Battle

Bang—

Zhou Changxi staggered backward several steps, finally unable to steady himself as he landed on the ground on his backside.

Tang Wulin merely swayed his upper body slightly. The difference between them was obvious.

How could this be? Zhou Changxi looked utterly bewildered. If he had been caught off guard that day, what about today? He had clearly released his Martial Soul and even used his Spirit Skill, Strength Boost, yet Tang Wulin's strength had crushed him completely. The overwhelming force left him with no choice but to fall.

"Stop!" Wu Zhangkong barked coldly, pointing at Zhou Changxi. "You, eliminated."

When a strength-type Spirit Master lost to an opponent in strength, there was no need to continue.

"Why didn't you use your Martial Soul?" Wu Zhangkong asked Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin replied, "He said he wanted to compete with me in strength."

Wu Zhangkong's gaze turned icy. "If he told you to eat shit, would you eat it? Treat every battle as if you were on a battlefield. Defeating your opponent is your only goal. Even a lion fighting a rabbit must go all out. You cannot give your opponent even the slightest opportunity. You advance. Wait for the next match."

The loser was eliminated, while the winner got scolded. The students' mental pressure immediately grew even heavier.

"Next match."

"Xie Xie versus Wu Zhangkong."

"What?" Xie Xie cried out in alarm, turning to look at the cold, proud male god.

Wu Zhangkong swept him a cold glance. "There are currently twenty-one people in the class. One person is extra. Since your cultivation is the highest, it would be unfair to the others."

Xie Xie stared at him dumbfoundedly. "Teacher Wu, you're not joking, are you? You're the teacher! And isn't there Xu Mengqing? His Soul Power Level isn't bad either! Why isn't it him?"

Xu Mengqing stared at Xie Xie in disbelief.

Damn it, you sold me out just like that?

Weren't we chatting happily this morning?

Xie Xie! You bastard!!

Wu Zhangkong replied coldly, "Do you think he's stronger than you?"

"Uh... this..." Xie Xie was immediately speechless.

As he spoke, Wu Zhangkong had already strolled to the center of the field. He patted his waist with his right hand and directly untied his belt.

"Tea... cher... Wu... what are you doing?" Xie Xie warily backed up two steps, his buttocks clenching tight. But he quickly realized that Wu Zhangkong's trousers fit very well; even with the belt undone, there was no sign of them falling.

Only then did he let out a slight sigh of relief.

Wu Zhangkong flicked his wrist, pulling the belt taut and straight. He said calmly, "I won't release my Martial Soul. You only need to take one sword strike from me."

Xie Xie nodded and walked into the field as well, stopping opposite Wu Zhangkong.

After Wu Zhangkong called out "Begin," he stepped forward with his left foot, and the belt-sword in his hand was already stabbing toward Xie Xie.

Damn it, Teacher Wu, you have no martial virtue!

Xie Xie's practical combat experience could be said to be among the richest in the class. His Martial Soul was released instantly, and his body flashed backward like lightning.

What a joke. Did not releasing his Martial Soul mean he was no longer powerful? With Soul Power supporting it, a belt was no different from a sharp sword.

This was a six-ringed Soul Emperor!

Run first and talk later.

Xie Xie had great confidence in his speed. As he retreated, the Light Dragon Dagger guarded his front.

However, a scene that horrified him unfolded. He was retreating at high speed, yet Wu Zhangkong's belt-sword remained directly before him. It looked like nothing more than an ordinary straight thrust, but no matter what he tried, he could not evade it.

Smack!

"Ow!"

Just before it struck Xie Xie, the belt softened again and whipped across his shoulder, sending him flying sideways. He rolled twice across the ground before scrambling up, clutching his shoulder and baring his teeth in pain.

Even more terrifyingly, sweat instantly broke out across Xie Xie's forehead. In the instant before Wu Zhangkong struck him, he had even felt as though his life was about to end. That powerful pressure had left him mentally wound tight, and once he relaxed after being sent flying, he ended up like this.

Just how strong was Teacher Wu?

"Next match." Wu Zhangkong flicked his wrist, and the belt wrapped around his waist again before he walked to the side.

Since Xie Xie had received special treatment, Xu Mengqing took his original place.

Thus, the next match was Xu Mengqing against Yun Xiao.

Yun Xiao pulled a long face and said to Xu Mengqing, "Go easy on me! I'm an auxiliary-type Spirit Master. I can't take much of a beating."

After learning of Tang Wulin's Great Strength, Yun Xiao no longer dared underestimate Xu Mengqing. After all, he had seen what happened to someone who underestimated a Blue Silver Grass Spirit Master last night.

Xie Xie: ...

Xu Mengqing nodded without saying much else.

"Begin!"

At Wu Zhangkong's command, Xu Mengqing stepped forward steadily. Soul Power surged around him, and the white Spirit Ring beneath his feet lit up at once without the slightest hesitation.

He activated the Spirit Skill Blue Silver Diamond Transformation. The Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul within him erupted completely, and countless dark golden blades of Blue Silver Grass spread out from around his body, their leaves gleaming with metallic luster. In an instant, a dark golden spear woven from Blue Silver Grass appeared in Xu Mengqing's hand. Then, with a push from his right foot, he shot straight at Yun Xiao like a cannonball.

But at that moment, a strange scene occurred. White light flashed around Yun Xiao, and most of the students only felt their vision blur before Xu Mengqing's sure-hit thrust landed in empty air.

Tang Wulin had been watching the match intently. He noticed that just as Xu Mengqing's Blue Silver Long Spear neared Yun Xiao, the disk in Yun Xiao's hand lit up. Their positions instantly switched, naturally causing Xu Mengqing's attack to miss.

Was it a Spirit Skill similar to Mysterious Underworld Displacement from Douluo Dalu II? Interesting.

Although Xu Mengqing's strike had missed, he did not panic in the slightest. After sparring with Zhou Lie many times, he had long developed a calm mindset in battle.

At the instant his position switched with Yun Xiao's, he forcefully twisted his wrist. The dark golden Blue Silver Long Spear in his hand instantly broke apart, transforming into countless tough metallic Blue Silver Grass strands that spread rapidly across the ground like an airtight net, sweeping toward Yun Xiao, who had just completed the switch and had yet to regain his footing.

Empowered by Blue Silver Diamond Transformation, the Blue Silver Grass was hard as iron, its surface glinting with cold metallic light. It moved as fast as lightning, giving Yun Xiao no chance to catch his breath.

Yun Xiao's expression changed dramatically. His Space Displacement Spirit Skill had a lengthy cooldown, and he could not use it again anytime soon. Facing the metallic Blue Silver Grass rushing at him, he could only hurriedly activate the Space Disk in his hand, trying to gather Soul Power for defense. But he was an auxiliary-type Spirit Master to begin with, and his defenses were weak. Caught off guard, he could not even circulate his Soul Power fast enough.

In the blink of an eye, metallic Blue Silver Grass coiled around his ankles and wrists, firmly imprisoning him in place. Its strength left him completely unable to break free, and the light from the disk in his hand dimmed as well. He could not even fully deploy his defense.

Xu Mengqing lightly stepped forward. With a thought, the Blue Silver Grass scattered around the area gathered once more, reforming into the dark golden Blue Silver Long Spear. Its tip steadily rested against Yun Xiao's throat, his movements clean and decisive without the slightest excess.

The entire field fell silent for a moment before soft discussions erupted. Everyone looked at the composed Xu Mengqing in the arena, their eyes filled with shock.

No one had expected seemingly ordinary Blue Silver Grass to display such formidable combat power in his hands, completely suppressing an auxiliary-type Spirit Master.

"Stop!"

Wu Zhangkong's voice rang out at just the right moment. A trace of barely perceptible approval appeared in his eyes as he looked at Xu Mengqing with increasing recognition.

"Very good idea."

Xu Mengqing slowly withdrew his Soul Power. The metallic Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Yun Xiao instantly receded, turning back into ordinary Blue Silver Grass before dispersing into the air. He also withdrew the Blue Silver Diamond Transformation Spirit Skill, and the Soul Power around him returned to calm.

Yun Xiao let out a breath, rubbing his tightly bound wrists. With a bitter expression, he clasped his hands toward Xu Mengqing, utterly convinced of his defeat.

He had thought he could use Space Displacement to hold out for a while, but he had not expected his opponent to react so quickly and link his moves together without a single flaw. He had not even had room to resist.

"Xu Mengqing, advance." Wu Zhangkong spoke in a deep voice, then turned to Yun Xiao. His tone remained stern, though it carried more guidance now. "Your space-switching Spirit Skill has obvious advantages, and you seized the opportunity well. But its weakness is equally obvious. If you cannot use it continuously, you should prepare a backup plan in advance. Relying blindly on a single Spirit Skill will only lead you into a dead end in actual combat."

"Yes, Teacher Wu. I'll remember that." Yun Xiao lowered his head and obediently accepted the lesson before quickly walking off the arena.