Wu Feng turned her head and lowered her voice as she spoke to Ning Tian.
"Be careful. He really is strong."
Ning Tian nodded, her gaze grave as she looked at Gu An across from her.
"Feng, leave it to me. I'll boost you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Ning Tian brought her hands together in front of her, then slowly pulled them apart.
A delicate, exquisite seven-colored pagoda appeared out of thin air between her palms.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda.
The most powerful auxiliary Martial Soul on the continent.
The pagoda had seven tiers, intertwined with seven colors and breathtakingly beautiful.
At the same time, three Soul Rings rose from beneath Ning Tian's feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple.
Two Hundred-Year Soul Rings and one Thousand-Year Soul Ring revolved slowly around her body.
Ning Tian took a deep breath and raised the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda in both hands as she chanted.
"The Seven Treasures turn, revealing their glaze."
"Seven Treasures Have Names, first: Power."
The first tier of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda lit up with a crimson glow. A red beam shot from the pagoda and fell upon Wu Feng.
"Second: Speed."
The second tier lit up orange, and an orange beam followed close behind, merging into Wu Feng's body.
"Third: Soul."
The third tier lit up yellow, and a yellow beam likewise fell upon Wu Feng.
All three boosts were now in place.
Wu Feng clenched and unclenched her fists, feeling power surge through her body.
Her strength, speed, and Soul Power had all increased.
A confident grin slowly spread across her face as she stared straight at Gu An.
"Again."
"This time, you're sure to lose."
As soon as she finished speaking, Wu Feng released her two Soul Skills once more.
The Red Dragon's phantom appeared behind her, more solid and fearsome than before.
Dragon Fire coiled around her fists, its crimson flames blazing fiercely.
The boosting light of Dragon's Fury flowed over her, and her entire presence rose sharply.
She stamped down hard. The Blue Steel Rock floor beneath her foot caved in.
She became a streak of red light and charged straight at Gu An, moving more than twice as fast as before.
Gu An watched Wu Feng, faster and more imposing than before, while his expression remained calm.
"In that case, let me show you my first Soul Skill, too."
He raised the Dragon Phoenix Soul Sound Flute to his lips.
"First Soul Skill, Whispering Melody."
His lips touched the flute, and he played softly.
A soothing flute melody flowed from it, the notes turning into tangible ripples.
They drifted slowly toward Wu Feng, silently enveloping her.
Wu Feng was charging forward when she suddenly felt her body grow heavy.
Her speed dropped sharply.
She stared at Gu An in shock.
"Your first Soul Skill is an auxiliary Soul Skill?"
After her shock came an irrepressible delight.
An auxiliary Soul Skill.
She was a Power Attack System Battle Soul Master.
An instrument Soul Master whose first Soul Skill was actually an auxiliary one.
Isn't this a gift?
I've won.
This one's in the bag.
Below the stage, a smile spread across Ning Tian's face, too.
When she had seen Gu An lift his flute just now, she had tensed, afraid it might be some powerful offensive Soul Skill.
She hadn't expected it to be an auxiliary Soul Skill.
Just when all seemed lost, a way opened up.
This one's a sure win.
Gu An saw the delighted expressions on Wu Feng and Ning Tian's faces, and the corner of his mouth slowly curled up.
He looked at the two of them with a teasing glint in his eyes.
"An auxiliary Soul Skill?"
"Who told you this was an auxiliary Soul Skill?"
Hearing Gu An say this and seeing the teasing expression on his face, Wu Feng and Ning Tian both felt a sudden, ominous foreboding.
The feeling grew stronger.
The next second!
Without any warning!
A sudden pain shot through Wu Feng's back.
"Ah!"
She cried out in pain and stumbled forward.
Immediately afterward, Ning Tian's anxious shout came from behind her.
"Feng, be careful!"
"His music can turn into Wind Blades and attack!"
Ning Tian's voice was full of shock, too. She had seen it clearly.
The musical ripples surrounding Wu Feng had twisted suddenly just a moment ago.
They had become a blue Wind Blade, cutting silently into Wu Feng's back.
There had been no warning, no trajectory. It had simply appeared out of thin air.
What a sinister Soul Skill.
It's impossible to guard against.
Hearing Ning Tian's warning, Gu An spread his hands, his tone casual.
"You're already too late."
He blew into the flute again.
This time, all the musical ripples around Wu Feng trembled at once.
One ring, two rings, three rings.
They all turned into blue Wind Blades.
There were more than a dozen of them, big and small.
The Wind Blades hovered around Wu Feng, enclosing her completely.
The nearest one hung less than an inch from her neck.
Its sharp edge pointed at her skin, radiating a bone-chilling cold.
Wu Feng's body went rigid.
She glanced down at the Wind Blade in front of her neck, then swept her eyes over the others surrounding her.
Their razor-sharp edges made her afraid to move even a muscle.
Her throat bobbed as she struggled to swallow.
Unwilling to admit defeat, she tried to find a flaw in the Wind Blades' formation, to see if she could possibly break through.
But she realized that she was already surrounded on all sides.
Even if she forced her way through the attacks, she would be left gravely injured.
More than a dozen Wind Blades would cut into her at once. Her small frame couldn't withstand that.
A deep gloom spread across Wu Feng's face.
Her shoulders slumped, her lips turned down, and her eyes filled with reluctance.
"I concede."
Her voice came out muffled, plainly full of frustration.
Standing below the stage, Ning Tian let out a long breath of relief.
She had been afraid Feng might lose her head and charge out regardless.
This outcome was for the best.
An overpowered Soul Skill like this really can only come from a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.
A top-tier, twenty-fifth-level Power Attack System Battle Soul Master, boosted threefold by the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda, still couldn't defeat this guy, who had only just obtained his first Soul Ring.
What more is there to say?
We'll just have to join.
Though Ning Tian felt dejected, she was also filled with irrepressible delight.
After all, she and the others would be able to gain Soul Skills this powerful in the future, too.
And there was also the Soul Spirit.
Every Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda Soul Master dreamed of being a Battle Soul Master.
Ning Tian was no exception.
I have to join Spirit Transmission Academy.
"All right, little girl. Remember to honor your promise."
Leng Yaozhu's voice came from the stands.
She lifted a hand and waved it casually.
A gentle healing glow flew from her fingertips and landed on Wu Feng.
The wound on Wu Feng's back healed at a visible rate.
In a few seconds, Wu Feng had returned to peak condition, as if she'd never been injured.
Wu Feng rolled her shoulders. She couldn't feel any pain at all.
She turned to Ning Tian, her face full of confusion.
"Ning Tian, what promise? How come I don't know about it?"
At Wu Feng's question, an awkward expression appeared on Ning Tian's face.
She'd thought she couldn't lose the bet, but somehow she still had.
She'd not only wagered herself—she'd dragged Feng down with her, too.
She felt a little embarrassed to bring it up.
Still, the person across from her was a Titled Douluo. She wouldn't dare go back on her word.
She could only look at Wu Feng and tell her about the bet she'd made with the senior.
"Feng, here's what happened..."
She had thought Wu Feng would be furious once she finished explaining, but the reaction was completely different from what she'd expected.