Everyone said that Beast Martial Souls were stronger than Tool Martial Souls in the early stages, but looking at the staff over two meters long in front of him, Jiang Jiu suddenly wanted to get himself a four-meter spear someday.
A longer weapon had the reach advantage. Fighting an armed opponent barehanded was just too much of a disadvantage.
"Why is it a little girl? I'll go easy on you."
Though he said that, Liu Long stepped forward as he spoke, bringing the long staff in his hands straight down toward Jiang Jiu's head.
Jiang Jiu wasn't distracted by his words. He focused intently on Liu Long's every move.
For some reason, Liu Long's movements seemed a little slow to him.
It wasn't his imagination. He easily dodged Liu Long's downward strike by leaning aside, and even had enough energy left to use his arm to strike the staff's shaft from the side at a subtle angle.
Both Liu Long's hand movements and the point where his staff landed felt distinctly crude.
"Maybe I overestimated them a little." Xiao Wu scratched her head.
She'd been much faster when she'd ambushed Jiang Jiu.
During lessons, even when she gradually increased her speed, Jiang Jiu's eyesight had always kept up. His main weakness was that his body couldn't follow.
Once he trained his coordination between body and mind, he could move as he wished. Combined with his flexibility, he'd be able to pull off all kinds of unbelievable dodges.
"So he's an agility type?"
Liu Long tightened his grip on the staff, looking annoyed.
Among Xiao Chenyu's group, he ranked third in strength. Second was Ling Feng, who was the fastest.
The person he hated sparring with most was that guy.
They were both Soul Power Rank 9, but there was a reason one ranked second and the other third.
More than anyone, Liu Long liked dueling Wang Sheng.
Who didn't like spinning a top? Especially when Wang Sheng never dodged his staff strikes and could take a beating.
In this situation, all he could do was bring the staff down faster, then add a sweeping strike. He also had a little trick up his sleeve.
"Whoosh—"
The staff swept past just above Jiang Jiu's nose, carrying a swift gust of wind.
Liu Long had deliberately aimed the sweep low, but Jiang Jiu calmly bent backward and dodged it all the same.
If he hadn't wanted to keep testing his whole-body coordination, Jiang Jiu could've lifted a leg to catch up with the staff as its momentum ran out, hooked it with a sweeping kick, then used it as a pivot to spin sideways into a flip.
But there really was no need. He could just take his time and play around.
Besides, Liu Long's weapon was a Martial Soul, after all. Jiang Jiu had to stay steady and couldn't treat it like an ordinary weapon.
"You're just going to dodge? What kind of duel is that?" Liu Long resorted to taunting him, his face flushing red.
When Ling Feng had beaten him with speed, he'd accepted it.
But this guy in front of him seemed to be deliberately messing with him. Every time, he dodged in a way that made it seem like the staff had only just missed—just a little more and it would've hit, but somehow it never did.
That felt even worse than being completely outclassed.
"Your staff work stinks," Jiang Jiu shot back.
When trading insults, all you had to do was stay on the attack.
And what Jiang Jiu said was true.
What kind of good staff work could you learn from going at it with Wang Sheng every day?
Wang Sheng was a living target, the kind who just took hits head-on.
Strike, strike, strike. What a masterful technique.
It was a classic case of having plenty of power but too few variations.
Liu Long's expression darkened further. He stopped talking and continued swinging the staff with all his might, as if he'd gone berserk.
In the crowd watching from either side, Wang Sheng looked embarrassed.
Wasn't a fight supposed to go like this: you punched me, I blocked it, then I struck back and you blocked me?
Even though Tang San had beaten him before, and he'd then watched Xiao Wu throw Tang San, his ingrained beliefs weren't about to change.
In his mind, he'd lost to Tang San solely because his Soul Power was lower.
If they both became Soul Masters, then Wang Sheng could beat Tang San senseless.
But now, watching Liu Long—who used to keep him pinned down—get toyed with, swinging his staff more and more slowly until he was about to run out of strength, he began to question his whole life.
After all, Jiang Jiu was only Soul Power Rank 8 and hadn't even used his full strength.
At some point, another person had joined the work-study students. It was Tang San, back from Soul Hunting.
Watching what was happening, Tang San couldn't help murmuring to himself, Has he improved this much?
He'd seen Jiang Jiu's performance on the day he enrolled with his own eyes.
"Xiao Jiu, have you had enough fun yet?" Xiao Wu felt that continuing wouldn't do much to help him gain experience.
"Don't get ahead of yourself!" Liu Long, his face red with frustration, brought his staff crashing down in another strike aimed straight at his head.
It was so slow even Wang Sheng could've caught it with ease.
But Jiang Jiu still leaned aside to dodge, looking relaxed and carefree.
The staff slammed into the ground. Liu Long's strength gave out all at once, and he completely lost his temper.
"Why didn't you catch it?!"
According to his plan, as soon as Jiang Jiu grabbed the staff, he could use his Martial Soul's special ability to make the part of the staff in Jiang Jiu's hand disappear. Then, while Jiang Jiu was momentarily stunned, he could launch a surprise flurry of attacks.
An agility-type Soul Master like Jiang Jiu wouldn't be able to withstand many of his strikes.
He'd won against Ling Feng with this trick before, and using it against Wang Sheng was even easier.
"Why would I catch it?" Jiang Jiu remained unmoved.
"Damn it!"
Liu Long hurled the staff onto the ground. His staff Martial Soul disappeared, and without another word—or even a glance at Xiao Chenyu—he strode straight out of the woods.
"Hey! Liu Long! Liu Long!" His companions called after him, but Liu Long acted as though he hadn't heard and hurried away.
"Hey, we won this round, right?" Xiao Wu said, raising her chin.
The smile on Xiao Chenyu's face was starting to crack.
So what if he couldn't land a hit? Running off like that was way too disrespectful to Boss Xiao!
"Fine, fine, call it a lucky win. Ling Feng, get up there and finish her off quickly!"
Xiao Chenyu sent out his strongest fighter. Speed against speed—his Ling Feng was the fastest person in Nuoding Academy!
Over with the work-study students,
"Xiao Jiu, should I take over?" Xiao Wu asked.
This time, Wang Sheng didn't say a word.
Against Liu Long, he might've had the slimmest chance. What if he got lucky and won?
But against Ling Feng, he'd just be toyed with.
There was no way he could win.
"I'll keep going. I still want to give it a try." Jiang Jiu shook his head.
It was no wonder people liked boxing and martial arts. There was endless fun in pitting yourself against others.
"Okay, then." Xiao Wu nodded.
She'd figured it out: those older students were generally brimming with confidence, not because they were actually strong, but because everyone around them was pretty weak.
Xiao Wu had worried Jiang Jiu might be at a disadvantage before, but that was because she hadn't gone up against any of the academy's teachers.
When it came to fighting skills, even the academy's Soul Grandmasters would be left far behind by Xiao Wu.
"By the way, why didn't you attack first just now?" Xiao Wu asked, voicing her question.
There were so many openings in Liu Long's defense. Even with the long staff, Xiao Wu figured Xiao Jiu had had several chances to get close.
Once he got in close, they'd be in the domain of Beast Martial Souls, and a Tool Martial Soul wouldn't be able to fight back at all.
"Maybe because I'm always the one getting hit?"
"My bad." Xiao Wu covered her mouth.
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