I'm Fighting Situ Xuan?!

Bastard!

He was still just as much of a bastard.

One look at the expression on her sister's face told Ye Yingrong that things were about to go wrong.

She knew her proud, arrogant sister far too well.

Hailed as a genius since childhood, Ye Yingluo had suffered a crushing blow after failing to gain admission to Shrek Academy, and her whole personality had become somewhat extreme.

That was precisely why, after her confession to Wu Zhangkong had been rejected, she had become the way she was now.

But Sister, did you know that no matter what you did, it would be useless?

That man had never even regarded us as worthy of his attention. To put it more bluntly, we simply weren't creatures on the same level as him!

Even if Class One-Five lost to Grade One Class Three, it would still be an honorable defeat. Being able to lead a bottom-ranked class to such results was already unheard of.

Besides, iron had to be hard before it could be forged. With Wu Zhangkong's strength as a six-ringed Soul Emperor, there was no way he would waste away like this forever.

So no matter what you did, it would all be in vain.

Of course, Ye Yingrong did not dare say any of this to her sister. With Ye Yingluo's temperament, she would probably go mad.

"Yangzi, keep an eye on that guy later and teach him a harsh lesson!"

Ye Yingluo turned around and sternly instructed the steady-looking youth behind her.

Because Wu Zhangkong's gaze had been resting on that guy from Grade One Class Three most of the time!

"Huh? Me?!"

"I'm fighting Situ Xuan?!"

Zhang Yangzi was surprised—or rather, he found it hard to believe.

Teacher, you might not have watched yesterday's match, but I did!

You really wanted me to teach that guy a harsh lesson?

Within Grade One Class Three's team, Situ Xuan said bluntly, "Later, just show off your strength as much as you can. Once you've used your soul skills, strike a decent pose and move aside."

"Leave them to me."

Lin Yao frowned slightly. "Situ Xuan, isn't that a little inappropriate?"

"We're a team. If you handle everything yourself, wouldn't that mean we serve no purpose at all?"

Situ Xuan looked at Lin Yao and sneered. "I thought you had at least some self-awareness. Then tell me, what use are you?"

"Three two-ringed Soul Grandmasters from Class One are standing across from us. You're a one-ring little weakling, and you can't even beat a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master in a contest of strength. Tell me, what role can you possibly play?"

"You, you..."

Lin Yao's face flushed bright red. His finger trembled as he pointed at Situ Xuan, yet he could not force out a complete sentence. Then he suddenly sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, spouting incoherent nonsense such as, "What do you know?!" "How can a scholar's affairs possibly..." and "I'm hiding my true abilities—at a critical moment..." None of it made any sense.

Laughter erupted throughout Grade One Class Three's team.

In truth, everyone knew their own limits. Without Situ Xuan, they would likely have become Class One-Five's stepping stone, another chapter in their legendary journey.

Being able to display their own strength on the arena was already more than Lin Yao and Zhou Tianyang could have hoped for.

Unlike the relaxed and cheerful atmosphere in Grade One Class Three, Class One was instead filled with the tragic air of a hero marching forth, never to return.

Although their homeroom teacher was offering words of encouragement and had absolute faith in the three of them,

whether it was Wang Jinxi, Zhang Yangzi, or Wei Xiaofeng, each saw the deeply buried helplessness in the others' eyes.

Long Hengxu said, "Contestants from both sides, enter the arena."

Led by Situ Xuan, Grade One Class Three stepped onto the arena. The three participants were Situ Xuan, Lin Yao, and Zhou Tianyang.

Class One could only step forward helplessly as well, praying they would not be beaten too badly. Their three participants were Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Wei Xiaofeng.

Seeing that the three Class One contestants already looked ready to surrender before the match had even begun, Long Hengxu could not help frowning. "Let me emphasize this: this is an internal academy match. Stop when appropriate. The match will only determine victory or defeat. Deliberately injuring your opponent is forbidden. Otherwise, the academy will impose additional punishment."

"Yes!" all six answered in unison.

"Good. Prepare for the match. Both sides, retreat." Under Long Hengxu's supervision, the two sides each stepped back and opened a certain distance between them.

"Begin!"

With the academic director's shout, the ultimate showdown among the first-year freshman classes finally began.

Wei Xiaofeng's martial soul was the Green Shadow Snake. He released it immediately, and his body became illusory. As green light flickered around him, his speed became astonishingly fast. Without the slightest hesitation, he instantly activated his second-ring soul skill, using his strongest move right from the start.

His target was not Situ Xuan, but Lin Yao!

Naturally, one had to pick the softest persimmon to squeeze!

Lin Yao did not even have time to react. As Wei Xiaofeng's green-glinting claws reached for his throat, he could only close his eyes instinctively.

Bang—

A muffled impact exploded across the arena, but the pain he had expected never came.

Lin Yao opened his eyes and discovered that Situ Xuan had caught Wei Xiaofeng's wrist with one hand. The Green Shadow Snake's claws were only three inches from his throat, yet they could no longer advance even half an inch.

Bang!

Situ Xuan violently flicked his wrist, sending Wei Xiaofeng flying backward like a tattered sack. With a heavy thud, he smashed into the edge of the arena and nearly fell off. An uproar broke out below the stage, while even Wu Zhangkong narrowed his eyes slightly in the stands.

"Even when given an opportunity, you're still useless."

Situ Xuan looked at Lin Yao's dumbfounded expression and smiled disdainfully.

Lin Yao came back to his senses, his face flushing red as he stammered, "I-I just didn't react in time!"

Situ Xuan sneered and ignored him, turning his gaze toward Class One's remaining two—Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi.

Zhang Yangzi's expression was grim. He had long known that Situ Xuan was far stronger than them, but he had not expected the gap to be this vast.

Wei Xiaofeng was a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster, yet he could not withstand even a single strike?

He took a deep breath and quietly said to Wang Jinxi beside him, "Follow the plan. Fall back first. Don't let him catch any openings!"

Wang Jinxi nodded. His martial soul was the Bone Dragon King, making him a strength-type Soul Master, but when facing Situ Xuan, he did not even have the courage to clash head-on.

The two quickly retreated, trying to widen the distance and look for an opportunity.

However, Situ Xuan gave them no time to think.

"Hide? Can you really get away?"

He snorted coldly, stomped his right foot into the ground, and shot forward like a cannonball!

"Too fast!"

The students below could not even catch sight of his figure. They only heard a shriek of air being torn apart, followed immediately by Wang Jinxi's muffled groan.

Boom!

Situ Xuan's fist slammed into Wang Jinxi's barely raised arms.

Crack!

A crisp sound of bone breaking rang out. Wang Jinxi groaned, his entire body sliding backward from the enormous force. Agonizing pain tore through both arms. Even under Martial Soul Possession, his bones had nearly been shattered, and blood dripped from his fingertips.

What kind of monster is this guy...? Wang Jinxi was horrified.

At that moment, a black shadow swept in rapidly from the side—it was Zhang Yangzi!

His Dark Eagle martial soul had already been released. His wings beat fiercely, and he forcibly caught the flying Wang Jinxi in midair.

The instant the two collided, a strange fluctuation of Soul Power suddenly erupted from their bodies!

A deep dragon roar and a piercing eagle cry sounded almost simultaneously. Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi's bodies both turned black as ink, and then, impossibly, they fused together.

Zhang Yangzi's body became a streak of black light and silently merged into Wang Jinxi's body. The pair of light wings on his back rapidly expanded, becoming Wang Jinxi's wings.

Meanwhile, Wang Jinxi's body began to swell and grow larger. A massive tail protruded from behind him, while his left arm transformed into a Bone Dragon Claw matching his right. His aura surged dramatically.