A Battle That Fizzled Out

One reason Xu Nianshuang had gained fans so quickly was her formidable strength; another was her striking beauty. Yet what appeared before everyone now was a handsome face. Xu Tianyang stood there like a sun, sunlight spilling over him and filling people with warmth.

"He's so handsome!"

"This little brother looks unfamiliar. What grade is he in?"

"If this handsome junior asked me out, should I say yes?"

Fantasy time was over. People on the Douluo Continent matured early to begin with; eleven- and twelve-year-olds becoming fathers were commonplace. Soul Masters matured even earlier due to absorbing Soul Rings. Xu Tianyang, not yet nine, was already nearly 1.6 meters tall. With the look of a sunny youth, he drew a crowd of lovestruck girls.

Pairs of burning eyes kept shifting between Xu Tianyang and Xu Nianshuang. Some spectators, eager to stir things up, shouted for them to fight onstage, until it eventually became a unified chant.

"Get onstage! Get onstage! Get onstage!"

"Fight him! Fight him! Fight him!"

Looking into Xu Nianshuang's battle-hungry eyes, Xu Tianyang chuckled. "Xu Tianyang, Level 25 Battle Soul Master!"

His voice seemed to possess a special penetrating force, carrying over wave after wave of noise from the crowd. Everyone froze slightly. That level of Soul Power control alone was beyond what ordinary students could achieve, and it only heightened the audience's interest.

He walked through the passage the crowd had opened for him and slowly stepped onto the stage.

"You've fought ten consecutive battles, so you've used up quite a bit of energy." Xu Tianyang smiled. "Recover to your peak state, then fight me."

"Alright!"

Xu Nianshuang did not refuse. She sat cross-legged on the spot and began meditating. She wanted to show Xu Tianyang the results of her current training in her best condition.

Time trickled by. The long wait was dull and tedious, and just as the audience was beginning to doze off, Xu Nianshuang finally ended her meditation.

When she opened her eyes again, something strange seemed to have changed in her gaze. There was less sharpness and aggression, replaced by a calmness like still water that had not been there before.

Her entire aura also became more restrained.

Seeing this, Xu Tianyang somehow had a Level 3 Soul Tool Longsword in his hand. This was the first Third-Grade Soul Tool he had made.

Boom! Xu Tianyang stepped forward slightly with his left foot. The instant the sole of his foot hit the ground, a dull boom erupted.

A terrifyingly sharp aura burst from Xu Nianshuang's body, as though it would tear the whole world apart. A fierce wind swept in, whipping both their clothes until they snapped and fluttered.

The two stared at each other. In the empty air between them, it seemed as if two lightning-like flashes had crossed.

Pushing off the ground, Xu Nianshuang turned into a streak of gliding light. Her speed could only be described as lightning-fast. The explosive burst in that instant was something even agility-type Soul Masters of the same level could not match.

Xu Nianshuang was fast, but Xu Tianyang was faster.

He gripped his sword with both hands and swept it horizontally. This simplest of movements seemed to carry the weight of a thousand jun in Xu Tianyang's hands. The entire motion was like moving through viscous liquid, yet there was not the slightest pause—it flowed through in one continuous stroke!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The aftershock of their Sword Intents grinding against each other spread outward like a circular wave. As the ring howled past, the spectators' vision blurred for no reason. For that instant, it was as if they had slipped out of this world's rhythm.

In that brief moment, the two longswords collided dozens of times. They moved so fast that most spectators could see only afterimages, but the sharp aura spreading through the surroundings sent chills down everyone's spine.

Were they really Soul Grandmasters? Were they sure they were not Soul Ancestors?

Bang!

Crack!

After another collision, dense, fine cracks like a spiderweb slowly crawled across the longsword in Xu Nianshuang's hand. With a crisp sound, the Level 2 Soul Tool Longsword finally could no longer withstand the pressure. It shattered into fragments and scattered in the wind.

"This..." Xu Nianshuang blinked helplessly.

With her longsword destroyed, Xu Nianshuang froze on the spot. The watching crowd also seemed to have their minds crash. The lively atmosphere that had just begun to rise abruptly came to a halt.

Was Xu Nianshuang, the Ice Frost Goddess and the academy's recently rising genius, about to "fall" today?

"Don't be sad, junior. Your senior has plenty of Soul Tools." Seeing Xu Nianshuang look as though she was about to "shatter," many male students in the audience immediately felt pity for her and began plotting how to take advantage of the opening.

"That sword was made for you by Fatty, wasn't it? A Soul Tool made from ordinary materials can no longer keep up with your future training. Let's stop here for today. In a few days, I'll personally make a Soul Tool for you."

Xu Tianyang also looked at the abruptly ended battle in surprise. He walked to Xu Nianshuang's side and spoke slowly.

After that brief exchange, he had already grasped the extent of Xu Nianshuang's current strength. With her fierce Sword Intent, and a suitable Third-Grade Soul Tool, she would be able to dominate among Soul Elders.

In a brief burst, she could even reach the attack power of a Soul Ancestor.

In the battle just now, Xu Tianyang had still relied on his usual advantage. There were no exquisite sword techniques, only pure stat-based suppression.

"Alright." Xu Nianshuang could only put away her battle intent and nod at Xu Tianyang.

"When did you get back?"

"I arrived in Mingdu last night. I came to find you first thing this morning."

"Hehe, I'm already Level 24. Don't let me catch up to you!"

"Hahaha, if you want to catch up to me, you'll have to work twice as hard."

The battle ended in such an anticlimactic fashion. The two of them left the arena hand in hand as though no one else existed, chatting as they walked and leaving the people behind them in utter disarray.

Only after quite a while did the surrounding students come back to their senses. Then came a wave of hearts breaking—the sound of heartbreak.

"Zui Hongchen and Huang Xiuwen broke through Level 20 a few days ago. Their teacher took them out to obtain their second Soul Rings, and they haven't returned yet. Once they do, they'll advance to the Intermediate Academy as well."

"The Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow worked very well. I even feel that the strength of my ice-element martial soul has improved further."

"After Aunt Yu learned of my choice, she didn't stop me. Instead, she had Uncle Feng personally teach me swordsmanship. With the progress I've made lately, I feel that I chose the right path."

The two walked side by side along the academy paths as Xu Nianshuang continuously told Xu Tianyang about everything that had happened during this period.

Xu Tianyang occasionally chimed in as well, telling her what had happened after she left, including taking in Yang Yiyi.

Xu Nianshuang had no particular thoughts about it. Their experiences were somewhat similar, and she could easily find a sense of resonance with Yang Yiyi. At least for now, she had not considered the things Min Yingying worried about so far ahead.

Even taking a step back, she had been here first. Uncle Xu and Aunt Yu had already acknowledged her status. No one could take her place away from her.