Jixia Academy, Terrifying Power!

Only Huo Wushuang and a bulky defense-type soul master remained on the field, standing there alone, their faces blank.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

The vast Soul Fighting Arena, with eighty thousand spectators, could not produce a single sound at this moment.

Even Emperor Xue Ye in the VIP seats had his mouth wide open, unable to close it for a long time.

What kind of fighting style was this?

One person, one umbrella, weaving through seven opponents like a dance, not even a corner of her clothes touched, yet she had scattered them all?

"This... this is what His Highness meant by saving face?"

"!!!"

Dean Meng Shenji swallowed his saliva, his voice somewhat hoarse.

Xue Qinghe picked up his teacup, gently blowing on the floating tea leaves to hide the smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Dean Meng, do you think this is not enough face saved?"

On the arena.

Huo Wushuang looked at his teammates lying all over the ground, his eyes bloodshot, like a wounded beast.

"I haven't lost yet!"

He roared, abandoning all tactical coordination, his entire body turning into a maddened flame as he recklessly charged at Gongsun Li.

"Sigh."

Gongsun Li sighed, put away her paper umbrella, and shook her head helplessly.

"The Dean said to finish this quickly, we need to get back for dinner."

She tapped her toes lightly, her figure moving like a ghost as she rushed toward Huo Wushuang.

Just as the two were about to collide.

The paper umbrella in Gongsun Li's hand suddenly snapped open, completely blocking Huo Wushuang's line of sight.

The next second.

The umbrella spun, stirring up a strange whirlwind.

Gongsun Li's figure flickered in and out of sight behind the umbrella, and with each appearance, a Maple Leaf Dart struck Huo Wushuang's joints.

Bang bang bang bang!

A series of dull thuds.

Huo Wushuang's massive body was like a living target, forced to a halt by this relentless barrage.

"Final blow."

Gongsun Li's figure appeared midair, her paper umbrella turning into a streak of light aimed directly at Huo Wushuang's brow.

"Get down!"

Boom!

The paper umbrella did not actually pierce Huo Wushuang's skull; instead, at the moment of contact, it burst forth with a powerful blast of energy, sending the captain of Blazing Fire Academy flying off the arena, crashing heavily into the dirt below, unable to get up for a long time.

As for the last defense-type soul master.

Watching Gongsun Li approach with a smile, he wisely raised both hands and jumped off the arena himself.

"Jixia Academy, wins!"

The referee's voice trembled slightly, but it still spread through the speakers across the entire venue.

Only at this moment did the audience snap out of their daze.

"Won... won?"

"My god! Is this even human?"

"Who is that girl? Too strong!"

"Jixia Academy! Jixia Academy!"

No one knew who started it, but the scattered cheers quickly gathered into a torrent, eventually turning into a unified chant from the entire crowd.

In this world where the strong are revered, strength is the best pass.

It doesn't matter if you were unknown before; as long as you trample a strong team underfoot, you become the new king.

In the rest area.

Lu Ming patted the orange peel off his hands and stood up.

He was not surprised by this result at all.

Of course.

Gongsun Li was someone he had spent a fortune to train, and with the skill mechanics granted by the King System, she was practically a dimensionality reduction strike in this Douluo Continent.

Especially for traditional Soul Masters who lack mobility, Gongsun Li's "kite" playstyle is an absolute nightmare.

"Let's go, time to head home."

Lu Ming waved at Gongsun Li, who had just jumped off the arena with a face full of "praise me" expression.

"Dean! Wasn't I awesome? That big guy's face turned green!"

Gongsun Li bounced over and hooked her arm through Lu Ming's.

"Mm, not bad. Just a little better than hitting training dummies."

Lu Ming brushed her off casually, but his gaze swept past the noisy crowd to the second row of the VIP seats.

There, Xue Qinghe stood up, raising his teacup in a distant toast toward him.

Their eyes met across the air.

A playful curve tugged at Lu Ming's lips.

He knew that after this match, the Jixia Academy name was thoroughly planted on this continent.

And that cross-dressing His Highness the Crown Prince was probably chuckling to himself right now.

After all, the stronger Jixia was, the heavier the chips in his hand.

But...

Lu Ming glanced at the chattering Gongsun Li beside him, then thought of Mirror, still in closed-door cultivation at the academy, and that Lord of the Far North.

These chips were heavy, but they burned the hand.

Your Highness, are you sure you can hold on?

On the VIP seats.

Archbishop Salas's face was dark and terrifying.

He stared fixedly at Lu Ming's retreating back, his fingers digging hard into the armrest.

"Investigate."

He leaned sideways and ordered his subordinate in a low voice.

"Find out exactly what this Jixia Academy is. That little girl's Martial Soul, and the dean's background—I want to know everything!"

"Yes!"

Beside him.

Ning Fengzhi rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Uncle Jian, what do you think about that girl named Gongsun Li? If we recruit her into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect..."

"Difficult."

Chen Xin shook his head, his gaze sharp as a sword.

"That girl looks at the dean with nothing but worship and dependence. To poach her, you'd have to win over the dean first. But... that young man gives me a dangerous feeling."

"Oh?"

Ning Fengzhi was somewhat surprised.

For Sword Douluo Chen Xin to utter the word "dangerous," this Lu Ming was definitely no ordinary man.

"Looks like this Soul Master Competition is going to get interesting."

Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly, turning his gaze to Xue Qinghe, who maintained a calm smile throughout.

"His Highness the Crown Prince truly has an eye for talent."

Xue Qinghe lowered his head modestly.

"You flatter me, Teacher. Qinghe is merely... lucky."

The night was like ink, and the clamor of Heaven Dou City gradually faded as darkness fell.

In the backyard of Jixia Academy, a single lamp flickered like a bean.

Lu Ming lounged in a recliner, fiddling with a freshly made mechanical part. The metal gear spun between his fingers, letting out crisp clicks.

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

Neither hurried nor slow, each step steady, as if measured by a ruler.

"Enter."

Lu Ming didn't look up. With a flick of his finger, the gear snapped neatly into the belly of the Mechanical Bird on the table.

The door opened, and Xue Qinghe walked in.

This Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire dismissed his attendants, crossed the threshold alone, and closed the door behind him.

He walked to the opposite side of Lu Ming and sat down without ceremony.

"Dean Lu certainly takes it easy."

Xue Qinghe looked at the Mechanical Bird, no bigger than a palm, on the table, his eyes dark and unreadable.

Lu Ming picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup, then took an empty cup, filled it, and pushed it in front of Xue Qinghe.