Chapter 494 492: Another Instant Kill

The key to a Soul Attack is its suddenness. They are most effective when unexpected. To achieve an instant kill, the power gap between the combatants must be fairly large. If the target possesses Martial Arts that defend against Soul Attacks, or if their own Soul Power is also strong, the attack's effectiveness will be greatly diminished.

Generally speaking, Cultivators don't specifically practice Martial Arts to defend against the soul, as Soul Attacks are relatively rare. One only has to look at the Soaring Dragon Empire for proof. Only the Divine Seal Sect has mastered Martial Arts involving Soul Attacks, and they are incredibly difficult to cultivate.

The Overlord Dragon Essence that Zhao Wu cultivated was capable of resisting Soul Power attacks. This defense was a secondary benefit of the technique, allowing him to withstand powerful Soul Attacks. This was precisely why Zhao Wu was filled with confidence. He didn't think Lin Xuan was too strong; as long as Lin Xuan could only use Soul Attacks, he was certain he could crush him.

"Heh heh, I wonder how this Mu Shuang is going to handle this. The Martial Arts Zhao Wu cultivates just happens to be resistant to Soul Attacks. Talk about bad luck!"

"Yeah, if his Soul Attacks have no effect, how can he possibly fight? He's so young. Normally, it's considered amazing just to master a single set of Martial Arts, especially one involving Soul Attacks, which are notoriously difficult to cultivate."

"That's right. The difficulty of cultivating soul-related Martial Arts is immense. His youth is an asset, but sometimes it's also a weakness... unless he knows other Martial Arts!"

Lin Xuan remained the focus of everyone's attention. They wanted to see what other Martial Arts he possessed, now that his Soul Attacks were presumed to be ineffective. If he had nothing else, the battle would end just like this.

On the stage, the two of them stood in a standoff. The referee had already called for the match to begin, but neither was in a hurry to act. Zhao Wu simply activated his Overlord Dragon Essence, raising a protective barrier around his body as he waited for Lin Xuan to attack. He wanted to see the look of panic and despair on Lin Xuan's face.

"It seems you're quite confident in your Martial Arts. You believe my Soul Attacks will have no effect on you?" Lin Xuan shook his head. 'I can't believe this is what they think of me. That my Soul Attacks are my primary weapon and that without them, I'm just a toothless tiger, completely harmless.'

'Of course, it's for the best that they think this way. It means I have more trump cards up my sleeve, and it will make them let down their guard.'

"Of course! Our Overlord Dragon Essence can resist a wide range of Soul Attacks. I've lost count of how many so-called Soul Attack experts have been reduced to trash before it!" Zhao Wu sneered. "Aren't you confident in your Soul Attacks? Well, I'll stand right here and let you attack me. I'll show you just how powerless a Soul Attack can be!"

One would be hard-pressed to find a more arrogant person. This Overlord Dragon Essence must have successfully defended against many Soul Attacks in the past; otherwise, Zhao Wu wouldn't be this confident.

"Is that so? Then let's put it to the test."

With a faint smile, Lin Xuan furiously unleashed his Spirit God Technique. The domineering Soul Attack materialized as a sharp arrow, shooting straight toward the protective barrier around Zhao Wu.

BOOM!

The terrifying Soul Attack slammed into the barrier, pierced straight through it in an instant, and struck Zhao Wu's head. Before he could even react, the Soul Power had violently crashed into his mind. His eyes immediately rolled back, and his expression went completely vacant!

"Bark like a dog," Lin Xuan commanded, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

"WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!"

Zhao Wu started to shout, truly barking like a dog. His barks were so shocking they could make gods weep and ghosts tremble, and the expressions of the Su Family members turned incomparably foul. Anyone could see that Zhao Wu hadn't just been hit by a Soul Attack—he had been completely subjugated and was now a puppet under his opponent's control.

The entire audience was dumbfounded. Wasn't the Overlord Dragon Essence supposed to be strong against Soul Attacks? How did it fail so completely? The barrier had been breached effortlessly, without a hint of resistance!

"My, your Martial Arts are truly powerful! And here I thought you said it could counter Soul Attacks?" Bu Feiyun roared with laughter from the sidelines. This was the ultimate slap in the face. They had been so confident, and now they had been utterly defeated.

Lin Xuan had won a great deal of face for the Bu Family, and they were ecstatic. If the competition weren't still in progress, they would have rewarded him on the spot.

"What's going on? Isn't the Overlord Dragon Essence supposed to be powerful? Isn't it supposed to defend against Soul Attacks..." Su Feng's expression was grim. 'Fortunately, I didn't boast that we could crush Lin Xuan earlier, or this slap in the face would have stung even more!'

"Now, get lost!"

With another faint smile, Lin Xuan launched another Soul Attack that detonated inside Zhao Wu's head. Zhao Wu's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, foaming at the mouth. His body twitched for a moment before he passed out completely.

His soul had suffered extreme trauma. It would take a very long time for him to recover.

In this battle, the much-vaunted Overlord Dragon Essence had been thoroughly discredited. Zhao Wu's defeat was absolute, and he had lost all face for his clan.

"Mu Shuang is the winner!" the referee announced.

After the announcement, the crowd erupted. It wasn't that the Overlord Dragon Essence was weak, but that Lin Xuan's Soul Attack was too powerful! To master such a terrifying Soul Attack at his young age... wasn't that just too Heaven-Defying?

"This Mu Shuang is terrifying! Even the Overlord Dragon Essence was useless?"

"Just what are the limits of his Soul Attack? What Level has his Soul Power reached? Could he be at the Level of a Sixth Grade Pattern Master?"

"If he's really reached the Level of a Sixth Grade Pattern Master, that's just horrifying. How old is he even?!"

...

It wasn't just the audience; even the other contestants couldn't help but shudder at Lin Xuan's performance. 'A Soul Attack that Heaven-Defying... If it were me, I wouldn't be able to block it either!'

Lin Xuan said nothing. He simply turned and walked off the stage, ignoring the crowd. Once he was off, he sat down in meditation to recover and prepare for his next match.

The semi-finals would continue until only the top ten contestants remained, at which point the finals would begin. Therefore, it was crucial to maintain peak condition. Of course, he had barely expended any energy, so it wouldn't have mattered if he didn't meditate. But with nothing else to do, he simply sat down and meditated by the side.

The day's matches soon came to a close. The number of contestants had been rapidly cut down from over one hundred and fifty to just over seventy. This meant that with just one more victory, a contestant could break into the top fifty.

Anyone who made it into the top fifty would be able to become a disciple of a Super Race. Therefore, the next battle was the most critical one yet!

However, Lin Xuan had no intention of stopping at the top fifty. He wanted to charge into the top three, and even more, he wanted to claim first place. Aside from securing more resources for himself, he wanted to crush the arrogance of the Su Family and the Yan Family!

His revenge was only just beginning...