On the outskirts of the Savage Beast Hills lies a small town named Stone Spring Town, so named for the sweet spring water that flows unceasingly throughout the four seasons, making it an important supply point for passing Soul Masters and merchant caravans. The town is not large, and most of its buildings are constructed from sturdy gray rock, carrying the rugged style characteristic of the Star Luo Empire.
When Yu Yuanchen, Tang Chen, and Qian Daoliu stepped into the town, dragging bodies that were slightly weary but spirited, they drew many gazes. Although they had cleaned themselves up somewhat, the tears in their clothes, the lingering scent of blood that had not yet fully dissipated, and the sharp aura they could not hide even when restrained, all signaled that they were no ordinary Soul Masters.
The three found a relatively clean and spacious inn in town to stay, immediately replenishing their exhausted supplies of fresh water, food, and basic medicinal herbs. Afterward, with a tacit understanding, they each requested a quiet room and began a half-month period of closed-door cultivation and rest.
This half-month was crucial for the three of them, having experienced the life-and-death tempering of the Savage Beast Hills.
Yu Yuanchen sat cross-legged in his quiet room, his mind sinking into his body. He first consolidated his newly broken-through level 54 soul power, which surged through his wide and tough meridians, feeling more substantial and refined than before. He carefully savored that thrilling battle with the Hellfire Kite, especially the mysterious feeling when he finally unleashed Thunder Dragon Shatters Void—the way he compressed the thunder power to the extreme, using high-frequency vibrations to penetrate defenses and strike directly at the internal organs. His understanding of this self-created soul skill deepened, and he began experimenting with how to reduce the wind-up time and how to execute it more fluidly while moving.
Furthermore, he began attempting to fuse his spiritual power with thunder power and soul power using the method he used to synthesize the Thunder God Power. Unfortunately, after countless attempts, every effort failed once he was without the aid of a soul ring. He had to settle for second best, only fusing his spiritual power with the thunder power; it was only after nearly a hundred attempts that he began to grasp a few tricks.
At the same time, he constantly nurtured the purple gold scale, guiding the Thunder God Power to blend with his bloodline power, subtly purifying his bloodline and strengthening his physique.
Tang Chen, in his own room, engaged in a deeper level of communication with his heavy Clear Sky Hammer. The countless times he had swung the hammer in the Savage Beast Hills and his hard clashes with powerful soul beasts gave him new insights into power usage. He no longer blindly pursued extreme rigidity and ferocity; he began to ponder how to better combine the heaviness of the Clear Sky Hammer with speed, and how to incorporate more ingenious changes and force application techniques into those seemingly clumsy swings. His soul power also broke through to level 63 as a matter of course during the settling period, his aura becoming more condensed and heavy.
Qian Daoliu's quiet room seemed to be shrouded in a faint holy light. He repaired the subtle damage to his wings and purified the slight baleful aura and fatigue accumulated in his body from continuous fighting. The Six-winged Angel Martial Soul brought not only power but also an almost harsh requirement for perfection in his own state. His soul power was already near the edge of a breakthrough, and the accumulation from this training allowed him to successfully advance to level 65. His sacred aura became increasingly pure and vast, and his control over the Angel Domain seemed to have become a fraction more harmonious.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye during their dedicated cultivation.
When the three gathered again in the inn's small courtyard, they could each feel the restrained yet more refined aura on the others.
"Haha, it seems no one has been idle these past two weeks!" Tang Chen stretched his limbs, feeling the growing power within his body, his fighting spirit igniting first. "Just cultivating is so boring! How about it, brothers, have you considered the previous proposal?" His eyes burned as he looked at the two, full of anticipation.
Half a month ago, Tang Chen had proposed that the three of them have a sparring match, but since they all needed to rest at the time, they decided to revisit the idea after half a month.
Qian Daoliu elegantly brushed his sleeves, a hint of imperceptible fighting spirit igniting in his golden eyes. He smiled and nodded, "That is exactly what I desire."
A hint of excitement also flashed in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. Fighting against peerless geniuses of the same level was undoubtedly the best way to verify himself and discover his shortcomings. He nodded, "It should be so."
However, Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu exchanged a glance and tacitly turned their eyes toward Yu Yuanchen.
Qian Daoliu spoke, "Brother Yu, you are the youngest, and your cultivation level is slightly inferior. Why don't Brother Tang and I have a match first? It can serve as a warm-up for the sparring with you later, how about that?" His tone was gentle, and his reason was quite sufficient.
Tang Chen also grinned, "That's right, Brother Yuanchen, you can observe from the sidelines first. We've been cooped up for half a month, let the older brothers have some fun first." Although he was straightforward, he could see that Yu Yuanchen was indeed a few years younger than them and his soul power level was lower, so letting him observe a match first would be relatively fairer.
Yu Yuanchen naturally had no objections; he was happy to observe a duel between top-tier Soul Emperors first.
A few miles outside the town, there was an open patch of gravel, which was an excellent place for sparring.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a deep orange, adding a sense of desolation and murderous intent to the wasteland.
Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu stood fifty meters apart, while Yu Yuanchen retreated to a hundred meters away to watch the battle.
"Brother Tang, please." Qian Daoliu nodded slightly, the six wings behind him spreading quietly, and a sacred aura began to permeate the air.
"Then I won't be polite!" Tang Chen laughed loudly, his soul power erupting. Two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings spiraled upward. The Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand, and a terrifying aura, heavy as a mountain and intent on breaking through everything, instantly locked onto Qian Daoliu!
Tang Chen launched the attack first! He knew well that Qian Daoliu had the advantage of flight and that he had to focus on closing distance. He stomped hard on the ground, causing it to crack, and his figure shot out like a cannonball. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand swung down in a straight, unadorned strike! It was his first soul skill—Soaring Strike! Although it was the most basic soul skill, under the blessing of Tang Chen's terrifying strength and soul power, this hammer seemed capable of splitting mountains, whistling shrilly as it aimed straight for Qian Daoliu's face!
Qian Daoliu's expression remained unchanged. His first soul ring flashed, and the Angel Sacred Sword appeared in his hand, the blade condensing sacred light. His first soul skill—Angel Assault! He did not take the blow head-on; instead, he tilted his body slightly, the sacred sword flicking upward to strike precisely at the weakest point of the hammer's momentum. At the same time, he borrowed the force to drift backward, his six wings vibrating, instantly opening a distance of ten meters. The sacred aura collided with the domineering power of the Clear Sky Hammer, emitting a dull explosion.
Tang Chen's strike missed, but he did not stop. His third soul ring lit up—Whirlwind Dance! He transformed into a black whirlwind, the Clear Sky Hammer spinning like a wheel, carrying a violent momentum that seemed to shred everything as he pursued Qian Daoliu, sealing off his space for evasion!
Qian Daoliu's eyes narrowed; he knew he could not just keep dodging. His second soul ring flashed, and a soft yet tough golden light shield appeared in front of him—his second soul skill, Angel's Guard! At the same time, he swung his sacred sword, his third soul skill—Holy Spirit Slash! Several condensed golden sword beams slashed out like new moons, not attacking Tang Chen's body, but precisely cutting toward the nodes where the power of the Whirlwind Dance flowed!
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The golden sword beams and the black whirlwind collided and annihilated each other! The light shield of the Angel's Guard rippled violently under the aftermath of the Clear Sky Hammer, but it stubbornly refused to shatter. Relying on his exquisite sword skills and powerful defense, Qian Daoliu managed to block this wave of Tang Chen's violent, continuous offensive!
Seeing that a frontal assault could not be effective quickly, a fierce look flashed in Tang Chen's eyes. His second soul ring suddenly lit up—Clear Sky Body Protection! A solid dark light covered his entire body and the Clear Sky Hammer, and his defense and strength instantly skyrocketed! He condensed all his power, matching it with a concise, ultimate fifth soul skill—Earthquake Mountain! With this hammer, his power, speed, and momentum climbed to a new height. Before the hammer even arrived, the terrifying pressure had already caused the ground to sink slightly!
Qian Daoliu felt the power of this hammer and knew that the Angel's Guard alone would be difficult to block completely. He no longer held back and shouted, "Angel Domain, open!"
Brilliant golden light suddenly spread from him as the center, instantly covering a radius of thirty meters! Sacred songs rang out, and sacred pressure descended! Within this domain, all of Qian Daoliu's attributes were amplified, while Tang Chen felt as if he had fallen into a quagmire; his speed, strength, and even his soul power circulation were suppressed to a certain extent!
"Break for me!"
Tang Chen roared, the light of his Clear Sky Body Protection shining brightly. Resisting the suppression of the Angel Domain, the hammer that condensed all his strength fell without hesitation!
Qian Daoliu's eyes were sharp, and his fourth soul ring shone—Sacred Sword! The Angel Sacred Sword in his hand instantly burst into brilliant light, transforming into a huge golden sword that, carrying the intent of purification and judgment, fiercely met the Clear Sky Hammer!
"Dong—!!!"
It was as if a great bell had been struck! A deafening roar accompanied the eruption of blinding gold and black light! A terrifying energy shockwave spread in a ring, lifting and shattering all the gravel on the ground!
Tang Chen's body shook violently, and he retreated seven steps, leaving deep footprints on the ground with each step, his hands holding the hammer feeling slightly numb. Qian Daoliu drifted backward, relying on the force of the collision, his wings vibrating rapidly to dissipate the momentum, his complexion turning slightly pale for a moment.
This first frontal collision of the domain was actually a draw! Relying on the terrifying power blessed by the Clear Sky Body Protection, Tang Chen had managed to withstand the suppression of the Angel Domain and fought the Sacred Sword of Qian Daoliu to a standstill!
However, Qian Daoliu's attack did not stop. Just as Tang Chen's old strength had just been exhausted and his new strength had not yet arisen, and he was retreating to adjust his stance, his fifth soul ring lit up—Holy Light Judgment!
A golden beam of light, incredibly condensed and seemingly composed of pure sacred energy, descended like a divine judgment, ignoring the brief distance between the two and instantly landing on Tang Chen's head! This strike was astonishingly fast and carried a strong locking aura!
Tang Chen's pupils contracted. In a moment of crisis, his combat instinct erupted! He forcibly twisted his body, held the Clear Sky Hammer horizontally over his head, and pushed the light of his Clear Sky Body Protection to the limit!
"Boom!"
The Holy Light Judgment slammed into the Clear Sky Hammer! Golden holy flames and black soul power clashed and annihilated each other crazily! The ground under Tang Chen's feet exploded into a shallow pit, and he was pressed to one knee by the immense force, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, the light of his Clear Sky Body Protection becoming extremely dim.
Qian Daoliu seized this rare advantage, his six wings vibrating, his figure moving like lightning to instantly close the distance. The Sacred Sword in his hand condensed once more, stabbing straight at Tang Chen's exposed chest! The offensive was like flowing water, merciless!
Yu Yuanchen, watching from the sidelines, narrowed his eyes, inwardly praising Qian Daoliu's sharp grasp of the opportunity.
However, just as Qian Daoliu's sacred sword was about to strike, a sudden change occurred!
Tang Chen, kneeling on one knee, had no panic in his eyes; instead, a hint of ruthlessness flashed as his scheme succeeded! At this moment, his pitch-black sixth soul ring suddenly erupted with deep, dark light!
"Sixth soul skill, Clear Sky Formation!"
With a low roar from him, a strange circular formation composed of countless dense black Rune appeared on the ground instantly, centered on his own body! Within the range of the formation, gravity seemed to increase several times over, and the Air became incredibly viscous! A powerful force of restraint and suppression slammed into Qian Daoliu as he charged into the formation's range!
Qian Daoliu's forward momentum stalled abruptly, as if he had fallen into an invisible quagmire, his speed plummeting!
"Got you!" Tang Chen roared, ignoring the churning of his Qi and Blood, and forced himself to stand. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand carried the violent power of breaking free from restraints as he unleashed Earthquake Mountain once again. Seizing the perfect opportunity while Qian Daoliu was bound by the formation and his movements were restricted, he ferociously Smashed it back toward Qian Daoliu!
The situation reversed in an instant!
The roles of attacker and defender shifted, and it was now Qian Daoliu's turn to face this long-planned, fatal counterattack from Tang Chen!
───────────────
Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan