A Dance in the Arena
As the battle began, Zhou Changxi activated his soul power without hesitation. A lifelike, brown-furred monkey materialized on his shoulder—his ten-year soul spirit. With his soul spirit bolstering him, he triggered his first soul skill and launched himself aggressively at Tang Wulin.
Though smaller in stature, Tang Wulin showed no fear. He met the charge head-on, throwing a solid, powerful punch. With a base strength of 500 kilograms, Tang Wulin was confident that, aside from the monstrous Yao Xuan, he wouldn't lose to any of his peers in raw power.
BAM!
To the surprise and pity of many classmates watching, Tang Wulin's fist collided with Zhou Changxi's. Contrary to expectations, the smaller Tang Wulin didn't budge an inch, while the larger Zhou Changxi was thrown back three stumbling steps, his face a mask of disbelief.
Instantly, the gazes directed at Tang Wulin shifted from pity to wary respect. Even Xie Xie's eyes glinted with newfound interest; it seemed Yao Xuan's friend wasn't just a sidekick. Seizing the momentum, Tang Wulin pressed his advantage, driving forward with a flurry of punches that swiftly overwhelmed Zhou Changxi, securing his victory.
"Tang Wulin wins. Next group," Wu Zhangkong announced coolly, his expression unreadable. Zhou Changxi slunk away from the arena, thoroughly humiliated.
Pair by pair, the students took their turns. Soon, it was Yao Xuan's turn. His opponent was Li Chushui, whose martial soul was a Black Cat and soul power was Level 12. Unsurprisingly, Yao Xuan defeated him with a single, controlled punch, earning himself a single, satisfying Golden Evolution Point from the system.
The next round commenced quickly. This time, Yao Xuan faced Han Lan, whose martial soul was of the Earth Element and soul power was Level 13. She was considered the strongest student in Class Five, aside from Yao Xuan and Xie Xie.
Of course, "strongest" was a relative term. Against Yao Xuan, she was utterly outmatched. He didn't even need to use a soul skill. Simply by invoking his Ancestral Dragon Possession, he easily shredded the stone prison she painstakingly erected with a single swipe of his claw, closing the distance in an instant and forcing her surrender.
After two rounds of combat, only five students remained: Yao Xuan, Xie Xie, Tang Wulin, and two others who had advanced by luck or minor skill.
After a five-minute break, the third round began. By coincidence, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin were pitted against the two remaining students, defeating them with little effort. This left only one student undefeated.
"Yao Xuan," Wu Zhangkong's voice cut through the air, his finger pointing unerringly. "Your opponent is me. Third round, third match: Yao Xuan versus Wu Zhangkong."
"Teacher Wu, isn't that a bit... inappropriate?" Though a thrill of anticipation ran through him, Yao Xuan voiced the logical objection.
"I find it perfectly appropriate," Wu Zhangkong replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Do not worry. I will not bully my student. I will restrict my soul power to Level 18 and only use my first soul skill. Furthermore, if you can withstand three moves from me, I will consider you the victor."
"Yes, Teacher Wu." Seeing the firm resolve in his teacher's eyes, Yao Xuan offered no further protest and strode confidently to the center of the arena.
"Now, begin!"
The moment the command was given, a brilliant blue light flashed in Wu Zhangkong's hand. Streams of soul power converged, materializing into a long, slender sword that shimmered with a faint, icy radiance. It was breathtakingly beautiful and exuded a chilling aura that promised a cutting cold. This was Wu Zhangkong's martial soul—the Heavenly Frost Sword.
"So cool!"
"Yeah!"
"What an amazing sword!"
"The aura is so powerful!"
"I wonder if Yao Xuan can block Teacher Wu's attack?"
A wave of excited chatter and envious murmurs rippled through the student body as they watched Wu Zhangkong summon his sword.
With the Frost Sword in hand, a palpable chill emanated from Wu Zhangkong. Simultaneously, his speed increased dramatically. He took a single, fluid step forward, the sword in his hand sweeping out in a cold, blue arc, carrying a wave of biting frost directly toward Yao Xuan's waist.
'So fast!' Yao Xuan inwardly marveled. Wu Zhangkong was, after all, a former prodigy of Shrek Academy. Even with his soul power suppressed and not fighting seriously, his combat prowess and technique were on a completely different level.
Though surprised, Yao Xuan's reactions were swift. He retreated while frantically channeling his own soul power. Compared to Wu Zhangkong's near-instantaneous summoning, Yao Xuan's process was noticeably slower. The nine-colored radiance only began to gather as Wu Changkong's sword was already mid-swing.
"Ancestral Dragon, Possess me!"
Yao Xuan's mental shout was silent, but the effect was immediate. The phantom of the Ancestral Dragon Martial Soul forming before him shot skywards before plunging down toward the crown of his head. At the same time, the chilling edge of the Heavenly Frost Sword was almost upon him.
"Ancestral Dragon Shattering Void Step!"
Seeing the imminent strike, Yao Xuan—still not fully possessed by his martial soul—relied on his innate power. He activated his qi and blood, triggering the spatial mobility of his bloodline ability. His body seemed to phase, deftly sidestepping the path of Wu Zhangkong's sword with an impossible grace.
"Oh?" A soft exclamation of surprise escaped Wu Zhangkong's lips, his eyes widening a fraction. He hadn't expected a mere Soul Master to possess such exquisite and profound footwork.
"He dodged it! Amazing!"
"Yeah! I couldn't even see the sword clearly, but he dodged it!"
"That's incredible!"
"I wish I were that strong!"
A fresh wave of astonished and admiring whispers rose from the students. Even Xie Xie looked on, secretly shocked. As an Agility System Soul Master with twin martial souls, he wasn't entirely confident he could have evaded that strike so cleanly. It seemed Yao Xuan's true strength was even greater than he had assumed!
While his classmates watched with envy, Yao Xuan was not satisfied. His control over his martial soul was far inferior to Wu Zhangkong's, allowing the teacher to launch a full attack before Yao Xuan's possession was even complete. In a real, life-or-death battle, that delay could be fatal.
As this thought crossed his mind, the Ancestral Dragon Martial Soul finally completed its descent, fully merging with Yao Xuan's body. A layer of faint, iridescent nine-colored scales shimmered into existence across his skin. His power and aura swelled dramatically, causing the very air around him to hum with energy.
Sensing Yao Xuan's sudden surge in power, another flicker of surprise crossed Wu Zhangkong's eyes. The aura Yao Xuan now radiated was comparable to that of a weaker Soul Master. Even among the elite students of the same level at Shrek Academy, this would be considered top-tier. And Yao Xuan had achieved this without any systematic training from a major institution. He was a genuine, undiscovered treasure.
A genuine surge of appreciation for this talent welled up within Wu Zhangkong. The ice in his gaze seemed to thaw, just for a moment, replaced by the keen interest of a master who had found a worthy pupil to hone.