Wu Zhangkong's brow furrowed. After teaching them for a while, he knew full well that these two weren't the type to surrender without a fight.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have risked getting beaten up by the senior students.
"What's going on with you two? If you can't give me a reasonable explanation, you'll be running twenty extra laps today." Wu Zhangkong's voice was icy.
Xie Xie spread his hands and said helplessly,
"I can't help it. I can't feel even the slightest hostility toward little brother Qian Jue. And I feel like the moment I do, my Martial Soul gets heavily suppressed."
Tang Wulin nodded too. "Same here. It's even worse for me than it is for Xie Xie..."
When Wu Zhangkong told him to fight Qian Jue, the moment Tang Wulin thought of Qian Jue as an enemy, his knees suddenly went weak. The boundless strength in his body seemed to vanish all at once.
It was as though his body instinctively rejected the idea of becoming Qian Jue's enemy.
After hearing their explanation, Wu Zhangkong fell into thought.
He knew that Martial Souls could counter one another, and that higher-ranked beings could suppress lower-ranked ones.
But he had never seen anyone like Qian Jue, who could absolutely suppress Soul Masters with dragon-type Martial Souls.
The only person capable of that was probably the legendary Light and Dark Douluo, Long Yeyue.
That old woman might have had a fiery temper, been quick to anger, and had a peculiar disposition, but her strength was universally acknowledged.
Before Sky-Prop Douluo rose to prominence, she had been Shrek Academy's stabilizing pillar.
Wu Zhangkong couldn't help wondering: could even the Radiant Sacred Dragon and Dark Sacred Dragon, two true-dragon-level Martial Souls, make Xie Xie and Tang Wulin completely incapable of feeling hostility toward Qian Jue through their Martial Souls alone, without relying on a cultivation advantage?
"In that case, the admission requirements have changed."
Wu Zhangkong stepped back several paces. The air grew a little colder, and a frost-covered sword appeared silently in his hand.
"I won't use Battle Armor. I'll only use the cultivation of a Soul Ancestor. If you can make me take one step back, you pass."
Xie Xie's face fell, as if he'd just bitten into a bitter melon.
Teacher Wu was being way too mean. A Soul Emperor bullying a bunch of Soul Masters and Great Soul Masters— even without Battle Armor and with his Soul Power suppressed, he was still a stat monster to them.
Tang Wulin was just as glum.
You really are the worst.
Since when had Teacher Wu gotten so mean? Wasn't this just a blatant attempt to stop little brother Qian Jue from joining their class?
Tang Wulin even had a thought: if Qian Jue went to another class, he would transfer too.
Gu Yue, however, was quite pleased.
Heehee. When they fought, she absolutely had to hold back as much as possible.
After they lost, she could comfort Xiao Qian, then switch to another class or even another academy. She'd be able to avoid the Golden Dragon King and have Xiao Qian all to herself.
"Good. It's a deal."
Qian Jue turned around and smiled faintly, his gaze clear as a lake.
"My main Martial Soul is support-type. I'll be counting on the three of you to give it your all. Please."
His breezy words landed in the three of their ears like a heavy hammer to the heart.
"Damn it! So what if he's a Soul Emperor? My daggers aren't dull!" Xie Xie pulled out the Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger, ready to fight.
Tang Wulin clenched his fists. Golden flames were reflected in his eyes, and his expression was both solemn and resolute.
Even Gu Yue, who'd been planning to slack off, was now fired up for battle.
This was his darling's request! She had to take it seriously!
Seeing the three of them suddenly rouse themselves, Wu Zhangkong couldn't help feeling a trace of wariness.
Soon, they took their positions.
Xie Xie and Tang Wulin stood at the front, while Gu Yue remained by Qian Jue's side.
The three surrounded Qian Jue at the center like stars around the moon. Their battle intent... no, Wu Zhangkong felt that the look in their eyes was almost murderous.
"Go!"
Qian Jue shouted. A Dragon Rising Pillar shot up from beneath his feet, and two black Soul Rings revolved around his body.
Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, Spirit Sea Realm spiritual power!
Without the slightest hesitation, he knew the gap in their cultivation was plain to see. They could only make up for it by going all out.
Innate Domain: Ten Thousand Dragons.
Activate!
"First Soul Skill, Indomitable Overlord!"
"Second Soul Skill, Sin of Wrath!"
Two Soul Rings lit up at once, granting the three of them a boost.
"Heart Separation Control?" Wu Zhangkong exclaimed, his expression one of surprise.
Though he'd been down and out for a long time, he hadn't forgotten what he'd learned. At a glance, he could tell that Qian Jue's technique bore a striking resemblance to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Heart Separation Control.
With the boosts, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin both flew into a rage and gained the effect of Dragon Blood Boiling.
But thanks to the first Soul Skill, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie still retained their senses.
All attributes increased by twenty percent, strength increased by forty-five percent, Soul Skill power increased by an additional thirty percent, and spiritual power increased by forty percent.
After that quick string of buffs, their auras had already broken past the second ring and were closing in on the peak of the Soul Elder level.
"Ah, does this power really belong to me?"
Xie Xie swung the Light Dragon Dagger through the air twice, his face full of disbelief. Was this really him?
Tang Wulin felt it even more intensely than Xie Xie. When Qian Jue's Soul Power flowed into him, every pore in his body seemed to cheer.
It was completely different from the feeling he'd had when he thought of becoming Qian Jue's enemy. Right now, Tang Wulin felt better than he ever had before.
Power surged endlessly from within him.
As expected, he couldn't lose Qian Jue, just as a person couldn't live without good food.
"Xie Xie, circle around to the side and wait for my signal. Tang Wulin, attack from the front!"
Qian Jue stood atop the Dragon Rising Pillar, like a king issuing commands to his subjects.
"Wind: Swift!"
Gu Yue flicked her delicate hand. The wind element blessed Tang Wulin and Xie Xie as they charged ahead, making their bodies lighter.
Holding both daggers, Xie Xie rushed at Wu Zhangkong at an incredible speed.
His attacks came as densely as raindrops. Wu Zhangkong had no choice but to use a Soul Skill, sweeping out wave after wave of frost sword energy to deflect them one by one.
"For Qian Jue!"
Tang Wulin practically roared the words. He drove his legs into the ground, and the concrete beneath his feet cracked.
Wu Zhangkong saw Tang Wulin charge over with bloodshot eyes and huffing like a bull, his fist raised as he flew toward him like a cannonball. He couldn't help but stare.
What happened to his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul?
Tang Wulin closed in quickly and threw a punch straight at Wu Zhangkong's face.
The female students and teachers watching all gasped.
"Oh my god, is the icy male god about to get punched in the face?"
"These students are so mean."
But when they saw Qian Jue standing atop the Dragon Rising Pillar, his adorable, cherubic face made them quickly change their tune.
"Wow, whose kid is that? He's so cute!"
"Support the beautiful little brother and take down the evil icy man!"
Hmph. Women.
Golden light surged across Tang Wulin's right arm, and the faint sound of a dragon's roar could be heard.
Facing the powerful punch, Wu Zhangkong thrust out over a hundred Frost Marks in an instant. They formed a sword cocoon that tightly encased him.
In the distance, Gu Yue unleashed her strongest attack too: Elemental Tide, the fusion of four elements!
The Golden Dragon Claw and Elemental Dragon struck the sword cocoon at once. With a crisp sound, it collapsed in an instant.
"Now!"
Qian Jue called out softly. Xie Xie, who had just been forced back, emerged from the shadows.
Take this—Light and Dark Thousand Years Kill!
Xie Xie crouched behind Wu Zhangkong. This was the moment he'd been waiting for.
Now, he was at the peak of the Soul Elder level.
The Light and Dark Twin Dragon Daggers aimed for a place too shameful to name. His angle was tricky, and his speed so fast it made people's jaws drop.
It was such a vicious move, yet at that moment, it worked remarkably well.
Come on, Teacher Wu. The moment of truth has arrived!
Would he dodge and admit defeat, or take this Thousand Years Kill?
Xie Xie laughed maniacally. The old him would never have had the courage or strength to pull off something like this.
As expected, Lord Xiao Qian really was his lucky star.
He absolutely had to stay in the same class as him and seal their childhood-friend pact.
Gu Yue knitted her brows. For some reason, her dislike of Xie Xie had grown even stronger.
But for now, taking down Wu Zhangkong was the priority.
She unleashed another Four-Element Control, fusing ice, fire, wind, and earth. A dancing blue fireball shot toward Wu Zhangkong like a streak of light.
Tang Wulin had no intention of dodging either. Like a human-shaped Tyrannosaurus, he kept attacking without pause.
Feeling the chill rapidly closing in on his crotch, Wu Zhangkong's face turned ashen.
Damn brats. They really were fighting for their lives.
"You pass!"
Wu Zhangkong gritted his teeth and roared. Then he erupted with the cultivation of a Soul Emperor, blasting Xie Xie—and his weapon—away just as the daggers were about to plunge in.