Chapter 33: Put on a Show? I'll Make You Fly
In the stands—
The principal of Nuoding Academy and all the teachers abruptly shot to their feet, standing straight with shock in their eyes.
"This child's soul power actually broke through to thirty-eight?"
"Heavens!"
"His martial soul… it looks incredibly powerful now. Its aura is astonishing."
"I remember hearing his martial soul had defects and couldn't surpass rank thirty?"
As soon as these words came out, several people around them all turned their gazes to Yu Xiaogang, only to see Yu Xiaogang stumble and fall directly to the ground.
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible."
Yu Xiaogang's heart pounded violently. His eyes were wide with disbelief, as if he had just seen a ghost in broad daylight. Rage and jealousy twisted his expression.
"His martial soul mutated in a harmful way—exactly like my Luo Sanpao! How could he possibly break through to rank thirty? This is impossible!"
"I don't believe it. I don't believe it!"
The principal's expression darkened as he said in a low voice, "Xiaogang, calm down. The truth is right before you. What's impossible about it?"
But the teachers around them looked at Yu Xiaogang with pure disdain.
'You?'
'We spit on you.'
'What qualifications do you have to compare yourself to him? He trains every single day, putting in several times the effort of normal people. He doesn't waste time on flashy, pointless theories—his heart and mind are focused entirely on cultivation.'
'You, Yu Xiaogang? What qualifications do you have to compare yourself to him?'
'You're not even worth one hair on his head.'
Yu Xiaogang pushed himself back to his feet, eyes bloodshot as he glared at Su Yan and his martial soul, filled with endless anger and resentment.
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible."
"How could his martial soul surpass rank thirty?"
"How is this even possible!?"
"Damn it."
"This absolutely cannot be real."
"Tang San, attack with your full strength! Defeat him!"
"All of this is an illusion! Su Yan couldn't have broken rank thirty—much less reached rank thirty-eight!"
"You must defeat him!"
Yu Xiaogang was consumed by hatred.
Right now, only if Tang San defeats Su Yan could Yu Xiaogang salvage even a shred of dignity. Only then would everyone believe Su Yan was bluffing. Only then would people remember that he, Yu Xiaogang, was the "Grandmaster" whose disciple possessed unparalleled power.
At this moment—
Tang San was completely stunned.
"Su Yan broke through rank thirty?"
"Su Yan was actually a rank thirty-eight Soul Elder?"
How was that possible!?
No. Impossible.
The teacher said Su Yan's martial soul had defects. The teacher said he could never break through rank thirty. His innate soul power was so low…
Fake!
It must be fake!
Tang San gritted his teeth, staring at Su Yan with burning intensity.
'I must win!'
'I must defeat you in front of Xiao Wu—let her see that you are still nothing but a piece of trash.'
'Su Yan, I will defeat you.'
"First Soul Skill—Binding!"
"Second Soul Skill—Parasite!"
Tang San launched himself at Su Yan, unleashing both soul skills at once. He used Mysterious Jade Hand to ready his hidden weapons, and his footwork shifted into Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
At this moment—
Tang San was going all out. His strongest possible state. He wanted to win! Even if Yu Xiaogang hadn't urged him, he wanted to overpower Su Yan before Xiao Wu.
No matter what rank Su Yan's soul power was.
"Su Yan, be careful!"
"Tang San's footwork is terrifying!"
Xiao Wu couldn't help calling out in warning.
Her head was spinning. She played with the little monkey every day… yet she actually knew nothing about Su Yan and the monkey's true condition.
But—
Something felt wrong.
When did the little monkey mutate again?
No… that wasn't it. Something else felt off.
Xiao Wu scratched her head desperately, trying to figure out what was bothering her.
In truth, the issue was simple—Su Yan suddenly had an extra soul ring. If she just used a little more brain and connected the dots, she would instantly realize Su Yan was Su Yan.
"Third Soul Skill—Gathering Form and Dispersing Qi!"
The moment Su Yan spoke, everyone locked their eyes onto the stage, eager to see what his third soul skill looked like.
But—
They noticed Su Yan and his martial soul didn't move at all.
It was as if the soul skill had been used… yet not used.
"Where's the soul skill?"
"I don't know!?"
"Do you see anything happening?"
"It's a purple soul ring skill! It should've been strong enough to defeat Tang San instantly. Why is there no reaction after he uses it?"
Tang San had originally rushed toward Su Yan, but the moment he heard Su Yan call out his third soul skill, he instantly retreated, pushing his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to its absolute limit.
Full defense.
And then—
He ended up defending against nothing. Absolutely nothing happened!
"Damn it!"
"Are you trying to fool me!?"
Tang San suddenly realized—was Su Yan bluffing? Was he shouting out a soul skill just to scare him?
The surrounding spectators also suddenly understood.
Holy crap?
You're using military strategy tricks now?
But—
Just as everyone was about to speak—
Tang San flew.
The little monkey kept its promise: if Tang San dared to act cool again, it would make him fly.
And this time, Tang San really flew—high and far.
The crowd: "???"
Su Yan lifted a hand to shade his eyes, looking upward. (T/N: This scene reminds me of Home Run God Technique from God Hand Game)
"Tang San really did fly very damn high."
"Little monkey, little monkey…"
"I already told you—Tang San is still young. He can't take heavy hits. If you break him, we'll have to run for our lives afterward!"
The little monkey had already withdrawn its divine ability and hopped back onto Su Yan's shoulder, eyes full of disdain and contempt.
"Trash dares to act cool?"
"With one normal attack, I can send you to see your ancestors."
"No, wait."
The little monkey didn't even use full strength. Tang San collapsed the moment he was hit. And the monkey had only struck Tang San's butt—per Su Yan's instructions. Otherwise, one smack to the head would have split his skull.
Even though he used his third soul skill, the attack was basically just a normal swing. The third soul skill provided misdirection and invisibility, increasing its power, but the attack itself was just a regular hit.
The crowd was completely bewildered:
"What just happened?"
"Did Tang San throw the match?"
"Good thing this isn't the Soul Fighting Arena! Otherwise, Tang San would've bankrupted half the spectators!"
"No, seriously?"
"You idiots! You think Tang San can launch himself into the air like that? That smooth?"
"This…?"
In the stands—
The principal and teachers were all in total shock.
They also didn't know what happened; Tang San just flew directly.
Oh, right!
Su Yan's martial soul had appeared where Tang San originally stood. It must've been Su Yan's martial soul that struck him!
But—
Everyone was confused.
Su Yan's martial soul was a little monkey.
Even with an iron staff… could it really hit Tang San hard enough to send him flying that high?
And how did it appear beside Tang San so suddenly?
Everyone exchanged looks, faces full of utter confusion.
They don't know!
They really don't know!
Yu Xiaogang, meanwhile, was completely stupefied.
All of his hopes—his future reputation—everything he had invested in Tang San… was shattered in an instant.
Tang San flying inexplicably meant Yu Xiaogang was finished. From now on, wouldn't he be mocked even more? Looked down upon even more?
His situation was clearly the same as Su Yan's. Su Yan could become a genius…
But he himself remained trash.
No.
No!!!
The resentment in Yu Xiaogang's heart was enough to sustain an Evil Sword Immortal.
—
End of Chapter