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**
Flames swirled around Yan, merging with his rock-like physique as if he were draped in flowing magma.
He met Ling Xiao's assault with forceful counterattacks, using his fists, shoulders, elbows—every part of his body—as weapons. Each strike contained terrifying power capable of parrying the Profound Sky Axe.
His physical defense was even more formidable; despite the axe's current sharpness and Ling Xiao's immense strength, it was difficult to deal heavy damage to his Martial Soul defense.
The strongest area on his chest had withstood multiple direct hits from the axe without sustaining significant injury. During the exchange, the two fought with wide, sweeping motions, their offensive styles incredibly fierce and unyielding.
Suddenly, a surge of raging flames erupted in the center of the field. Yan lunged forward like a giant crashing into a mountain, his Martial Soul-enhanced body bursting with a startling firestorm.
His entire frame was almost completely enveloped in flames as he pushed the elemental power of his Martial Soul to the absolute limit.
Facing Yan's charge, Ling Xiao did not assume a defensive stance.
Instead, he met the attack head-on, channeling a massive amount of Soul Power into the Profound Sky Axe. The giant axe radiated an intense glow, looking every bit like a divine weapon as Ling Xiao swung it toward the incoming Yan with all his might.
BOOM!
The two powerful attacks collided, sending a thunderous roar through the air as the shockwave rippled outward.
Distinct spheres of light from their respective Soul Powers expanded in every direction. Even with his newfound strength, Ling Xiao was forced back by the sheer impact of Yan's strike.
With a sweep of his axe, Ling Xiao looked at Yan, who had also been knocked back two steps. Ling Xiao's momentum was growing stronger, his battle intent reaching its zenith.
He didn't want to continue the fight in this back-and-forth manner; he wanted to end it here. He mobilized nearly all of his remaining Soul Power—the radiance was so intense it almost seemed to permeate through his skin.
Raising the Profound Sky Axe high, he released a Soul Ring vibrating with heavy Soul Power.
It was Ling Xiao's first soul skill: Metal Revolution.
A sharp, golden energy, filled with cutting aura, was enveloped by the black-red glow of the axe. It ultimately formed a massive, dark-gold axe blade of energy, several meters long.
The energy was incredibly condensed, appearing almost solid as it gathered atop the Profound Sky Axe. As Ling Xiao swung downward, it tore through the air and instantly reached Yan.
The massive blade of energy seemed to rip through the void itself, emitting a sharp aura that felt as though nothing could block it, causing a tremor in the hearts of those watching.
"Bring it on!"
Seeing Ling Xiao unleash his first soul skill, Yan focused every bit of his attention.
With a roar and a jerk of his arms, dark red flames burned furiously, covering him completely as he activated his own first soul skill.
Utilizing Flame Savage Assault, Yan's possessed body fused with the fire, transforming into a massive Fire Demon form.
With a trail of flame behind him, he collided mid-air with Ling Xiao's Metal Revolution. He intended to use a soul skill to break a soul skill, directly shattering Ling Xiao's strongest attack.
The two skills—both of which pursued extreme destructive power—clashed head-on.
A deafening blast was inevitable as the lights of their Soul Powers intertwined.
Under the collision of these two formidable attacks, a powerful shockwave of energy expanded in all directions, causing significant damage to the ground surrounding the duel. The onlookers were forced to beat a hasty retreat to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
In the air, the confrontation between the two attacks finally yielded a result. The sphere of energy from Metal Revolution shattered with a boom, pierced through by the Flame Savage Assault.
A massive dark-red figure flashed through the fragments, the sharp horns on its head carrying a startling fire as it continued its charge toward Ling Xiao. However, after breaking through the golden axe light, Yan's power had been severely depleted.
His current momentum was greatly diminished, nowhere near its previous peak.
"Break for me!"
Ling Xiao was slightly surprised that Yan could forcibly break through his skill from the front, but it wasn't entirely unexpected.
He secretly channeled his last remaining bits of Soul Power and used his physical strength to leap into the air, swinging the Profound Sky Axe down toward Yan's head.
BANG!
The axe slammed into Yan's Martial Soul-possessed body.
While the immense force didn't breach Yan's defenses, it exhausted the final remnants of the Flame Savage Assault and knocked him out of the air. The severe recoil sent both of them tumbling backward.
Upon landing, Ling Xiao stumbled back several steps to bleed off the counter-force.
Finally, with a swing of his right hand, he slammed the head of the Profound Sky Axe into the ground, shattering several stone slabs as he braced himself and finally came to a halt.
Exhaling deeply, Ling Xiao felt refreshed after such a hearty battle. Not only had he stretched his limbs, but he also felt a sense of mental tranquility, the previous feelings of heavy oppression having vanished.
Looking at Yan, who had also retracted his Martial Soul, Ling Xiao clenched and unclenched his fist.
He couldn't help but laugh.
"I really enjoy this feeling of combat. It's a pity I haven't reached the rank of Soul Grandmaster yet. Otherwise, Yan, you could truly let loose and fight me with everything you've got."
With a solemn expression and a complex look in his eyes, Yan regarded Ling Xiao with a mix of respect and self-motivation.
"Ling Xiao, I didn't expect your strength to improve so quickly. You're like a completely different person compared to a month ago."
"In this fight, except for not using my second soul skill and my Rank 20+ Soul Power, I went all out. The fact that you could fight me to this extent is beyond my expectations."
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Xie Yue and Hu Liena walked forward.
Xie Yue clapped his hands, his eyes reflecting admiration and joy.
"Congratulations, Ling Xiao. The problem with your Profound Sky Axe is finally solved. I truly didn't expect it to be handled so quickly and so perfectly. The Dean truly is one of the top powerhouses in the world of Soul Masters."
Beside him, Hu Liena was quite spirited, saying excitedly, "That was amazing, Ling Xiao! Truly impressive! It's the first time I've seen someone near our age hold their own against Yan like that."
Hearing such praise from the siblings made Ling Xiao feel wonderful inside, though he felt a bit embarrassed.
"Thank you, Brother Xie Yue. Being able to solve the issues with my body and the Profound Sky Axe so smoothly is indeed thanks to my Master."
Nodding slightly, Xie Yue looked at Yan and teased, "Yan, how does it feel? Among those near our age in the academy, there is finally someone who can face you in a frontal assault. You and Ling Xiao have similar combat styles; you're natural rivals."
"Indeed. But I will cultivate even harder. Ling Xiao, I look forward to seeing your performance after you get your second soul ring."
With a smile on his face, Ling Xiao said confidently, "Yan, although I couldn't defeat you in this fight, I believe it won't be long before you fall to my axe. I will challenge you again."
After saying his piece, Ling Xiao gave a quick nod to Hu Liena and Xie Yue and took his leave. Watching him go, Xie Yue couldn't help but laugh.
"Yan, Ling Xiao acting like this reminds me of how you used to be. Do you finally feel what I felt back then? It seems Ling Xiao has marked you as his rival; he won't stop until he defeats you."
Despite the slight setback in this duel, Yan still possessed his pride. He said haughtily, "Hmph. Ling Xiao's strength has improved rapidly, but defeating me won't be that easy."
"Still... I really didn't expect that Ling Xiao, at only Rank 16, could block my frontal assault without being disadvantaged. If I hadn't already reached the rank of Soul Grandmaster, I might have actually lost this fight."
Although Yan was arrogant and few could earn his respect, he was not a fool blinded by ignorance.
The change in Ling Xiao's strength had indeed put pressure on him. Deep in his heart, a sense of urgency began to rise—a feeling different from the one he had while working hard to defeat Xie Yue.
**
Enjoying the story? Support the translation and get early access to future chapters here: www.patr eon.com/c/FanficTranslator
Thanks for reading!
I have 70 advanced chapter now on Patreon. I will post 5 advanced chapter on Patreon everyday except Sunday