Chapter 83: Shikigami: Max Elephant
Lin Xuan heard the voice but didn't stop his pace, only slightly tilting his head.
He saw Ning Tian walking quickly from the side with Wu Feng following behind her like a shadow, coming to walk side-by-side with him.
Lin Xuan nodded slightly to her as a response.
Ning Tian looked at Lin Xuan with a gentle, spring-like smile and asked softly, "Lin Xuan, do you know what the academy's sudden so-called selection tournament is for?"
A faint smile appeared on Lin Xuan's face. After pretending to think for a moment, he spoke, "Let me guess—the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament is coming up soon, and Shrek Academy has always had a tradition of selecting a Reserve Team from the Outer Academy core disciples in advance—"
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Ning Tian shook her head helplessly upon hearing this. "It feels like nothing can be hidden from you. You're right; I also suspect that ninety-nine percent of the time, the academy is doing this to select reserve members for the Soul Dueling Tournament."
She paused and lowered her voice slightly. "Moreover, I estimate that the selection rules this time probably won't be the usual group battles or round-robin tournaments we see."
"Oh? Why?" Lin Xuan asked cooperatively.
"Because that would be both time-consuming and laborious. It would also be difficult to filter out the seven people with the strongest comprehensive strength or those who best meet the Reserve Team's requirements from thirty core disciples with different strengths in a short time."
Ning Tian's analysis was methodical. "So, I guess—it's likely a rule-free free-for-all, placing all participants in the same arena. Those who persist until the end by their own means will win. This method best tests a person's actual combat ability, adaptability, and interpersonal relationships. After all, while strength is important in a match, a harmonious relationship with teammates is also indispensable."
"
Lin Xuan nodded, as Ning Tian's analysis was completely sound, well-reasoned, and clear.
Seeing Lin Xuan's approval, the smile on Ning Tian's face grew a bit sweeter, and her beautiful eyes looked at him intently. "Then Lin Xuan, if it really is a free-for-all—can we join forces?"
"Join forces?" Lin Xuan pretended to think, while his peripheral vision caught the nervous expression on Ning Tian's face.
Now that he had already taken the benefits from Shrek, he naturally couldn't leave out the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School.
"Sure. After all, until now, I haven't personally experienced the power of the number one auxiliary Martial Soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
The smile in Ning Tian's eyes brightened like a spring flower blooming. She nodded gently, "I won't let you down."
Listening to their conversation, Wu Feng curled her red lips, a complex look flashing across her face, but in the end, she said nothing.
While talking, the group had already arrived at the Soul Dueling Area.
Over twenty people were already standing there, including several familiar faces: Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Coarse Vegetable Head.
"Lin Xuan! Over here!" Seeing Lin Xuan, Coarse Vegetable Head immediately waved enthusiastically.
Lin Xuan had always had a good impression of people like Coarse Vegetable Head, who were pure-hearted and sincere. After all, he was one of the few friends who approached him without calculation.
"Senior He." Lin Xuan nodded with a smile and walked over.
"You're amazing, Junior. I saw your test data from the teacher. I even feel that if I gave you a set of Class 5 Soul Tool equipment, you'd be able to use it perfectly."
"Practice makes perfect, it's nothing worth mentioning."
Lin Xuan felt a bit embarrassed about this, as he had almost blown up a laboratory while modifying those twenty Class 7 Soul Tool shells earlier.
As they were talking, the entire Soul Dueling Area suddenly went quiet.
Lin Xuan looked up and saw Wang Yan respectfully greeting a slovenly, disheveled old man in gray clothes.
No one dared to judge by appearances; just by looking at Wang Yan's attitude, everyone knew this person's status was extremely high.
"Little Wang, is everyone here?" Xuan Zi asked groggily.
"They're all here, Elder Xuan. We can start now."
"Mm."
""
Xuan Zi staggered onto the high platform of the Soul Dueling Platform. His drunken eyes scanned the thirty-odd people below, lingering only on Bei Bei and Lin Xuan for a moment before he took another large gulp of wine.
Looking at Xuan Zi's posture, many of the core disciples were somewhat bewildered.
How does this person look so unreliable?
Xuan Zi casually wiped his mouth and said in a muffled voice, "Stop the nonsense. Listen up, you little brats. The content of your core disciple assessment is simple. I call it the Collective Free-for-all."
"Within this Soul Dueling Arena, you can attack at will. Fight however you want, with no rules. Those who surrender or are rescued are eliminated. The last seven remaining will be the winners. Alright, that's it. Begin."
"What??"
Hearing Elder Xuan say this, everyone's eyes widened. Weren't they here for an assessment? It was one thing for the rules to be outrageous, but how could he be so casual?
Ning Tian's eyes lit up immediately, secretly delighted. It was exactly as she had predicted.
But she was still a beat too slow, not noticing that Elder Xuan had already announced the start.
Beside her, Dai Huabin was the first to move. His Martial Soul possessed him instantly as he charged straight at her!
"I'll deal with you, the troublemaker, first!"
Dai Huabin's eyes were cold.
Lin Xuan was already difficult enough to deal with. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was allowed to support him, this assessment wouldn't need to continue.
"Ning Tian, look out!" Wu Feng only reacted then, but Dai Huabin's Tiger Claws were already pressing toward Ning Tian's face.
At the critical moment, a calm voice rang out, "Hundred Convergence: Blood Pierce."
Dai Huabin's heart tightened.
In the next instant, a line of water condensed to the extreme shot past Ning Tian's side!
"#!"
Dai Huabin cursed in his heart. This move again! What was worse was that he had absolutely no time to dodge the attack!
However, just as he was prepared to be seriously injured and carried off the field, Dai Huabin's vision suddenly blurred. When it cleared again, he found himself in mid-air, encased in a white ball of light.
Suddenly, someone on the field roared.
"Duck!"
Dai Huabin looked down and saw Lin Xuan swing his hands, and that line of water swept across the entire Soul Dueling Arena.
Some who reacted quickly ducked to avoid it, but many others failed to react in time. The consequence was that they suddenly vanished from their spots, reappearing in mid-air encased in white balls of light, just like him.
"You, you, you, and you few—all eliminated," Xuan Zi said indistinctly while munching on a chicken leg.
The students on the platform who hadn't been eliminated yet finally came to their senses, looking in shock at Lin Xuan as he casually flicked away the water stains.
What's going on?! He used an ultimate move right at the start?!
With Lin Xuan's "Blood Pierce" sweep, almost all the second-year core disciples were out, leaving only a few like Ning Tian, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao.
Even many of the upperclassmen were caught in the sweep and eliminated.
"Thank you, Lin Xuan."
Ning Tian let out a soft breath and quickly stood by Lin Xuan's side. No longer hesitating, she raised her hand and summoned the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"Seven Treasure Name, Third: Martial Soul."
The third Soul Ring on the pagoda flowed with purple light as a magnificent radiance bloomed. A gorgeous halo fell directly onto Lin Xuan and Coarse Vegetable Head.
"There are still a few too many people. What do you think, Senior?" Lin Xuan looked at the remaining twenty-odd people on the field and smiled slightly.
"How does Junior want to fight?" Coarse Vegetable Head grinned. White light flashed around him as several pitch-black soul tool cannon batteries were instantly set up.
"Then of course—" Lin Xuan's hands formed seals, and the shadows beneath his feet spread and surged like a tide. His gaze locked onto the entire field. "We clear another wave!"
Before his voice faded, the black shadow behind him suddenly expanded and took shape. Like ink emerging from water, a giant elephant loomed majestically!
Shikigami: Max Elephant!
Max Elephant raised its long trunk, aiming at all the students in front. In the next moment—
BOOM—!!!
A mighty torrent gushed out from the elephant's trunk. The water pressure was terrifying and overwhelming, as if it would submerge the entire Soul Dueling Platform.
At the same time, Coarse Vegetable Head's soul tool cannons roared in unison!
Amidst the torrent, students were knocked off balance. People were constantly being washed directly off the platform by the water. Even those who barely managed to stay upright were covered by the following cannon fire, leaving them no way to counterattack.
Amidst the sounds of explosions and surging waves, one student after another was rescued and taken away by Xuan Zi.
This violent offensive lasted for a full minute before gradually subsiding.
The water receded, the white mist dispersed, and the number of people on the stage was sharply reduced once again.
At this moment, only Lin Xuan, Ning Tian, and Coarse Vegetable Head remained standing together, along with the trio of Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan, and Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, who had escaped the disaster thanks to their flight abilities.
The entire arena was silent.
All eyes, filled with shock and fear, were cast toward the figure in the center of the field who was casually tidying his collar.
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