Zhang Ming's expression darkened as he said coldly,
"Good… very good. You've got guts. I really want to see what tricks you, Song Yu, have up your sleeve to dare speak so arrogantly!"
Soul power surged from Zhang Ming's body as he immediately activated his Martial Soul Possession.
In an instant, seven soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, the optimal configuration—flared brightly around him.
The black soul rings in particular exuded a mysterious and powerful aura.
With his martial soul possessed, Zhang Ming's appearance changed drastically.
His entire body grew thick fur, green flames flickered in his eyes, and his hands transformed into sharp claws—his whole form appeared eerie and beastly.
Zhang Ming's martial soul was called the Ghost Beast, a type that specialized in spiritual attacks—a fairly powerful high-grade martial soul.
Although Zhang Ming's martial soul looked strange and sinister, he was not an evil soul master.
In fact, most of the Evening Water Alliance's soul masters were not evil soul masters—only a few of the upper echelons were, and even those were the "clear-minded" ones who weren't entirely consumed by bloodlust or desire.
The Holy Spirit Cult, which secretly controlled the Evening Water Alliance, wasn't stupid.
They knew that managing a power or running businesses required rational minds—tasks that couldn't be entrusted to those lunatic evil soul masters driven mad by slaughter and lust.
Such delicate work had to be handled by people whose minds were still clear.
Watching Zhang Ming release his martial soul, Wang Chen took out a Level 7 Soul Tool Cannon from his storage soul tool.
He attached a Level 7 Flight Soul Tool onto his arms and back.
Then, under the faint shimmer of his golden soul tool ring, hidden by the illusion projection, Wang Chen silently merged his weapon spirit into the soul tool cannon.
Wang Chen didn't want to expose his identity. He deliberately avoided revealing his martial soul and refrained from using his usual soul tool spear, so that no one could trace his identity through his martial soul or typical weapon.
There is a saying: Walk the path of courage with a heart as cautious as treading on thin ice.
Wang Chen never lacked courage in his actions—but he also possessed prudence in equal measure.
Without that prudence, he would never have infiltrated the Ordinary Alliance and risen to a high position.
The two men locked eyes, sparks flying between their gazes, before heading to the Ordinary Alliance branch's training ground.
The branch covered several acres of land, fully equipped with all kinds of facilities—naturally, it included areas for sparring and combat.
Standing within a three-hundred-meter-wide dueling arena, they faced each other from a distance.
Even the air seemed to grow heavy under the pressure of their soul power. The onlookers held their breath, staring nervously at the standoff.
Wang Chen's eyes sharpened—he made the first move.
He raised his hand and fired.
In that instant, Wang Chen used Dominate the World, merging his soul power, spiritual power, and willpower into one terrifying force, channeling it into the soul tool cannon.
The power of the Level 7 Soul Tool Cannon was immense—terrifying red light surged within its barrel.
"BOOM!!"
A deafening explosion followed.
Under the illusion created by the golden soul tool ring, four pitch-black soul rings on Wang Chen's body lit up simultaneously.
First Soul Skill – Attack!
Second Soul Skill – Break!
Third Soul Skill – Condense!
Fifth Soul Skill – Soul!
The first three were amplifiers—
Attack increased the offensive power of his soul tools,
Break weakened the enemy's defenses,
Condense enhanced attack speed and strength.
The fourth, Soul, used spiritual power to lock onto the target—making the next attack unerring, while also inflicting spiritual damage.
Under the amplification of these four ten-thousand-year soul skills, the power of the Level 7 Soul Tool Cannon reached astonishing levels—so great it could rival even Level 8 Soul Tools.
A one-meter-thick scarlet beam of light, hot enough to ignite the very air, burst forth like a blazing white rainbow piercing the sun—racing toward Zhang Ming at lightning speed.
Zhang Ming's Ghost Beast martial soul specialized in spiritual attacks, so his spiritual power was far stronger than that of ordinary Soul Sages, almost comparable to some Soul Douluo-level experts.
The moment his spiritual sense detected that red beam, his expression changed dramatically.
"Impossible! How could a Level 7 Soul Tool have such power?! Not good—I underestimated him! No wonder he dares to act so arrogantly—he really does have some skill!"
Zhang Ming immediately realized that he couldn't take this attack head-on.
Three of his soul rings—one yellow, one purple, one black—lit up at once. All three were amplification skills: two enhanced his spiritual power, and one amplified his soul power.
Boosted by these three soul skills, both his soul power and spiritual strength increased significantly.
He then activated the propulsion soul tool on his back, darting rapidly to the side in an attempt to evade.
But Wang Chen's Fifth Soul Skill – Soul was a lock-on attack. No matter how Zhang Ming tried to dodge, the red beam relentlessly tracked him.
Furthermore, Wang Chen's Third Soul Skill – Condense had also increased the beam's speed. In just a few breaths, the red light caught up to Zhang Ming.
Realizing he couldn't escape, Zhang Ming immediately activated his Level 7 defensive soul tool.
A golden circular barrier appeared around him, enclosing him tightly.
To his shock, the barrier was shattered instantly by the red beam—it offered almost no resistance at all.
Not far away, Wang Chen's lips curved into a faint smile—his Second Soul Skill – Break was specifically designed to penetrate defenses.
"BOOM!!"
A thunderous explosion erupted, and within the blast's center appeared a ten-meter-tall green beast.
It was Zhang Ming, having used his Seventh Soul Skill – Martial Soul True Body.
However, a horrifying burned-through wound now marred his body, the flesh around it charred black without a drop of blood flowing—scorched by the intense heat.
Zhang Ming's entire body burned with pain—but the worst agony came from within his head.
A devastating spiritual shockwave, carrying Wang Chen's overbearing mental will, continuously assaulted his spiritual sea.
It felt as if his skull were being smashed open by a giant hammer.
Fortunately, his spiritual power was strong enough that he managed to barely withstand it.
Wang Chen, seeing Zhang Ming still standing, was slightly surprised—most Soul Sages wouldn't have survived that strike.
A Level 7 Soul Tool Cannon's power already rivaled the fifth soul skill of an ordinary Soul Sage.
Coupled with the amplification from his ten-thousand-year soul skills and the spiritual will damage, even a strong Soul Sage would normally be knocked unconscious—or worse.
"His spiritual power is quite strong," Wang Chen thought.
Zhang Ming's enormous green eyes were bloodshot. He glared furiously at Wang Chen—
being beaten this badly, his rage ignited completely.
With his three amplification soul skills active and his Martial Soul True Body released, his strength reached its peak.
His sixth black soul ring flared to life, unleashing a terrifying spiritual shockwave toward Wang Chen.
Wang Chen watched calmly and sighed inwardly.
"Would it really kill you to just stay down? You just have to struggle."
In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished, reappearing behind Zhang Ming.
BOOM!
Before Zhang Ming could even react, he was struck down with a resounding crash.
.....................
At the same time, within the Hongchen Family—
A young woman with delicate features, fair skin, a graceful figure, and white hair with blue eyes sat gazing worriedly at the news of Crown Prince Xu Tiannan's ascension to heir apparent.
Three years had passed, and she had already grown up…