Battle, Sima Xian

That afternoon, as the stadium orderly called out the contestants' names, En Zuo, standing at the front, gave Dai Tianling a standard Star Luo noble's salute before rising from the viewing stands.

He walked straight toward the arena.

The spectators erupted into an uproar.

Another contestant had actually emerged from the viewing stands where the ruler was seated. Judging by his attire, he seemed to be one of Monster Academy's Kings.

But weren't the seven Kings rumored to be at the waiting area? Where had an eighth King come from?

Despite their doubts,

they still gave En Zuo their most enthusiastic cheers and applause. Monster Academy was Star Luo's most renowned academy, and every King who took the field could bring them an overwhelming shock.

Fang'er's figure appeared on the soul guide screens as the live commentator for this match. Dressed in white, she looked crisp and capable, her hair combed back without a single strand out of place.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Fang'er. This is my second time serving as a commentator for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. The first-round contestants this afternoon are Sima Xian from Star Luo Royal Academy and En Zuo from Monster Academy!"

Long Yue was resting in the waiting area of another competition venue. Hearing the commentary echoing from the arena, he suddenly opened his eyes.

He looked toward the relay screen showing the arena.

Standing on the stage was En Zuo, dressed in a red robe, his face concealed beneath a heavy hood.

"Why is Junior Brother participating in the competition?" Long Yue clearly remembered that En Zuo had not registered for this tournament, but it did not matter if he was participating.

He had confidence in En Zuo.

In this tournament, aside from himself, no one could defeat En Zuo.

The other six Kings curiously looked toward the relay screen. This was their first time watching En Zuo fight in real time.

At the academy, countless Monster Academy students praised En Zuo to the skies and tolerated not the slightest slander against him, even if it came from a King.

Some people had also said in private that it was merely En Zuo's charity. So long as he wished, bringing down any King would be effortless.

Dai Yueyan held a drink in each hand. He personally handed one to Long Yue, then sat down on a bench. "Brother Long, Brother En Zuo has already taken the field. His opponent is Sima Xian."

"That guy won't be easy to deal with."

The gazes of everyone from Monster Academy fell on Long Yue's face in unison, and Long Yue rarely revealed an awkward expression.

Speaking of which, it had been Long Yue himself who had forced the fairly talented Sima Xian to attend the Royal Academy. If not for En Ci vouching for him, he would never have been able to join Monster Academy in this lifetime.

Long Yue had a clear understanding of Sima Xian's strength. "That guy has decent talent, but he's still far inferior to Junior Brother."

When En Zuo took his position on the arena,

his opponent was already standing in the distance.

Sima Xian was not tall, only around 1.6 meters. Compared to En Zuo, he was a head shorter, and his presence was somewhat weaker.

Yet his blazing eyes were filled with fervor.

Others might not know who this suddenly appeared eighth King was, but how could Sima Xian not know?

As the contestant who hated Long Yue the most,

he had thoroughly investigated every one of Long Yue's relationships. Ranked first on Sima Xian's list of must-fight opponents was Long Yue's junior brother, the monstrously gifted En Zuo.

He had sought out Long Yue three times in succession, wanting revenge. Yet each time, the amount of time he could last against Long Yue only grew shorter.

This made him sorrowfully realize that the gap between himself and Long Yue was simply too vast. He probably would never catch up in this lifetime.

So, for the time being, he had abandoned Long Yue as a target.

Sima Xian had originally felt it was a pity that he would only encounter En Zuo three years later. He had not expected to meet him so soon.

In his eyes, this was the best opportunity to avenge Long Yue for robbing his money and wash away his humiliation.

I can't beat you, but can't I beat your junior brother?

The referee walked to the center of the stage, explained the rules, observed both sides, then raised his right hand. "Prepare for the match. Three, two, one, begin!"

On the podium, Fang'er sat upright. "Dear audience, the match has begun. Let's see who will ultimately emerge victorious in this clash between powerhouses. Contestant Sima Xian has moved first. He has released his martial soul."

"As expected of Star Luo Royal Academy's finest student: four purple soul rings. This is already a soul ring configuration comparable to that of Monster Academy's outstanding students."

"Contestant En Zuo has also released his martial soul without yielding an inch. Four black soul rings?! As far as I know, among young people, this soul ring configuration is an unprecedented, beyond-standard arrangement in the entire history of the Star Luo Continent!"

On the enormous arena, nearly five hundred meters across,

the two occupied opposite corners.

En Zuo stood still, the soul rings circling his body pulsing and gleaming rhythmically. He coldly watched Sima Xian, who had released his Horned Dragon martial soul and consecutively activated his first and second soul skills.

That thin body expanded like an inflating balloon as he charged, transforming from a normal human form into a humanoid Horned Dragon form.

As Sima Xian sprinted wildly, he lowered his head, his entire body radiating a terrifying aura.

With his running, circles of yellow light continuously spread from beneath his feet.

Gravity Control!

With his four-ring cultivation, Sima Xian could increase gravity fourfold while remaining unaffected himself.

The fluctuations of a dragon-type martial soul were exceptionally imposing. Even from two hundred meters away, En Zuo could clearly feel the powerful draconic pressure rushing toward him.

However, this level of pressure was far too weak.

En Zuo raised his staff. His third soul skill flashed for an instant, and dense earth elements surged from the ground, condensing out of thin air into a colossal earth-element spear nearly a hundred meters long.

His pale fingers lightly touched the stone spear. In that instant, veins bulged along his arm. His eyes turned toward Sima Xian, filled with nothing but coldness.

Just as Sima Xian was about to reach En Zuo, his majestic momentum seemed to drag the very space above the competition stage into pressing down upon En Zuo.

En Zuo did not retreat. Instead, facing Sima Xian, he lifted the stone spear and hurled it forward with all his strength.

The entire venue thundered from the stone spear he had thrown.

En Zuo's red robe snapped violently in the powerful airflow across the arena, while the hood concealing his face flapped fiercely in the wind.

Amid the churning currents, he slowly rose into the air. Before his fingertips, strange spiral ripples appeared in the air.

Sima Xian's blood and qi surged backward through his body. Intense pain seized control of him, while dust that blotted out the sky obscured his vision.

But he would not give up. He had finally gotten an opportunity to fight Long Yue's junior brother. His opponent was only twelve years old—how could he possibly fall after taking just one move?

He drew a deep breath and let out a deafening roar, forcibly dispersing the dust around him.

Then...

In the instant before the dust had fully cleared,

Sima Xian saw En Zuo standing in the sky. Before his fingertips were wind blades that had already burst forth, fast beyond imagination.

What the hell was this?!