Battle with Lucius Von Heinrich

The lingering chime of the dismissal bell still hung over the academy when Lin Wanqing picked up an empty luggage bag and hurried toward the supply area. Before leaving, she did not forget to turn back and remind him, "Wang Chuan, wait obediently in the courtyard. Don't run around. The Soul Master Apprentices here are rather unruly, so don't go causing trouble."

Wang Chuan nodded and leaned beneath an old locust tree by the corner of the courtyard. He had not waited long before several excited female voices gathered around him—three girls in academy uniforms crowded before him, their eyes filled with amazement.

"Little brother, you're Wang Chuan, the new student, right? I heard you're already level 19 at only seven years old?" The girl with twin ponytails crouched down, her tone full of disbelief. "When I was your age, I'd only just awakened my Martial Soul!"

"Level 19 in the assault type? That talent is terrifying. You'll definitely become someone important someday!" Another girl spoke as she reached out, wanting to touch Wang Chuan's hair, only to be interrupted by an arrogant male voice.

"Move aside."

The crowd immediately parted as a boy in a silver-trimmed uniform strode over. He stood more than half a head taller than Wang Chuan, and the Soul Master badge at his waist clearly bore the name Lucius Von Heinrich. With his arms crossed and chin raised slightly, he looked down at Wang Chuan with undisguised contempt. It was Lucius.

"You? Level 19?" Lucius sneered and deliberately puffed out his chest. "I, Lucius Heinrich, am a level 20 Assault-type Soul Grandmaster. My Martial Soul is the Noble Peacock. Do you dare spar with me? Let me show you what a real gap looks like." Though his words were arrogant, he had quietly left himself an out—he first made a show of asking for Wang Chuan's consent, so that if he lost, he could still claim the other side had agreed willingly.

Wang Chuan had originally wanted to mention his master's name. After all, his master's reputation in the Soul Master world could save him plenty of trouble. But on second thought, having just enrolled, this was a good chance to see the combat level of Soul Masters outside. He nodded. "Fine."

The moment the two reached the practice grounds, more spectators gathered. A girl who knew Lucius could not help shouting, "Lucius! He's only seven years old. You're level 21, and you're fighting him? Aren't you ashamed?"

Lucius's face stiffened, and he immediately raised his voice in protest. "He agreed to it himself—I didn't force him! Besides, it's just a spar. What's wrong with exchanging a few moves?"

With that, he stopped wasting words. Soul Power suddenly surged around him, and behind him appeared the phantom of a peacock with iridescent feathers. The eye-like markings on its tail fan gleamed with a cold light. "Lucius, Noble Peacock Martial Soul, level 21 Assault-type Battle Soul Master!"

"Wang Chuan, Martial Soul: Nothingness. Level 19 Assault-type Battle Soul Master." Wang Chuan's voice remained calm. He made no unnecessary movements, as though he were merely stating his name.

"First Soul Skill, Dazzling Screen Light!" Lucius gave Wang Chuan no time to prepare. The peacock phantom behind him abruptly spread its tail fan, and every eye-like marking burst forth with blinding white light—this Soul Skill could not only temporarily blind an opponent, but also disrupt their senses through fluctuations in Soul Power. It was his usual opening move.

The spectators all instinctively narrowed their eyes, but Wang Chuan merely closed his gently. His fingers stopped rubbing against the scabbard, replaced by an exceedingly faint ripple of Soul Power that spread slowly like flowing water, silently enveloping the entire practice ground—he did not need his eyes at all. Through Soul Power perception alone, he could clearly pinpoint Lucius's position.

"You actually dare close your eyes?" Lucius snorted coldly. Soul Power surged beneath his feet as he suddenly charged toward Wang Chuan. "You're not the first person to think you can dodge me through perception, but they all lost! Second Spirit Ability, Ostentatious Feather Blade!"

With his shout, seven peacock feathers with a metallic sheen appeared out of thin air. The edges of every feather were sharp as blades, and with piercing whistles through the air, they shot directly toward Wang Chuan's vital points.

Yet Wang Chuan remained where he was. Only when the feathers were about to reach him did he lightly turn his wrist. Though the katana at his waist remained sheathed, he gave a gentle block from an incredibly precise angle—several crisp clangs rang out, and all seven feather blades shattered against the scabbard. Their fragments fell to the ground, still trembling faintly.

"Damn it! You dare look down on me?" Lucius was thoroughly enraged. He kicked off the ground, shooting toward Wang Chuan like an arrow. At some point, a feather blade glowing blue had appeared in his hand, and he thrust it straight at Wang Chuan's chest. At the same time, over a dozen feather blades suddenly materialized around Wang Chuan and flew at him in an encircling formation, sealing off every route of escape.

"Haha! This time, you have nowhere to run!" Lucius laughed triumphantly, but his smile froze the next second—the instant the feather blades passed through Wang Chuan's body, there was no sense of impact whatsoever, as though they had pierced empty air. He spun around sharply and stabbed again, only for the result to remain the same.

"How is this possible?!" Lucius's eyes widened as he stared incredulously at the "Wang Chuan" before him. That figure was clearly right in front of him, yet he could not touch it no matter what.

"Classmate, why be so persistent?" A voice came from behind him. Lucius whirled around, only to discover that Wang Chuan had somehow appeared behind him, completely unharmed. "What you struck was merely an afterimage, a fragment of the Grand Void."

As soon as the words fell, Wang Chuan's figure blurred, like smoke scattered by the wind, and he instantly appeared at Lucius's side—this was the movement technique of the Grand Void Transformation Art. Before Lucius could react, Wang Chuan used Grand Void Flash, and the scabbard in his hand, carrying dense Soul Power, lightly struck Lucius in the chest.

"Puh!" Lucius felt an enormous force spread from his chest, as though his organs had all been knocked out of place. His body rolled backward uncontrollably until he crashed into the practice ground fence and finally stopped. He struggled to his feet, blood at the corner of his mouth, but his gaze only became fiercer. "You coward! You only know how to use such bizarre tactics. If you've got the guts, fight me head-on!"

As he spoke, he took a deep breath, and the Soul Power around him surged once more. This time, the fluctuations were far more violent than before. He was clearly preparing to give it everything he had. Seeing this, Wang Chuan no longer used the Grand Void Transformation Art. The Soul Power that had spread outward abruptly drew back in, replaced by an icy aura—killing intent honed through years of sword practice. It was not intense, yet it carried a suffocating pressure.

"Spreading Killing Intent." Wang Chuan spoke softly, but his quiet voice made Lucius's movements pause for an instant.

At that moment, Lucius charged in, the feather blade in his hand chopping viciously toward Wang Chuan. Wang Chuan lowered his wrist slightly, his scabbard precisely blocking the feather blade as he gently redirected the force behind the strike—Lucius only felt his Soul Power pulled off course by an ingenious force, and his body instantly lost balance.

Seizing that opening, Wang Chuan raised his scabbard again. This time, he did not use much force, yet he struck Lucius precisely on the back of the neck.

With a dull thud, Lucius's body swayed. His vision went black, and he fell stiffly to the ground, completely unconscious.

The practice ground instantly fell silent. The spectators were all dumbfounded—throughout the entire spar, Wang Chuan had not used a single Soul Skill. He had not even drawn his katana, yet he had defeated level 20 Lucius so easily.

Wang Chuan withdrew his scabbard and walked over to Lucius. After confirming that he was only unconscious, he turned toward the entrance of the practice grounds—Lin Wanqing stood there with a luggage bag full of dormitory supplies, helplessness in her eyes mixed with a faint, barely noticeable sense of relief.

"Looks like I don't need to worry about you causing trouble. I should be worried about others causing trouble for you instead." Lin Wanqing walked over and shook her head helplessly. Wang Chuan scratched his head without saying anything, simply taking half of the luggage from her.