Soul Emperor Awakening

After being sent flying, the Staff Envoy climbed to its feet. But instead of attacking again, it returned to its position at the side. Then, a voice that seemed to come from the heavens resounded.

"First Layer trial passed. Prepare for transport to the Second Layer trial!"

’Isn’t this a bit too easy?’

Lin Xuan offered his assessment. The force he’d unleashed wasn’t his full power—it was only half strength, a mere 200,000 jin—yet it had easily overwhelmed the copper statue.

’Then again, this is just the First Layer,’ he thought. ’If it were any harder, the later ones would be impossible.’ Immediately after, Lin Xuan felt an Energy envelop him. His vision blurred, and he vanished from where he stood.

Outside the Martial God Tower, the crowd saw a point of light flash on the First Layer and then float up to the Second. This was the sign that Lin Xuan had passed the First Layer and was successfully being transported to the next.

"His speed is quite decent. An excellent performance, I’d say." Tuo Zhanhong was rather satisfied with Lin Xuan’s showing. It was a fairly quick clear time.

The other spectators didn’t discuss it, because for anyone from the Tu Family who could enter, the First Layer was simply too easy. It had almost no difficulty and was likely just a warm-up. The real challenge began from the Second Layer!

In the blink of an eye, Lin Xuan arrived in the Second Layer. Here, his Elemental Power was still sealed, preventing him from releasing it externally. The environment was nearly identical to the First Layer. The only change was that where there had been many copper statues, now only a single one stood!

This statue also wielded a long staff, another Staff Envoy. But it was completely different from the previous one. Its massive body was a gleaming, jet-black, a fundamental transformation. Its size was the same, but its aura was in another league entirely, radiating an immense pressure just by standing there.

Others had to release Elemental Power to project such a formidable pressure, but this statue was different. It emanated an oppressive aura just by standing there, a presence generated from within, without using any Elemental Power at all.

’The Martial God Tower... does it mean I have to rely on my own power to overcome its trials...?’

He knew he was in for a tough fight. This black statue was leagues beyond the one on the First Layer—he could feel it from its aura alone.

"Second Layer trial: Defeat the Staff Envoy!"

’Still called the Staff Envoy,’ he mused. ’It seems the opponent is determined by my Weapon. If I used a sword, I suppose it would be a Sword Envoy.’

The moment the voice faded, the black Staff Envoy brandished its black staff and charged toward Lin Xuan. A vast aura surged forward, enveloping him. The immense pressure bore down on his body, locking him firmly in place. He could even feel his body growing heavy!

WHOOSH!

The black staff came crashing down. A visible ripple of energy appeared on its surface, shrouding the entire jet-black weapon. Though he didn’t know what it was, Lin Xuan felt a palpable sense of crisis from the staff. He had the feeling that if he were struck by it, his bones would be shattered to pieces!

"Extreme Point Inch Light!"

Without hesitation, Lin Xuan unleashed his maximum power, thrusting his own rod to meet the crashing black staff. His opponent’s weapon was simply too enormous, its sweeping arc too wide. If he didn’t knock it away first, he would have no chance of hitting the Staff Envoy.

With an explosive burst, he unleashed a force of four hundred thousand jin. He expected to send the weapon flying just as he had before. But before his Chi Dragon Heavens Rod could even make contact, he felt as if he had struck something incredibly hard. In reality, there was still a fist’s width of space between the tips of their weapons!

It felt as if Lin Xuan had struck a solid object. An irresistible force transmitted back from that point, violently flinging him backward!

BANG!

Lin Xuan’s Extreme Point Inch Light was violently repelled by the terrifying force. The rebound sent tremors all the way up his right arm, which was gripping the Chi Dragon Heavens Rod. The arm went numb, and he felt it had nearly been broken by the impact.

The force of the rebound was immense. Still, his own powerful strike had managed to push the Staff Envoy back slightly—but only just.

Shock filled Lin Xuan’s eyes. ’This isn’t just a bit stronger; it’s over ten times stronger! It’s not on the same Level as the First Layer at all. If I had been careless and assumed it was only a slight improvement, that last strike would have been enough to gravely injure me.’

BOOM!

With a roar that shook the earth, the Staff Envoy, having only retreated a few steps, stomped its foot. The ground trembled. Channeling that terrifying force, it sprinted toward Lin Xuan at extreme speed, swinging its black staff down at him as if it had transformed into a Martial God!

Lin Xuan quickly snapped out of his shock. With a frown, he activated his Cloud Return Technique at top speed. The blood in his veins began to boil. In an instant, his body was suffused with a red glow as his overall physical strength rapidly increased. Every nerve in his body was stretched to the breaking point.

The Cloud Return Technique didn’t require Elemental Power to be released externally. It worked by stimulating one’s own Bloodline Power and causing Elemental Power to detonate internally, with no external discharge whatsoever. In a true sense, it relied on the body’s own physical might, which was why it was still usable here.

’I can’t believe the Second Layer has already forced me to use the Cloud Return Technique,’ he thought. ’This is seriously difficult. No wonder making it to the Fifth Layer is the limit. For now, I just have to worry about reaching the Third Layer!’

"Extreme Point Inch Light!"

With a low roar, Lin Xuan’s Bloodline Power began to seethe. He stomped his foot and shot toward the Staff Envoy, his speed noticeably enhanced. Empowered by his bloodline, his Extreme Point Inch Light transformed into a streak of red light that he thrust toward the Staff Envoy’s chest!

His speed after activating the Cloud Return Technique now slightly surpassed the Staff Envoy’s, allowing his attack to land squarely on its chest before the giant staff could come crashing down.

The same thing happened again. It felt like he had thrust his rod into a layer of impenetrable Armor, and it was accompanied by a powerful rebound force that shot back at him!

With only a moment’s delay, the black staff swung around and smashed toward him.

"Break!"

Lin Xuan roared, putting all his strength into another forward thrust. The bloodline within his arm circulated at extreme speed, increasing his power yet again.

DONG!

The Staff Envoy was sent staggering back, but as it was knocked away, its giant staff was already smashing down on Lin Xuan.

"Golden Dragon King Possession!"

Lin Xuan roared. The soul of the Golden Dragon King possessed him in an instant, and Golden Dragon Scales rapidly emerged on the surface of his skin—or rather, his skin itself transformed into Golden Dragon Scales. This, too, was a type of Body Technique that consumed Elemental Power without releasing it externally.

BOOM!

Lin Xuan was sent flying by a heavy blow from the giant staff. That layer of energy enveloping the weapon easily shattered his Golden Dragon Scales and blasted him away.

As he was sent flying through the air, a name for that strange power surfaced in his mind: Martial Intent!