Tianshui, Shenfeng, and Blazing Fire Three Elements Academy (3)

Tianshui, Shenfeng, and Blazing Fire Three Elements Academy (3)

There were countless soul beasts, and bizarre ones were never in short supply.

Enchantresses were a special kind of soul beast that could only be killed through elemental restraint.

They were immune to magic of their corresponding attribute.

Enchantresses over a thousand years old used their spirit core as a foundation to form elemental bodies.

They could gain physical immunity.

But that was only knowledge written in books.

"Believe everything in books, and they might as well not exist..." On a mountain peak sweltering with rolling heatwaves, a girl in a platinum cloak moved with lightning in her eyes and the agility of a dragon. Every time her blood-flame-wreathed fist came down, a burst of air exploded at the point of contact. Though the blast was not large—roughly like the splash of water from a water-filled balloon being punctured—each spreading shockwave made the 4,300-year-old Fire Enchantress, currently in its elemental form, shriek. It was as though bombs had been stuffed into its body. One horrifying fist-shaped hole after another pierced through it; even in elemental form, they could not heal in a short time. The splattered flames landed on the girl's fists, scorching her fair skin black, yet not even that made her flinch.

With one punch, she smashed apart the flaming spear condensed by the Fire Enchantress.

Lowering her body, she crashed into the Fire Enchantress's chest and abdomen.

She spread her stance, like a drawn bow about to snap.

A pale yellow Soul Ring flecked with white rose beneath her feet. The phantom of a roaring flaming rhinoceros flashed behind her and vanished. As her spirit possessed her body, the horn on her forehead involuntarily emerged. The Soul Ring, clearly only just over a hundred years old, flickered slightly, and its Soul Skill—which could increase strength by thirty percent—took effect.

"Baji - Two Forms Apex Heart Elbow!"

The girl's powerful shout overlapped with the shockwave released by her elbow. With a single strike, she forcibly punched through the Fire Enchantress's chest!

She created a patch of vacuum!

The blazing blood flames burned the Fire Enchantress, which could no longer maintain its elemental form, into nothingness. There was no corpse, for the Fire Enchantress had no physical body. A purple Soul Ring rose into the air—proof of its death.

The platinum cloak remained as tough as ever.

Impervious to water and fire, blades and spears.

In stark contrast were the girl's fists.

Charred black, with the scent of cooked flesh wafting from them.

And in stark contrast to the girl herself was the pale yellow Soul Ring that had just risen. In today's Soul Master world, where Soul Ring age was used to judge the quality of Soul Skills, the strength of a Soul Master, and the distance of their future prospects, a level-twenty Quasi Soul Grandmaster whose first ring had barely passed the hundred-year threshold had forcibly killed a 4,300-year-old Fire Enchantress with level-twenty Soul Power. It was no less than taking a hammer to the mainstream beliefs of the Soul Master world—and shattering their fragile worldview while she was at it.

This was the first sight that greeted the Blazing Fire Academy and Shenfeng Academy when they arrived, and it was also the first time all the teachers and students of Tianshui Academy and Shrek Academy witnessed just how formidable a student capable of making Blue Tyrant Academy's Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings truly was!

But if the girl's fierce, explosive fighting style and heaven-defying combat ability had left everyone dumbfounded, her next actions robbed all the unworldly spectators of speech entirely—she took out a fifty-year-old ginseng root from a bracelet-shaped Storage Soul Tool and stuffed it into her mouth whole. After chewing a few times, she swallowed it with a frown. Then, as if rubbing mud off herself, she vigorously scrubbed her horribly mangled hands. Black flakes and curled flesh came off like eraser shavings, revealing perfectly intact hands beneath, smooth and jade-like!

If they had not watched those hands get burned inch by inch while striking the Fire Enchantress, turning into horrific charred flesh, no one would have believed the terrifying regenerative ability the girl had just displayed!

An injury that looked like it would affect her for life.

She ate some ginseng, gave it a rub, and it just came off?

Did she think she was scrubbing grime off herself in the bath?

The teachers and students of Tianshui Academy stood blankly stunned. Those from Blazing Fire Academy and Shenfeng Academy questioned their lives. Shrek Academy's group was busy being shocked. Yet the teachers and students of Blue Tyrant Academy were used to it, turning their attention toward the teachers and students from Blazing Fire Academy and Shenfeng Academy who had entered the scene.

"Stop right there." Ye Qingcang clasped his hands before his chest and pushed them outward. The casual movement felt like an immense mountain bearing down on them, jolting Blazing Fire Academy and Shenfeng Academy out of their existential crisis. "This is Blue Tyrant Academy's soul hunting grounds. The Fire Enchantress living here has already been slain. If you have no urgent business, please make way and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."

"Blue Tyrant Academy?" The two deans of Blazing Fire Academy and Shenfeng Academy—fathers of Huo Wushuang, Huo Wu, and Feng Xiaotian—exchanged a glance upon hearing this.

Blue Tyrant Academy was also part of the Advanced Soul Master Academy circle within the Heaven Dou Empire.

Its backing was suspected to be the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family.

Although the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family already had Thunder Academy as its Advanced Soul Master Academy on the Heaven Dou Empire's side, the family was known for liking to hedge its bets and always backing both sides. Thus, it was not difficult to understand why it would establish another Advanced Soul Master Academy within the Heaven Dou Empire. Therefore, when Blue Tyrant Academy had first been established and they uncovered this connection, they and the deans of the other Advanced Soul Master Academies had not looked further into it, tacitly acknowledging Blue Tyrant Academy's position.

A few years ago, at a palace banquet in the Heaven Dou Empire, they had met Blue Tyrant Academy's dean, Liu Erlong. Blue Tyrant Academy had achieved quite impressive results in the five-year Soul Master Competition, and its students were no weaker than the average team standards of the Four Elements Academy in past competitions. It was a formidable opponent not to be underestimated in this Soul Master Competition.

They had not expected to encounter Blue Tyrant Academy's Soul Hunting Squad here.

And also...

"Tianshui Academy?" Water and fire were incompatible. As Tianshui Academy's sworn rival, Huo Lie, dean of Blazing Fire Academy and father of Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu, quickly spotted the teachers and students of Tianshui Academy gathered with Blue Tyrant Academy. His gaze locked firmly onto Shui Feng. Both were Soul Douluo. He had little contact with Liu Erlong, but ever since his youth, he had consistently lost narrowly to Shui Feng, his old rival, and that had continued to this day. Raising a hand to show that he meant no harm, he called out loudly:

"Are Dean Liu of Blue Tyrant Academy and Dean Shui of Tianshui Academy present?"

"I am Huo Lie, dean of Blazing Fire Academy."

"This is Feng Wuji, dean of Shenfeng Academy."

"My son and daughter both reached level forty several days ago. This Fire Enchantress was the target selected for my daughter. I did not expect us to arrive a step too late. A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."

"It's fine. Little Eagle, leave this to Aunt Shui..." Shui Feng landed behind Ye Qingcang. She was equally speechless at how confidently Liu Erlong trusted her son. Her son stood at the front while his mother hid in the back, leaving a level-forty child to face two Soul Douluo—this was the first time she had ever seen such an unreliable mother. Patting Ye Qingcang's shoulder armor, she kindly stepped in front of him. "Huo Lie, Feng Wuji, if you have nothing else to do, leave quickly. One of our children needs to absorb a Soul Ring..."

There was a piece of common knowledge everyone in the Soul Master world knew: a Soul Ring could only be absorbed by the person who killed the soul beast. Even if you beat a soul beast until it had only one breath left, then someone else came out and killed it to steal the spoils, the resulting Soul Ring could only be absorbed by that person. Even if that person died, the Soul Ring would return to heaven and earth. In any case, it would never be yours to absorb.

Therefore, even though this Fire Enchantress was dead and a purple Soul Ring floated there, Huo Wu, who had arrived a step too late, could not possibly absorb it.

Moreover, Soul Masters needed to focus completely when absorbing Soul Rings. During the previous soul hunt in the Thousand-Year Soul Beast Zone, Blue Tyrant Academy's students had all appeared ordinary. They were not bad, merely average, meeting the standards expected for their age. But now that Blue Tyrant Academy's Three Rankings Students had made their move, the difference was immediately obvious. This genius ranked thirty-seventh on the Human Ranking deserved to have the area cleared for her.

Huo Lie and Feng Wuji understood Shui Feng's concerns as well.

A level-twenty Quasi Soul Grandmaster had killed a Fire Enchantress around 4,300 years old, and had done so while directly enduring its magical and physical immunity. As expected, this girl, who looked only twelve or thirteen, should be Blue Tyrant Academy's team leader for the next Soul Master Competition.

At worst, she would be a core team member.

Five years from now, she would be seventeen or eighteen.

At most, she would not be over twenty.

If such a promising seedling belonged to their academies, they would not allow others to approach or covet her either. Clearing the area was simply standard procedure.

They clasped their hands in farewell, intending to take their leave.

But Huo Wu had a fiery temper!

My fourth Soul Ring was snatched away. Even if you started fighting before I arrived, I cannot blame you. I, the unlucky victim, have not even said anything, yet you spoke first and told us to leave?

Of course she was unhappy!

Especially when the other side had not even offered a polite word!

"No!" Huo Wu, spoiled and headstrong as ever, stamped her foot. She felt she had lost face. If someone drove her away and she said nothing, would she still be herself? She had heard others say that the spirit of youth was the most precious thing, because many things took courage that one no longer possessed after growing up. Her head could be cut off, her blood could flow, but the spirit of youth could not be broken. "I refuse to accept this... But I will not bully you. You just fought the Fire Enchantress and used up a great deal of strength. Do Blue Tyrant Academy and Tianshui Academy have anyone else? Come out and fight this lady. If you win, I will leave immediately without another word. If I win, apologize to us and take back that line: 'If you have nothing else to do, leave quickly.' Whether we have business here or not is not a reason for you to drive us away!"

Shui Feng wore an expression that was difficult to contain.

Holding back her laughter, she reminded her, "Little girl, why don't you ask your father first how many times he and I fought from childhood until now, and what the results were?"

Water restrained fire.

From childhood until now, Huo Lie had never won against Shui Feng even once.

They were both level-forty Quasi Soul Ancestors.

Shui Feng could not imagine how her daughter, Shui Bing'er, could possibly lose.

The student surpassed the master.

Shui Bing'er's spirit was called the Water Condensing Kite, but in truth, it was an Ice Phoenix!

A spirit nobler than her mother's!

A top-tier Beast Spirit no less powerful than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!

Tell me, how could she lose?

However...

"Blue Tyrant Academy's trouble should be handled by Blue Tyrant Academy itself!" Ye Qingcang's figure flickered. Before Shui Feng could react, he was standing in front of her again. "Thank you for your kindness, Aunt Shui, but there is no need to trouble Shui Bing'er, Shui Yue'er, Xue Wu, and the other ladies. Blue Tyrant Academy has a school rule: no matter what a student does, Blue Tyrant Academy will take full responsibility for it. A reward of ten credits—first come, first served. Give this girl one defeat. Who wants to do it?"

Whoosh!

Whoosh!!

Whoosh!!!

On Blue Tyrant Academy's side, aside from the Shrek Seven Devils who had joined later and several students in ordinary uniforms, every other student raised a hand.

Pairs of burning eyes turned toward Huo Wu.

Not lustful heat, but the kind of heat one had when looking at money.

They could loosen up their muscles and get ten credits for free.

Although ten credits were not much, why turn down something free?

The perfectly synchronized scene made Huo Wu's expression change.

She finally realized that something was wrong.

Her biological brother, Huo Wushuang, finally delivered the belated blow. "Little sister, those wearing black-and-gold cloaks with blood sword marks on their backs are the Soul Hunters who have risen to fame in recent years. As the name suggests, they hunt Evil Spirit Masters. Every one of them has at least one dead soul on their hands, and it belongs to an Evil Spirit Master. As for those students in platinum cloaks, they should be geniuses on Blue Tyrant Academy's Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings. A few years ago, at a black market outside Heaven Dou City, I clashed with a Human Ranking student from Blue Tyrant Academy over some verbal dispute. I was defeated in thirty moves. If they had wanted to kill me, I would have died long ago... How about we just admit defeat?"

Huo Wu's smile looked worse than crying.

But she had chosen this road herself. Even if she had to walk it on her knees, she would see it through!

She avoided all the wrong choices.

And those cowards who had not raised their hands.

After careful consideration, Huo Wu raised a hand and pointed at Ye Qingcang, who looked like the least capable fighter, choosing him as her next opponent. "You, pretty boy!"

Everyone's gaze at Huo Wu shifted from excitement to pity.

Including Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ning Rongrong, and the rest of Shrek's group.

You could eat recklessly, but you could not speak recklessly!

Did she know how fierce the pretty boy she was talking about was?

His rank as first on the Heaven Ranking had not been ceded to him out of respect for founding Stellar Martial Arts and Soul Guidance Technology. At the age of twelve, he had accepted all challengers and fought continuous battles for three days straight. Group fights or one-on-one fights, he accepted them all. He beat everyone in Blue Tyrant Academy from top to bottom before becoming the publicly acknowledged first place on the Heaven Ranking!

He had been away from the academy for over two years, yet no one still dared challenge him!

But Ye Qingcang did not mind playing with Huo Wu.

Yes, merely playing.

"Absorb it without worry. The fight will be over very soon." With his back to Shui Feng and the others and facing Huo Wu's group, Ye Qingcang modestly curled his fingers at her. He even kindly advised, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just do your best."

"Who are you looking down on?!"

Huo Wu gritted her teeth.

She knew she might have picked the wrong opponent.

Those pitying looks were far too strange.

But for him to say it would be over soon...

"Do you think you can defeat me in one second?" A slender crimson Fire Shadow emerged behind Huo Wu. Her spirit possessed her body, granting her the ability to control fire. Two yellow and one purple Soul Rings rose from...

They did not even need to rise from beneath her feet anymore...

"Yes, sweetheart." Ye Qingcang's finger was already pressed against the flame mark between Huo Wu's brows. The sharp, dazzling true energy at his fingertip made no one doubt the lethality of that translucent current. "I really can defeat you in one second. Your spirit possession is too slow. This is not a Soul Arena; no one is going to give you time to strike a pose. You can refuse to admit it and claim I ambushed you, but no matter how many times we fight, the result will be the same. You are too slow. You cannot even catch my shadow. If you do not believe me, shall I try again with you?"