Triple Overlay – Soul Impact
The teachers supervising the match outside the arena were, of course, not just standing there to watch. Seeing the situation unfold, one of them immediately took action. However, perhaps because he was careless, or because he hadn't fought in a long time and was somewhat out of practice, or maybe simply to highlight the power of the fusion soul skill, this dignified six-ring Soul Emperor actually rushed into the battlefield without activating his martial soul.
As a result, despite his high soul power level, under the influence of Xiao Xiao's fusion soul skill, the outcome was predictable,if nothing unexpected happened, the examiner would end up in an embarrassing and injured state.
However, on the viewing platform, Xuanzi slowly rose to his feet and intervened. It was one of the rare occasions this honorary Grand Elder of the Holy Spirit Church personally stepped in,a rare moment of brilliance for him.
The golden light blade Wang Dong had unleashed seemed to be caught by an invisible force in midair and was drawn straight into Xuanzi's greasy hand. Then, with a sound like a balloon popping, the light blade was crushed into nothing.
Afterward, Xuanzi didn't linger. He turned and left the platform, with Wang Yan hurrying after him.
Seeing this, the examiner ignored the trembling Xie Huanyue, who was drenched in cold sweat, as well as the Luo brothers, who stood frozen on the spot, unsure whether they should continue fighting or not.
The examiner announced directly, "I declare that Wang Dong's team wins and advances."
The battle had ended so quickly that some teachers in the audience hadn't even realized what had happened.
In just a few dozen seconds, a powerful team led by a Soul Elder had been utterly defeated. The entire arena fell into a heavy silence.
Huo Yuhao patted Wang Dong's shoulder, whose face was pale, and said to her and Xiao Xiao, "Let's go. Get off the stage, rest up, and recover your soul power and stamina."
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao both nodded weakly. Supported by Huo Yuhao, they left the stage.
"Looks like that went pretty well. At least you still have some energy left," Huo Yuhao said as if it were only natural.
"Tch, easy for you to say!" Wang Dong grumbled. "My soul power is almost completely drained. That guy was just a Soul Elder. He had a thousand-year soul ring, and so do I. If we had gone all out, I wouldn't have lost to him!"
"The lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit," Huo Yuhao replied calmly. "As for that fusion skill, whether it's your trump card or something you want to keep hidden doesn't matter. In the face of absolute power, keeping secrets is meaningless. True combat isn't about fussing over minor wins or losses. A correct overall strategy is what leads to real victory in the end."
"If we fought a drawn-out battle against a defense-type Soul Elder, even if we won, we'd be exhausted. It's better to end things quickly before they're ready. The art of battle lies in playing to your strengths and avoiding your weaknesses."
Wang Dong groaned. "Enough, enough! Huo Yuhao, stop preaching! During the fight, I'll listen to you, but spare me the lectures about tactics and strategy. I don't get any of that."
Huo Yuhao shook his head helplessly. After three months together, he knew Wang Dong's temperament well,honest and straightforward at best, stubborn and slow-witted at worst. She'd use her brain sometimes, but never for long.
Xiao Xiao, on the other hand, found Huo Yuhao's understanding of strategy and tactics fascinating.
"Not fixating on small gains or losses but focusing on overall strategy…" she murmured to herself, thinking of her second martial soul and how recklessly she had wanted to attach a soul ring to it. She realized that if she had done it merely to gain temporary strength, it would have come at the cost of her long-term potential. No wonder Huo Yuhao had warned her.
Huo Yuhao's ideas began subtly changing how Xiao Xiao saw combat,she became more efficient, perhaps even more ruthless. After all, only the victor has the right to speak; the defeated have no voice.
The principles Huo Yuhao spoke of were simple truths in his original world, but in this world of Spirit Masters,where critical thinking was rare,they were revolutionary.
The influence he would bring would spread from Shrek Academy and gradually ripple across the entire continent.
After two more easy wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals, the final match finally arrived.
On Sea God Island, beside the lake, Wang Yan still stood respectfully beside Xuanzi, who was gnawing on a chicken leg as he commented on the earlier match.
"Interesting," Xuanzi said. "That Wang Dong might be the team's leader, but the real commander is that boy with the main body martial soul."
"The battle ended too quickly… or maybe that boy is simply very bold. To have both his main fighters go all out from the start,either he's reckless and didn't think of the risk of failure, or he's completely confident in his judgment and control over the fight."
"He didn't show anything exceptional this time, but I heard about what happened yesterday. I believe that boy is the second type,confident and calculating."
"In any case, this year's students are quite promising. Some good seedlings indeed."
After swallowing the last bite, Xuanzi stood up, wiped his greasy hands on his clothes, patted Wang Yan on the shoulder, and said, "Let's keep these three as potential candidates for now. We'll see if they can make it to the end."
Wang Yan nodded respectfully. "Understood, Elder Xuan. I'll take my leave now."
Xuanzi waved his hand dismissively and swaggered away toward the Sea God Pavilion.
The next afternoon, the remaining matches had all concluded. The last battle would determine the champions,and Huo Yuhao's team would face Dai Huabin's.
Recalling the deep hatred he had felt earlier that morning during the drawing of lots, Huo Yuhao's expression remained calm, but he silently promised himself, "Don't worry. Since I've taken your place, I'll repay every bit of your hatred twice over. Everyone will get their share."
That had been his decision from the moment he gained Huo Yuhao's memories.
The young Huo Yuhao of this world had not yet been twisted by Tang San's manipulation into a puppet. The bitterness and rage in those inherited memories resonated deeply with the soul that now occupied his body.
If it had been his own mother who was killed, he, too, would have sought vengeance without hesitation.
Now that he had both the ability and the motive, he would not hesitate to help the original Huo Yuhao fulfill his vengeance.
And as far as Huo Yuhao was concerned, Dai Huabin and the others were nothing special. Even the combination of the Evil-Eyed White Tiger and the Netherworld Cat wasn't particularly impressive on the grand scale of the Douluo Continent.
"Both sides, step forward and introduce yourselves," the examiner ordered.
Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao faced Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie in the center of the field.
Dai Huabin's gaze was full of arrogance and cold indifference,born from his pride. In his eyes, none of his peers were worthy opponents.
Feeling that gaze, the original Huo Yuhao's body seemed to seethe with anger, but the transmigrator remained calm. Having lived as an adult before, he would not let emotions cloud his judgment.
Hatred alone couldn't win battles or exact vengeance.
After both sides introduced themselves and the rules were reiterated, they returned to their positions at the edges of the field.
On the way, Huo Yuhao told Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, "Leave that girl, Cui Yajie, to you two. Don't let her interfere with me. Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu are mine."
"Huh?" Wang Dong stared at him in disbelief. Only when she saw that he was completely serious did she nod. "Fine, but be careful. Once we take care of Cui Yajie, we'll come help you."
When both sides were in position, the arena fell silent. All the teachers focused their attention on the match,including Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo.
The day before, Qian Duoduo had privately told Yan Shaozhe that he wanted to recruit Huo Yuhao into the Soul Tool Department.
Yan Shaozhe hadn't agreed immediately. In his opinion, while Huo Yuhao showed some talent for command, his soul power was still too low,a bit of a waste of potential. But since Qian Duoduo wanted him, Shaozhe wouldn't hand him over easily; he'd make sure to squeeze the "iron rooster" for as much benefit as possible first.
However, if Huo Yuhao's team won the championship or if he showed exceptional talent, that would be another matter entirely.
At the examiner's signal, the final match began.
Both Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin charged toward each other. The final arena was far larger than in the previous rounds, so even those with ranged attacks had to close the distance before acting.
For low-level soul masters, combat was still mainly close or mid-range.
As Huo Yuhao activated his martial soul, he also drew on a portion of the spiritual power of the Skydream Iceworm within him.
Since the Skydream Iceworm's spiritual power flowed through his body, Huo Yuhao could channel a small amount of it as a medium.
Even a fraction of that power was immense for a seventeenth-level soul master. Still, he didn't use it directly for offense.
The Iceworm's spiritual signature was distinct from his own, so he used it merely to shield himself.
That protection was necessary for what he was about to attempt,something he had specially prepared for this match.
To face this fight, Huo Yuhao had installed a newly calibrated dual-skill fusion circuit the day before.
His soul power circuit, once designed for acceleration and load capacity, had been replaced with a dual overlay designed to amplify his Spiritual Impact technique.
These circuits ran through his head, passing his brain and eyes,something only possible because of the Skydream Iceworm's fine control. Without that precision, the design could never have been implemented.
The effect was remarkable. Instead of actively triggering his soul skill, the circuit amplified his existing Spiritual Impact like a focusing lens.
It gathered and compressed the otherwise scattered energy of the attack into a sharp spear or heavy hammer of condensed force,turning what was once diffuse spiritual pressure into a devastating focused strike.
With the amplification of these twin circuits, Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Impact doubled in power,an astonishing feat for a low-level soul master.
The cost, however, was spiritual backlash. But with the Skydream Iceworm sharing part of the burden, the damage was reduced to an acceptable level.
Through his Eye of Truth, Huo Yuhao measured the shrinking distance between himself and Dai Huabin's team.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao reached them first, though they hadn't yet engaged in close combat.
Closer… ten steps… five steps… three… one.
Now!
As Dai Huabin entered the range of his Spiritual Impact, Huo Yuhao acted.
A nearly tangible wave of spiritual force shot from his Eye of Truth, piercing forward. Even with the training of the Purple Demon Eye, his eyes suffered slight damage from the force.
Fortunately, the soul power within him immediately began to heal the minor injuries, leaving no trace behind.
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