Soul Land—Chapter 23: The Purifying Power of the Star-Breaking Sword
As the tip of the Star Breaking Sword hummed and vibrated, the sky above the Soul Fighting Arena abruptly darkened. Thousands of starlights were crushed into quicksand by invisible hands, coalescing around Ling Qianyao.
From the sword's tip, four nebulae burst forth, taking shape in the air: an azure dragon entrenched, a white tiger howling in defiance, a Vermilion bird blazing in the clouds, and a black tortoise calming the seas.
The light patterns of the twenty-eight constellations flickered and flowed between these four phantoms, forcing the surging poisonous fog to retreat.
"What?!" Dugu Yan gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her Jade Phosphor Violet Poison was notorious, a blend feared even by seasoned soul elders. Yet here was Ling Qianyao, a mere soul grandmaster, countering it with a soul skill she couldn't comprehend.
"Lingling, heal me! I want to attack again!" Dugu Yan quickly regained her composure and called Ye Lingling while manipulating the Jade Phosphor Violet Poison to spread around Ling Qianyao and Zhu Zhuqing again.
Ling Qianyao snorted coldly. The Heart Moon Fox Star, one of the Seven Stars of the Azure Dragon constellation, and the Canshui Yuan Star, one of the Seven Stars of the White Tiger constellation, shone brightly under his command.
"Roar—"
In response to the roars of tigers and dragons, the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger descended simultaneously. Their starry phantoms intertwined into a spiral column of light that cascaded down with power.
Wherever the poisonous fog met this celestial force, it hissed, transformed, and broke down into crystal dust, returning to the essence of heaven and earth.
"Impossible!" Dugu Yan's disbelief churned into panic. Her grandfather, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, had praised this poison as lethal. Once inhaled, it would corrode and kill in seconds. Now, it was being obliterated by Ling Qianyao's second soul skill.
The very aura of his Star-Breaking Sword seemed to be the natural nemesis of her Jade Phosphor Violet Poison, leaving her heart racing with confusion and fear.
Ling Qianyao, unfazed, wielded the sword with precision. The phantom of the Vermilion Bird merged into the blade, enveloping it with a layer of searing flames. In an instant, he dashed towards Dugu Yan, his movements swift as lightning.
The blazing flames radiated outward, warping the air around him, and creating an oppressive sense of doom.
Dugu Yan felt an unprecedented crisis and hastened to bolster her defenses against Ling Qianyao's impending assault.
"Hurry, heal!" Ye Lingling's voice was laced with anxiety as white petals fell onto Dugu Yan's body.
Amidst her urgency, Dugu Yan failed to notice a dark figure darting to her side. The second soul ring on Zhu Zhuqing ignited with power.
"Hell Hundred Claws!"
Zhu Zhuqing's nails elongated into deadly dark claws as she lunged towards Ye Lingling, unleashing a torrent of strikes.
"Ah!—" Ye Lingling screamed in pain as the claws slashed her, propelling her out of the arena like a kite severed from its string.
"Ling Ling!" Dugu Yan's eyes flared with rage. She hadn't anticipated Ye Lingling's assault would occur right before her eyes.
Turning to Zhu Zhuqing, fury radiated from Dugu Yan, her anger reflecting in her glare.
But just as she prepared to retaliate, Ling Qianyao closed the distance, the blazing flames of the Vermilion Bird licking at the air as he lunged.
Dugu Yan, feeling suddenly vulnerable, abandoned her pursuit of Zhu Zhuqing, redirecting all her focus to defending against Ling Qianyao's attack.
Her poison mist disintegrated like thin paper in the might of the Star-Breaking Sword, purified in an instant.
Her first and third soul skills, once confident game-changers, became utterly useless against him.
Now, only her second soul skill, Thousand Snakes Strangling, remained to fight back, but the three jade phosphor serpents were woefully inadequate against Ling Qianyao's onslaught.
A control-type soul master relying on poison, Dugu Yan suddenly felt like a fish floundering on dry land, while Ling Qianyao effortlessly overwhelmed her.
The three jade phosphor serpents were swallowed by the roaring flames, turning to wisps of green smoke.
Dugu Yan's face paled, despair creeping into her heart. "I've overturned," she muttered, the intensity of her resentment directed at Ling Qianyao.
Without mercy, Ling Qianyao delivered a decisive kick to Dugu Yan's abdomen, sending her flying out of the Soul Fighting Arena.
"You!" Dugu Yan gasped, clutching her stomach, her rage boiling as she glared up at him.
"Yanzi, are you okay?"
A tall figure rushed to Dugu Yan's side, concern flooding his expression.
"I'm fine!" Dugu Yan snapped, brushing Yu Tianheng's hand away. Her gaze returned to Ling Qianyao, fury etched into her features. "I'll remember you."
The audience fell into an eerie silence.
Meng Shenji, Qin Ming, and the others on the high platform remained quiet, processing what they had just witnessed.
"Monster," Qin Ming finally breathed, breaking the stillness.
Meng Shenji nodded, his eyes fixed on Ling Qianyao with newfound respect. "This boy is extraordinary. Given time, he will become a tremendous force."
Bai Baoshan squinted, a calculating look in his eyes. "Star Luo just let a peerless genius slip away? Are they unaware, or are they pretending not to notice? His second soul skill is far too powerful.
Four projections, and it can change attack methods as well. Dugu Yan's poison became completely ineffective against it."
"Purification—what attribute does his martial soul possess?"
Qin Ming contemplated this for a moment. "His first soul skill grants an auxiliary blessing while maintaining offensive capabilities typical of strong attack soul masters.
From what we've seen, his second soul skill not only purifies toxins but also alters the nature of its attacks. This is a remarkable display of versatility, one we've never encountered. His martial soul is exceedingly comprehensive and powerful."
Meng Shenji agreed but added, "You overlooked an important detail. When his martial soul purified Dugu Yan's toxins, I sensed that the Star Breaking Sword was not solely aimed at toxins but also evil forces.
Whether it's poison, dark attribute attacks, or negative mental interference, they all seem to disintegrate under the purifying light of the Star Breaking Sword."
"This?" Qin Ming was taken aback, and astonished by this revelation.
Meng Shenji chuckled. "Don't forget my martial soul, Black Goblin. Strictly speaking, it carries a hint of malice. The fluctuations from the Star Breaking Sword earlier made me feel uneasy."
"The results have been announced. Let's head to the reception room."
Ling Qianyao and Zhu Zhuqing did not linger in the Soul Fighting Arena after they had triumphed over Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan.
Once the referee announced the outcome, he stepped back, knowing that lingering would only humiliate the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy further.
As Ling Qianyao exited the stage, he noticed Dugu Yan still recovering as Ye Lingling tended to her wounds.
"Damn it," Dugu Yan gritted her teeth, a flash of defiance crossing her face, quickly replaced by helplessness.
To Ling Qianyao's surprise, Yu Tianheng approached him, devoid of anger despite the recent defeat of his girlfriend, Dugu Yan. A friendly smile spread across his face as he extended a hand.
"Hello, Ling Qianyao. I'm Yu Tianheng. We'll be classmates from now on. I look forward to your guidance."
Ling Qianyao accepted his handshake, a puzzled expression crossing his features. "Hello."
"I hear you just arrived at the Heaven Dou Empire. If you need a place to stay, our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect would be glad to welcome you."
Ling Qianyao glanced at Dugu Yan, who looked visibly displeased.
"Brother, your girlfriend is angry," he thought.
"Tianheng, you—" Dugu Yan's eyes widened in disbelief, her teeth clenched. "Hmph." Turning to Ye Lingling, she added, "Let's go, Lingling."
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(End of this chapter)