Tang San had sparred with Xiao Wu before, so he knew her Soft Skill well.
Even he had once lost to her after a moment's carelessness.
Now that Xiao Wu had absorbed her First Soul Ring and possessed such terrifying explosive power, her Soft Skill would be even more formidable.
If Qi Dao took one of Xiao Wu's blows head-on, he would suffer for it, even at a higher level.
Tang San watched more closely.
Xiao Wu lunged again, leaping high and sweeping out a kick in midair.
Qi Dao did not so much as blink. With a backhand swing, he struck her Achilles tendon precisely with his sword. Her whole body went numb, and her momentum collapsed.
Qi Dao seized the opening and swung.
The scabbard slammed into Xiao Wu's chest, and a surging force burst from it.
Xiao Wu was a Beast Martial Soul Soul Master, but Qi Dao's body had been tempered by years of training and strengthened with Whale Rubber. He was stronger than she was.
What was more, Qi Dao was a full seven levels above her.
How could she withstand that blow?
The instant it landed, Xiao Wu's petite body flew five or six meters away.
"Xiao Wu!"
Tang San's expression changed, and he ran out from the crowd.
"Cough, cough!"
Xiao Wu coughed twice and climbed to her feet, covered in dust. Pain showed on her small face.
But when she saw Tang San approaching, surprise flashed across her face.
"Huh, Xiao San, you're back!"
Concern filled Tang San's eyes. "Xiao Wu, are you all right?"
Xiao Wu rubbed the spot Qi Dao had struck, grimacing as she sucked in a sharp breath.
"How could I be all right? It hurts like crazy."
"I didn't expect that arrogant jerk to have some real skill. No wonder everyone else at the academy calls him boss!"
Meanwhile, when Qi Dao saw Tang San step forward, he had no intention of staying. He hung his sword back at his waist.
He swept his gaze around the crowd. "All right, seen enough?"
"Then clear out!"
The watching students immediately dispersed.
Qi Dao turned to Xiao Chenyu and the others.
"Let's go too."
"All right!"
But just as they turned around, a calm voice rang out.
"You hurt someone, and you think you can just walk away?"
Qi Dao stopped, his brow furrowing slightly.
Had he triggered Tang San's base code?
Tang San had only known Xiao Wu for a few days. Was he already getting possessive?
He turned around. "Junior, you must be joking."
Wang Sheng stepped forward from the crowd. "Tang San, injuries are unavoidable when Soul Masters spar. Besides, Xiao Wu challenged our boss herself."
"He didn't even draw his sword. He was already holding back."
"Take Xiao Wu to the infirmary. Stop making trouble."
Xiao Wu's cheeks reddened slightly. She tugged at Tang San. "Xiao San, forget it. We'll settle the score another time."
Tang San shook his head.
He and Xiao Wu had become friends after a fight and even slept in the same bed. For someone as traditional as Tang San, that had stirred feelings for her beyond friendship.
That was why he could not help feeling angry when he saw Qi Dao hurt her.
But he did not show it. Instead, he smiled. "I can't stand by and do nothing while someone hurts my friend."
With that, he looked at Qi Dao, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"If Xiao Wu can challenge you, then I can too, right?"
Qi Dao studied Tang San and asked a question of his own.
"You're challenging me over this? Has your brain not finished developing?"
Tang San's expression stiffened, but his instincts from his previous life as an assassin quickly restored his composure.
He said evenly, "You don't dare accept? Or are you afraid?"
Qi Dao shook his head.
Tang San thought he meant to refuse and was about to goad him further, only to see Qi Dao smile as if he had made up his mind.
"Since you've gone this far, what reason do I have to refuse?"
"If you want a fight, I'm ready whenever you are."
"But..."
A flash of snowy light!
Qi Dao flourished Peerless Sword, then brought it down in a casual diagonal sweep.
"From here on, I won't hold back!"
He disliked trouble, but that did not mean he feared it.
Tang San had brought the challenge straight to him. Was Qi Dao supposed to back down?
Nearby, Xiao Chenyu and the others saw Qi Dao's drawn sword, and their pupils tightened.
"Looks like the boss is angry!"
Xiao Chenyu nudged Wang Sheng.
"What kind of bizarre roommate is this?"
Wang Sheng sighed. "His teacher is Grandmaster."
Xiao Chenyu and the others were startled.
"He's that freeloader Grandmaster's disciple?"
"Did he challenge the boss just to cause trouble for him?"
They still remembered what had happened back then.
Yu Xiaogang had wanted to take Qi Dao as a nominal disciple. Qi Dao had not only refused but embarrassed him in public.
Who would have thought that, years later, he would actually find a disciple with Innate Full Soul Power?
Meanwhile, Tang San's pupils tightened.
He drew his sword!
That makes things difficult.
Still...
Tang San took a deep breath.
His teacher had said that in a one-on-one fight, a control-type Soul Master was practically unbeatable as long as the gap in strength was not too great.
Once a control-type Soul Master caught an opponent, escaping was difficult.
Tang San's First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Entanglement, let him make Blue Silver Grass sprout from any direction within fifty meters and bind an enemy in place.
It also inflicted paralysis.
Once he caught an ordinary Soul Master, he could do as he pleased with them.
That was why Tang San had the confidence to challenge Qi Dao.
Did he think I'd provoked him without a plan?
Of course, Tang San's greatest confidence came from the Tang Sect Secret Arts he had inherited from his previous life.
He had killed a four-hundred-year Datura Snake. What was one Qi Dao compared to that?
Tang San believed that if he and Qi Dao fought to the death, Qi Dao would be the one to die.
Qi Dao's expression remained as still as an ancient well. He looked calmly at Tang San.
"Challenger, are you..."
"Ready?"
Tang San understood the rules of a Soul Master duel better than Xiao Wu. He raised a hand.
"Tang San, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass. One-ring tool Soul Master!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a stalk of Blue Silver Grass grew from his palm.
At his feet, a Yellow Soul Ring quietly rose.
Xiao Chenyu and the others were surprised.
"Tang San's First Soul Ring is a Hundred-Year Soul Ring too? Are work-study students all this monstrous now?"
Qi Dao glanced at him. "Qi Dao, Martial Soul: Peerless Sword. One-ring tool Soul Master!"
He had barely finished speaking when Tang San struck.
Facing an opponent as strong as Qi Dao, Tang San had no intention of underestimating him.
His First Soul Ring suddenly lit up.
First Soul Skill: Blue Silver Entanglement!
Purple light flashed in Tang San's eyes as he made Blue Silver Grass sprout beneath Qi Dao's feet.
More than ten strands grew wildly, like vines.
But the instant they broke through the ground, Qi Dao sprang backward. A streak of snowy Sword Light flashed.
Slash, slash, slash!
The Sword Light hacked the Blue Silver Grass vines to pieces.
Before Tang San could react, a figure swept forward like a gale.
Tang San pushed his Purple Demon Eye to its limit and retreated with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track the instant Qi Dao moved.
At the same time, he reached for the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges at his waist.
Using an expert throwing technique, he launched stone after stone stored within it. Before any could strike Qi Dao, the Sword Light shattered them.
Nor could Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track open any distance between them.
His eyes are too sharp!
Alarm spread across Tang San's face.
In the next instant, Qi Dao was before him. He struck twice with his sword.
The two strikes grazed Tang San's wrists, one after the other. Qi Dao then returned the blade to its scabbard.
Qi Dao stopped and gave Tang San a brief glance.
"You lost!"
Tang San looked down in disbelief. Two bloody lines had appeared on his wrists.
Cold sweat broke out across his forehead.
If Qi Dao had used even a little more force, he could have severed both tendons in Tang San's wrists!
I... really lost!
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