Zhou Yi had barely finished speaking.
In an instant, she sprang toward Jiang Yang.
A loud BANG rang out.
It was as if two afterimages flashed past.
By the time everyone turned around, Zhou Yi, who had charged at Jiang Yang, was already standing on the open ground outside the classroom door, while Jiang Yang still stood where he had been among the students.
The sight left everyone stunned.
Their eyes were practically glued in place.
Wang Dong, standing off to the side, was especially shaken. She had been right in the middle of the exchange, and her heart had nearly skipped a beat.
Another person just as astonished was a little girl with twin ponytails. Her cherry-red lips had been hanging open ever since she first parted them.
"What's the rush?"
"If you want to rough me up, at least wait until I get out the door."
By the time Jiang Yang finished speaking, he was already behind Zhou Yi.
"Is he even human?!"
"Why is Jiang Yang so fast!"
"A Agility-type Soul Master?"
"No way! I didn't even see him activate his Martial Soul!!"
"Hiss—"
After everyone blurted out their guesses, they all sucked in a sharp breath at almost the same time.
The gap between people was simply too huge.
"Is he really a freshman?"
Dai Huabin was dumbfounded.
At first, he hadn't believed the rumors he'd heard.
He thought he was already strong enough among his peers.
Even if some freshman turned out to be a little stronger than him, there was no way they'd be strong enough to provoke a sixth-year senior without getting beaten to a pulp.
The only reasonable explanation was that this was a staged show, planned in advance.
So.
Dai Huabin had sent someone to look into Jiang Yang's background.
When he found nothing but unremarkable information, he became even more certain of his judgment.
It was probably just some big shot's illegitimate child.
In high society among the nobles, that was practically an open secret.
As the legitimate son of Duke White Tiger, and a gifted one at that, he naturally disdained associating with someone like that.
That was why he was so shocked now, after seeing Jiang Yang's strength with his own eyes.
"Jiang Yang, you're amazing!"
"And he's so handsome!"
Xiao Xiao said, looking a little lovestruck.
"You've still got time to care about that?!"
Wang Dong shot back, glaring at Xiao Xiao before rushing outside.
Once she led the way, the others couldn't help rushing after her too.
"You'll pay for that arrogance of yours!"
"First Soul Skill—"
"Dragon Fire!"
Zhou Yi roared in an instant.
Her red-scaled dragon claw lunged toward Jiang Yang behind her.
But Jiang Yang dodged with a stylish turn.
He still hadn't activated his Martial Soul!
"Why hasn't he used his Martial Soul yet?!"
"Isn't he being way too arrogant? Teacher Zhou is a powerful Six-Ring Soul Emperor!!"
"Could he be a support-type Soul Master?"
No one knew who said it, but the others immediately gave them a withering look.
"You mean Jiang Yang's a support-type, three-ring Soul Elder, and he's brave enough to challenge that old witch—a Six-Ring Soul Emperor—all by himself?!"
Dai Huabin folded his arms and mocked them outright.
The person who'd spoken didn't dare say another word.
It really did make no sense.
"What? A support-type, three-ring Soul Elder freshman, challenging a Six-Ring Soul Emperor teacher?!"
A girl's voice suddenly came from not far away.
Though they couldn't see her face, they could hear the excitement in her voice.
"Wu Feng! Yun'er!"
"Come on! Hurry up and follow me!"
With that, the girl didn't bother waiting. She ran straight over from Freshman Class Nine's section.
"Hey! Ning Tian! Wait for me!"
With no other choice, Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er ran after her.
The students standing near Ning Tian and the others saw the three of them run off. They glanced back at Teacher Mu Jin, who had disappeared somewhere, then followed too.
"You still won't activate your Martial Soul?!"
"Fine—"
"You brought this on yourself!"
Seeing Jiang Yang dodge three of her First Soul Skills in a row without any intention of activating his Martial Soul, Zhou Yi burned with even greater fury.
She had originally planned to hold back, so she wouldn't actually kill or cripple the student and get punished by the academy.
But with things as they were, if she didn't go all out, she'd lose every last shred of face.
So.
She hardened her resolve and shouted, "Second Soul Skill: Red Dragon Impact Cannon!"
A high-speed, high-temperature blast of fire-attribute energy shot from her mouth toward Jiang Yang.
If that hit, even a Soul King would be badly hurt.
A three-ring Soul Elder would fare even worse.
At that point, she no longer cared whether Jiang Yang lived or died.
Even if the sky fell, her husband would still be there to hold it up.
"Huh? Teacher Zhou actually used her Second Soul Skill!"
"How can she do that!"
Xiao Xiao couldn't hold back anymore.
She instinctively wanted to charge in and help, but before she could make up her mind—
A gust of wind had already swept past her.
"Second Soul Skill—"
"Butterfly Goddess Light!"
Wang Dong suddenly sprouted wings and soared into the air. She sent golden spheres of light from her wings toward Zhou Yi. They exploded on contact, weakening Zhou Yi's attack considerably.
"Good! You've got some nerve!!"
"Then I'll knock both of you flat and expel you all!!"
Seeing that another student dared to challenge her authority, Zhou Yi was so furious her liver nearly burst!
"Jiang Yang, why haven't you activated your Martial Soul yet?!"
Wang Dong asked anxiously.
"Heh—"
Jiang Yang smiled faintly.
He merely held his left hand behind his back and lightly stepped down. Three Soul Rings appeared around him in an instant, and his right hand gripped a long sword gleaming with golden light.
Its hilt was engraved with ancient patterns, and it felt warm to the touch, yet carried a chill from the distant past.
Light flowed along the blade. The sun, moon, and stars were engraved on one side, while mountains, rivers, plants, and trees seemed to shimmer into view on the other.
The sword's sacred aura stayed sheathed, yet an immense pressure surged from his palm. The ancient sword seemed to merge with its wielder, and even held motionless in his grasp, it carried the vast bearing of commanding heaven and earth and bringing peace to the four seas.
"Holy crap!"
"Holy crap!!"
"What kind of Martial Soul is that? So... so cool!"
"You're still looking at the Martial Soul? Are you blind? Look at his Soul Rings!!"
"Huh? Holy crap!"
"A... a... a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?!"
Everyone was stunned all over again.
Wang Dong's eyes went wide, while Xiao Xiao covered her mouth in shock.
Dai Huabin nearly lost his footing.
The freshly arrived students from Freshman Class Nine, including Ning Tian and the others, were even more shaken.
Every one of them was terrified by what they saw.
That was right—not merely astonished, but terrified.
Two purple Thousand-Year Soul Rings and one black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring!
"Th-this... this..."
"Holy crap, guys! What kind of Soul Ring Configuration is that?!"
"Oh my god! Is he even human?!"
"Quick, quick, pinch me! I'm not seeing things, am I?!!"
Before you continue