The reasons Xu Nianshuang quickly gained popularity were, on one hand, her formidable strength, and on the other, her outstanding looks. At this moment, what entered everyone's sight was a handsome face. Xu Tianyang stood there like a sun, with sunlight falling all around him, giving people a warm feeling.
"He's so handsome!"
"This little brother looks a bit unfamiliar. Which grade is he from?"
"If this handsome junior pursued me, should I say yes?"
Fantasy time! People on the Douluo Continent matured early, with fathers as young as eleven or twelve being common. Spirit Masters, due to absorbing spirit rings, matured even earlier than ordinary people. Xu Tianyang, nearly nine years old, was already close to 1.6 meters tall, looking like a sunny teenager, attracting a large group of infatuated fangirls.
Pairs of fervent gazes constantly shifted between Xu Tianyang and Xu Nianshuang. Some people, enjoying the spectacle, shouted for them to come on stage and fight. Eventually, it even escalated into a unified chant:
"On stage! On stage! On stage!"
"Fight him! Fight him! Fight him!"
Looking at Xu Nianshuang's gaze, which was full of fighting spirit, Xu Tianyang chuckled softly, "Xu Tianyang, a Level 25 Battle Spirit Master!"
His voice seemed to carry a special penetrating power, cutting through the waves of sound from the audience. Seeing this, everyone paused slightly. This level of spirit power control alone was not something ordinary students could achieve, which greatly increased the audience's interest.
He walked through a path cleared for him by the audience and slowly ascended the stage.
"Ten consecutive battles, you've expended a lot," Xu Tianyang said with a smile. "Once you've recovered to your peak state, I will fight you."
"Alright!"
Xu Nianshuang did not refuse. She sat down cross-legged on the spot to meditate. She wanted to use her best state to show Xu Tianyang the results of her current strength.
Time passed bit by bit. The long wait was tedious and boring. Just as the audience was starting to get sleepy, Xu Nianshuang finally finished her meditation.
When she reopened her eyes, her gaze seemed to have undergone a strange change, losing some of its sharp edge and gaining a calm, water-like quality she hadn't possessed before.
Her entire aura also became more subdued.
Seeing this, Xu Tianyang, at some unknown point, produced a Level 3 Soul Guidance longsword. This was the first Level 3 spirit tool he had crafted.
"Thump!" Xu Tianyang took a small half-step forward with his left foot. The moment his foot landed, it produced a dull thud.
A terrifyingly sharp aura erupted from Xu Nianshuang's body, as if it wanted to tear the entire world apart. A strong wind swept in, causing their clothes to flap loudly.
The two stared at each other. In the void, two lightning-like streaks of intertwined light seemed to appear between them.
Using her foot to push off the ground, Xu Nianshuang transformed into a sliding streak of light. Her speed was so fast that it could only be described as instantaneous. The burst of speed in that moment was unmatched even by agility-type Spirit Masters of the same level.
Xu Nianshuang was fast, but Xu Tianyang was even faster.
Gripping his sword with both hands, he swept it horizontally. This seemingly simple movement, when performed by Xu Tianyang, felt as heavy as Qian Jun. His entire motion was like moving through viscous liquid, yet there was no pause, executed in one fluid go!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The aftershocks of their clashing sword intent spread out like a rippling circle. As the circle whistled past, the audience's vision inexplicably blurred for a moment, as if they had momentarily stepped out of the world's frequency.
The two longswords collided dozens of times in a short instant. Their speed was so great that most of the audience could only see afterimages. However, the sharp aura permeating the surroundings sent chills down the spines of the onlookers.
Are these really Spirit Grandmasters? Are they sure they're not Soul Sects?
"Bang!"
"Crack!"
With another collision, dense, spiderweb-like cracks slowly spread across the longsword in Xu Nianshuang's hand. With a crisp sound, the Level 2 Soul Guidance longsword in Xu Nianshuang's hand finally couldn't withstand the pressure, shattering into fragments that scattered with the wind.
"This..." Xu Nianshuang blinked, at a loss.
With her longsword destroyed, Xu Nianshuang instantly froze in place. The onlookers also had their brains crash, and the lively atmosphere that had just risen abruptly ceased.
Was the Ice Frost Goddess Xu Nianshuang, the academy's rising genius, about to 'fall' today?
"Don't be sad, junior sister. Senior brother here has plenty of spirit tools." In the audience, many male students, seeing Xu Nianshuang's 'broken' expression, immediately felt pity and began to plot how to take advantage of the situation.
"This sword was made for you by Fatty, right? A spirit tool made from ordinary materials. It seems it can no longer adapt to your future cultivation. Let's leave it at that for today. In a few days, I will personally make a spirit tool for you."
Xu Tianyang also looked at the suddenly halted battle with surprise. He walked to Xu Nianshuang's side and slowly spoke.
Through their brief exchange, he already knew the extent of Xu Nianshuang's current strength. With her sharp sword intent, and if she had a suitable Level 3 spirit tool, she would be capable of dominating the Soul Elder realm.
In a short burst, she could even reach the attack power of a Soul Sect.
In the recent battle, Xu Tianyang still utilized his usual advantage: no exquisite swordsmanship, only pure numerical suppression.
"Okay." Seeing this, Xu Nianshuang could only put away her fighting spirit and nodded at Xu Tianyang.
"When did you get back?"
"Just arrived in Ming City last night. Came to find you first thing this morning."
"Hehe, I'm already Level 24! Don't let me catch up to you!"
"Hahaha, if you want to catch up to me, you'll have to work twice as hard."
The battle ended anticlimactically. The two left the arena hand-in-hand, as if no one else was around, chatting as they walked, leaving behind a bewildered crowd.
After a while, the surrounding students finally reacted, and a chorus of heartbroken sounds erupted—the sounds of broken hearts.
"Zui Hongchen and Huang Xiuwen broke through Level 20 a few days ago. The teacher took them out to acquire their second spirit ring and they haven't returned yet. Once they're back, they'll also be promoted to the intermediate academy."
"The ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow had a great effect. I even feel that the strength of my ice element Spirit has improved further."
"When Aunt Yu learned of my choice, she didn't stop me. Instead, she had Uncle Feng specifically teach me swordsmanship. With the progress I've made during this time, I feel I haven't taken the wrong path."
The two walked side by side on the campus road. Xu Nianshuang continuously recounted the events that had transpired during this period to Xu Tianyang.
Xu Tianyang also interjected from time to time, telling her about what happened after she left, including taking in Yang Yiyi.
Xu Nianshuang didn't have any particular thoughts about this. Their experiences were somewhat similar, and she could easily find a sense of resonance with Yang Yiyi. The concerns Min Yingying had, at least for now, she hadn't thought that far ahead.
Even if she had to take a step back, she was the first one here, and her status had already been affirmed by Uncle Xu and Aunt Yu. No one could take her place.