Ling Xuan's "Cunning"

Hearing Ling Xuan's words and thinking of how she had just been chirping away with Zhou Yurou, she instantly felt a little embarrassed. Her conscience hurt a little.

But did she even have a conscience? Apparently not!

She lazily said, "Sure. How do you want to fight?"

Ling Xuan immediately said, "The school arena! We both use our full strength."

Lin Li hummed in acknowledgment, but she was already wondering how much she would need to hold back later. After all, she had hurt a little boy's self-esteem.

At the school arena, Ling Xuan stood there as he had so many times before.

But at this moment, his gaze held a determination and sharpness it had never possessed before.

When Lin Li stepped onto the stage and saw his expression, she could not help but feel a little moved.

Meanwhile, after hearing that the Demoness was competing again, nearly everyone without anything to do had come.

They surrounded the arena three layers deep inside and three layers deep outside.

"How many moves do you think the Demoness needs to throw that kid off the stage?"

"Two, maybe. He's still a First Ring Spirit Master, after all."

"I think one. Don't forget, the Demoness is a Second Ring Spirit Master now!"

Their words made Ling Xuan's body tremble slightly on the stage—not out of fear, but anger.

Seeing this, Lin Li instinctively looked toward Ling Xuan. His body was trembling slightly, yet his eyes were filled with stubbornness and defiance.

At this moment, she truly seemed to have become the villain in some novel. Still, the feeling was not bad.

"Ling Xuan, Level Sixteen Control System Weapon Spirit Master! Please enlighten me!"

The boy's voice was clear, though a careful listener could hear a slight tremor beneath it. Even so, it remained firm.

A delicate, tiny tree appeared in his hand. Countless eyes on the tree looked eerie and indifferent.

Influenced by him, Lin Li's voice was not loud, but it carried a hint of seriousness.

"Lin Li, Level Twenty-One Assault System Battle Spirit Master. Please enlighten me."

In an instant, a melodious phoenix cry resounded throughout the arena, raising the temperature on the stage by several degrees.

But for Ling Xuan, standing opposite her, the sensation was far from pleasant.

An eerie chill accompanied scorching heat, making him intensely uncomfortable. For a Weapon Spirit Master like him, whose physique was naturally frail, it was even more torturous.

He gritted his teeth, his gaze unwavering, and immediately activated his Soul Power. The Demon Soul Spirit Tree in his hand began swaying continuously, and three leaves suddenly appeared. One in front and one behind him shielded his front and back, guarding against her unreasonable charge.

The remaining leaf hovered high before her face. The eye on the leaf suddenly flew open, and the spiritual pressure within it slammed fiercely into Lin Li.

At the same time, several invisible, transparent chains rushed toward her, trying to drag her into the eye and make her endure the darkness within.

Lin Li curled her lips. Two brilliant yellow soul rings slowly rotated beneath her feet.

Second Spirit Ability, Phoenix Feather Repentance of the Sacred!

Lin Li drew upon her Soul Power, and three pitch-black phoenix feathers swiftly appeared on the arena.

Ling Xuan's pupils contracted as he was about to do something else when the girl across from him calmly said, "Since the phoenix feathers are here, the leaves should be shattered."

Before anyone could react, the phoenix feathers shot forward like sharp swords and pierced straight through the leaves. Ling Xuan immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Just as the phoenix feathers obliterated the last two leaves beside him—

The next moment, he gritted his teeth and roared, "First Spirit Ability, Myriad Demon Entrapment!"

A brilliant blue-green light instantly radiated from his body, while the Demon Soul Spirit Tree in his palm emitted a black, demonic glow.

A leaf resembling a dragon scale suddenly appeared on the Demon Soul Spirit Tree. Unlike the smooth leaves from before, this leaf seemed to be covered with countless densely packed eyes.

After unleashing this attack, Ling Xuan's face turned deathly pale.

Lin Li's heart tightened at the sight. That leaf exerted far too much pressure on her, even surpassing Wang Ming's Holy Power.

Though that Holy Power had only been a joke, she sighed softly and said, "Why go this far?" Was it really just for his own pride?

To use a spirit ability that consumed so much energy—this was clearly the complete version of his First Spirit Ability.

But it was probably too draining for him. Wings suddenly spread behind Lin Li. First Spirit Ability, Blood Phoenix Returns to Nest! Second Spirit Ability, Phoenix Feather Repentance of the Sacred!

Both soul rings lit up at once. At this moment, Lin Li's eyes seemed to be stained with black flames as dark as night, and four phoenix feathers drifted like snowflakes into that uniquely altered leaf.

Just as Lin Li activated Carefree Steps and was about to rush at Ling Xuan, another leaf identical to the previous one suddenly appeared in his hand.

Lin Li was so furious she nearly cursed aloud. Damn it, you sneaky bastard! No martial ethics!

The leaf gave her no chance to react. Its pupil opened slightly, and she was dragged into the leaf.

Ling Xuan revealed a satisfied smile before collapsing to the ground from exhaustion.

Once Ling Xuan fell, his spirit ability instantly dissipated. Lin Li said gloomily, "I lost."

Ling Xuan smiled and said, "I finally beat you once."

But the crowd below the stage had already erupted into discussion.

"No way, that kid is way too sneaky!"

"The Demoness didn't go easy on him, did she?"

"The Demoness is probably stunned too. I was stunned by that last move as well. Still, I have to say, that kid's talented!"

The discussions rang out one after another, making both people on the stage flush red. Ling Xuan especially so, since he had used such a "dishonorable" method.

What they did not know was that a woman in a white Qipao had been watching them from the office the entire time.

Ye Lian brushed back her hair and said, "As expected of your son. At such a young age, he has already grasped the fine qualities a Control System Spirit Master should possess."

Still, this sparring session came to an end when Ye Lian and Zhou Yurou left side by side, while Ling Xuan was carried away by the infirmary teacher.

Inside the Third Cafeteria.

Zhou Yurou looked at Lin Li, who was calmly eating, and indignantly said, "Damn, the Class Monitor was way too shameless! He even used such a dirty trick."

Lin Li paused her hand and calmly said, "A Control System Spirit Master's job is to control their opponent, so naturally, any method can be used. No one will indulge you in a duel."

Hearing this, Zhou Yurou cautiously asked, "Xiao Li, are you angry?"

Lin Li shook her head. "No. I'm actually very happy."

Perhaps she had been too proud—proud enough to believe that Spirit Master duels were always honorable and straightforward.

But she had forgotten one thing. The opponents she faced either had far more combat experience than she did, or possessed an endless stream of Hidden Weapons.

Ling Xuan's move had thoroughly awakened her.

But in Zhou Yurou's eyes, Lin Li had simply been dealt a blow by Ling Xuan. So, while he had no strength left, she was planning to throw a spirit ability at him and run away!

Before she could put her plan into action, though, she saw Lin Li's smiling eyes.

"Don't go over there. But Yurou, as a Control System Spirit Master, you need to learn what the Class Monitor did too."

Zhou Yurou tilted her head in confusion and asked, "Why?"

Lin Li chuckled softly. "Because what he did worked. If we had fought head-on, even three Ling Xuans might not have been able to control me!

"But this time, he controlled me. Even if his methods were dishonorable, he still controlled me. On the battlefield or in a duel, a Control System Spirit Master only needs to do one thing: firmly control their opponent!"

Zhou Yurou nodded after hearing that and fell into thoughtful contemplation.