"Ice-Fire Elemental Lotus!" Gu Yue softly uttered five words.
This lotus was extremely peculiar. The left side was red, while the right was blue, and the colors on both sides were gradually deepening.
The moment Wu Changkong saw the lotus, his expression changed.
"Oh no!"
He could sense that the Ice-Fire Elemental Lotus contained tremendous power. Once it exploded, even a three-ring Soul Elder would have a hard time, let alone Tang Wuling, an eighteen-level Soul Grandmaster.
Wu Changkong had no time to wonder how Gu Yue had gained such control over the elements. What worried him most now was Tang Wuling's safety.
But just as he was about to step in and stop them,
Wu Changkong stopped.
Because he had seen Tang Wuling's eyes.
What kind of look was that?
Steadfast, confident, and charging forward without a backward glance!
"Little Monsters! They're both Little Monsters!"
"And Little Monsters can create miracles!"
"I want to see just how far you two can go!"
For a moment, although Wu Changkong didn't move, he watched the two intently, his focus wholly upon them. He, too, wanted to see their limits.
"Tang Wuling, this is my strongest move."
"If you can take this attack, then you win this battle!"
With that, she thrust both hands forward.
The Ice-Fire Elemental Lotus shot toward Tang Wuling with a howling sound. The air warped wherever it passed.
Tang Wuling's bright eyes turned grave.
She could feel the Ice-Fire Elemental Lotus contained an utterly terrifying amount of energy.
Her chances of withstanding it were slim.
But she couldn't dodge!
She had to say goodbye to her past self!
She had to make this battle a turning point in her life!
She had to be reborn!
She, Tang Wuling... wasn't useless!
Tang Wuling drew a deep breath and gripped the Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammer tightly.
As the Ice-Fire Elemental Lotus reached her, Tang Wuling swung the Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammer in her hands at it with all her might.
"Boom!"
A deafening crash rang out. The collision sent a massive shock wave of energy spreading in every direction, kicking up clouds of dust.
The students around them were all forced to squeeze their eyes shut.
Wu Changkong and Leng Xue'er quickly released their Soul Power to block the shock wave and protect the students beside them.
As the dust slowly settled,
everyone looked toward the center of the arena.
They saw Tang Wuling half-kneeling on the ground. The Thousand-Refined Tungsten Steel Hammer had already fallen from her hand, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Only the last of her strength kept her upright.
But she hadn't fallen!
Gu Yue stood not far away, panting, her face somewhat pale.
That last attack had consumed a great deal of her Soul Power and mental energy.
She looked at Tang Wuling, half-kneeling on the ground, and a complicated emotion flickered through her eyes.
She hadn't expected Tang Wuling to actually withstand her Ice-Fire Elemental Lotus head-on!
"Congratulations... You held on." Gu Yue's voice was complicated.
When Tang Wuling heard those words,
she could no longer hold on and collapsed.
A smile lingered on her face as she lost consciousness.
At some point, Cheng Duoyi had come to Tang Wuling's side. He placed his fingers on her pulse.
Then a red pill appeared in his hand, and he slipped it into Tang Wuling's mouth.
The pill melted instantly and entered Tang Wuling's body, beginning to repair her injuries. Even her Soul Power and mental energy quickly recovered.
On top of that, most of her fatigue eased away in an instant.
Cheng Duoyi even wiped the corner of Tang Wuling's mouth, thinking, Why push yourself so hard? Does winning or losing this battle really matter that much? With your current foundation, you should be building up your strength for a later breakthrough, not fighting for supremacy so early...
It was unclear whether Cheng Duoyi understood Tang Wuling's thoughts.
Still, the way he looked at Tang Wuling had changed.
Wu Changkong was a little puzzled by Cheng Duoyi's speed.
But he didn't dwell on it and simply announced,
"The final victor is Tang Wuling!"
"Isn't Tang Wuling amazing?"
"No way, I can't call her a dunce anymore. I'm afraid she'll find out and beat me to death."
"Aren't you already saying it? I'll tell her in a bit."
"You..."
The new students of Grade 1 Class 5 began chatting among themselves.
Wu Changkong came over to Tang Wuling and was just about to say something when he noticed that Tang Wuling, who had been lying in Cheng Duoyi's arms, had already woken up.
"What's going on..." Wu Changkong was confused.
Cheng Duoyi said, "I gave Ling'er a pill. It was made by the Spirit Pagoda."
Wu Changkong nodded. He knew firsthand how powerful the Spirit Pagoda was, so it wasn't surprising that they could make a pill like this.
He didn't ask for details about the pill. That was private, and it wouldn't be right to pry when Cheng Duoyi hadn't offered them.
"Yi'er, I won..." Tang Wuling looked delighted.
"Congratulations, Ling'er." Cheng Duoyi smiled with relief.
Tang Wuling's face lit up with excitement. She understood what Cheng Duoyi meant.
"Yi'er, I'll keep up with you from now on. I won't hold you back!"
"I believe you."
Cheng Duoyi patted Tang Wuling on the head. She looked content, but when she realized she was leaning against Cheng Duoyi's chest, Tang Wuling stood up, embarrassed.
Xie Xie and Yun Xiao came over as well.
Xie Xie exclaimed, "Tang Wuling, you're incredible! I thought you'd lose, but you actually won. Would you mind telling me how strong you are? I bet you must be really strong!"
Yun Xiao nudged Xie Xie. Confused, Xie Xie asked, "Yun Xiao, why do you keep elbowing me?"
Yun Xiao was speechless. He grabbed Xie Xie and dragged him away. Xie Xie still wanted to say something, but Yun Xiao clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Mmph, mmph..."
Wu Changkong was also a little curious about Tang Wuling's condition.
But he didn't ask.
"Tang Wuling, Gu Yue, both of you performed very well." Wu Changkong first turned to Gu Yue and praised her. "Gu Yue, your control over the elements is far beyond what someone at your level should be capable of. You linked all six elements together seamlessly in battle, and your combat sense was excellent as well. Unfortunately, you ran into a Soul Master like Tang Wuling, who can break a hundred techniques with sheer force. I believe you'll become a powerful Soul Master in the future."
"Thank you..." Gu Yue nodded.
Wu Changkong then looked at Tang Wuling, his admiration plain to see. "Tang Wuling, you're the person who surprised me most. Whether it was your immense strength or your tenacious fighting spirit, you exceeded my expectations. Especially when Gu Yue used that final attack, fusing ice and fire—you didn't give up. You chose to face it head-on, and you even managed to withstand it!"
"Although you won this battle through a bit of a loophole, this is a good beginning for you. I believe you'll grow stronger and stronger in the future!"
Tang Wuling clenched her fist and nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Teacher Wu. I'll work hard."
At some point, Cheng Duoyi had gone over to Gu Yue. He took her hand and slowly led her somewhere out of the way, while she felt strangely nervous.
"Big Sister Yue'er, thank you..."
Gu Yue relaxed when she heard that and asked, "What are you thanking me for?"
Cheng Duoyi said, "Thank you for not going all out. Otherwise, Ling'er would've been badly hurt, and her confidence would've taken a hit. That might have caused problems for her."
The weariness and nervousness Gu Yue had felt vanished completely. "We're not enemies. Besides, she's your Ling'er. If I really hurt her badly, you might stop paying attention to me, and then I'd be the one losing out. I'm not stupid."
Her violet eyes stayed fixed on Cheng Duoyi. She could tell that he treated her differently from the way he treated Tang Wuling.
"Xiao Yi, does she know you're doing this?" Gu Yue asked.
Cheng Duoyi said, "I'm doing this simply because she deserves it. Ling'er's too soft-hearted and lacks confidence. She's always relying on me, and that isn't good for her. Though I like it, I also hate it. After all, if she has no sense of self, then if something happens to me in the future, she'll definitely follow me."
"What nonsense are you talking about? Do you think I'd want to go on living if something happened to you?" Tears welled in Gu Yue's eyes. "You... Is something wrong with your body again? I'll find a way to cure you!"
"The problem isn't serious for now." Cheng Duoyi wiped away her tears. "In that case, Big Sister Yue'er, you'll have to protect both of us."
"Honestly, you've got some nerve." Gu Yue curled her lip. "After all that, it turns out you just wanted to freeload off my abilities. I'm not going to protect a love rival..."
"What did you say?"
"Ah... Nothing..."
Wu Changkong finished talking to Tang Wuling and turned to face the other students.
The smile on his face vanished instantly, and he returned to his usual icy expression.
"Today's combat test is over." Wu Changkong's voice was cold. "To be honest, this is the worst class I've ever taught. Apart from Gu Yue, Tang Wuling, Xie Xie, and Yun Xiao, the rest of you were utterly pathetic!"
"You don't even know the most basic combat techniques, and your use of Soul Power is a complete mess. Your combat sense is abysmal. You were pushing and shoving each other around like children playing house. At this rate, if you don't change, you might not even graduate from Eastsea Academy!"
All the students lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
They knew their performance today had been terrible.
Tang Wuling saw Cheng Duoyi standing with Gu Yue. She didn't feel the inferiority she usually did. Instead, she walked right over to Cheng Duoyi and greeted them openly.
"Yi'er, Big Sister Yue'er."
Cheng Duoyi held Gu Yue's hand and nodded. Gu Yue smiled. "Keep it up from now on. I'll let you share the responsibility of protecting Xiao Yi."
"Thank you, Big Sister Yue'er! I won't let Yi'er get hurt!" Tang Wuling said solemnly.
"All right, there's no need to be so tense." Cheng Duoyi patted Tang Wuling on the shoulder. "As long as you're by my side, nothing can happen to me."
"Mm-hmm." Tang Wuling nodded repeatedly.
At the same time, Wu Changkong looked at the students. Seeing that no one objected, he continued, "I know many of you think a Soul Master only needs a high level of Soul Power. But let me tell you, you're completely wrong! Physical fitness is the foundation for any Soul Master! Without a strong body, even the highest Soul Power can't be put to proper use. Tang Wuling is the perfect example!"
"Starting tomorrow, you'll have physical training in the morning and theory classes and combat training in the afternoon. The physical training will be extremely intense. If you can't take it, you can apply to transfer classes now. I won't stop you."
"All right, dismissed!"
"Gu Yue, Tang Wuling, Xie Xie, and Yun Xiao, the four of you, come to my office."
With that, Wu Changkong turned and left.
However, Gu Yue, Tang Wuling, Xie Xie, and Yun Xiao all stayed where they were, instead turning as one to look at Cheng Duoyi, who stood to the side.
Their expressions clearly asked, Brother Cheng, should we go?
Wu Changkong had walked a few steps when he realized no one was following him. He turned around in confusion.
When he saw all four looking at Cheng Duoyi and waiting for him to speak, his brow immediately furrowed and his face darkened.
"What are you looking at? I told you to come with me!" Wu Changkong's voice carried a trace of anger.
He hadn't expected his words as their homeroom teacher to carry less weight than those of a student.
Seeing this, Cheng Duoyi quickly said, "Teacher Wu, I'll come with you, too. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Then he looked at Gu Yue and the others and smiled. "Come on. Hurry up and follow Teacher Wu."
"Okay, Brother Cheng," the four replied in unison.
Tang Wuling naturally walked to Cheng Duoyi's right and took his hand, forming a pincer with Gu Yue on his left.
With the two of them holding his hands, one on each side, Cheng Duoyi wore a helpless smile.
Xie Xie and Yun Xiao followed behind them with their heads lowered, not daring to say a word.
Wu Changkong watched the scene, his face a mass of black lines.
He finally understood. Cheng Duoyi was the real leader of Grade 1 Class 5.
His authority was even greater than that of the homeroom teacher!
Leng Xue'er stood to the side, watching the backs of Cheng Duoyi and the others with a gentle smile.
The group soon arrived at the teachers' office.
Wu Changkong sat behind his desk and looked at the five standing before him. In a solemn voice, he said, "I called you here to tell you something important."
"In three months, the academy will hold the Class Promotion Tournament."
"The Class Promotion Tournament?" Tang Wuling asked in confusion. "Teacher Wu, what is that?"
Xie Xie and Yun Xiao were just as puzzled.
"The Class Promotion Tournament, simply put, is a competition between the six classes in the Intermediate Division, from first year to sixth year," Wu Changkong explained. "There are currently five classes in the first year, from Grade 1 Class 1 to Grade 1 Class 5. The weaker classes challenge the stronger ones."
Cheng Duoyi nodded as he listened. "Teacher Wu, so Grade 1 Class 5 is the weakest class, and we're the first to issue a challenge?"
Wu Changkong nodded. "That's right. In three months, our Class Five will challenge Class Four. The winner will advance to Class Four, while the loser will take the challenger's class. Ultimately, the winner will become Grade 1 Class 1."
"Becoming Grade 1 Class 1 means getting the best teachers and educational resources. You'll also be able to challenge the second year."
"What? First-years challenge second-years?" Xie Xie exclaimed in surprise.
Wu Changkong nodded. "That's right. If the first-years defeat the second-years, there'll be some good rewards. They'll also be able to challenge the third-years, and so on, until the higher-year students win."
"So, your task is to claim the Grade 1 Class 1 spot in this Class Promotion Tournament."
"That'll be easy," Xie Xie said, nodding unconcernedly. "With someone as strong as Tang Wuling, we'll have no problem with her at the front. Gu Yue can provide ranged attacks, I can act as the assassin, and with Brother Cheng giving orders... The five of us, including Yun Xiao, can sweep through everyone without a problem."
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