As soon as Ye Hao's voice fell, he gave Xie Yue no time to react. His figure suddenly surged forward like a towering mountain, pressing down upon him with unstoppable force.
That calm yet overwhelming aura seemed to freeze even the air around them, filling the space with a suffocating pressure that could not be escaped.
Diamond Mammoth Soul Masters were famed for their impenetrable defenses — but their strength was far from limited to that alone.
Unlike those power-type soul masters who focused solely on absorbing single-attribute soul rings, Diamond Mammoth Soul Masters placed great emphasis on diversity and balance when choosing their rings. Because of that, they excelled in both offense and defense.
As Ye Hao closed in on Xie Yue, the third soul ring on his body suddenly flared to life, radiating dazzling light.
With the surge of soul power, a pressure beyond description descended from above, crashing straight down upon Xie Yue.
This was Ye Hao's third soul skill — Crushing Suppression.
The skill's name alone carried dominance, and its effect was even more terrifying. Within moments, it could exert immense pressure on its target, both mentally and physically.
With Xie Yue's speed, he could have easily evaded before Ye Hao's soul skill fully took effect — but instead, he chose to face it head-on.
To Xie Yue, if this were a formal arena duel, Ye Hao's overwhelming pressure would likely envelop the entire stage. Evading would mean surrendering the initiative and losing any chance to counterattack — which, in turn, could only lead to defeat.
Thus, he chose to confront it directly.
He reasoned that when one attacks, their defense inevitably weakens — and if he could find even a small opening, he might be able to strike back.
Yet Xie Yue had still underestimated Ye Hao's strength.
That oppressive force wasn't merely the power of his third soul ring — it was infused with Ye Hao's soul power and spiritual force combined.
When the pressure truly descended upon him, Xie Yue felt as if he were being pinned down by an invisible mountain, his body locked in place.
He tried to move, to resist, but that invisible weight was simply too great — so heavy that for a brief moment, he couldn't even twitch a finger.
Hu Liena, watching anxiously from the side, clenched her fists tightly. Her expression was full of worry.
It was the first time she had ever seen her brother Xie Yue completely overpowered — unable to fight back.
Her eyes reflected confusion and concern, but also a spark of astonishment toward the man who had subdued her brother so decisively.
At that moment, Lin Zhendong's calm voice rang out.
"Alright, that's enough. This match is over."
Though the battle was still intense, Lin Zhendong's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly bringing everyone back to their senses.
Xie Yue had already expended much of his soul power in the earlier exchanges, and now that he was completely suppressed, continuing would only drain him further.
The outcome was clear — there was no suspense left.
Upon hearing Lin Zhendong's words, Ye Hao immediately withdrew his martial soul and soul rings. He had no intention of inflicting needless harm on an opponent who had already lost.
Xie Yue gasped as if awakening from a vivid nightmare, his forehead drenched in sweat and his face pale. Yet his gaze remained resolute.
He looked deeply at Ye Hao, then clasped his fists and bowed respectfully.
"Senior, your strength is truly remarkable. I concede."
Ye Hao quickly returned the salute, his tone humble.
"You honor me, young brother.
You fought admirably — to hold out for so long at the forty-first level, without knowing my martial soul or soul skills, is no small feat.
If this were a real battle, facing someone with your speed, I would have found it very difficult to deal with."
He wasn't merely being polite — Ye Hao knew well that his greatest advantages lay in his powerful defense and explosive bursts of strength. Yet his massive body also made speed his greatest weakness.
In an actual fight, if he faced an opponent as swift as Xie Yue, it would indeed be a tough match.
The only reason he had prevailed just now was that Xie Yue had chosen not to dodge — allowing Ye Hao's crushing power to take full effect.
Xie Yue nodded silently, saying nothing more, and returned to where Hu Liena and Yan were waiting.
Hu Liena immediately stepped forward, concern in her eyes.
"Brother, are you alright?"
"Don't worry. I'm fine — just spent a lot of soul power. A little rest and I'll recover.
It seems Teacher Lin didn't choose our opponents lightly. You two should stay alert."
"Mm."
Yan looked toward the two other Soul Kings waiting nearby, and a glint of understanding flashed in his eyes.
From the very first day of special training, Lin Zhendong clearly wanted the three of them to experience defeat — to ignite their fighting spirit and temper their minds.
This was more than just a sparring match.
It was a trial of heart and resolve.
Lin Zhendong's gaze then shifted toward Yan and Hu Liena.
"Next, it's your turn. Which of you will go first?"
"I'll go."
Without hesitation, Yan stepped forward, striding confidently into the center of the arena.
At the same time, a tall, slender soul master with sharp, penetrating eyes stepped gracefully into the field as well. Their gazes locked.
It was clear that Lin Zhendong had arranged this pairing in advance.
Without further delay, Yan announced loudly:
"Yan, forty-second level, assault-type battle soul master of the Fire attribute. Please advise."
"Feng Yizhi (OC), fifty-second level, assault-type battle soul king. Please advise."
The man's demeanor was refined and elegant — his appearance gentle, scholarly. It was hard to imagine that someone with such an aura could be an assault-type soul master.
But it was precisely such people who were the most dangerous — because you could never guess what martial soul or soul skills they possessed.
Once both sides were ready, Xie Yue and Hu Liena found themselves holding their breath in nervous anticipation.
Among the three of them, Yan was the strongest.
Though Hu Liena often acted indifferent toward him, she now sincerely hoped that Yan could win this fight.
It wasn't just about personal pride — it was about proving the strength of their entire team.
The duel began.
Both fighters released their martial souls and soul rings simultaneously.
Behind Yan, blazing flames rose into the air, coalescing into the shape of a massive fire spirit — like a divine guardian at his back.
Two yellow and two purple soul rings encircled him, glowing brilliantly.
When Feng Yizhi's martial soul and soul rings appeared, Xie Yue and Hu Liena froze in surprise.
He, too, bore the ideal configuration — two yellow, two purple, and one black.
And his martial soul was not a beast-type, but a tool-type — the Wind Sword.
They hadn't expected it. This seemingly refined, gentle man wielded such a unique martial soul.
The Wind Sword not only granted tremendous offensive power, but also bestowed the ability of flight.
He could ride his sword through the air, maneuvering freely across the battlefield — agile and unpredictable.
In essence, he wasn't merely an assault-type soul master; he embodied the traits of an agility-type as well.
Against such a versatile opponent — one who combined offense, defense, and speed — Yan's fiery attacks would find it hard to gain the upper hand.
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