Chapter 57: Flawless?
Si Min was a girl with a cold, composed face. Even after defeating the upper-class student, she showed no hint of joy, instead stepping aside to focus on meditation. It was clear from this that she was an extremely pragmatic person.
Ten minutes later, as the referee teacher called them, Shi Nuo and Lu Xian stepped onto the arena. Both had reasons they couldn't afford to lose, so any probing or testing of the other seemed unnecessary.
From watching Shi Nuo previously, it was evident that he possessed terrifying defensive capabilities, with his only offensive move being the overwhelmingly powerful Great Horn.
Lu Xian had no confidence in surviving that attack unscathed, so his key to victory lay in forcing the duel into his own rhythm before Shi Nuo could unleash the Great Horn.
Whether he could break Shi Nuo's defense was a question for later. First, he had to close the distance, leaving no room for the Golden Bull to charge.
As the teacher's signal marked the start of the match, Lu Xian immediately entered Martial Soul possession and moved side to side, steadily closing the gap between them.
Shi Nuo, from beginning to end, remained with arms crossed, his gaze locked on his opponent's left-and-right movements.
He knew exactly what Lu Xian was thinking. In this situation, the Great Horn risked being wasted, and he also wanted to test whether Lu Xian, with his incredibly strong defense, could break through his guard.
"Iaido Barrier."
Knowing his opponent's next move, he simply unleashed his defense and waited.
Countless fists, faster than lightning, formed an invisible barrier in front of Shi Nuo. To outsiders, he remained arms crossed, completely motionless.
Meanwhile, Lu Xian had maneuvered to Shi Nuo's front. His first and second soul rings glowed simultaneously. Transforming into a high-speed spinning drill, he also added an attack power enhancement to his form.
A strange scene unfolded again: the razor-sharp drill, upon reaching Shi Nuo, automatically slid aside. Lu Xian's heart sank to the bottom.
But giving up easily was out of the question. So many classmates were watching—the upper-class student's reputation was on the line.
The drill twisted and lunged again toward Shi Nuo, but no matter how hard he tried, his attacks were repeatedly deflected by this bizarre defensive technique.
After several tens of minutes, Lu Xian, exhausted from continuous soul skill attacks, was filled with frustration in his eyes.
Yet no matter how unwilling he was to accept it, he could not deny that his attacks did not affect Shi Nuo. In the end, he had no choice but to raise his hand in surrender, descending from the arena in dejection.
"Shi Nuo wins. Ten minutes later, Fourth-Year Shi Nuo will face Fifth-Year Si Min."
Cheers erupted from the Fourth-Year Elite Class students around Lin Beiya. Regardless of Shi Nuo's ultimate outcome, history had been made: the Grand Competition champion had slipped from the hands of the sixth-year seniors.
Facing the students' cheers, Shi Nuo returned to Lin Beiya's side. With only the final battle remaining, a rare smile appeared on his face.
"Beiya, I'll win."
"Mm. Watch your soul power consumption and don't waste skills. Your opponent is smart and won't give you a direct head-on opportunity."
"Got it, I understand."
After a brief ten-minute meditation, Shi Nuo once again stepped onto the arena at the teacher's call.
Facing the cold, composed girl, Shi Nuo felt no disturbance in his heart. Whoever stood before him, he had no reason to lose.
"Please take care of me, Senior."
"Likewise. Please take care of me, Junior."
With the teacher's command, the true final battle began. Si Min immediately activated her Martial Soul, regaining complete air superiority.
She had observed Shi Nuo's earlier match and knew that ordinary physical attacks would not harm him.
While she lacked ranged soul attacks, this didn't mean she had no chance. On the contrary, she already had a strategy in mind to contend with Shi Nuo.
Unlike the cautious approach she had taken against Lu Xian, Si Min surprised everyone by launching the first attack against Shi Nuo, spreading her wings and diving straight downward.
Seeing everything clearly, Shi Nuo immediately activated his Iaido Barrier, ready to deflect any physical attacks with his fist-generated winds.
But in the next moment, a flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes—and every teacher and student present realized Si Min's strategy.
Like lightning, the Dark Crow suddenly reversed its direction midair, flying back toward the sky. Shi Nuo, prepared to counter her dive, found his defensive technique aimed at empty air.
"A war of attrition?"
At that instant, Shi Nuo understood her plan. She was counting on his Iaido Barrier to drain his soul power and stamina, intending to drag him into a consuming battle.
Yet he did not panic. Quietly closing his eyes, he relied on years of training his senses, which allowed him to fight effectively without vision. For a high-speed opponent like Si Min, relying on sight alone was ineffective. Tracking her movements with his other senses was far more reliable.
Si Min, confident that he could not counter her attrition tactics, launched another dive at Shi Nuo.
To her surprise, Shi Nuo did not raise his Iaido Barrier this time.
"Does he not fear my attack?"
In an instant, Si Min adjusted her strategy. Since he wasn't defending, she would turn her feint into a true strike.
Circling behind Shi Nuo, the Night Crow's sharp claws slashed toward his back.
Yet Shi Nuo, detecting even the slightest disturbance from her movements, successfully tracked her trajectory.
The first soul ring, "Rock Defense," activated. Around his Taurus Gold Cloth, a pale blue-gray halo of energy shimmered continuously.
"Clang."
Si Min's attack struck as if hitting a solid rock, producing only a crisp sound. Not a single mark appeared on Shi Nuo's body.
The strike missed. Si Min ascended again, planning to revise her strategy. But as an agile offensive Soul Master facing an opponent she could not breach, her options were extremely limited.
A moment later, a faint smile curved Shi Nuo's lips as he addressed the empty air:
"Give up, Senior. My Rock Defense consumes very little energy. Without moving, I can maintain it for nearly three hours."
"..."
Si Min pursed her lips midair. She knew he was telling the truth. The situation was exactly as he said: attrition and feints would no longer work.
Yet, even faced with this, she could not completely surrender. As an orphan, the Grand Competition rewards were extremely valuable to her. She still wanted to fight with all her strength.
The Dark Crow dove once more, claws repeatedly striking at Shi Nuo's back.
"Clang! Clang! Clang! …"
The sound rang continuously, and the entire audience felt pity for Si Min. To them, this was a desperate struggle by someone who had lost all options.
Even Shi Nuo, defending against her attacks, appeared to think so.
Only Lin Beiya in the crowd saw the truth clearly: this woman had not truly given up on victory. Was she blindly draining her soul in reckless attacks? Far from it.
Though Si Min's assault appeared chaotic, every strike was meticulously aimed at the same spot—Shi Nuo's lower back.
"Constant dripping wears through stone… she's breaking him down spot by spot. Her adaptability is truly impressive."
Lin Beiya's senses, sharper than Shi Nuo's, detected details his friend could not. Shi Nuo's defense, seemingly impenetrable, had already been pierced at a small point. It was now a test of whether Shi Nuo could withstand the potentially fatal strike.
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End of Chapter