Zhao Wuji narrowed his eyes, considering his options. Speed was not his forte, and attacking recklessly risked harming the unconscious Dai Mubai, whom Li Si currently dangled by his collar.
Li Si, noticing Zhao Wuji's hesitation, smirked. With a casual flick, he hurled Dai Mubai toward Zhao Wuji like a projectile.
At the same time, Li Si retrieved a small pouch from his storage bracelet, tossing a green powder in Zhao Wuji's direction.
This was a creation from his weaker days, a self-defense toxin he had named Itch Powder. Once inhaled or touched, it caused unbearable itching for three days straight.
Li Si wasn't sure if it would affect a Soul Sage, but it was harmless to him now. His body, tempered by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, was nearly immune to poisons, and this mild concoction wouldn't even make him flinch.
Zhao Wuji instinctively caught Dai Mubai, shielding him from the green cloud.
Dai Mubai: "…"
Fortunately, Dai Mubai was still unconscious; otherwise, he might have rolled his eyes at Zhao Wuji's "kindness."
Despite his quick reactions, Zhao Wuji wasn't completely unscathed. The fine powder clung to the air, and a single breath was enough to ensure he, too, was affected.
"You little brat! Using poison? Have you no honor?!" Zhao Wuji bellowed, his anger flaring.
"And you—a Soul Sage attacking me—have honor?" Li Si retorted coldly.
Zhao Wuji had no answer. His lips tightened as he carefully placed Dai Mubai aside and fixed Li Si with a murderous glare.
"Hand over the antidote, and I'll give you a quick death," Zhao Wuji growled.
Li Si scoffed. "Do I look stupid? If I give you the antidote, I'm dead. At least this way, we both suffer."
Zhao Wuji's face turned crimson with fury. He clenched his fists and growled, "You are one sneaky bastard!"
"Fine. If you won't hand it over willingly, I'll make you."
Abandoning diplomacy, Zhao Wuji charged toward Li Si. He wasn't even planning to use a spirit ability; his raw power would suffice to subdue this arrogant boy.
The Transformation
Rather than retreat, Li Si surged forward, his body bathed in golden light. Shimmering dragon scales emerged across his body, and his black hair turned to flowing gold, rippling with an ethereal glow.
His arms transformed into fearsome dragon claws, his pupils narrowing into vertical slits.
In this dazzling display of power, Li Si revealed his true form—a golden dragon-like figure radiating overwhelming majesty.
From his feet, five golden rings slowly rose, each glimmering with an extraordinary brilliance.
These rings weren't spirit rings but manifestations of his bloodline's vitality. As the descendant of the Golden Sacred Dragon, his unique abilities allowed these golden "spirit rings" to evolve as his strength grew.
At level 60, his bloodline would naturally condense a sixth golden ring.
To the untrained observer, it appeared as though Li Si had a "mutated martial spirit" with five golden spirit rings.
Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted.
Dragon transformation? Could he be related to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?
But why are his spirit rings golden? What level of power is this?
Before Zhao Wuji could voice his questions, Li Si roared.
"ROAR!"
The golden light around him shifted as his right arm blazed with fire and his left arm shimmered with frost. The crowd was awestruck.
"This boy… Is he really a Soul King at such a young age?"
"And his martial spirit—how terrifying!"
In the distance, an older man with a shoehorn-shaped face gasped, his eyes wide with recognition.
"The Golden Sacred Dragon!"
Murmuring to himself, Flender couldn't hide his astonishment.
"There's no mistaking it… That aura… This boy carries the Golden Sacred Dragon's bloodline."
As one of the Golden Iron Triangle, Flender couldn't mistake the energy he felt. Their signature martial fusion technique—the Golden Sacred Dragon—was tied to this very power.
Is he connected to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? Or… to Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang?
Deep in thought, Flender watched as the clash unfolded.
A Collision of Titans
"BOOM!"
Li Si's dragon claw met Zhao Wuji's bear paw head-on. The impact reverberated, causing the ground beneath them to tremble.
Gasps filled the air as the onlookers witnessed Zhao Wuji stagger backward five steps, his expression twisted with shock.
How is this possible? A Soul King overpowering me in strength?
What's more, the flames on Li Si's fist had seared through Zhao Wuji's protective spirit power, leaving visible burns.
That fire—it burns even my defense? How terrifying!
"Old man, is that all you've got?" Li Si taunted, his tone dripping with disdain.
Zhao Wuji's face turned beet red. He couldn't believe it—a proud Soul Sage, humiliated by a young Soul King in a contest of strength.
"Don't get cocky, kid!" Zhao Wuji roared. "Your so-called power is just a trick of your martial spirit. A Soul King is still a Soul King!"
He straightened himself, his aura surging.
"The martial spirit avatar of a Soul Sage is the true dividing line between the weak and the strong. Let me show you what it means to be a Soul Sage!"
"Seventh Spirit Ability: Martial Spirit Avatar!"
With a flash of his seventh spirit ring, Zhao Wuji's body expanded, transforming into a towering Vajra Bear nearly ten meters tall.
His aura exploded outward, sending weaker spirit masters in the crowd trembling.
"This… is the power of a Soul Sage?"
A Critical Decision
Flender frowned. He had been prepared to intervene before Zhao Wuji escalated the fight, but now he hesitated.
This young man… If he truly possessed the Golden Sacred Dragon's bloodline, offending him could bring catastrophic consequences.
Even without considering the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the boy's connection to Yu Xiaogang seemed undeniable.
"Zhao Wuji, stop before it's too late," Flender muttered under his breath, torn between loyalty and caution.
Oblivious to Flender's concerns, Zhao Wuji unleashed his full power.
"Martial spirit avatars may be a dividing line," Li Si said calmly, "but a true dragon bows to no bear."
"Golden Dragon Domain…"
(End of Chapter)