Everyone's Mockery, a Change in Mindset

"First round: Blazing Fire Academy versus Godwind Academy. Competitors, take the stage!"

The referee was an instructor from Skywater Academy, a sixty-fifth-level Soul Emperor.

At her announcement, the entire Fighting Arena immediately fell silent.

On Blazing Fire Academy's side, seven team members led by Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang rose to their feet in perfect unison.

They stepped onto the Arena one after another and took their positions. Their fiery red uniforms shone brilliantly beneath the sunlight.

Yet on Godwind Academy's side, only Feng Xiaotian stood up.

He straightened his uniform and calmly walked toward the Arena.

Everyone was stunned.

Several people from Lightning Academy began discussing among themselves.

"What's going on? Godwind Academy only has Feng Xiaotian this time?"

"Is Feng Xiaotian planning to take on all seven by himself?"

"Hah, have you forgotten? Whenever Divine Wind faces Blazing Fire, don't they always deliberately go easy on them and lose on purpose?"

"That's right. That simp Feng Xiaotian probably wants to show off in front of Huo Wu, but isn't he making it a little too obvious this time?"

"Hmph. For a woman, it seems the captain of Godwind Academy is only capable of this much."

At the Elephant Armor Academy team's side, Huyan Li crossed his arms and sneered.

"Haha, Captain's right!"

The team members behind him sneered along with him.

"Big Sister." Shui Yue'er held Shui Bing'er's arm and whispered, "Feng Xiaotian isn't really going to fight Blazing Fire Academy alone, is he?"

"Judging by his usual behavior, he's most likely trying to please Huo Wu again." Shui Bing'er furrowed her brows slightly.

"What a disappointment. A genius with Innate Full Soul Power, yet he spends every day circling around Huo Wu." Gu Qingbo curled his lip.

Almost everyone believed this was Feng Xiaotian trying to curry favor with Huo Wu in yet another way.

Several members of the Blazing Fire Team also wore amused smiles.

"Vice-Captain, looks like we'll win without even fighting this time."

"Haha, Feng Xiaotian really has gone to great lengths for our Vice-Captain."

At the front of the team, Huo Wushuang frowned slightly and quietly asked Huo Wu beside him, "Could Feng Xiaotian really be coming up here just to put on a show for you?"

Huo Wu's pretty face was covered in frost. As she watched Feng Xiaotian approach step by step, her eyes were filled with disappointment and contempt.

"Feng Xiaotian!" Huo Wu could not help calling out coldly. "What do you mean by this?"

"If you think the competition is a joke, then you can just admit defeat. There's no need to use this method to attract my attention!"

"Doing this will only make me look down on you even more!"

Huo Wu's words instantly drew waves of jeers from the crowd on the Arena.

"Exactly! Hurry up and admit defeat!"

Even the members of the Godwind Team believed that their captain was only going up there to make a token appearance for Huo Wu.

"Captain is making it way too obvious this time..."

Another team member shook his head helplessly. "We deliberately lose whenever we face Blazing Fire anyway. There's no point in us going up there."

"Let's just hope Captain doesn't act too fake. He should at least exchange a few moves before admitting defeat."

Before the match, Feng Xiaotian had told them that he would be fighting this round alone.

They had no objections. They deliberately lost to Blazing Fire every time anyway, so it made no difference whether they competed or not.

As for Feng Xiaotian's current strength, he had never displayed it before outsiders, including his own teammates.

They only knew that their captain had been cultivating especially diligently lately, but they had no idea what earth-shaking changes had taken place over the past ten days.

Faced with the doubts and mockery of the entire arena, as well as Huo Wu's undisguised contempt,

Feng Xiaotian did not slow his pace in the slightest. His gaze only grew firmer.

In the past, seeing Huo Wu's attitude might have made him panic. He would have hurried to explain himself and might even have done anything to coax her.

But now, Ji Xuan's words from ten days ago surfaced in his mind.

Excessive, humble ingratiation could never earn respect. It would only make others look down on you even more!

Yes, His Highness the Holy Son was right.

The old me was truly too foolish...

Feng Xiaotian steadily stepped onto the Arena and stood facing the Blazing Fire Team.

He raised his eyes slightly, his calm gaze sweeping across the entire venue.

He offered no explanation and did not even respond to Huo Wu's questioning.

"Both sides, prepare!"

As soon as the Referee's words fell, the people from Blazing Fire Academy still stood with their arms crossed, showing no intention of releasing their Martial Souls at all.

"Captain Feng, are you going to admit defeat right away?"

"Hahaha!"

"Looks like our Vice-Captain's charm is as great as ever."

The Blazing Fire Team immediately mocked him with laughter.

They all believed Feng Xiaotian would definitely surrender right away for their Vice-Captain's sake.

Huo Wushuang watched this unfold, his brows knitting even tighter, but in the end, he did not speak up to stop them.

Even he believed Feng Xiaotian would voluntarily admit defeat this time.

Huo Wu gave a cold snort, folding her arms across her chest with disdain written all over her face.

Feng Xiaotian ignored everyone's ridicule.

"Awoo!"

A wolf's howl that rang throughout the entire arena sounded out. The Gale Twin-Headed Wolf Martial Soul emerged behind him, and Soul Rings descended beneath his feet one by one.

Yellow, yellow, purple.

Then came a deep purplish-black Soul Ring, so dark it was almost black!

"Four-ring Soul Ancestor!"

Students throughout the venue shot to their feet in shock.

"Feng Xiaotian broke through that quickly?!"

"His fourth Soul Ring... its color is so deep!"

"Black? A Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring?... No, it isn't completely black, but it's infinitely close!"

"How is that possible? How did he do it?!"

The doubts and mockery came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone stared with widened eyes. Even the usually calm Shui Bing'er looked at Feng Xiaotian on the Arena and his fourth Soul Ring, which overturned all common sense, in utter disbelief.

"Level forty-four! His fourth Soul Ring is close to Ten-Thousand-Year!"

On the viewing platform, the several deans, all Soul Douluo, could naturally sense Feng Xiaotian's true strength with clarity.

Huo Chen and Shui Wuyue abruptly rose from their seats. They exchanged a glance and saw the same horror in each other's eyes.

Feng Xiaotian had truly undergone an earth-shaking transformation!

Even the dean of Lightning Academy, who had maintained a calm expression all along, sat up straight and stared fixedly at Feng Xiaotian.

Only Feng Qingyang, his grandfather, watched his grandson below with a calm expression, a faint curve lifting the corner of his lips.

At the same time, his awe of Ji Xuan deepened further.

His grandson had not merely improved in strength; his mindset had transformed as well.

His Highness had truly set his grandson on the proper path to becoming strong.

On the Arena, the seven members of Blazing Fire Academy felt it most directly.

The oppressive Soul Power that far surpassed their own, along with the invisible intimidation brought by that fourth Soul Ring,

made the smiles on their faces instantly freeze, replaced by utmost solemnity.

The disdain on Huo Wu's face also vanished as she stared at Feng Xiaotian in disbelief.

For some reason, she felt that the current Feng Xiaotian was no longer the person who had once been so submissive before her.

"Release your Martial Souls!"

Huo Wushuang's expression changed drastically. He took a sudden step forward, shielding his younger sister Huo Wu behind him as he shouted sternly.

In an instant, brilliant light erupted from Blazing Fire Academy's side!

Huo Wushuang fused with his Unicorn Fire Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, three Soul Rings circling beneath his feet.

The Fire Shadow emerged behind Huo Wu, likewise accompanied by three Soul Rings.

The remaining five team members also released their respective fire-element Martial Souls...

For a moment, flames soared into the sky above the Arena.

Feng Xiaotian took in everyone's reactions, his heart utterly calm, even somewhat relieved...

So this was how satisfying it felt to possess absolute strength.

PS: Thank you to the boss, "Dugu Qiubai's Sword Opens Heaven's Gate," for the reward.