A Clash of Souls

Rose stopped in front of the seven mid Intermediate Awaken cultivators, chest puffed out, hands on her hips, chin stuck up, and an evil smile on her face. "You guys shouldn't be this lazy when your friends are fighting for their lives. You should have charged forward instead of waiting for me to come, shame on you."

The ridicule in Rose's tone set ablaze the rage in the seven cultivators' hearts, but they didn't abandon their rationality and attack. Since Rose's companions were that powerful, the seven didn't doubt that she as the party leader was equally dangerous.

Ral Bal signaled with his gaze at a bald human to use his Awakened Skill on Rose. In response, the bald human immediately let out a concentrated somniferous gas from his mouth.

Rose snorted coldly upon Ral Bal's signal and the obvious actions of the bald human, she had no idea what kind of gas that cultivator was releasing, and still she wasn't even a bit afraid of it. Her Awakened Skill allowed her to control the smell, which, in essence, was the product of certain mix of substances carried by the wind reaching the chemical sensors of one's nose. So, when she used her Awakened Skill to conceal her smell, she was basically manipulating chemical substances! Of course, her control was very limited in strength since it was meant only to conceal smells and flavors.

Moments later, the bald human revealed a shocked expression. "Impossible! My somniferous gas has been completely stopped before it could reach her! For a Wind Element Awakened Skill user to be able to do this, it must be at least at the Full Awaken Stage!" He then turned to look in disbelief at Thorn who was only at the Intermediate Awaken stage.

It must be known that for a Wind Element Awakened Skill user to be able to control all kinds of gases; that is to say, to have control over every matter related to one's Awakened Skill; the user had to first reach the Full Awaken stage.

Of course, Special Awakened Skill users not always follow this rule; for example, Rose.

*Pow!!*

With a loud reverberation, Rose's punch slammed into the distracted cultivator's face! The strike was so powerful it broke that human's neck!

*Pun!*

His body fell, dead.

"I stopped your attack." Rose said, evidently annoyed by the bald human's disrespect. He had dared to look elsewhere when his enemy was her, even though she had been right in front of him!

*Gasp*… *Gasp*… *Gasp*…

Clear gasps of astonishment could be heard coming from the remaining six cultivators. They now knew that they shouldn't let her close in on them.

All of them retreated backward while Ral Bal dragged the corpse of his comrade.

"Someone, give him medicine!" Ral Bal shouted as he set up an earth wall between them and Rose.

A male shadow human quickly took out a bottle with medicine and started to treat the bald human's heavy injuries. Based on the speed of the healing, it was evident that it would take several minutes to repair that broken neck. It wasn't certain whether or not the bald human's soul would last long enough for his body to recover.

At that moment, Rose looked down at her broken, bloody fist and frowned. (It doesn't matter how amazing my martial arts are, my body still can't handle them.)

Suddenly, that fist began to heal itself, and, in the blink of an eye, it returned to its best condition!

Rose's eyes unconsciously turned toward Thorn who was being madly attacked by the three knights, a faint smile then appeared on her face.

Around this time, Arnold Alch was pulling out his hair in frustration, without knowing what to do but knowing that he had to do something! (They are monsters! I can't even start to understand the real strength of their souls!)

In the end, Arnold Alch gritted his teeth and, casting his enraged stare at Rose's eyes, activated his Awakened Skill. (I should be at least strong enough to defeat her!)

At that moment, Rose's vision turned dark.

Thorn abruptly opened his eyes. (Damn it! Arnold has invaded Rose's soul!) Worry could be seen in the depths of his violet eyes. (My understanding on souls is still too shallow. I can't help her. If I forcibly interfere, I may put her in greater danger…)

*Sigh*…

A helpless sigh escaped out of him, and he once again closed his eyes. (I'm sorry, Rose. You'll have to overcome this on your own.)

By now, the darkness had already vanished from Rose's line of sight. Rose's soul had appeared within a white marble room. In front of her was Arnold Alch, looking at her coldly.

"Rose, why are you risking your life working as a mercenary? Shouldn't you be within the safety of the walls of your castle?" He asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

Feeling like her chest were being tightened by the bizarre situation she was in, she answered: "I got expelled from my family." Her own words greatly surprised her. Unexpectedly, she couldn't lie right now.

Since that was the case, she tried to discover whether or not Arnold Alch was in the same situation. "How does your Awakened Skill work?" She probed.

He stayed silent for a moment; and abruptly dashed toward her, showing a fierce expression.

Rose immediately understood Arnold Alch's physical strength and took a defensive stance, a sense of foreboding welling up inside of her.

*Pow!*

His punch bumped on her forearms and, just as Rose had expected, she was sent flying backward.

The exchange caused Arnold Alch to sigh in relief. (Her bones are soft. My soul is much stronger than hers.) He then followed up with a second dash.

Rose's heart began to pound harder. (The damage is different! My soul has been directly hurt. There is no further doubt now, if I lose this soul fight, I'll die.)

Making a whistling sound, Arnold Alch's fist tore through the air as it headed toward Rose's face.

This time, Rose used her footwork to dodge the attack.

Her counterattack was swift, her fist struck his stomach with all her strength and martial knowledge.

*Thud*

After this soft sound echoed out, her pupils fiercely contracted. Her attack had just now made her feel terrible pain throughout her entire arm, but it didn't hurt him at all!

With a vicious look in his eyes, he used a reverse kick to hit her back, sending her flying tens of meters off to the side.

Spiting blood, her vision turning blurry, she heavily landed on the solid floor. (Damn it! His soul is too tough! Will I die today…?) Despair started to grow in her heart.

As she tried to get up, he closed in on her in an instant, and mercilessly kicked her head.

While she spun in the air, losing blood and feeling like her head might explode at any moment, her thoughts raced in search of a way to survive.

Her martial arts weren't strong enough. Her Awakened Skill won't help her in this fight. She couldn't rely on zenanium armaments in this place. And worst of all, her soul had finally reached the limit of what it could endure, a single attack more and it would be shattered.

Just when she was about to hit the floor once again and her mind was about to be swallowed by an abyss of hopelessness, sparks of enlightenment suddenly shone within her eyes.

Without hesitation, she skillful landed on her feet. Firmly standing, she revealed a defiant smile! "Come closer, little boy, I just got a gift for you."

Although there was blood oozing out of her mouth when she weakly said that, Arnold Alch shivered in foreboding facing the menacing expression on her face.

Seeing his reaction, she actually praised: "Good instincts!" After which, she fearlessly dashed toward him.

Initially, Arnold Alch stepped backward, heart pounding in uneasiness. But in the end, he gnashed his teeth and leaped forward, his fists firmly clenched at chest height.

Without warning, Rose's arms turned crimson, as though burning magma. They then punched at Arnold Alch at almost 10 000 times per second!

He felt like ten fists were slamming into his body at the same time, every instant!

Arnold Alch flew far away, his body a total bloody mess.

*Pant* *pant* *pant*…

Rose's breathing was ragged and loud, her face showing a very unsightly expression. She was the only one who could understand what kind of absurd pain was biting her soul right now.

What she had just done was an extreme outburst of her martial art, a theoretical move that couldn't be unleashed under any circumstance by a real body of flesh. After all, the real cells couldn't be ordered to burn their energy in such a complex and through way.

It was just now that she had, under extreme pressure, discovered that her soul body's cells could be actually controlled to such an extent.

Gradually, her bright crimson arms became dull and black, and eventually turned to dust.

As they dusted away, what remained of Arnold Alch's body finally hit the floor. The only intact part left of his face was a single eye, everything else was broken beyond recognition. His four limbs and most of his internal organs weren't with him anymore, they now laid scattered across the floor.

Still, to Rose's surprise, Arnold Alch didn't seem resigned. That eye of his kept on staring at her, refusing to lose its light.

(Amazing… his desire to live is almost as immense as Thorn's…) Although admiration toward his unyieldingness grew in her heart, the thought of sparing his life never made its way into her mind.

She immediately walked in his direction, a merciless and cold light flashing through her eyes.

Without wasting any more time, she lift up her right foot and smashed Arnold Alch's head with it.

*Punn!*

Blood sprayed out as that single bright eye of his dimmed a little.

Of course, Rose wasn't done yet. She continued with a powerful second stamp, then with a third, a fourth, a fifth…

Anyone looking at this scene would naturally feel dread and think that Rose was just too brutal. Such thought couldn't be more right. She had always deemed herself as someone extremely cruel and cold, an unfixable villainess.

It didn't take long for Arnold Alch's eye to lose all its light, his soul now silent and lifeless. But she didn't put her guard down and continued with her relentless assaults. That fearsome were people like Arnold Alch, people who had such a strong desire to live.

Her foot only stopped when Arnold Alch's head was no more than a puddle of blood and gore.