Hard Clash, Sent Flying

"Xiao Wu." Nezha walked over to her side. "Let me take the next match."

Xiao Wu froze for a moment. "Huh?"

She blinked, somewhat puzzled. Nezha was not usually the type to compete for the spotlight. Why was he volunteering to fight this time?

But since Nezha had spoken up, she did not refuse.

"Sure, go have some fun." Xiao Wu clapped her hands and stepped off to the edge of the field.

When Xiao Chenyu saw Xiao Wu leave the field, he was stunned at first, then secretly delighted.

He did not know why they were switching fighters, but with that ruthless girl who knocked people down with one kick no longer on the field, things could not have been better for him.

Tang San was also somewhat surprised.

Anyone with eyes could see that Xiao Wu still had plenty of Soul Power left. She could easily fight another round. Switching fighters now made no sense at all.

But it did not matter. Fighting anyone was still fighting.

Besides, fighting Nezha would let him settle the score for the false accusation earlier.

He would personally beat Nezha to the ground and let everyone present see what happened when they offended Tang San.

The two walked to the center of the field and stood facing each other.

The atmosphere abruptly grew tense.

The work-study students and tuition-paying students watching nearby all held their breath.

Tang San released his Martial Soul first. Blue Silver Grass spread from his palm, its dark blue blades gleaming faintly beneath the sunlight. A bright yellow hundred-year Soul Ring rose beneath his feet.

At the same time, he pushed his Mysterious Heaven Skill to its limit. Inner force surged through his meridians like a rushing river, while his hands faintly glowed like white jade. The Mysterious Jade Hand was ready to strike.

Nezha released his Martial Soul as well.

With Martial Soul Possession of his body Martial Soul, his appearance did not change at all. Only a yellow Soul Ring slowly rose beneath his feet.

Seeing the lone yellow Soul Ring on Nezha, Tang San's eyes flashed with disdain.

Sure enough, it was a body Martial Soul.

The master had been right. A Martial Soul like this was most likely equipped with a strength-type soul skill.

And what strength-type Soul Masters feared most was control.

"Begin!" The referee waved his hand.

The moment his words fell, Nezha moved first.

He had no intention of using any fancy techniques.

Nezha had absolute confidence in his own strength. With a Soul King-level body, tempered by the Nine-Turn Mysterious Technique, the force behind his punch was simply not something anyone his age could withstand.

Techniques? There was no need.

One force could break ten thousand techniques. What he wanted was a direct clash.

Seeing the fist rushing straight at him, Tang San's eyes flashed with surprise.

He instinctively wanted to use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, but just as his toes were about to slide aside, a thought crossed his mind.

Why dodge?

He had cultivated the Mysterious Heaven Skill for many years, and his inner force was abundant. In a head-on clash, was he really supposed to fear a six-year-old child who had only just obtained a Soul Ring?

Though Tang Sect disciples did not specialize in strength, Tang San believed his inner force had long reached a respectable level. He had no fear of strength-type Soul Masters.

Besides, he also wanted to see just how far his Mysterious Heaven Skill had progressed.

Tang San spread his feet slightly and lowered his center of gravity. The inner force of the Mysterious Heaven Skill surged through his meridians, all of it gathering in his palms.

He flipped his hands before his chest, and they glowed like white jade—the Mysterious Jade Hand. Slowly, he pushed both palms forward, meeting Nezha's fist head-on.

Seeing that Tang San was actually neither dodging nor evading, Nezha's eyes flashed with surprise.

He had thought he would have to tangle with Tang San after he used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. He had not expected Tang San to be so confident.

Since that was the case...

Then come on.

Fist and palms collided with a thunderous boom.

Green and white light erupted simultaneously at the point of impact. A ring of force burst outward from the collision, making the watching students stagger. Several younger students were forced back several steps in a row.

Then...

Tang San flew away.

Like a kite with its string cut, his entire body traced an arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground with a bang, dust billowing up.

The entire field fell deathly silent. The work-study students stood with their mouths open, while the tuition-paying students stared wide-eyed.

No one spoke.

They could not even tell what that scene had just meant.

Was Tang San too weak, or was Nezha too strong?

Tang San lay flat on his back in the dirt, still trapped in a state of disbelief.

He had been sent flying.

In a direct clash, his Mysterious Jade Hand and Mysterious Heaven Skill had been blown away by a single punch.

The excruciating pain throughout his body made it difficult even to breathe. He instinctively tried to prop himself up, but the instant his arms exerted force, a sharp pain shot through his ribs and forced him back to the ground.

He could not get up.

Tang San stared fixedly at Nezha, his eyes as cold as poisoned blades.

Good. Very good.

Nezha—he would remember this.

From exposing his hidden weapons earlier to sending him flying with a single punch now, this person had humiliated him again and again, causing him to lose all face before so many people.

If there had not been so many students watching, then by Tang Sect rules, he should have used hidden weapons now and let Nezha die without a sound.

But he could not act now. Dozens of pairs of eyes were watching. If Nezha died, it would be impossible for him to remain at the academy.

Tang San gritted his teeth and swallowed his killing intent bit by bit.

On the other side of the field, Xiao Chenyu did not look much better. He had no mood to mock Tang San at all.

He had seen it clearly.

Nezha's punch had not been enhanced by any soul skill. It had been pure physical strength.

Yet that pure strength had sent Tang San, another Soul Master, flying with one punch, leaving him unable even to crawl back up.

Xiao Chenyu was also a strength-type Soul Master. Precisely because of that, he understood the true weight of that punch better than anyone present.

He knew it would be difficult for him to win. But the title of "Boss Xiao" had taken him two years to earn through fighting. Making him surrender without even fighting in front of so many people would hurt worse than killing him.

Xiao Chenyu steeled himself and strode into the field.

"Xiao Chenyu, sixth grade. Martial Soul: Wolf. Level eleven, one-ring Battle Soul Master."

Nezha glanced at him. "Nezha, first grade. Martial Soul: Body. Level eleven, one-ring Battle Soul Master."

The referee swallowed. "Begin!"

Xiao Chenyu let out a low roar and used Martial Soul Possession.

A layer of green light emerged from his body. His muscles rapidly expanded within the glow, his eyes gradually turning pale green. When he raised his arms, his hands had already turned into wolf claws, his nails sharp as hooks. A white Soul Ring rose beneath his feet.

A ten-year Soul Ring.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Chenyu kicked off with both legs and lunged at Nezha like a wolf pouncing on prey. He had no intention of clashing head-on. Tang San's example was still lying on the ground. When he reached a point three steps away from Nezha, he fiercely swung his right claw.

First Soul Skill: Gale Slash.

A green wind blade shot from the tips of his wolf claws, roughly half an arm wide. With a shrill whistle through the air, it slashed straight toward Nezha's face.

The wind blade was incredibly fast. The younger students watching only saw a flash of green light.

Nezha stood where he was, watching the wind blade rapidly grow larger in his vision.

He actually wanted to take it head-on. With a Soul King-level body, being struck by a wind blade from a ten-year Soul Ring would be about the same as being brushed by a scrap of paper.

But that would be far too exaggerated. A first-year student physically resisting a soul skill would be difficult to explain if word got out.