures. Those who prioritized dignity over survival ended up as soul rings on those creatures.
"Hmm? Trying to escape?"
Seeing the large and small phoenixes turn tail and run, Flender raised an eyebrow.
The larger one escaping was fine—it wasn't the target—but the smaller one couldn't be allowed to flee. If it escaped, all their efforts would be wasted!
"Fourth soul skill, Air Blade Slash!"
Flender's fourth soul ring lit up, and ten sharp orange-golden air blades shot out.
While a thirty-thousand-year-old Fire Phoenix could withstand his fourth soul skill, a five-thousand-year-old one couldn't, especially with the added boost from his true form.
One of the sharp air blades quickly caught up to the fleeing small phoenix.
"PU—!"
The sharp orange-golden blade sliced through, severing half of the base of the small phoenix's right wing.
"CHIRP—!"
Intense pain overwhelmed the small phoenix, and it let out a mournful cry before plummeting from the sky like an inverted radish.
Arrow wounds weren't fatal to the small phoenix unless they hit a vital spot. At the very least, it could still fly.
But with half of its right wing's connection to its body severed, its ability to fly was effectively crippled. Relying solely on its left wing, it couldn't stay airborne.
If an airplane's wing broke but the engine remained functional, it might still have a chance to glide.
But flying-type soul beasts relied entirely on their wings for flight. With one wing gone, it was impossible to fly unless their strength was sufficient to levitate using soul power alone.
Below, the sharp-eyed Chu Chengzhou saw Flender land a decisive blow. He quickly nocked an arrow and aimed at the plummeting small phoenix.
One of the rules of the Douluo World was that a soul ring dropped by a soul beast had to be personally killed by the soul master or receive the final blow to absorb it. Alternatively, the entire process of the soul beast's death must not involve anyone else's soul power.
The small phoenix was already gravely injured and falling from a kilometer above. It would likely perish upon impact. Chu Chengzhou had to deliver another arrow before it hit the ground; otherwise, the world's rules would credit Flender as the killer.
'WHOOSH—!'
After focusing for a moment, when the small phoenix was less than four hundred meters from the ground, Chu Chengzhou released the arrow. The white-gold soul-powered arrow shot out like a streak of light.
"PU—!"
A four-hundred-meter moving target, especially one with a predictable trajectory, was no challenge for Chu Chengzhou. The sharp soul-powered arrow struck the small phoenix's chest.
Though this arrow didn't kill the small phoenix, Chu Chengzhou wasn't concerned.
As long as the last attack containing his soul power signature was his, whether the cause of death was the arrow or crashing into the ground didn't matter.
"CHIRP—!"
Seeing its critically injured offspring about to crash, the larger phoenix panicked. This was its beloved child! It immediately dove down, attempting to rescue the small phoenix.
"Don't move!"
Flender roared, his fifth soul ring lighting up. A dense barrage of orange-golden feathers erupted, holding the larger phoenix back.
"BOOM—!"
A heavy thud echoed as the small phoenix crashed into the ground, instantly defeated.
Immediately, countless golden specks floated out of the mangled corpse on the ground, coalescing into a deep purple soul ring.
Seeing the phoenix soul ring appear, Chu Chengzhou secretly sighed in relief.
After a week, his third summon was finally within reach!
As for the small phoenix's tragic fate?
Though the perpetrator felt a twinge of guilt, Chu Chengzhou understood that the world's rules were merciless. He couldn't afford to sympathize.
Any soul beast that hadn't yet taken human form was merely a beast with some intelligence and strength in his eyes.
"CHIRP!"
With the small phoenix dead, the larger phoenix went berserk. Letting out a mournful cry, it unleashed a torrent of scorching Phoenix Flames.
After slightly forcing Flender back, it disregarded everything and charged downward, vowing to make Chu Chengzhou pay for its child's death!
The larger phoenix seeking revenge? Flender wouldn't allow it.
His fifth soul skill activated again, and a dense barrage of orange-golden feathers swept toward the charging larger phoenix.
One characteristic of the seventh soul skill, True Body, was that below the seventh ring, soul skills had no usage restrictions aside from soul power consumption.
Blood flowers bloomed densely on its back, but the larger phoenix ignored them. Avenge my child—nothing else mattered!
Seeing the larger phoenix charging toward him despite battling Flender, Chu Chengzhou's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
He could fight a five-thousand-year-old small phoenix, but a thirty-thousand-year-old one?
Chu Chengzhou knew his limits. He was no match for the larger phoenix. One blast of Phoenix Flames would reduce him to ashes. He immediately used his agility skill and fled as fast as he could.
How fast was a top-tier flying-type soul beast thirty thousand years old? Suffice to say, Chu Chengzhou couldn't compare, no matter how hard he tried.
"CHIRP!"
Not having run far, Chu Chengzhou heard a phoenix cry from behind. Immediately, intense soul power fluctuations emerged from the nearby sky.
At this moment, Chu Chengzhou perceived an unprecedented sense of terror.
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