While still mid-air, golden light flickered on Tang San's right arm as his fifth Soul Ring blazed with dark light once more, beginning to gather power.
From the start of his battle with the Seventh Elder until now, the two had made no physical contact. Yet through the abilities they'd each displayed, they had thoroughly demonstrated their extensive combat experience. The Seventh Elder, in particular, had shown Tang San the full extent of his formidable strength.
The Seventh Elder raised his hand and recalled his two Clear Sky Hammers. Rather than pursuing Tang San, who was falling toward the iron chain bridge in the distance, the seventh Soul Ring on his body began to glow.
At the cliff's edge, the Second Elder, with his long brows, noticed the seventh Soul Ring lighting up on the Seventh Elder and couldn't help but furrow his brow subconsciously. The seventh Soul Skill was already the most powerful technique the Seventh Elder could deploy while using only forty percent of his Soul Power. Moreover, it was being combined with the sixth Soul Skill—Martial Soul Clone. Judging from the overall mobilization of Soul Power, it had clearly already exceeded forty percent.
The Second Elder knew that after Tang San's repeated clever responses, the Seventh Elder's competitive spirit had been roused. He could only hope the Seventh Elder would control his strength properly. After all, Tang San had already brought too many surprises to these elders of the Clear Sky School.
Landing lightly on the iron chain bridge with a flip, Tang San's right arm was now completely enveloped in golden Blue Silver Grass. With each breath, the gold along his arm intensified further.
At this moment, the benefits of opening the Eight Extraordinary Meridians were gradually becoming apparent. Tang San's Soul Power was naturally incomparable to the Seventh Elder's, but his recovery speed was greater than anyone's. As he unleashed this fifth Soul Skill once more, there was not a trace of fatigue on his face—he remained spirited and showed no signs of exhaustion whatsoever. Of course, this also had to do with his spiritual power having grown to a remarkably powerful level.
Everyone from the Clear Sky School was watching Tang San. Could it be that he intended to face the Seventh Elder's simultaneous use of the sixth and seventh Soul Skills relying solely on his fifth Soul Skill?
The seventh Soul Skill had always been hailed as a qualitative transformation skill—the Tool Spirit True Body of the Clear Sky Hammer was even more terrifying in its power. And under the Martial Soul Clone, what Tang San would face were two Tool Spirit True Bodies.
No one believed he could withstand the Seventh Elder's attack under these circumstances.
The Seventh Elder's expression was somewhat grave. On this iron chain bridge, while Tang San was unable to use his fourth Soul Skill—Blue Silver Cage—the restrictions on the Seventh Elder were even greater. Every exertion of force had to be done with extreme caution, for fear the iron chain bridge wouldn't hold. The pressure Tang San exerted on him was greater than he had imagined. Especially those eight crystalline-looking spears behind Tang San—the Seventh Elder could clearly sense that if he were struck by them, he would likely be defeated immediately.
Massive Soul Power began to converge at the twin hammers in his hands. If he could use his full power, this Tool Spirit True Body could be manifested in an instant. But he was currently restricted to forty percent of his Soul Power, so using this skill required charging. This was also the reason the Seventh Elder hadn't stopped Tang San from deploying his fifth Soul Skill. Both sides were charging simultaneously, and he was absolutely confident he could defeat Tang San under these conditions.
A heavy aura rose before him. Tang San's pupils gradually contracted. He knew that the outcome of this battle hinged on this single moment. The Tool Spirit True Body was not like the previous skills where he could risk dodging—moreover, his opponent was deploying two Tool Spirit True Bodies, making evasion even harder. The overwhelming pressure from the Clear Sky Hammers was already causing the iron chain bridge beneath his feet to tremble violently, as though it might collapse at any moment.
Silently sighing to himself, Tang San understood that the skill he had hoped to avoid using would likely be necessary after all. Even at only forty percent of his Soul Power, the Seventh Elder's Soul Skills held far too great an advantage. What's more, his forty percent was an inexhaustible forty percent—he feared no depletion. But Tang San was different.
Having thought this through, the expression on Tang San's face grew increasingly solemn.
Suddenly, Tang San shouted, "Seventh Elder!"
The Seventh Elder's gaze instinctively focused on him. In the Seventh Elder's mind, this was clearly the moment for Tang San to concede defeat. Once Tang San surrendered, he would claim he had used a bit more Soul Power than intended and end the match as a draw. This way, he would demonstrate his strength while also fulfilling the Second Elder's wishes.
But what greeted him was not Tang San's words of surrender—instead, two beams of clear blue light.
Everyone at the cliff's edge saw it clearly: two beams of rich blue light erupted from Tang San's eyes, reaching the Seventh Elder's face in virtually an instant.
*Not good!* The Seventh Elder cried out inwardly. At this moment, his Tool Spirit True Body had not yet fully taken shape.
The instant he saw the blue light bursting from Tang San's eyes, he knew it was something the Soul Power field around his body could not suppress, let alone withstand head-on.