Chapter 612: Soul Power Duel

"You think the likes of you can kill me, Liang Yu? Dream on."

"Soul Rat Martial Soul!"

Liang Yu suddenly roared. A pitch-black, rat-like Martial Soul phantom appeared above his head. The phantom wasn’t large, but its eyes were exceptionally strange and sinister.

At the same time, seven star rings coiled around the Soul Rat, making it look even more ominous.

"Heavenly Soul Sweep!"

The Martial Soul’s fluctuations merged with Liang Yu. A terrifying burst of Soul Power erupted from his body. In the air, this Soul Power quickly formed a dense web of runic arrays that enveloped everyone.

’A Soul Power martial skill,’ Ye Xuan thought as he watched the countless Soul Power runic arrays descend upon the crowd. He knew instantly that this Liang Yu was a formidable foe, far stronger than Wen Yanhui.

A Soul Power martial skill was a large-scale, destructive Soul Power attack created by a Soul Refiner, combining their own Soul Power cultivation with a practiced Soul Skill.

And this Liang Yu hadn’t just used his Soul Power and Soul Skill to form these runic arrays; he had also integrated the power of his Seven-Stars Martial Soul, drastically increasing its might.

Both were Seventh Grade Soul Refiners, but Elder Tianyi had only integrated his Seventh Grade Soul Power into the Soul-Devouring Skeleton’s attack. Liang Yu, on the other hand, was directly unleashing a Soul Power attack using a Soul Skill. The difference between the two was like heaven and earth.

It was certain: since his rebirth, this Liang Yu was the most terrifying Soul Refiner Ye Xuan had ever encountered.

BOOM!

An invisible shockwave of Soul Power blasted outward. Everyone’s attacks, including Su Xiuyi’s, came to a sudden halt. Pain contorted their faces.

"Fall back! This is a Soul Power martial skill!" Ye Xuan urgently sent via voice transmission.

The attacks of a Soul Power martial skill directly assault the soul. If one’s soul is heavily damaged, the lightest outcome is severe injury or becoming an imbecile. The worst is instant death.

At the same time, he cast aside his hesitation and hurriedly activated the Star Derivation Divine Skill, forming a Soul Power defense around himself.

Ye Xuan immediately felt as if he had sunk into a mire. His thoughts grew sluggish, and his movements became difficult. The mire was filled with sharp Soul Power attacks, preventing him from daring to move an inch.

’What a powerful Soul Power martial skill.’ Ye Xuan was inwardly alarmed, but his actions showed no hesitation. He had already activated the Star Derivation Divine Skill, transforming his own Seventh Grade Soul Power into a sharp awl and viciously stabbing it into the opponent’s Soul Power attack.

Seeing Ye Xuan activate his Soul Power for a piercing attack from within the runic arrays, a cold sneer touched Liang Yu’s lips.

’If my Soul Power martial skill were that easy to break, I wouldn’t have used it at such a critical moment.’

Even if Ye Xuan was a Seventh Grade Soul Refiner like him, he was confident that the man could never break through his Soul Power attack.

But then, a shocking scene unfolded. After forming into an awl, Ye Xuan’s Soul Power actually pierced straight through his Soul Power attack and shot toward his real body.

’How is this possible?’ Liang Yu was stunned. His Soul Power martial skill contained his High-Tier Seventh Grade Soul Power, was enhanced by a Soul Skill, and was integrated with his Seven-Stars Martial Soul. Its power was utterly unparalleled. Even a Soul Refiner of the same grade would be helpless against it.

Yet he could clearly sense that Ye Xuan’s Soul Power cultivation was only at the Initial Layer of Seventh Grade, far below his own. ’How could he possibly break through my Soul Power attack?’

But at this moment, Liang Yu had no time to dwell on it. Ye Xuan’s Soul Power awl was already upon him. Not daring to be careless, he quickly retracted the Soul Power that was assaulting Su Xiuyi and the others, condensing it into an invisible Soul Power shield before him.

CREAK!

A piercing, grating sound, like nails on glass, filled the air. Ye Xuan’s Soul Power awl stabbed into Liang Yu’s Soul Power shield, and the two forces ground against each other until, with a BANG, they both dissipated.

Freed from Liang Yu’s Soul Power assault, Su Xiuyi and the others retreated, their faces pale with lingering fear. A few of the instructors with weaker cultivation felt dizzy and nauseous, vomiting as they grew faint.

Elder Dong was, after all, a Soul Refiner at the Peak of Sixth Grade. He immediately knew they had suffered from a Soul Power assault and their souls were wounded. He quickly took out several soul-calming Pills to treat them.

Su Xiuyi gritted his teeth. "What in the world was that technique Liang Yu used? We couldn’t even get close. It’s terrifying."

Elder Dong’s expression was grave, a trace of horror in his eyes. "Young Master Ye just said it was a Soul Power martial skill. Only a Soul Refiner can use such a skill, which is fundamentally based on Soul Power. Unless a Soul Refiner of an equal or higher grade breaks through it, we can’t even get near. If we do, we’ll be hit by the Soul Power assault and our souls will be damaged."

Hearing this, Su Xiuyi and the others looked toward Ye Xuan in the distance, their faces etched with worry.

Elder Dong had made it clear: a Soul Power martial skill had to be broken by a Soul Refiner of an equal or higher grade. Ye Xuan was so young and had only just broken through to the Seventh Grade. Could he really do it?

No one had any confidence. They all felt a heavy sense of dread.

On the other side, Liang Yu was initially shocked that Ye Xuan could break his Soul Power martial skill, but he quickly calmed down, not worried in the slightest.

Before, he had dispersed his Soul Power martial skill, which was why Ye Xuan had found an opportunity to break through. Now that he had retracted the Soul Power attacking the others, he didn’t believe Ye Xuan could possibly withstand it.

BUZZ!

A wave of Soul Power, nearly twice as strong as before, swept toward Ye Xuan.

The Soul Power shield around Ye Xuan immediately began to creak and groan, looking as if it might shatter at any moment. His expression turned solemn.

He knew very well that this was because his opponent’s Soul Power was exceptionally strong, several minor realms above his own. That was why even the Star Derivation Divine Skill couldn’t fully block the assault.

If it were any other Soul Refiner, they would have no choice but to keep defending. But Ye Xuan was different.

’If I can’t block it, why should I even try? It’s just a Soul Power assault, isn’t it? Let’s see who can shatter the other’s Soul Sea first.’

Ye Xuan sneered inwardly. He actually dropped his Soul Power defense and rapidly condensed all of his Soul Power.

"Star Derivation Divine Skill—Soul Sword Strike!"

Ye Xuan’s Soul Power condensed before him into an invisible soul sword, which instantly shot toward Liang Yu.

’This guy actually dropped his Soul Power defense. Is he trying to die?’ Liang Yu froze for a moment at Ye Xuan’s actions. He immediately understood Ye Xuan’s plan. ’He’s betting everything on one move.’

Liang Yu quickly began to sneer. ’So he’s betting everything, is he? He’d still need the ability to hit me.’ Without a Soul Power defense, Ye Xuan was like a completely unarmed baby. ’Even if he’s holding a sword, what can he do?’

With a cold laugh, Liang Yu turned his entire Soul Power assault into a surging ocean and sent it crashing directly into Ye Xuan’s mind.

He could already picture Ye Xuan’s Soul Sea shattering in the next moment.

But to Liang Yu’s surprise, when his ocean-like Soul Power assault crashed into Ye Xuan’s mind, it was like a stone sinking into the sea—there was no reaction at all.

’What’s going on?’ Liang Yu was completely dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what had happened. Just then, Ye Xuan’s soul sword arrived before him.

In a panic, Liang Yu hastily formed a Soul Power defense. However, he had already used all his Soul Power to attack Ye Xuan. How could a hastily formed defense possibly block an attack from the Star Derivation Divine Skill?

With a BANG, the Soul Power defense in front of Liang Yu instantly shattered. The blurry sword transformed into an invisible wave and plunged into his mind.

Just as Ye Xuan’s soul sword was about to pierce his soul, a complex and condensed Soul Seal suddenly appeared in Liang Yu’s mind, blocking the soul sword’s attack at the last possible second.

A violent wave of Soul Power swept over Liang Yu’s Soul Sea, shaking it so fiercely that it began to roil. He was instantly and severely injured.

"AHHH!"

Liang Yu let out a miserable scream and spat out a mouthful of blood. The Martial Soul above his head vanished, and the Soul Power radiating from his body began to fluctuate violently.

"Blood Escape!"

Before anyone could react, Liang Yu roared, and a dense, bloody light ignited around his body.

With a thought, the Seven-Colored Banner Scroll transformed into a streak of light and flew into his Storage Ring. His left hand also reached for the bronze mirror he had previously activated.

He was trying to escape. The entire sequence happened in a flash. By the time Su Xiuyi and the others reacted, Liang Yu had already grabbed the bronze mirror, and his figure was blurring, about to disappear.

CHI!

Just then, a streak of Sword Qi infused with lightning slashed down viciously toward Liang Yu. But it was too late. The Sword Qi only managed to strike his arm before he vanished completely.

However, the lower half of his arm, along with the bronze mirror he was holding in his left hand, was left behind.

"Damn it, he got away,"

Ye Xuan said, his face ashen. He let out a muffled grunt and swayed, his face growing a little pale.

When Liang Yu’s Soul Power had entered his mind, Ye Xuan had immediately activated his Devouring Martial Soul to madly absorb it, which was how he had nullified the attack.

But Liang Yu’s Soul Power cultivation was simply too strong. The Devouring Martial Soul couldn’t absorb it all in time, so Ye Xuan’s Soul Sea still suffered some damage.

Furthermore, rushing to pursue Liang Yu had aggravated his injuries.

Of course, compared to Liang Yu, he was in much better shape.

"Xuan Ye, are you all right?"

Su Xiuyi and the others hurried over.

"I’m fine." Ye Xuan shook his head regretfully. "It’s a shame. I let Liang Yu get away."

Su Xiuyi asked in confusion, "From what I saw, Liang Yu wasn’t injured at all. Why did he suddenly run away?"

Ge Puzi and the others were also baffled. Even now, none of them understood what had just happened.