"Little brother, I'm going to make my move. You'd better watch out!"
The protective grand formation around the Skywater Sect trembled faintly, then settled back into its usual shroud of icy mist, as if no Titled Douluo had ever descended upon it.
By now, the platform in the square before the sect was already surrounded by disciples who had rushed over at the news. The crowd roared with excitement, and the atmosphere had reached a fever pitch.
Li Jiuxuan's small figure stood at the center of the platform, his fair skin set off by the ice-blue robes of the Skywater Sect.
Opposite him, Feng Xiaotian stood tall and straight. The aura of a thirty-fourth-level Agility Attack Soul Elder slowly spread from him, displaying the confidence of someone with Innate Full Soul Power.
Shui Bing'er stood at the edge of the platform. There was not a trace of worry in her ice-blue eyes, only boundless affection and trust as she quietly watched the small figure in the ring.
Huo Wu and the students from Godwind Academy and Blazing Fire Academy stood at the front of the crowd, their expressions varied as they waited to see this seemingly uneven match.
"Senior Brother Feng, bring it on."
There wasn't a trace of fear on Li Jiuxuan's childish face. Instead, he flashed a clear, bright smile.
In an instant, his Soul Rings appeared.
Both were yellow!
"He really is a Soul Grandmaster."
Feng Xiaotian raised an eyebrow.
Like the spectators, he found himself feeling a measure of respect for the little boy.
After all, he looked only six or seven, yet had already cultivated to twenty-second-level Soul Power.
Given time to grow, by the time his era arrived, he would at least be the academy's number-one prodigy!
No wonder he dared to challenge someone above his level!
But respect was one thing; Feng Xiaotian still didn't take the match too seriously.
After all, wasn't he a prodigy himself?
With his thirty-fourth-level Soul Power, he had defeated plenty of Four-Ring Soul Ancestors!
"Martial Soul, manifest!"
He lightly stamped his foot, and the Gale Demon Wolf Martial Soul appeared behind him. Pale green wind Soul Power burst forth, while his two yellow and one purple Soul Rings began to pulse in orderly succession beneath his feet.
The full aura of a Soul Elder spread across the platform, drawing cheers from the Godwind Academy and Blazing Fire Academy students below.
"Watch out!"
Feng Xiaotian barked, and his first Soul Skill, Wind Blade Array, roared into action!
His sharp wolf claws swept out with a fierce gust, sending ten crescent-shaped blades of wind slicing through the air straight at Li Jiuxuan!
The skill covered a wide area, making it difficult for a Soul Master to maneuver.
In Feng Xiaotian's eyes, and those of the spectators, the attack was as fast as lightning—too fast to dodge with footwork alone.
But Li Jiuxuan's eyes merely narrowed slightly. He shifted his feet with a light step, his figure drifting like snow in the wind. Though it seemed slow, he evaded every strike coming at him with pinpoint precision!
"Hm?"
A flash of surprise crossed Feng Xiaotian's eyes. He'd actually dodged them?!
Li Jiuxuan was incredibly fast, his footwork unpredictable. He was actually shifting his body forward, straight into the incoming strikes!
"What incredible speed and judgment. Could he be an Agility Attack Soul Master too?"
Feng Xiaotian thought this as he kept up his assault. His first Soul Skill missed, so he darted forward and drove a Soul Power-charged fist at Li Jiuxuan!
Li Jiuxuan remained completely unruffled. He merely leaned to one side, perfectly dodging the forceful punch.
Feng Xiaotian furrowed his brow, then unleashed a rapid flurry of punches!
Against a child, he instinctively held back on using too many Soul Skills!
But something strange soon happened. Under Feng Xiaotian's relentless barrage, Li Jiuxuan nimbly dodged every blow!
He twisted and darted about, each movement perfectly timed. Every gust of wind passed so close that it only brushed the hem of his clothes!
"Wow, he's so fast!"
"Is Li Jiuxuan an Agility Attack Soul Master too?"
Watching Feng Xiaotian's attacks repeatedly miss on the platform, the spectators couldn't help but stare in astonishment.
Feng Xiaotian's speed could be called the finest among the younger generation of the three academies. No one could match him!
This Li Jiuxuan was only at level twenty-two, yet he was facing Feng Xiaotian's flowing, relentless attacks... What was his Martial Soul?
Huo Wu frowned.
What was Feng Xiaotian doing?
He was fighting with the speed he was best at, yet still couldn't quickly take down a level-twenty-two Soul Grandmaster?
Was this really all the number-one prodigy of Godwind Academy could do?
"Whoosh!"
As Feng Xiaotian's final punch came hurtling in, wrapped in Soul Power, Li Jiuxuan leaped up, braced one small hand against the forearm throwing the punch, and flipped over to a spot several meters behind him.
Li Jiuxuan curled his lips into a smile and said, "Senior Brother Feng, just use your full strength. If you keep going easy on me, I won't have any reason to thank you."
He hadn't even manifested his Martial Soul. He had relied only on the speed of his body, bolstered by the natural flow of Soul Power, and had already dodged every one of Feng Xiaotian's attacks.
But that wasn't because Feng Xiaotian was weak. It was because he really had been holding back against a child.
By Li Jiuxuan's calculations, Feng Xiaotian was currently using only half his maximum speed.
"Good, good, good. Little brother, I admit it—I really did underestimate you. You're twelve levels below me, yet as an Agility Attack Soul Master, you've managed to dodge my continuous attacks. You're certainly talented." Feng Xiaotian turned around and couldn't help applauding Li Jiuxuan.
At such a young age, he could already go toe to toe with Feng Xiaotian. His potential was limitless!
Without hesitation, Feng Xiaotian let Soul Power flow through his entire body. His gaze sharpened, and this time he held nothing back in terms of speed. "Be careful now. Fists and feet don't have eyes, and your senior brother doesn't want to hurt you!"
Boom!
He stamped down hard, and several cracks burst across the platform floor. His body shot forward like an arrow loosed from its string, cleaving through the air.
He lunged with a clawing grapple straight at Li Jiuxuan. His speed was so astonishing that the spectators could hardly follow him with their eyes.
That was more like it. This was the real Feng Xiaotian!
The peerless genius who could defeat opponents with speed alone!
"Whoosh!"
In the next instant, Feng Xiaotian's lips curled up. He had reached Li Jiuxuan in the blink of an eye. This blow had landed, without a doubt!
There was no suspense!
But in the next moment, Li Jiuxuan's voice suddenly rang out from behind him!
"Whoa, that was close! Senior Brother Feng really is fast. If I'd been even a tiny bit slower to react, I wouldn't have gotten away!"
Feng Xiaotian's eyes narrowed at once.
What was going on?
Hadn't he caught him?
How had he—
No, that wasn't right!
Feng Xiaotian's pupils contracted in astonishment. He had indeed struck Li Jiuxuan!
Except...
It was only an afterimage!
The little boy had moved so fast that he'd left an image behind where he'd stood!
The instant Feng Xiaotian touched him, his real body had already darted away!
He whipped around and looked toward Li Jiuxuan, who was grinning and waving at him!
"..."
Feng Xiaotian wasn't the only one left speechless with shock.
Every student from Blazing Fire Academy and Godwind Academy below had their eyes wide open.
He was so fast he'd left an afterimage!
He'd dodged Feng Xiaotian's attack in an instant!
One could say Feng Xiaotian had been holding back before, suppressing his physical attributes.
But now, his movements had been as sharp as a sword cutting through a shadow. There was no doubt he'd been completely serious!
And yet, even at his maximum speed, Li Jiuxuan had still dodged with such effortless agility!
He was only level twenty-two, yet his speed could already rival Feng Xiaotian's, who was level thirty-four?!
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