With Tang Wulin cosplaying as Xiao Yan and pulling off his perfectly timed entrance, the number of participants in the fourth match of the Class Promotion Tournament was finally set.
Grade 1 Class 1 was represented by Lan Kai, who led Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi against Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue from Grade One Class Five.
"Lan Kai, your teacher is counting on you. Give them a good thrashing!" Ye Yingluo, the homeroom teacher of Grade 1 Class 1, instructed him emphatically.
Lan Kai merely nodded without saying much.
He had no desire to get involved in the teachers' love-hate entanglements or their history. If Wu Zhangkong hadn't been showing off so outrageously during the Class Promotion Tournament—so much so that even Fujimiya Hiroya could barely stand to watch—Lan Kai probably would have told Ye Yingluo to go take a hike when she made her request.
So this was their tragic love story and all the history behind it, huh? Get lost.
After briefly introducing themselves, the two teams retreated to the edges of the area marked off by the academy, putting quite some distance between them.
"You two only need to deal with Xie Xie. Leave Tang Wulin and Gu Yue to me.
"Trust me, for the sake of your physical safety, all you need to do is take care of Xie Xie, then stand by and watch."
As they retreated, Lan Kai spoke in a low voice.
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi didn't understand why, but they remembered how, in their previous sparring matches, they hadn't even managed to force Lan Kai to reveal his Martial Soul before he'd beaten them into rolling all over the ground. Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill had also melted away like ice in a blazing fire when faced with Lan Kai's Self-Created Soul Skill. So they obediently nodded without arguing.
On the other side, Gu Yue spoke up first:
"I'll handle Lan Kai."
Tang Wulin and Xie Xie didn't answer either, but nodded in agreement.
As Long Hengxu, the dean of studies and referee, announced the start of the match, the climactic battle of the first-year Class Promotion Tournament officially began.
On the Grade One Class Five side, Xie Xie deliberately slowed down, charging out alongside Tang Wulin, just as Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi did for Grade 1 Class 1.
Gu Yue also released her single Yellow Soul Ring, then raised both hands. Between them, a ring of light formed from the power of light was beginning to take shape.
"That's..." Wei Xiaofeng, watching from the sidelines with Grade 1 Class 1, suddenly felt his legs go weak.
Its shape was quite different, and its sharp aura was far weaker, but Wei Xiaofeng could still tell that Gu Yue's move bore some resemblance to the Ultra Slash Lan Kai had once used to take him out in a single blow.
It was a good thing he was stuck watching from the sidelines because his Soul Spirit hadn't recovered. Otherwise, if he'd been trembling in the arena—or even wet himself—it would have been truly humiliating.
And that was the source of Gu Yue's confidence: she believed she had replicated Lan Kai's Ultra Slash.
But in the next instant, Tang Wulin was forced back to Gu Yue's side, nearly crashing into her.
Just moments before, Lan Kai had suddenly overtaken him and rushed in front of Tang Wulin. He raised a hand and punched straight toward Tang Wulin's chest.
Tang Wulin hurriedly raised both arms to block, but the tremendous force of Lan Kai's fist sent him staggering backward several steps, until he was right in front of Gu Yue.
Even though a crackling series of sounds had just come from his body, and he had briefly unleashed a terrifying aura that affected both Xie Xie, who was trying to escape the Darkness Veil, and Wang Jinxi, who was ready to kick him while he was down, it hadn't changed the fact that a single punch had sent him flying backward.
Tang Wulin's eyes widened on the spot, his face full of disbelief.
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
After absorbing the power of the Golden Dragon King's first seal, his already formidable strength had risen to a whole new level. So why had Lan Kai suppressed him without even releasing his Martial Soul?
Gu Yue wore the same expression as Tang Wulin, but she had even more reasons to be shocked.
She'd known Lan Kai's light-based skills were extremely powerful, but she hadn't known his physical body was so terrifyingly strong, too.
And Tang Wulin's aura had also shocked her deeply.
Meanwhile, Xie Xie was surrounded by Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi. He had also fallen into Zhang Yangzi's first Soul Skill, Darkness Veil, and his fate was temporarily unclear.
"Your opponents are me."
Lan Kai calmly looked at Tang Wulin and Gu Yue. He raised his right hand and beckoned to them with his fingers.
"Don't underestimate me!" Tang Wulin roared and charged straight at Lan Kai. A layer of earthen-yellow light enveloped him from behind, making his entire body seem heavier, though it slowed him down somewhat.
At the same time, a ball of red light shot out from above his shoulder. It was a fireball.
"You're not using your Simulation light wheel? That makes sense. Judging by how you were at the start, you need a little time to prepare it, right? Probably about as long as it takes me to pose when I use Speperion Ray?"
Lan Kai maintained his seemingly wide-open stance without putting up any defense. He didn't even reveal his Martial Soul.
The fireball struck Lan Kai first, then Tang Wulin's body collided with him.
But with a muffled thud, Lan Kai remained utterly unmoved, while Tang Wulin stumbled backward three or four steps and nearly fell onto the ground.
Gu Yue and Tang Wulin couldn't help widening their eyes. Lan Kai had blocked their combined attack using nothing but his protective Soul Power and physical strength. How was that possible?
Before they could be any more surprised, Lan Kai had already raised his right hand. Two purple Soul Rings appeared behind him, and then a white Ultra Slash appeared in his right hand.
Lan Kai swung his right hand repeatedly, hurling one Ultra Slash after another at Gu Yue. Under the control of his mental power—or rather, his Ultra Psychokinesis—the blades attacked her from several different angles.
Meanwhile, Tang Wulin took out two Thousand Refinement Deep Silver Hammers and tried to use Blue Silver Bind on Lan Kai. Lan Kai kicked the Blue Silver Grass away, and a Light Spirit-Refined Deep Silver Hammer appeared in his hand.
Tang Wulin issued an invitation to swing big hammers!
Lan Kai accepted!
The two forging hammers collided in an instant, ringing out with an even sharper clang.
In the next moment, the forging hammer in Tang Wulin's right hand flew backward. Wu Zhangkong intercepted it midair with his Soul Power, while Tang Wulin grimaced in pain. He was forced to release the hammer in his left hand as well, and clutched his right arm with his left hand as he staggered backward several steps.
There was now a trace of fear in Tang Wulin's gaze as he looked at Lan Kai. He'd realized Lan Kai's forging hammer was Spirit Refined, and even heavier than his Thousand Refinement Deep Silver Hammers!
That was why Tang Wulin had been at a disadvantage when their hammers collided, and why the forging hammer had flown out of his hand.
But something deep in his DNA stirred.
"I haven't lost yet!"
Tang Wulin roared, a dazzling golden light surging from his right arm.
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