On the arena.
Li Xinghui was on the verge of madness, a relatively clear shadow gradually forming behind him.
It was a fierce tiger, pure white, though somewhat faint. It wasn’t just an aura phantom—it looked far more real.
“That kid’s actually using a fragmented martial soul. Seems he’s truly out of options.”
The few youths from Baiyun Prefecture below the stage wore expressions of astonishment.
They had initially been confident that Li Xinghui would defeat Ling Xiao, but at this final moment, Li Xinghui had resorted to unleashing a ten-percent fragmented martial soul—the White Tiger Remnant Soul.
“But with this White Tiger Remnant Soul out, that kid named Ling Xiao’s finished.”
“Haven’t you noticed, though? Ling Xiao hasn’t shown the slightest trace of fear or shock. Could he have known all along that Li Xinghui had a fragmented martial soul?”
“How could that be?”
The group was incredulous, yet seeing Ling Xiao’s excited expression, they couldn’t help but believe it.
As the White Tiger Remnant Soul emerged, its roar reverberated across the field.
Even experts at the seventh stage of the Martial Vein paled in response.
For centuries, Tianfeng City had never seen a martial soul—not even a fragmented one. Yet Li Xinghui had awakened a fragmented martial soul.
Though it was only ten percent, the terrifying soul-shaking pressure made everyone tremble.
This was a martial soul!
A powerful and fearsome martial soul!
“Hahaha, once the martial soul is unleashed, nothing can stand in its way. Can you still hold up?”
Li Xinghui laughed wildly. In his frenzied spin, he finally sent Ling Xiao flying.
“Soaring Cloud Step · Young Dragon!”
Ling Xiao should have been knocked straight off the arena, but he instantly deployed the Soaring Cloud Step. His body seemed to transform into a golden young dragon, circling the arena over a dozen times before stopping.
“Exhilarating!”
After coming to a halt, Ling Xiao shouted in excitement, “This is my first time facing a martial artist with a martial soul. So thrilling! Let’s go again!”
“Roar—!”
Li Xinghui roared in uncontrollable fury, and the massive White Tiger Remnant Soul behind him echoed the same bellow.
Many young martial artists near the arena instantly bled from their noses and mouths, collapsing unconscious.
The White Tiger Remnant Soul’s roar could directly affect a martial artist’s soul—truly terrifying.
People scattered or hid in droves.
In moments, the area around the first arena emptied out, with the closest spectators now thirty or forty metres away.
“What a terrifying roar. How can Ling Xiao withstand it? How does he manage that?”
The crowd looked at Ling Xiao and saw he seemed utterly unaffected.
How could they know that Ling Xiao had cultivated the *Soul Condensation Art* and possessed the Mountain River Martial Soul? His soul’s strength was naturally beyond anything Li Xinghui could shake.
“My turn!”
Bull Demon Technique · Transformation!
With a furious roar, Ling Xiao’s body seemed to grow larger. His entire form was clad in bull-headed demonic armour condensed from aura.
Not only that, but even his swinging fists were wrapped in a layer of aura armour, visibly enlarged.
*Thud, thud, thud!*
As he charged, the ground rumbled loudly, as if a giant elephant were stampeding.
“What kind of martial art is this?”
“Never heard of it!”
“This kid’s got too many trump cards. Facing a fragmented martial soul without a shred of fear and pulling out some unheard-of technique—it’s beyond shocking.”
Among the crowd, Ling Jiu gnashed his teeth.
Only he knew what martial art Ling Xiao was using. It was a miraculous technique left by the Ling family’s ancestor, one no one had ever successfully cultivated.
Yet this kid had mastered it. Even after he’d taken the manual away, Ling Xiao had still succeeded.
Damn it.
“Ninth Brother, we can’t let this kid keep growing. We have to kill him!” Ling Shisan said anxiously from the side.
“Right. I’ve looked into it. The day Li Xingyun was killed, Ling Xiao had gone out. And based on the scene, it seems Li Xingyun killed a few beggars—beggars who just happened to be Ling Xiao’s kin.”
Ling Jiu said sinisterly, “We don’t need to act ourselves. Spread this news to the Li family, and this kid’s as good as dead.”
“Ninth Brother, you’re brilliant. I’ll handle it.”
On the arena, Ling Xiao was unaware of Ling Jiu and Ling Shisan’s plotting. Right now, he was truly exhilarated.
Li Xinghui’s fragmented martial soul brought him unprecedented pressure.
But it was precisely this pressure that fueled his desire to fight. Only in such battles could he better refine his martial skills.
“Bull Demon Technique · Meteor Transformation Fist!”
By now, this move had evolved beyond its origins, surpassing the limits of advanced martial arts, more terrifying than even the *Transcendent Realm*.
Its power rivalled the perfection of an entry-level top-tier martial art.
Li Xinghui never imagined that even unleashing his White Tiger Remnant Soul wouldn’t defeat Ling Xiao. His mind was clearly in chaos.
He even doubted he could withstand the might of this punch.
“I’ll fight to the end! Let’s see if your fist is tougher or my claws are sharper!”
Li Xinghui lived up to his name. In an instant, he regained his composure and confidence, roaring as he struck with both claws.
Thanks to the White Tiger Remnant Soul.
White Tiger Beast-Splitting Claws!
A brand-new technique, infused with the White Tiger Remnant Soul—an immensely powerful move!
*Bang!*
Claws clashed with fists, and a terrifying burst of aura erupted, sparking blinding light.
It was as if their hands weren’t flesh but forged steel.
“Break for me!”
Ling Xiao bellowed, his fists slamming down like meteors onto Li Xinghui’s claws.
A relentless torrent of terrifying force poured forth.
Li Xinghui was stunned as his arms bent to an impossible degree.
Panicked, he hurriedly retreated.
If he didn’t, his arms would be ruined.
You can’t escape!
Ling Xiao pursued with the Soaring Cloud Step. Though his size had increased, his speed remained frighteningly fast. He landed a brutal punch square on Li Xinghui’s chest.
Li Xinghui let out a scream, his body flying back like a kite with a snapped string. The White Tiger Martial Soul behind him wailed mournfully before vanishing completely.
Lying on the ground, Li Xinghui stared blankly at the sky, the once-domineering gleam in his eyes long gone.
In that instant, the entire Tianfeng Grand Assembly fell into dead silence.
Moments later, sparked by Ling Yihang, a massive wave of noise erupted—curses, gasps, and everything in between.
In any case, today, Ling Xiao became the sole focus.
“Who’d have thought Ling Xiao would end up taking first place at the Tianfeng Grand Assembly!”
“Ugh, why didn’t I have the foresight? If I’d bet on Ling Xiao for first place, I’d have made at least ten times my silver by now.”
“I bet on Ling Chen. Didn’t expect that guy to be so weak. Lost everything.”
Every Tianfeng Grand Assembly had gambling, with people placing bets.
Though Ling Xiao had won first at the Ling family’s annual competition, his reputation was too minor. Hardly anyone had bet on him taking the top spot this time.
“Ah—Pfft!”
Losing money was trivial. The real frustration was Ling Chen’s. Already injured, seeing Ling Xiao defeat Li Xinghui drove him to scream in rage, spitting blood and passing out.
With such a narrow mind, he’d struggle to achieve greatness.
