Douluo Dalu 3: Legend of the White Fox

Xia Yi's first soul skill was incredibly powerful—one could even say it was defying the heavens. However, it was a healing-type soul skill.

As a transformed soul beast, every time Xia Yi generated a soul ring, he gained a soul skill corresponding to his abilities as a soul beast before transformation.

Before his transformation, Xia Yi was only a ten-year soul beast, and thus, he originally had no soul skills. However, after drinking Gu Yue's blood and evolving to grow a tail, he acquired his first soul skill—Star Shift and Stellar Rotation.

When he fully transformed and his first soul ring appeared, this skill was forcefully assigned to his first soul ring. However, Xia Yi still felt that the Star Shift and Stellar Rotation ability resided in his tail rather than in the soul ring. It seemed as though the soul ring merely served as a medium to release this skill.

At times, Xia Yi even doubted whether Star Shift and Stellar Rotation was truly a soul skill. Yet, for lack of a better way to describe it, he could only classify it as such.

The name "Star Shift and Stellar Rotation" had surfaced in Xia Yi's mind the moment his tail grew out. He instantly understood its ability: a healing skill that could transfer damage from one side of the body to the other. It was miraculous and practically heaven-defying. With sufficient soul power, this skill could even regenerate severed limbs.

Xia Yi had a feeling that as long as he kept evolving, growing more tails would grant him more abilities—skills as extraordinary as Star Shift and Stellar Rotation. He just didn't know whether the future skills would be combat-oriented.

With Star Shift and Stellar Rotation, Xia Yi could heal quickly. However, facing Na'er, who was a Grandmaster Soul Master, he refrained from using the skill because of its high soul power consumption.

"You're an auxiliary soul master? What a joke. Since when do foxes provide support? And which auxiliary soul master has your kind of strength and combat awareness?" Na'er sneered, clearly not buying into Xia Yi's claim.

"Believe it or not." Xia Yi's tone was icy, with no attempt to convince her otherwise.

"You dare use me for practice? Fine, I'll see how you'll fend me off when your soul power is exhausted!" Na'er's gaze turned colder as she realized Xia Yi had deliberately used her to test his limits. Her resolve to kill him only grew stronger.

"I admit, I used you to practice. Unlike Di Tian and Zi Ji, you genuinely want to kill me. Only you could help me understand my limits. But you've disappointed me," Xia Yi said calmly. "If not for my depleted soul power, even with your superior cultivation level, you wouldn't have defeated me. Your power as a Grandmaster Soul Master is nothing to me."

Xia Yi's gaze filled with disdain. "You're too weak."

"Good! Good! GOOD!" Na'er's face turned green with fury as she spat the words out, one after another. Though Xia Yi's words were true, the humiliation cut deeply. She was, after all, a fragment of the Dragon God, the ruler of all soul beasts. Yet here she was, mocked by a mere "ten-thousand-year-old transformed soul beast."

"Soul power exhausted, and you're still so arrogant? Let's see how you die!" Na'er's second soul ring lit up as she lunged forward with her Silver Dragon Spear, aiming directly at Xia Yi.

But Xia Yi stood his ground, making no effort to dodge. Instead, he cleared his throat and said calmly, "Kill me, and Tang Wulin will die too."

"What do you mean by that?" Na'er's spear stopped a mere foot from Xia Yi's chest.

"You attacked me at this specific moment. Do you think I wouldn't figure out your intentions?" Xia Yi's voice carried a hint of mockery.

"What did you mean when you said Wulin would die if you die?" Na'er pressed coldly.

"What do you think it means?" Xia Yi replied nonchalantly.

"You…" Na'er's face contorted in anger, her killing intent unabated. "I'll return to investigate this matter, but don't think you can escape death."

"Wait. Let me show you something," Xia Yi interrupted her retreat. He channeled the bit of soul power he'd recovered into a tiny sphere, which floated in the air before he clenched his fist, causing it to explode with a sharp burst of energy.

"What are you trying to prove?" Na'er asked, unimpressed. The trick was rudimentary—any soul master could do it.

Xia Yi smirked. "It's just a demonstration. That's the same method I used to leave a sliver of my soul power inside Tang Wulin. If you dare take another step out of this room, it will detonate."

Na'er's expression shifted, though she quickly regained her composure. "You're bluffing. Soul power can't linger long after leaving the body, and your level of cultivation makes remote detonation impossible."

Xia Yi saw through her hesitation but maintained his facade of confidence. "You think too highly of yourself and too little of us soul beasts. Do you think a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast would lack unique abilities? There are countless species of soul beasts with all kinds of talents."

"Why should I trust you?" Na'er demanded coldly.

"I never asked you to trust me," Xia Yi shrugged. "But I can sense a powerful presence healing Tang Wulin right now."

Suddenly, Xia Yi smacked his forehead theatrically. "Ah, my soul power inside his throat has been discovered! And now the one in his eyes too—how careless of me."

Na'er's expression faltered. Xia Yi couldn't have known about the Holy Spirit Douluo healing Tang Wulin unless he had indeed left soul power in his body.

Xia Yi smiled wickedly. "If you think I'm bluffing, go ahead and take the risk. But if it detonates, you'll be calling him 'sister' instead of 'brother.'"

"Don't!" Na'er shrieked as Xia Yi made a fist again.

"Kneel. Kowtow a hundred times and slap yourself a hundred times," Xia Yi ordered icily.

"You dare humiliate me? Do you know who I am?" Na'er's voice dripped with venomous rage.

"Of course I know. That's why I'm doing this. You, the supposed ruler of the Star Dou Forest, betray your kind for a human. Tell me, don't you deserve punishment?" Xia Yi's tone was sharp and merciless.

"Fine. But you'll regret this insult." Na'er's voice was filled with hatred as she begrudgingly obeyed, her face pale with humiliation and fury.

Inside, Xia Yi sighed. Though he didn't know Na'er's exact identity, her importance was evident from the reverence in Zi Ji's eyes when mentioning her.

In his heart, Xia Yi lamented, "A leader without conviction or intellect—why protect someone like this?"