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**
Huyan Li and Ling Xiao both erupted with power and momentum that surpassed anything they had shown before. When their fists collided, a dull boom echoed across the plaza like a sudden clap of thunder.
The impact whipped up a powerful shockwave that rippled outward in all directions, causing the very air to distort with visible waves. The next moment, a figure flew backward violently, skidding across the ground for over a dozen meters before coming to a halt.
It was Huyan Li.
His massive frame couldn't maintain its footing; he crashed down onto one knee, using one hand to prop himself up against the ground while his other hand pressed against his chest. He couldn't help but cough hoarsely a few times.
In that final clash, he had failed to block Ling Xiao's fist.
After his right fist was forced aside by the sheer momentum, Ling Xiao's Eight Extremes Collapse struck him squarely in the chest, blasting him back.
Furthermore, even with the defense of his Elephant Armor Skill, he hadn't completely neutralized Ling Xiao's attack. At the moment of impact, he had felt nine successive waves of fierce, unyielding force surge into him.
Continuous and relentless, they seemed to fuse into a single point of devastating impact. Though he had barely managed to block the brunt of the internal force with his Elephant Armor Skill, the raw shockwave still jarred his internals, causing some minor injuries.
Fortunately, given his robust vitality and powerful physique, this level of injury was not an issue. However, if they continued fighting like this, his defeat would only be a matter of time. As he coughed, his breathing gradually stabilized, and the stifling sensation in his chest eased.
Huyan Li lifted his head, looking at Ling Xiao with a solemn gaze. He slowly stood up and said with sincere admiration, "Ling Xiao, in this contest of bare fists and raw physical strength, I lose."
"Thank you for holding back. I accept this defeat wholeheartedly."
Hearing Huyan Li's words, Ling Xiao let out a soft chuckle, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face. "The ultimate techniques of the Elephant Armored Sect are indeed extraordinary."
"Even using the Eight Extremes Collapse, I only barely managed to break through your Elephant Armor Skill. If my cultivation level weren't higher than yours, you might have stood a chance at defeating me."
"However, don't be in such a hurry to admit defeat. To you and me, this was merely a warm-up. The real battle is only just beginning. Huyan Li, unleash your Martial Soul."
As he spoke, Ling Xiao's right palm suddenly radiated a dark-red light of soul power.
He reached out and beckoned.
The next moment, the Clear Sky-level Profound Sky Axe, which had been embedded deep in the distant ground, seemed to possess a spiritual awareness of its own.
It trembled violently, let out a resounding, crisp hum, and flew back at breakneck speed, tearing through the air before firmly landing in Ling Xiao's grip.
Ling Xiao gave the giant axe a casual swing without channeling much soul power to stimulate the Martial Soul. Yet, the moment the Profound Sky Axe's innate power was slightly provoked, a crescent-shaped axe light suddenly manifested along the blade.
It instantly slashed forward, tearing into the ground and leaving a massive, semi-circular gouge on the plaza floor—about five to six centimeters deep and two meters long—as if he were playfully drawing a boundary line.
Despite how casually it was done, the moment the power of the Profound Sky Axe was revealed, the aura radiating from Ling Xiao became significantly more terrifying. Compared to before, his presence had turned overbearing to the point of tyranny, suffocating oppressive.
After all, his previous attacks had only used soul power influenced by the core essence of the Profound Sky Axe. Only now was he truly unleashing the authentic power of the Martial Soul itself.
This was the true power of Ling Xiao as a Soul Master. Soul Masters, in the end, relied primarily on their Martial Souls. Without using their Martial Soul, it was difficult to display even half of their true combat capability.
At this moment, dark-red streams of soul power continuously radiated from Ling Xiao's body, and the energy fluctuations rising around him grew increasingly intense. Facing Ling Xiao, who was now enveloped in a blazing aura of energy, Huyan Li felt the pressure on him skyrocket.
However, he showed no trace of fear.
His eyes remained exceptionally resolute as his fighting intent surged once more. Although he had lost the previous contest of physical strength, Ling Xiao's power and magnanimity had earned his deep respect.
This intense combat had only fueled the excitement burning in his heart.
"Diamond Mammoth, Possess Me!"
With a loud shout, Huyan Li stomped his foot violently against the ground, instantly activating his Martial Soul Possession.
Accompanied by the high-pitched, furious roar of a giant elephant, a massive explosion of deep-brown soul power erupted, enveloping Huyan Li's tall and burly frame.
As the brilliant light gradually receded, Huyan Li's appearance after merging with his Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul was revealed upon the plaza.
His body expanded rapidly, growing several sizes larger until he reached a borderline inhuman height—easily surpassing two meters and approaching nearly two and a half meters. He now possessed the head of an elephant and the body of a man.
His entire frame was enveloped by a brown, energy-materialized Martial Soul form, completely merging with it into an incredibly solid entity. His head, however, retained the distinct appearance of a giant elephant, shimmering with a brownish-yellow light.
It was so massive that Huyan Li's actual facial features could only be faintly discerned within it.
Embedded right in the center of this Martial Soul form's forehead was a massive, diamond-shaped gemstone, brilliant and dazzling. Two long, curved elephant tusks shined with a crystalline luster, spanning nearly over a meter in length.
A thick, muscular trunk hung all the way down to his waist, exuding a terrifying sense of raw power. This was the combat form of the Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul once its possession was activated and the soul form began to materialize.
The moment he manifested it, Huyan Li's aura skyrocketed, matching the overwhelming pressure Ling Xiao had displayed upon drawing the Profound Sky Axe.
A violent wave of energy rippled outward; his momentum was so immense that it hardly seemed like something a Rank 37 Soul Elder could possess. Gale-force winds even began to whip up around Huyan Li, spreading outward in all directions.
Looking at his colossal figure, one couldn't help but feel that they were facing a humanoid behemoth rather than a mere human.
Then again, when a standard large-sized Beast Martial Soul Master underwent Martial Soul Possession, they essentially integrated the traits of a soul beast onto a human foundation.
Once they reached the seven-ring Soul Saint realm, they would be able to fully unleash the true might of their Martial Soul through the Martial Soul Avatar.
At that stage, the Martial Soul would completely materialize into pure energy, transforming the user entirely into a massive soul beast to fight, perfectly embodying the characteristics of that specific beast.
In Ling Xiao's eyes, this was the unique power system of the Soul Land's Soul Master—utilizing and controlling a Martial Soul to fight, with the Martial Soul serving as the foundation.
In other worlds where the cultivation systems centered strictly on the human body, cultivators might struggle in the early stages because the human physique was inherently fragile, making it difficult to match beasts of the same realm.
However, it was a completely different story for Beast Martial Soul Masters. By relying on the materialized body of their respective soul beast, they might still fall slightly short in terms of pure, raw strength compared to actual beasts, but the gap was minimal.
Furthermore, when combined with human intelligence and adaptability, they were arguably even more versatile.
"What a magnificent Diamond Mammoth. I just wonder if it's all for show," Ling Xiao said with a faint, thrilled smile as he took in Huyan Li's formidable transformed body and domineering aura.
"Hmph! Ling Xiao, you will experience the true terror of my Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul soon enough. And let me see just how powerful your Profound Sky Axe really is!"
"Bring it on!" Huyan Li bellowed, settling into a stance ready to give it his all.
"Then let's see what you're made of."
The moment the words left his mouth, a sharp glint erupted in Ling Xiao's eyes.
Getting the chance to truly test himself against the direct-line inherited Martial Soul of the Elephant Armored Sect—one of the Seven Great Sects' Lower Four Sects—caused his aura to surge once more.
His fighting spirit flared, and his excitement reached a peak. At this moment, he no longer channeled his lightweight movement techniques or meticulously pursued efficient soul power consumption.
Instead, he chose the method that best suited his own temperament.
He stomped his foot violently against the ground, simultaneously executing an Explosive Step. Under the impact of the ferocious physical power and surging energy, Ling Xiao blasted forward like a cannonball.
He closed the dozen-meter distance in the blink of an eye.
Even while wielding the heavy giant axe, his speed did not decrease in the slightest; if anything, it gained an extra layer of overwhelming momentum—utterly overbearing and packed with explosive force.
At this moment, the streams of soul power radiating around Ling Xiao, combined with his blinding speed, seemed to trail behind him like a blazing wake of energy.
As he closed in, Ling Xiao gripped the handle of the Profound Sky Axe with both hands and chopped down violently right toward the center of Huyan Li's body, looking as though he intended to cleave the giant completely in half with a single strike.
**
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