Everyone watched Qin Long’s palm smash onto Bai Yunfei’s chest with bated breaths. Qin Long’s attack was like a sledgehammer, and everyone knew that the power behind the blow was definitely hard enough to deal grievous harm to Bai Yunfei such as breaking a few bones.

“Yunfei!!!”

Up on top of the mountain she was on, Tang Xinyun let out a loud cry of panic at the sight of Bai Yunfei injured and made an attempt to run for him.

“Don’t worry, he’s fine.”

An invisible force of energy wrapped around Tang Xinyun to stop her from moving. It was Xiao Qi.

“Fine?” Tang Xinyun was incredulous. “Is he really?” She asked.

Xiao Qi looked as calm as ever. “Of course. You think I wouldn’t know? Don’t get in Yunfei’s fight and just wait here.”

The calm demeanor of Xiao Qi was somewhat calming to Tang Xinyun. She knew Xiao Qi would never use Yunfei’s health as a joke of any kind, so if he said Bai Yunfei was fine, then he was most likely fine.

She still couldn’t help but worry though and turned her head to continue watching the battle.

......

Bai Yunfei was sent flying away from Qin Long when he was struck, but no one thought that he’d suddenly come to a screeching halt in the air just a few dozen meters away!

He flipped over to press his right foot perpendicular to the ground against a seemingly invisible wall. A small trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his lips to indicate that he had indeed been injured in the blow earlier, but it wasn’t anything too major. Snapping his head up, Bai Yunfei gave Qin Long an intense glare!

His left hand raised up to jab his finger at Qin Long. Then he said...

“Halt!!”

That single word was like the activation code for the Charm Bracelet on his left wrist and the Soul Sentinel Scarf on his forehead to suddenly start to pulsate with a faint light!

There was no fluctuation in elemental energy or change in the world around them. The only thing was that Qin Long had for some reason suddenly tremble and started to slow down!!

The Soul Anchor Technique!!

Bai Yunfei had finally decided to make use of one of his ultimate moves!

He wasn’t using the ‘Coil’ Form just yet, so he was still a Mid-stage Soul King in strength. While he was stronger than anyone else in the same power level, Bai Yunfei wasn’t a match for Late-stage Soul Kings yet. It was evident to see the disparage in strength between him and Qin Long earlier when he used the Fire-tipped Spear and Cataclysmic Seal to attack and was rebuffed with ease. Trying to rely on just those two soul armaments alone would be taxing, to say the least, but that wasn’t the most desirable option.

Only two blows were exchanged, but Bai Yunfei was a little surprised by how powerful Qin Long was. His battle with Li Fenghai had been comparatively ‘easier’ than this one, so Bai Yunfei had now a better grasp on just how powerful a Late-stage Soul King could be. If he wanted to win on his own merits, then he’d have to use the ‘Coil’ Form for a better chance and ‘Berserk Mode’ for a definitive chance.

But Bai Yunfei didn’t want to do either of those. It’d be a far too fast and ‘easy’ fight, and Bai Yunfei wouldn’t be able to improve as much if he did that.

He was going to use this fight with Qin Long as a way to gain valuable combat experience!

He wanted to see how strong he could be in his normal state. He wanted to see how his chances were!

And the first thing he’d try would be a soul attack!

When Bai Yunfei was distracted by the vines and slammed with that soul attack of Qin Long, retaliating with a soul attack of his own was a possibility. But if he did that, he wouldn’t be able to do a proper counterattack...

So he chose to simply accept the soul attack!!

The full brunt of Qin Long’s soul attack was blunted thanks to the abilities of the Soul Sentinel Scarf. Bai Yunfei could ward off the worse of the damages and pretend to be deeply affected when Qin Long slammed his palm onto his chest.

What every single one of the spectators watching the fight didn’t notice was that Bai Yunfei hadn’t actually been hit by the full force of Qin Long’s fist. A gray whirlpool had appeared over Bai Yunfei’s chest when the fist was about to slam into his chest and sucked Qin Long’s hand into it. Though it didn’t do much against the physical fist itself, the elemental energy around Qin Long’s fist was taken away into the whirlpool and disappeared!

It was the +10 additional effect of the armor he was wearing.

+10 Additional Effect: In exchange for soulforce, create a devouring whirlpool of darkness that negates any elemental attack directed towards the user.

Cooldown of 10 minutes.

So what actually hit Bai Yunfei’s chest was just an ordinary fist with the only muscle to back up the blow. None of the elemental energy was there.

The blow was still surprisingly strong despite that. Qin Long’s strength was enough that even his armor was unable to shrug off the entirety of the blow, and Bai Yunfei could feel his organs shudder from the shock. It was just a small miscalculation and only earned a small injury. Bai Yunfei wasn’t truly injured just yet.

Since his opponent had kindly attacked him, Bai Yunfei would return the favor now then!

So he unleashed the strongest soul attack he could unleash onto Qin Long while he thought he was injured!

The Soul Anchor Technique was strong beyond belief—especially after considering the +12 additional effect of the Soul Sentinel Scarf.

+12 Additional Effect: 200% Increase in spirit-based attacks.

Because of those factors, Bai Yunfei’s soul attack managed to do more harm than what would normally be intended on an enemy stronger than him!

......

Bai Yunfei disappeared into a blaze of fire the moment after he said ‘halt’ to charge straight for Qin Long!

Several dozen meters were traversed before Bai Yunfei thrust the Fire-tipped Spear at Qin Long’s throat!

Qin Long was in shock, needless to say. He hadn’t expected that someone weaker than him like Bai Yunfei would be able to unleash such a powerful soul attack. He didn’t even expect to see Bai Yunfei be able to shrug off one of his palm strikes like that and then counterattack so heavily!!

The Soul Anchor Technique only served to disorientate him for a brief moment. But that brief moment was enough for the Fire-tipped Spear to reach his face!

Qin Long blanched. By forcing his body to move, he managed to shift his positioning by just enough to allow the Fire-tipped Spear to graze past his throat.

A sheet of sweat formed on his forehead. But he would not be discouraged. A sword materialized in his hand before he moved to slice at Bai Yunfei’s throat!

“Schwing!!”

The sword connected with Bai Yunfei and severed his head from his shoulders!

Then the ‘Bai Yunfei’ in front of Qin Long disappeared into a cloud of smoke!

Stunned, Qin Long blinked as he tried to figure out what had just happened. But then the answer came to him in the form of two spears coming from his left and right!

The Fire-tipped Spear’s +12 additional effect: Doppelganger!

Eyes widening at the sudden attack, Qin Long brandished his sword and slashed towards his right. It slammed with the spear coming from that direction as his left hand flicked upwards at the wrist to call out a thick green vine to act as a shield against the spear coming from his left.

“Shhickt!!”

“Bang!!”

Two separate collisions were had as the spear from the right grazed past the sword and cut across Qin Long’s waist. The spear from the left slammed straight onto the vine and exploded in a red light before disappearing along with the Bai Yunfei that had been holding onto it.

Qin Long’s decisions on how to block the attacks were the ‘fortunate’ ones. He wouldn’t have been able to get away with such a light wound across his waist had he decided to swap the way he blocked the two doppelgangers...

That didn’t mean he was completely safe from danger though...

He might’ve managed to stop the real Bai Yunfei coming from the right, but he didn’t stop him from getting within arm’s reach!

The Fire-tipped Spear remained where it was so Bai Yunfei could clench his left hand tightly. Red and metal light shined together in his fist before he slammed it across Qin Long’s waist!

“Boom!!”

One loud explosion later, Qin Long was sent flying away like a bullet!!