As the announcement from the soul tool amplification system echoed through the arena, Gu Xuan and Ye Lingling walked onto the stage in single file. Directly across from them, two men in their early twenties stood waiting, their eyes burning with a sharp, aggressive intensity as they sized up their opponents.
The opposing duo went by the name "Brutal Bear Brothers." According to the provided data, the elder brother, Xiong Da, was a Rank 36 Power Attack Type Battle Soul Elder with the Brutal Bear Martial Soul. The younger brother, Xiong Er, was Rank 35 with the same Martial Soul.
The pair had already carved out a two-match winning streak. If they could successfully suppress Gu Xuan and Ye Lingling, they would secure their third consecutive victory.
However, since they had the misfortune of running into Gu Xuan, winning was essentially an impossibility. To be honest, the current Gu Xuan found dealing with opponents who relied on close-quarters power attacks to be the most effortless part of his repertoire. He didn't need to hunt them down; they would deliver themselves straight to his claws.
Despite being only Rank 33, his deep internal foundation, combined with the significant buffs from his first and second soul skills, meant he didn't fear facing both brothers simultaneously. Moreover, he had brought Ye Lingling, a literal mobile fountain of life.
He truly didn't need to worry about injuries anymore. Ye Lingling's healing capabilities were absolute top-tier. Within the same rank, no Martial Soul in existence could compare to the raw restorative power of the Nine-Hearted Begonia.
Once both teams had taken their positions on the stage, the commentator's voice rang out. "The two sides for this duel are the 'Undying Bone Dragon' duo and the 'Brutal Bear Brothers' duo. Undying Bone Dragon is a newly formed pair, while the Brutal Bear Brothers are currently riding a two-match winning streak. Let us see where the final victory lands today!"
As the voice faded, the spectators who had placed their bets erupted into a frenzy of cheers. They roared for their chosen favorites, hoping their vocal support could somehow grant the fighters extra strength and win them a windfall of gold spirit coins.
The commentator spoke again. "Both sides, you have one minute to release your Martial Souls!"
The Brutal Bear Brothers stood shoulder-to-shoulder. Two yellow and one purple soul ring rose around each of them in a rhythmic pulse. Thick, coarse brown fur sprouted rapidly across their bodies as their frames expanded and bulked up, transforming them into literal human-shaped bears.
"Xiong Da, Martial Soul: Brutal Bear. Rank 36 Power Attack Type Battle Soul Elder!"
"Xiong Er, Martial Soul: Brutal Bear. Rank 35 Power Attack Type Battle Soul Elder!"
The brothers spoke in perfect unison, their three soul rings vibrating with power as they settled into their fighting stances.
Heaven Dou City, as the capital of the empire, undoubtedly possessed a much higher caliber of soul masters than other regions. The fact that every opponent Gu Xuan had faced thus far possessed the optimal soul ring configuration was proof enough of the city's elite standards.
Gu Xuan gave Ye Lingling a small, reassuring glance before stepping forward with a measured stride. With every step he took, a soul ring rose around his body. By the third step, two yellow and one purple ring were shimmering with brilliant light.
His body didn't undergo a typical bestial transformation. Instead, it was encased in a thin, sleek layer of silver-white bone armor. The most striking change was in his arms, which transformed into silver-white bone claws. The joints were sharply defined and elegant; they didn't look grotesque, but instead radiated a dangerously beautiful, lethal aura.
"Gu Xuan, Martial Soul: Bone Dragon. Rank 33 Power Attack Type Battle Soul Elder," Gu Xuan stated calmly.
After he announced his Martial Soul, not many in the crowd recognized it as coming from Gu Rong, one of the two guardian Titled Douluos of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Gu Rong's Martial Soul was a specialized mutation, and he rarely made public appearances in the soul master world these days, so knowledge of the Bone Dragon was extremely scarce.
Still, the people who had bet on Gu Xuan cheered with wild abandon. Even if his rank was lower on paper, they had witnessed his performance earlier in the team battle against the Blazing Team. They knew exactly what kind of monstrous combat power was hidden behind that Rank 33 label.
Behind him, Ye Lingling spoke up as well. "Ye Lingling, Martial Soul: Nine-Hearted Begonia. Rank 33 Support Type Soul Elder."
With both sides fully deployed, the commentator's voice reached a crescendo. "The match... BEGINS!"
Xiong Da and Xiong Er immediately lunged forward, charging straight for Gu Xuan and Ye Lingling. Since both were Power Attack Type users, they held a clear numerical advantage in direct combat power over the Undying Bone Dragon pair. An aggressive, overwhelming opening was their most logical strategy.
As they sprinted toward Gu Xuan, their second yellow rings ignited simultaneously. This was their second soul skill: Brutal Bear Heavy Armor. Upon activation, their physical defense was instantly boosted by 50%.
The skill made the already massive brothers look even more like towering fortresses. The sheer weight of their charge seemed to make the very stage tremble beneath them.
The twenty-meter gap between the two sides vanished in a heartbeat. While the brothers weren't known for their agility, the distance was negligible when covered at a full, heavy sprint.
Gu Xuan did not rush out to meet them. Instead, his first two yellow rings ignited in rapid succession. His silver-white bone claws took on a menacing dark gold sheen, and his aura surged to its absolute peak. Even as he faced two heavyweights alone, his presence didn't falter for a second.
"Second brother, take this kid down first. That support's only trick is healing. If we drop him, the match is over," Xiong Da shouted to Xiong Er as they closed the distance.
Xiong Er nodded with a blunt, honest determination, shifting his full focus from Ye Lingling to Gu Xuan. His battle intent was soaring. He refused to believe that two of them couldn't overwhelm a single Rank 33 Soul Elder.
Thud!
Xiong Da's massive paw arrived first. Gu Xuan raised his dark gold bone claws to intercept. Xiong Er's attack followed a fraction of a second later, forcing Gu Xuan to use both claws to block their respective strikes.
Upon contact, the brothers' eyelids twitched violently. Despite being the ones on the offensive, they felt a sharp, bone-deep, needle-like pain the moment their thick paws touched Gu Xuan's dark gold claws. It felt as though if Gu Xuan applied even a fraction more force, he could pierce right through their palms.
Gu Xuan parried the blow, then channeled explosive power from his calves through his waist to shove their heavy paws aside. He stepped directly into their guard, meeting the two of them head-on without giving an inch.
Xiong Da and Xiong Er were internally reeling. Gu Xuan's raw strength wasn't just equal to theirs—it was actually superior. And his offensive sharpness was simply terrifying.
Every time they clashed, a jabbing pain shot through their paws, forcing them to pull their strikes slightly to prevent their hands from being shredded by his razor-sharp claws.
"Don't hold back, brother! This kid is a hard nut to crack," Xiong Da roared. "First Soul Skill: Brutal Bear Giant Paw!"
Xiong Er followed his brother's lead instantly. His first soul skill was also Brutal Bear Giant Paw.
Their paws swelled in size, encased in a thick layer of soul power armor that drastically increased both their striking power and their defensive durability.
The two brothers attacked from both sides simultaneously. Gu Xuan locked his claws to stop Xiong Da's strike while his right leg lashed out like a whip, snapping toward Xiong Er.
After stalemating the elder brother, Gu Xuan parried with his right arm and thrust his left dark gold claw out like a striking viper, aiming directly for the center of Xiong Da's chest.
(End of Chapter)
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