Chapter 19: Not Resisting, but Crushing!
On the high platform, looking at the scene with such a bizarrely skewed disparity in numbers, Teacher Mu Jin only felt a splitting headache.
She took a deep breath and, holding onto the last sliver of hope, spoke loudly to those in the arena, trying to persuade him.
"Student Lin Xuan, the match hasn't started yet. You still have a chance to regret this, as long as you are willing..."
"No need, Teacher Mu Jin."
Lin Xuan interrupted her, his eyes calmly scanning everyone in front of him as he spoke in an indifferent tone.
"Let's leave it at this. You can announce the start."
"This..."
Mu Jin was nearly choked up by his stubborn attitude. After confirming once more with the two Teachers beside her that there would be no danger, she helplessly raised her hand and announced loudly,
"The match begins!"
As the words fell, no one in the arena made the first move.
Instead, Lin Xuan spoke first.
His gaze swept over everyone before him, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"On the way to the Soul Dueling Arena, Teacher Mu Jin kept asking me if I had any way to resist your attacks. My answer was..."
Lin Xuan stared into Wu Feng's eyes, enunciating every word,
"Not resisting, but crushing."
Swoosh!
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a spark instantly igniting the dense gunpowder inside the Soul Dueling Arena! The boys, who were already extremely indignant, had their expressions twist in an instant.
Too arrogant!
Too much of a show-off!
This was practically rubbing their faces into the dirt!
"Arrogance!!"
"Brothers, release your Martial Souls! Let's beat him up!!"
"Go! Let's show him what's what!!"
Amidst the angry roars, over a dozen boys who had long been unable to restrain themselves rushed out almost at the same time!
Most of them were one-ring Soul Masters with various Martial Souls, but they were basically all of the attack system or agility-attack system. At this moment, their Soul Rings flashed as they pounced toward Lin Xuan in the center of the arena from different directions!
Although the offensive was slightly disorganized, they had the advantage in numbers, instantly blocking several evasion angles.
However, just as they had rushed out less than five meters and were still over ten steps away from Lin Xuan, a deep purple radiance quietly appeared, causing them to stop abruptly.
Under the focus of all eyes, three Soul Rings emerged one by one beneath Lin Xuan's feet, their light flowing!
Purple, Purple, Black!
First Soul Ring, thousand-year!
Second Soul Ring, thousand-year!
Third Soul Ring, ten-thousand-year!
This Soul Ring configuration, which completely violated the common knowledge of the Soul Master World and overturned all theories, struck everyone present's hearts like the most violent thunderbolt!
Inside the Soul Dueling Arena, time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Those dozen or so boys rushing at the front felt as if an invisible giant hand had seized their throats, forcing their forward momentum to a dead stop.
The anger and fighting Martial Soul on their faces were instantly replaced by boundless horror; their eyes were wide and round, nearly bulging out of their sockets.
The other freshmen around them who were preparing to swarm him were even more like they had been hit by a freezing spell, stiffening in place with their mouths wide open and their minds blank.
On the high platform, Mu Jin's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of needle tips, her eyes filled with disbelief. She even subconsciously took a small step back, steadying herself against the nearby railing.
The two experienced Soul Dueling Arena Teachers beside her were also dumbfounded at this moment, their expressions looking as if they had seen a ghost.
Ning Tian's originally calm and gentle eyes now widened suddenly, and for the first time, her exquisite face lost its composure, leaving only pure shock.
The coldness and disdain on Wu Feng's face had long vanished without a trace; her red lips were slightly parted, but she couldn't make a sound.
How is it possible?!
How could someone possess such a Soul Ring configuration?!
First ring thousand-year? Second ring thousand-year? And the third ring is directly ten-thousand-year?!
This is simply... unheard of! Unprecedented! Unimaginable!
However, Lin Xuan did not give them any time to process this earth-shattering shock.
At the very moment the Soul Rings appeared, his hands had already formed a hand seal in front of his chest, moving so fast they left afterimages. He lowed his voice and shouted,
"Giant Serpent!"
"Hiss-Roar—!!!"
As his last syllable fell, a sharp, ear-piercing hiss exploded without warning from the shadow beneath his feet!
Immediately following, a massive pale figure, like a vicious beast breaking free from the shackles of a hellish abyss, violently soared into the sky from the shadow in front of Lin Xuan!
It was a giant serpent!
Its entire body was covered in cold, deathly pale scales, its body diameter exceeded one meter, and its length extended to over twenty meters the moment it appeared!
It raised its hideous head, its cold vertical pupils devoid of any emotion!
Shikigami — Giant Serpent!
Boom—!!!
The moment the pale giant serpent appeared, the terrifying kinetic energy and impact force carried by its massive body erupted like a landslide or a tsunami!
It didn't even need to deliberately attack; merely the sweeping motion of its body upon appearing sent the dozen or so boys at the front, as well as the ten-plus freshmen behind them who couldn't react in time and were huddled together, flying back like autumn leaves in a gale!
"Ah—!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Screams and dull impact sounds rang out one after another.
Those ten-plus people were like kites with broken strings, spitting blood and having no power to resist as they were swept directly out of the Soul Dueling stage's range by the serpent's terrifying strength, falling heavily into the buffer zone below. For a while, they couldn't even crawl up, only able to let out groans of pain.
In just one encounter, the time of a single breath, the team of forty-three had nearly half its members eliminated!
Only then did the remaining freshmen, who were lucky enough not to be affected, snap back to their senses from the extreme shock and fear.
Looking at the terrifying giant serpent coiled on the Soul Dueling stage like a white mountain range, and the black-haired youth on the serpent's head who still looked calm, a bone-chilling coldness instantly rushed from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their heads!
The fighting Martial Soul and indignation that had filled their hearts just now were like a fire extinguished by ice water, leaving only fear and trembling.
Cold sweat instantly drenched many people's backs.
How... how the hell are we supposed to fight this?!
However, just as everyone's minds were shaken and their morale was on the verge of collapse, a clear and firm voice suddenly rang out,
"Seven Treasures Turn into Glazed Tile!"
A brilliant seven-colored light suddenly bloomed in Ning Tian's hand, and a crystal-clear, radiant seven-layered pagoda floated up!
Three Soul Rings pulsed beneath her feet: two yellow and one purple.
Ning Tian's eyes had regained their calm, and were even brighter than before—a burning light like she had discovered a rare treasure.
The stronger Lin Xuan was and the more terrifying the potential he showed, the higher his value was to her and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School!
"Seven Treasures have names. First: Power!"
"Second: Speed!"
"Third: Soul!"
Three streaks of seven-colored light shot out precisely, landing on Wu Feng and five other Great Soul Masters whose Soul Power had reached level twenty or above.
Receiving the powerful boost from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the aura of these six people surged instantly, and their somewhat dissipated fighting Martial Soul was forcibly bolstered.
"Attack together! Don't be afraid! He's only one person; controlling that giant serpent must consume a huge amount of energy!"
Ning Tian commanded calmly,
"Interfere with ranged Martial Soul Abilities, and look for opportunities in close combat! Wu Feng, you guys take the lead!"
"Yes! Young Master!"
Feeling the surging power within her body, the fierce light reappeared in Wu Feng's eyes. She gave a delicate shout,
"Red Dragon! Possession!"
Scorching flames and dragon scales instantly covered her body as she was the first to charge boldly toward Lin Xuan atop the giant serpent's head!
The other three boosted Great Soul Masters also roared, releasing their respective Martial Souls and launching attacks from different directions.
The other freshmen, their minds somewhat steadied, also released their ranged Martial Soul Abilities one after another. Fireballs, wind blades, ice spikes, vines... for a moment, the light of colorful Martial Soul Abilities poured toward Lin Xuan and the giant serpent like a rainstorm!
Facing the surging offensive once again, Lin Xuan's eyes remained as calm as still water.
The giant serpent beneath his feet let out a violent hiss, its thick tail suddenly sweeping across to swat away several sharp ranged attacks.
At the same time, its massive body twisted like a white whirlwind of death, actively crashing into the charging Wu Feng and the others, forcing them to temporarily avoid its sharp edge.
"Heh."
With a light chuckle, Lin Xuan leapt down from the giant serpent's head and landed on the ground.
"If these are the only tricks you have, then I'm sorry, but you might not even be able to touch the corner of my clothes today."