Soul Emperor Awakening

The Phoenix Power erupted violently. With the Phoenix Soul possessing him, he pushed the Phoenix Essence Blood to its absolute limit, allowing his Elemental Power to surge outward and form a pair of two-meter-long Fire Wings.

This was none other than Elemental Power Wings, an ability exclusive to those at the Core Formation Stage. Only by combining extraordinary Control Power with an immense reserve of Elemental Power could one sustain the drain of this technique. The emphasis was on the extraordinary Control Power; a simple outward release would easily dissipate if not controlled. Thus, one needed Heaven-Defying Control Power to manifest them at all.

Yet Lin Xuan, with his Cultivation at the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage, had actually manifested Elemental Power Wings, leaving the entire audience dumbstruck. Chen Yun’s jaw hung wide open, his earlier savage expression replaced by one of vacant shock.

It wasn’t just Chen Yun and the others; even Qing Piaoyun was dumbfounded. ’This is a technique that even I can’t perform!’ His Cultivation hadn’t reached the Core Formation Stage, so how could he possibly manifest it?

Propelled by his Elemental Power Wings, Lin Xuan shot into the air. The exploding shrapnel all missed, whizzing past him before impaling the ground in the distance, burying themselves so deeply that not a single piece remained visible.

It was clear that the shrapnel would have riddled his body with holes, turning him into a human sieve. Even if he survived, he would have been left crippled. The move was utterly vicious, the kind reserved for a sworn enemy.

After he manifested the Elemental Power Wings, they vanished after only a few breaths. He descended from the air, his face deathly pale. This was obviously the result of the massive consumption of Elemental Power. It was only by having two souls inhabiting his body that he was able to manifest the Elemental Power Wings at all.

To be precise, it was entirely thanks to the Phoenix Essence Blood, coupled with the Phoenix Soul, that he was able to manifest the Elemental Power Wings and temporarily evade the terrifying attack.

The power consumption was just too astonishing; he couldn’t have maintained them for even a second longer. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a technique typically exclusive to the Core Formation Stage. Some cultivators at the Spirit Pill Stage were actually capable of manifesting them, but they were a small minority and often had to rely on external assistance.

This external assistance was Demon Beast Essence Blood, like the Phoenix Essence Blood. They could similarly make use of it, releasing its power to achieve flight.

"Die!"

Lin Xuan’s expression turned grim. Flames reappeared at his feet, swirling around his legs as he executed the Cyan Cloud Fire-Treading Step. He instantly appeared before Chen Yun and, treating his Meteor Sword like a club, swung the flat of the blade viciously into his opponent’s chest.

THWACK!

Before Chen Yun could even snap out of his shock, Lin Xuan’s blow landed hard. He felt his chest constrict as he was sent flying backward, slamming onto the ground at the edge of the arena and rolling for what seemed like an eternity. He finally came to rest, his chest completely caved in, his state unknown.

Lin Xuan had not held back, putting nearly all his strength into the blow, but it was not a fatal one. However, Chen Yun would be spending a long time to come in bed. While not every bone in his body was broken, the vast majority had been shattered by the force of the impact.

He desperately wanted to kill Chen Yun right then and there, but he knew he couldn’t. Chen Yun had tried to kill him, but he could not retaliate in kind. To do so would be a violation of the rules, and he would be expelled from Qingcheng Mansion.

In the aftermath of that single strike, the crowd finally reacted. Lin Xuan was victorious, successfully advancing to the twelfth rank!

’His strength isn’t bad,’ Lin Xuan thought coldly, looking at the unconscious Chen Yun in the distance. ’At least his Spear Technique is far better than Zhang Qi’s. His Martial Technique, however, is a bit lacking.’

’Both of them use spears, and both have a Gold Attribute Physique. If Chen Yun’s Martial Technique had also been a Celestial Level Martial Art, things would have been much more dangerous for me. It’s a pity for him that Wan Ning didn’t provide one. No matter how close they are, Celestial Level Martial Arts aren’t handed out casually; they are simply too precious.’

’Then again,’ he mused, ’I still have that Celestial Level Martial Arts Fragment in my Storage Space. I have no interest in practicing its Cultivation. Not only is it slow to learn, but more importantly, it’s a sword art, not a Staff Technique. That’s why I haven’t bothered with it. I should just sell it next time I get a chance. I could make a fortune.’

"Heavens, what did I just see? Those were Elemental Power Wings!"

"Yeah, they really were Elemental Power Wings! You need to be at least at the Core Formation Stage to manifest them so easily. And he’s only at the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage!"

"Even if the Phoenix Power makes it easier to manifest Elemental Power Wings, to utilize that power to such a degree... he must be considered a heaven-sent genius!"

...

When the crowd finally came to their senses, they completely ignored Chen Yun’s plight, their discussions revolving entirely around Lin Xuan. Chen Yun’s reputation was so foul that no one cared about him. Even Wan Ning didn’t rush forward, let alone anyone else.

"The winner of this match is Lin Xuan, who advances to the twelfth rank!" Qing Piaoyun announced. He had already reached Chen Yun’s side and fed him an Elixir Pill, which brought some color back to his face. Then, the Elder stood and declared sternly, "Chen Yun has committed a severe violation. He detonated his Treasure Artifact with no regard for his opponent’s life, an act that could have been fatal. Therefore, I have decided to expel him from Qingcheng Mansion!"

The expulsion from Qingcheng Mansion was to be carried out immediately, completely disregarding whatever talent Chen Yun might possess. Anyone with eyes could see that the attack was absolutely intended to be lethal. It was an exceptionally cruel move, not as if they were mortal enemies with a blood feud.

Qingcheng Mansion had long-standing rules for this. It was one thing for blades to have no eyes in a spar, but the explosive power of a detonated Treasure Artifact was on a completely different level, capable of instantly killing an opponent. No one would use such a move unless they were facing an enemy in a life-or-death struggle. Of course, this self-destruct function was a special feature of the Spatial Flying Claw; most Treasure Artifacts couldn’t be detonated.

Thus, it was a deliberate act, and Qing Piaoyun would certainly not be lenient. If everyone fought with such deadly intent, the disciples would end up either dead or crippled. What would be the point of that?

All eyes turned to Wan Ning. He was the one who had provided the Treasure Artifact; they wondered how he would explain himself.

Wan Ning’s expression remained placid, but inwardly, his thoughts were in turmoil. ’I never thought Lin Xuan would be able to use Elemental Power Wings and avoid being crippled. At this rate, I’ll be the next one he challenges.’

’This trash is completely useless!’ Wan Ning cursed inwardly before standing up to offer an explanation. "Alas," he sighed, "I never expected Chen Yun would detonate his weapon to attack. Had I known he was so heartless, I would never have lent it to him."

He wore an expression of pure innocence, looking as harmless as a lamb. But so what if he had orchestrated it? There was no way to prove his involvement.

The other disciples snorted coldly, not buying his act in the slightest. His and Chen Yun’s vile reputation was widespread; nobody believed a word they said. Their infamy was well-known, but since their various schemes, like the gambling wagers, didn’t technically break any rules, Qingcheng Mansion had not bothered to intervene.

Only when one crossed Qingcheng Mansion’s bottom line would there be punishment.

Qing Piaoyun’s cold gaze swept over the crowd. "I will reiterate this one last time," he said icily. "This is a competitive spar, not a battle to the death. Anyone else who violates the rules will be expelled from Qingcheng Mansion—a punishment that could include having their Cultivation crippled!"

The powerful aura of the Spirit Pill Stage erupted from him, pressing down on the surroundings and leaving the disciples gasping for breath. This was the true might of an Elder. If they didn’t assert their authority from time to time, people would really start to think the Elders had gone soft.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!