Beating Xu Sanshi

On the arena, Xu Sanshi slammed into the protective soul guidance barrier at the edge, emitting a dull, thunderous boom.

His hand gripping the Mystic Turtle Shell Shield trembled slightly; a gash had split open at the web between his thumb and forefinger, and blood dripped onto the floor along the edge of the shield.

His chest felt as though his blood were churning, the lingering force of that last strike still rampaging through his body, making even the act of breathing a struggle.

In contrast, Mu Chen stood opposite him, holding the Trident with its tip slanted toward the ground. Four soul rings rotated slowly beneath his feet, the black ten-thousand-year soul ring appearing exceptionally blinding under the arena lights.

He hadn't even lost his breath, watching Xu Sanshi with such calm that it seemed as if he were waiting for him to stand up on his own.

"Do you want to continue?"

Mu Chen's voice was not loud, but in the quiet arena, every word reached everyone's ears with perfect clarity.

In the stands, the students who had originally come to watch the spectacle were all left dumbfounded.

"My god, a first-year freshman, level forty-three? And he has a ten-thousand-year soul ring?"

"Xu Sanshi is the strongest defensive Soul Elder in the outer courtyard, and he couldn't even take a single blow?"

"What kind of monster is this kid..."

Tang Ya gripped the railing of the stands with both hands, her eyes glowing with excitement: "Bei Bei, look, look! Mu Chen is just too amazing! He sent that annoying guy Xu Sanshi flying with one strike!"

Bei Bei crossed his arms over his chest, a meaningful smile hanging on the corners of his mouth.

He had long anticipated this result, but seeing Xu Sanshi sent flying with a single blow in person still made him feel a surge of satisfaction.

This guy usually relied on his strong defense to provoke him, but today, he had finally kicked an iron plate.

"Three Mysterious Water Pills..." Bei Bei whispered, the smile on his face deepening, "Xu Sanshi is really going to bleed heavily this time."

Huo Yuhao stood beside Bei Bei, his eyes filled with shock.

He clenched his fists tightly, watching the blue figure on the arena, a surge of indescribable emotion rising in his heart.

They were both freshmen, both human, yet the gap was so vast. Mu Chen's strength made him feel a deep sense of powerlessness, but at the same time, it ignited a strong sense of unwillingness and longing.

Jiang Nannan stood quietly on the other side of the stands, her long golden hair fluttering gently in the wind.

Her gaze fell upon Mu Chen, and those eyes, which usually carried a faint melancholy, now held a hint of curiosity.

Although Xu Sanshi was annoying, his strength was the real deal.

Among the fifth-year students in the outer courtyard, almost no one could surpass him in defense.

Yet this freshman named Mu Chen had broken his defense with just one strike.

On the arena, Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth and climbed up from the ground. His chest heaved violently, his breathing as heavy as a wounded beast.

His gaze remained locked on Mu Chen, his eyes flashing with shock, anger, and a trace of fear he was unwilling to admit even to himself.

The force of that previous strike was simply not something a level forty-three Soul Ancestor should be capable of producing.

His Mystic Turtle Shell Shield was considered an absolute defense among his peers; even Bei Bei's Blue Lightning Overlord Dragon martial soul would suffer if it took a direct hit.

Yet when Mu Chen's trident pierced forward, he felt as if he had been struck by a mountain; the soul power defense on the shield's surface was shattered instantly, and his entire body was sent flying uncontrollably.

"I don't believe it!"

Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth, pouring his soul power frantically into the shield in his hand. The patterns on the surface of the Mystic Turtle Shell Shield lit up with an ink-green glow, and a layer of fine turtle-shell textures emerged—a sign that he was pushing his defense to the limit.

The purple thousand-year soul ring lit up, and an ink-green light barrier condensed around Xu Sanshi, enveloping him completely. At the same time, his second soul ring flared to life.

"Second soul skill, Mystic Shield Formation!"

This was Xu Sanshi's signature move; after his third soul ring lit up, his bloodline power even showed signs of being fully stimulated.

"Kid, come on!" Xu Sanshi roared, his feet planted firmly on the arena as he assumed a defensive stance.

Mu Chen watched Xu Sanshi, who was waiting in full readiness, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

The defense was indeed good, but it was only "good."

He moved.

Without any flashy maneuvers, he simply took a single step forward.

A wave of air exploded from the arena floor beneath his feet, and he lunged toward Xu Sanshi like an arrow released from a bow.

The Trident flipped half a turn in his hand, the tip dragging behind him and carving a blinding trail of sparks across the arena floor.

"First soul skill, Ocean's Fury."

A blue light lit up on Mu Chen's body, and a hint of blood-red flickered in his deep blue eyes.

A violent aura erupted from within him, and he seemed to transform into an enraged deep-sea beast.

The effect of increasing all attributes by fifty percent took effect instantly; his speed, strength, and soul power intensity soared to a terrifying level in that moment.

Xu Sanshi's pupils constricted.

He could feel that Mu Chen's aura had surged by nearly half in this instant.

"How is this possible?"

Before the words could fade, the Trident had arrived.

Mu Chen didn't use any superfluous techniques; it was the most basic, most unadorned direct thrust.

The three prongs of the Trident rapidly enlarged in the eyes of Xu Sanshi, carrying the briny scent of the ocean and a suffocating sense of oppression.

The moment the prongs made contact with the light barrier of the Mystic Turtle Shell Shield, a harsh, piercing sound rang out.

Xu Sanshi's eyes widened.

He clearly saw a tiny crack appear on the absolute defense he took such pride in. Immediately after, the crack spread like a spiderweb, covering the entire light barrier.

"Crack."

The light barrier shattered.

Mu Chen did not even frown; the momentum of the Trident remained undiminished as it continued to thrust toward Xu Sanshi.

Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth and raised his shield to take the blow head-on.

"BOOM!"

A collision sound, even more violent than the first, erupted.

Xu Sanshi felt as if he had been rammed head-on by a ten-thousand-year soul beast; his feet plowed two deep furrows into the ground, and his entire body was sent flying once again.

This time, he flew directly past the edge of the arena and slammed heavily onto the ground outside.

The Mystic Turtle Shell Shield flew from his grasp, bounced twice on the ground, and landed with a clang beside him.

The entire arena fell into dead silence.

If the first time he was sent flying could be attributed to carelessness, this time was a complete and utter crushing defeat.

Xu Sanshi had unleashed his strongest defensive measure, yet he was still sent flying by a single strike.

Mu Chen retracted the Trident, walked to the edge of the arena, and looked down at Xu Sanshi lying on the ground.

"Still want to fight?"

Xu Sanshi lay on the ground, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for air.

His arms were completely numb, and he lacked even the strength to lift them. The wounds at the web of his thumbs had torn open further, and fresh blood stained his entire palm.

He looked up at Mu Chen standing at the edge of the arena, whose azure eyes appeared exceptionally bright in the shadows.