Eight Advance to Four, Defeat the Rubber Elephant

Martial Soul Department Dean Yan Shaozhe sat at the very center, his graying hair combed impeccably.

To his left sat Vice Dean Cai Mei'er, dressed in a purple gown and strikingly beautiful.

To his right sat Director of Education Du Weilun, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed.

But several other seats drew even more attention.

Soul Guidance Department Dean Xian Lin'er had come too, with Vice Dean Qian Duoduo seated beside her.

In the seat at the very corner sat an old man whose face was hard to make out, a flask of wine and a chicken leg in his hands.

Xuan Zi of the Sea God Pavilion.

Chicken Leg Douluo rarely appeared at public events at the academy. His presence today showed just how much more importance the academy's leadership placed on this year's new students than usual.

Yan Shaozhe glanced over the four arenas below, his gaze finally settling on Exam Hall One.

"Did that kid Dai Huabin get paired up with Xie Huanyue?"

Du Weilun nodded. "That's right. First match of the quarterfinals."

Cai Mei'er crossed her legs, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.

"A level-thirty-four White Tiger Soul Elder leading a level-twenty-seven Hell Spirit Cat Soul Grandmaster. Two against three. Their opponents have a level-thirty-two Rubber Elephant. This should be interesting."

Yan Shaozhe rubbed his chin.

"I'd rather see whether they'll use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

Du Weilun recalled the brazen look on Dai Huabin's face when he had applied for a single dorm room. The corner of his mouth twitched.

"With that kid's personality, he won't use it unless he has to. He's a shrewd one. He won't show his trump card until he's backed into a corner."

Exam Hall One.

Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu stood shoulder to shoulder at the southern end of the arena.

Across from them, Xie Huanyue stood in the center. He was burly, at least twice as big as the other boys his age.

On either side of him stood two sturdy-looking youths with nearly identical faces: Luo Tianlong and Luo Tianba.

The twin brothers with Mantis Blade Martial Souls.

The referee walked to the center of the arena. After confirming both sides were ready, he raised his hand.

"Exam Hall One, quarterfinals! Class Nine's Dai Huabin team versus Class Two's Xie Huanyue team. Get ready!"

Xie Huanyue rolled his thick neck, his joints cracking.

He looked at Dai Huabin and grinned.

"Young master of the White Tiger Duke's family. I've wanted to fight you ever since the round-robin tournament. You two signed up for the test on your own? You've got guts."

Dai Huabin took off his school uniform jacket and casually tossed it to the side of the arena.

Beneath it, he wore a fitted black outfit that traced the lean but solid lines of his body.

"Whether I've got guts or not, you'll find out soon enough."

"Begin!"

The referee's arm came down.

Xie Huanyue reacted in a flash.

Three Soul Rings flared around him: two yellow and one purple.

His First Soul Skill, Elephant Body, activated at once. His body swelled rapidly, his skin turning dark brown until he looked like a moving wall of flesh.

At the same time, Luo Tianlong and Luo Tianba released their Martial Souls. Silver-white mantis blades extended from their arms as the two lean figures spread out to either side, preparing to encircle their opponents.

Standard tactics, just as expected.

Dai Huabin's lips curled slightly.

"Lulu, leave them to you."

Zhu Lu gave no unnecessary reply. Her body was already in motion.

Her Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul possessed her in an instant. Translucent Soul Power claws sprang from her fingertips, and she became a gray-black blur, darting straight at Luo Tianlong on the left flank.

Luo Tianlong was startled. He hadn't expected her to ignore Xie Huanyue in front and come straight for him.

"Big brother!" Luo Tianba immediately changed course, circling in from the right to Zhu Lu's flank in an attempt to pinch her between them.

The twins' teamwork was indeed seamless. They raised their mantis blades almost simultaneously, closing in on Zhu Lu from either side.

But Zhu Lu was too fast.

She came to an abrupt stop in front of Luo Tianlong and sank low, barely dodging the mantis blade that slashed down over her head. Her right claw swept upward in one fluid motion.

Hell Stab's armor-piercing effect met Luo Tianlong's mantis blade with a violent shriek of metal scraping against metal.

Luo Tianlong's arm went numb from the impact. A sharp pain shot through the web of his thumb, and his mantis blade nearly slipped from his grasp.

Luo Tianba rushed in from the side, both blades slashing down at once.

Zhu Lu didn't even look back at him. She spun halfway around on the spot and unleashed her Second Soul Skill, Hell Hundred Claws.

A dense flurry of claw-shadows burst out within a one-meter radius around her, each one carrying a precise surge of Soul Power that pierced through defenses.

Three claw-shadows struck Luo Tianba head-on. He staggered back four or five steps, his uniform sleeves ripped open in several places.

Meanwhile, Dai Huabin and Xie Huanyue collided head-on.

The force behind Xie Huanyue's charge in Elephant Body form was terrifying.

Head lowered, he barreled toward Dai Huabin like a runaway battle chariot.

Dai Huabin didn't meet him head-on.

He slipped to the side, evading Xie Huanyue's frontal charge, and fired a White Tiger Intense Light Wave from close range into his opponent's flank.

The beam exploded. Xie Huanyue's massive body swayed, but he didn't fall.

Only a faint white mark remained on his dark-brown skin.

"That's it?"

Xie Huanyue turned around, his grin widening.

"White Tiger Intense Light Wave? That supposed to tickle?"

Dai Huabin calculated rapidly in his mind.

White Tiger Intense Light Wave wasn't powerful enough.

In Elephant Body form, Xie Huanyue's defenses had at least doubled.

It would take far too long to wear through them with long-range attacks.

Then he'd change tactics.

Dai Huabin's Third Soul Ring lit up.

His Third Soul Skill: White Tiger Vajra Transformation.

His body quickly grew larger, his muscles becoming more defined as his nails transformed into sharp tiger claws.

With all his attributes doubled, his strength and speed had reached an entirely new level.

Xie Huanyue's expression finally turned serious.

A level-thirty-four White Tiger Soul Elder, with all attributes doubled by White Tiger Vajra Transformation.

That was terrifying.

Dai Huabin gave him no time to think. The instant White Tiger Vajra Transformation was complete, he was already closing in.

Xie Huanyue instinctively activated his Second Soul Skill, Elephant Trunk. His right arm shot out several meters, coiling toward Dai Huabin.

Dai Huabin dodged the first attempt to ensnare him, then slashed through the air with a tiger claw. Its sharp tips tore a bloody gash into Xie Huanyue's outstretched arm.

Xie Huanyue grunted and pulled his arm back.

Elephant Body's defenses were strong, but the tiger claws empowered by White Tiger Vajra Transformation had breached their limit.

"Beautiful!"

On the high platform, Cai Mei'er leaned forward slightly.

"After White Tiger Vajra Transformation, his attacks can break through the Rubber Elephant's defenses. Dai Huabin has excellent combat instincts."

Yan Shaozhe didn't comment on Dai Huabin. Instead, his attention turned to the other side.

"Look at that girl."

At the other end of the arena, Zhu Lu was suppressing the Luo Brothers on her own.

The twins' teamwork had become remarkably polished.

They attacked in turn from either side with their mantis blades, leaving almost no openings.

But Zhu Lu was faster still.

The Hell Spirit Cat's agility was at its peak as she faced their pincer attack.

She weaved between the two mantis blades, each dodge perfectly measured, just enough to avoid their edges.

Then she struck back with a claw.

Her claw raked Luo Tianlong's shoulder, tearing through his Soul Power barrier.

Luo Tianba took a swipe to the thigh too, throwing off his step for half a beat.

"The two of them..." Du Weilun sat up straight. "They're practically of one mind."

Yan Shaozhe nodded.

"It's more than just good teamwork. Watch the timing of Zhu Lu's attacks. She always strikes just as Dai Huabin draws Xie Huanyue's attention.

"She uses the rhythm Dai Huabin creates on the battlefield to fight her own battle.

"And it goes the other way too. Dai Huabin always presses Xie Huanyue at just the right moment, when Zhu Lu has the Luo Brothers pinned down."

"That level of rapport can't be achieved through training alone."

In the corner, Xuan Zi finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

"The resonance between their Martial Souls is probably far stronger than we anticipated."

On the arena, the outcome was gradually becoming clear.

Zhu Lu's fourth Hell Stab finally struck Luo Tianlong in the back.

This time, she didn't hold back.

The armor-piercing effect broke through Luo Tianlong's Soul Power barrier, and a powerful numbness spread from his spine to his limbs.

His body stiffened completely.

"Big brother!"

Luo Tianba shouted. The instant he lost focus, Zhu Lu was already in front of him.

Her Second Soul Skill: Hell Hundred Claws.

A dense flurry of claw-shadows came crashing down on him.

Luo Tianba raised both blades and desperately tried to block, but his Soul Power was several levels below Zhu Lu's. He couldn't withstand such a relentless barrage.

Three seconds later, the claw-shadows knocked the mantis blades from Luo Tianba's hands and sent him stumbling over the white boundary line.

"Luo Tianba of Class Two, out!" the referee announced at once.

Next, Luo Tianlong, who still hadn't recovered from the numbness, was gently shoved by Zhu Lu beyond the boundary.

"Luo Tianlong of Class Two, out!"

Xie Huanyue's expression changed completely.

He was still trading blows with Dai Huabin, and several wounds from tiger claws already marked his body.

With White Tiger Vajra Transformation active, Dai Huabin's attacks came at a ridiculous pace, leaving him no room to catch his breath.

Now both Luo Brothers were out too.

Xie Huanyue stood alone against Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu.

"Give up," Dai Huabin said, stopping his attacks five meters away. "Your teammates are out. You can't handle two against one."

Xie Huanyue panted heavily, his fists clenched tight.

He couldn't accept it.

He was the strongest new student in Class Two, a level-thirty-two Soul Elder.

Yet those two hadn't used their Martial Soul Fusion Skill once—not from beginning to end.

"You didn't use your Martial Soul Fusion Skill at all?"

Dai Huabin nodded.

Xie Huanyue fell silent for three seconds, then finally raised his right hand.

"I concede."

"Exam Hall One: Class Nine's Dai Huabin team wins! They advance to the semifinals!"

As soon as the referee announced the result, the students watching erupted into a noisy discussion.

Two against three, with a level-thirty-two defensive Soul Elder on the other side.

They hadn't used their Martial Soul Fusion Skill once, yet had dismantled the core of Xie Huanyue's team's tactics by sheer force.

On the high platform, Yan Shaozhe's attention had already shifted to Exam Hall Two next door.