Chapter 47: An Unexpected Turn?

In the arena, the peculiar and somewhat comical battle continued. Yet, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Yang Yan, who repeatedly charged forward, fell, and then climbed back to his feet, wore an expression of mounting excitement. With each of the dozens of clashes, his understanding of the power of the soul deepened considerably. That elusive, mysterious, and formidable force was gradually being seized by him, bit by bit.

To withstand the assault of soul power, one could only wield their own inner soul force as a weapon to counter it. Amid Sun Zhixin’s relentless soul strikes, Yang Yan’s spirit, guided by subconscious self-preservation, was constantly resisting and adapting to the onslaught. Thus, as time passed, the intervals during which his mind was muddled or lost due to her interference grew ever shorter.

The reason Yang Yan continued to “seek hardship”—charging again and again—was to capture the fleeting moment his soul instinctively rebelled, to experience and understand that sensation, so that he could turn passivity into initiative, ultimately seizing full control and making the power his own.

In the arena, Sun Zhixin’s expression grew increasingly grave. She, too, noticed that, after enduring her repeated soul attacks, the periods in which Yang Yan’s mind was clouded or lost were shrinking rapidly.

As Yang Yan’s smile broadened, a sudden chill ran through Sun Zhixin’s heart, and in an instant, she understood.

“So, this boy has made me his training partner!”

Having discerned Yang Yan’s intent, Sun Zhixin would naturally not give him another chance. Her slender white fingers intertwined, weaving an intricate seal in the air as if forming some mysterious mark.

“Could it be... she, too, has mastered a martial soul technique?”

Exclamations erupted from the stands. If this were true, then this gathering of the clans was indeed a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Earlier, they had been astonished by Yang Yan’s display; now, the same shock reverberated through the crowd once more.

In the center, as Yang Yan focused intently on comprehending the power of the soul, he suddenly noticed Sun Zhixin halt her attacks. With a shift of her hand seals, a ripple of invisible energy burst forth from her palms!

This intangible yet unquestionably real force was the very soul power that had once been utterly foreign to Yang Yan but now was just within his grasp.

Fixing his gaze on Sun Zhixin’s constantly moving hands, Yang Yan felt as though the mysterious power slumbering deep within him had been summoned. Like bamboo shoots after rain, it sprouted and flourished within him, reaching skyward in an instant.

At that moment, centered on Yang Yan, a soul wave more powerful than Sun Zhixin’s erupted without warning. Invisible ripples of energy swept across the arena like sound waves. Ordinary spectators, caught in the wave, felt their heads buzz, their minds dazed, and their bodies drained of strength, unable to move.

“How can this be? Such a fierce soul shock isn’t something even ordinary cultivators at the peak of the Sensing Soul Realm can achieve!”

Elder Li, seated above, could not help but shout in disbelief.

Beside him, Fang Kun’s face was etched with shock. Only after a long while did he murmur, “With this boy, the Zhang family’s fortunes will surely rise...”

Elder Li’s tone shifted, tinged with regret. “It’s a pity he lacks a fire-attribute spirit body. Otherwise, he’d have the potential to become an artificer or an alchemist...”

The transformation in Yang Yan did not escape Sun Zhixin’s notice. The shock in her heart was no less than that of anyone present.

Since birth, she had possessed a soul far surpassing her peers. In countless duels among her generation, no one had ever withstood her soul attacks. Obeying her mother’s wishes, she had always remained humble and kept her talents hidden, waiting for this day to astonish the world.

Yet this youth named Yang Yan had utterly overturned her understanding of her contemporaries. Not only did he persist time and again under her soul assaults, but he even used them to temper and strengthen his own soul. Through his actions, Yang Yan had shown her a simple truth:

There is always someone stronger; the heavens are vast and boundless.

Nevertheless, with the arrow nocked, there was no turning back.

Moreover, the martial soul technique she was about to unleash greatly enhanced her soul attacks. Once it locked onto an enemy’s presence, it would cling to them like a maggot to the bone. This move could not be dodged; the only way to counter it was to break it with another soul attack.

Thus, even if Yang Yan’s soul was as formidable as hers, he could not possibly command it with the same mastery.

With this thought, Sun Zhixin’s resolve returned. Focusing her will, she shifted her hand seals. At her chest, a faintly pulsing, palm-sized, reddish light mark appeared, oscillating rhythmically like a living heart.

“Heartsnatch Seal!”

With a clear, forceful cry, Sun Zhixin released the mark from her chest, sending it shooting toward Yang Yan.

This martial technique, a chance acquisition of her mother Han, was a martial soul skill focused on soul attacks. Though not a true “soul technique” of the highest grade, and perhaps not of the highest rank, if an enemy was struck by the “Heartsnatch Seal,” they would lose consciousness for a time, and their body would fall under the caster’s control. Its only flaw was the lengthy preparation required to activate it.

Throughout Huan City, and even all of Jinzhou, martial soul techniques targeting the soul were exceedingly rare. Coincidentally, the Zhang family’s “Three Shattered Seals” included the “Soul Devouring Seal,” one such art.

At this moment, Yang Yan’s mind grew ever clearer. Guided by Sun Zhixin’s soul attack, he could distinctly sense that ethereal power at last firmly within his grasp.

Facing Sun Zhixin’s onslaught, Yang Yan advanced instead of retreating. With a forceful step, he shot toward her like an arrow from the string. At the same time, his spiritual energy surged forth, racing through the meridian paths of the “Soul Devouring Seal.”

“Soul Devouring Seal!”

His clear, ringing cry, brimming with excitement, burst from his lips.

Under the crowd’s astonished gaze, translucent spiritual energy rapidly gathered in Yang Yan’s hand. As he darted forward, a crystalline, semi-transparent seal formed in his palm. With a thrust of his arm, he pressed the seal directly toward the heart-like “Heartsnatch Seal” pulsing in the air.

A dull boom resounded as the “Soul Devouring Seal” and “Heartsnatch Seal” collided in midair, shattering simultaneously. A tempest of intangible, overwhelming soul force swept across the entire arena.

The audience reeled in shock, hastily circulating their inner energy, closing their eyes and focusing their minds to withstand the soul shock.

Moments later, as the soulstorm faded, everyone opened their eyes and stared toward the arena—only to nearly have their jaws drop in disbelief.

Yang Yan’s right hand was firmly clasped on Sun Zhixin’s gently heaving chest.