Chapter 174 – The Skyfrost Annihilation of the Demonic Tiger
The Ice Fire Demon Tiger unleashed a heaven-shaking roar that released a blazing fireball straight at Wu Zhangkong. It paid no heed to the Tang Wulin who was hiding behind Wu Zhangkong.
The fireball expanded as it shot forward, spanning a diameter of one meter.
Wu Zhangkong’s soul rings glowed as he stepped forward with his left foot and thrust his Skyfrost Sword forward. The azure sword shone with a resplendent sapphire color as a sword light flew out to meet the fireball.
Even though the fireball burned with a scorching heat, it was no match for Wu Zhangkong’s sword light and burst the moment they touched. In the face of his sword, neither heat nor flame could survive.
Tang Wulin wanted to cheer. This is true strength! He couldn’t sense any soul power fluctuating around Wu Zhangkong; clearly, Wu Zhangkong had mastered soul power compression to a high level and was able to internalize it all.
Teacher Wu also cultivates the Mysterious Heaven Method!
Tang Wulin had discovered that the most useful aspect of the Mysterious Heaven Method was its ability to refine soul power. His soul power would grow denser with every passing day.
Just when Tang Wulin believed the fireball to be extinguished, blue color enveloped its body and it suddenly transformed into an icicle a half meter long. The icicle exploded into millions of jagged shards that hailed upon Wu Zhangkong.
It seemed impossible for Wu Zhangkong to dodge this at such a close range.
Before Tang Wulin could cry out, the Skyfrost Sword in his hand became a blur as Wu Zhangkong’s first soul ring lit up.
An icy blue arc bloomed from the tip of his sword, shattering every ice fragment. They quietly disappeared under its touch.
This is Teacher Wu’s soul skill!
Tang Wulin stared, wide-eyed. This was the first time he saw Wu Zhangkong use a soul skill. He had assumed that Wu Zhangkong was a pure swordsman and so his soul skills would only enhance his ice attribute and the quality of his sword.
But that was not the case; he had used an offensive soul skill. Although Tang Wulin didn’t know its name, its power was unquestionable.
The destruction of the fireball-turned-icicle marked the start of their battle.
The Ice Fire Demonic Tiger immediately pounced at Wu Zhangkong after the fireball. Its movements were agile like a civet, at odds with its large frame.
An iceball burst under Wu Zhankong’s slash just as the Ice Fire Demonic Tiger reached him. Hovering in midair, its unfurled wings spanned more than ten meters, shining brilliantly as they unleashed a baptism of fire and ice.
A spectacular scene played out. Its wings magnified over ten-fold, becoming light itself as they released an earth-scorching barrage.
Tang Wulin stopped admiring Wu Zhangkong’s magnificent swordsmanship and escaped to a nearby tree with a pull on his Bluesilver Grass while letting his golden scales take over his arm.
He had no place participating in a battle of this level. The best course of action was to watch from far away. As he retreated, he saw the tempest of ice and fire swallow Wu Zhangkong.
“Teacher Wu!” Tang Wulin cried out, his heart in his throat. He knew this was the spirit ascension platform and that it wasn’t a true death, but anxiety gripped him all the same.
At that moment, a regal blue appeared amidst the chaos.
If the tiger’s wings were waves of ice and fire, then this was a royal blue reef, proud and steadfast.
The waves gradually dispersed in the face of the reef that remained staunch and valiant.
Tang Wulin realized what it was—an arctic blue cocoon! Wu Zhangkong stood within, his figure blurred to the point it was unclear what skill he had used.
A purple light twinkled in Tang Wulin’s eyes as he activated the Purple Demon Eyes, granting him sharper eyesight. He was just barely able to see that the cocoon was spun from countless blue threads of ice. Just how many sword slashes did that take?
While he was still comprehending this shocking revelation, the next scene nearly stopped his heart. An azure sword light flew out to shock the heavens, growing ten meters long as it flew toward the Ice Fire Demonic Tiger’s head!
Chills ran down his spine the moment the sword light appeared. Frost formed, coating everything within one hundred meters.
The tiger furled up its wings to shield its head.
Boom!
Its gigantic body froze over, splitting in half. An arctic mist erupted into the surroundings in the same instant, summoning a white drizzle of snow for hundreds of meters around them.
The drifting snow and stagnant mist obscured Tang Wulin’s sight even with his Purple Demon Eyes. Tang Wulin could only rely on his ears now that he was unable to see Wu Zhangkong, his sword lights found everywhere throughout this mist.
A mournful roar resonated throughout the forest as countless crimson and azure lights flashed within the snowy mist. Terrifying soul power fluctuations whipped the surroundings into a frenzied tempest. Tang Wulin hugged a tree trunk with all his might for fear the turbulence would blow him away.
Time seemed to slow and stretch on, yet it was only a few minutes later that he heard the tiger’s roars be replaced with resigned whimpers.
“Come!” Tang Wulin was still in awe when Wu Zhangkong reappeared before him.
With his white robes and azure sword, he seemed to be unruffled from the battle. If a difference had to be identified, then perhaps his breath was a little more ragged.
With one hand around Tang Wulin’s waist, Wu Zhangkong slashed the void before him. All of the surrounding icy mist flowed back to the sword.
The aftermath of the battle was clear now.
The Ice Fire Demonic Tiger laid on the ground a distance away, its wings broken and body covered in countless small cuts that were dyed red in blood.
Wu Zhangkong brought Tang Wulin onto the tiger’s back in a flash. Tang Wulin could still feel the faint beat of life within the tiger’s body.
“Use your Golden Dragon Claw.”
Tang Wulin understood Wu Zhangkong’s intentions. Apart from his Golden Dragon Claw, he had no other method to penetrate the thousand-year Ice Fire Demonic Tiger’s defense.
Soul power surged and the Golden Dragon Claw struck out!
His claw stabbed into the back of the Ice Fire Demonic Tiger’s head, ending the life of this powerful soul beast.
A mass of dense spirit power flowed into him. Goldlight appeared, basking in the spirit power as its eyes lit with joy.
Wu Zhangkong nodded. “Considering the age of your spirit soul now, your spirit soul should evolve after absorbing this Ice Fire Demonic Tiger’s spirit energy.”
After the rebellion period of the elementary spirit ascension platform and their constant training within the regular spirit ascension platform, Goldlight’s spirit energy had already surpassed 700-years.
This four-thousand-years Ice Fire Demonic Tiger would convert into about four hundred years of spirit energy. With this, Goldlight would reach the thousand-year level.
Goldlight’s body dazzled brighter with every bit of spirit energy it absorbed while Tang Wulin sensed a slight change within his body.
His bloodline power stirred and the golden light emanating from Goldlight enveloped him. The golden scales on his right arm rippled. A golden-veined pattern appeared on his other hand.
What he wasn’t able to see, however, was that the gold pattern actually extended all over his body.
My spirit soul is ascending?
A prickling numbness spread throughout his body. Tang Wulin instinctively sat down cross-legged, silently exploring the changes within him.
As Goldlight returned to its usual splendor, the golden light enveloping Tang Wulin also vanished along with the numbness.
“Teacher Wu, I…” Tang Wulin looked to Wu Zhangkong in confusion, his eyes clouded with anxiety.
Wu Zhangkong shook his head. “Don’t worry. All you’re doing is accumulating spirit energy here in the spirit ascension platform. This isn’t your real body, so your spirit soul will only ascend properly after exiting. The process you just experienced was your spirit soul absorbing the spirit energy, and the large influx of spirit energy made your body respond.”