This Time... I'm Afraid We're Going to Lose

"Boom!"

A shoulder throw slammed Tang Wulin heavily into the ground, leaving a human-shaped crater in the metal arena.

"--You are simply not cut out for combat!"

In the distance, Gu Yue's forehead was already covered in fine beads of sweat, and two-colored elements condensed around her into a gorgeous magic array. Watching the suppressed Tang Wulin, she gritted her silver teeth: "Hold on for two more seconds!"

"Cough, cough..."

Tang Wulin climbed out of the crater. The golden scales on his right arm were more than half shattered, but the fighting spirit in his eyes burned even brighter: "Not cut out for combat? Then how about this--"

He suddenly crossed his arms in front of his chest, his muscles tensed to the limit: "Blue Silver Piercing Array!"

Countless Gold-patterned Blue Silver Grass erupted from the ground, their blades sharp as spears, stabbing toward Situ Xuan from all directions.

This move should have been a surprise, but Situ Xuan seemed to have anticipated it; he tapped his toes lightly on the ground, and his entire body began to spin like a top.

"Hokuto Whirlwind Combo!"

The gale whipped up by his rotation shredded all the incoming Blue Silver Grass. Amidst the debris, Situ Xuan sneered: "Still the same old tricks."

"No, this is just the beginning!"

Tang Wulin suddenly roared, and those shredded golden grass blades actually reorganized in mid-air, transforming into dozens of golden chains that lashed toward Situ Xuan!

"Oh?"

A flash of surprise crossed Situ Xuan's eyes, but it immediately turned into an even more fanatical fighting spirit: "Finally, this is getting interesting!"

Bound layer by layer by the golden chains, he suddenly burst into loud laughter: "But you forgot one thing--"

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

Teeth-gritting snapping sounds rang out one after another. Those Blue Silver Grass chains, which were strong enough to bind a second-ring Great Soul Master, were being snapped one by one by Situ Xuan using pure physical strength!

"--In the face of absolute power, technique is meaningless!"

"Not to mention, your technique... is just mediocre!"

Just as Situ Xuan was about to break free from the final Blue Silver Grass chain, the temperature on the arena plummeted sharply.

A thin layer of ice condensed on the metal floor, and the snowflakes drifting in the air were no longer soft and white, but sharp, six-sided ice crystals like crystal glass. Each one refracted a cold light, as if it could freeze even light itself.

"Is that so?"

Gu Yue's voice came from all directions, like a whisper on an ice field. Her black hair was now completely shrouded in ice-blue soul power, and seven shining soul rings circled her body—this was not her true number of soul rings, but a phenomenon that appeared when elemental resonance reached its peak.

Her eyes had turned completely ice-blue. She pointed a finger forward gently and said softly--

"End of Ice and Snow."

The entire arena instantly transformed into a frozen hell!

"Crack—crack-crack—"

Frost instantly crawled over the surface of Situ Xuan's body, spreading from his ankles to his knees, his waist, and finally freezing his arms in place as well.

What was even more terrifying was that these ice crystals were not merely formed by low temperatures, but by extreme elemental control—they were eroding inward at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Situ Xuan's pupils contracted. He erupted with power, attempting to shatter the ice, however...

"Snap."

The sound of the ice layer shattering did not occur as he had expected.

Instead, under Gu Yue's control, these ice crystals acted like living things; every time he exerted force, they would crack a layer in advance, only to instantly re-condense—like shackles that could never be broken!

"What?!"

For the first time, a look of shock appeared on Situ Xuan's face. His physical strength, which he took such pride in, was being firmly suppressed by this bizarre ice element!

However, Gu Yue's offensive had only just begun.

She lifted her slender finger slightly, and countless ice crystals instantly condensed, forming a three-meter-long ice spear that hovered in mid-air.

The tip of the spear glinted with cold light, as if it could pierce through any defense.

"You are strong, but..."

Gu Yue's voice remained cold and detached. Her pale face seemed to highlight the massive consumption required for this combination technique, but this time, there was a hint of seriousness in her eyes.

"In my elemental domain, no one can win."

The ice spear shot through the air!

Situ Xuan let out a roar, his muscles bulging once more. The golden patterns bloomed with blinding light, and the breathing technique of the Fist of the North Star was pushed to its limit. The terrifyingly hard ice seal was finally shattered with a boom at this very moment!

However, it was this momentary delay--

"Boom--!"

The ice spear pierced through his shoulder!

Before blood could even spray out, the wound had already been frozen by the cold air.

Situ Xuan let out a muffled groan and staggered backward, a never-before-seen fighting spirit finally emerging in his eyes.

"A bit interesting..."

He clenched his fist violently, the ice crystals at the wound shattering instantly, and then, he grinned.

"Then I suppose I should get serious too."

In the next instant, his figure vanished from where he stood!

Gu Yue's pupils constricted, and with a flash of silver light, she immediately teleported away. However—

"BANG!!!"

Before she could even steady herself, the fist of Situ Xuan had pursued her like a maggot on a rotting bone!

"Beidou Yanshan Liangzhanbo!"

Two gusts of wind that tore through the air swept across like giant axes. Even more terrifyingly, Gu Yue was shocked to discover that the opponent had once again predicted the location of her teleportation!

"BOOM!!"

At the critical moment, a golden vine erupted from the ground, forcibly pulling Gu Yue away—it was Tang Wulin!

He grinned, and although the golden scales on his right arm were tattered and broken, the fighting spirit in his eyes had not diminished: "Partner, I can't let you have all the spotlight."

Gu Yue pursed her lips slightly and formed seals again, ice crystals and raging flames intertwining across the arena.

Situ Xuan stood opposite them, his blood-red, ferocious eyes reflecting the glow of the elements as he let out a low chuckle—

"Then..."

"Let's see how long you two can last!"

As his voice fell, his figure lunged forward once more, the lethal moves of the Fist of the North Star pouring out like a violent storm!

"Teacher Long, Situ Xuan... he won't lose, will he?"

Down in the stands, Lin Yao from Grade One Class Three was so shocked his jaw had dropped.

It was clear that in Situ Xuan, they had a monster who was practically an invincible Asura.

Yet, Gu Yue, who acted like an empress in control of the elements, was still able to contend with him by relying on the environmental advantages she created on the fly.

At the same time, with the legendary endurance king Tang Wulin providing support from the sidelines, they were actually managing to force him into precarious situations for the moment.

Long Xiuyuan shook his head, his eyes fixed on Situ Xuan, who had been tempering his body day and night since the start of the school year. The excitement revealed in that gaze, along with the body's increasingly rapid adaptation to the elements, all served to highlight the terrifying nature of his martial soul.

"Situ Xuan... he is simply treating those two little fellows as training dummies."

On the other side, within the team from Class One-Five, Xie Xie spoke up with some excitement, "I didn't expect that girl Gu Yue to be hiding so much. Teacher Wu, we'll definitely be able to win this time... right?"

Xie Xie turned his head to look at Wu Zhangkong beside him, his excitement immediately stalling when he noticed the grave expression on Wu Zhangkong's face.

"This time... I'm afraid we are going to lose."

Like Long Xiuyuan, Wu Zhangkong, who also possessed a wealth of combat experience, could clearly see the restraint in Situ Xuan's strikes—which were far from full power—as well as the slight awkwardness of his movements as he attempted something new.