The Third Move

Since Yu Tiancheng had chosen to answer the doubts in this way, whatever the outcome, this was a trial he had to undergo.

She believed that a meticulous young man who never acted without being sure of his chances wouldn't have proposed such a wager unless he had something to rely on.

"Third move! Let's see how you dodge this! Second Soul Skill, Explosive Punch!"

In the arena, Tailong's roar pulled Liu Erlong's thoughts back.

She saw the yellow Soul Ring on Tailong's body shine brightly as his fist, charged with terrifying power, shot toward Yu Tiancheng's chest.

Her body leaned forward almost imperceptibly, her eyes sharp as an eagle's as she fixed them on Yu Tiancheng's every subtle movement.

Then—

She witnessed a response so deft it was breathtaking.

In the arena.

Facing Tailong's fist, which carried all his Soul Power and seemed capable of shattering rock, Yu Tiancheng finally got serious.

A flash of silver-gray light passed through his eyes.

"First Soul Skill, Space-Time Transformation—Slow!"

Ripples of time spread once more. In Yu Tiancheng's eyes, Tailong's ferocious punch slowed again.

But this time, Tailong had come prepared. Though his punch was slower, it was denser and heavier, leaving no room for even the smallest dodge.

He meant to force Yu Tiancheng to take the blow head-on!

But Yu Tiancheng had no intention of doing that.

Just before the crimson fist-light was about to hit him—

"Second Soul Skill, Void Flash!"

Yu Tiancheng's figure abruptly blurred where he stood.

Tailong's supposedly decisive punch landed squarely on the hazy afterimage.

The force of the punch exploded, the air cracked, and fine fissures spread across the ground from the shock wave.

But all it hit was an afterimage.

At that very instant, the real Yu Tiancheng appeared solidly in the same spot, as if he had never moved at all.

His feet were positioned exactly where they had been before!

Having put all his strength into a punch that struck nothing, Tailong couldn't pull himself back in time. He stumbled forward several steps, nearly pitching face-first to the ground.

Silence.

Dead silence.

Then—

"Whoa—!"

The entire sparring ground erupted!

"He dodged it?!"

"Was that... a teleportation-type Soul Skill?!"

"No! It looked like he didn't move at all! Was it an afterimage, or something else?"

"Three moves! He really took all three! He didn't give up a single step!"

Gasps, exclamations, and excited discussion blended into a roar.

Every gaze turned toward Yu Tiancheng, and the way people looked at him changed completely.

First suspicion, then shock, then incredulous admiration.

A Soul Master at level twenty-three had faced all three full-force moves from the thirty-seven-level young master of the Strength Clan—and not only had he held his ground, he had seemed completely at ease from start to finish!

This was no longer a challenge across a gap in levels.

It was a display of utterly superior battle sense!

"Excellent!"

Beneath the shade of the trees, Liu Erlong couldn't help cheering inwardly.

She lowered her folded arms. The frown she had worn the entire time finally eased, and the corners of her mouth lifted into an irrepressible, relieved smile.

It hadn't been a simple dodge.

He had combined Time Control with spatial movement, neutralizing the strongest attack at the last possible moment, at minimal cost and with masterful precision. He had even used his opponent's full-force attack to throw him off balance.

His grasp of the timing, his understanding and application of Soul Skills, and his composure in the face of danger were far beyond those of an ordinary Soul Elder. Even many Soul Ancestors might not have shown such refined battle sense.

"Just as I thought... I was right about you."

Liu Erlong looked at the young man in the arena. His face was a little pale and his breathing slightly uneven, but he still stood tall and composed. Her eyes brimmed with approval.

She knew that after this fight, Yu Tiancheng would establish himself in the Soul Elder Class—and throughout Blue Tyrant Academy.

He had earned respect through his strength, and proved to everyone that her judgment had been sound.

In the arena.

Tailong steadied himself and turned around, his face flushing red and then paling.

He looked at Yu Tiancheng, still standing where he had been, calm and unruffled. His lips moved, but in the end he drew a deep breath, cupped his fists, and bowed.

"I lost."

"Yu Tiancheng, I was blind to your abilities and spoke out of turn. I take back everything I said about you being a 'favorite' and 'dragging the class down.'"

"From now on, in Soul Elder Class One, I, Tailong, won't look down on any classmate because of their Soul Power Level!"

"I honor the wager. I'm thoroughly convinced!"

His words rang out with conviction.

The Strength Clan might be rash, but its members always kept their word and knew how to accept defeat.

Yu Tiancheng smiled slightly and returned the salute with cupped fists. "You're too kind, Tailong. It was just a spar. You went easy on me."

He was neither servile nor arrogant, and remained composed.

Liu Erlong didn't linger.

She turned and left the shade of the trees without a sound, as though she had never been there.

Since Yu Tiancheng had handled everything so well on his own, there was no need for her to appear as the dean just then.

Some victories were better for one's growth when savored and consolidated alone.

Still, she was already considering—

Should she give this kid a little more of a challenge?

With talent and character like his, ordinary lessons probably wouldn't be enough anymore.

The onlookers continued to buzz, countless gazes fixed on Yu Tiancheng—curious, searching, and eager for a fight.

After this battle, the name Yu Tiancheng was sure to cause a stir throughout Blue Tyrant Academy.

Yu Tiancheng gave the people around him a slight nod and prepared to leave the sparring ground.

He had the vague feeling that a familiar gaze had been watching him.

But when he looked around, he saw nothing unusual.

He shook his head and set the feeling aside for now.

Instead, he turned over in his mind the subtle improvements he had made in using the Time-Space Power during the fight.

The Diary resonated with him in his mind, as if it, too, were celebrating the victory.

"This is only the beginning..."

He murmured to himself and walked toward the cafeteria.

The disturbance had ended in a way no one could have expected.

A new chapter was slowly unfolding.

Night was ink-black, with only a sparse scattering of stars.

By the time Yu Tiancheng returned to the secluded courtyard Liu Erlong had arranged for him, the moon was already high overhead.

The courtyard was quiet, as if it were a different world from the noisy sparring ground during the day.

He sat cross-legged in the cultivation room and regulated his breathing, fully restoring the Soul Power he had spent that day. The energy around him settled into a smooth, steady rhythm once more.

Only after bringing himself to his best condition did he slowly open his eyes. A flash of silver-gray light passed through them.

With a thought, the ancient Diary appeared before him.

He needed neither pen nor paper. The words appeared as his thoughts dictated them.

[Let's start with yesterday]

[Yesterday, I used the Teleportation Talisman to escape danger, and ran into Aunt Liu Erlong as soon as I landed]

[With her protection, I entered Blue Tyrant Academy without trouble and settled in for now]

At this point, Yu Tiancheng's thoughts stirred.

Several questions that had been pushed aside by the tense situation now returned to the forefront, clearer than ever.

He continued to "write," and the words flowed across the Diary:

[Now that I've calmed down and thought it over, two details seem more and more suspicious]