Lin Jian Shines Brightly

"Then let me lead the charge." A teenage boy with short fiery-red hair stepped onto the stage. He looked sixteen or seventeen, yet already possessed a bold, forthright air. He was Huo Wushuang of Blazing Fire Academy.

Lin Feng smiled at Huo Wushuang. "Alright, then this match will be Lin Jian of Five Elements Academy against Huo Wushuang of Blazing Fire Academy." With that, he descended from the stage with Lin Qing.

Huo Wushuang: "Huo Wushuang, Unicorn Fire Tyrant Dragon Spirit, Level 34 Assault System Battle Spirit Master."

Lin Jian: "Lin Jian, Twin Arms Spirit, Level 33 Assault System Battle Spirit Master."

As they spoke, the two released their martial souls. One had two yellow and one purple soul ring, while the other had one yellow and two purple. Seeing Lin Jian's unique martial soul and soul rings, Huo Wushuang's eyes narrowed slightly, and his heart shook. A Thousand-year second soul ring! At that moment, something even more shocking than Lin Jian's Twin Arms Spirit appeared.

The crowd below erupted in an uproar as well!

"Thousand-year second ring!" xN

"How is that possible?" xN

Ignoring the commotion below, Huo Wushuang launched the first fierce attack after recovering from his shock.

"First Soul Skill, Blazing Body!" Huo Wushuang shouted. Roaring flames erupted over his entire body as he charged forward like a burning war chariot. He threw a punch, and the heat wave surged toward Lin Jian.

Lin Jian neither dodged nor retreated. A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes as his right palm traced an arc, a thread of inner force rising from his palm. He struck precisely at the inside of Huo Wushuang's wrist.

"Smack!"

With a soft sound, Huo Wushuang felt a subtle force strike him. The power of his violent flaming punch was unexpectedly diverted and dispersed, and his center of gravity stalled.

"What?!" He was horrified, but Lin Jian's counterattack had already arrived. Lin Jian brought the fingers of his left hand together into a palm and silently struck toward his lower abdomen.

Huo Wushuang hurriedly retreated as his Second Soul Ring lit up. "Second Soul Skill, Tyrant Dragon Fury Claws!" His hands transformed into enormous flaming dragon claws, tearing wildly as he tried to suppress Lin Jian with a wide-range attack.

Lin Jian's footwork shifted, fully revealing the basic Lightness Skill from the Nine Yin Manual. His figure flickered ghostlike through the scorching claw shadows, evading every attack by the slightest margin. His movement technique was incomparably exquisite, drawing cries of amazement from the entire audience.

"Third Soul Skill, Fierce Dragon Tail Swing!" Unable to land an attack after so long, Huo Wushuang unleashed his strongest soul skill. A powerful flaming whip kick swept toward Lin Jian.

Lin Jian's gaze sharpened, and he finally used a soul skill.

"First Soul Skill, Steel Fist Mountain Collapse!"

His right arm instantly swelled, blazing with a dark-golden sheen. Yet his punch was not straightforward; it contained the "break" principle from the fist techniques of the Nine Yin Manual, using a point to break through a surface as it struck precisely at the weak point of Huo Wushuang's kick!

"Boom!"

Fist and leg collided, and flames and dark-golden Soul Power exploded! Huo Wushuang cried out miserably, feeling an incomparably concentrated force of vibration pierce through his flame defense. His entire leg went numb in an instant, and he was violently blasted away, crashing to the ground as his flames scattered.

Lin Jian withdrew his fist and stood calmly. "You let me win."

Huo Wushuang struggled to his feet, his face full of disbelief. Having seen Lin Feng fight earlier, he had considered the possibility that he might lose, but he had never expected to lose so cleanly. Still, Huo Wushuang was not someone who could not accept defeat. He cupped his fists in return. "Brother Lin, you flatter me. My skills are inferior. Five Elements Academy's unique soul skills truly are formidable!" With that, he turned and left the stage.

Before Lin Feng, the "host," could speak, a clear female voice rang out. "I'll do it." A sharp and energetic-looking girl rushed from Blazing Fire Academy's side onto the stage. It was Huo Wu.

Huo Wu: "Huo Wu, Fire Shadow Spirit, Level 31 Control System Battle Spirit Master."

Lin Jian raised a hand in salute. "Please."

Huo Wu activated Martial Soul Possession, and the air around her twisted from the intense heat.

"First Soul Skill, Sparks Like Threads!" Countless thin yet scorching lines of fire shot toward Lin Jian, covering an enormous area. Lin Jian once again displayed his exquisite footwork, weaving through the rain of fire like a willow leaf. Not a single fire thread could touch him.

Frost filled Huo Wu's pretty face as her Third Soul Ring lit up directly. "Third Soul Skill, Repelling Fire Ring!" A massive ring of fire suddenly erupted from her as its center, sweeping across the entire arena without discrimination. This was a wide-range soul skill that could not be completely avoided through movement alone!

Lin Jian's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms before him. "Third Soul Skill, Iron Wall Block!" A heavy dark-golden energy shield instantly formed, mysterious runes flowing across its surface.

"Boom!" The fierce impact of the Repelling Fire Ring was completely blocked by the Giant Shield, while Lin Jian behind it did not move in the slightest.

Huo Wu's strongest control skill had been easily neutralized, throwing her mind into disarray. At the instant her old force faded, Lin Jian moved. He abruptly withdrew the shield and closed the distance in an instant with mysterious footwork. His right index and middle fingers came together, gathering the penetrating force of the Nine Yin Manual, and shot like lightning toward Huo Wu's Jianjing acupoint.

This finger strike was fast, precise, and ruthless, yet carried no killing intent. Huo Wu had no time to react. She only felt her shoulder go numb, and the flow of Soul Power throughout her entire arm instantly became sluggish. The flames she had just gathered suddenly dissipated.

Just as she tried to retreat, Lin Jian's left arm had already swung out.

"Second Soul Skill, Void Prison!"

It was not for injury, only control. The space around Huo Wu's body twisted slightly, and an invisible restraining force field instantly formed, making her feel as though she had sunk into a swamp. Her movements slowed several times over, and she completely lost the ability to resist.

Lin Jian stopped at the right point, taking a step back as the prison dissipated.

"You let me win."

Huo Wu stood where she was, her pretty face full of shock and unwillingness. Yet she knew that her opponent had shown mercy. Against those unpredictable finger techniques and footwork, she had no words to offer for her defeat.

In both battles, Lin Jian had won with absolute superiority. Everyone present was not only shocked by his terrifying Soul Ring Configuration and powerful soul skills, but was also thoroughly impressed by how he transformed ordinary palm, fist, and finger techniques, along with his unfathomable footwork, into something miraculous. Everyone could see that the Battle Soul Skills Lin Jian used were far less powerful than the soul skills Lin Feng had used against Hu Yanli. Even so, they had played decisive roles in battle. Five Elements Academy's soul skills were truly extraordinary.

After Blazing Fire Academy suffered two consecutive defeats, Feng Xiaotian had wanted to go onstage and stand up for Huo Wu. Though he might not necessarily have been able to defeat Lin Jian, Skywater Academy beat him to it. It was not that Shui Bing'er was eager to fight; rather, the Skywater Academy Dean wanted her to go first and properly experience the techniques and power of Five Elements Academy's soul skills. If Lin Jian's Soul Power was too heavily depleted later, they would not be able to see his true level.

Shui Bing'er: "Shui Bing'er, Ice Phoenix Spirit, Level 31 Control System Battle Spirit Master."

Lin Jian still coolly raised a hand in salute. "Please."

The temperature onstage instantly plummeted. Shui Bing'er resembled a snow lotus blooming atop an icy plain, her expression cold and serene. Two yellow and one purple soul rings shone beneath her feet as the top-tier Beast Spirit, the Ice Phoenix Spirit, possessed her. Glittering ice crystals drifted around her, and even the air seemed frozen.

"First Soul Skill, Ice Seal!" Shui Bing'er launched the first attack, her First Spirit Ring flashing. Without the slightest warning, Lin Jian's feet were instantly locked firmly in place by solid ice.

An ordinary Assault System soul master would already have fallen into a passive position, but Lin Jian remained calm. His Soul Power circulated, and hidden force surged from within his body as he gave a slight shake.

"Crack!"

The sturdy Ice Seal was unexpectedly shaken from within by his pure Soul Power, forming fine cracks. Though it had not been completely broken, it had bought him a moment of opportunity!

A trace of surprise flashed through Shui Bing'er's beautiful eyes. Without hesitation, she activated her third soul skill. "Third Soul Skill, Repelling Ice Ring!" A frigid circular ice shockwave carrying a powerful freezing effect swept toward him. Its range was enormous, leaving no way to evade!

"Third Soul Skill, Iron Wall Block!" Lin Jian shouted under his breath, crossing his arms before him as the dark-gold Giant Shield engraved with runes condensed once more.

"Boom—!"

The ice ring slammed violently into the Giant Shield with a deafening crash. Its terrifying freezing power instantly coated the shield's surface in a thick layer of ice, yet the shield itself did not budge, perfectly blocking all impact and cold. The 30% damage reflection caused the chill released by the shattered ice ring to surge back, making the frost around Shui Bing'er falter.

Now! Lin Jian instantly withdrew his shield and stepped forward with an arcane footwork technique, charging straight at Shui Bing'er like a dark-gold bolt of lightning. The ice beneath his feet shattered in his wake.

Shui Bing'er remained calm in the face of danger. Her Second Spirit Ring lit up, instantly forming several ice walls before her. At the same time, her First Soul Skill activated again, sending countless ice spikes flying toward Lin Jian like raindrops.

Lin Jian's charge did not slow. Both fists shot out!

"First Soul Skill, Steel Fist Mountain Collapse!"

Dark-gold light burst from his fists as shockwaves erupted. Carrying the force of "break," every punch struck the weakest point of the ice walls with absolute precision!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Several explosive blasts rang out in succession. The sturdy ice walls were shattered one by one with his fists, breaking the whole through a single point and collapsing instantly! The incoming ice spikes were likewise blown apart by the shockwaves.

Shui Bing'er's expression finally changed. She had not expected his attacks to be so concentrated and precise. Just as she prepared to leap back, Lin Jian waved his left hand at her from afar.

"Second Soul Skill, Void Prison!"

Shui Bing'er fell into the same predicament Huo Wu had just faced.

With a flicker, Lin Jian was already before her. He pressed his right index and middle fingers together and jabbed lightning-fast toward her shoulder. Had this strike landed, it would have instantly disrupted the circulation of her Soul Power—but his fingertips stopped an inch from her shoulder.

"You let me win," Lin Jian said calmly.

The spatial restraint dissipated. Shui Bing'er looked at the fingers before her and felt the piercing wind from them. She drew in a cold breath, and the icy aloofness in her eyes turned faintly complicated.

"I lost. Thank you for showing mercy."

Lin Jian won another match.