A rare trace of complexity flickered through Wu Zhangkong's usually unruffled eyes, and the twitch at the corner of his mouth became even more obvious.
The trainees who were running were especially dumbfounded. One after another, they panted heavily and slowed their steps by half a beat, all curious to see how Wu Zhangkong would react.
Only Xiling dared to act like this in front of Wu Zhangkong. If it were them, they would not dare even if they had a hundred times the courage.
But in the next moment, Wu Zhangkong's actions made their jaws drop.
The scolding they had imagined never came. He merely walked over and silently sat down in the rocking chair Xiling had prepared for him.
The rocking chair swayed gently. Wu Zhangkong leaned against its back and sat quietly to one side, radiating an aura that kept people at a thousand miles' distance.
Wu Zhangkong and Xiling, who was leisurely eating fruit with a smile on his face, formed a strange yet harmonious scene.
Was this really the Wu Zhangkong they knew? The sight filled them with envy. Was this the treatment only geniuses could enjoy?
Xiling paid no attention to the envious gazes falling on him. Turning to look at Wu Zhangkong beside him, he smiled and picked up a piece of fruit, offering it to him.
"Teacher Wu, want some? This fruit tastes pretty good."
Wu Zhangkong lowered his eyes for a glance. Without refusing, he reached out and accepted it.
The next second, his gaze shifted to the trainees still standing dumbfounded on the field. A chill suddenly gathered around him as he said coldly,
"What are you standing around for? If you have Xiling's strength, you can come over too. If not, then get running!"
Just then, a girl slowly approached from the direction of the school gate.
She looked around nine years old. She was not particularly beautiful, only fairly delicate in appearance.
She had long black hair and black eyes. Her figure was above average among children her age, yet she possessed an unusual temperament.
Xiling and Wu Zhangkong naturally noticed her. The latter rose to his feet, walked over, and asked, "Which class are you from?"
Yet the girl's attention was drawn elsewhere. She looked straight past Wu Zhangkong, her gaze landing openly on Xiling behind him.
Their eyes met. Xiling's clear azure eyes carried an emotion even she could not see through, making her feel as though everything about her had been seen through.
"I'm here to enroll, but they said the registration period has already ended." She hurriedly withdrew her gaze, raised her head, and looked at Wu Zhangkong.
"You aren't a student of Eastsea Academy?" Wu Zhangkong frowned.
"Not yet, but I hope I can study here. Is that possible, teacher?"
"This is a Soul Master Academy. You can't simply come here because you want to. Everything depends on ability." Wu Zhangkong's tone did not soften in the slightest.
"I can take the test." The girl smiled.
Wu Zhangkong gave her a calm once-over and asked in a low voice, "What is your name?"
"My name is Gu Yue."
Wu Zhangkong nodded. "Fine, I'll give you this chance. Do you see the person behind me?"
"Fight him. Use all your strength and prove that you have what it takes to stay."
"Alright." Gu Yue agreed without hesitation.
"Then what about my opinion, Teacher Wu? I haven't agreed yet." Xiling's unhurried voice sounded from behind them, carrying a hint of teasing.
Wu Zhangkong merely looked back indifferently, his ice-blue eyes sweeping over Xiling's face with its amused smile. "You may reserve your opinion, but you must fight her, unless you don't want your future classes to be this leisurely."
Xiling blinked. "Teacher Wu, you've really got me there."
Under the shade of the tree, he helplessly put away the rocking chair. Seriously, he had fought more battles in the past two days than he had before combined.
"Thirty meters apart. Prepare." As soon as Wu Zhangkong spoke, both sides took their positions thirty meters apart.
Looking at Gu Yue before him, Xiling sighed inwardly and put away his casual expression. Since they were going to fight, he had to show some proper seriousness.
"Begin!" At Wu Zhangkong's command, a yellow Soul Ring bloomed beneath Gu Yue's feet, while Xiling made no move at all.
Gu Yue's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. Xiling's clear blue eyes seemed capable of seeing through every secret in her heart, making her feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
The next second, she lightly raised her wrist. A slender wind blade condensed out of thin air and shot straight toward Xiling at astonishing speed.
She controlled its force perfectly, displaying her strength while still holding back. Clearly, she did not want to hurt Xiling.
The Class Five trainees running laps all unconsciously slowed down, watching the two fight in the center of the field.
This girl was fighting Brother Ling? Seriously? Wouldn't she end up crying after Brother Ling beat her up? This was the thought they all shared.
Faced with the attack, Xiling did not dodge. The void behind him suddenly twisted, and a Subspace Spear emerged, floating in the air. Its shaft was long and diamond-shaped, its black and white halves sharply divided, with a golden crystal embedded in the bulging center.
Merely floating there, it radiated an aura that made people's hearts tremble.
The strange spear that had appeared out of nowhere made Wu Zhangkong's eyes narrow as he watched the battle. "Is this his Martial Soul? It doesn't seem like it."
It was no wonder Wu Zhangkong thought so. Since enrolling, Xiling had never displayed his Martial Soul. All Wu Zhangkong knew was its name and abilities.
Gu Yue's heart tightened as she looked at the strange spear floating behind Xiling.
Before she could react, the Subspace Spear trembled slightly and shot directly toward the wind blade. There was no explosion as she had imagined.
The instant the wind blade touched the spatial ripples surrounding the Subspace Spear, it was torn apart and dispersed, turning into specks of starlight that returned to heaven and earth.
Xiling casually waved a hand. The Subspace Spear circled around him once before returning to float behind his back. He remained where he was. "Don't hold back. Just give it your all, otherwise you won't be able to pass the test."
Hearing this, Gu Yue's delicate features immediately grew more solemn.
She could clearly sense the aura Xiling was giving off. It actually caused the space elements flowing within her body to stir restlessly, even producing an instinctive urge to submit.
But how was that possible? She was the Silver Dragon King! What level of spatial attribute could make her feel suppressed?
Even the aura he unconsciously emitted was already like this. If he used his full strength, wouldn't she be unable to use space elements at all?
Gu Yue did not dare think further. Her intention to deliberately hold back vanished in an instant.
"Since that's the case, then I'll give it my all."
Gu Yue spoke softly. Her black eyes suddenly became profound, and the yellow hundred-year Soul Ring beneath her feet lit up. Her first soul skill, Elemental Tide, activated.
Her first soul skill enhanced her control over elements and allowed her Soul Power to last longer.
Gu Yue clenched her right hand in the air. The atmosphere before her abruptly became scorching hot as fire elements grew active in the air. At the same time, three whirlwinds rose from nothingness, spiraling upward with flames wrapped around them.
The instant the two forces met, they exploded violently, forming a flaming fire tornado that roared toward Xiling.
Xiling's eyes narrowed slightly, and ripples like water spread through the space before him.
When the fire tornado reached him, it seemed to crash into an invisible vortex. The flames were twisted and distorted by spatial force, while the sound of wind gradually faded away.
But just then, Gu Yue hooked a finger. Several earthen walls suddenly rose from the ground, sealing off Xiling's retreat like a cage.
"Quick reaction." Xiling chuckled. His figure rapidly faded, and in the next instant, he had appeared beyond the earthen walls.
The moment he appeared, dozens of ice cones shot toward him from diagonally behind, as fast as lightning.
The Subspace Spear swept sideways, shattering the ice cones on impact. Yet before the broken ice chips could hit the ground, a sudden gust swept them into icy mist, mixing with dust raised by earth elements and instantly obscuring Xiling's vision.
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