For as long as Yan could remember, he had maintained a certain habit in battle — he always let his opponents strike first.
This strategy allowed him to observe and analyze his enemies' attack patterns, waiting for an opening to exploit.
And this time, facing the twin brothers wielding massive black hammers, his approach remained the same.
The moment those black hammers appeared, Yan immediately discerned that both men were power-type spirit masters, each possessing formidable physical strength.
He knew very well that his partner, Huo Wu, was a control-type spirit master. While her abilities had their own advantages, she was not suited for a contest of raw strength.
Therefore, against two powerhouses like these, speed and precision were their only hope — they had to win fast. The longer the battle dragged on, the worse their chances became.
Worse yet, this was their first time fighting together. They were not familiar with each other's combat rhythms, and their coordination would inevitably lack harmony.
By contrast, the twin brothers not only shared the same martial spirit, but had also trained and fought side by side for years. Their attacks were nearly identical in form and timing, and their cooperation seamless — a perfect example of two minds moving as one.
From the very start, the Iron Hammer Brothers had unleashed their third spirit skill without reservation, clearly intending to end the fight quickly.
Seeing this, Yan didn't hesitate.
"Huo Wu! Defend, now!" he shouted.
"Got it!"
Huo Wu had been preparing to release her Flame Burst to counterattack, but upon hearing Yan's command, she immediately changed tactics.
Her third spirit ring flared to life as she released her defensive skill — Ring of Repelling Fire.
A dazzling ring of flame erupted from her body, expanding outward in a violent shockwave.
At almost the same instant, Yan's fourth spirit ring glowed brightly, as he activated his fourth spirit skill — Blazing Flame Slash.
The two forces met head-on with the brothers' incoming hammer strike.
"BOOM!"
A thunderous explosion rocked the arena.
A powerful shockwave blasted across the platform, sending all four combatants skidding backward. Each retreated more than ten steps before managing to steady themselves.
The arena had a fifty-meter diameter — had it been smaller, they would all have been thrown off entirely.
Huo Wu's heart pounded as she stared at the Iron Hammer Brothers in disbelief.
"Their strength… it's terrifying!"
She knew full well — if Yan hadn't intervened at that precise moment, her Ring of Repelling Fire alone wouldn't have been enough to withstand that devastating strike.
Her third spirit skill, Ring of Repelling Fire, had no offensive capability, but could push back all enemies within its area of effect.
The skill's effective range was a sixty-meter diameter and a height of three meters. Within that zone, as long as the enemy's spirit power didn't exceed her own by more than ten levels, all attacks and defenses would be temporarily negated and expelled.
Unfortunately, the Iron Hammer Brothers' spirit power was level forty-six — exactly ten levels higher than hers.
That meant her skill could weaken their attack, but not completely nullify it.
If not for Yan's timely counterattack with his powerful fourth skill, both of them would have been blasted clean off the stage.
"Huo Wu! Now — use Flame Burst!"
"Understood!"
Yan had no intention of giving their opponents a moment to breathe.
He knew that against such overwhelming strength, even a second's hesitation could spell defeat.
While the brothers were still recovering their footing, he decided to strike first and strike hard.
Those two brutes were far too dangerous — when they combined their power, the resulting energy was something even many Soul Sects couldn't withstand.
Yan's third spirit ring shone brilliantly as he unleashed his third spirit skill — Infernal Flame.
The Infernal Flame outward like a living beast, consuming the arena in an instant. Within moments, the entire platform was engulfed in a sea of roaring fire.
Almost simultaneously, Huo Wu's second spirit ring lit up. A surge of flames erupted from her body, expanding rapidly until it merged seamlessly with Yan's inferno.
The combined flames engulfed the entire arena in a blinding crimson glow.
The red firelight illuminated every face in the crowd. Even from the stands, the spectators could feel the waves of scorching heat washing over them.
Sweat drenched their foreheads. It felt as if they were standing inside a colossal furnace — and the temperature on stage was even more unbearable.
The Iron Hammer Brothers were trapped within the inferno, swinging their black hammers wildly in an attempt to drive back the flames.
But the fire seemed alive — it clung to them relentlessly, scorching their bodies.
Their skin flushed red under the intense heat, sweat pouring from them like rain.
Even with powerful spirit energy shielding their bodies, they felt the crushing pressure of the blazing firestorm, their spirit power draining rapidly.
"These flames… they're insane! Brother, we can't keep this up!"
"Then we use it — our ultimate move!"
"Right!"
"This strike must succeed — failure isn't an option!"
As they shouted, both men let out a guttural roar —
"Haaahhh!"
The sound echoed like a beast's bellow, reverberating across the arena.
The brothers clasped hands tightly, and began spinning rapidly in place — their massive black hammers whirling with them.
Within seconds, the area around them twisted into a three-meter-wide black vortex, and even the Hellfire couldn't approach it.
The audience gasped in shock.
"What are they doing!?"
"I've watched all their previous matches — they've never used this before. Is this… their ultimate skill?"
Even Huo Wu was stunned. She glanced at Yan, seeking an answer.
Yan's eyes narrowed. He suspected that the brothers were building up energy — preparing to unleash something extraordinary.
Without a moment's hesitation, Yan's first spirit ring lit up —
He activated his first spirit skill, Infernal Magma Surge.
A pillar of molten fire burst upward from the arena floor, striking straight toward the black vortex.
But then — something completely unexpected happened.
The magma hit an invisible barrier surrounding the vortex — and stopped cold.
It couldn't penetrate at all.
From the viewing area, Shui Bing'er — who had been watching the battle intently — gasped aloud.
"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"
Bing Lan turned to her in surprise.
"Bing'er, are you saying those two are performing a Martial Soul Fusion Skill? So they're… charging it right now?"
"That's right," Shui Bing'er nodded gravely. "Once a Martial Soul Fusion Skill is initiated, it can't be interrupted mid-process. That's why Yan's attack just now failed to stop them."
Shui Bing'er herself could perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill together with her teammate Xue Wu, so she immediately recognized the telltale signs of activation.
Bing Lan sighed softly.
"Those brothers share the same martial spirit. Even when they simply use the same skill together, their combined power can rival that of a Soul King. If they successfully complete a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the resulting power could reach that of a Soul Emperor.
If nothing unexpected happens… those two fire-attribute spirit masters are going to lose."
Watching the figure of
Yan amid the blazing inferno, Shui Bing'er suddenly felt her heart tighten. Her pulse quickened uncontrollably.
"Is he… really going to lose?"
PS: Access advance chapters at