After Yu Tianxin stepped onto the stage, he pointed at Dai Mubai and said, "You'll pay for that punch."
Yu Tianxin summoned his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. A blue Eastern dragon wreathed in lightning coiled around him.
Then his four Soul Rings appeared. As they lit up, the sky turned overcast, and a few raindrops fell to the ground.
Dai Mubai wasn't about to be outdone. He summoned his Evil Eye White Tiger, and with a roar, his aura grew much stronger.
Soon, the host announced the start of the Soul Fighting match. Dai Mubai and Yu Tianxin attacked at the same time, and both their fists struck the other's face.
Dai Mubai seized an opening and kicked out. Yu Tianxin wasn't ready for it, and Dai Mubai's foot slammed into his abdomen.
Yu Tianxin staggered back several steps before regaining his balance. Suddenly, he burst into wild laughter.
Dai Mubai let his guard down for a moment. Yu Tianxin's hands transformed into dragon claws, and he struck out with one of them. Dai Mubai immediately raised both arms to protect his head, but he still struggled to defend himself.
It was already quite an achievement for Yu Tianxin to turn his hands—the hardest part of the body to transform—into dragon claws. He had sweated blood for this Spirit Master Tournament. He believed that he hadn't worked any less hard than anyone else, and certainly more than most.
Yu Tianxin resented his family and cared only about his cousin, Yu Tianheng. His grandfather, Yu Yuanzhen, had never paid him the slightest attention. He had joined Thunder Academy to prove to his grandfather and the family that he was the perfect heir.
Yu Tianxin's attacks grew stronger and stronger. Dai Mubai couldn't keep defending passively, so he used his first Soul Skill.
"First Soul Skill: White Tiger Protection Barrier."
The skill formed a white energy shield around Dai Mubai to protect him, giving him a chance to counterattack. But he didn't strike just yet. Instead, he maintained his defense, watching for an opening in Yu Tianxin's guard so he could defeat him in one blow.
But Yu Tianxin wasn't about to let him have his way. His claws crackled with lightning as he attacked.
Dai Mubai's defenses couldn't withstand the lightning at all, and its attacks completely ignored his defense.
His defenses were broken. Dai Mubai spotted an opening in Yu Tianxin's attack and suddenly grabbed his right wrist.
Yu Tianxin was startled and tried to pull free, but it was too late. Dai Mubai gave a mighty heave and slammed him into the ground.
The hard marble floor cracked from the impact. Yu Tianxin spat out a mouthful of blood.
Suddenly, the sky trembled. Yu Tianxin's pupils turned white, and his third Soul Ring lit up.
"Third Soul Skill: Dragon's Fury!"
Rumble!
A bolt of lightning struck down. Dai Mubai had no choice but to release Yu Tianxin's hand and dodge.
Just as Dai Mubai thought he was about to lose, he suddenly recalled the phrase Jiang Huai had taught him: "Strange Velvet Sky-Reaching Diamond Indestructible."
Dai Mubai poured all his Soul Power into his limbs. Golden particles appeared around him, forming an Indestructible Diamond Body.
Even Jiang Huai, watching from the spectator area, was surprised. He hadn't expected Dai Mubai to grasp the essence of the Indestructible Diamond Body so soon.
Dai Mubai let the lightning strike him. He realized it couldn't hurt him at all; at most, it left him with a slight tingling pain. Meanwhile, the Soul Power within him continued to grow stronger.
Yu Tianxin stared in shock. "You're not afraid of lightning!"
Dai Mubai smirked and rubbed his wrist. "Let's end this. One final clash to decide the winner. How about it?"
Yu Tianxin chuckled. "What makes you think I'd do what you say? I haven't even unleashed all my strength yet."
Suddenly, Yu Tianxin swung his arms. Blue lightning surged around him as he flipped into the air and soared above the clouds.
"Now, let me show you my Self-Created Soul Skill!"
Dai Mubai cracked his neck. "Then show me what you can really do."
Dai Mubai carelessly leaped into the air. That was the moment Yu Tianxin had been waiting for. He recited an incantation.
"Wind whips the rain, clouds veil the sun; the dragon rides the nine heavens, jade thunder strikes!"
Dai Mubai thought, This is bad! Then nine bolts of lightning, formed from the energy around them, struck him.
The terrifying lightning struck Dai Mubai's body, leaving him in such agony that the pain became unbearable.
Dai Mubai roared furiously. "I, Dai Mubai, will never yield!"
"Second Soul Skill: White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"
Yu Tianxin forgot to dodge for a moment and was hit by the White Tiger Intense Light Wave. Dai Mubai and Yu Tianxin both fell to the ground.
Yu Tianxin struggled to his feet, and Dai Mubai stood up straight as well.
Dai Mubai once again proposed that they settle it with one final move. Yu Tianxin nodded and said, "As you wish."
The two began charging their fourth Soul Skills. Lightning gathered around Yu Tianxin, and a dragon wreathed in thunder coiled through the air.
Soon, they had both finished charging. Dai Mubai's Martial Soul let out a tiger's roar, and points of light appeared behind him.
The lightning around Yu Tianxin grew more and more fearsome. Soon, the two shouted the names of their Soul Skills at the same time.
"White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
"Blue Lightning Divine Dragon Strike!"
The two Soul Skills collided. A terrifying shockwave spread outward, and strong winds began to whip around them.
Perhaps Yu Tianxin didn't know that the one on the left always lost in a beam clash, so he had ended up on the left. The White Tiger Meteor Shower was also a wide-area attack, much like his Blue Lightning Divine Dragon Strike.
And so Yu Tianxin was defeated. He fell straight onto the stage, while Dai Mubai forced himself to stand upright despite his discomfort.
Shrek Academy had secured another victory in the qualifying rounds. Zhu Zhuqing helped Dai Mubai back to the spectator area.
Jiang Huai patted him on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs-up. It was the first time he'd ever seen a true clash between two men.
The morning matches of the qualifying rounds soon came to an end. Shrek Academy, Plant Academy, Godwind Academy, and Skywater Academy had won.
The four academies would compete for first, second, and third place the following day. That afternoon, Shrek Academy would face Plant Academy.
Jiang Huai planned to send Ma Hongjun up directly, so he could have some fun too. After all, watching from the spectator area was far more enjoyable than taking part.
They returned to their tent to rest and prepare lunch, while Jiang Huai caught a nap in a chair nearby.
Everyone ate while Jiang Huai slept on the bench. Dai Mubai, Gu Yue, and the others decided not to wake him. He'd been studying their opponents' records every day for this tournament, so they wanted to let him sleep a little longer. They'd just have to save some food for him.
They ate in silence. In that quiet setting, Jiang Huai slept for a full hour and a half—three hours.
When Jiang Huai woke up, he stretched, went outside to wash his face and rinse his mouth, then returned to the tent. He saw that his companions had saved him some food. He sat down at the table and had just picked up his chopsticks for a bite when he realized the food was still warm.
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