An Understated Dominance

Before Jermaine could react, George grabbed his neck and lifted him with one hand as if picking up a chicken.

Jermaine’s breath hitched, and his face quickly turned red. He began to struggle frantically, kicking and flailing, but he still couldn’t break free.

George’s grip was like a steel clamp as he tightened it. “You’re ridiculously weak.” He shook his head and looked at Jermaine disdainfully.

Jermaine was so weak that he couldn’t even block one of his moves. The worst part was that George had only used a fraction of his strength.

George soon lost interest in tormenting such a weak opponent. After all, only strong opponents could stir his excitement.

He knew that killing strong foes was the only way he could intimidate the Dragonmarsh martial artists. But now he was disappointed to face such a weak opponent like Jermaine.

“Shadow Slip!” Faced with the crisis, Jermaine quickly formed a hand seal.

His body suddenly shrank, and he slipped out of George’s grasp like a boneless cat. He rolled on the ground to distance himself from George and panted heavily. His flushed face soon returned to normal.

“Oh?”

The sudden turn of events surprised George and brought a hint of curiosity to his eyes. He figured Jermaine wasn’t a weakling and might have some special techniques he hadn’t used yet.

“Giant, I must admit, you’re strong enough to force me to use Shadow Slip.

But this is where it ends.” Jermaine touched his sore neck, and a murderous look filled his eyes.

He continued, “Next, you’ll see the powerful secret method of the Soultech Union. This was meant for the final match, but I didn’t expect to use it on you now. It feels like overkill, but I have no other choice.”

Jermaine then took out a black pill and swallowed it. He clasped his hands together and recited an incantation.

Soon, a vague black shadow began to emerge from his body. This shadow, resembling swirling smoke, shifted and twisted until it finally took the form of a figure almost identical to him.

When the spectators saw that, they were horrified.

“Could this be the Soultech Union’s secret move, the Phantom Reaper technique?”

“Rumor has it that this technique is particularly unsettling and mysterious. It can bypass defenses and shields to attack a victim’s soul directly.

“If this technique strikes the victim with a weak soul, they could end up as an idiot or even die on the spot. It’s a technique that could kill without leaving a trace.”

“I heard that the Soultech Union’s Phantom Reaper technique was lost because it was difficult to master. Even the guildmaster couldn’t perform it. I can’t believe Jermaine has actually mastered it. It looks like the Soultech Union might make a strong comeback.”

The spectators murmured in astonishment as they watched the phantom hovering above Jermaine’s head.

The Soultech Union was among the top three forces in the martial world 200 years ago. This was primarily due to their guildmaster’s mastery of the Phantom Reaper technique.

Almost no one dared to challenge them. Regardless of their strength, anyone who opposed the guildmaster would die mysteriously, including many top- level fighters.

After the guildmaster’s death, the Soultech Union began to decline. The main reason was the difficulty of mastering the Phantom Reaper technique. It was so complex that a mistake could turn the practitioner into an idiot.

At present, Jermaine was the only one in the Soultech Union to successfully master it, which indicated that the Soultech Union might rise again.

“What is the Phantom Reaper technique? Is it really that powerful?” Alicia tilted her head, looking somewhat curious.

Grace explained, “The Phantom Reaper technique is a powerful soul cultivation method. It’s said to attack the victim’s soul directly and destroy their mind.

“Nothing can block it unless the victim’s soul is stronger than the caster’s. If the victim’s soul is weak, there’s no escape from death once the technique hits them.”

“That sounds terrifying.” Alicia’s eyes widened. The thought of a soul- targeting attack was chilling.

“How do you determine the strength of someone’s soul?” Aurora suddenly asked.

“It’s difficult to assess,” Grace replied, shaking her head.

She continued, “Techniques related to the soul are extremely difficult to master. They require exceptional talent and strong willpower.

“Without these, it’s easy to overtrain and lead to mental ruin. In the entire martial world, less than five people have mastered soul techniques.”

“If the Phantom Reaper technique is used, doesn’t that make the Soultech Union unbeatable?” Aurora asked, frowning.

“Not necessarily.” Grace shook her head.

She added, “Even though this technique is powerful, it has its weaknesses. First, the practitioner’s body becomes immobile while performing the technique. The technique can be disrupted if the opponent targets the practitioner’s body.

“Usually, practitioners avoid such risky moves because they’re too dangerous. Currently, Jermaine is desperate and has no choice but to take this risk.”

“I see.” Aurora nodded and felt relieved. If the Phantom Reaper technique were unbeatable, the Soultech Union could seriously threaten the Celestial Alliance.

“Go to hell, giant!” Jermaine suddenly shouted. He clasped his hands together and pointed with two fingers at George from a distance.

The phantom above him immediately lunged at George with a fierce, ghostly presence that exuded an intense coldness.