Practical Combat

An Ping did not join the others in their discussion. He stood up, left the classroom, and headed toward the academy library.

His cultivation had always progressed smoothly; only his Alchemy had been advancing painfully slowly.

Alchemy was not a single spell, nor was it merely one kind of spell. It mainly involved a Witch analyzing, transforming, and utilizing matter to create Potions or items with various effects. It was considered a secondary profession.

However, making either Potions or Magic Items required materials—and they could not be ordinary materials. Materials cost money.

Aside from the Soul Master Subsidy from the Spirit Pagoda, An Ping had no stable source of income. As a level-two Mecha Designer, it was difficult for him to receive any worthwhile assignments.

Carrying several books he had borrowed from the library with his Student ID, An Ping headed toward the dormitory.

As he passed the Teaching Building, he happened to run into Xie Xie and Tang Wulin, who were coming out of it.

Xie Xie became somewhat excited when he saw An Ping. "An Ping, Tang Wulin and I are going to East Sea Park for another fight. Want to come? After I'm done fighting Tang Wulin, we can have a match too."

"You two go ahead. I'm not interested. I'm not a Battle Maniac like you." An Ping shook his head as he sidestepped past them.

"You're already a level-twenty-three Soul Grandmaster. Don't tell me you're afraid of someone who's only level eighteen?" Seeing that An Ping was unmoved, Xie Xie tried to provoke him.

"You don't need to use levels to provoke me either. Not interested means not interested."

With his mature mindset, An Ping naturally would not fall for Xie Xie's provocation. Without looking back, he continued toward the Dormitory Building.

"Let's go." Xie Xie spoke helplessly to Tang Wulin beside him.

The next day, at the Eastsea Academy cafeteria.

Watching Xie Xie pester Tang Wulin for another match while Tang Wulin ignored him with a look of disgust and focused solely on eating, An Ping lightly shook his head.

"Hey, fight me again. How about I treat you to a Grade A Meal?"

"Really?" Tang Wulin had never had much resistance to food. Besides, Grade A Meals were said to be packed with nutrition and beneficial for both physical fitness and cultivation.

"Of course!"

"All I can eat?" Tang Wulin's eyes lit up.

"All you can eat. Eat as much as you want. I've only heard people say you can eat a lot—I'd like to see just how much you can eat." Xie Xie spoke disdainfully.

"Deal!"

Having reached an agreement, Xie Xie seemed to suddenly think of something. He ran over to An Ping and patted him on the shoulder. "Fight me, and I'll treat you to a Grade A Meal! All you can eat!"

An Ping swallowed the food in his mouth. "No. Not interested."

Seeing An Ping refuse again, Xie Xie helplessly went to Tang Wulin to fulfill his promise.

He watched in stunned silence as Tang Wulin ate more than a dozen Grade A Meals and still looked eager to continue. "Tang Wulin, are you even human? This is the first time I've seen someone who can eat this much."

"How about we forget it? I won't eat anymore." Tang Wulin felt a little embarrassed as well.

"Eat. Why wouldn't you eat? You've already insulted my wallet. I absolutely can't let you insult my dignity too." Xie Xie said viciously.

"By the way, let me ask you something. What's going on with that An Ping? I offered to treat him to a Grade A Meal, and he still wouldn't fight me." Thinking of An Ping again, Xie Xie grew curious.

Tang Wulin thought for a moment. "Him? I don't know either. Maybe he just doesn't want to cause trouble. During the three years at Primary Academy, I never once saw him get into trouble."

"Is that so? Then do you know if there's anything he especially likes? He can't possibly be so young and already free of all desires, right?"

"Something he especially likes? Oh, right—books! What he likes most should be books. And his martial soul is a book."

"I see." Xie Xie fell into thought.

At last, it was time for class.

Wu Changkong strode into the classroom and onto the platform, saying coolly, "Starting today, classes officially begin. I will personally instruct most of your courses. Everyone, stand up and follow me."

With that, Wu Changkong put his hands into his pockets and walked outside. Under his icy presence, no one dared speak loudly, and they obediently followed behind him.

They made their way to the academy field, where Wu Changkong had the students line up in two rows, two to a row.

Seeing that the students were standing obediently, he said in a deep voice, "Unlike the other classes, your first lesson today will be practical combat to demonstrate your strength. I will serve as referee. You will fight one-on-one in a Single Elimination format."

He glanced at An Ping, who was standing alone in a separate line. "An Ping, you have a bye for the first round and advance directly to the next round."

After all, An Ping was already level twenty-three, so no one objected. However, a girl raised her hand. "Teacher Wu, I'm a Support System Tool Soul Master. Do I have to participate in practical combat too?"

Seeing someone raise an objection, Wu Changkong said coldly, "If you go onto the battlefield in the future and tell your enemy that you're a Support System Tool Soul Master, will he let you go?"

After saying that, he no longer looked at the girl and pointed at Tang Wulin. "Get ready now. We'll start from your side."

Ignoring Tang Wulin and Zhou Changxi as they discussed whether they should compete in strength, he directed everyone else to spread out and form a circle around them.

"Now begin. There are no rules. Defeat your opponent by any means necessary."

Once Wu Changkong finished speaking, Zhou Changxi and Tang Wulin walked to the center and faced each other.

At Wu Changkong's command, Zhou Changxi used Martial Soul Possession and summoned a white Soul Ring. As the white light of the Soul Ring lit up, his First Soul Skill, Strength Amplification, empowered his body, and he charged toward Tang Wulin.

After rushing in front of Tang Wulin in just a few steps, he spread his hands, intending to grab Tang Wulin's shoulders and throw him down.

With a bang, Tang Wulin struck out with both fists, hitting Zhou Changxi's hands and knocking him back several steps. Then Tang Wulin closed in and threw another punch. Zhou Changxi had only just regained his footing when he was caught off guard and knocked to the ground by the blow.

"Stop! You're out." Wu Changkong called the match and indicated that Zhou Changxi had lost. Then he looked at Tang Wulin. "Why didn't you use your martial soul?"

"He said he wanted to compare strength with me."

"If he told you to eat shit, would you eat it? You must learn to treat every battle as if you are on a battlefield. Defeating your opponent is your only objective. Even a lion must go all out when hunting a rabbit. You cannot give your opponent even the slightest opportunity. You advance. Wait for the next match."

Tang Wulin walked aside with his head lowered, looking somewhat dejected.

"Next match."

The second match was between Xie Xie and Yun Xiao. There were no surprises—Yun Xiao, a Support System Soul Master, lost the match.

The first round ended quickly, and nearly everyone got chewed out.

"Second round, you get a bye. You, you—fight." He casually pointed at a girl to indicate that she was sitting out, then pointed at An Ping and a boy named Tao Liufan.

An Ping had no real impression of this person. He walked to the center and faced him, releasing his Martial Soul. Two yellow Soul Rings rose up, and a White Bird appeared alongside An Ping's summoned Soul Rings, circling around him.

Tao Liufan was a sturdy-looking youth. His Martial Soul was a Willow Tree. After summoning it, willow branches emerged from his hands amid fluctuations of Soul Power.

"Begin!"

At Wu Changkong's command, An Ping skillfully cast a Magic Barrier.

As the other party's First Soul Ring lit up and willow branches surged toward him, he quickly stepped back while communicating with his magic power to construct his next spell, a Level Two Trick Fire Wall.

As the Spell Model was completed, Fire Elements in the air violently stirred and gathered. A wall of fire rose up, surrounding Tao Liufan as scorching heat spread outward.

Tao Liufan controlled the willow branches, trying to pass through the fire wall. As they drew close to it, the branches withered and drooped.

At the same time, An Ping stopped retreating and swiftly cast another spell, a Level One Trick Fireball. A huge fireball shot toward Tao Liufan.

"Stop! An Ping wins." Wu Changkong swiftly summoned a blue Longsword and split apart the fireball, then looked at An Ping. "That wasn't a soul skill you used, was it? Can you explain what's going on with your Martial Soul?"