Soul Land: Legend of Saint Seiya

Chapter 210: The First Prison – The Silent Courtroom

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Xiao Yu wielded the Nether King Sword, meeting the relentless charges of the Nethersea Flood Dragon head-on. Explosions echoed through the air with every collision, and the shockwaves rippled outward in wild bursts, making the entire realm tremble as though it might collapse.

Despite the flood dragon's immense size, towering over Xiao Yu many times over, it was losing in raw power. Every collision ended with the dragon forced to retreat, its body left scarred by the sharp edge of the Nether King Sword. Dozens of wounds crisscrossed its form, with blood pouring from each one. The massive initial gash inflicted by Xiao Yu's strike throbbed continuously, an agonizing reminder of its vulnerability.

Damn it! Is this truly the power of the Master of the Realm?

The Nethersea Flood Dragon realized that its defiance had left it no chance of forgiveness. There was only one path left—to kill the Master of the Realm.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

The dragon let out three deafening roars, unleashing three orbs of pitch-black energy. Strangely, these orbs weren't aimed at Xiao Yu but instead soared into the sky.

As the orbs ascended, they formed an equilateral triangle. A terrifying energy wave erupted from the triangle's center, creating a bottomless black hole. From this void, a black energy pillar over a meter in diameter burst forth, exuding immense destructive power. The beam locked onto Xiao Yu, targeting his chest as it descended with lethal precision.

The flood dragon's eyes revealed traces of exhaustion—this attack had consumed the majority of its power. If it failed, death would be its only fate.

"Is this your strongest attack?" Xiao Yu asked calmly, a trace of mockery in his voice.

Facing the fearsome strike imbued with overwhelming killing intent, Xiao Yu raised his right arm. Intense black light surged forth, spreading across his body before coalescing into a massive black energy pillar of his own. Within the void, the shadowy image of a dragon over a hundred meters long emerged, its presence radiating dominance.

100,000-year right arm soul bone skill: Nether Emperor's Furious Roar activated.

Boom!

A deafening explosion reverberated as Xiao Yu's energy pillar collided with the flood dragon's attack. The triangular formation in the sky shattered instantly, and the flood dragon's energy attack dissolved into fragments of light.

But Xiao Yu wasn't done. The Nether Emperor's Furious Roar, having torn through the flood dragon's attack, continued its ascent. As it rose higher, it exploded like a kaleidoscope, transforming into countless meteors that rained down mercilessly upon the Nethersea Flood Dragon.

Crack! Crack!

The sound of bones shattering echoed across the Acheron River, accompanied by the dragon's anguished screams.

"You… you weren't even using your full strength earlier!"

The Nethersea Flood Dragon collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, gasping for breath. Its wide eyes, filled with shock and disbelief, were locked onto Xiao Yu.

"Of course not," Xiao Yu replied, his tone calm and unhurried. A faint smile curved his lips as he spoke. "This fight was nothing more than a chance to refine my seventh soul skill. Surely, you didn't think my strength was limited to this? Let me tell you—even that last attack wasn't my strongest."

From the moment the dragon appeared, Xiao Yu had assessed its strength. It barely qualified as a 100,000-year soul beast. Moreover, it was a flood dragon, not a true dragon; its dragon bloodline was so diluted that, under equal circumstances, even a Sky Blue Bull Python would easily overpower it.

The prolonged battle wasn't due to the dragon's strength—it was entirely deliberate on Xiao Yu's part. He used the fight to integrate his soul skills with the Martial Soul True Body, gaining invaluable experience that would undoubtedly benefit his future breakthroughs.

The Nethersea Flood Dragon, unwilling to accept defeat, struggled to rise. But with most of its bones shattered, it could only stumble before collapsing again, raising clouds of dust.

"Farewell."

Xiao Yu decided to end its suffering. A strike of soul power erupted from his hand, and the flood dragon's massive body disintegrated in an instant, exploding into a mist of blood and energy. Amid the crimson fog, a red-and-black core rose into the air.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yu stored the core in his Ruyi Treasure Pouch. While the flood dragon's bloodline was unimpressive, the core could still produce a 100,000-year soul ring. If no better options appeared later, it could serve as his eighth soul ring—or the first soul ring for the Death Scythe.

Cores like this, formed only by unique creatures such as Cerberus or the Nethersea Flood Dragon, were rare. Lesser entities like headless knights, skeleton kings, or Nether River ferrymen lacked the ability to create them. Xiao Yu could only wonder what awaited him further ahead.

The prolonged battle wasn't due to the Nethersea Flood Dragon's strength but rather Xiao Yu's deliberate intention. He had used the fight to refine his seventh soul skill. Since Xiao Wu's sacrifice, Xiao Yu had been preoccupied with managing sect affairs and hadn't fully explored the potential of his Martial Soul True Body.

During the battle, Xiao Yu seamlessly integrated his soul skills with the Martial Soul True Body, gaining a profound and authentic understanding of its immense power. This experience would undoubtedly aid him in his future breakthroughs.

The Nethersea Flood Dragon, unwilling to accept defeat, struggled to rise again. However, with most of its bones shattered, it could only stagger before collapsing repeatedly, raising clouds of dust.

"Farewell."

Watching the pitifully struggling Nethersea Flood Dragon, Xiao Yu decided to end its suffering swiftly. A soul power attack erupted from his hand, and the dragon's massive body disintegrated instantly. Blood and soul energy filled the air as a red-and-black core ascended from the crimson mist.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yu secured the core in his Ruyi Treasure Pouch. While the dragon's bloodline wasn't particularly impressive, the core could still produce a 100,000-year soul ring. If no better option appeared later, it could become his eighth soul ring—or the first for the Death Scythe.

Cores like this were exclusive to unique creatures such as Cerberus or the Nethersea Flood Dragon. Lesser entities like headless knights, skeleton kings, or Nether River ferrymen couldn't produce them. What lay ahead was uncertain.

"Ferryman, we can leave now," Xiao Yu said, storing the core.

Huo Wu, understanding his meaning, raised her long leg and let the ferryman rise.

The Nether River Ferryman, who had been groveling in fear, finally stood up. Taking a few cautious steps forward, he knelt before Xiao Yu, bowing his head reverently. He knocked his head on the ground several times, showing absolute submission.

From the moment Xiao Yu unleashed his martial soul, the ferryman had recognized his identity. With the death of the Nethersea Flood Dragon, the original boss of the Acheron River, the realm's will had acknowledged Xiao Yu as the Master of the Realm. Naturally, this recognition extended to the ferryman, who now sought to curry favor with him.

Now fully subservient, the ferryman wore a grotesque yet servile smile as he guided Xiao Yu and his companions onto the boat.

"Lingling, Huo Wu, during the twenty days it will take to cross the river, focus entirely on your cultivation! Xue'er, you and I will alternate between guarding and training in shifts," Xiao Yu instructed.

After consulting the ferryman, Xiao Yu learned that crossing to the other side of the Nether River would take nearly twenty days. He immediately devised a plan: Huo Wu and Ye Lingling, being comparatively weaker, would focus entirely on cultivation, while he and Qian Renxue alternated between guarding and training.

Though the Nether Realm's rules dictated that the ferryman, as a servant of the Acheron River, would now revere Xiao Yu as the Master of the Realm—similar to the deathly shadows on the Yellow Springs Pass—Xiao Yu wasn't one to take risks.

The ferryman might seem trustworthy, but Xiao Yu remained cautious. With all four of them cultivating simultaneously, they would be entirely unguarded—a risk he wasn't willing to take.

Thus, twenty days of life aboard the boat passed in a routine of cultivation and vigilance.

When they finally reached the other side of the Nether River, the ferryman bowed deeply, his gaze full of reverence, as Xiao Yu and his companions disembarked and set off toward their next challenge.

Before long, they arrived at their destination:

The First Prison – The Silent Courtroom.

(Chapter Ends)

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