I'm Taking on Thirty

In the first arena of the Soul Fighting Zone, the atmosphere was already blazing.

The team battles for the fourth-year outer-court assessment were in full swing. Soul Skills clashed in bursts of light, accompanied by a constant roar.

"Three-on-three this round. The winner—Tang Ya's team! They advance to the semifinals!"

The referee's booming voice rang across the arena, and whispers immediately rippled through the stands.

"Her Blue Silver Grass is ridiculously strong. Her control is flawless... and her fourth Soul Ring is a Blue Silver Cage. Could the legend of the Thousand-Hand Asura really be returning?"

"Don't forget her surname is Tang. Could she really be that person's descendant? But wasn't the Tang Sect wiped out long ago...?"

"I heard that, overnight, they were... exterminated..."

The murmurs drifted faintly into Tang Ya's ears. Her expression remained calm, but her gaze grew ever more resolute.

Those words didn't shake her. If anything, they drove her determination to claim the championship even deeper into her heart.

Ever since she successfully absorbed the Soul Ring of a seven-thousand-year-old Earth Cave Spider, Tang Ya's strength had soared. She'd won battle after battle, advancing straight to the assessment semifinals.

But a blazing fire still burned in Tang Ya's eyes. She wanted to keep fighting and claim an even higher place. It was the path she had to take to revive the Tang Sect.

Meanwhile, in the Class Nine classroom, Teacher Mu Jin stood at the lectern with a list of team assignments for the first-year student assessment in her hand.

"Next, I'll form teams using the best combinations I can, based on your teamwork, Martial Soul traits, and Soul Skill combinations."

Her gaze swept over the class as she continued, "First team: Lin Feng, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng. Second team... Everyone, stand up. We're gathering at the Soul Fighting Zone. Today's lesson is a combat simulation."

After she finished speaking, Mu Jin kept Lin Feng, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng behind to give them some instructions.

"Don't worry, Teacher," Ning Tian said confidently. "With Lin Feng, a Soul Ancestor, on our team, the freshman assessment championship is ours for sure."

Mu Jin nodded, but her tone turned more serious. "Remember, even a lion must use all its strength to catch a rabbit. Don't underestimate your opponents during the assessment."

Wu Feng teased from the side, "I also recommend letting Lin Feng fight three-on-one. Ning Tian and I can just sit nearby and snack on melon seeds."

"Three isn't enough. I'm taking on thirty. It's settled."

"Okay, okay. We complimented you, and now you're really getting cocky."

"I agree to Lin Feng's request. I want to see the limits of a Soul Ancestor."

"Thank you for granting my request, Teacher."

The students of New Student Class Nine soon gathered at the Soul Fighting Zone.

The Soul Fighting Zone was Shrek Academy's main venue for practical combat. Whether it was informal sparring or official assessment matches, they were all held here.

The arena was spacious, with spectator seating all around it. Its floor was made of special materials that could withstand the impact of most Soul Skills.

The area below the stands was already crowded. The Class Nine students had gathered in little groups, heatedly discussing tactics. They demonstrated moves, argued back and forth, and filled the air with the tension and unease of an impending battle.

Only the corner where Lin Feng stood felt so relaxed that it seemed out of place.

Just then, the referee looked hesitant as he approached Teacher Mu Jin and said quietly, "Teacher Mu Jin, with so many students from your class participating... even if we hold seven-on-seven matches, I'm afraid we won't have enough time."

Mu Jin smiled, unruffled. "No problem. We'll have only six matches. One will be Lin Feng, Dean Yan's personal disciple, fighting thirty opponents alone. The other five will be regular three-on-three matches. Here's the list."

The referee was clearly taken aback. "How many? One against thirty?"

Hearing Yan Shaozhe's name reminded him of what he knew about Lin Feng, but another concern quickly took its place.

Lin Feng might have a special status and strength far beyond that of his peers, but this seemed far too arrogant.

The referee wasn't familiar with the precise strength of Class Nine, but there were bound to be quite a few Soul Grandmasters among them. Ten Soul Grandmasters attacking one Soul Elder would leave no doubt about the outcome. And with all thirty attacking at once, even a Soul Ancestor from an upper year would probably struggle to get out unscathed.

"Isn't this... a little too risky?" The referee furrowed his brows and lowered his voice. "If anything happens, I won't be able to answer for it."

Mu Jin's expression didn't change, but her voice was steady and firm. "I'll take responsibility. Dean Yan revealed his identity so early precisely to have students his age keep testing and tempering him. Today is where it begins."

The referee fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded. He took the match list and turned toward the announcer's platform.

He cleared his throat, and his voice rang across the arena through an Amplifying Soul Tool:

"Class Nine's matches are arranged as follows: five three-on-three matches, and..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below, which had fallen quiet in an instant. Then he enunciated every word:

"One one-on-thirty match. Lin Feng will face thirty of his classmates alone."

The moment the announcement fell, a brief silence settled over the Soul Fighting Zone.

Then the uproar erupted.

In the Class Nine lineup, several boys who had already advanced to Soul Grandmaster exchanged glances. The corners of their mouths curled into identical, ill-intentioned smiles.

"First match: Lin Feng versus thirty opponents."

The referee raised his right hand, his voice suddenly rising:

"Now—begin!"

At the referee's signal, the ten three-person teams, who had been itching to start, quickly spread into a semicircle, faintly surrounding Lin Feng at the center.

They didn't bother with a coordinated formation. Thirty against one, including twelve Soul Grandmasters—given such an overwhelming numerical advantage, they felt deep down that they didn't need any tactics.

"Hurry up and come at me together." Lin Feng stood in the arena without even taking a proper stance. He casually beckoned them with a finger. "I still need to get to lunch when we're done."

"Lunch?" The burly Soul Grandmaster leading them laughed furiously as Soul Power surged around him. "I'll make sure you can't get back on your feet for three days! Let's see if you're still so cocky then!"

"Enough talk."

"You're asking for it!"

The burly Soul Grandmaster roared. Two Yellow Soul Rings lit up beneath his feet as he charged like a wild bull, his heavy fist slamming toward Lin Feng's face.

But Lin Feng merely shifted to the side, dodging the punch. Then, with his right hand, he threw a seemingly casual punch.

"Thud!"

A dull impact rang out, followed by the teeth-grating grind of bone.

The burly Soul Grandmaster's charging body abruptly froze, then shot backward even faster. He slammed into the protective barrier several meters away and slid limply to the ground, already unconscious.

The arena fell silent. Then disbelieving gasps erupted from the crowd.

"One... one punch?! He didn't even use Soul Power?!"

The referee was stunned, too. He had seen it clearly: Lin Feng hadn't released even a trace of Soul Power. Relying purely on his physical strength, he had knocked a Soul Grandmaster who had activated a Soul Skill out of the fight with a single punch.

"Attack together!"

The three Soul Grandmasters closest to him were both startled and enraged. They exchanged glances and activated their Soul Rings at the same time.

One's arms turned gray and white, like stone. Another extended sharp claws from his fingertips. The third's speed surged as he darted in from the flank.

This time, Lin Feng didn't even bother dodging. He didn't move his feet. He simply threw three quick punches, one after another, left and right.

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

Three dull impacts rang out, almost simultaneously.

The three hit the ground and struggled for a moment, but not one of them could get back up.

There was still no trace of Soul Power, just pure physical strength. He hadn't even used a Soul Skill.

"H-How is this possible?!" The remaining students finally began to panic. Their confidence and sneers had long since been replaced by shock.

"Hurry up. If you keep dawdling, the cafeteria won't have any hot food left."

Lin Feng shook out his wrist and calmly swept his gaze across the remaining twenty-six faces, all filled with fear and disbelief, urging them on.