Xiao Yan looked at Cao Ying when she suddenly smiled. He naturally knew that the Ye clan would successfully retain its spot in the five great clans if he were to pull out now. However, the other party had already made such an offer. If he were to withdraw now, he would end up appearing weak. Moreover, Xiao Yan was also extremely interested in Cao Ying, who was called a potential successor of the great heads of the Pill Tower.

This was because he knew that Cao Ying would also participate in the Pill Gathering. At that time, she would definitely be a great opponent of his. If he could exchange blows with her here, he would be able to gauge her skill a little better. He would not end up being caught off guard at that time.

Of course, the fight between Spiritual Strengths was naturally unable to represent the strength of one’s alchemist abilities. However, being able to observe something and gain a rough estimation of the other party’s strength was helpful.

Due to the various reasons stated above, Xiao Yan would naturally not choose to voluntarily withdraw. Hence, he needed to receive Cao Ying’s provocation...

Xiao Yan slowly nodded after making up his mind in his heart. His eyes stared at Cao Ying as he said, “Miss Cao Ying, please!”

The smile on Cao Ying’s face became even more filled with temptation when she heard his reply. She covered her mouth and laughed in a lovely manner, “Mister Xiao Yan does indeed possess an extraordinary demeanor... however, if this is the case, this young lady shall reveal my incompetence...”

After her soft laugh slowly sounded, Cao Ying slowly extended her long-white hand. She immediately formed a strange hand seal. When this hand seal was formed, Xiao Yan abruptly discovered a vast, mighty Spiritual Strength was swiftly forming in her palm. He could vaguely see a partially visible handprint in that distorted space.

Xiao Yan’s eyes stared intently at the hand imprint of Cao Ying. He knit his brows slightly while feeling amazed in his heart. This hand seal was able to maneuver Spiritual Strength and agglomerate it into an attacking form. He could sense that the Spiritual Strength gathered on her palm was not weaker than the spiritual phoenix earlier. However, the might of the two... was very different!

In other words, this strange hand seal of Cao Ying possessed the unique ability to gather Spiritual Strength and strengthen it. This kind of effect was somewhat similar to... Dou Technique?

“The alchemists from ancient times were able to unleash the might of the Spiritual Strength to its limit, and they could even compare with the Dou Techniques of some experts. This kind of technique is called a Soul Skill by the alchemist from ancient times...” Cao Ying’s hand maintained that strange hand seal. She revealed a smile to Xiao Yan and softly said, “Currently most of the Soul Skills have already vanished. However, I am using a kind of Soul Skill that has yet to disappear. It should be quite strong. Be careful...”

“Soul Skill!”

Xiao Yan felt a chill in his heart when he heard her words. His eyes immediately became a little heated as he looked at the strange hand seal maintained in Cao Ying’s hands. He had heard Tian Huo zun-zhe mention these things before. However, the thing that caused him to feel a little uncertain was that the Soul Skill Tian Huo zun-zhe had mentioned were soul training methods. Compared with what Cao Ying was displaying... clearly this Soul Skill was a spiritual attacking method that could not be used for training.

“Could it be that Soul Skills are also divided into offensive and training types?”

Xiao Yan muttered in his heart. This kind of situation was likely one that could only be described if one explained it by categories. Even though this was the case, Xiao Yan still wanted the handprint soul skill of Cao Ying. After all, with this thing, the might of his Spiritual Strength would soar. This was another type of life preservation skill to him.

Soul Skills were just like Dou Techniques. If an expert who practiced Dou Qi did not have a Dou Technique, he would only be able to rely on the power of his Dou Qi to fight another. However, he would definitely be at a disadvantage if he fought with someone who possessed a Dou Technique. This was the situation Xiao Yan was currently facing. Cao Ying possessed a Soul Skill and was able to unleash her Spiritual Strength to its maximum. However, he could only rely on the might of his Spiritual Strength to block her. If this continued for long, Xiao Yan would naturally suffer a disadvantage.

Xiao Yan’s eyes studied Cao Ying’s strange hand seal. The way he looked at was as though he was planning to firmly remember it in his mind.

The corner of Cao Ying’s mouth was lifted slightly after appearing to have sensed Xiao Yan’s eyes. Immediately, her hand seals changed in a lightning-like manner, forming some illusory figures that caused one’s eyes to be dazzled. A cold cry was clearly emitted from her mouth.

“Mysterious Spiritual Palm Imprint!”

After the cry sounded, Cao Ying’s vast and mighty spiritual strength coagulated on her hand. A spiritual handprint that was similar to a palm rushed out as fast as lightning. It forcefully tore through space, forming a dark-black gap...

Although the spiritual handprint was invisible, this kind of unusual pressure caused even those people a great distance away to feel some difficulty breathing. Xiao Yan naturally did not dare to slight Cao Ying’s attack. His expression was solemn as a majestic Spiritual Strength surged from between his eyebrows. After which, it agglomerated into a large spiritual fist that ruthlessly struck the spiritual handprint.

“Bang!”

The large spiritual fist and the handprint collided with a bang. An invisible ripple of wind erupted from the point of the collision. A powerful wave rolled across the open ground below. The hard stone floor emitted a ‘bang’ as it cracked into fragments...

Xiao Yan’s body was shaken by that terrifying invisible force until he flew over a distance of ten steps when the two collided. Only then did he slowly stop. At this moment, he was less than a hundred feet from the red boundary line.

“Again!”

Xiao Yan had undoubtedly fell into a disadvantage with this first true exchange. However, his face did not reveal the slightest dispirited expression. On the other hand, he suddenly raised his head, stared at Cao Ying with hot eyes, and commanded her in a deep voice.

Surprise flashed across Cao Ying’s beautiful spring-water-like eyes when she saw that Xiao Yan had been pushed back a distance of around ten steps when receiving this palm imprint of hers. She clearly understood the might of this palm of hers. Even some tier 7 high grade alchemists would not have an easy time receiving it, yet Xiao Yan had managed...

“This fellow is really not a simple person... he might be a great opponent during this Pill Gathering, much like Dan Chen...”

Cao Ying’s eyes slightly flickered. The smile on her face became more alluring. She possessed a haughty character that desired to win. Her greatest desire was not to be invisible, but she truly wanted to meet some people who possessed the qualification to be her opponent. In the past, Dan Chen was one of them. However, that girl was usually well hidden by the Dan clan, afraid that some accident might happen to her. If not for big matters, she would not leave the Dan clan. This was why Cao Ying felt itchy-handed when she saw Xiao Yan...

Cao Ying gently inhaled a breath of air. Her voluminous chest rose in the process. Both of her hands were extended and each of them formed a unique hand seal. Immediately. Both of her hands appeared to be fighting each other as they changed with lightning-like speed.

Numerous incomparably majestic Spiritual Strengths began to linger between both of her palms after the change of the seal formed by her hands. An unusual spiritual pressure caused the faces of quite a number of those in the hall to slightly change. Although those seated were not ordinary people, they had seldom seen anyone who could use their Spiritual Strength to such an extent. After all, the training of Dou Qi was the mainstream method of this era. Something as mysterious as one’s soul was only strengthened with the strengthening of Dou Qi. Hence, they felt some disbelief in their hearts when they saw that Cao Ying was able to unleash her Spiritual Strength to such an extent.

Xiao Yan’s eyes were heated as he watched Cao Ying’s hand seals swiftly change. A wisp of jade-green flame slowly rose in both of his dark-black eyes as the spiritual pressure headed his way.

When the flame rose, Xiao Yan suddenly discovered that Cao Ying’s lightning fast hand seals had become extremely slow at this moment. The hand seals that an ordinary person would find baffling caused Xiao Yan to suddenly feel a kind of empowering understanding...

Xiao Yan’s spiritual control had reached a high level. This Soul Skill was a method to use the smallest amount of strength to unleash the greatest might. No one had explained it to Xiao Yan in the past. However, after Cao Ying had displayed this Soul Skill in front of him today, she seemed to have helped him open up a totally new world. The many times of confusion he felt in the past on how to display Spiritual Strength was suddenly resolved at this moment.

Xiao Yan had never lacked any treasure. What he had lacked was a key to open it...

“Bang!”

Cao Ying’s lightning-like hand seals suddenly stilled. At this moment, her hands were maintaining a kind of mysterious seal. An ordinary person would only feel completely confused when looking at it because this kind of seal was completely unrelated to the seals for a Dou Technique.

A gentle smile flashed across Cao Ying’s face after her hand seal was formed. Immediately, her left hand was suddenly pushed forward!

When the hand seal moved, a vast, mighty palmprint rushed out like a tiger that had descended from the mountains. A low, deep tiger roar resounded within the soul of everyone in the hall.

That invisible, majestic palm imprint was swiftly magnified in front of Xiao Yan’s eyes. His hair had also been blown until it drifted in the air. The ground in front of him, which had turned to pieces, began to emit cracking sounds as the pieces were shattered into dust...

“Roar!”

While the palm imprint was being magnified in Xiao Yan’s eyes, a low, deep roar suddenly erupted from Xiao Yan’s throat. He changed his fist to a palm and his fingers rapidly flashed. At the same time, he began to form a couple of seals in a somewhat unfamiliar manner.

The seals had just been formed when that vast, mighty palm suddenly arrived. It heavily struck Xiao Yan’s palm!

“Boom!”

An invisible ripple surged out like a wave. Xiao Yan’s seated body shot back, leaving behind a deep gully along the way.

“Boom!”

Xiao Yan’s fist violently smashed against the ground. It formed a ten-foot-deep pit before his body was stabilized. He slightly turned his head, only to see that there were only three meters or so until the red line.

Xiao Yan had once again received her attack in a miserable fashion. However, the searing heat within his eyes became more intense. He stared at Cao Ying and laughed, “Again!”

Cao Ying’s expression slightly changed. She inhaled a deep breath of air. Her right hand maintained a seal for a moment before it slowly changed. After which, a majestic palm that was a couple of times stronger than earlier appeared just like a storm. It carried a soul-stirring dragon roar, which resounded over the hall!

Xiao Yan suddenly widened his eyes when Cao Ying’s palmprint, accompanied by a spiritual storm, rushed away from her palm. His fist changed to a palm, and his palm into a seal!

When Xiao Yan’s extremely unfamiliar hand seal was unleashed, his vast, mighty Spiritual Strength began to swiftly agglomerate with a kind of special trajectory!

Cao Ying’s eyes suddenly narrowed when she saw Xiao Yan’s hand seal. A shocked expression appeared on her face for the first time!

This was because the unsmooth hand seal was the exact same hand seal she had unleashed earlier!