A Duel of Geniuses

The news that the match between Skywater Academy and Godwind Academy would be a one-on-one duel between Shui Bing'er and Feng Xiaotian quickly spread throughout the academy.

The next morning.

The training grounds' stands were packed to capacity.

This duel was not only a contest between two academies, but also a direct clash between two young geniuses.

The students discussed it animatedly, their faces filled with anticipation.

"Do you think Senior Bing'er will win?"

"Hard to say. Feng Xiaotian is widely recognized as the top figure among Godwind Academy's younger generation. His Soul Power is already close to the Soul Ancestor level."

"But Senior Bing'er isn't simple either. Yesterday, she even defeated Huo Wu from Blazing Fire Academy. That was a Ring Fusion skill!"

"Exactly! And Senior Bing'er's Martial Soul is the Ice Phoenix, a top-tier beast Martial Soul. In terms of Martial Soul quality, it's even superior to Feng Xiaotian's Gale Two-Headed Wolf."

In one corner of the stands, Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, and the others had also arrived early.

Huo Wu had used her Ring Fusion skill in yesterday's match, exhausting both her Soul Power and physical strength. She had yet to recover to her best condition, and her face was still somewhat pale, yet the fighting spirit in her eyes had not diminished in the slightest.

She stared intently at the empty arena, her hands unconsciously clenching into fists.

"Brother, do you think Feng Xiaotian can defeat Shui Bing'er?"

"Feng Xiaotian's strength... honestly, neither you nor I know much about it. He's been holding back and has never truly shown us what he can do. As for Shui Bing'er..."

Remembering the stunning figure of the Ice Phoenix on the field yesterday, Huo Wushuang paused, his brows knitting slightly.

"Shui Bing'er is as calm as ever. She seems capable of displaying strength beyond anyone's expectations."

Huo Wu bit her lip.

"I hope Feng Xiaotian wins, but I also want to see just how strong Shui Bing'er's defense really is."

A day had passed since her defeat at Shui Bing'er's hands, but Huo Wu still felt unwilling to accept it.

Elsewhere.

While Feng Xiaotian went off to prepare, the members of Godwind Academy began discussing among themselves.

"The boss really is something else. He actually took the initiative to challenge Shui Bing'er to a duel. With our team's strength, taking down Skywater Academy would've been easy."

"Don't you understand what the boss is thinking? It's all for Huo Wu."

"Ugh, we already went easy on Blazing Fire Academy for Huo Wu's sake. If we lose today's match, wouldn't that mean two consecutive losses? Wouldn't we end up at the bottom among these three academies?"

"Pah, pah, pah! Watch that crow mouth of yours. How could the boss possibly lose?!"

"Exactly. With the boss's combat ability, even a four-ring Soul Ancestor might not necessarily be his match."

It was time for the match.

Two figures entered the arena from different entrances.

The entire training ground fell silent in an instant, and everyone's gaze focused on the center of the arena.

Shui Bing'er wore an azure combat outfit, and not the slightest emotional fluctuation could be seen on her cool, detached face.

Feng Xiaotian, on the other hand, wore a fitted green outfit. His hair fluttered lightly in the wind, and his lips bore his usual confident smile.

The referee announced loudly:

"This match will be conducted as a one-on-one duel and will continue until one side admits defeat, loses the ability to fight, or leaves the boundaries of the arena. Prepare yourselves. You may now release your Martial Souls and soul rings!"

The moment his words fell, two completely different auras erupted simultaneously.

Behind Shui Bing'er, the phantom of a massive ice-blue phoenix slowly emerged, its clear cry echoing throughout the training grounds.

The temperature in the air plummeted, and a layer of frost spread outward from her in all directions.

Yellow, yellow, purple—three soul rings rose from beneath her feet and circled around her, radiating an icy, noble aura.

After Martial Soul Possession, her eyes turned ice-blue, and a faint mist of frost swirled around her. Merely standing there was enough to send chills through one's heart.

Across from her, Feng Xiaotian was no less imposing. A wolf's howl rang through the sky.

His body rapidly expanded, his muscular lines becoming more pronounced. His hands transformed into sharp wolf claws, his eyes glowed green, and even his hair took on a green hue.

The phantom of a two-headed wolf appeared behind him.

One of the wolf heads seemed to emerge from his left shoulder, fierce and imposing.

The same three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—pulsed around him.

"Begin!"

At the referee's command, he swiftly retreated beyond the arena's boundaries.

Feng Xiaotian did not rush to attack. Instead, he looked calmly at Shui Bing'er.

"Ladies first. You make the first move."

Although Feng Xiaotian had never faced Shui Bing'er head-on before, he had absolute confidence in his own strength.

His soul power was nearing the Soul Ancestor level. Combined with the strength of his Gale Two-Headed Wolf martial soul, his powerful Self-Created Soul Skill, and his advantage in aerial combat, he believed he could handle any opponent of the same rank.

"Then I won't hold back."

Shui Bing'er did not stand on ceremony.

Against an opponent like Feng Xiaotian, any hesitation could lead to defeat.

Her first soul ring lit up as she activated Ice Seal.

Without any warning, a layer of crystalline ice instantly enveloped Feng Xiaotian, freezing him directly into an ice sculpture.

Ice Seal could not only restrict an opponent's movements, but also continuously drain their soul power.

Feng Xiaotian understood this perfectly, yet he was completely unafraid.

His Gale Two-Headed Wolf possessed both agility-attack and power-attack traits, with the dual attributes of wind and strength.

Crack—

The Twin Demon Wolf exerted force, and cracks appeared across the surface of the ice before it shattered with a bang.

Relying on his formidable strength, Feng Xiaotian easily broke free of the restraint.

He rolled his wrists, a relaxed expression appearing on his face.

"Not bad control skill. The chill is even stronger than I imagined."

The spectators gasped at the sight.

Wasn't that too fast?!

Feng Xiaotian had broken free from Ice Seal even faster than Huo Wushuang, who possessed the One-Horned Fire Tyrant Dragon martial soul.

Was this the gap brought about by Soul Power Level?

"Shui Bing'er, here I come!"

As Feng Xiaotian spoke, his first soul ring suddenly lit up.

Ten semicircular wind blades slashed out from his wolf claws, sweeping toward Shui Bing'er in a fan-shaped formation.

First Soul Skill, Wind Blade Array.

This soul skill had an extensive attack range. On a limited arena, it practically sealed off every path Shui Bing'er could have used to evade.

Shui Bing'er reacted swiftly.

Her second soul ring lit up, and Ice Ring Armor instantly covered her entire body.

The wind blades struck the ice armor with sharp clanging sounds, sending ice fragments flying everywhere.

Shui Bing'er easily blocked the soul skill.

Feng Xiaotian frowned slightly, thinking to himself, Her defense really is formidable. No wonder she could withstand Huo Wu's Ring Fusion attack.

"Your defense truly is impressive. Looks like I'll have to get serious."

As Feng Xiaotian spoke, his second soul ring lit up.

Twin Wolf Possession!

This was a strengthening soul skill.

The phantom image of the two-headed wolf behind Feng Xiaotian gradually merged with his body.

In this state, his attack, defense, and agility would all increase by fifty percent.

If he used Wind Blade Array again, its attack power would likewise increase by fifty percent.

The stronger wind blades stormed toward Shui Bing'er like a torrential downpour.