As Gu Xuan and Xue Qingluan left the main tent, they ceased to concern themselves with the conversation between Zuo Yan and Shui Bing'er inside.
"Shui Bing'er having a teacher like Dean Xue is the luckiest thing in her life," Gu Xuan remarked suddenly.
Xue Qingluan paused, then replied with a smile, "I simply do what I can. In the future, there may truly be a time when I must trouble the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. I only hope that when that time comes, Young Friend Gu Xuan will remember today's promise."
Gu Xuan nodded. "A gentleman's word is a bond that cannot be broken."
The Promotion Competition continued as usual. The first two matches of the afternoon were unremarkable, but the final match immediately ignited the enthusiasm of the crowd. Shrek Academy was facing off against Godwind Academy.
On the stage, Tang San and Feng Xiaotian stood opposite each other. Feng Xiaotian was the first to speak. "Tang San, I admit you are outstanding. So, how about we add a little wager to this match?"
Tang San's expression remained calm. "I am happy to accompany you."
"Let's decide the victory in a single duel," Feng Xiaotian proposed. "If I lose, Godwind Academy concedes the entire round. If I win, Shrek Academy does the same. What do you think?"
There was no scent of gunpowder in his words. Feng Xiaotian had moved past the impulsive phase of fighting for a woman's honor; he was now calm and wise.
Tang San looked at the confident Feng Xiaotian, a surge of ambition rising within him. 'Is this the confidence of a genius? Excellent. You will be my first major stepping stone!' He smiled. "Deal."
The referee signaled for them to release their Martial Souls. Tang San's left hand surged with black light, and the two-meter-long Clear Sky Hammer appeared. He shifted it to his right hand, resting it on his shoulder. Four rings—three purple and one black—rose around him, their brilliant light reflecting across the arena.
Even though it wasn't the first time the crowd had seen this logic-defying configuration, the impact remained profound.
"Tang San, Martial Soul: Clear Sky Hammer, Rank 49 Power Attack Type Soul Ancestor. Please!"
Tang San's declaration marked his shift. He was no longer a Control Type; with the hammer and those rings, he was arguably the strongest Power Attack soul master at the Soul Ancestor level.
Feng Xiaotian let out a sharp wolf howl. A layer of cyan light erupted from his body as his muscles expanded and his bone structure shifted, his frame growing significantly larger. His white hair was dyed cyan, and most notably, a second wolf head emerged from his left shoulder.
The Stormwind Doubleheaded Wolf, a mutation of the Stormwind Demon Wolf, transformed his soul into a top-tier Martial Soul.
"Feng Xiaotian, Martial Soul: Stormwind Doubleheaded Wolf, Rank 51 Power Attack Type Soul King!"
As Feng Xiaotian spoke, five rings rose: two yellow, two purple, and one black—the symbol of a Soul King.
While Tang San had been improving over the last month, so had Feng Xiaotian. He had already been at Rank 49; after the qualifiers, he went into seclusion with Huo Wu and broke through to Rank 50. With the support of his academy, his fifth ring had been prepared in advance. This was the advantage of having a faction behind you.
The surrounding teachers and students looked grim. Feng Xiaotian's breakthrough significantly increased Godwind's threat level. A Soul King was a qualitative leap over a Soul Ancestor, not just in soul power, but in the addition of a ten-thousand-year soul skill.
"Match start!"
Feng Xiaotian accelerated instantly, leaving a long trail of cyan light behind him. Tang San was startled; Feng Xiaotian's speed was easily on par with a Rank 50 Agility Attack Type.
Before Tang San could react, Feng Xiaotian's first ring lit up. Sharp claws extended from his hands as he locked onto Tang San. "First Soul Skill: Wind Blade Burst!" Ten wind blades whistled through the air, sealing off all escape routes.
If Tang San were using Blue Silver Grass, he would have been helpless against such a barrage. But he had the hammer. He swung the massive weapon, and his first purple ring flared.
"First Soul Skill: Stability Hammer!"
Taken from a 5,000-year-old Heavy Armored Beetle, the skill's power was immense. A single swing shattered the wind blades. Tang San didn't stop, following through with the hammer aimed directly at Feng Xiaotian's head. The force was enough to heavily injure a Soul Ancestor.
However, Feng Xiaotian was too fast. The Stormwind Demon Wolf was a wind-attribute beast; mutation had only increased his strength without sacrificing his speed. He was effectively a dual-type Power and Agility soul master.
Feng Xiaotian dodged the strike and circled to Tang San's flank, launching five more wind blades. Tang San, despite the hammer's apparent bulk, moved it with no lag. High-level soul masters could see he was using a specific technique—the Sumeru Hammer's basic force-exertion principles, known as the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique.
Tang San spun the hammer casually, the half-meter-wide head crushing the wind blades. The two then engaged in a brutal close-quarters struggle. Feng Xiaotian activated his second skill.
"Second Soul Skill: Double Wolf Body Enhancement!"
His claws transformed into ferocious wolf heads with protruding fangs. Even as a Soul King, Feng Xiaotian felt immense pressure from the Clear Sky Hammer's raw power. Tang San, bolstered by his 15,000-year Stone Armored Bear Torso Bone, possessed physical stats that surpassed even the original timeline's Tang San.
Finding no advantage in melee, Feng Xiaotian retreated and activated his third ring. Huge cyan wings unfurled from his back as a phantom of the dual-headed wolf formed behind him. He took to the sky, hovering thirty meters up.
"Third Soul Skill: Stormwind Wings!"
The Shrek team looked worried. Feng Xiaotian had never revealed his ability to fly before. By taking to the air, he had placed himself in an "invincible" position where the hammer couldn't reach him. Tang San, however, remained calm, centering himself in the arena.
"Tang San, you're stronger than I thought. I won't hold back anymore," Feng Xiaotian shouted. His fourth purple ring lit up, and a massive wolf head, ten meters in diameter, formed in the sky.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Demon Wolf Storm!"
The wolf head dove, intending to swallow Tang San whole. Tang San increased his output, activating his second skill.
"Second Soul Skill: Cyclone Mad Dance!" A black whirlwind rose around him.
The two skills collided, sending a shockwave through the stadium. When the dust cleared, Tang San stood unscathed. Feng Xiaotian realized Tang San had found the "eye" of the storm where the wind was weakest.
The two paused briefly to recover. The crowd was in an uproar; the intensity of the fight had already surpassed the Soul Ancestor level. This was a true Soul King battle, a level of power usually reserved for the pillars of a teaching faculty.
(End of Chapter)
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