Chapter 465: Tiger Soul

After being pointed out by White Marsh, Mu Yi began to concentrate fully on studying the Responding Dragon's way of summoning clouds and rain.

However, after a moment, he became confused again.

Eyes: can't understand.

Brain: didn't understand.

Hands: completely unable.

"Still can't understand!" Mu Yi honestly told White Marsh his feelings.

"Looks like you're a practitioner!" White Marsh nodded.

"Watching the battle isn't of much use to you; go experience it yourself!"

As they spoke, Mu Yi felt someone shove him hard; his body was restrained by a force, and he lunged uncontrollably into the void.

After a moment, that force quietly disappeared.

"This place is... chaos?"

Mu Yi looked around and found that the surrounding environment was basically the same as what he had seen in the water mirror just before.

It was chaotic and empty, completely unsuitable for life.

"Zongwang Prompt: You have activated the Responding Dragon's Trial; your performance will determine your reward!"

Looking at the prompt before him, Mu Yi fell into a daze.

"I'm supposed to fight the Responding Dragon? Really?"

In the void, there is no accurate concept of time.

But as Mu Yi was dazed, the void before him violently surged, and in the next instant a huge head poked out like the tip of an iceberg.

Almost instantly, Mu Yi felt his body trembling uncontrollably, a natural reaction of the body to a strong opponent.

Under the heavy pressure, Mu Yi hesitated not at all, directly swinging the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow in his hand and chopping forward.

He erupted with full force, holding nothing back.

The Six Paths of Reincarnation spun, and the power on the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow kept stacking, instantly raising its destructive force to a terrifying level.

A straight line extended from the blade's edge; the chaos in its path was severed by this force, creating a momentary "vacuum".

"Huh, said to be an elm lump, but his comprehension is not bad at this moment!"

The observing White Marsh stroked his chin; Mu Yi's move at this moment was extremely similar to the one Yang Jian used earlier with his axe-splitting technique, yet different, as he had incorporated his own idea into it.

"Indeed a combat practitioner!" White Marsh nodded.

Under the heavy pressure, Mu Yi's progress was rapid, and it was not in vain that he had specially let the Responding Dragon create an incarnation to test him.

The void emitted a dull sound.

The space within the void was extremely unstable; under such a frenzied slash, the space shattered directly, and the erupting spatial fragments, like half a sharp blade, swept across everything nearby.

Yet these spatial fragments, which could easily obliterate the hardest material substances, now were like glass shards exploding on a tank—aside from a clinking sound, they caused no harm whatsoever to the Responding Dragon's incarnation.

Beneath the dark canopy, it was as if two probing lights fell upon Mu Yi; his calm breathing, however, thundered like a roar, shaking the chaotic void.

However, compared to the true Responding Dragon, this one before him was indeed much smaller—about the size of just a single claw of its main body.

But at this moment, looming before Mu Yi, it still blotted out the sky and covered the sun.

"Is this thing really of the same rank as me?"

Mu Yi's mouth twitched; just now that had been his full-force strike.

Still, it was a full-force strike that showed progress.

Striking the earlier Manjusri Bodhisattva incarnation would have drawn blood, and possibly even killed it.

As a result, this Responding Dragon incarnation before him just bluntly took it head-on?

Not even a mark appeared on its head, as if nothing had happened at all.

This defensive power is too heaven-defying.

How on earth is this trained?

Even the perfected Eight Nine Mysterious Skill doesn't have this kind of defensive power, does it?

Fleshly body resisting divine weapons—only now did Mu Yi gain a faint concept of beings at Emperor level and above.

Even if it's a power-suppressed incarnation, to them it's like another dimensional creature.

"Oh, I forgot—the Responding Dragon is special; even if you stand and chop, you can't cut it!" White Marsh's voice crossed the chaos and entered Mu Yi's ears.

Mu Yi took a deep breath, suppressed the urge to hit White Marsh, and waited for White Marsh's continuation.

Of course, the main point is still that he can't beat it.

"Here, take this—I hope you can master it!" White Marsh's voice, tinged with expectation, accompanied a beam of light appearing in the chaos.

The light faded, and a broken sword fell into Mu Yi's hand.

It looked utterly dilapidated, seeming to have no divine quality at all.

"Tiger Soul Blade?" Without much hint, Mu Yi instantly guessed the sword's identity.

Yet the Tiger Soul Blade that could contend with the Xuanyuan Sword at this moment was merely a rust‑streaked iron sheet.

Its shape, corroded by wind and rain, showed pits and grooves, with a faint blur of pattern still visible.

"Tiger Soul Blade!" Mu Yi gripped the broken, ruined blade tightly.

Needing no guidance, the instant he grasped the sword, Mu Yi knew how to use it.

When Mu Yi's soldier-master power surged fully into the Tiger Soul, the formerly broken, deficient blade suddenly began to burst forth with brilliance.

Any divine weapon possesses its own logic and cognition; though it may not have full sentience, its pickiness is no less than that of a sharp‑tongued, spiteful intelligent life.

Divine objects are thus when defiled.

In the hands of an unsuitable person, these divine weapons often appear battered and worn; but before the right person, they eagerly reveal themselves, even if it means being inverted, they do so willingly.

Frenzy, ferocity, crimson… countless auras rose from the blade and eventually coalesced into a unique aura.

A thunderous roar, all sounds fell silent!

Even Ying Long, who was training with Yang Jian and others, couldn't help but narrow his eyes; his aura surged instantly, and Sun Wukong and the others, who had been barely holding on, were instantly blown away.

Tiger Soul…

Bai Ze, you bastard, you really know how to stir up trouble! Ying Long's gaze pierced the chaotic void, landing on Bai Ze, who was feasting in the Dragon Palace.

What exactly are you planning to do?

It's not what I plan to do, but what they plan to do—Heaven and Earth, the Three Pure Ones and Four Sovereigns, the Five Directions and Five Elders… I'm merely going with the flow!

Hahaha, Ying Long, something big is coming! Bai Ze's manic laughter echoed in Ying Long's ears.

Is another great calamity coming? Ying Long sighed, a sense of helplessness welling up throughout his body.

Even it felt a hint of helplessness at this moment.

Having experienced the calamities of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the separation of gods and men, and so on, it knew clearly that this was not something it could stop.

As the source of all Ying Long's existence, the embodiment of the concept of differentiation, whenever It wishes, It can trace back through the endless river of time and space to any answer It desires.

It doesn't even need to disturb time and space; merely listening sideways, It can know the vast majority of the current situation.

Yet it still cannot see the great calamity Bai Ze spoke of; as always, all it can do is act as an enforcer.

No, Ying Long, it's not a great calamity… Bai Ze's smile grew ever richer.

Ying Long's mouth twitched; he reached out directly through the chaotic void to grasp Bai Ze.

It despises riddle-speakers, while this bastard Bai Ze obviously knows everything yet insists on speaking in riddles.

Back when we were all in the same camp, It already couldn't understand Bai Ze, and now It understands him even less.

Don't rush, I'll tell you; let me first revisit the past of Ying Long's battle against Chi You!

Bai Ze's figure vanished within Ying Long's claw, or rather, the instant Ying Long extended his claw, Bai Ze had already disappeared.

Ying Long wore a dark face, irritably flicking his tail to fling Sun Wukong away, his claws crackling with thunder as they cleaved the chaos.

"Twenty-Four Heavens!" Zhao Gongming raised the twenty-four Dinghai Pearls, evolving them into the Twenty-Four Heavens to intercept the sky-filling sea of thunder.

Following closely, Qiong Xiao acted, seizing the sky-filling thunder sea and hurling it back at Ying Long.

Ying Long was somewhat surprised, not expecting Qiong Xiao to counterattack using Its power.

However, the endless rain curtain fell with the wings, completely isolating the sky-filling thunder sea.

As he turned, the Three-pointed Double-edged Sword, the Golden Hooped Rod, and the Fire-tipped Spear appeared before him; Ying Long casually struck, blasting several people back.

Originally leisurely and content, his mood was utterly ruined by Bai Ze's few words, now he feels somewhat irritable.

But what piqued his curiosity even more was Mu Yi on the other side.

At this moment, Mu Yi was scrambling to survive under the assault of Ying Long's avatar.

Even though the Tiger Soul sword blazed with its own brilliance, he had no chance to draw it.

Claws, tail—every part of Ying Long's body had become a weapon.

His wings unfurled, lightning blazed, fierce winds rose, and a torrential rain curtain washed over everything.

Beneath such a pouring rain, Mu Yi clearly felt an icy touch, a sensation he had gradually forgotten since leaving mortality; his surging hot blood cooled, and the tips of his limbs all sent back stiff feedback.

His body could not ignore these rain curtains; his condition deteriorated further, even his body felt cold.

Cold, heavy, faintly as if icy, bone-piercing forces sought to seep through his skin into his flesh, taking root in his marrow.

Is this the Way of Wind and Rain?

Through firsthand experience, Mu Yi indeed learned much, yet there was no improvement; his condition kept worsening, his strength growing ever weaker.

Even the strength to resist thunderbolts seemed to be waning.

Yet Mu Yi gripped his Tiger Soul sword tighter.

A surging battle intent burned in his chest; for some reason, a fury welled up in his heart, and Mu Yi could not tell whether this anger came from himself, from Chi You, or from the indomitable bloodline of humanity.

His bloodline burned, a blaze unlike flame raging wildly within his body.

His blood boiled, his temperature rose, and on his already stout arms, veins stood out taut.

He knew he absolutely did not want to fall like this.

Even if his opponent were the legendary near-invincible ancient war god, it would be the same.

Battle!

His chest-full of anger erupted with a roar.

Mu Yi's form suddenly expanded countless times; the rain curtain that had just covered the sky now only washed over his shins.

Boom!

The Tiger Soul sword slashed without reserve, scattering a bloodthirsty light in the chaos.

Roar!

Sensing the threat, Ying Long extended his claws to clash with the Tiger Soul sword; at their point of contact, it seemed as if infinite power burst forth, only to vanish in the chaos.

A bloody scent emanated from the claws where they met the blade.

Ying Long was wounded!

Mu Yi's eyes burst with bright light; he could clearly see the dragon scales shattered beneath the blade, and the blood continually devoured by the Tiger Soul sword.

Roar!

Ying Long's pained cry rang out; the next moment, before Mu Yi could even rejoice in his feat, he saw a massive dragon tail hurtling toward him at visible speed.

Roar!

Beneath a roar filled with fury, wind and rain came rushing at him.

Boundless wind and rain seemed to block the sky, encircling Mu Yi.

The seemingly gentle rain curtain now felt as hard as steel, and the swiftly whirling winds scraped away great sparks from around Mu Yi.

Can fight!

Clear pain filled Mu Yi's whole body, but Mu Yi showed no trace of discouragement; instead, his spirits rose even higher.

Wings spread, he endured the wind and rain that spun like blades, and heavily slashed the Responding Dragon's body.

At the spot where the blade passed, a new slash mark appeared on the Responding Dragon's red-gold Dragon Scale.

Although the blade barely managed to chop the Dragon Scale and nick the flesh, it was already enough.

I can break the enemy's defense and withstand harm; why can't I fight them?

Fight! Fight! Fight!

One person and one dragon madly battled together in the chaotic void.

"Hahaha, exactly like this, exactly like this!" White Marsh laughed loudly.

"Today's affair is merely a rehearsal; Responding Dragon, get ready—your formidable foe will return."

The sound penetrated the chaos and fell into the Responding Dragon's ears.

"What?"

The Responding Dragon blinked for a moment, then was heavily smashed on the body by the Golden Hooped Staff, yet left not the slightest mark.

Everyone who witnessed this scene showed expressions of disbelief, only then realizing that the Responding Dragon far exceeded their imagination; even if it stood still and let them strike, it likely wouldn't suffer the slightest injury.

"Damn White Marsh!" the Responding Dragon said with a dark face, directly disrupting his plan.

If Sun Wukong and the others lost their will to fight, then his dedicated sparring would soon be meaningless.

With a cold snort, the Responding Dragon could only make the best of it, and wind, rain, lightning, and thunder instantly enveloped Sun Wukong and the others.

Using the threat of life and death to squeeze out their potential is likewise a method to promote growth.

But the Responding Dragon's heart was filled with immense shock; White Marsh had spoken this time with perfect clarity—could Chi You truly rise again from the Red Maple Forest?

Thinking thus, the Responding Dragon involuntarily turned his gaze toward Mu Yi; White Marsh wouldn't do something meaningless—could it be inseparably linked to this kid?

"Ah, forget it, let those bastards worry about it!" After pondering a moment, the Responding Dragon cast all these emotions behind him.

He himself wasn't an intellectual type; even if Chi You were resurrected, what of it? At worst, they'd just keep fighting.

Watching Mu Yi battle his avatar also indeed awakened his distant memory— that fervent, boiling battle, how unforgettable.