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 100+ advanced chapter now on Patreon.
**
Given the sheer power of Spirit Hall, the talents they cultivated were naturally extraordinary.
Their strength was so formidable that even when placed across the entire continent, they would rarely find any rivals among peers of the same age and cultivation level.
Engaging in a sparring match against them would inevitably bring immense pressure—and it was precisely this pressure that could trigger an opportunity for a breakthrough.
Huyan Heng couldn't help but think to himself that Spirit Hall's challenge this time was actually quite beneficial for Huyan Li, provided they didn't have any ulterior motives.
Speaking of which, he couldn't just let Huyan Li and the others always spar within the sect or the academy anymore. They needed to venture out more, exchanging pointers and interacting with the disciples of other sects and academies.
This would definitely yield better results than simply going to the Great Spirit Arena.
Perhaps because he sensed that Spirit Hall did not seem to harbor any malice, Huyan Heng unconsciously lowered his guard. No longer facing them as if confronting a formidable enemy like before, his mind wandered slightly.
He began to slowly map out a plan in his heart, preparing to have the disciples of the Elephant Armored Sect travel more frequently within the Soul Master world for experiential training in the near future.
The academy would also need to organize exchange programs with other Soul Master Academies to help them grow.
Setting aside their inner thoughts, the battle on the plaza was still raging like wildfire.
Astral energy shot out in all directions as violent fluctuations of soul power continuously erupted, causing the air to shake and churn relentlessly.
Seeing that Huyan Li's strength was not lacking and that his Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul was exceptionally unique, Ling Xiao grew more excited as the battle progressed.
A brilliant light shone in his eyes, as if his physical strength were boundless.
The Profound Sky Axe in his hands swung faster and faster, its force incredibly overwhelming as his sharp edge was fully revealed. At this moment, he had practically forgotten about everyone else outside the arena; only his opponent, Huyan Li, remained in his sight.
Suddenly, Ling Xiao swung his axe with all his might. Infused with a massive amount of soul power, the Profound Sky Axe instantly became thrice as sharp, its cutting aura surging wildly.
A massive, half-moon-shaped axe radiant arc manifested over the broad, silver-white blade.
However, instead of flying through the air, it condensed directly upon the edge of the blade. Under the influence of this radiant edge, the sharp aura of the Profound Sky Axe became even more terrifying than before.
The air seemed to solidify before being violently torn apart, producing a succession of piercing screeches as the giant axe fell.
Facing Ling Xiao's strike, Huyan Li reacted as if facing a mortal enemy. He did not hesitate to push his Martial Soul to its absolute limits. Intense fluctuations of soul power surged upward, and a brilliant diamond glow erupted from his fists.
After condensing the diamond power, accompanied by a resounding elephant roar, Huyan Li thrust both fists forward simultaneously to meet the terrifying giant axe.
Boom!
A deafening blast suddenly echoed across the plaza.
Intense ripples of soul power rippled outward, causing the air to vibrate and churn like invisible ocean waves.
Though it didn't last long, it was distinct and clear.
Suddenly, a dark flash of light shot through the field, and a figure flew backward through the air, landing with a loud Bang!
When this massive figure crashed onto the ground, the terrifying force caused the earth to shatter instantly. The bluestone-paved ground tore apart into countless pieces as broken stones flew everywhere.
The area within a dozen meters around him looked like a spiderweb, filled with thick cracks that continued to spiderweb out in all directions. Looking over, one could see that towering figure in a battle state with an elephant's head and a human's body—it was precisely Huyan Li.
Meeting Ling Xiao's axe head-on just now was a bit too much to bear, even with the strength granted by his Martial Soul Possession. Although he had barely managed to block the sharpness of the strike, he was still sent flying by the astonishing force carried by the Profound Sky Axe.
Upon his fists, the brilliant glow of the diamond power gradually faded. Two massive axe marks had shockingly appeared across the surface of his knuckles. Compared to the other scars, these were visibly longer and deeper, indicating a significantly more severe injury.
It appeared that although he had mobilized his diamond power to reinforce his defense just now, resisting the axe strike unleashed by Ling Xiao had still caused him significant injuries, proving to be an immense struggle.
In the distance, seeing Huyan Li straighten his posture and steady his footing, Ling Xiao did not waste another breath. He stomped his foot heavily against the ground as a blazing aura surged around him.
Gripping the axe with his right hand, he immediately pressed the attack.
Under the stimulation of Ling Xiao's soul power, the Profound Sky Axe seemed to let out a soft hum, and streaks of blackish-red energy flowed and coiled around the giant axe. Though not particularly bright or eye-catching, the restrained energy vaguely emanated an overbearing, domineering aura.
As he drew near, Ling Xiao leaped into the air.
He was just about to deliver a downward cleave right at Huyan Li's head, but before he could even execute the strike, Huyan Li made a sudden move. Without any grand gestures, Huyan Li simply snapped his head forward, and a dark shadow whipped out at lightning speed.
It ripped through the air with a roaring boom, its speed surpassing Ling Xiao's own and seizing the initiative. Seeing this, Ling Xiao felt a small pang of surprise, but it was of little consequence.
Although he couldn't see exactly what it was, it didn't matter—whatever it was, he would meet it with his axe. As long as he was strong enough, nothing could withstand his blade; everything would be shattered.
As the dark shadow, which resembled a giant python, tore through the air and lashed out like a long whip, Ling Xiao swung his axe in a horizontal slash. It collided instantly with the shadow, resulting in a deafening explosion upon impact.
The moment they clashed, Ling Xiao felt a violent force, but within that force, he could also faintly sense a hidden flexibility. He couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation of surprise in his heart.
After all, the Diamond Mammoth was absolutely a Martial Soul renowned for its raw, unyielding toughness, and its strength characteristics should be primarily rigid and powerful. How could it be infused with such flexibility?
With a touch of curiosity, and capitalizing on the brief instant of their clash, Ling Xiao finally caught sight of the true form of Huyan Li's attack. The dark shadow that had lashed out like a giant python was actually an elephant trunk—the trunk of the Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul.
Under Huyan Li's activation, the long trunk of his possessed Martial Soul form, which originally hung down to his chest, had actually extended by several meters. It was thick, long, and packed with an intense sense of power.
Furthermore, it radiated a strong, dark brown glow, saturated with an incredibly dense aura of soul power. Just now, Huyan Li had driven his Martial Soul to execute a trunk attack, whipping it toward Ling Xiao like a massive lash.
Not only was it exceptionally fast, but its power was also staggering.
"So it's an elephant trunk," Ling Xiao said, a wave of realization washing over him.
"How foolish of me. How could I forget that for elephant-type soul beasts, the trunk is a crucial means of combat?"
"The same naturally applies when manifested as a Martial Soul. Legend has it that for the top powerhouses of the elephant clans, their great ears can reach the heavens, and their long trunks can pierce the earth."
Though the Diamond Mammoth has relatively small ears compared to other elephant-type soul beasts, the characteristics of its trunk are exactly the same, Ling Xiao thought to himself.
At this moment, although Huyan Li's surprise attack had been blocked by Ling Xiao, it had successfully halted Ling Xiao's offensive momentum.
A short distance away, Huyan Li subtly turned his head, and the trunk glowing with brown soul power rapidly retracted, returning to its original size.
"Impressive method. It never crossed my mind before that the Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul could attack in such a way," Ling Xiao said to Huyan Li.
He had somewhat been influenced by the preconceptions of his past life; after all, the Diamond Mammoth he knew about back then didn't include trunk attacks.
Although he had learned some information regarding the Elephant Armored Sect and the Diamond Mammoth at the Spirit Hall Academy, such a trunk attack fell under the category of common knowledge, causing him to overlook it entirely.
**
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 100+ advanced chapter now on Patreon.