Soul Emperor Awakening

From the Fourth Layer onward, it was safe to say he was finally facing real opponents. The Cultivation of the Demon Race here was quite impressive; a casual glance revealed they were all at the Sixth or Seventh Layer of the Essence Pill Stage.

Of course, Cultivation alone had long since lost much of its meaning here. Some with Seventh or Eighth Layer Essence Pill Stage Cultivation had only managed to climb to the fifth or sixth floor. Their casual attacks could unleash over a million pounds of force. There was no way Lin Xuan could withstand that—he’d even have trouble getting up there, let alone taking on the attacks of those freakishly strong members of the Demon Race.

Besides, the highest Cultivation here was only the Peak of the Essence Pill Stage, so it really wasn’t a reliable metric. The true standard for measuring strength was the Ice and Snow Badge on one’s arm. The more you had, the stronger you were.

’Starting from this floor, they’re all monsters,’ Lin Xuan sighed. In the Soaring Dragon Empire, those with an Essence Pill Stage Cultivation capable of unleashing 900,000 pounds of force were few and far between. If this horde from the Demon Race ever invaded the Chenyuan Continent, it would be an absolute catastrophe.

Thankfully, a restriction prevented anyone without a Spirit Pill Stage Cultivation from passing through to the Chenyuan Continent; otherwise, the continent would be doomed. Because the Demon Race’s Physiques were so powerful, it was actually more difficult for them to break through to the Spirit Pill Stage Level compared to humans.

Of course, it was difficult for humans as well. The Spirit Pill Stage was the true bottleneck for everyone.

This time, no one from the Giant Bear Race blocked him when he arrived. ’It seems the news hasn’t reached this floor yet.’ Taking the opportunity, he casually found a member of the Demon Race and asked, "Excuse me, do you know if the young girl from the Golden Dragon Race is still on the Fourth Layer?"

He deliberately chose to ask one of the Demon Snake People, who were half-human and half-demon. At first glance, he looked mostly human, but his eyes were both Snake Eyes, and he had a forked tongue, proving his serpentine nature. A sinister, cold aura drifted from his body. Demon Snakes were naturally cold-aligned, which made the Ice and Snow Badge a perfect match for him.

The Demon Snake Person looked Lin Xuan up and down, his tongue flicking as he spoke in a sinister tone, "Heh heh, the little girl from the Golden Dragon Race? She’s on the verge of death. I’d advise you to hurry over to the Martial Arts Arena and take a look. Any later and you’ll miss it..."

"Thanks for the tip!" Lin Xuan’s expression turned frigid. Without another word, he charged toward the Martial Arts Arena. The oppressive weight of 900,000 pounds seemed to vanish.

’The Golden Dragon Race and the Demon Fox Race, huh? Truly interesting... But why do I smell a human aura on this Demon Fox?’ The Demon Snake Person’s Snake Eyes flickered. Realizing he wouldn’t be selling anything else, he packed up his things and drifted in the direction Lin Xuan had gone.

To him, the 900,000 pounds of pressure was just as trivial. It was barely even noticeable.

Lin Xuan sprinted to the Martial Arts Arena. Even before he stepped inside, he could hear the sound of the crowd cheering.

"Heh heh, the Golden Dragon Race versus the Black Dragon Race. Two mortal enemies. That girl has already survived two matches. Can she handle a third?"

"I’m not so sure. Based on her aura, she should be able to handle the third match, but a fourth will be tough... The Golden Dragon Race only has her fighting all alone. Tsk tsk, but that makes sense. The Golden Dragon Race was nearly wiped out. It’s a miracle she’s even here!"

"When rival demons meet, sparks are sure to fly. That little girl from the Golden Dragon Race just can’t stomach the insult, can she? She doesn’t even know when to take a break. Still, to be that powerful... I bet she’s a rare genius among the survivors of the Golden Dragon Race, right?"

...

The voices of the spectators drifted out from the hall. When Lin Xuan entered, his eyes were immediately drawn to Liu Yue’er’s petite frame. At that moment, she stood like a giant upon the Martial Arts Arena, her gaze fixed coldly on the young man from the Black Dragon Race who had just stepped onto the stage.

He hadn’t seen her for some time, and Lin Xuan could feel that Liu Yue’er’s Cultivation had broken through once again. She had completely surpassed him, reaching the Sixth Layer of the Essence Pill Stage! This was the talent of the Golden Dragon Race. Whether human or Demon Race, breaking through to the Spirit Pill Stage took a great deal of effort, but for Divine Beasts like her, it was almost as easy as drinking water.

The 900,000 pounds of pressure here was like child’s play to her. Her Physique was already stronger than Lin Xuan’s, and even more powerful than that of many members of the Demon Race. She was on a whole other level.

However, her Black Dragon Race opponent would not be so easy. The two of them were almost evenly matched. The fight would come down to whose heritage was stronger, and whose abilities were greater.

"I didn’t expect you to defeat two of my kinsmen. To think the Golden Dragon Race, hiding in a corner, could still produce such a strong genius." The Black Dragon youth looked Liu Yue’er up and down, speaking in a suggestive tone. "Why don’t you submit to me? What’s the point of the Golden Dragon Race now? You’re just clinging to life. You can hide for a while, but you can’t hide forever! Before my Black Dragon Race, you’re as weak and pathetic as humans!"

The Black Dragon youth’s body was covered in black Dragon Scales. In truth, he looked just like a member of the Golden Dragon Race, but with his Golden Scales replaced by black; there wasn’t much difference. He stood with his arms crossed, watching Liu Yue’er with great interest, not forgetting to add a few taunts.

Liu Yue’er remained silent, but the shimmering Golden Scales covering her body proved her heart was blazing with fury. Without a word, she charged, her body transforming into a streak of golden light that tore across the arena.

"Golden Dragon Emerging from the Sea!"

Liu Yue’er suddenly whipped her leg around. Her petite body moved like a dragon’s tail, and the kick sent out a dazzling arc of golden light, as if she were cracking a golden whip.

"You’re a spent force!"

The Black Dragon youth quickly moved to block, his entire body enveloped in a black glow. He met her attack head-on, throwing a heavy punch that blazed with black light.

Their battle was a true display of skill. They used not only their Physiques but also various Martial Arts. From this floor onward, such members of the Demon Race would become more common. Those on the floors below fought primarily with their bodies, with no understanding of how to use Elemental Power.

For a moment, flashes of gold and black light filled the Martial Arts Arena. A continuous stream of BANGS echoed as explosions of Elemental Power relentlessly slammed against the protective barrier, creating a thunderous rhythm.

BOOM!

After a brief stalemate, a violent explosion erupted. A black figure was flung out of the golden light, smashing heavily against the protective barrier before landing on the ground, barely managing to stay on his feet.

After a frantic exchange of blows, the Black Dragon had lost! He had just regained his footing when he felt a coppery taste in his throat and nearly coughed up blood. Several spots on his body shimmered with golden light, evidence that he had been struck several times.

Before he could steady himself, a golden figure appeared before him and threw a punch without hesitation, smashing it into the Black Dragon youth.

Terror flashed in his opponent’s eyes. Before he could react, he was sent flying again, crashing into the protective barrier once more. The punch was incredibly heavy and merciless, nearly snapping the Black Dragon youth’s neck.

In the blink of an eye, the Black Dragon lay on the ground, severely injured and unable to rise. The Energy from his Ice and Snow Badge floated out and flowed into Liu Yue’er’s body, signaling her victory.

Liu Yue’er stared coldly at the Black Dragon youth, who was unable to get back up. She still hadn’t spoken a single word. She had proven her point with her strength, not with useless retorts.

Seeing this, Lin Xuan was inwardly shaken. ’Liu Yue’er’s connection to the Golden Dragon Race’s heritage has become even more perfect. I can faintly sense the aura of the Golden Dragon King coming from her.’