Easy Victory

Zhang Yangzi almost merged into the darkness itself as he launched a frontal assault from above, his pair of talons incomparably sharp.

Lin Xiuran did not retreat. Flames wrapped around his hand as he threw a punch, unleashing a torrent of fire in an instant.

The fierce flames collided with the darkness blanketing the sky.

The darkness was boundless, but holy flames could burn all things.

The instant they collided, Zhang Yangzi was forced back, hovering in the air.

He looked at his sharp eagle claws. They had been scorched by the flames, leaving a small gash.

He truly had not expected that such a casual exchange would allow his opponent to injure him so easily.

Lin Xiuran saw Zhang Yangzi's injury as well, and his thoughts gradually became clearer. Although he could not use Phoenix Truefire in battle, his flames genuinely contained Phoenix Truefire.

And that Phoenix Truefire absolutely suppressed Zhang Yangzi's dark attribute. This might not simply be ordinary elemental suppression, but absolute restraint!

That was why Zhang Yangzi had been scorched the moment they collided.

"Why aren't you using your Martial Soul?"

Lin Xiuran said calmly, "No need."

Zhang Yangzi's expression turned solemn as power continuously gathered around him. The first Soul Ring beneath him lit up.

He began circling the entire arena at high speed, and a curtain of darkness once again spread across the sky. This time, both its range and density were much greater.

He slipped into the darkness, making it impossible for Lin Xiuran to see his exact location, then waited for an opportunity to attack.

This gave Lin Xiuran a bit of trouble, but he had no intention of allowing him to continue like this.

Wind Element gathered in Lin Xiuran's hand. With a wave, walls of ice rose from the ground one after another, instantly standing before him and directly stopping the black mist from spreading further. They also divided it completely into several sections.

That way, although he still could not determine Zhang Yangzi's exact position, he could identify which section he was in.

And as long as Lin Xiuran launched an area attack within that section, it would be more than enough.

Ice Spikes followed, stabbing into the mist in a complete blanket attack.

The tactic proved entirely effective. Zhang Yangzi was forced out of the black mist, and the fighting method he relied on had completely failed against Lin Xiuran.

That was how he fought—wearing down his opponents and launching sneak attacks. Seeing that it would not work, he could only confront Lin Xiuran head-on.

Otherwise, if they continued to drag things out, he would definitely be the one to fall.

He let out a clear eagle cry, then soared high into the air. The next moment, he dove downward at nearly a ninety-degree angle.

Lin Xiuran gave him no chance at all, directly applying Wind Element to Zhang Yangzi and greatly reducing his speed.

At the very instant Zhang Yangzi was restrained, the second yellow Soul Ring on his body lit up. A black shadow emerged from his body.

Dark Shadow Clone, Zhang Yangzi's second Soul Skill. It released a clone possessing fifty percent of his strength. Anyone struck by it would suffer dark erosion, their Soul Power continuously melted away as their body was corroded.

The clone maintained the same posture as Zhang Yangzi, diving downward with Lin Xiuran as its target.

The colors of three elements shifted within Lin Xiuran's eyes as he stared at Zhang Yangzi diving toward him.

Almost in the next moment, Fire Element condensed before him into a massive fireball and was hurled directly forward.

A low phoenix cry rang out along with the fireball's attack. At almost that instant, it was as if Zhang Yangzi's body had suddenly been freed from its restraints.

The black shadow shattered instantly, while Zhang Yangzi himself fell like a deflated ball, crashing heavily onto the ground.

When his gaze met Lin Xiuran's just now, he had suddenly felt both body and soul tremble, as though something had seized his throat. That terror came from his bloodline.

He could not summon even the slightest thought of resistance. It was like a kitten encountering a tiger.

It was especially similar to the feeling Wang Jinxi had described when facing Tang Wulin.

But now, it was Zhang Yangzi facing Lin Xiuran.

The phoenix was the king of all birds, and Lin Xiuran's bloodline was exceptionally pure. A bird-type Martial Soul like the Dark Demonic Eagle was innately suppressed by it.

The outcome was self-evident. Even the referee was somewhat surprised. He had thought this would be an evenly matched battle, but it had turned out to be a complete crushing defeat.

Lin Xiuran had not even used his Martial Soul. He had merely manipulated elemental power to defeat Zhang Yangzi.

Zhang Yangzi barely managed to stand. Looking at Lin Xiuran, he said pale-faced, "Are you from Zero Class?"

Lin Xiuran nodded indifferently, then walked off the stage.

Zhang Yangzi gave a bitter smile. He had guessed it. Such talent—like Guyue, Lin Xiuran could control multiple elements. There was also that suppressive pressure on his bloodline. His opponent had not even revealed his Martial Soul, yet he had lost.

He had originally thought Lin Xiuran's refusal to summon his Martial Soul was because he looked down on him. He had not expected that there truly had been no need. In Eastsea Academy, only Zero Class possessed such talent.

When Lin Xiuran stepped down from the stage, Xie Xie's mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg.

"Brother Xiuran, when did you learn to control Ice Element?"

In Xie Xie's memory, during the past two months when they had fought Wu Zhangkong, Lin Xiuran had always used only Wind Element and Fire Element.

Yet today, Ice Element had appeared as well.

Lin Xiuran explained, "I broke through level thirty."

"So fast!" Xie Xie's eyes widened, and then he thought, "Does that mean every time you break through to a new level, you'll gain a new element?"

That alone was enough to astonish him. The only one who could control multiple elements had been Guyue. But now, Lin Xiuran was gradually mastering other elements as well.

Wouldn't that mean Lin Xiuran would grow stronger the further he advanced? And even now, his combat strength was already far from weak. That was enough to show that his talent was in no way inferior to Guyue's.

That was what shocked Xie Xie the most. In his eyes, Zero Class's strongest had always been Guyue. She simply had never used her full strength, but her talent was unquestionably extraordinary.

Guyue's eyes were filled with thought as well. From time to time, she looked toward Lin Xiuran with a somewhat solemn expression.

Xu Xiaoyan merely smiled beside them and said nothing.

Meanwhile, not far away, Ye Xinglan's gaze toward Lin Xiuran became more serious.

She had thought his strength was merely average, but now it seemed he had truly exceeded her expectations. Control over three elements, and he had resolved the battle without even using his Martial Soul.

Against Zhang Yangzi just now, no matter how strong she was, she could not possibly have refrained from summoning her Martial Soul.

But this only deepened her interest, making her look forward to her upcoming match with Lin Xiuran.