"Next up, Tang San of Shrek Academy will face Phainon of Amphoreus Academy!"
As soon as the host announced the match,
a wave of discussion swept through the stands.
Many people had never heard of Amphoreus Academy.
In the audience seats, Wang Sheng abruptly shot to his feet.
"Tang San? What's that guy doing here?"
Jiang Zhu looked at him curiously.
"You know him?"
Wang Sheng scratched his head.
"We were classmates in Dorm Seven at Notting Academy. His talent was terrifying. He beat me flat the moment he enrolled."
Jing Ling frowned at that. "Is he strong?"
Wang Sheng nodded. "Very strong. His Martial Soul may be Blue Silver Grass, but he fights completely differently from everyone else. Back then, he was only level ten, and he still pinned me to the ground and beat me."
"The surname Tang..."
Bai Chenxiang mused.
While the others beside him discussed the match, Ye Qiong sat calmly in his seat. He beckoned to Phainon.
"Phainon, come here."
Phainon walked over to him.
Ye Qiong lowered his voice. "Tang San's Martial Soul isn't his only means of attack. He also uses something called Hidden Weapons."
Phainon blinked. "Hidden Weapons?"
Ye Qiong nodded. "They're little mechanisms concealed on his person. They can silently shoot poison needles, darts, and the like. He's also extremely fast and uses some strange footwork. Keep your guard up when you fight him."
Phainon only smiled confidently. "Understood. Thank you for the warning, Headmaster, but I have confidence in my own strength."
Ye Qiong patted him on the shoulder. "That's my boy. Go show them what Amphoreus Academy can do."
Phainon turned and headed for the competitors' entrance.
Watching him go, Wang Sheng called after him.
"Good luck, brother!"
Jiang Zhu and Bai Chenxiang waved to him as well. "We're rooting for you, Xiao Bai!"
Phainon looked back and smiled at them before entering the passage.
Meanwhile, in Shrek Academy's rest area,
Xiao Wu grabbed Tang San by the arm.
"Brother, is that the Amphoreus Academy that stole students from our academy yesterday?"
Tang San glanced at the arena below and smiled faintly.
"Probably. I didn't expect to face them in my very first match."
Ma Hongjun suddenly leaned over. "Amphoreus Academy? What kind of name is that? I've never even heard of it."
Dai Mubai leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
"You forgot? It's that newly opened academy that poached most of our students."
Ma Hongjun slapped his forehead.
"Oh, right. I remember now. The headmaster was complaining to me about them the other night."
Dai Mubai sneered.
"That's not all. They've also left our academy short on funds."
Flender sat in the corner, his face black as coal.
He glared at the entrance opposite the Soul Fighting Arena, his teeth grinding audibly.
"I'd like to see what kind of trash that academy can teach."
Xiao Wu turned to Flender. "Headmaster, I believe Third Brother will definitely win."
Flender shook his head. "He should win. But if he loses..."
He left the rest unsaid, but everyone understood what he meant.
Losing would bring shame to Shrek.
Standing on the Soul Fighting Arena, Tang San took a deep breath and looked toward the competitors' passage across from him.
A white figure emerged from the passage.
Phainon walked at an unhurried pace, a calm smile on his face.
He stopped opposite Tang San, while the referee took his place between them.
"Competitors, get ready."
Tang San sized up Phainon.
He looked about Tang San's age, and his white hair stood out. He seemed cheerful enough, but his eyes held a steady calm.
Tang San spoke first. "I'm Tang San. I look forward to learning from you."
Phainon nodded.
"Likewise."
Once the two were ready, the referee raised his hand and announced:
"Release your Martial Souls!"
Tang San's eyes narrowed.
He immediately summoned his Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass.
Two yellow Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.
A standard Hundred-Year Soul Ring configuration.
Gasps rang out from the stands.
"Blue Silver Grass? People still cultivate Blue Silver Grass these days?"
"Two rings, level twenty-nine, a Soul Grandmaster. Not bad at all."
"He's managed to train that Trash Martial Soul to this level. He's definitely got some skill."
From the Shrek side, Ma Hongjun bellowed, "Go, Third Brother!"
Xiao Wu clasped her hands together. "You have to win, brother."
Wang Sheng sat in the stands, staring at the Soul Fighting Arena without blinking.
"Tang San's gotten a lot stronger since back then."
Jiang Zhu clenched her fists and looked at Ye Qiong. "Teacher, can Xiao Bai win?"
Ye Qiong didn't answer. He only smiled.
On the Soul Fighting Arena, the referee turned to Phainon.
"Please release your Martial Soul."
Phainon slowly raised his right hand.
Two Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.
One yellow, one purple.
The entire venue fell silent at the sight.
The next second, the audience erupted.
"Holy crap! Purple? His second ring is a thousand-year one?"
"That's impossible! Isn't the limit for the second Soul Ring only a little over seven hundred years? How did he do it?"
"Two rings? He's only level thirty? A level-thirty Soul Grandmaster?"
"Twelve years old and level thirty? What kind of joke is this?"
The crowd in the stands went wild.
They had never seen such a configuration in their lives.
The people from Shrek were just as stunned.
Ma Hongjun stared, his mouth gaping wide enough to fit a cow.
"P-purple? A thousand-year second ring?"
Dai Mubai also sprang to his feet, his gaze sharpening.
"That's impossible. Absolutely impossible."
Xiao Wu covered her mouth in shock, while Zhu Zhuqing stared at the Soul Fighting Arena, rare surprise in her eyes.
Flender shot to his feet.
His face went from black to white, then from white to green.
"A thousand-year second ring? What kind of monster is this?"
Just like the audience in the stands, Tang San froze at the sight of Phainon's Soul Ring configuration.
At that moment, Yu Xiaogang's words kept echoing in his mind.
"The limit for the Second Soul Ring is seven hundred and sixty-four years. Beyond that, the body won't be able to withstand it and will explode."
Yet now, right before him, someone had placed a purple Soul Ring in the second slot.
What was this?
Could it be that his teacher had lied to him?
No, his teacher couldn't have lied. The other man must have used some kind of trick.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
His opponent was only level thirty, just one level above him.
With the right tactics, he still had a chance.
With that thought, Tang San's gaze grew firm again.
The referee looked at both sides, stepped off the arena, and blew his whistle.
"Begin!"
The moment the whistle sounded, Tang San moved.
Blue Silver Grass surged from beneath his feet, rapidly spreading across the ground toward Phainon.
First Soul Skill: Bind!
Phainon looked at the Blue Silver Grass surging toward his feet and merely gave a faint smile.