First Lesson! Actual Combat? Who Is the Challenger, Really? [Please Keep Reading]

"Through your introductions and the class roster, I've gained a basic understanding of everyone."

"My classes differ from those of other teachers. Although today is the first day, we'll be starting with practical combat. Everyone, follow me to the training grounds."

Wu Changkong looked over the students in the class as he spoke.

"Yes, Teacher Wu."

Before long, they arrived at the Eastsea Academy training grounds.

"Every time I come to the training grounds, I'm reminded of the terror of being dominated by the boss."

As Xie Xie reached the grounds with Jiang Yan and the others, he looked across the vast field, and memories of the past flooded back.

They had only just entered the intermediate division.

Back then, it had been when they had first entered the primary division.

At the time, he had thought he could defeat the boss, whose martial soul was the Holy Dragon King. Yet after merely one exchange, he had nearly been beaten stupid. Luckily, he had surrendered quickly enough. Otherwise...

He probably would have been beaten into a pig's head.

"For today's practical combat class, everyone must display their strength. Next, you will fight one-on-one in pairs. We'll go straight into actual combat. I'll serve as the referee and see what you're capable of."

"The first match..."

"Wei Xiaofeng versus Zhang Yangzi."

As Wu Changkong spoke, his gaze swept across the students before finally settling on Wei Xiaofeng and Zhang Yangzi.

"Yes, Teacher Wu."

Wei Xiaofeng and Zhang Yangzi both answered, stepping forward together without hesitation.

"Yangzi, I won't go easy on you!"

Wei Xiaofeng said with a grin.

Behind him, a blue-green serpent shadow silently emerged. At the same time, two yellow soul rings flashed beneath his feet.

A level 23 agility-attack Soul Grandmaster, reporting in!

"First Soul Skill, Azure Shadow Assault!"

His body blurred in an instant, his pupils turning into snake eyes as he lunged at Zhang Yangzi with claws outstretched.

"You'd better have the strength to back that up."

"Second Soul Skill, Eagle Strikes the Sky!"

Zhang Yangzi smiled. A pair of black-gray wings abruptly formed behind him, instantly boosting his speed. As he flew upward, he swooped forward.

"Second Soul Skill, Azure Shadow Clone!"

"First Soul Skill, Dark Curtain!"

For the two of them at their current level, both merely Soul Grand Masters, chaining two soul skills together was already enough to determine victory or defeat.

On the southern side of the training grounds, Wei Xiaofeng split into four figures, each surrounded by green light, mysterious and unusual.

On the northern side, Zhang Yangzi's soul skill briefly shrouded the entire area in darkness. With low-level soul masters still lacking developed spiritual power, it created an enormous battlefield-control effect.

"..."

Gradually, as the effect of the dark canopy faded from the training grounds, three of Wei Xiaofeng's four figures had already vanished under everyone's watchful eyes, leaving only one behind.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yangzi remained suspended in the air, maintaining an overwhelmingly superior position.

The Dark Illusory Demon Eagle was a top-tier dark-attribute beast martial soul. Although it was a control-type martial soul, it also possessed extremely high explosive power. Against a kiting agility-attack martial soul like the Azure Shadow Serpent, its advantage was simply too great.

"I'm done, I'm done! Yangzi, all you do is fly around in the sky. If you've got the guts, come down and fight me one-on-one! This is so boring!"

Wei Xiaofeng's face flushed as he stood on the ground, practically wishing he had a pole vault to launch himself into the sky and fight. He curled his lip.

They said absorbing a bamboo martial soul could grant the supreme divine skill of pole vaulting. Was that really where he had lost?

"If you're weak, train more."

"Keep it up next time."

Zhang Yangzi chuckled as he descended and patted Wei Xiaofeng on the shoulder.

"First match, Zhang Yangzi wins."

"Second match, Wang Jinxi versus Xie Xie."

Having announced the result of the first round, Wu Changkong immediately fixed his gaze on the next two contestants and continued.

"Jinxi, when you make your move later..."

"Remember to hold back a little."

On the training grounds, Xie Xie stared at Wang Jinxi in the distance. As he gripped his two daggers, he recalled the dominance of the other's Bone Dragon King martial soul and spoke quietly.

The Bone Dragon King martial soul likewise possessed a top-tier dragon bloodline. While it was not a true Dragon King in the strictest sense, nor even a pure true dragon with high bloodline purity...

Its strength was still undeniable.

Agility-attack soul masters were inherently at a disadvantage against assault-type soul masters, so he did not intend to make winning his goal.

As long as he could hold out a little longer, it would count as a useful learning result for himself. If he kept studying and practicing, he would eventually succeed, right?

"Mm."

Wang Jinxi silently nodded and made an OK gesture. The moment he released his martial soul, the faint image of a deathly Bone Dragon King appeared behind him.

"First Soul Skill, Light Dragon Blade! Shadow Dragon Blade!"

The two daggers in Xie Xie's hands gleamed brightly. With the effects of his twin martial souls' soul skills activated, both his strength and speed increased.

"First Soul Skill, Bone Dragon Claw."

In response, Wang Jinxi merely unleashed his first soul skill. The instant one hand transformed into a massive dragon claw, he blocked his opponent's attack.

"First Soul Skill! Shadow Dragon Blade! Light Dragon Blade!"

Xie Xie remained completely calm. After adjusting his state, he unleashed his soul skills once more at such close range.

"Bone Dragon Claw!"

"Second Soul Skill, Bone Soul Conversion!"

As Wang Jinxi swung his claw to defend, the second soul ring beneath his feet shone brilliantly. In an instant, a faint glow radiated from his body, making him appear rather unusual.

Bone Soul Conversion was a boosting defensive skill.

While the soul skill was active, it could transform one's bones and soul, greatly enhancing either attack or defense.

"Hmph!"

"Second Soul Skill, Light Dragon Storm!"

A glimmer flashed through Xie Xie's eyes. With both daggers in hand, his speed silently rose again as he unleashed his second soul skill.

Unfortunately, his base attributes truly were not high enough. Though he fought tenaciously and gave it his all, against Wang Jinxi's martial soul, which combined offense and defense, he ultimately failed to break through and was defeated.

"Second match, Wang Jinxi wins."

As Wu Changkong observed the two on the training grounds, he nodded slightly. His gaze then drifted inconspicuously toward Jiang Yan, and a trace of anticipation appeared on his face.

"As for the third match..."

"Jiang Yan versus Wu Changkong."

He spoke slowly and bluntly.

He truly wanted to know—

Just how strong was Jiang Yan, this youth hailed as the greatest genius?

"Mm... huh???"

Xie Xie, who had just stepped down, nearly stumbled to the ground.

"What?"

"The boss is fighting Teacher Wu?"

"A Soul Emperor?"

The confusion in Xie Xie's eyes was impossible to hide. Beside him, Wei Xiaofeng, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi were equally stunned.

Teacher Wu was a level 69 Soul Emperor!

Calling him a half-step Soul Sage would not be an exaggeration.

The boss was actually going to face someone like that?

"It's nothing. He's only a Soul Emperor."

Jiang Yan smiled and shook his head, not finding it to be a big deal.

He had never fought a Soul Emperor, but by coincidence, he had fought a Soul King when he only had two rings.

Besides...

He looked toward Wu Changkong, a faint smile in his eyes as well.

Teacher Wu.

You are the challenger.