"Ao Yin?"
"He's just a work-study student who enrolled recently." Disdain was written all over Xiao Chenyu's face.
In his eyes, work-study students came from humble backgrounds, and the bunch from Dorm Seven had little strength to speak of.
No matter how monstrous Ao Yin was, Xiao Chenyu had plenty of underlings. If they took turns tying Ao Yin down and wearing him out, sooner or later they could drag him down!
"So what if I'm a work-study student? I can still beat you flat!"
Ao Yin yanked the Ice-Fire Coiling Dragon Staff from the ground and pointed its tip straight at Xiao Chenyu.
Ao Yin's air of utter disregard instantly enraged Xiao Chenyu. His eyes turned vicious, and he burst out laughing.
"You dare call yourself Notting Academy's number one in front of me? I'd like to see whether this 'number one' can stand against all of us!"
Xiao Chenyu had already made his calculations. He would send his underlings in first to keep Ao Yin occupied and steadily drain his stamina.
Once Ao Yin was exhausted, Xiao Chenyu would make his grand entrance and crush him in one fell swoop without lifting a finger.
But before Xiao Chenyu could taunt him further, Ao Yin turned and swept his gaze over everyone on the training ground. He raised his staff high, then pointed it at Xiao Chenyu and his men with a sharp sweep.
He smiled faintly. "Enough noise! Fighting one-on-one is too dull. All of you, come at me together!"
"What?!"
Xiao Chenyu and his underlings froze, disbelief written across their faces.
Ao Yin had plainly seen through the provocation. Yet instead of avoiding the trap, he had declared that he would face everyone there alone?
"You work-study brat don't know how high the sky is! You're too arrogant!"
"You asked for this!"
A cold smile curled Xiao Chenyu's lips.
Even he would not have dared make such a boast.
Since Ao Yin was asking for death, Xiao Chenyu would seize the chance to teach him a proper lesson.
He clenched his fists as surging Soul Power roiled out of his body.
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance," Ao Yin said coldly.
"You're courting death! Brothers, charge together!"
Xiao Chenyu's fury blazed. As a senior student at Notting Academy, he had been slighted in public by a first-year work-study student. He absolutely could not lose this match!
At Xiao Chenyu's command, more than twenty underlings rushed onto the platform and formed a ring around Ao Yin.
Xiao Chenyu led the charge. "Xiao Chenyu, sixth year at Notting Academy, a level sixteen One-Ring Soul Master. Martial Soul: Gale Demon Wolf!"
"Martial Soul Possession!"
The next instant, the phantom of a ferocious black Gale Demon Wolf appeared behind him, and a yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring slowly rose from beneath his feet. The wolf howled at the sky, sending its oppressive aura in every direction. With Martial Soul Possession, Xiao Chenyu's combat strength multiplied severalfold!
Below the platform, Wang Sheng's face darkened.
Xiao Chenyu had already reached level sixteen?!
When Xiao Chenyu had faced Tang San before, he had claimed to have only level eleven Soul Power. Clearly, he had deliberately concealed his Soul Power Level.
Yet even now, he had chosen to fight with superior numbers. Could Boss Ao hold out?
Wang Sheng hurriedly turned to Xiao Wu, his heart full of anxiety. "Sister Xiao Wu, what do we do? Ao Yin's in danger. Is it really right for us to just stand here and watch?"
"Relax and watch. Brother Ao Yin is strong. He'll beat every last one of them flat."
Xiao Wu looked completely confident. She could clearly sense that the Soul Power within Ao Yin far surpassed Xiao Chenyu's.
"Brother Ao Yin doesn't need our help to deal with them!"
Xiao Wu reached out and gave Wang Sheng a light pat.
Wang Sheng could only scratch his head and turn his attention back to the platform, though worry still filled his heart.
On the platform, Ao Yin heard Xiao Chenyu announce his identity and cultivation. Following the academy's rules for a match, he spoke calmly.
"Ao Yin, first year at Notting Academy, level twenty Power Attack System Battle Soul Master. Martial Soul: Coiling Dragon Staff!"
Xiao Chenyu exchanged glances with the students around him. Once they were sure they had heard correctly, they burst out laughing.
"Level twenty?"
"Do freshmen these days boast without even preparing a draft?"
None of them believed from the bottom of their hearts that a freshman could possess a terrifying level twenty Soul Power.
Ao Yin ignored their doubts and took a steady stance. Under everyone's gaze, he summoned his Martial Soul, and a Soul Ring slowly appeared.
Hum! Hum!
A pale white Soul Ring circled beneath his feet.
A pale white Soul Ring less than ten years old?
Wang Sheng, Xiao Wu, Xiao Chenyu and his group, and the students from Dorm Seven who had come to cheer Ao Yin on all stood rooted to the spot.
The sight was utterly incongruous.
It was even harder to understand than a freshman possessing level twenty Soul Power. How could such a formidable tool Martial Soul have a First Soul Ring of such poor quality?
A pale white Soul Ring? Forget ten years—it might not even be a year old!
A First Soul Ring with such a low age might as well not exist. It could hardly provide any boost in combat strength!
While everyone was still reeling, a second Soul Ring slowly rose beneath Ao Yin's feet. Bright yellow light filled their eyes!
"A... a Hundred-Year Soul Ring!"
"His Soul Power really has reached level twenty!"
"What kind of monster is this freshman?!"
Hisses of indrawn breath rose one after another.
Ao Yin spoke coldly. "Stop looking so shocked. Even with a pale white Soul Ring, I can still crush every last one of you!"
The others did not know the truth, but Ao Yin knew it perfectly well.
His First Soul Ring only looked young. It was actually a full five hundred years old; its color had simply remained in its initial state!
"Brat, don't get too arrogant! Today I'll show you the true strength of Notting Academy's boss!"
"First Soul Skill: Wolf Claw Rend!"
With a furious roar, Xiao Chenyu charged at Ao Yin.
Facing Xiao Chenyu's soaring aura after Martial Soul Possession, Ao Yin did not even stir the Soul Power within him. He held the Coiling Dragon Staff in one hand and pointed it forward casually, paying his opponent no mind at all.
"You think you can stand against me with nothing but your body, without using Soul Power? You're taking us far too lightly!"
Ao Yin glanced at the yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring beneath Xiao Chenyu's feet and gave his staff a light swing.
"Sorry. I'm just... taking you lightly!"
Boom!
The staff came crashing down, its thunderous impact echoing across the training ground.
Xiao Chenyu's body plunged downward. The phantom of his wolf Martial Soul shattered instantly, and the stone slabs beneath him collapsed under the immense force. His legs buckled, and he slammed onto one knee on the platform.
"Get down!"
[Power of a Thousand Jun!]
Bang!
In an instant, Xiao Chenyu spat blood as the staff struck him hard, driving his entire body into the platform.
The underlings who had been rushing in together froze halfway there.
Their Boss Xiao had been grievously wounded by a freshman in a single move?
Before anyone could recover, Ao Yin slowly turned. His gaze settled on the underlings, and he raised the Coiling Dragon Staff again.
"Not one of you is getting away!"
A chill crawled over their scalps.
"With so little ability, you dare call yourself the boss of Notting Academy?"
"Open your eyes and take a good look at what kind of First Soul Skill befits Notting Academy's number one!" A faint smile lifted Ao Yin's lips.
"That blow just now wasn't even a Soul Skill?"
"Stay back!"
The underlings panicked, and thoughts of fleeing took hold.
A normal strike had been enough to grievously wound Xiao Chenyu. If Ao Yin used a Soul Skill, they had no hope of withstanding it!
"Trying to run? It won't be that easy!"
"First Soul Skill: Red Tide!"
"All of you... kneel!"
Rumble!!!
Before you continue