Wood Spirit Guardian Azure Moon Willow (Seeking Investment! Seeking Monthly Ticket! Seeking Recommendation Ticket!)

Wood Spirit Guardian Azure Moon Willow (Seeking Investment! Seeking Monthly Ticket! Seeking Recommendation Ticket!) Xie Xie stared blankly at the terrifying storm on the stage, his heart filled with anger and fear. That woman Gu Yue had not cared in the slightest whether he and Tang Wulin lived or died. Without any regard for the fact that he and Tang Wulin were still in front, she had directly unleashed such a terrifyingly powerful move. If Long Hengxu had not acted in time to get them off the competition stage, he did not dare imagine what the consequences would have been.

The Ice and Snow Storm continued to roar across the stage, while the audience below displayed a range of reactions—mostly shock and utter disbelief. It was difficult to imagine that a move capable of trapping a Four Ring Soul Ancestor had come from the hands of a mere two-ring Soul Grandmaster. It was truly hard to accept.

Long Hengxu inwardly sighed, while Wu Zhangkong frowned deeply. Gu Yue's talent was undoubtedly exceptional, but her personality was far too cold. She had no sense of teamwork whatsoever. Just look at what had happened moments ago—she had not cared at all about Tang Wulin and Xie Xie! He could not help feeling a headache coming on.

On the competition stage, Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi wore grave expressions as they watched the Ice and Snow Storm sweep toward them. Their hands clasped together as black currents swirled between them, their martial souls constantly resonating with each other. This was a sign that they were preparing to use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill! Jing Shaoyu had long known that Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, and the two had not concealed it. They had not only clearly told Ye Yingluo, Jing Shaoyu, and the others, but had even used it once before. Yes, during a practical combat training session—their opponent had been Jing Shaoyu.

"Yangzi, Jinxi!" Just as the two were ready, Jing Shaoyu's voice came from behind them. Startled, they turned around and saw Jing Shaoyu shaking his head at them. He said, "Get off the stage first. This is a duel between her and me."

"This..." Wang Jinxi was immediately confused and opened his mouth, intending to ask.

Zhang Yangzi pulled him back and shook his head at him. Wang Jinxi instantly understood what Zhang Yangzi meant. He said nothing more, instead jumping off the competition stage together with Zhang Yangzi.

Their actions immediately left all the spectators puzzled. They could not understand what Freshman Class One was doing. Could it be that they, like Freshman Class Five's three-man team, were also divided internally?

Jing Shaoyu paid no attention to the audience's discussions. He stood calmly, his gaze passing through the howling Ice and Snow Storm in the middle of the stage before landing on Gu Yue's face. Gu Yue was equally composed, her eyes likewise fixed on Jing Shaoyu's face. The two stood at opposite ends of the competition stage, silently staring at each other.

The gale howled, and snowflakes rustled. Dense Wind Element and ice element energy, like greedy bandits, continuously seized the stage's space. The icy blue Ice and Snow Storm kept expanding, nearly swallowing the entire competition stage. The tornado-shaped storm completely controlled the airflow on the stage, countless shards of ice spinning along with it. There was almost nowhere on the competition stage that could escape it. Even the edge of the stage had activated a white Soul Guidance Barrier due to the fierce wind and snow, preventing the Ice and Snow Storm from spreading into the audience below.

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi felt somewhat fortunate. Thankfully, they had listened to Jing Shaoyu and left the competition stage. Otherwise, faced with such a terrifying Ice and Snow Storm, even if they used their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, it would likely have been useless. They might even have been swept into the storm and injured. At the same time, a sense of awe rose in them toward Gu Yue. As expected of someone capable of competing with Xiao Yan for the position of Class Monitor. She was far too terrifying.

Long Hengxu, Wu Zhangkong, and Ye Yingluo were all watching the situation on the competition stage intently. The moment anything went wrong, they would act immediately. They absolutely could not allow these two promising talents to be harmed because of an insignificant Promotion Tournament.

The audience below was incomparably tense, but the two onstage were as calm as still water. The storm carrying countless shards of ice closed in on Jing Shaoyu. His vision had already been filled with blue and white. The sharp gusts and piercing ice blades seemed to have touched his skin. Everything appeared to freeze in place.

A jade-green radiance erupted from Jing Shaoyu's body. Immediately afterward, the Crown of Nature behind his head rapidly expanded. In the blink of an eye, it transformed from a ring into a mysterious doorway five meters in diameter, like a passage leading to another world. Dazzling jade-green light flashed within it, and an indescribable aura seeped out.

Then, the enlarged Crown of Nature swiftly tilted until it was parallel to the ground before rapidly descending and merging with the earth.

Amid everyone's shocked and astonished gazes, a tall plant emerged from the Crown of Nature. It resembled a willow tree, with countless branches hanging from its lush canopy. Every branch was covered in crescent-shaped leaves, each one as green as jade porcelain. Its branches swayed gently while its trunk stood firm and steady.

"This is... a Thousand Year Soul Beast!" A trace of surprise appeared in Wu Zhangkong's normally unruffled eyes. He had not expected Jing Shaoyu's martial soul to be capable of summoning a Plant Soul Beast.

That was right. The plant that had emerged from the Crown of Nature was an Azure Moon Willow with a thousand years of cultivation, a Plant Soul Beast that had gone extinct in ancient times.

The Azure Moon Willow extended a slender willow branch. A faint azure glow clung to it like moonlight, giving off an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Yet before the violent Ice and Snow Storm, that aura seemed so frail and useless. The branch had barely touched the storm's outer edge before it was immediately swept inside. The hundreds of crescent-shaped willow leaves upon it were blown away one after another, spiraling along with the storm.

The expected scene did not occur. The Azure Moon Willow's branch was not torn apart by the terrifying Ice and Snow Storm. Instead, the now-bare branch followed the storm's rotation and slowly penetrated deeper into it, attempting to bind the storm's core. Those willow leaves also gradually sank into the storm, as though summoned by the branch, all gathering toward its core.

However, one branch alone did not seem capable of shaking such a terrifying Ice and Snow Storm.

And so, "Whoosh—"

The Azure Moon Willow erupted with all its strength. Like a supple young maiden flinging her flowing hair, it cast all its branches out at once. The display was both bold and spectacular, like ten thousand galloping horses—overwhelming and unstoppable.

As countless willow branches and leaves invaded it, the Ice and Snow Storm—whose power and destructive force rivaled a Soul Ancestor unleashing a Thousand Year Soul Skill with full strength—instantly collapsed. Countless branches bound the storm's core, while innumerable willow leaves eroded the ice and snow. Thus, the ice melted, and the storm subsided.

Plant Control, Wood Spirit Guardian.

This was a soul skill Jing Shaoyu had developed from his Plant Control talent after becoming a Soul Grandmaster. Through the Crown of Nature, he could summon plant spirits to fight for him. The number of plant spirits was tied to Jing Shaoyu's soul rings. At present, Jing Shaoyu possessed two soul rings, so he could only summon one plant spirit—the Azure Moon Willow on the stage. Limited by Jing Shaoyu's Second Soul Ring, its cultivation age was half that of the Second Soul Ring.

Moreover, the plant spirits that Wood Spirit Guardian could summon were fixed.

Tang Wulin looked at the Azure Moon Willow still swaying upon the competition stage, recalling the previously frenzied wild Blue Silver Grass. His eyes could not help but reveal envy.

Wu Zhangkong considered more. From beginning to end, none of the soul rings behind Jing Shaoyu had lit up. In other words, whether it was controlling Blue Silver Grass, releasing Water Wave, or summoning a Plant Soul Beast, the abilities he had displayed were actually innate abilities of his martial soul. Or perhaps they were bloodline abilities similar to Tang Wulin's?

On the competition stage, Gu Yue's gaze toward Jing Shaoyu gained an indescribable meaning, as though she were sulking. Azure light flickered around her, and under the protection of a gentle breeze, her speed abruptly increased. Her hands moved rapidly, forming one simple yet distinct gesture after another. Clusters of Fireballs, streams of Ice Cones, and chunks of stone immediately rained down upon Jing Shaoyu like a blanket covering the sky.

Jing Shaoyu's eyes shifted slightly, and a helpless smile appeared at the corner of his lips. At his command, the Azure Moon Willow standing behind him moved again. Its bare branches crisscrossed one another, forming a dark green barrier before him while quietly spreading and moving in Gu Yue's direction.

Like the vast majority of Plant Soul Beasts, the Azure Moon Willow lacked offensive power but excelled in control.

Gu Yue seemed determined to approach him. Her gaze remained fixed on Jing Shaoyu as her graceful body darted between the willow branches, shifting constantly and completely ignoring the swaying Azure Moon Willow.

Under Jing Shaoyu's calm gaze, a willow branch silently wrapped around Gu Yue's ankle. She had finally reached him and stretched out her hand, a scorching ball of flame about to strike.

"You left an opening!" Jing Shaoyu said softly. He extended his palm and abruptly clenched it into a fist. Immediately, amid Gu Yue's startled and flustered expression, the Azure Moon Willow's branches shot out from every direction, instantly binding her limbs and body. In almost an instant, she was tied up.

Gu Yue was bound spread-eagled, her legs apart and arms spread wide, even her head held in place. She could only look toward Jing Shaoyu, while the seven-colored glow misting in her eyes dimmed for some unknown reason.

Jing Shaoyu smiled as he walked up to Gu Yue. Looking at her in that position, he chuckled inwardly. If the occasion had been more appropriate, he definitely would have let the Silver Dragon King's main personality experience just how treacherous people could be.

"I won!" Jing Shaoyu whispered into Gu Yue's ear. Then he quickly stepped back, raised his right hand, and snapped his fingers. The willow branches wrapped around Gu Yue immediately released her and retreated slowly in orderly fashion until they vanished.

"Hmph!" Once she was released, Gu Yue let out a light, cold snort, the tips of her ears slightly red. Then, amid a flash of silver light, her figure disappeared.

The audience below sighed with emotion. Lower-year Cadets looked on with envy, while upper-year Cadets could only marvel. The most prestigious match of the First Year had ended with Class One's victory. Every spectator felt fortunate that they had not missed such a thrilling match.

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