Meng Shu's reckless challenge ignited a nameless fury in Li Yusong.

They'd already fought before—why was this guy still so eager?

And Meng Shu's spirit ring configuration—

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black!

Even his fifth ring wasn't the optimal choice.

Sure, the guy was level 89, but Li Yusong had undergone a complete transformation too.

Two 100,000-year spirit rings!

Afraid?

Not a chance.

"Bring it on!" Li Yusong bared his teeth. "That last fight didn't satisfy me. Let's go another round!"

Meng Shu looked slightly confused.

Last fight?

What fight?

Watching the two radiate battle intent, Diyi Hong pursed his lips.

Was this some kind of old man shonen anime?

No, wait!

They were both middle-aged now—this was more like a midlife crisis battle manga.

Clang! Clang!

Dragon-headed cane clashed furiously with dragon-patterned staff.

Both used long weapons, and both, in a rare show of mutual respect, refrained from using spirit skills. This was pure hand-to-hand combat.

They were testing each other's physique and fundamental technique.

The clash was brutal.

Even the shockwaves alone left Ma Hongjun and the others grimacing in pain, forcing them to duck behind Flender and the others for cover.

Diyi Hong didn't budge an inch.

A stone wall rose in front of him, with its eye-level section inlaid with transparent gemstones, offering perfect visibility.

Spirit Bone Skill: Mountain Guardian!

Defensive and considerate—what's not to love?

Even Zhao Wuji and the other Spirit Sages were a little envious.

"Good!" Meng Shu shouted. "A Spirit Sage like you can actually go toe-to-toe with me? Then I'll get serious!"

"Fifth Soul Skill: Soaring Dragons!

The dragon-headed cane split into dozens of small dragon projections, surging toward Li Yusong in a tide of golden energy.

No one expected that.

A Spirit Douluo like Meng Shu actually used a skill first?

"Perfect timing!"

Li Yusong didn't retreat. His first spirit ring lit up as he spun the dragon-patterned staff in front of him, forming a protective arc that morphed into a dragon-shaped aura around him.

First Soul Skill: Staff Spin!

He collided head-on with the dragon tide. The forceful impact scattered the smaller energy dragons in all directions.

The indiscriminate aftershocks forced Zhao Wuji and the others to fall back once more.

Diyi Hong still didn't move. The smaller dragons slammed into the stone wall, only managing to chip off a few pebbles—then the wall repaired itself instantly.

Meanwhile, the wooden huts nearby were devastated, collapsing one by one under the barrage.

Flender winced in pain.

Why hadn't he thought to move them to an open area first?

Then he noticed something.

Diyi Hong's three-story villa had only a few dents in its outer wall—it stood firm like a mountain.

That sturdy?

Flender's eyes lit up with an idea.

Back in the arena—

Li Yusong charged straight through the storm of dragons. His third soul ring lit up, and his dragon-patterned staff glowed gold as it came down in a seemingly simple but forceful strike.

Meng Shu cautiously ended his soul skill and reformed his cane to block.

But the strike… wasn't that powerful?

What was going on?

Before he could think it through, the next strike followed seamlessly.

Meng Shu blocked again. And again. And again.

Something was wrong.

Each hit was stronger than the last!

With every collision, the golden light on the staff intensified.

After several seconds and over a hundred hits, the glow was blinding!

"Hup! Take this—"

"Third Soul Skill: Cleave Staff!

Li Yusong raised his staff high and flipped in mid-air, bringing it down diagonally with a sonic boom that warped the air. Meng Shu's scalp went numb.

He hurriedly raised his cane, manifesting a dragon projection that coiled around him.

Fourth Soul Skill: Dragon Coil Guard!

Boom!

Crack—

The dragon shield shattered instantly. The reformed cane caught the blow, and Meng Shu struggled to hold his ground.

Rip—

His upper clothes tore apart.

Boom—

The ground within several dozen meters caved in. Shockwaves radiated outward, kicking up clouds of dust and forcing Flender's group to retreat again.

Diyi Hong still didn't move, but his expression was odd.

He hadn't noticed before, but…

Why did Li Yusong's soul skills look so… familiar?

No. He had to keep watching.

As the dust cleared—

Meng Shu was half-buried in the ground, battered and miserable.

Buzz—

His sixth soul ring lit up. A massive dragon head projection emerged, jaws wide open, lunging forward.

Sixth Soul Skill: Dragon's Strike!

The range was wide, and the dragon-patterned staff was locked—there was no time to spin up a defense.

Li Yusong couldn't dodge.

His second soul ring flashed.

His body remained in place, swallowed by the dragon's maw.

But his true form rolled to the side, dodging cleanly. He thrust the staff forward, slamming it right into Meng Shu's kidney.

Second Soul Skill: Staff Reversal!

"Aaargh!"

Meng Shu cried out, swinging his cane desperately to push Li Yusong back.

Too late.

Li Yusong's sixth soul ring flared.

100,000-Year Soul Skill: Stasis!

From the point where the staff touched Meng Shu's waist, a grey sheen spread rapidly across his body, locking him mid-strike.

Frozen in place.

Li Yusong didn't attack immediately. He retracted the staff to his waist as soul power surged and his fourth soul ring glowed.

A powerful aura exploded forth. Gold light surged along the dragon-patterned staff, becoming even more intense.

He was charging up.

For nearly two seconds.

Just as Meng Shu broke free of the stasis, he instinctively leapt back!

His seventh soul ring lit up.

Martial Spirit True Body!

But it was too late.

Li Yusong lunged with a straightforward, no-frills thrust. The staff stretched to over two meters and slammed into Meng Shu's solar plexus.

Fourth Soul Skill: Piercing Staff!

It shattered Meng Shu's Martial Spirit True Body, launching him backward until he slammed into Diyi Hong's stone wall.

Crack—crack—

The wall, said to be unbreakable by anyone below Titled Douluo, fractured.

But it healed instantly.

Diyi Hong raised an eyebrow in surprise.

That thrust—

Was nearly at Titled Douluo power.

"Pfft!"

Meng Shu coughed up blood, face pale.

He'd underestimated Li Yusong.

Who knew his 100,000-year soul skill was a debilitating control-type?

No more holding back.

His seventh ring blazed to life—full Martial Spirit True Body!

His dragon-headed cane soared into the sky, transforming into a massive 50-meter weapon. His soul power projection extended from all eight rings, and he seized the enormous cane with one hand.

"Good! Come at me!"

Li Yusong roared—but didn't use his own True Body.

Instead, he activated his fifth soul ring. The dragon-patterned staff slammed into the ground, and he perched on the tip.

Golden light shimmered.

The staff grew—larger, thicker, longer—carrying him skyward until he was face-to-face with the fully transformed Meng Shu.

"Arrogant!" Meng Shu barked. "I'm an 89th-level Spirit Douluo. With my True Body active, I could even fight that Poison Douluo—and you're not even using yours?"

Li Yusong said nothing.

He simply poured soul power into the staff, rising higher and higher, pressure mounting.

So what if Meng Shu had activated his True Body?

This fifth ring…

Was 91,000 years old!

And then—

"Doommmm——"

His entire body turned golden—Indestructible Vajra Form activated!

Then he hugged the giant staff and began spinning it violently.

"TAKE THIS!!!"

Meng Shu was stunned.

Wait—who was the Spirit Douluo here?

Who activated their True Body?

And why was he the one getting wrecked first?!

Not far away—

Diyi Hong was now sure of it—

Li Yusong's soul skill system definitely came from a certain Black Myth.

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