All of a sudden, the Wolf King let out a thunderous roar, spinning in place like a whirling cyan top. As it spun, its claws released sharp blades of wind.
The surrounding Wolf Bandits imitated its actions, each starting to spin and unleash a barrage of wind blades towards Xu Yang. In an instant, the sky was filled with countless wind blades, so densely packed that there was no room to dodge.
"You beasts, today is your last day," Xu Yang growled, his eyes flashing with fierce killing intent. He took a deep breath, channeling his Sun Soul Power to its limit. A radiant golden aura enveloped him, and a shimmering crimson-gold armguard appeared on his right arm, while his eyes transformed into brilliant Sun Gold Eyes.
Golden True Sun Fire ignited around him, forming a towering pillar of fire that completely engulfed him.
The temperature of the entire valley soared dramatically. Trees and wood caught fire throughout the area, with the temperature around Xu Yang skyrocketing past three thousand degrees, and the surrounding air currents surged violently.
Before the wind blades could get close to Xu Yang, the rising air currents swept them upwards, sending them harmlessly into the sky. None of them could touch Xu Yang—not even the Wolf King's attacks. Furthermore, the rising heat and air currents dissipated the swirling cyan streams that surrounded the Wolf Bandits as they spun.
As the cyan streams around the Wolf King faded, Xu Yang seized the moment, leaping towards his enemy.
Seeing this, the Wolf King halted its spin and lunged with its Soul Power-imbued claws at the blazing Sun Blade in Xu Yang's hand.
Chih! The two forces collided midair—the Sacred Sun Blade clashing against the Wolf King's claws. The moment the wolf claws made contact with the Sacred Blade, the True Sun Fire ignited the Soul Power-layered claws, crackling and hissing like boiling water.
In mere moments, the Wolf King's claws were reduced to charred remnants.
Awwooo! The Wolf King stumbled backward, clutching its burnt claws and howling in agony. The intense pain immobilized it completely. Xu Yang stomped powerfully in midair, erupting with Soul Power from his feet. Explosive sounds rippled through the air, and despite lacking any footing, he surged forward as if running on solid ground.
Secret Technique – Sky Ladder.
After acquiring his fourth Soul Skill, Sun God Light, Xu Yang gained deep insight into explosive bursts of Soul Power. By controlling his power precisely, he created this secret technique, though it was still imperfect. In midair, he could only move a step or two, but on the ground, it allowed him to match the speed of an agility-type Soul Master.
That was more than enough to handle the Wolf King.
Xu Yang's figure flashed like lightning, slashing the Wolf King's throat with the Sacred Sun Blade. The Sun True Fire engulfed the Wolf King entirely.
With a thunderous crash, the Wolf King fell to the ground. Witnessing their leader's death, the remaining Wolf Bandits scattered in terror. But Xu Yang wouldn't let them escape. Utilizing the Sky Ladder technique, he darted through the battlefield, swiftly exterminating every last bandit.
"Huff... huff…" Xu Yang stood, breathing heavily, and silently reflected on the battle.
Though not particularly difficult, this fight reminded him to break free from rigid thinking and abandon his old mindset. But changing ingrained habits would take time and conscious effort.
"Well done, kid. Another practical secret skill. This will allow you to fight in midair without constantly relying on the Seven Kill Sword for leverage—what a genius idea."
Chen Xin's eyes were filled with astonishment as he recalled Xu Yang's nimble maneuvers during the battle. While Soul Masters could fly upon reaching the Soul Saint level, most—except for flying-type Soul Masters—preferred ground combat or areas where they could find solid footing. Only by doing so could they fully unleash the strength of their legs and maximize combat potential.
Chen Xin channeled his Soul Power to his feet, imitating Xu Yang's technique, and began shifting positions in midair.
In no time, he was moving through the air just like Xu Yang, creating shockwaves with every step, even executing the technique better than Xu Yang. He could sustain continuous movement in the air using this method.
After mastering the technique, Chen Xin descended slowly into the valley. With a wave of his sword finger, a beam of sword energy swept across the entire valley, extinguishing the blazing fire and preventing a wildfire.
Once everything was handled, Chen Xin landed in front of Xu Yang. Without offering praise or critique, he simply smiled and said, "Come on! It's time for our next training!"
Xu Yang nodded, fully aware of his own shortcomings, and followed Chen Xin without needing a reminder.
From then on, he continued training as before. Every month or two, Chen Xin would select opponents for Xu Yang to face in life-and-death combat. These adversaries included Wolf Bandits, Fallen, Soul Beasts, and even other Soul Masters.
Each time, Chen Xin pushed Xu Yang to his limits, forcing him to fight with everything he had to survive, often leaving him bruised and bloodied. Thankfully, Xu Yang's healing technique became more refined, leaving his body free of scars, and he retained his striking appearance.
This harsh training continued for two years. Together, they journeyed from north to south, and from west to east, encountering every kind of extreme environment—except for icefields and deserts. Xu Yang's mind and spirit were profoundly tempered. The shadow of his past life no longer influenced his combat, and he could now unleash his full potential without hesitation.
In one pivotal battle, he even comprehended the profound Blade Intent. With a single slash, it was as if a great sun descended from the sky, burning away all evil and bringing light to the world. This Blade Intent wasn't just a means of attack; it signified his elevation to a higher realm. He could now maintain inner tranquility, unwavering conviction, and absolute trust in his own decisions.
His mental power grew immensely, reaching the level of a Titled Douluo. Within his spiritual sea, a brilliant sun now hovered, radiating the power of light, dispelling inner demons, and leaving his mind clear and undistracted.
His Soul Power also reached level fifty under intense pressure, becoming extraordinarily pure. It now coursed through his body like molten mercury, constantly refining and strengthening his physique.
At this point, Xu Yang's cultivation journey approached its final phase. He and Chen Xin were now headed for the wastelands of the far western region of the Star Luo Empire, the only desert area on the entire Douluo Continent. Although the province was vast, it had very few inhabited areas.