Book 13: Life Gold

Chapter 113.3: Heavenquake Axe

Huo Yuhao saw it clearly this time. Both his armor and sword released an intense blue lightning current as he drew his sword. The current did not disperse, but quickly gathered towards the tip of the sword before being unleashed brutally once again.

Lightning was very unstable. For this soul tool to seal the powers of lightning and unleash it with such precise control, Huo Yuhao was a little uncertain of how to describe this soul tool anymore. He believed that it was not only a Class 5 soul tool, and might not have been produced by Michael himself. This was especially so because the sword released a lightning radiance that almost seemed solid. When it was used, it even felt as if there was a flow or wave.

However, Michael had miscalculated this time.

Jiang Peng waved both his hands in the distance, and the originally fierce Heavenquake Axe changed suddenly directions in the air. It drew a weird-looking arc and swung behind Michael instantly. The axe blade slashed down heavily.

Michael’s reaction was not slow. He leapt forward immediately when he realized that things were amiss. The soul thruster behind his armor was unleashed at full power. But it was no longer just a driving force now. Rather, it shot out a powerful light towards the back that attempted to resist the strike of the Heavenquake Axe.

But a soul emperor was a soul emperor. This soul tool on Michael’s body was very strong, but Jiang Peng was no easy opponent either. After all, he was the top talent in the Imperial Mystical Academy’s history. Upon closer examination, it was possible to discover that Jiang Peng’s yellow first soul ring was flashing with a subtle radiance. This radiance was very special, and wasn’t just like the kind of radiance emitted by soul masters’ martial souls. It was delicate, and flashed with a frequency that resembled the rate of a heartbeat.

Jiang Peng had never used his first soul skill before in previous rounds.

Generally speaking, soul masters’ soul skills were usually more powerful the later they were obtained. That was because the added limit would be greater. But Jiang Peng was special in a certain aspect. His first soul skill was not used for any direct attack or offense. It was a control-type soul skill that was used to control his martial soul.

The Heavenquake Axe was an extremely tough assault-type martial soul, and it also carried a powerful destructive capability. It could be compared with Wang Dong’s Clear Sky Hammer. Its destructive strength was still very frightening without even using a soul skill. When Jiang Peng had fused with his first soul ring, he had accidentally chosen the wrong soul beast. This had led to his possession of this control-type soul skill. But with his intelligence and solid foundation, he managed to progress in another way under the guidance of the Imperial Mystical Academy’s teachers. He invented a special offense, which he called the Eighteen Dragonslaying Slashes.

The strength of this Eighteen Dragonslaying Slashes was that it wasn’t a soul skill. It was better than a soul skill, and could be combined with other soul skills. With the control of the first soul ring, he could enable the Heavenquake Axe to strike consecutively for a maximum of 18 times. This was the first time this killer move had been demonstrated in the individual matches.

“Bang—” In front of the Heavenquake Axe, the light shot out by the soul thruster was instantly split, and the axe struck Michael’s back heavily.

In the next moment after the Heavenquake Axe struck, a dull explosion sound rang out. The impact caused Michael to be pushed forward.

Concussive explosion. This was the destructive ability that the Heavenquake Axe carried. Along with its immense weight, this strike was very heavy.

It was clear that the armor behind Michael had been struck till it bent inwards. The piercing axe continued to advance, and Michael spat out fresh blood. He staggered as he fell forward.

It was not that Jiang Peng was extremely strong. It was just that the changes to his strikes were too special. It was different from what the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy knew about Jiang Peng. Michael was at a great disadvantage now.

The Heavenquake Axe, however, did not care. The fury that Jiang Peng had restrained in the team competition yesterday was unleashed right now. The Heavenquake Axe slashed toward the same area it had previously struck with an ear-piercing boom. Michael’s armor should be proud of itself for being able to resist the Heavenquake Axe’s first blow. But the concussive explosion it had brought with it couldn’t be shaken off so easily. If it was unleashed once more, he would be heavily injured, if not killed.

The referee intervened in time and blocked the Heavenquake Axe in the air. He also announced the end of the competition.

Jiang Peng recalled his martial soul. Turning around, he hooked his finger towards the Sun Moon Academy team in the waiting area with a cold and arrogant look on his face.

Xiao Hongchen made a swishing sound as he stood up. He was about to ascend to the stage, but was stopped by Ma Rulong. Xiao Hongchen glared at him, but Ma Rulong shook his head and shot him a look. After that, he walked up to the stage himself.

During the team round, using a soul tool as a team would achieve an appreciable effect. But in the individual rounds, it was difficult to use a soul tool to make up for the gap between a soul king and soul emperor. It’s important to know that Jiang Peng was not just an ordinary soul emperor, but a talent nurtured by the Imperial Mystical Academy. They had gathered all their resources to nurture him, and he was no longer conserving his power at this critical moment.

Michael was sent to compete first, but not with the hope of defeating Jiang Peng. His purpose was to deplete some of his soul power. However, it seemed like the Sun Moon Imperial Engineering Academy would be the one at a disadvantage if this continued.

Wang Yan’s eyes shifted a little as he saw Michael being defeated. He thought of something in his heart. Although the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy’s soul tools were very powerful, the powers of a soul engineer could be said to rely entirely on soul tools. Against an elite soul master in a restricted competition stage, they would not confer him much of an advantage.

Jiang Peng had forced Ma Rulong to compete. To the observers, this was a good thing. To a certain extent, the abilities and methods of this the Sun Moon Academy team leader would be the key to victory in the finals.

Jiang Peng was slightly petrified as he saw that Ma Rulong was the next to compete. He squinted his eyes as he held the Heavenquake Axe. If he could defeat Ma Rulong, the Imperial Mystical Academy might really have a chance of turning the tide. This battle would be extremely crucial.

“I will defeat you.” Jiang Peng pointed his Heavenquake Axe at Ma Rulong. He was trying to provoke him.

Ma Rulong laughed gently, “Do you think this will provoke me?”

The two of them retreated to the edges of the competition stage as they spoke.

Jiang Peng snorted, “Ma Rulong, I will let you realize that soul engineers like you who exploit external powers will never be comparable to soul masters like myself that work hard to fulfil our potential. You will be defeated under my axe just like the one just now.”

Ma Rulong shook his head and said, “Michael didn’t unleash his full abilities. It doesn’t mean that a soul master is better than a soul engineer just because you defeated him. Michael didn’t use any soul tools that he developed himself. His abilities were not truly unleashed to fight you. One understands himself best, thus a soul engineer is only at his peak state when he uses his own soul tools. I created every soul tool I use. I will show you what a true soul engineer is.”

Jiang Peng snorted. “I’d be a fool if I believed you. Did you make the Class 7 soul tool that you used too?”

“I have no need to lie to you.” Ma Rulong said indifferently.

At this point, they had already reached the edges of the competition stage. As the referee shouted, “Match, start!” a huge battle ensued.

Jiang Peng burst forward towards Ma Rulong like before.

Ma Rulong lifted his right hand, and it was clear to see that there was a silver ring on each of his fingers. The first ring flashed, and a metal barrel that was around 1.5 meters long and 10 centimeters wide appeared in his palm. He then lifted it to his shoulder, and unleashed his martial soul.

The release of Ma Rulong’s martial soul caused his body to experience weird changes, and his head suddenly ballooned. It was obvious that it was no longer aligned with his body. Even his hair seemed to become sparse. He looked ugly amidst this bizarreness.

His martial soul was called the Bigheaded Spirit Ape, an auxiliary-type martial soul. He was doing this to unleash greater power and last longer like most soul engineers did. Ma Rulong’s soul skill was also used to aid the increase of his soul power or to enhance the outburst of his soul power. This was also an important reason why he could create a Class 7 soul tool that was beyond his level.

Ma Rulong was an absolute genius in the production of soul tools in Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy. If not for his lacking cultivation, he would already qualify to be a Class 7 soul engineer.

6 soul rings – 2 yellow, 2 purple and 2 black – appeared at the same time. The silver barrel also emitted an intense radiance in the next instant.

A silvery ball of light shot toward Jiang Peng, who was rushing over. The light ball was flying at an immense speed and had nearly reached Jiang Peng when it flashed with radiance

Jiang Peng’s attention was entirely focused on Ma Rulong’s body, and he was naturally wary. He dodged immediately as he saw Ma Rulong attacking. 3 figures formed as the radiance from his second soul ring flashed.

The 2 figures at the side lurched forward quickly, while the center figure that faced the silver light ball jumped up and tried to dodge the attack.

However, Ma Rulong seemed to have expected that. Jiang Peng’s adaptation seemed to be for naught. After the silver light ball suddenly stopped, a violent explosion sounded in the next moment.

Intense silver light filled the entire competition stage. All the spectators in Star Luo Plaza instantly shut their eyes because of the intense light.

Although Jiang Peng had divided into 3 figures, he still bore the brunt of the attack, and screamed in pain under the intense silver light. As he shut his eyes rapidly, everything had already turned white in front of him.

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