Both Sides Clash, Both Are Injured

"Are you still reading? If not, how about we head to the school training grounds and spar using our spirit skills?"

After discussing what they would be doing next with Xiao Wu, Yu Yan smiled and invited her to a match.

Before he had spirit skills, Xiao Wu had always bullied him with the combat technique she had mastered, the Soft Technique.

Now that he had spirit skills, his secondary goal was to "get revenge" on Xiao Wu, while his main goal was to become proficient with his spirit skills through battle.

"Sure. This is the perfect chance to let me see how strong you are after gaining a spirit skill, and to let you know which of us is stronger."

Upon hearing Yu Yan's challenge, Xiao Wu immediately agreed. She quickly returned her book to the shelf and headed toward the school training room with Yu Yan.

After reserving a relatively private sparring room, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu summoned their respective Martial Souls and assumed fighting stances.

"Just so you know, I won't hold back."

After stretching her waist and fully preparing for battle, Xiao Wu gave Yu Yan a reminder, then placed her Soul Ring around herself and activated her First Spirit Skill.

"First Spirit Skill, Full Amplification."

The instant her words fell, Xiao Wu turned into an afterimage and charged at Yu Yan with extreme speed.

"First Ice Fish Skill, Frost Scale Armor."

Knowing where his advantage lay, Yu Yan circulated his cold energy and condensed Frost Scale Armor over the surface of his body, responding to all changes by remaining still.

Xiao Wu's speed had increased greatly, far faster than before she had obtained her Soul Ring. By rough estimate, it had doubled.

Correspondingly, Yu Yan's vision had improved as well. He could clearly see Xiao Wu's path of movement, see her leap high into the air and fly in from the side with a kick.

When Xiao Wu said she would not hold back, she truly had no intention of doing so. Right from the start, she intended to use the Soft Technique on Yu Yan under the effects of Full Amplification.

Having observed Xiao Wu's movements, Yu Yan had already thought of a response. He increased his Soul Power output, pushed Frost Scale Armor to its limit, and turned sideways as he threw a punch at Xiao Wu.

Streams of cold energy spread from the Frost Scale Armor, making the approaching Xiao Wu feel a chilling cold. The cold energy did not stop her advance, however, and before Yu Yan's punch could hit her, she swept a kick against the Frost Scale Armor.

That kick shattered a small portion of the Ice Armor, but it failed to harm Yu Yan beneath the Frost Scale Armor.

At the same time, the sturdy armor caused Xiao Wu, who had successfully struck her target, to feel a trace of pain.

It really is hard. I need to find a way to break through this layer of Ice Armor, or I won't be able to hurt Yu Yan at all.

After landing, Xiao Wu rolled backward two or three times in succession, pulling away and standing at a distance to observe the layer of Ice Armor covering Yu Yan's body.

The fully armored Frost Scale Armor has indeed strengthened my defense, but it has also restricted my movements. I'm not as agile as before. I'll need more training in this area later.

During that brief bout of actual combat, Yu Yan discovered Frost Scale Armor's weakness.

The yellow Soul Ring flashed, and the small portion of Ice Armor shattered by Xiao Wu's kick recovered once more.

After several more probing exchanges, Xiao Wu launched several attacks at what she considered weak points, but none had much effect.

Left with no choice, Xiao Wu stood at a distance and considered how she could deal with Frost Scale Armor and injure Yu Yan hiding behind the Ice Armor.

When Yu Yan saw that Xiao Wu had no intention of attacking, an offensive idea came to him, and he took the initiative to charge toward her.

Seeing Yu Yan rush over, Xiao Wu, who had also come up with an idea, flashed aside to evade his attack and prepared to lock his head between her legs and give him a solid flipping throw.

The instant he rushed past Xiao Wu, Yu Yan swiftly canceled Frost Scale Armor, turned around, and summoned the Fire Fish to possess his body. A hundred-year Soul Ring circled his left hand as he activated the Fire Fish Skill, Scorching Breath.

The continuous blasts of fiery breath forced Xiao Wu to flip backward repeatedly to evade the high-temperature flames.

The streams of fire that failed to hit Xiao Wu landed on the training room floor, leaving behind streaks of scorched black marks.

While maintaining his suppressive Scorching Breath assault, Yu Yan closed in on Xiao Wu, intending to catch her off guard with an Ice Fish Skill.

Seeing Yu Yan charge toward her, Xiao Wu advanced instead of retreating. She nimbly dodged Scorching Breath, prepared to gamble for victory.

When only a few steps separated them.

Frost Scale Armor appeared only around his arm. At such close range, Yu Yan threw a punch at Xiao Wu.

Knowing she could not dodge in time, Xiao Wu simply chose not to dodge.

She took Yu Yan's punch head-on and, at the same time, wrapped both arms around his arm.

Damn it, Xiao Wu found the best moment to use the Soft Technique.

Realizing something was wrong, Yu Yan hurriedly activated Frost Scale Armor for defense. He knew all too well how terrifying the Soft Technique was.

Using Yu Yan's arm as a point of leverage, Xiao Wu turned sideways and nimbly moved to his side, then flipped upward and locked her legs around Yu Yan's upper body.

After completing all the preparatory movements, Xiao Wu exerted strength through her waist and successfully slammed Yu Yan heavily into the ground.

The Frost Scale Armor struck the floor and produced a tremendous crash.

"I'm done, I'm done. Yu Yan, your Frost Scale Armor is way too hard, and that punch you threw just now hurt so much."

After throwing Yu Yan down, Xiao Wu lay on the ground as well, rubbing her injured arm.

Having forcibly taken a punch reinforced by Frost Scale Armor, it was impossible for her to be completely unhurt. There was an obvious bruise on her arm.

"I haven't even complained about the pain yet. That throw of yours was seriously solid."

Hearing that Xiao Wu did not intend to continue fighting, Yu Yan dismissed Frost Scale Armor and lightly patted his chest to catch his breath.

After resting on the training room floor for a while, the two of them went to the teacher in charge of the training room to seek treatment.

The teacher who managed the student training rooms at Balak Junior Soul Master Academy was a one-ring healing-type Soul Master named Fang Chunlan. Her Martial Soul was an Herb, and it could effectively treat injuries.

After learning that this teacher's Martial Soul could heal wounds, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu's daily sparring became much fiercer.

Whenever they were injured, the two would come to this teacher for treatment. Over time, they gradually became familiar with her.

"You two, can't you be a little more careful?"

Looking at Yu Yan and Xiao Wu standing before her with injuries more serious than ever before, Fang Chunlan summoned her Martial Soul and released a spirit skill to treat them.

Green points of light enveloped their bodies, and Yu Yan and Xiao Wu's injuries rapidly recovered.

Feeling the miraculous healing effects of this Herb Martial Soul, Yu Yan could not help but grow curious about the Nine-Heart Begonia, the number one healing Martial Soul of Douluo Continent. He wanted to see its terrifying healing ability with his own eyes.

More than ten minutes later, the treatment was over. Feeling full of vitality and unable to sense even the slightest injury, Yu Yan immediately promised that he would definitely be more careful next time.

"We'll be more careful next time. We definitely will."

"Right, right, Teacher Fang. We'll definitely be more careful next time."

Xiao Wu made the same promise. "Next time for sure" was merely an excuse, not a guarantee. That was something Xiao Wu had learned from Yu Yan.