Ling Xiao gazed at the ghostly blue fireball.
The fireball completely enveloped Hei Suo, leaving not a single gap, the fusion of chilling and searing flames forming two layers of solid defence.
His attack was entirely blocked outside the fireball.
Hei Suo claimed this was an absolute defence, one that would make Ling Xiao utterly despair, impossible to breach once activated.
A sneer of disdain curled at Ling Xiao’s lips.
A frog at the bottom of a well can never see the entire sky.
What attacks had Hei Suo truly faced to dare claim his defence was absolutely perfect?
“Absolute defence, is it? Today, I’ll break it for you to see!”
Ling Xiao’s voice rang out with resolute confidence.
As his words fell, the black leopard phantom behind him gradually vanished, replaced by a vast, misty ocean.
The glacier and ocean formed a boundless scene of nature’s grandeur.
“I’ve heard this kid can use more than two martial souls at once, and now it seems to be true, but what exactly are these martial souls? A Glacier Martial Soul and an Ocean Martial Soul?”
Even the four elders were puzzled at this point.
From the glacier and ocean phantoms behind Ling Xiao, they sensed an immensely powerful aura, yet these two forces seemed to stem from the same source.
With the appearance of the vast ocean, Ling Xiao’s aura grew even more formidable, his sword seeming to tear the heavens and earth apart.
The ice beads scattered around no longer attacked but continuously gathered onto the Ice Dragon Sword.
The sword transformed into a massive crystalline ice blade!
Ling Xiao released the giant sword, and with a deafening roar like a ferocious beast, it shot forward.
“Not good!”
Shock flashed across Hei Suo’s face as he frantically channelled true essence to bolster the defence of the Seven Star Ghost Flame Lanterns.
However…
“Pfft!”
The ghostly blue fireball, like a balloon, was pierced by the massive crystalline ice sword, a glaring gash appearing.
Hei Suo’s expression changed drastically.
“Break!”
Ling Xiao roared, pouring true essence into the crystalline ice sword, carrying the momentum of the glacier and ocean, piercing through the so-called absolute defence fireball with one strike.
Seeing this, the inner sect disciples nearly dropped to their knees, their shock beyond words.
Hei Suo’s Seven Star Ghost Flame Lanterns, which dominated the inner sect, had been completely pierced by Ling Xiao’s single strike. Just how immense was this power?
“Such robust true essence, such powerful swordsmanship!”
“Is this Ling Xiao? No wonder he’s never lost since joining the Yuehua Sect, this is terrifying!”
“Such a strong attack, probably none of us could withstand it.”
The inner sect disciples’ astonishment was even more evident on Hei Suo’s face.
His previously arrogant expression was now deathly pale.
Hei Suo’s heart trembled.
He thought that once Ling Xiao revealed his cultivation, there were no more secrets.
But now he realised he was wrong, terribly wrong. This person seemed to always have secrets, always so mysteriously terrifying.
This terrifying strike was impossible to dodge, its intent had already locked onto Hei Suo completely.
Hei Suo likely understood this, so he didn’t attempt to evade.
Since he couldn’t dodge, he would fight.
Though shocked, Hei Suo still believed his true essence surpassed Ling Xiao’s.
With his defence breached, Hei Suo reformed the seven ghostly flame lanterns in front of him, but this time, they condensed into the shape of an arrow.
Then, with a flick of his black whip, carrying nearly all his power, it shot toward Ling Xiao’s crystalline ice sword.
Boom!
A violent explosion shook the entire underground palace.
The collision between the crystalline ice sword and the ghostly flame arrow triggered a series of blasts, white and ghostly blue lights flashing in tandem.
The terrifying aura rampaged through the underground palace, turning many inner sect disciples’ faces pale.
They hadn’t expected a peak Mortal Realm Second Layer warrior to unleash an attack nearly on par with an early Mortal Realm Fourth Layer warrior.
Moments later, both figures staggered back almost simultaneously.
Hei Suo retreated over ten steps before steadying himself.
Ling Xiao flipped backward several times before landing.
Who was stronger in this clash?
The onlookers stared intently, and as the dust settled, they finally saw clearly.
Hei Suo’s defensive gear was now riddled with cracks, his outer robes shattered to pieces.
His body bore numerous red spots.
Upon closer inspection, they were tiny holes pierced by sword energy.
Each hole bled, vivid and shocking.
Looking at Ling Xiao, though his clothes were tattered, his body shimmered with golden light, a layer of scales encasing him, completely unharmed.
In this strike, Ling Xiao had the clear upper hand.
Though Hei Suo didn’t panic at the critical moment, choosing the right response by channelling all his true essence into the Seven Star Ghost Flame Lanterns for a head-on clash.
But Ling Xiao was better prepared, while Hei Suo’s hasty counter was naturally less composed, putting him at a disadvantage.
Of course, even though injured, those wounds were negligible to Hei Suo.
An early Mortal Realm Fourth Layer warrior couldn’t be heavily injured by sword energy, especially since his defensive gear had absorbed most of the attack’s force.
Moments later, Hei Suo looked up at Ling Xiao, his eyes brimming with thicker killing intent, but unexpectedly mixed with some seriousness.
“Ling Xiao, it seems we’ve all underestimated you! Your strength is enough to make me use my full power! You’re a worthy opponent! But you still must die!”
Hearing this, the inner sect disciples were secretly shocked.
Ling Xiao’s earlier strike, none of them could have withstood, yet Hei Suo not only blocked it but only sustained minor injuries.
They thought the Seven Star Ghost Flame Lanterns were Hei Suo’s full strength, but he hadn’t even used his full power?
In that case, could Ling Xiao still hold his own?
After all, Ling Xiao had already used dual martial souls, he couldn’t possibly have more trump cards, could he?
“Heh, unfortunately, you’re not worthy of making me use my full strength.”
Ling Xiao smiled faintly, looking at Hei Suo.
His words weren’t mere bravado.
So far, he hadn’t even used his full strength in human form, let alone his human-dragon or ancient golden dragon forms.
“Hmph, stop bluffing, a mere peak Mortal Realm Second Layer cultivation, daring to act arrogant before me, Hei Suo!”
Hei Suo didn’t believe Ling Xiao at all, “Next, I’ll show you what true despair is!”
