Battle Against Wu Zhangkong

"Hm?" Wu Zhangkong looked at her.

Gu Yue said calmly, "I'm a transfer student. I don't want to affect the others because of me. So please take back your decision. I won't compete."

Wu Zhangkong was stunned. Ever since becoming a Soul Master, he had always been one of heaven's favored. Even when he had later come to Eastsea City and entered Eastsea Academy out of necessity, it had remained the same. It wasn't as though no one had ever threatened him, but those people had all ended badly.

Yet when the little girl before him said those words, he found that there was nothing he could do to her.

Xie Xie's Twin Martial Souls were already something he valued highly, but compared to Gu Yue's Elementalist Martial Soul, Xie Xie was still a level below.

Tang Wulin had not expected Gu Yue to speak up for him. He could not help looking at her gratefully.

"Thank you, Gu Yue. But Teacher Wu is right. This concerns our class's honor, so naturally, it's better for the strongest people to compete.

"But don't worry, I'll work hard too. It's not as though only three people can participate. If I can become strong enough within three months, I think Teacher Wu will let me compete too."

Wu Zhangkong looked at Tang Wulin with some surprise.

"Teacher, what will the special training involve? It won't still be physical training, will it?" Xie Xie's focus was clearly different from theirs.

Wu Zhangkong said, "Of course not. No matter what kind of training you undergo, there is only one goal: to increase your strength. Strength is divided into hard power and soft power. In my view, though, all strength comes from actual combat. Therefore, your special training will consist solely of combat. Use combat to draw out your potential and combat to improve your fighting experience. I'll first explain the key points for each of you, then we'll begin."

"Xie Xie, your speed is already fast enough for someone at your level. But your stamina is too poor, making it difficult for you to last. Therefore, during battle, you must pay attention to managing your stamina. Your second Martial Soul has the advantage of surprise, but do not use it lightly. Once you use it, you must achieve a sufficiently good result."

"Gu Yue, I observed your elemental control today. Though I don't want to say this, I have to admit that with your current cultivation, your control over the various elements is already very good. Tomorrow, I'll take the four of you to test your spiritual power."

Tang Wulin said, "Teacher, I've tested my spiritual power before..."

Wu Zhangkong coldly cut him off. "I only trust my own eyes."

He continued to Gu Yue, "Therefore, during training, I hope you will try more combinations of different elements. Today, I carefully considered your Martial Soul.

"An Elementalist is essentially someone with a strong affinity for all kinds of elements. However, because you lack the specialized enhancement provided by Soul Rings, you cannot become especially powerful in any one element. You may seem to have an advantage in the early stages, since you can use different elements to wield abilities with different attributes.

"But when your cultivation reaches a certain level in the future, you will discover that you lack powerful Soul Skills as a foundation. The Soul Skills you gain in the future can only enhance your control over elements and increase the intensity of your Soul Power."

"In that case, there is only one path for you to truly become strong: combining multiple elements.

"This is an unprecedented method, but I realized it today when I saw you combine the Earth Element and Ice Element to restrain Xie Xie.

"If you can fuse elements of different attributes together and control that power, then one day, you will certainly stand at the peak of this world."

It was no easy thing for such an assessment to come from Wu Zhangkong's mouth. It showed just how highly he regarded Gu Yue.

"Yes, thank you, Teacher." Gu Yue nodded.

Wu Zhangkong turned to Tang Wulin. "As for you, the first thing you need to do now is control your Martial Soul properly. Only by controlling it perfectly can you truly master it, and develop in the direction of a Control System Battle Soul Master."

"Also, your strength is considerable, and it is still very useful at your current level. Soul Tools are prohibited in the class tournament, but ordinary weapons are not. Perhaps you can find something like a hammer to use as your weapon."

"Yes."

Finally, Wu Zhangkong turned to Nan Fusheng. "As for you, Nan Fusheng, at your current level, you are also among the most outstanding. Your Martial Soul has undergone a beneficial mutation and leans more toward a spiritual-type Martial Soul.

"If your First Soul Skill is used well, it can even achieve an instant kill upon first encounter. Your physical qualities also far exceed those of ordinary Power Attack-type Soul Masters. This is the first time I've seen someone in your situation. My personal suggestion is that you develop in the direction of a Spirit-type Soul Master."

"I understand. Thank you, Teacher Wu."

Nan Fusheng responded as well.

"Then, the special training begins now," Wu Zhangkong said blandly.

The moment Xie Xie heard that it was not physical training but direct combat training, his spirits immediately rose. Eager to try, he said, "Teacher Wu, who goes first against whom?"

Wu Zhangkong said, "There is no order. The four of you will attack together. Your opponent is me!"

Tang Wulin, Nan Fusheng, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue all froze.

A flash of light appeared in Wu Zhangkong's hand, and a wooden sword was already in his grasp. "I will not use the power of my Martial Soul or any Soul Skills. Give it everything you have. Begin!"

As he spoke, he flicked the wooden sword in his hand and stabbed it toward Xie Xie.

Xie Xie reacted swiftly, his body rapidly retreating. But Wu Zhangkong's sword was like a parasite clinging to the bone. Though he retreated quickly, the wooden sword drew ever closer.

Whoosh! A deep, heavy sound tore through the air. Tang Wulin had made his move.

He thoroughly followed Wu Zhangkong's words, throwing his Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammer straight at Wu Zhangkong. A strand of Blue Silver Grass was attached behind the hammer.

Though Wu Zhangkong was somewhat surprised by the incoming Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammer, he did not even look at it. His wooden sword remained pointed forward as the tungsten steel hammer flew past behind him.

Tang Wulin was embarrassed. He had missed...

A gust of breeze blew in from the side, pushing Xie Xie away and causing Wu Zhangkong's sword to strike empty air.

Immediately after, the ground beneath his feet softened and rapidly sank. Several ice spikes shot out, aimed at the ground as well. Gu Yue had used the same trick again.

Wu Zhangkong smiled faintly. With a flick of his wrist, his wooden sword was about to tap the ice spikes, but at that moment, he suddenly felt dazed.

Nan Fusheng had seized the opportunity and directly stolen his consciousness. By the time he came back to his senses, the ice spikes were already right before him. Wu Zhangkong's pupils contracted, and he finally understood the helplessness his previous opponents had felt when facing Nan Fusheng.

The wooden sword circled, seeming to stir up a strange current of air. The ice spikes seemed to lose control and flew off to one side.

At the same time, he sprang upward, breaking free of the ground and leaping out of the mud.

Whoosh! Tang Wulin's Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammer arrived again. This time, it was no longer one hammer, but two, sweeping horizontally with a much wider range.

Wu Zhangkong casually tapped out with his wooden sword, striking each tungsten steel hammer. The two hammers paused in midair, then immediately fell.

A flicker of surprise passed through Wu Zhangkong's eyes. This little fellow's strength truly was extraordinary!

A fireball reached Wu Zhangkong's side as Gu Yue's attack appeared at just the right moment.

Wu Zhangkong's weapon was a wooden sword, so using fire to burn it should have had the best effect.

Wu Zhangkong used the same move again, redirecting the fireball toward Xie Xie. Xie Xie slashed out with his Light Dragon Dagger and shattered the fireball. He curled his body slightly, yet still rushed toward Wu Zhangkong. His left hand moved subtly, and an invisible blade aura swept forth as the Light Dragon Dagger stabbed out at the same time.

Tang Wulin's Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammers swung up again, blasting toward Wu Zhangkong from below.

Three fireballs shot out at the right moment. The three of them had finally managed a small coordinated attack.

Unfortunately, their opponent was simply too powerful.

The wooden sword transformed into layers upon layers of sword shadows, yet Wu Zhangkong did not seem to exert any force. The two Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammers were knocked flying.

Xie Xie was struck across the shoulder by the sword and swept aside, crashing toward the three fireballs. Had he not performed valiantly and swung his Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger in rapid succession, he would likely have been injured.

Wu Zhangkong descended from the sky. This time, his target was Tang Wulin. The wooden sword stabbed straight toward him.

At this moment, Xie Xie was still flustered and unable to help him. Gu Yue was blocked by the fallen Xie Xie and could not come to his aid in time.

Meanwhile, after using his Soul Skill once at the start, Nan Fusheng had merely stood to the side and watched. All of this had been deliberately arranged by Wu Zhangkong, to isolate Tang Wulin in an instant and create a one-on-one situation.

Wu Zhangkong had done this before in the Advanced Division, using actual combat to draw out his students' potential. Under immense pressure, a student's reactions could fully reveal that potential.

With the wooden sword aimed at his chest, Tang Wulin's gaze became focused. He seemed to enter a strange state. Two gray lights lit up simultaneously as he raised his right hammer before his chest to block the wooden sword, while his left hammer swung directly at Wu Zhangkong.

Clang! The wooden sword struck the gray hammer in Tang Wulin's right hand, producing a metallic ring.

Tang Wulin only felt an immense force rush toward him. The Thousand-Refined Silver Hammer immediately slammed into his chest, knocking him backward.