In fact, throughout the entire history of Spirit Hall Academy, only a tiny handful of students had ever joined the Elite Class through the special advancement assessment! And those who took the assessment at just twelve years old were even rarer than the feathers of a phoenix or the horns of a qilin!
The students in this year's Elite Class were an especially talented bunch. Several monsters had already managed to enter the Elite Class at twelve! If Xu Mochen really pulled it off, then this year's Elite Class at Spirit Hall Academy would go down in history!
The teacher at the head of the group gave a light cough, and the students immediately fell silent. Then the male teacher looked at Xu Mochen, who stood beside Hu Liena. Without wasting time, he said, "You're Xu Mochen, the student who was notified yesterday that he'd be taking the Elite Class assessment, right? Let me introduce myself. My name is Kutka, my Martial Soul is Thunder-Roar Osprey, and I'm an eighty-third-level Soul Douluo. You should already know the rules for the Elite Class's special advancement assessment, right? Would you like me to introduce these students?"
"Thank you for the offer, teacher, but there's no need." Xu Mochen gave Kutka a slight nod, then swept his gaze across all the Elite Class students before him.
In the end, Xu Mochen's gaze landed on Qin Ze, who wore a cold smile. Then he said calmly, "He's the one I want to challenge!"
The students were startled, but they hadn't been entirely caught off guard. Even the Elite Class students who hadn't been there had heard about what happened yesterday. Still, Qin Ze was no easy opponent!
Although Qin Ze had agreed yesterday to fight Xu Mochen with his cultivation suppressed to the other boy's level, this was an assessment! Qin Ze didn't have to—and couldn't—suppress his strength according to their wager! This was trouble!
Kutka didn't seem surprised by Xu Mochen's choice. On the contrary, he seemed to have expected it. He immediately turned to the Elite Class and called out, "Qin Ze, step forward! You'll be handling Xu Mochen's assessment! Remember, this fight is only to test him. Don't go too far!"
"Yes!" Qin Ze answered at once, delighted. He stepped out and joined Xu Mochen in an empty area. Then he activated Martial Soul Possession, and four Soul Rings—two yellow and two purple—appeared around his body, undulating up and down. A cruel smile spread across his face. "Then this senior will be sure to teach you a thing or two, junior Xu. Let me introduce myself: Qin Ze, my Martial Soul is Ice Pale Wolf, and I'm a level forty-two Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor! Please instruct me!"
Xu Mochen seemed not to hear the taunt hidden in Qin Ze's words. He stood calmly at the other end, releasing his Martial Soul and two yellow Soul Rings as well. He watched Qin Ze in silence and said in a deep voice, "Xu Mochen! My Martial Soul is Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon, and I'm a level twenty-four Power Attack System Battle Soul Master! Please instruct me, senior!"
As soon as Xu Mochen finished speaking, the students erupted in an even louder commotion than before! Some of the Elite Class students even dug at their ears, wondering if their hearing had failed them. Then they abandoned all thought of discipline and began whispering among themselves!
"No way! Am I crazy, or did I just hear that wrong? This kid's only a Soul Grandmaster, and he dares challenge an Elite Class Soul Ancestor?"
"Holy crap! I thought that even if he wasn't a Soul Ancestor, he'd be at least level thirty-five or higher. But he's not only challenging someone above his level, he's challenging someone two ranks above him! How's that any different from asking to die?"
"Maybe this kid's lost his mind? What a shame. I thought he was a genius, at least a level thirty-seven or thirty-eight Soul Elder. Turns out he's an idiot!"
"Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe he really is that monstrous?"
"You've got to be kidding! A Soul Grandmaster beating a Soul Ancestor? And an Elite Class Soul Ancestor, at that? To put it bluntly, how many times has something like that happened in the history of Spirit Hall—or even the entire Soul Master World? Fine, even if it has happened, do you think someone like that could still be only level twenty-four at twelve?"
"Now that you mention it, that does make sense. Level twenty-four at twelve would make him a genius out in the world, but in our Elite Class, he's just average. Looks like he's in for a miserable time."
After a heated discussion, almost nobody thought Xu Mochen stood a chance. Even the most optimistic estimate was that he might last ten rounds against Qin Ze—and that was assuming Qin Ze held back! But judging by Qin Ze's attitude toward Xu Mochen yesterday, the kid was probably about to get thoroughly crushed!
"Then I hereby declare the challenge officially underway!" Kutka seemed not to hear the students' discussion. He focused all his attention on this wildly uneven match. At his command, Qin Ze attacked first, showing no mercy!
His First and Second Soul Rings lit up in an instant. Qin Ze's entire body became a blur as he charged straight at Xu Mochen with overwhelming force! To deal with Xu Mochen, Qin Ze used his First Soul Skill, Snow Wolf Bite, and his Second Soul Skill, Snow Wolf Assault, one after the other. He launched a fierce attack without holding back!
The students watching from the side let out a collective sigh, thinking, It's over. Now there isn't even a shred of suspense left! A Soul Ancestor has unleashed his First and Second Soul Skills in succession. If a Soul Grandmaster like Xu Mochen can withstand that, I'll eat my hat! Looks like Qin Ze really holds a grudge. Let's just hope no one gets seriously hurt.
Of course, not everyone was sighing. A small number were enjoying the show—Yan and his few lackeys, for instance. They were already gloating. Yan thought viciously, Serves you right! That's what you get for getting close to Nana! I hope Qin Ze cripples you for good, so you'll learn there are people you can't afford to provoke!
Qin Ze was already convinced victory was his, especially when he saw Xu Mochen standing there without a hint of emotion, making no move at all. He was even more certain that his opponent had been stunned by the force of his attack.
With that thought in mind, Qin Ze quickly reached Xu Mochen. Only then did Xu Mochen seem to react, preparing to use a Soul Skill. Seeing this, Qin Ze felt even more contempt. Had he been too impulsive when he made that bet with this kid yesterday? Beating up a greenhorn like this seemed a little beneath him.
But whatever! The kid had provoked Big Brother Yan first, then rushed over to court death himself. Qin Ze couldn't be blamed for what happened! Meanwhile, Hu Liena watched with her heart in her throat, her eyes darting now and then toward Kutka, who stood nearby, composed and focused. Finally, she decided that if things came to a critical moment, she would step in and stop Qin Ze herself!
Hu Liena couldn't help recalling her report to her teacher the day before. When she'd hurriedly told Bibi Dong, her face full of worry, about Xu Mochen and Qin Ze's wager, Bibi Dong hadn't panicked at all. Instead, she'd considered it calmly, then made the astonishing decision not to interfere in their bet for the time being! She'd only said she would tell Kutka to pay extra attention to Xu Mochen's safety.
But now, Kutka didn't seem to have any intention of stopping Qin Ze! If something happened to Xu Mochen, how would Spirit Hall face the Sun Moon Empire? Why had even her usually wise and perceptive teacher started acting so irrationally?
In stark contrast to Hu Liena's anxious, panicked expression below, Xu Mochen remained completely unruffled on the platform, as though he weren't the one Qin Ze was about to attack with all his might. Then his Second Soul Ring lit up, and he immediately used Chaos Dragon Body!
Purple energy swirled around Xu Mochen's entire body. A flash of purple light appeared, and he simply let Qin Ze's attack land on him! With a grating screee that set everyone's teeth on edge, Qin Ze suddenly realized in horror that his attack was like a mud cow sinking into the sea. The terrifying dragon energy around Xu Mochen gradually dissolved it.
Yet Xu Mochen's aura didn't weaken as he continued to withstand the attack. Instead, the Soul Power around him grew stronger and stronger! Qin Ze even had the strange feeling that Xu Mochen was drawing the Soul Power contained in his Soul Skill right out of it! Worse still, Xu Mochen seemed ready to counterattack!
When the students around them saw this, disbelief spread through their hearts. The scene was simply too bizarre! Even if Xu Mochen was strong enough to withstand Qin Ze's attack, he should have been struggling terribly!
Why did it seem as if Xu Mochen's aura had grown stronger instead of weaker after taking that hit? What ability did his Second Soul Skill have? How could anything so contrary to common sense happen?
"No! I can't let this go on!" Qin Ze was worthy of his place in the Elite Class. He made a quick decision, withdrew his attack, and swiftly retreated. Then his Fourth Soul Ring lit up! He let out an angry roar, and the phantom shape of a snow wolf appeared behind him!
This was Qin Ze's Fourth Soul Skill: Snow Wolf Phantom Annihilation! It sent a condensed snow-wolf phantom after the enemy. Its greatest strength was its ability to track its target to a certain degree. Even if its opponent dodged, the snow-wolf phantom would quickly adjust and continue its pursuit. In other words, Soul Masters of the same level could hardly evade this attack!
Qin Ze no longer dared to approach Xu Mochen, nor did he dare underestimate this seemingly weak opponent. He still couldn't figure out how a mere hundred-year Soul Skill could have such a bizarre ability.
But based on his own judgment, the opponent's Soul Skill couldn't keep weakening and absorbing the Soul Power in other people's attacks without limit! If he made his Soul Skill powerful enough—powerful enough that Xu Mochen's skill couldn't dissolve it—then that seemingly terrifying defense would crumble on its own! Since that was the case, Qin Ze would simply unleash his strongest attack and try to break through Xu Mochen's Second Soul Skill in one blow!
Qin Ze had to be given credit: he was no fool, and he'd earned his place in the Elite Class for a reason! Xu Mochen's current strength did have its limits. If the force of an opponent's Soul Skill exceeded his ability to withstand and dissolve it, then his Soul Skill would absolutely be broken through, and he would be injured. A Soul Ancestor's Fourth Soul Skill was plainly almost impossible for Xu Mochen, who was only at the Soul Grandmaster level, to completely dissolve!
On top of that, Qin Ze's Fourth Soul Skill could track its target to a certain degree! It seemed Xu Mochen was bound to be seriously injured by this attack! But they'd forgotten that Xu Mochen still possessed a Soul Bone with an ability that defied the heavens!
Xu Mochen continued after Qin Ze's retreating figure without slowing down. At the same time, he quickly raised his right arm, which was covered in purple dragon scales! As light flared along his arm, another beam shot out. He timed it perfectly, sending the seal toward Qin Ze just as he finished forming his Fourth Soul Skill and was about to unleash it!
Qin Ze was still wondering what the flash of purple light that had landed on him was when he suddenly realized that the Fourth Soul Skill he was about to throw out had vanished into thin air! It was as if his connection to it had been severed. No matter how he tried to communicate with it through his Soul Power, he couldn't sense it at all!
The next moment, Xu Mochen was right in front of Qin Ze. His First Soul Ring blazed brightly! With the power of Chaos Dragon Claw, his right arm—wreathed in the terrifying force of Purple Sun Dragon Claw—swept straight toward the top of Qin Ze's head while Qin Ze was still gathering his Soul Power!
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