Proofreader: Papatonks
“Ha-ha-ha, Zhuo Fan, see that? You lost faster comparing our dragon souls than our fists! Give up while you still can…”
The golden dragon was about to be flung away, but because its claw dug deep into the scarlet dragon, it stayed put. The golden dragon then coiled around the other one and tightened its hold. No matter how it thrashed around, the scarlet dragon could not break free.
Let’s not forget the golden flames cooking it from the inside out. Its only saving grace was the red glow around it shielding it somewhat, or it would’ve been burned alive.
Despite that, the scarlet dragon kept wailing in pain due to its sizzling flesh.
Zhuo Fan was shaking like a leaf from having his dragon soul subjected to such a cruel attack. He was pale and sweating buckets.
Ye Lin laughed at Zhuo Fan’s discomfort, “What more do you want? Your soul is clearly weaker. Taking it any further would mean the end of your soul and the end of you. So just give up!”
To add insult to injury, the golden dragon had received Ye Lin’s order and opened its maw to breathe searing heat on the scarlet dragon.
Zhuo Fan was now close to collapsing from how much he was shaking. He clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth. But his eyes held a most staunch gaze.
The audience sighed.
[The soul battle is worse than the melee one. Trapped the moment the fight started. He knew his soul wasn’t up to par, so he started with his fists.]
[Yet not even fighting in melee proved helpful, having lost in the end.]
Now, being stubborn and unyielding, he had gone to fight with his soul. But power was everything, and he clearly couldn’t win it.
[Not even going all out worked.]
[Zhuo Fan has no chance of making a comeback.]
Everyone wrote Zhuo Fan off as having lost. With his soul in the other’s claws, what else could this be if not a loss? Only Chu Qingcheng kept staring at him with her pure eyes filled with hope.
“Sister Qingcheng, it’s done. Ye Lin is too strong. Z-he lost.” Dan’er did not know how to comfort her.
However, Chu Qingcheng’s gaze was firm, “I know he had no hopes for this battle, but as long as he did not give in himself, I still believe he will win. For sure…”
The girls watched her with a start, then they sighed.
[This is called blind faith…]
The exalted shook their heads, more and more amazed by Ye Lin.
“Who is this kid? His tempering of the heaven dragon soul is so thorough. We used to think Zhuo Fan’s version of heaven dragon soul was better, but I never thought it possible for Ye Lin’s to be even greater. I fear that not even our knowledge of it can compare!” Exalted Hei Ran sighed in shock.
Exalted Bai Mei had to admit. “Yes, just like in a meeting of rivals, there’s someone better. The same applies to heaven dragon souls. Ye Lin had followed the best path for his strengthening. I can hardly believe the heaven dragon soul could reach such a level of power. Just like they say, the new replaces the old. Old-timers like us… “
Exalted Bai Mei sighed, and Exalted Hei Ran nodded. He sighed as he stood up, looking at the judge, “Ye Lin won. Have them return!”
“What?!”
The judge jerked and sent the two exalted an incredulous look.
In all the Double Dragon Gatherings, the exalted had only been silent observers, being a symbol of fairness, not once interfering and always going by the rules.
Only this time, even as plenty of time remained, the exalted wanted to cut it short and declare a winner. This never happened. Ever!
The judge was dumbstruck.
Exalted Hei Ran sighed, “The outcome is obvious. Do you want to let it go on until one of them loses their life?”
The judge reacted at last and looked at the little valley.
The exalted were afraid of losing Zhuo Fan, so they stepped in.
[Such an honor!]
In the eyes of the highest leaders, the life of a human was worthless. The Double Dragon Gathering had had too many deaths than none could count, yet not once did they want to save one, except Zhuo Fan…
[Sigh, from now on, the exalted will have a favorite pupil, what honor!]
Sighing, the judge bowed to the exalted, then eyed the gatekeepers as he cleared his throat. He was just about to announce it!
But then, creepy laughter came out before the judge, or the gatekeepers could act. The eerie laughter made one’s spine tingle.
It was the kind of voice a demon would make in the dead of night as it banged on your door…
“Hi-hi-hi, self-righteous punk, even arrogance has its limit. You want me to surrender? Humph, no dice!” The creepy laughter came from Zhuo Fan who was looking just as frail as before, but his eyes were sharp and clear. He had lost his previous stern look and was now looking positively insane.
“Is that all your Decimating Golden Heaven Dragon King can do? Then consider it my win! Variant, Heaven Devouring Demonic Dragon King!”
Everyone, even Ye Lin, did not react as Zhuo Fan’s dragon soul once again roared.
The scarlet glow faded, its eyes closed, as if asleep, and when he opened them again, they were pitch-black.
The previous rampant aura of the scarlet dragon was lost as well, giving way for one of pure evil. Its pitch-black eyes only amplified the dread, feeling as if it sucked the very soul out of you.
Its huge bulk was turning black as well, releasing unspeakable danger even as it was trapped.
Ye Lin gaped.
[W-what the hell? How did it change colors? Even its aura is different. It’s like I’m looking at a different soul!]
The exalted were frozen in place as well.
Logic dictated that one’s soul changed depending on one’s cultivation methods and insights. Once it took the owner’s characteristics, it could never change again. So why was this one doing it twice?
First it was brutal and savage, but quite upstanding. Now it turned vicious and cruel, like the worst killer in history.
For these two changes to appear on a single soul was beyond everyone’s comprehension. The exalted themselves would vow such a weird thing had never happened.
Not just them, but even Danqing Shen who guided Zhuo Fan had a goony look. “Is this what the kid understood by soul variation? It’s too damn weird? It’s as freaky as him. Then again, just what is his cultivation method anyway? It brings together many aspects…”
Everyone went slack jawed. Even the judge and the gatekeepers.
Zhuo Fan ignored the obvious dumb looks and snickered. “With all the intel gathered, it’s time for me to counterattack!”
The huge black dragon roared and it caused everyone’s scalp to tingle, even Ye Lin’s.
The black dragon flicked its tail, uncaring about the golden flames, and it was now its turn to wind around the golden dragon. It then opened its gaping mouth and sank its teeth into the golden dragon, forcing it to wail.
Ye Lin’s mind felt a sharp pain as his soul was damaged. As a reaction, the golden flames exploded like a huge volcano, wrapping around the black dragon.
However, the black dragon was creepy like its owner. It did not fear them unlike the Almighty Scarlet Dragon King.
The dark aura around it absorbed the flames as they approached,
Ye Lin was shocked beyond belief at this.
[W-what?! That’s dragon ancestor’s Decimating Golden Flame!]
Even so, Zhuo Fan’s cultivation method from the Nine Serenities Emperor, the Demon Transformation Art, combined with the heaven dragon soul, resulted in Heaven Devouring Demonic Dragon King, able to absorb anything and everything in existence.
Ye Lin’s Decimating Golden Flame stood no chance against such a dragon soul.
Ye Lin looked grave and gnashed his teeth, “Is this Qilin’s ability?”
“Ha-ha-ha, what do you think?”
Zhuo Fan grinned, “I told you, we’re humans in the end. Sacred beasts’ path isn’t completely useful to us. Do you still think you got what it takes to win against me in a soul battle?”
Ye Lin’s brow shook as his eyes looked sharp, “I misjudged you. You still added more tricks to your soul. In that case, allow me to show you the purest heaven dragon soul!”
Ye Lin’s hands flashed through a series of signs, his eyes flickering with golden flames…
