Only a Challenge, Not Challengers

Following their earlier plan, Tang Wulin and the others did not immediately seek out Ling Luo in the heart of the forest. Instead, they kept themselves hidden and searched with Xie Xie for Xu Xiaoyan's whereabouts.

Fortunately, Xu Xiaoyan was not far from where they were.

Before long, the three had gathered together.

However, as the three made their way toward the center of the forest and found a higher spot to observe the situation, they encountered someone.

"Are you three classmates also planning to challenge Ling Luo Senior?"

Yang Nianxia looked at the three before him and spoke with a smile, his attitude exceptionally friendly.

Seeing this, Tang Wulin and the other two relaxed slightly.

However, they did not lower their guard completely.

Tang Wulin replied,

"No. The Inner Court senior must be very strong. We consider ourselves rather ordinary, so we only came to take a look first."

Tang Wulin first made himself seem weak.

Hearing this, Yang Nianxia recalled the geniuses he knew. After realizing he had no impression of these three, he believed him.

At the same time, a few other thoughts arose in his mind.

The corners of Yang Nianxia's lips lifted slightly. Just as he was about to speak, a disturbance from the center of the forest abruptly interrupted him.

"Someone has launched an attack!"

Xu Xiaoyan's voice rang out.

Yang Nianxia's words caught in his throat as he looked down below.

A black shadow flashed past.

A pale-faced youth wielding an enormous black scythe slashed at Ling Luo, who was sitting on a bench and playing with his fingers.

"Undying Xu Yucheng."

Yang Nianxia spoke the name almost the instant he saw the youth.

Tang Wulin keenly caught that detail, then looked at Yang Nianxia with feigned curiosity.

"Brother Yang, you know this challenger?"

Perhaps Tang Wulin and the others' earlier display of weakness had indeed worked to some extent.

Yang Nianxia nodded slightly. "Undying Xu Yucheng, a genius listed on the Young Genius Ranking."

"The Young Genius Ranking?" Although Tang Wulin had already learned about it from Teacher Wu Changkong, he still put on a blank and ignorant expression.

"Brother Yang, what exactly is this Young Genius Ranking?"

Tang Wulin scratched the back of his head, deliberately looking somewhat embarrassed.

"We're from Eastsea City, so our information may be a little limited. We aren't as knowledgeable and experienced as Brother Yang."

Yang Nianxia was thoughtful, but he was still a youth. Seeing Tang Wulin act this way, his desire to instruct others was somewhat stirred.

He explained, "The Young Genius Ranking is a comprehensive ranking of Soul Masters under eighteen, issued by the Spirit Pagoda."

"Those who make the list are all geniuses acknowledged by the Spirit Pagoda."

"Xu Yucheng has already reached four-ring cultivation at his age, which is why he made the list. It's just that..."

Yang Nianxia's expression turned somewhat strange.

When it came to cultivation speed, no one could match that one!

His gaze remained fixed on the battle below.

Xu Yucheng, Xu Yucheng. Since you people are so arrogant, then you can be the first to test this one's current strength...

Yang Nianxia knew very well that, in terms of strength, he most likely was not a match for those few ranked ahead of him.

However, his intelligence-gathering was more thorough than theirs.

That was his advantage, and he had to make good use of it.

Below,

Facing the Shadow Demon Scythe swinging toward him, Ling Luo, seated on the bench, did not move at all.

He continued playing with his fingers as though he had noticed nothing.

Arrogant!

A trace of displeasure flashed through Xu Yucheng's eyes.

In his view, even for an Inner Court senior, this was far too presumptuous!

Then he would personally bring this Class Monitor election to an end!

There would be no true death within this Illusory Space.

Thus, Xu Yucheng did not hold back in the slightest.

His soul rings flashed in succession as he prepared to use this strike to utterly defeat Ling Luo before him!

At the instant the Shadow Demon Scythe was about to reach Ling Luo, a radiant green glow suddenly spread from his body.

A palm-sized radiant green Little Butterfly beat its wings and suddenly appeared before Ling Luo, directly facing Xu Yucheng's Shadow Demon Scythe.

It was Ling Luo's First Soul Spirit.

The Jade Lightwing Butterfly.

The palm-sized Little Butterfly appeared especially tiny beneath Xu Yucheng's enormous scythe.

Instinctively, many watching students believed that the Little Butterfly would be crushed in an instant beneath that scythe.

Yet in the next moment, what happened left everyone stunned.

Xu Yucheng's Shadow Demon Scythe struck the Jade Lightwing Butterfly, but instead of the clean execution everyone had expected, a burst of metallic collision rang out.

In places too small for the naked eye to see, the tiny scales on the Jade Lightwing Butterfly's Wings moved like incomparably sturdy shields, effortlessly blocking Xu Yucheng's scythe.

The recoil sent Xu Yucheng staggering back several steps.

His constitution had never been particularly strong, and his already pale face turned even whiter.

The Jade Lightwing Butterfly landed on Ling Luo's finger, obedient and quiet, looking utterly harmless.

But after witnessing that scene, no one thought so anymore.

An attack formed from the combined Spirit Skills of four-ring Xu Yucheng would make even an ordinary Soul King hesitate.

Yet this palm-sized butterfly had not suffered any damage at all?

Ling Luo extended a finger from his right hand and gently stroked the Jade Lightwing Butterfly resting on the index finger of his left hand.

The scales that had been as hard as armor became as soft and smooth as silk beneath Ling Luo's gentle touch.

Ling Luo raised his eyelids slightly.

It seemed as though he was speaking to Xu Yucheng, but also to every student watching.

"Please understand one fact."

"You are issuing a challenge, but you are not challengers."

"Only after defeating Little Butterfly will you be qualified to become challengers."

Xu Yucheng gripped the Shadow Demon Scythe, his palm trembling slightly.

He panted heavily, the contempt in his heart completely swept away.

This Inner Court senior truly had the right to be proud!

"Attack together!"

Xu Yucheng took a deep breath and called out to the several Soul Masters following him.

The others nodded slightly, releasing their martial souls before charging toward Ling Luo alongside Xu Yucheng.

Ling Luo still did not move. Only the Jade Lightwing Butterfly on his finger took flight once more.

Its dazzling Wings spread open.

Specks of green scattered through the air.

The star-like powder appeared so light and weightless, yet when it descended, Xu Yucheng and the others finally sensed the terrifying power contained within it.

Several streaks of light flashed.

Xu Yucheng and the others were utterly defeated and forced out of the battlefield.

The Jade Lightwing Butterfly danced gracefully among the trees.

Though palm-sized, the butterfly gave everyone an indescribable sense of terrifying oppression.

Ling Luo was not surprised by this result.

After following him for all these years, the Jade Lightwing Butterfly had long evolved to the level of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Spirit.

These new students, at most Soul Ancestors, were utterly vulnerable before the Jade Lightwing Butterfly.

The forest fell silent.

Only the occasional sound of sharp inhalations could be heard.