Sparring (Seeking Follow-ups)

The open sparring arena behind the cafeteria was now packed to overflowing with students who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

The rumor that a freshman from the Soul Elder Class, at the Soul Grand Master level, would withstand three moves from the Strength Clan's Young Master without retreating half a step—this news spread like wind through half the academy.

In the arena, Tailong twisted his neck, and the bones in his body crackled like popping beans.

Yellow, yellow, and purple—three soul rings rose from beneath his feet. A powerful wave of soul force radiated outward, carrying the unique oppressive pressure of a strength-type soul master.

He stared at Yu Tiancheng, who stood silently ten meters away, and grinned, "Kid, it's not too late to admit defeat now. Save yourself the embarrassment later."

Yu Tiancheng merely nodded slightly, signaling that they could begin.

He activated Stealth Technique, and two yellow soul rings rose beneath his feet as well. His twenty-third-level soul force fluctuation appeared especially thin and fragile under the pressure of Tailong's Soul Elder-level might.

A low murmur of disdain rippled through the surrounding crowd.

"First move!"

Tailong let out a low roar. Without using any soul skill, he relied solely on his powerful physique and soul force enhancement, charging toward Yu Tiancheng like a wild bull!

The ground trembled slightly under his stomps. Though his speed wasn't top-tier, the unstoppable momentum and the immense force behind it were enough to make even a fellow Soul Elder hesitate to meet it head-on.

He intended to use the most direct method—pure power—to send this "connection hire" flying!

Facing this fierce charge, Yu Tiancheng's eyes sharpened. He muttered under his breath, "First Soul Skill, Time Transformation!"

The first soul ring on his body suddenly lit up. An extremely faint, nearly imperceptible transparent ripple spread outward from him, instantly expanding to a one-meter radius around him.

Within this "Space-Time Transformation" domain, the flow of time subtly shifted.

To the onlookers, Tailong's charge still seemed ferocious.

But in Yu Tiancheng's perception, the opponent's speed had abruptly slowed by nearly half!

Every detail of muscle exertion, the trajectory of each footstep, even the sound of the wind being parted—all became clear and "slow."

Just as Tailong, wrapped in a gust of wind, reached him and his thick arm was about to touch Yu Tiancheng's clothes—

Yu Tiancheng moved.

He didn't resist head-on, nor did he dodge widely. Instead, as if foreseeing the future, he tilted his upper body slightly by a hair's breadth, while his feet remained rooted to the ground, unmoving.

Tailong's shoulder, strong enough to shatter rock, grazed past Yu Tiancheng's chest. Most of the surging force landed on empty air, and the wind it stirred only ruffled Yu Tiancheng's hair and the hem of his clothes.

"What?"

Tailong's attack missed. Because he had put too much force into it, he stumbled forward half a step. He whipped his head around, his face full of shock.

He had clearly felt like he was about to hit him. How could the other party have avoided it at the last instant with such a subtle movement?

The crowd also erupted in exclamations.

It looked dangerously close, but Yu Tiancheng's feet had indeed not moved an inch!

"Coincidence! It has to be coincidence!"

Tailong shook his head, suppressing his doubts. His expression turned serious. "Second move won't be so simple! First Soul Skill, Stone Defense!"

His first soul ring lit up, and a layer of rock-like gray-white luster spread across his skin, greatly increasing his defense.

At the same time, he clenched both fists, let out a low growl, and lunged forward again.

This time, he didn't just charge. He swung his fist, as big as a clay pot, with a whistling wind, aiming a punch straight at Yu Tiancheng's face!

Before the fist arrived, the Fist Wind already made it hard to breathe.

With the support of Stone Defense, the power of this punch was even more concentrated and terrifying.

Yu Tiancheng still stood in place, as if intimidated by the fierce momentum of the punch.

It wasn't until the fist was about to land that his first soul ring flickered again.

"Space-Time Transformation, slow!"

Tailong felt as if his fist had plunged into an invisible quagmire, its speed inexplicably stalling.

And in that lightning-fast moment of delay, Yu Tiancheng made a move that left everyone stunned—

He didn't block or retreat. Instead, he took a tiny half-step forward, extended a single finger with a faint wisp of soul force swirling at its tip, and precisely, lightly tapped a minuscule force node on the inside of Tailong's elbow—exposed as he threw the punch.

The tap was light, and the soul force was weak.

But the timing and placement were exquisitely perfect!

Tailong immediately felt the force trajectory of his entire arm slightly disrupted, and the momentum of his punch involuntarily deviated by half a measure.

Bang!

The fist grazed past Yu Tiancheng's ear, missing again.

The sharp Fist Wind stung Yu Tiancheng's cheek, but his body only swayed slightly. His feet were as if nailed to the ground—still unmoved!

"This... how is this possible!"

Tailong was utterly shocked.

The first time could be called a coincidence. But the second? The other party's eerie prediction and pinpoint-accurate interference were no fluke!

The noise from the crowd grew louder. The looks directed at Yu Tiancheng had shifted from initial contempt to shock and uncertainty.

Tailong's expression turned extremely grave, even somewhat flushed.

Two moves had already passed. Not only had his opponent failed to budge an inch, he hadn't even used a proper defensive soul skill—yet Tailong hadn't even grazed his clothes!

This was nothing short of utter humiliation!

"Fine! Excellent skill!"

Tailong took a deep breath, the last trace of contempt vanishing from his eyes, replaced by blazing battle intent and a hint of desperate ruthlessness.

"Third move! Let's see how you dodge this one!"

"Second Soul Skill, Explosive Great Strength!"

The second soul ring on his body—that Hundred-Year Yellow Soul Ring—flared with its final burst of brilliance.

On his right fist, soul power converged wildly, faintly tinged with a crimson glow. The very air twisted slightly under the force of that compressed power.

The might of this punch was far more terrifying than the previous two moves combined!

"Tailong's getting serious!"

"Explosive Great Strength is his signature soul skill—they say it can instantly double his power!"

"That newcomer's done for. If that punch lands solidly, he'll break a few bones at least."

Gasps and exclamations rippled through the watching students.

Everyone held their breath, eyes locked on the arena.

They wanted to see what trick this newcomer, who had already pulled off two miracles, could possibly have against this absolute punch.

Just as Tailong's second punch missed and the crowd gasped in shock—

No one noticed that beneath the shadow of a large tree at the edge of the sparring ground, a tall figure had silently taken a stand.

Liu Erlong crossed her arms, leaning back against the rough tree trunk, her gaze calm and steady as she watched the duel unfold.

She had returned after handling an urgent matter, arriving just in time to catch the tail end of the second move.

Seeing Yu Tiancheng use those impossibly subtle micro-movements and precise interference to once again make Tailong's sure-hit punch miss, Liu Erlong's sharp brows lifted slightly.

"Space-Time Transformation... His control over time is refined to this degree—he can even catch and disrupt the moment of power release."

She murmured inwardly, a flicker of surprise passing through her eyes.

"It's not just simple acceleration or deceleration. It's truly integrated into his combat instincts."

She didn't call out, nor did she intervene.

Even though Tailong's third soul skill, "Explosive Punch," packed considerable power, and with Yu Tiancheng's current Soul Power Level, taking a direct hit would be far from pleasant—

Liu Erlong understood all too well:

Some thresholds must be crossed alone. Some recognition must be earned by oneself.