"Huff!"
Several minutes passed before Yu Tianheng finally managed to recover somewhat from his injuries.
Letting out a deep breath, he slowly got up from the ground.
"You were right, Xiao Lin. I really am not that good.I shouldn't have tried to fight you head-on."
By now, the pride and anger once visible in Yu Tianheng's eyes were completely gone.
This was Yu Tianheng at his strongest—calm and composed.
He had returned to being the determined and level-headed heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. At this moment, he was utterly serious.
"My dragonification does have powerful destructive potential.Normally, against most Soul Ancestors, my first three soul skills are more than enough.That's what made me arrogant…"
"But now I've realized—there's always someone stronger, always a higher sky."
He licked his dry lips and revealed a confident smile.
"Still, I, Yu Tianheng, am not some trash who can't even force you to reveal your Martial Soul."
As he finished speaking, Yu Tianheng let out a cold snort—and retracted his dragonified arm.
Instead, he switched into a full beast Martial Soul possession form—a transformation most beast-type soul masters used.
With this, his muscles rapidly swelled, his bones crackled and snapped into place with audible crunches.
Moments later, Yu Tianheng had turned into a half-dragon form.
He had grown over 50 centimeters taller; his bulging muscles tore his upper clothes apart, revealing a torso covered in blue dragon scales.
Those thick scales flickered with powerful electricity, which coiled around him like rings of lightning.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Dragon's Battle Drum!"
In a flash, a deep purple soul ring appeared beneath his feet.
Then, from his body came a strange, rhythmic sound—
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Gradually, those booming sounds turned into a steady, thunderous drumming rhythm, like someone was beating war drums to rally him into battle.
With every drumbeat, Xiao Lin noticed that all of Yu Tianheng's attributes were recovering—
No—being enhanced.
"That sound is coming from his heart?"
Xiao Lin's sharp eyes saw through the technique at once.
Yu Tianheng's heartbeats mimicked the sound of drums, and with them, his entire body's attributes were enhanced.
Now it was clear why Qin Ming had ordered other students to guard the doors and not allow anyone else to watch—
This fourth soul skill was basically a supercharged version of Xiao Wu's speed-enhancing ability.
And not just speed—Yu Tianheng's enhancement included every physical attribute…
After activating this, his base stats likely rivaled a Soul King's.
"Xiao Lin, you're the first to see my fourth soul skill.From here on, I'll go all out."
Yu Tianheng said solemnly—hoping Xiao Lin wouldn't underestimate him again, or he might literally get punched to death.
Xiao Lin naturally didn't take him lightly either.
This wasn't just a typical stat boost. It was a perfect combat form, practically a soul skill designed exclusively for battle.
No wonder Yu Tianheng had to revert to the standard Martial Soul possession—only like this could he maximize his destructive power.
It was the principle of the wooden bucket theory—strengthening your weakest attributes to raise overall performance.
Xiao Lin then returned the baton to his storage soul tool.
"Honestly, it's been a long time since I've felt this excited."
He smiled and raised his right hand to his ear.
A thin, toothpick-sized Qiu Dragon Staff appeared in his hand.
The next moment, it expanded instantly into its full form—a 2.5-meter-long weapon.
The staff now gleamed with silvery-white metal and faint patterns of lightning and flame.
"Martial Soul—Qiu Dragon Staff!"
As soon as he announced it, Yu Tianheng couldn't wait any longer and charged in.
"First Soul Skill – Thunder Dragon Claw!Second Soul Skill – Thunder Wrath!Third Soul Skill – Thunder's Fury!"
In a matter of moments, Yu Tianheng had unleashed all three of his soul skills.
By the time he closed in on Xiao Lin, his body was already covered in lightning.
The power condensed around him formed a suit of electric armor.
Even his right arm, without being dragonified, now held a Thunder Dragon Claw that was no weaker than before.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With the booming "drums" echoing in his ears, Xiao Lin's eyes gleamed.
"Good, good, good! Yu Tianheng, you're amazing!"
Xiao Lin took a step back—then suddenly charged forward.
"First Soul Skill – Heaven-Earth Strike!Second Soul Skill – Lightning Shadow Flash!"
Indestructible soul power surged around Xiao Lin, and in an instant, he burst into a blinding flash of light.
The flash was so intense that everyone had to shut their eyes.
In that brief moment, Yu Tianheng's vision was temporarily blinded by the flash and lightning.
However, thanks to his full-body enhancements, he could still hear Xiao Lin's movements.
Sensing the Qiu Dragon Staff closing in, Yu Tianheng countered with his Thunder Dragon Claw.
BOOM!
A massive impact resounded, and a violent shockwave exploded outward from the two, centering on them both.
Outside the arena, Ning Rongrong had already shut her eyes, shaken to the core by the terrifying energy.
Are these really just Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors...?
Crack!
The sound of a bone snapping rang out.
Yu Tianheng was stunned—and quickly summoned another Thunder Dragon Claw on his left arm, using it to forcibly knock Xiao Lin's staff away.
"Hahaha! I acknowledge you now, Yu Tianheng!Of all who've fought me—none have had stronger attacks than you.I'll gladly call you the strongest of our level!"
The flash faded, and Xiao Lin's loud laughter echoed alongside his wildly exaggerated praise.
A Soul Elder calling a Soul Ancestor his equal?
Then what are you, Xiao Lin? A cross-rank monster?
Though his words were arrogant, Yu Tianheng didn't argue—he now fully acknowledged Xiao Lin's strength.
Soon, Yu Tianheng's fractured right arm began to recover, in sync with the drum-like heartbeat.
Full-body enhancement, of course, also meant enhanced regeneration.
Right now, Yu Tianheng wasn't any weaker than a true draconic soul beast of the same level.
"ROAR!"
With a loud roar, Yu Tianheng expelled the foul air in his chest, then inhaled deeply.
He stomped the arena floor, leaving a pit behind, and in a flash appeared in front of Xiao Lin.
Twin Thunder Dragon Claws and thundering lightning burst toward Xiao Lin.
Xiao Lin simply smiled calmly at Yu Tianheng's charge.
Then, he spun his Qiu Dragon Staff midair, channeling his Indestructible soul power to grind down the raging thunder.
"Zzzzzzzz!"
The arena echoed with a metallic screech, like a buzz saw slicing through steel.
The two clashed five or six more times, momentarily evenly matched.
But soon, the Thunder Claws weakened—and Xiao Lin, using his vast experience, switched to Bagua Staff Technique, thrusting toward Yu Tianheng's face.
"You're strong. But can you block my second strike?"
"What?"
Yu Tianheng didn't understand what Xiao Lin meant.
Yet with his sixth sense now heightened by the soul skill, he felt—
The real danger was behind him.
He crossed his arms to block the staff, then leaned back to dodge Xiao Lin's thrust.
However, as he turned slightly to glance behind—
His pupils shrank.
"That shadow—!!"
BOOM!
Before he could react, a Qiu Dragon Staff—projected from a shadow—slammed into his back.
"Gah!"
The immense pain from behind shattered his control, and he felt a surge of internal chaos—blood boiling, organs throbbing.
He coughed up blood, vision went dark, and he collapsed on the arena floor, slowly falling out of his soul-attached state.
The outcome was decided!
"That was scary…You almost beat me."
Xiao Lin smiled slightly and withdrew his Qiu Dragon Staff.
Throughout the match, he never used his third soul skill, never activated his Martial Soul True Form, and didn't even enter Charge Mode 2.
(End of Chapter)