Apprehension gripped Ling Wuxie. Guard Point Stance, which granted him momentary absolute defense and a mighty counterattack, was his most formidable defensive soul skill. In fact, it could be considered his most formidable soul skill, period. If used at the right time, it could instantly turn the tide of battle. However, the impact of the dragon head went far beyond his expectations. Even with his defenses reinforced to the peak, he was an ant before such overbearing force. Worst yet, the counterattack of Guard Point Stance failed to activate. A blink, and the phantom dragon head slammed into him with the full force of a soul train. His organs pulsed, steaming with pain. As if they would rupture at any second!
I don"t have any other choice! Ling Wuxie gritted his teeth, flying backward through the air. He thrust out both hands, releasing a series of lights from his bracelets. The lights fused together into a large ma.s.s, enveloping his body, manifesting as pieces s.h.i.+ning silver armor. A silver aura had burst from his form the moment the armor appeared, allowing him to stabilize his posture in the air.
One-word battle armor! A full set of one-word battle armor!
The instant the silver light blossomed, Tang Wulin"s stomach dropped. He was confident in his strength in defeating a four or five-ringed soul master, but that was only if they didn"t have a full set of battle armor.
In terms of power, a one-word battle armor master was leagues ahead of their naked equivalent soul master. Tang Wulin was currently about as powerful as Ye Xinglan when she had faced a one-word battle armor master solo. Back then, she could barely force her opponent into a corner by risking it all and sacrificing herself. With this in mind, upon seeing Ling Wuxie"s one-word battle armor, Tang Wulin knew he couldn"t give his opponent time to display the armor"s full potential. Otherwise, he would have no hope of winning.
Within Tang Wulin came a draconic roar. As Ling Wuxie worked to regain his balance in the air, Tang Wulin shot up, brandis.h.i.+ng his dragon claw! Five dark gold beams of light burst forward from a single slash, transforming into a gigantic claw to tear Ling Wuxie apart!
Although Ling Wuxie currently had the protection of his battle armor, the previous shock the phantom dragon head did to his internal organs still remained. He sucked in a deep breath before the attack struck, drawing upon the power of his battle armor to prepare his counterattack. When the five dark gold beams arrived, he slashed his naked Nine-ringed Silver Blade forward. It was too late for him to use a soul skill, especially with his internal soul power in chaos.
A boom thundered through the arena. Gold and silver light clashed in a dazzling display.
Golden Dragon Dreadclaw was undoubtedly Tang Wulin"s current strongest attack. Its might instilled fear into its targets. This was the power of the soul bone of the infamous Duskgold Dreadclaw Bear, further empowered and influenced by the Golden Dragon King"s bloodline!
The collision of the two attacks sent the slash of the Nine-ringed Silver Blade rebounding, a grating screech as Ling Wuxie blocked it with his blade. If not for his battle armor empowering it, the blade would have been torn to shreds that instant.
Eventhe Golden Dragon Dreadclaw couldn"t pierce through the battle armor"s defenses. However, Ling Wuxie was sent flying backward with deep gashes in his armor, a solid thud as he slammed into the barrier.
The impact sent ripples throughout the barrier and rattled Ling Wuxie"s brain into disorientation, and he rebounded off the surface.
But Tang Wulin pressed his attack without pause. While Ling Wuxie was still stunned,Tang Wulin balled his claw into a fist and rammed it into Ling Wuxie"s stomach. In an instant, Ling Wuxie crashed into the barrier again.
Thick and dark blue vines shot out, wrapping around Ling Wuxie"s ankles like shackles. As he bounced off the barrier once more, the vines tightened their grip and slammed him into the ground, mercy a concept unknown.
Tang Wulin continued his one-sided onslaught like a relentless demon. Once he landed on the ground, his body let out a draconic roar. He stomped his right leg, summoning eight phantom dragons to attack Ling Wuxie. Collision, and Ling Wuxie crashed into the ground, only to rebound upward.
Then Tang Wulin followed up by thrusting his palms out, summoning a phantom golden dragon head. Golden Dragon Shocks the Heavens!
A mighty roar shook the arena. In the blink of an eye, the phantom dragon head swallowed Ling Wuxie whole, a succession of deafening booms in its wake!
The spectators were stunned into silence by such a frightening combo. From the first Golden Dragon Shocks the Heavens to the last, each attack contained terrifying power. B-but that"s a one-word battle armor master! He"s a five-ringed Soul King! Why is he a punching bag for this two-ringed kid?
Pummeled into the air, Ling Wuxie"s mind was in complete chaos as he fought back numerous concussions. He felt as if his body had been beaten like a sack! His battle armor helped him endure the attacks, but the impacts still disrupted his soul power flow. Due to this, he couldn"t fight back.
Yet Tang Wulin still wasn"t finished. He leaped into the air after his opponent, grabbed him by the neck, and smashed him into the ground with his Golden Dragon Dreadclaw!
“I concede!” Ling Wuxie croaked, feeling the deadly edge of the claw on his neck. With a foot pressing down on his opponent"s stomach, Tang Wulin hovered close over him, breath hitting the other"s face. His action dispersed any soul power Ling Wuxie tried to gather, making it impossible to fight back anyway.
The moment he had felt the claw grip his neck, Ling Wuxie thought the grim reaper had come for his life. Even with his defensive power at its peak with his battle armor, Tang Wulin had pummelled him into a pulp! Each strike of the dragon claw held the full force of a speeding train.
Ling Wuxie tapped his hand on the ground, the standard action to concede.
Tang Wulin withdrew his claw and hopped off Ling Wuxie, standing tall as he peered down at his opponent.
The audience exploded into an uproar. However, not everyone was happy. The two elders who had come to watch Ling Wuxie"s battle sat there stupefied, their faces gradually clouding with gloom. With their cultivation levels, naturally they could tell that Ling Wuxie had the strength to win. But Tang Wulin never let him bring out the true power of his battle armor, forcing the match to a close with an unrelenting onslaught of full-powered blows. From beginning to end, the battle had been going along to Tang Wulin"s tempo. It was frightening.
Ling Wuxie lost. He lost the very first match of the preliminaries, so he was eliminated from the tournament. What a pity, since this was his final chance to make a name for himself at the Continental Young Elites Tournament.
The pitiful Ling Wuxie lay on the floor, mind blank. He was wholly resigned now. His battle armor melted into light and helped sort out his soul power and his body. Although pain wracked through him, it could not compare with the anguish within his heart.
I lost. I can"t believe I lost. How did this happen? If I had immediately used my battle armor at the start of the match and never let him get close to me, I could have won. A lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit… Ling Wuxie remembered the lectures of his teacher and regret immediately filled him. He regretted looking down upon Tang Wulin, regretted not even using his fifth soul skill.
But no matter how much he wanted to change it, there existed no medicine in this world that could cure regret and no pity for losers. He lost and was eliminated. He was the loser this time.
Tang Wulin panted as he stood tall in the center of the stage. He had faced tremendous pressure throughout the battle as well. The power amplification effect of battle armor was truly formidable. One wrong move and he wouldn"t be standing the victor. If not for Golden Dragon Shocks the Heavens injuring Ling Wuxie in the beginning, his follow up combo wouldn"t have been anywhere near as effective. Equipped with battle armor, his opponent wielded strength equal to a seven-ringed soul master! The odds of a four-ringed soul master prevailing over a seven-ringed one was nigh impossible, even if his body was much stronger!
He was glad he didn"t lose the first match and lose face. The pride of victory filled him. He also noticed something change within him, his battle prowess increased after his deadly combo attacks. The Body Sect"s training was fully a.s.similated into his body now.
Had Ling Wuxie utilized the full power of his battle armor, Tang Wulin wouldn"t have had a chance of winning. Even with Bluesilver Emperor, Goldsong, and the Tyrant Dragon, his defeat would have been set in stone.
Tang Wulin jumped off the stage and sprinted to the compet.i.tors" waiting area, swift to avoid becoming the center of attention.
“So strong!” Gu Yue whispered into his ear as she rushed to meet him.
Tang Wulin turned to her, astonished she had waited there for him. A bitter smile formed on his lips. “I"ve just got heaven-defying luck. I hope I don"t have another match like that. One-word battle armor masters are too d.a.m.n strong.”
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