Xiao Yan gazed at the gracefully smiling Cao Ying. He was well aware that even if he withdrew now, the Ye family would still manage to retain their position among the five great families. But she had already put her words out there; if he backed down now, it would undermine his presence. Moreover, for Cao Ying, who was known as a future heavyweight candidate of the Pill Tower, Xiao Yan held a deep interest. He knew she would also be participating in this Pill Gathering, and she would certainly become a formidable rival. If he could have a slight exchange with her now, he might get a rough feel for her strength and would not be caught off guard later.
Of course, the contest of soul force did not represent one’s alchemical prowess, but it allowed for a glimpse into one’s general capabilities. For all these reasons, Xiao Yan naturally would not back down. Therefore, he would need to accept Cao Ying’s challenge. Making up his mind, Xiao Yan slowly nodded and, eyes fixed on Cao Ying, said, “Miss Cao Ying, please!”
Hearing this, Cao Ying’s smile grew more charming. She covered her mouth with a delicate laugh, “Mr. Xiao Yan, you truly have an extraordinary demeanor. But since that’s the case, I suppose I must humbly take the stage.”
Her laughter faded as her slender, fair hand slowly extended, forming a peculiar hand seal. As the hand seal took shape, Xiao Yan suddenly noticed a vast, majestic soul force coalescing in her palm. Vaguely, within the warping space, he could see a faint hand seal taking form. His eyes locked on Cao Ying’s hand seal, his brows slightly furrowed in wonder. This hand seal could actually mobilize soul force, condense it, and form an attack. He could feel that the concentrated soul force in her hand seal was no less powerful than that of the previous soul phoenix. But the magnitude of their power was vastly different! This implied that Cao Ying’s peculiar hand seal had the effect of concentrating and amplifying soul force, much like a Dou Skill.
“An ancient alchemist could maximize the potency of soul force, even rivalling some strong Dou Skills. This method was called Soul Technique.”
Cao Ying’s hand maintained the strange seal, and she smiled at Xiao Yan, saying softly, “Though most Soul Techniques are now extinct, I happen to know one that is not. Be careful, for it is quite powerful.”
“Soul Technique?” Xiao Yan’s heart skipped a beat as he regarded the peculiar hand seal with intense curiosity. He recalled Tian Huo Zunzhe mentioning such a thing, but what puzzled him was that Tian Huo Zunzhe’s idea of Soul Technique focused on the cultivation of the soul, whereas Cao Ying’s technique was clearly an offensive one, without any apparent cultivation use.
“Could it be that Soul Techniques also have both offensive and cultivation types?” Xiao Yan mused. This situation could only make sense with such a classification. Even so, he was extremely envious of Cao Ying’s hand seal. With this, his soul force’s potency would significantly increase, providing another layer of protection.
Soul Techniques were akin to Dou Skills. A Dou Practitioner without a Dou Skill could only rely on brute force in battle, but that was a disadvantage against those with Dou Skills. This was the situation Xiao Yan faced; Cao Ying, with her Soul Technique, maximized the power of her soul force, while he could only defend with sheer soul force. The disparity meant he was bound to suffer.
Xiao Yan’s gaze remained fixed on Cao Ying’s peculiar hand seal, as if trying to memorize it.
Noticing Xiao Yan’s gaze, Cao Ying’s lips curled upward, and her hand seals changed in a dazzling flurry, her voice coldly issuing a cry. “Soul Mystic Palm Seal!”
The command fell, and the massive soul force on Cao Ying’s hand instantly solidified into a hand seal that matched her palm, shooting out and tearing open a dark fissure in the air. The invisible hand seal exerted a peculiar pressure, making it hard for people to breathe even from a distance. Xiao Yan didn’t dare be careless. His face grave, he unleashed a massive soul force from his forehead, condensing it into a giant soul fist and launching it at the hand seal.
*Boom!*
In a split second, the soul fist and the hand seal collided, sending a violent ripple through the air. The floor of the square rolled in a wave of energy. Tough stone slabs shattered into fragments…
The collision sent Xiao Yan flying back over ten steps, finally stopping just shy of ten zhang from the red line. “Again!” Though the first round placed Xiao Yan at a disadvantage, his face showed no sign of dejection. Instead, he lifted his head, eyes blazing, and challenged Cao Ying sternly.
Cao Ying, surprised by Xiao Yan’s ability to withstand her hand seal with just a few steps, reflected on its power. Even a high-rank Grade Seven Alchemist would struggle to take it, yet Xiao Yan did.
“This fellow is indeed extraordinary. Maybe, like Dan Chen, he will be my fierce rival at the Pill Gathering,” Cao Ying thought, her smile growing more captivating. Her prideful and competitive nature relished not in being invincible, but in facing worthy opponents. Dan Chen was one, but her strict confinement by the Dan family made it rare to meet. Now, after seeing Xiao Yan, her hands itched to test him…
Taking a deep breath, her full chest rose and fell as she extended both hands, forming peculiar hand seals, rapidly changing them. As her hand seals shifted, a powerful, unprecedented soul force began to swirl around her palms. This strange soul pressure made many people in the hall change expressions. Though they were far from ordinary, it was rare to see someone able to wield soul force to such an extent. In this era, Dou Qi cultivation was the norm, and soul force was just a byproduct of Dou Qi. Hence, they found it incredible that Cao Ying could wield soul force so deftly.
Xiao Yan’s gaze, burning with intensity, watched Cao Ying’s rapidly changing hand seals. Under the overwhelming soul pressure, green flames flickered in his eyes…
As the green flames danced, Xiao Yan suddenly noticed that Cao Ying’s swift hand seals had slowed to a crawl. Her baffling hand seals, which others found incomprehensible, suddenly gave him a profound, enlightening realization…
His mastery of the soul was remarkable, and the key to Soul Techniques was leveraging minimal force for maximum effect. Today, witnessing Cao Ying’s unknown Soul Technique opened a new world, solving many of his lingering doubts about soul force…
Xiao Yan was never short of treasures, but he needed the key to unlock their potential…
*Bam!*
Cao Ying’s rapid hand seals froze, and her hands formed an eerie seal. To the untrained eye, it was a mystery. The seal, entirely unrelated to Dou Skills, was complete. Cao Ying’s smile turned wistful as she pushed out her left hand seal.
As her hand seal moved, a massive, thunderous palm seal shot out, roaring like a ferocious tiger. The low roar echoed in everyone’s soul in the hall.
The massive, invisible palm seal magnified in Xiao Yan’s pupils, and his robe billowed backward. The fragmented floor crumbled into ash…
With the palm seal growing larger in his view, Xiao Yan let out a low roar, clenching his fists into a palm, his fingers flashing in several rudimentary seals. As he barely finished, the massive palm seal slammed into his palm!
*Bang!*
The invisible ripple burst out like a wave, throwing Xiao Yan back and leaving a deep trench. Xiao Yan’s fist slammed into the ground, creating a large crater before he steadied himself. He turned, noting he was only three meters from the red line… “Again!” he grinned, more determined than ever.
Cao Ying’s expression changed, and she inhaled deeply. Her right hand seal altered, and a massive palm seal, stronger than before, launched like a storm, filling the hall with a deafening dragon roar!
As the soul-storm palm seal shot out from Cao Ying’s palm, Xiao Yan’s eyes widened, his punch transforming into a palm, his palm forming a seal! As he awkwardly formed the seal, a peculiar trajectory of his massive soul force condensed quickly! Seeing Xiao Yan’s clumsy hand seal, Cao Ying’s eyes narrowed, and she, for the first time, showed a shocked expression! Because Xiao Yan’s clumsy hand seal was identical to hers!
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