Dai Yueheng released his Martial Soul first.
He had faced plenty of opponents.
But never one as young as Lu Heqiu.
Not even when he was with the Dai Family.
Back then, they hadn't even awakened their Martial Souls. Who would go around fighting for no reason?
The White Tiger Martial Soul appeared on the Soul Fighting Platform.
Dai Yueheng's body changed as well.
He was already broad and muscular, but the moment he released his Martial Soul,
he grew considerably taller.
The difference in stature between him and Lu Heqiu widened.
The slight Lu Heqiu stood before him like someone facing a giant, with no chance of winning at all.
Watching him, Lu Heqiu released his own Martial Soul, too.
That Golden Phantom appeared again.
It was several times larger than Dai Yueheng.
Just standing there, it took up almost half the Soul Dueling Arena.
"Second Soul Skill!"
"White Tiger Blazing Light Wave!"
Dai Yueheng had no intention of underestimating Lu Heqiu.
He hadn't thought much of the child at first, but back then, Lu Heqiu hadn't revealed his Martial Soul.
Ever since Ma Xiaotao had said that even she might not be a match for Lu Heqiu,
Dai Yueheng had taken him seriously and shown not the slightest trace of carelessness.
A laser-like beam shot straight toward Lu Heqiu.
It wasn't aimed at Lu Heqiu's Martial Soul.
As far as Dai Yueheng was concerned, that was only a phantom.
His real target was Lu Heqiu himself!
"Dai Yueheng's got plenty of experience, all right!"
"But with him holding back like that, he's going to pay for it!"
Gongyang Mo watched the yellow Soul Skill flashing around Dai Yueheng and spoke up.
That was only a hundred-year Soul Skill.
Even if Lu Heqiu's body was frail, he had awakened a Martial Soul. He should be able to withstand it, at the very least.
But...
Ma Xiaotao had said that even she wasn't a match for him.
Using a Soul Skill like that now was just giving Lu Heqiu an opening, wasn't it?
Just as Gongyang Mo had predicted,
Lu Heqiu merely raised a hand.
The blood-red Soul Ring responded at once.
Everyone's eyes turned to Lu Heqiu.
They wanted to see what his Soul Skill was.
Could the Soul Skill granted by a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring really let Lu Heqiu defeat Dai Yueheng?
As Lu Heqiu raised his hand, the phantom behind him lifted its arm as well. The Red Soul Ring vanished in an instant, as if it had merged into the phantom behind him.
"Demon Subduer!"
The phantom swept its hand forward.
Dai Yueheng's White Tiger Blazing Light Wave was dispelled almost in the blink of an eye.
Not a trace remained.
What shocked everyone even more was that
the palm didn't stop after dispersing the White Tiger Blazing Light Wave.
It continued toward Dai Yueheng.
Dai Yueheng furrowed his brow.
He found himself in the same situation as Xuan Zi had been in before.
The space around him seemed to freeze. Even the people below the platform disappeared from view.
All he could see was the Giant Palm coming down on him.
It seemed to descend from the heavens,
as if the heavens themselves were punishing him for his sins.
"Such a huge area of effect?"
Dai Yueheng slipped lightly to the side, trying to escape the Giant Palm's range by changing his position.
He wasn't a fool.
There was no reason to take a Soul Skill head-on if he could dodge it.
But this Soul Skill...
He couldn't dodge it at all!
Just as it had been for Xuan Zi,
the palm kept adjusting its position as Dai Yueheng moved. He remained at the center of its attack no matter where he went. Wherever he moved, the Giant Palm followed!
A Lock-on Soul Skill!?
Dai Yueheng didn't hesitate.
The Soul Rings around him began to shine as well.
His First Soul Ring and Third Soul Ring activated almost simultaneously.
White Tiger Bodyguard!
White Tiger Adamant Transformation!
The moment he unleashed his Soul Skills,
the Giant Palm came down!
But another figure appeared in front of Dai Yueheng.
Elder Wang!
Elder Wang could see that Dai Yueheng couldn't withstand this attack.
If he didn't step in,
Dai Yueheng would be seriously injured today!
The power of the palm far exceeded Elder Wang's expectations. Even after he unleashed his Martial Soul Avatar, it drove him back several steps.
Fortunately, Lu Heqiu's attack was an area Soul Skill centered on its target.
It wasn't a Soul Skill that could pass through Elder Wang and directly strike Dai Yueheng.
Otherwise, relying on Dai Yueheng alone,
it would have been difficult for him to withstand that move without getting hurt.
"That's enough."
"We have a winner."
Elder Wang's expression was complicated.
He had known that Lu Heqiu might win the match.
But he'd never imagined he would win so easily.
With a single move!
"I did lose."
"Even if I could withstand that attack, I'd still get hurt."
Dai Yueheng spoke without a hint of evasion. He knew he wasn't Lu Heqiu's match, so he simply admitted defeat.
He really couldn't have withstood that palm.
Just as Elder Wang had said,
if he'd taken it head-on, he would certainly have been injured.
There was no need for that in a sparring match.
"Ma Xiaotao!"
"Take this kid back!"
"And don't bring him to the Soul Dueling Arena again!"
A flicker of anger crossed Elder Wang's face.
There was no reason for this kid to come to the Soul Dueling Arena again.
Anyone who could match him would have to be at least a Soul Saint, and there were no students like that here.
Graduation from the Inner Academy required reaching the Soul Emperor realm.
Most students eagerly took on Inspection Corps missions once they became Soul Emperors. After meeting the requirements, they left the Inner Academy.
Only a few chose to stay.
Those who stayed usually became teachers in the Inner or Outer Academy.
It was no big deal if a student lost.
But how could a teacher keep teaching students after losing?
In any case, the Soul Dueling Arena certainly didn't welcome Lu Heqiu!
Ma Xiaotao ignored the angry Elder Wang, walked straight over, and took Lu Heqiu's hand. As they flew away, she praised him, "Well done~"
"That guy needed to be taught a lesson!"
Lu Heqiu didn't respond.
If he hadn't been indulging Ma Xiaotao's wish, he wouldn't have attacked Dai Yueheng.
The two flew toward their dormitory.
Several figures were already waiting outside the door.
One of them was the familiar Yan Shaozhe.
As Yan Shaozhe watched the two fly over, he asked calmly,
"Where did you go?"
The moment Ma Xiaotao saw Yan Shaozhe, she clearly panicked. Her gaze darted away, and she stammered,
"I took Junior Brother to look around the Soul Dueling Arena."
Yan Shaozhe's gaze rested on Ma Xiaotao for a moment.
He knew his disciple all too well.
Taking Lu Heqiu to the Soul Dueling Arena
could only mean she wanted to amaze the students she got along with.
If she said they'd only gone for a look around, Yan Shaozhe wouldn't believe her for a second.
"You took Heqiu to the Soul Dueling Arena to beat someone up, didn't you?"
"Who was the opponent?"
"Dai Yueheng?"
"How many people saw Heqiu fight?"
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