'Spiritual Strike! Is this a Soul Skill?!!'
Xiao Yan hadn't expected such a technique that resembled both a Dou Technique and a Soul Skill. The Hun Clan's development and innovation in Soul Skills had reached such an extent that they had integrated them with Dou Techniques!
By using the collision of weapons, they could transmit a spiritual attack through the vibrations, resulting in an undefendable and deadly Spiritual Strike!
Boom! Xiao Yan couldn't block this slash at all. The terrifying force pressed him into the wall of the crater.
"Hehe, it seems you do know a bit after all. I thought the outside world no longer knew what Soul Skills were," Hun Yu Cun pressed down violently on the hilt of his sword, trapping Xiao Yan firmly under the Heavy Xuan Ruler with no chance of escape.
With just one more slash, he could scatter Xiao Yan's soul to the winds!
The Hun Clan's greatest strength lay in their use of souls, which was why they ranked at the top of the Eight Ancient Clans.
"Farewell, bumpkin. Next time someone makes you an offer, remember to accept it. Perhaps they mean well." Hun Yu Cun's great sword emitted an endless soul light with a buzzing sound as he prepared for the final blow.
Xiao Yan let out a cold laugh, his eyes devoid of any despair: "Don't underestimate Dou Techniques from the outside. Who doesn't know a High Xuan Class Dou Technique, you frog in a well!"
"Octane Blast! Striking Ox Across the Mountain!!"
TL/N: "Striking Ox Across the Mountain (Ge Shan Da Niu)" is a legendary martial arts technique in China described as the ability to attack and knock down an opponent from a distance using only one's fists or palms.
Xiao Yan had been secretly gathering strength for this moment, his fingers spreading from a clenched fist to an open palm.
With a deep roar echoing in his heart, Xiao Yan's aura suddenly became as sharp as a sword drawn from its sheath. The violent energy at the center of his palm produced an extremely sharp whirlwind of Dou Qi.
Sensing Xiao Yan's sudden surge of terrifying aura, the mocking smile on Hun Yu Cun's face instantly vanished. He hadn't anticipated that Xiao Yan could unleash such a powerful attack. This bumpkin from the outside world actually knew a High Xuan Class Dou Technique!
Moreover, this Dou Technique had clearly been cultivated to a perfect level of mastery!
And Xiao Yan was only an 8-star Dou Practitioner!
Even for the descendants of the Hun Clan, it would take several years, or even a decade, to cultivate a High Xuan Class Dou Technique to such perfect mastery.
Did he start practicing while still in the cradle?!
Hun Yu Cun hastily canceled his own Dou Technique and concentrated all his Dou Qi in front of him to form a thicker protective cloak.
Xiao Yan's palm firmly struck the Heavy Xuan Ruler with a loud bang!
The force that burst forth slammed heavily into Hun Yu Cun's body. He felt as if he had been harshly hit, and a circle of invisible energy surged out from the point of contact.
Whoosh! Hun Yu Cun was sent flying into the air by the palm strike. Meanwhile, the remaining hidden force savagely bombarded the cloak around him.
"I never expected you to know such a profound Dou Technique. I truly underestimated you!" Hun Yu Cun's expression darkened as he watched Xiao Yan walk out of the crater.
The attack had even split open his Dou Qi cloak, filling his eyes with raging fury. He couldn't imagine the ridicule he would face back in his clan if he was defeated by an outsider, a mere bumpkin!
His right hand suddenly tightened around the great sword. With his left, he wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth and roared, "Bumpkin! You will undoubtedly die today!"
With a ferocious howl, Hun Yu Cun lunged forward, the great sword in his hand emitting waves of cold air. Since the spiritual attack of the Soul Shaking Slash had failed to kill the other party with a single strike, he would strike again!
Combined with the effect of the Dou Qi cloak, the dark golden great sword brewed a terrifying force of energy and Spiritual Strength that even caused Xiao Yan's complexion to change drastically.
Hun Yu Cun swung his sword ferociously at Xiao Yan. The sheer force of the swing made it clear that even if the latter were to block it with the Heavy Xuan Ruler, the terrifying spiritual strike would undoubtedly split his soul in half, resulting in instant death!
The intense, oppressive sound of the wind made it slightly difficult for Xiao Yan to breathe. He understood that under no circumstances could he allow himself to be hit by the Soul Shaking Slash again; the spiritual strike was simply too horrifying!
Xiao Yan clenched his teeth as his powerful fighting instincts kicked in at this critical moment of life and death. Incredibly, he used the Heavy Xuan Ruler and the hidden force of the Octane Blast to skillfully hit the weak spot of the Soul Shaking Slash, managing to deflect the strike!
'What?! Was that luck?' Hun Yu Cun was stunned. The subtle hidden force had precisely hit the weak spot of his Dou Technique, causing his spiritual strike to shatter before it could penetrate the Heavy Xuan Ruler.
Even Xiao Yan didn't realize that his Spiritual Strength had improved slightly at that critical moment, allowing him to perceive the weak spot in the Dou Technique.
Unwittingly, he had applied the skills he used in alchemy to combat, such as controlling fire with Spiritual Strength and discerning the medicinal parts of herbs while discarding harmful substances.
He had identified the concentration point of Spiritual Strength, the 'point' on the dark golden great sword where the energy was focused!
"It was just a bit of luck!"
Xiao Yan let out a cold laugh, "Then come and see if it's really just luck."
Hun Yu Cun refused to believe it. He executed the Soul Shaking Slash once again and charged toward Xiao Yan.
However, the result remained the same. Xiao Yan executed the Octane Blast with the Heavy Xuan Ruler, and the hidden force of the Octane Blast precisely shattered the concentrated Spiritual Strength on the dark golden great sword!
This combination of Dou Technique and Soul Skill was indeed unexpected at first, but after several encounters, Xiao Yan managed to discern the weakness of this move.
The Soul Shaking Slash was very similar to the Low Xuan Class sword technique that Hun Yu Cun had initially used. It was more like adding a spiritual strike to the basis of that slash, utilizing the fierceness of the sword technique to increase the strength of the spiritual strike.
The strength of the spiritual strike was indeed enhanced, yet the sword technique itself remained at the standard of a Low Xuan Class. It wasn't particularly profound. If it weren't for Xiao Yan's significantly lower cultivation level, he wouldn't even need to rely on the Octane Blast to increase his strength; he could dodge this straightforward attack by simply relying on his Spiritual Strength and agility.
No matter how strong the attack or how peculiar the spiritual strike was, it was meaningless if it didn't hit the target.
Contrasting with Xiao Yan's inner cold laugh, Hun Yu Cun was cursing inwardly. The weakness of the Soul Shaking Slash was clear, but normally, anyone hit by the slash would have their soul destroyed or, at the very least, suffer severe soul disorientation. He hadn't expected that Xiao Yan, this freak, could take a hit after being caught off guard and still act as if nothing had happened!
"Damn it!"
Boom!
Hun Yu Cun's slash hit the ground with a thunderous boom. This time, Xiao Yan didn't even bother to defend and easily dodged it.
"My Hun Clan cannot possibly lose to an outsider bumpkin like you! Absolutely impossible!" Suddenly, Hun Yu Cun's blood began to boil wildly, and in the next second, his Dou Qi grew stronger and stronger.
7-star Dou Master! 8-star Dou Master! 9-star Dou Master! The peak of a 9-star Dou Master!! Hun Yu Cun's soul cloak even began to show signs of turning into armor!
It should be noted that turning Dou Qi into armor was something only a Dou Grandmaster could do!
'Secret Technique?! A secret technique related to bloodline?!' Xiao Yan's gaze became grave. He had seen some temporary strength-enhancing Secret Techniques in his storage ring, but those techniques required specific conditions, so he hadn't been able to learn them.
"Witnessing the power of a Dou God Bloodline is enough for you to feel satisfied even in the afterlife! Go to hell!"
Xiao Yan was secretly alarmed; he couldn't dodge this slash! He didn't know what this Dou God Bloodline Secret Technique was, but one thing was for sure: Hun Yu Cun had not only increased his cultivation level, but also his Spiritual Strength!
The hidden force of the Octane Blast absolutely couldn't dissipate the concentrated Spiritual Strength!
After struggling for a moment, a surge of fury finally rose in Xiao Yan's heart. A fierce look flashed across his face as he took out a Qi Recovering Pill from his storage ring and threw it into his mouth, while his hands tightly gripped the Heavy Xuan Ruler!
"Then let's see if you can't withstand my heat wave first, or if my soul can't withstand your slash!"
Flame Splitting Tsunami!!