Chapter 53: I'll punch you so hard you throw up your stomach acid! Awesome!-Douluo Supremo: Só Sei Explodir Anéis, Mas Sou Puro Controle(Sob a árvore de cerejeira azulada)

"Oi, Little Wuque! Coming so early to spar today? I'm already getting impatient!"

"Oh yeah, I feel my whole body burning up with heat. I really want to experience another collision of flesh with you—heart-pounding and utterly addictive!"

"F*ck off, I came here first today! I've already booked with the front desk three days ago; today is my turn to have a fierce spar with Lord Wuque!"

Shortly after finishing lunch, the moment they approached the vicinity of the Great Soul Arena, a crowd of muscular men swarmed toward the trio. Each of them struck various posing routines while gazing with burning fervor at the man standing to Ning Tian's left.

Not only were they flexing their massive pectoral muscles, but some were even executing electric hip shakes. Truly, each of them possessed unique mastery, capable of astonishing all directions!

In response, Ning Wuque's eyes also shone brightly as he bared his two rows of large teeth and roared gruffly:

"Today I'm going to fight all afternoon! Everyone gets a turn, everyone gets to spar! I will definitely use my fists to batter your bodies and crush your souls with pure strength!"

"Awesome—that's it, it should be like this! Lord Wuque, we adore you! Only collisions between physical flesh can demonstrate the might of us beast-type martial soul masters!"

"What a mighty proclamation! What a robust tone! I already can't help wanting to unleash my martial soul and go a few rounds!"

"So true, it ought to be like this, it should naturally be so! I'm going to challenge Little Wuque to a training session without activating our martial souls."

"Phew, what an audaciously bold declaration!"

On the spot, Ning Tian and Wu Feng silently took a few steps back. They reached out to wipe non-existent cold sweat from their brows, looking at Ning Wuque with gazes that felt slightly estranged.

This... this isn't right, is it? Why did Wuque change so much after coming to the Soul Arena? What on earth are all these wild and untamed things they keep saying?!

"Could it be that he's trained his brain into stupidity?"

"Wuque's mental state is indeed a bit worrisome. It seems I'll have to invite a soul master with mental attributes to help him recuperate."

As the two young maidens spoke, they carried the snacks they had bought along the way and quietly headed to purchase tickets to enter the spectator stands.

Meanwhile, sensing their movements, Ning Wuque was escorted by the cluster of buff men into the Great Soul Arena.

These were his fan base—a bunch of fellows who loved engaging in bare-fisted brawls without using soul skills after their beast martial souls possessed them. Practically every single one of them was an upperclassman who had been beaten up by Ning Wuque's fists at least once.

It was precisely through sparring with them that Ning Wuque had managed to briefly and preliminarily comprehend his own version of "Reigning Over the World"—oh wait, it should probably be called "Enchanted Basic Attack" now.

After all, this was merely a technique, far from reaching the level where Ning Wuque could give it a dedicated name.

***

Soon, Ning Wuque's arrival naturally attracted a large crowd of spectators eager to watch. When he stepped onto the soul arena, every single seat in sight was practically filled.

Ahead of him, the first challenger officially took the stage.

"For the second soul duel of today, it's a match between fourth-year student Xia Zhi and first-year newcomer Ning Wuque! This is going to be another hearty and exhilarating battle of flesh against flesh!"

"Duel, begin!"

Accompanied by the referee's announcement, Xia Zhi, who was pitted against Ning Wuque, activated his martial soul, the Stone Armor Elephant. His entire figure instantly expanded to a height of two meters and twenty centimeters, making him look just like a mini-giant.

Simultaneously, a layer of rough elephant hide coated his skin, and with great strides, he charged straight toward Ning Wuque.

Ning Wuque showed no weakness either; without even activating his martial soul, he swung his fists and went straight to meet him man-to-man!

Dong—!

The fists from both sides collided fiercely, emitting a dull, thunderous roar. Following that was a no-defense, all-out offensive exchange of blows!

A punch to the left cheek, a punch to the head! A punch to the chest, a punch to the heart!

Neither of them had any intention of blocking or defending; they simply used their own fists to viciously assail each other's bodies!

Because Ning Wuque was wearing soul-guided training weights, Xia Zhi, who was already aware of this, continually targeted his limbs and face.

Ning Wuque was no less impressive; every single punch he threw accurately struck Xia Zhi's chest and face. In just over ten seconds of brief clashing, both of their faces had been beaten beyond recognition!

Awesome, immensely awesome!

"Hahaha, exhilarating! Let's fight!"

"My next punch is going to be serious. Watch me beat you until you vomit blood from your stomach!"

Raising his fist, Ning Wuque gathered his intense fighting spirit and his own willpower together. In that instant, the martial soul within his body achieved a certain resonance with him, absorbing this indestructible willpower he had generated.

Within a chaotic sea of consciousness, Ning Wuque's martial soul—the Dark Gold Terrorant—had its exoskeleton coated with his willpower, and then a resounding insect screech echoed both inside and out.

"Kaa~!"

"Martial soul possession!"

The moment he threw his punch, Ning Wuque completed the dual actions of soul possession and disengagement simultaneously. Through this instantaneous connection, he achieved a secondary attachment of willpower, coating his fist in a layer of resolve channeled directly by his martial soul!

Boom!

With a single strike, Xia Zhi—who took Ning Wuque's punch squarely to the chest—instantly buckled into a shrimp-like arch as if he had been rammed by an iron soul beast.

"Cough-ah—!"

Blood and gastric fluids were expelled together. His pupils rolled upward, and after casting a look of shock and pleasant surprise at Ning Wuque, he slowly collapsed backward.

Plop~

"The match is over! The winner is first-year newcomer Ning Wuque! Healing soul master, quick, healing soul master!"

The referee announced the victor of the soul duel while hurriedly urging the healing-type soul master on duty within the Great Soul Arena to treat Xia Zhi.

That punch from just now was no joke—just looking at it hurt!

"Ning Wuque! Ning Wuque! Ning Wuque!"

"That's it! Awesome! Overbearing! Mighty!"

In the stands, the cheers of the audience were endless! They cheered and applauded Ning Wuque for his brilliant punch just then!

At the same time, this scene caused the other challengers waiting in the lounge, who were also scheduled to spar with Ning Wuque, to wear expressions of delight. What kind of ultimate technique was this?

To be able to reduce Xia Zhi—who was at rank thirty-one with his martial soul activated—into a shrimp-like bow with a single strike... they simply had to experience it for themselves!

Soon, Ning Wuque stepped down to take an intermission, clutching his head which felt slightly dizzy.

The sheer power of that move just now had been immense, but correspondingly, it also consumed a portion of his mental energy. If he went all out, given his current strength, thirty or forty punches at most would probably be his limit before he couldn't sustain it anymore.

This was the result of these past ten or so days.

He had completed a simple energy conversion, mastering through his martial soul the technique of forcibly imbuing physical attacks with his own willpower and spiritual power.

However, unlike the mental oppressive feeling of "Reigning Over the World," his punches carried zero spiritual impact; it was a completely pure, secondary enhancement of strength and hardness! This was perhaps related to his own inherent willpower.

Regardless, he finally had an additional method of outputting damage; he was no longer limited to monotonous, various basic attacks.

He now had a heavy strike!

"Those wanting to challenge, line up! One by one!"

Returning to the lounge and looking at that group of muscular men with shining eyes, Ning Wuque intended to take advantage of this opportunity to thoroughly practice and refine it.

Sandbags willing to be beaten like this didn't come around often.