Third Move

Since Yu Tiancheng had chosen to respond to the doubt in this manner, then regardless of the outcome, this was a baptism he had to undergo.

She believed that this meticulous young man, who never acted without certainty, would not have proposed such a wager without some reliance.

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

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

She saw the yellow Spirit Ring on Tailong blaze with light, his fist, condensed with terrifying power, hurtling forward straight at Yu Tiancheng's chest.

Her body leaned forward almost imperceptibly, her gaze sharp as an eagle's, locking onto every subtle movement of Yu Tiancheng.

Then—

She saw it. The exquisite, breathtakingly brilliant counter.

In the arena.

Facing Tailong's fist, which seemed capable of shattering mountains, condensed with all his Spirit Power, Yu Tiancheng finally got serious.

A flash of silver-gray light flickered in his eyes.

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

The ripples of time spread once more, and Tailong's berserk fist speed, in Yu Tiancheng's eyes, once again became "slow."

But this time, Tailong was prepared. Though the fist's momentum was slowed, it was denser and heavier, sealing off all subtle space for dodging.

He wanted to force Yu Tiancheng to take it head-on!

However, Yu Tiancheng had no intention of doing so.

Just a moment before the crimson fist light was about to land—

"Second Soul Skill, Void Flash!"

Yu Tiancheng's figure suddenly turned illusory on the spot.

Tailong's sure-kill punch landed solidly on that illusory afterimage.

The fist force erupted, the air exploded, and even the ground was cracked by the residual force.

But what was hit was only an afterimage.

The real Yu Tiancheng, in the same instant his figure turned illusory, as if he had never moved, solidified back into existence on the spot.

His feet were exactly where they had been, not a hair's breadth off!

And Tailong, because his full-force strike had hit nothing, couldn't stop his momentum and stumbled forward several steps, nearly falling awkwardly to the ground.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

Then—

"Whoa—!"

The entire sparring ground erupted into chaos!

"He, he dodged?!"

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

"No! He didn't even move from his spot! Was it an afterimage? Or something else?"

"Three moves! He really took three moves! Not a single step back!"

Gasps, discussions, and sharp intakes of breath wove together.

All eyes on Yu Tiancheng had completely changed.

From doubt, to shock, to an admiration that was hard to believe.

A twenty-third-level Spirit Master, facing the full three moves of a thirty-seventh-level Young Master of the Strength Clan, not only didn't retreat a step, but even... seemed completely at ease from start to finish!

This was no longer just a cross-level challenge.

This was crushing combat wisdom!

"Good!"

Under the tree shade, Liu Erlong couldn't help but cheer inwardly.

Her arms, which had been crossed, dropped, and her slightly furrowed brows fully relaxed. The corner of her mouth uncontrollably lifted into a gratified arc.

It wasn't simple dodging.

It was combining Time Control with spatial displacement, at the most extreme moment, with the smallest cost, in the most ingenious way, neutralizing the strongest blow and making the opponent lose balance due to their own full force.

This grasp of battle opportunity, this understanding and application of Soul Skills, and this calmness in the face of danger, far surpassed ordinary Soul Elders, and even many Soul Ancestors might not possess such exquisite combat wisdom.

"As expected... I didn't misjudge you."

Liu Erlong looked at the young man in the arena, whose face was slightly pale and breath a bit short, but whose posture remained upright and composed, her eyes full of praise.

She knew that after this battle, Yu Tiancheng would have a firm foothold in the Soul Elder Class, and even in the entire Blue Tyrant Academy.

He had earned respect with his strength and had proven to everyone her, Liu Erlong's, judgment.

In the arena.

Tailong steadied himself, turned around, his face cycling through red and white.

He looked at Yu Tiancheng, who still stood in place, calm and unruffled, his lips moved, but in the end he took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and bowed:

"I lost."

"Classmate Yu Tiancheng, I, Tailong, was blind before and spoke rudely. Those words about 'connections' and 'dead weight'—I take them all back!"

"From now on, in Soul Elder Class One, I, Tailong, will never again look down on any classmate because of their Soul Power Level!"

"I lost the bet, and I accept it fully!"

These words he spoke with resounding force.

The Strength Clan might be brash, but they always kept their word and could take a loss.

Yu Tiancheng smiled faintly, cupped his hands in return: "Classmate Tailong, you flatter me. It was just a spar; thank you for yielding."

His attitude was neither servile nor arrogant, composed and at ease.

Liu Erlong did not linger.

She turned and silently left the shade of the tree, as if she had never been there.

Since Yu Tiancheng handled it well himself, she, as the dean, had no need to appear now.

Some victories, savored and consolidated alone, were more beneficial for growth.

Still, she had already begun to calculate—

Should she add some "extra spice" for this kid?

With talent and temperament like his, ordinary lessons were probably no longer enough.

The crowd of onlookers remained noisy, countless gazes fixed on Yu Tiancheng—curious, probing, and even some eager fighting spirit.

After this battle, the name Yu Tiancheng was destined to stir waves in Blue Tyrant Academy.

Yu Tiancheng nodded slightly to those around him and prepared to leave the sparring ground.

He vaguely sensed that a familiar gaze had once watched this place.

But looking around, he found nothing unusual.

He shook his head, setting aside that feeling for now.

In his mind, however, he savored the subtle improvements in his use of Time-Space Power during the fight just now.

The diary resonated in sync within his thoughts, as if also resonating with this victory.

"This is just the beginning..."

He murmured softly to himself, walking slowly toward the cafeteria.

A storm had settled in a way no one expected.

A new chapter was slowly unfolding.

Night was like ink, the stars sparse.

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

The courtyard was quiet, like a different world from the clamor of the sparring ground during the day.

He sat cross-legged in the training room, meditating to fully recover the Soul Power he had expended, his aura once again becoming smooth and stable.

Only when his state was adjusted to its peak did he slowly open his eyes, a flash of silver-gray light flickering in his pupils.

With a slight stir of his mind, the ancient diary appeared before him.

No need for pen and paper; wherever his thoughts went, words appeared on their own.

[Let me start with yesterday]

[Yesterday, I used the Teleportation Talisman to escape danger, and upon landing, I met Aunt Liu Erlong]

[With her protection, I smoothly entered Blue Tyrant Academy and settled down for now]

Writing up to here, Yu Tiancheng's thoughts stirred slightly.

Some doubts that had been suppressed by the tense situation earlier now resurfaced in his mind, crystal clear.

He continued "writing," the words flowing smoothly across the diary:

[But now that I've calmed down and thought back, there are two details that seem more and more suspicious the more I consider them]