The Grand Finale

Shui Bing'er glanced at Wu Changkong and hesitated. "Isn't two against one unfair? Xue Wu and I are both Soul Elders. Two against one..."

"It's fine," Wu Changkong interrupted. "Come at me with everything you have."

"But..."

Xue Wu reached over from beside her and patted Shui Bing'er's shoulder. "No buts. He said it's fine."

"Besides, Bing'er, are you worried he can't beat us, or are you worried we'll hit too hard and hurt him?"

Shui Bing'er's cheeks reddened slightly, but her expression quickly returned to its usual calm indifference.

"Then it's settled."

Shui Qinghan nodded and stepped back several paces, returning to the line of teachers.

Ling Shuang took charge again, carrying out a red draw box from behind her and placing it on the stone platform at the edge of the Spirit Battle Platform.

"You three, step out first and wait to the side." Ling Shuang pointed at Wu Changkong, Shui Bing'er, and Xue Wu.

"Other than you three, all Support Type Soul Masters should step out as well. You'll be randomly assigned to the battle teams."

"Everyone else, come draw lots for your groups."

Wu Changkong stepped out as instructed, with Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu standing on either side of him.

Several Support Type girls also left the line and stood in the waiting area Ling Shuang had designated.

The remaining fourteen Battle Soul Masters approached the draw box in turn, each reaching inside to take out a slip of paper.

Numbers were written on the slips. The two people who drew the same number would be opponents.

Shui Yue'er unfolded her slip and found a neat, proper "Three" written on it.

She looked up and happened to meet Shen Liuyu's calm eyes.

Shen Liuyu was turning her own slip over for her to see. It also bore a "Three."

Shui Yue'er's expression instantly became a spectacle.

Shen Liuyu's Martial Soul was the Enamel Fortune Crocodile. She was a power-attack type, with defense and frontal striking power among the best in the class.

Yu Hairou drew "Six," and her opponent was Gu Qingbo.

Coral Barracuda against Blue-Scaled Sailfish, agility-attack against power-attack.

Yu Hairou herself eagerly rolled her wrists and flashed Gu Qingbo a grin. "Qingbo, go easy on me later."

"Sure."

The other groups were soon decided as well. Qiu Ruoshui was matched against a girl named Xu Keke, whose Martial Soul was the Turtle Shield. It was defense type against power-attack type.

The point of interest in this match was whether Qiu Ruoshui could break Xu Keke's shield.

And whether Xu Keke could defend long enough to drain Qiu Ruoshui's Soul Power and stamina.

Once the drawing ended, Ling Shuang picked up her clipboard and quickly recorded each matchup, then beckoned to the Support Type Soul Masters.

"You lot, come over and draw one each."

"The number on your slip is the battle group containing the Battle Soul Master you'll support."

"Afterward, the two Support Type Soul Masters must discuss among yourselves which side each of you will support."

The drawing was quickly completed.

"Alright, the groups are set."

Ling Shuang closed her clipboard and swept her gaze across everyone. "Take the stage in numerical order. Teams with Support Types will battle two against two."

She paused, then turned her gaze toward the three standing in the waiting area. "As for you three, you'll be the grand finale."

The teacher really knew how to build suspense, Wu Changkong thought.

She had placed the strongest match last, allowing everyone to watch the first three rounds and heighten their emotions and anticipation before sending the three strongest people in the class onto the stage.

The first match, between two power-attack Soul Masters, was fairly standard. Both were level twenty-two, one with an Ice Wolf Martial Soul and the other with a Fire Ape Martial Soul. They traded frontal blows for nearly three minutes.

In the end, the Fire Ape Soul Master gained a slight edge through elemental suppression and greater reserves, winning the match.

"Third group, Shui Yue'er versus Shen Liuyu."

Shui Yue'er skipped out of the waiting area and onto the Spirit Battle Platform.

She stopped in the center of the stage, grinned at Shen Liuyu across from her, and revealed a row of neat white teeth.

"Sister Liuyu, go easy on me later. Don't flatten me. I won't look good flattened."

"Don't worry. I'll flatten you gently."

"Both sides, prepare." Ling Shuang raised her right hand.

Shui Yue'er took a deep breath and put away her playful expression.

She held her hands loosely together before her, and a dolphin Martial Soul appeared behind her. The air around the entire Spirit Battle Platform became noticeably more humid.

Lustrous Jade Dolphin, an agility-attack beast Martial Soul, a speed-type assassin.

Shen Liuyu released her Martial Soul at the same time. The phantom of a massive crocodile Martial Soul, entirely covered in deep blue-green scales, emerged behind her.

The crocodile was thick-bodied, with two rows of sharp teeth exposed inside its gaping maw.

Enamel Fortune Crocodile, a power-attack beast Martial Soul with astonishing defense and frontal striking power among the best in the class.

"Begin!"

As Ling Shuang's words fell, Shen Liuyu attacked first. The first Soul Ring beneath her feet lit up, and her right arm became covered in deep blue-green scales as she threw a punch at Shui Yue'er's position.

Shui Yue'er's figure flickered, and she slid several feet sideways as though borne by rippling water, barely avoiding the blow.

Shen Liuyu's fist struck the stone floor with a dull, thunderous boom.

"You're pretty quick."

Shen Liuyu turned and gave chase. Her movement speed was not slow, but compared with Shui Yue'er, an agility-attack type, she was clearly a bit slower.

Like a fish darting through underwater grass, Shui Yue'er weaved left and right across the Spirit Battle Platform.

Shen Liuyu's repeated pursuits were narrowly evaded, but Shui Yue'er's attacks against Shen Liuyu's scaled defense were like raindrops striking stone, unable to inflict any real damage.

Below the stage, in the waiting area.

Shui Bing'er said, "Liuyu's defense is too thick. Yue'er's attacks can't pierce her scales."

"It's normal that she can't," Xue Wu said with her arms crossed. "Shen Liuyu's Enamel Fortune Crocodile is a defense-oriented power-attack type to begin with. In a frontal clash, no one in our class is confident they can break her defense with one strike, except your Ice Phoenix and someone's Heavenly Frost Sword."

"But Yue'er is an agility-attack type. When agility attacks defense, it isn't a contest of whose fists are harder, but whose patience runs out first."

Shui Bing'er frowned slightly. Of course she understood that, but understanding it was one thing. Watching her younger sister get chased all over the stage by Shen Liuyu still made her heart tighten involuntarily.

Just as Shui Yue'er brushed past Shen Liuyu's fist wind for the third time, Wu Changkong suddenly spoke. "Yue'er is about to win."

Shui Bing'er turned to him, surprise flashing through her eyes. "How can you tell?"

Xue Wu also tilted her head curiously, her gaze appraising.

She felt Shui Yue'er had a chance, but only a chance.

So far, Shui Yue'er had not inflicted any real damage on Shen Liuyu, while Shen Liuyu's defense remained as solid as an iron barrel.

"Watch Liuyu's footwork." Wu Changkong raised his chin slightly, signaling them to look at Shen Liuyu's rhythm of movement onstage.

The moment his words fell, Shui Yue'er suddenly changed the way she moved.

She no longer retreated and dodged blindly. Instead, she began circling Shen Liuyu at high speed, her footwork growing faster and faster.

Shen Liuyu kept turning to follow her movements, until she was even starting to feel dizzy.

This was exactly the moment Shui Yue'er had been waiting for.

"First Soul Skill, Wind-Treading Water-Shadow Step."

"Second Soul Skill, Dolphin Surfing."