"First match: Wang Zhi of Class Two versus Luo Tianxing of Class One."
The Class Two homeroom teacher's voice rang out.
Wang Zhi paused for a moment, then stepped toward the center of the arena.
As one of the students who had performed exceptionally well this month, he'd been chosen to go first. That didn't surprise him.
Across from him, a haughty-looking boy also stepped out from the Class One group.
The boy was tall and thin, and his eyes and brows gave him an air of natural superiority.
He walked to the center, looked Wang Zhi up and down, and lifted the corner of his mouth.
The two walked to the middle and faced each other.
"Kid, I'm a Two-Ring Soul Grand Master."
The haughty boy spoke with an unmistakable air of superiority.
"You're only a One-Ring Soul Master. Why don't you get down before you embarrass yourself?"
Wang Zhi looked at him calmly, without getting angry.
To him, the boy in front of him was nothing more than a little brat.
If he didn't know how to behave, he just needed a lesson.
Just then, the Class One teacher serving as referee stepped forward and indicated that they should introduce themselves.
The haughty boy spoke first.
"First Year Class One, Luo Tianxing, Two-Ring Soul Grand Master. Martial Soul: Iron Rhinoceros."
As he spoke, he looked at Wang Zhi with a hint of provocation.
Wang Zhi remained composed.
"First Year Class Two, Wang Zhi, One-Ring Soul Master. Martial Soul: Mask."
A few chuckles rose from the Class One group.
A Mask Martial Soul?
They'd never even heard of one.
And he was only a One-Ring Soul Master.
How was he supposed to fight?
"Both of you, take your positions!"
The Class One teacher called out.
They each stepped back, leaving about five meters between them.
"Begin!"
As soon as the Class One teacher spoke, Luo Tianxing released his Martial Soul.
A dark gray rhino horn slowly emerged from his forehead, its tip gleaming with a metallic sheen.
At the same time, his skin turned dark gray, rough and thick-looking, clearly giving him formidable defensive power.
Two yellow Hundred Year Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet and slowly revolved around him.
A genuine Two-Ring Soul Grand Master.
"Take this!"
Luo Tianxing roared as his first Soul Ring suddenly lit up.
"First Soul Skill: Ironclad Charge!"
Bright yellow light surged from his body, instantly enveloping him.
The light gathered on his body's surface, forming a shield that looked like a suit of armor.
The next moment, he drove off with both legs and shot toward Wang Zhi like a cannonball.
His speed was incredible, and his charge packed tremendous force.
A wave of startled cries rose around them.
Wang Zhi stood still, without moving an inch.
Just as Luo Tianxing was about to reach him, the shadow beneath Wang Zhi's feet rippled.
A black figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
It was a tall, humanoid creature dressed in a tight black outfit and wearing a mask that left only a pair of shadowy eyes exposed. Several Shuriken hung at its waist.
It appeared out of thin air and stood in front of Wang Zhi.
The entire arena fell silent.
"W-what is that?!"
Someone cried out in shock.
Even Wang Zhi's homeroom teacher couldn't help widening his eyes.
He knew Wang Zhi was a Summoner Type Soul Master, but the Summoner Type Soul Masters he'd seen before had all summoned Soul Beasts.
Things like Nether Wolves, Flame Birds, and Ironback Turtles—beasts of all kinds.
This was the first time he'd seen someone like Wang Zhi summon a humanoid creature.
The instant the Ghost Shadow Ninja appeared, it blurred out of sight.
Its speed was astonishing, leaving only a streak behind in the air.
In the next instant, it had appeared beside the charging Luo Tianxing.
It raised its right hand and brought its fingers together like a blade.
With a vicious strike, it chopped into Luo Tianxing's side.
"Thud!"
A muffled impact sounded.
Luo Tianxing looked as if he'd been struck by a heavy hammer. His charge came to an abrupt halt, and then he was sent flying sideways.
He spun halfway around in the air and slammed into the ground, rolling another two or three meters before stopping.
He lay motionless on the ground.
The crowd erupted.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the scene, unable to believe what they'd just seen.
Luo Tianxing...
A Two-Ring Soul Grand Master with an Iron Rhinoceros Martial Soul, famed for its defense...
Had lost just like that?
In less than half a minute?
The several Two-Ring Soul Grand Master students in the Class One group exchanged stunned looks.
The One-Ring students had their mouths hanging open, unable to close them for a long time.
The Class One teacher, acting as referee, immediately darkened.
He'd never imagined that one of his students would lose so quickly.
He hadn't even had time to reach the edge of the arena before the fight was over.
"Who's next?"
Wang Zhi's calm voice rang out as he looked toward the Class One group.
The Class One students looked at one another. For a moment, no one dared respond.
The Class One teacher gritted his teeth and turned to his students.
"Li Qing, you're up."
A lean boy stepped out of the group, a serious expression on his face.
He walked to the center and looked at Wang Zhi, then at the Ghost Shadow Ninja standing in front of him. A hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes.
"Begin!"
The Class One teacher called out again.
This time, Li Qing didn't charge in recklessly.
He released his Martial Soul at once, and two yellow Soul Rings rose around him. He, too, was a Two-Ring Soul Grand Master.
His Martial Soul was the Azure Peak Sword, a Tool Martial Soul suited to speed and offense.
He gripped his long sword and warily watched the Shadow Ninja, slowly shifting his footing.
The Ghost Shadow Ninja gave him no chance at all.
It blurred and vanished from where it stood.
Li Qing's pupils contracted, and he instinctively swung his sword to block.
But the Ghost Shadow Ninja didn't attack from the front.
It emerged from Li Qing's shadow and chopped at the back of his neck with a hand strike.
Li Qing reacted quickly. He spun around and slashed with his sword.
But the blade passed straight through the Ghost Shadow Ninja's body, as if it were slicing through air.
The Ghost Shadow Ninja was unharmed. It turned and struck Li Qing in the chest with its palm.
Li Qing was sent flying and fell to the ground.
Another defeat.
The arena fell silent again.
The Class One teacher's expression grew even darker.
He took a deep breath, turned around, and called out another name.
The third Two-Ring Soul Grand Master stepped forward.
The result was the same.
The Ghost Shadow Ninja appeared and vanished without a trace, emerging from the shadows and disappearing into them. It ignored physical attacks and moved as fast as a ghost.
The student hadn't even had time to use a Soul Skill before a palm strike sent him flying.
The fourth.
The fifth.
One Two-Ring Soul Grand Master after another was defeated.
The crowd's initial shock gradually gave way to blank indifference.
They were numb.
Truly numb.
By the time the fifth Class One student was carried off the arena, there were no Two-Ring Soul Grand Masters left in the Class One group.
All five had lost.
The Class One teacher stared blankly at the unruffled boy standing in the arena. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
Wang Zhi remained where he was, calm and composed.
His Spiritual Power had now reached the Spirit Connection Realm, allowing him to summon as many as ten Ghost Shadow Ninjas at the Two-Ring Soul Grand Master level in one go.
On top of that, the Ghost Shadow Ninjas had a wide range of abilities, excelled at Hidden Weapons, and ignored physical damage. Fighting above their level was hardly difficult.
Besides, these new students had little combat experience. It was only natural for them to lose so quickly.
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