Chapter Thirty-Nine: Eight-Dragon Sound Slayer (Part One)

Old Master Wang was right—only by knowing both yourself and your enemy can you be invincible in a hundred battles.

It was already deep into the night, yet Jiang Feng had no intention of sleeping. His mastery over the Xuantian Soul Technique had not reached a state of seamless fluency, and as for the Eight Dragon Sonic Annihilation, he only knew the incantation but had never truly wielded it. He had no choice but to burn the midnight oil, practicing alone in the silent darkness.

After all, his body had already been tempered through countless trials. A sleepless night would not affect him in the slightest.

Every spell within the Xuantian Soul Technique possessed devastating power, and out of caution, Jiang Feng chose to experiment within his own sea of consciousness.

“Soul force unites, gathers and condenses into sound; eight dragons transform, syllables are reborn!” Sixteen simple words. They seemed profound and unfathomable, but for a talent like Jiang Feng, it was child’s play. His mentor, the Elder of Destiny, had once said these sixteen words were essentially teaching one how to channel power, how to shape the sound, and how to infuse soul force into the syllables—a straightforward and easily grasped method.

Sure enough, as soon as he recited the incantation, eight-tailed True Dragons abruptly manifested in his not-so-vast sea of consciousness. They exuded an ancient, dignified aura—far more sacred and noble than the three-tailed True Dragons he had seen in Old Master Wang’s spell during the day.

Now this was what a dragon should be!

However, pronouncing the Eight Dragon Sonic Annihilation was extremely taxing on the throat. Not only did it require tremendous physical stamina, but also an exquisite control over the throat’s muscles to execute properly.

Practicing within his consciousness mitigated much of the strain, and before long, he had mastered the intricacies of the sound. Body and spirit worked in perfect harmony—coupled with his mastery of the Twenty-Five Forms of Shadow Dance Soul-Stepping, he could now perform the Eight Dragon Sonic Annihilation with accuracy and ease. Focus the spirit, arch the body, feet tracing arcs, limbs swaying, fingers curled into claws, lower abdomen rising and falling, lungs rumbling like thunder, breath surging through nose and chest—at any moment, he could unleash the technique!

This stance was like a humanoid True Dragon, its form and spirit both awe-inspiring.

The might of the eight True Dragons grew steadily, reaching a peak before emitting a series of rapid, thunderous, and resonant dragon roars—then, at last, subsiding.

Jiang Feng gazed with satisfaction at the eight True Dragons rampaging through his sea of consciousness, feeling an unprecedented surge of vitality. He could not help but look forward to tomorrow’s match with growing anticipation.

After a long wait, the competition finally arrived as scheduled.

Naturally, Jiang Feng’s fiancée, Wang Yingying, was by his side. Now that he understood the latent bond between them, his attitude toward her had changed considerably. After much inner conflict, just before entering the arena, he seized her delicate hand and led her inside.

“Wow, did you see that? Last time they didn’t seem so close, but now…”

“Ha! Don’t you know? The head of the Wang family has already promised Miss Wang Yingying to Young Master Jiang Feng. After the finals, they’ll surely choose an auspicious day for their wedding!”

“So that’s how it is. They truly are a perfect match—handsome and beautiful.”

“Who could say otherwise?”

Amid such lively chatter, the dense crowd unconsciously made way for Jiang Feng and Wang Yingying. Every face shone with goodwill and blessings, almost giving Jiang Feng the illusion that he was here for a wedding, not a competition.

“Silence! All of you, shut up!” A cold voice rang out from the stage. Instantly, the crowd fell silent, glancing around nervously, fearing their voices might be overheard.

Jiang Feng snapped out of his reverie and looked up. On the stage stood a strikingly handsome young man, dressed in luxurious attire that bespoke considerable wealth. What startled Jiang Feng most, however, was the soul artifact in his hand—it was a top-grade, purple-hued soul artifact!

“That’s Li Chen,” Wang Yingying whispered in his ear. “He’s at the fifth stage of Soul Mastery—a formidable opponent.”

She spoke softly, her breath gentle against his ear—every detail was noted by Li Chen, whose jealousy flared instantly. Brandishing his soul artifact, he shouted menacingly, “You, get up here! Let’s see if I don’t tear you to pieces!”

Jiang Feng let out a cold laugh, leapt onto the stage, and took a careful measure of Li Chen. Aside from the impressive soul artifact, his expensive clothes were all for show—Jiang Feng sneered, “Which spoiled young lord is this, trying to put on airs here? There’s a saying you might need to hear—”

“What?” Li Chen blurted out reflexively.

“Don’t act tough, or you’ll get struck by lightning!” Jiang Feng barely suppressed his laughter, raised his middle finger, and gave a mocking gesture.

The audience was stunned for a moment, then erupted into boisterous laughter. In this small place like Wang Family Village, a Soul Master like Li Chen was considered the undisputed leader among the younger generation—no one had ever dared defy him before.

Yet Jiang Feng, newly arrived, had already pulled off several rousing feats—and now this!

It had been ages since someone so entertaining appeared!

The crowd’s spirits soared as they chanted in unison, “Don’t act tough, or you’ll get struck by lightning!”

The spectacle was truly magnificent.

Li Chen’s face turned a livid shade, almost matching a pig’s liver. He laughed in his rage, bellowing, “Fine, you can talk. Let’s see if you can handle my staff!”

The soul artifact he wielded was an ancient-looking wooden staff, carved with three lifelike True Dragons. It exuded a commanding aura, and as he swung it, his power seemed to multiply. The audience quieted, all eyes fixed on Li Chen as he lunged at Jiang Feng.

Wang Yingying clutched her sleeve, tension etched on her face. In her eyes, it was almost impossible for Jiang Feng to evade the blow.

But Jiang Feng showed no fear. His focus sharpened to a razor’s edge. Just as the True Dragon staff was about to strike, he suddenly shifted his weight, bent his legs in an unusual arc, and spun on the spot like an axle—his entire body flashed aside, dodging the attack with ease.

“Hm?” Li Chen had thought his blow surpassed even the speed of sound. There were few young men in Wang Family Village capable of dodging it—yet this fellow had done so effortlessly!

“Young Master Feng, mighty as ever!”

“Young Master Feng, unstoppable!”

The crowd roared again. If his words had won them over before, now it was his astounding skill that had thoroughly convinced them.

A smile played at the corner of Wang Yingying’s lips, her anxiety finally easing.

“Hmph, it was but a minor slip—no need to make a fuss. Truly, a crowd of simpletons!” Li Chen sneered, then poured power into his staff. A faint light shone forth, enveloping the entire arena and quieting the excited audience once more.

“Watch this—Summon the Three Dragons!”

Li Chen stood proudly, his whole being radiating an overwhelming presence. As a fifth-stage Soul Master, he was the most formidable opponent Jiang Feng had faced yet. This move instantly shifted the momentum of the battle.

With a roar that mingled the howling wind and the sound of air being rent apart, three-tailed True Dragons materialized above the arena. Their presence was even more ferocious and arrogant than the three dragons Old Master Wang had shown Jiang Feng.

“Let’s see you dodge this!” Li Chen laughed wildly. His cheering squad, briefly subdued by the crowd, seized the chance to shout, “Go, Young Master Chen! Beat Jiang Feng without mercy!”

The originally intimidating trio of dragons now seemed almost comical under these chants.

Jiang Feng struggled not to laugh. He had never seen such a ridiculous young lord—bringing a cheering squad to a match! His playful side emerged, and he called out, unfazed by the three raging dragons overhead, “You really are a character. That chant’s not bad—quite creative.”

Even a fool could hear the sarcasm in his words.

Yet the cheering squad, oblivious, straightened with pride and shouted louder, “Young Master Chen is number one, all the other contestants are done!”

Jiang Feng finally couldn’t keep a straight face, bursting into laughter.

“Shut up, all of you!” Li Chen, not expecting his usually sharp-tongued supporters to act so foolishly, was furious. He pointed his staff imperiously. “Three Dragons, lash your tails!”

The three True Dragons swung their tails in unison. Gales and thunderbolts swept across the arena, nearly tearing it apart. Thunder roared in every ear—some Soul Martial practitioners had their eardrums pierced, blood streaming from their ears in a gruesome sight.

Jiang Feng stood calmly on the stage, letting the thunder wash over him. His body had been tempered to an inhuman degree—even if his cultivation was not as high as Li Chen’s, his physical strength was monstrous.

After watching for a moment, Jiang Feng gathered all his soul force into his throat, bent slightly, and in an instant, a torrent of piercing, sacred, boundless, and destructive syllables erupted from his throat, meridians, and pores—like a volcano exploding, like thousands of people screaming, like countless beasts roaring together.

Eight Dragon Sonic Annihilation—unleashed in full force!

A tempest arose, and eight dragons appeared. One could clearly see a dense wave of sound gathering rapidly around Jiang Feng, expanding outward in concentric circles. From within those circles, eight colossal dragons emerged simultaneously.

Each was vivid and lifelike, sacred and majestic. Their eyes brimmed with pride, their claws crackled with lightning, and the silvery, imposing scales on their tails were too dazzling to behold.

In the presence of these dragons, Li Chen’s three were instantly diminished, as if nothing more than cheap imitations.

“Wow, now that’s what I call a dragon!” Amid the rising cheers, Wang Yingying gazed at Jiang Feng’s proud figure, her cheeks unconsciously flushed a rosy red.

In an instant, eternity unfolded.