Yan's Flame Lord, Level Suppression

Three days later.

The main soul fighting arena of Spirit Hall Academy.

The spectator stands, which could accommodate thousands, were already more than half full.

Under normal circumstances, an internal challenge within the Elite Class would not attract so many people.

The identities of both combatants were simply too special.

Yan was a member of the Golden Generation personally selected by His Holiness the Pope.

His Flame Lord spirit was of extremely high quality, and he had a high probability of breaking through to become a Titled Douluo in the future.

Chu Jin had only been in Spirit City for a single year.

Yet, the Worship Hall and the Papal Hall valued him no less.

Senior students of the Spirit Academy, junior teachers, and even some elders had come to the arena.

Qian Renxue sat at the very front of the spectator stands.

She did not conceal her identity.

Her long golden hair draped behind her, and her white-gold robes were embroidered with angel patterns. Hu Liena and Xie Yue sat beside her, with only a short distance between the three.

Hu Liena glanced at the arena.

"Who do you think will win?"

Qian Renxue's tone was calm.

"Chu Jin."

"So certain?"

"Yan doesn't understand the Double Pupils."

Hu Liena nodded.

As a mental-type spirit master, she understood the Double Pupils better than the average person.

The most troublesome aspect of Chu Jin had never been any single ability.

Xiao Jin was responsible for containment and control.

The Double Pupils were responsible for observing Soul Power and movements.

Chu Jin himself possessed strength and Heavy Halberd techniques that far exceeded his peers.

With the three combined, his combat style was difficult to judge by traditional spirit master archetypes.

In the center of the ring.

Yan was the first to walk onto the field.

He wore a dark red combat suit today with wrist guards wrapped around his hands, his entire person resembling a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

Chu Jin entered from the other side.

The eight-hundred-jin Dark Iron Heavy Halberd rested on his shoulder.

Xiao Jin did not appear immediately.

The referee was a Spirit King-level academy teacher.

He looked at the two.

"This is an academy sparring match; intentional attacks on vital points are prohibited."

"Losing the ability to fight, voluntarily admitting defeat, or leaving the ring will result in a loss."

"Is that clear?"

"Clear."

Yan loosened his shoulders.

Chu Jin nodded.

The referee retreated to the edge of the ring and swung his palm downward.

"Begin!"

Two yellow spirit rings instantly rose from beneath Yan's feet.

A mass of dark red flame erupted from his body.

His Flame Lord spirit completed its possession.

His height increased rapidly, a layer of dark red Rock Armor covered his body, and his arms grew thick, with high-temperature flames coiling around his fists.

A scorching wave of heat spread outward.

Scorched black marks quickly appeared on the floor of the ring.

His level twenty-seven Soul Power erupted without reservation.

A chorus of gasps rang out from the spectator stands.

In terms of raw frontal strength alone, Yan ranked among the best of his peers at the Spirit Academy.

Chu Jin did not release his soul rings.

He gripped the Heavy Halberd with both hands and lowered his center of gravity slightly.

Yan exerted a sudden burst of force from his feet.

Bang!

The stone tiles of the arena shattered.

He launched himself like a burning meteorite, crashing head-on toward Chu Jin.

He knew Chu Jin possessed Double Pupils, and he also knew Xiao Jin could unleash mental shocks.

The best strategy was to leverage his advantage in level and strength, denying Chu Jin the time to observe him slowly.

A flaming fist smashed toward his face.

Chu Jin's Double Pupils activated instantly.

The flow of soul power within Yan's body appeared clearly.

His legs exploded with power.

His waist and abdomen rotated.

Soul power gathered at his right shoulder.

This punch possessed immense power, and its attack trajectory was extremely direct.

Chu Jin did not dodge.

He held the eight-hundred-jin Heavy Halberd horizontally in front of him.

The fist collided head-on with the halberd shaft.

Clang!

A metallic ringing echoed throughout the soul fighting arena.

Chu Jin's feet slid several meters backward against the ground.

Yan only retreated half a step.

The gap in their levels was clearly revealed for the first time.

The fighting spirit in Yan's eyes grew even more intense.

"Your strength is indeed formidable."

"Again!"

He charged out once more.

He hammered a series of punches toward the Heavy Halberd.

Chu Jin did not choose to clash head-on to the end.

Before every contact, the halberd shaft would shift slightly, deflecting Yan's force to the side.

Bang!

Bang!

Sparks flew across the arena.

Yan appeared to be constantly pushing Chu Jin backward.

However, the force that actually landed on Chu Jin was less than fifty percent.

"Only capable of blocking?"

Yan's left fist suddenly smashed into the ground.

His first soul ring lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Hell Magma Rush!"

Dark red magma erupted from the arena floor.

Several pillars of fire blocked Chu Jin's path of retreat.

High-temperature flames rose from beneath his feet.

Chu Jin raised the Heavy Halberd and took a step forward.

Yan had expected him to dodge to the side.

Instead, Chu Jin charged directly into the densest area of the flames.

His Double Pupils had already discerned that although the pillars of fire appeared seamless, there were still weak points in the soul power between them.

He swung the Heavy Halberd downward.

Boom!

The weakest pillar of fire was forcibly cleaved apart.

Flames grazed Chu Jin's shoulder, the edge of his clothes quickly charring, but he successfully charged out of the encirclement.

Yan was already waiting outside.

The Flame Lord's right fist smashed down once more.

Chu Jin swept his Heavy Halberd horizontally.

Yan raised his left arm to block.

The halberd shaft struck the Rock Armor.

A dull thud echoed out.

Yan's body swayed, but his right fist still descended toward Chu Jin's chest.

The distance between them was too close.

It was too late to retract the eight-hundred-pound Heavy Halberd.

Chu Jin released one hand.

His left palm accurately pressed down on Yan's wrist.

The fist stopped a mere half-foot from his chest.

The two entered a contest of pure strength.

Yan's expression shifted slightly.

Chu Jin withstood the Flame Lord's power with one hand, his body only slowly retreating rather than immediately collapsing.

"Is this the feedback from Xiao Jin after a year?"

"Just about."

Chu Jin's waist twisted violently.

He did not continue to push forward forcefully.

His left hand guided Yan's fist outward, and his body sidestepped simultaneously.

Yan's force missed its mark.

Chu Jin's knee slammed toward his abdomen.

Yan raised his leg to block.

The two retreated at the same time.

The spectator stands were filled with constant discussion.

"Chu Jin hasn't even released his first martial soul yet."

"Yan has only used his First Soul Skill."

"Yan is still stronger in terms of raw power."

"But his Soul Power consumption is higher than Chu Jin's."

Xie Yue watched the arena, his brows gradually furrowing.

Yan's offensive was fierce.

By continuously using his martial soul's power and his First Soul Skill, his Soul Power consumption was increasing rapidly.

From start to finish, Chu Jin had only maintained his Double Pupils, relying on his Heavy Halberd and technique to deflect force.

As long as the delay continued, the advantage in total Soul Power brought by his higher level would be slowly worn down.

Yan clearly realized this as well.

He no longer engaged in ordinary probing.

The second soul ring beneath his feet lit up.

"Second Soul Skill, Granite Rock!"

The dark red Rock Armor rapidly thickened.

The Flame Lord martial soul formed a towering phantom behind him.

The temperature of the entire arena rose once again.

Magma spread outward from beneath Yan's feet.

Large swaths of the ground turned dark red.

This environment would continuously drain an opponent's stamina while also strengthening Yan's fire and rock abilities.

He stood in the center of the magma.

"Chu Jin."

"Let Xiao Jin come out."

"With just a Heavy Halberd, you cannot beat me."

Chu Jin glanced at the magma beneath his feet.

Black smoke began to rise from the soles of his shoes.

"Xiao Jin."

His first soul ring lit up.

A golden radiance flew out from within his body.

Xiao Jin spread its wings and landed beside Chu Jin.

Yan slammed both fists into the ground.

The entire arena shook in unison.

Magma and flames transformed into a giant wave, surging toward the center from all directions.

"Watch out!"

Someone in the spectator stands cried out.

The wave of fire quickly swallowed Chu Jin and Xiao Jin whole.

Yan did not relax.

He knew Chu Jin could not be defeated so easily.

Sure enough.

A dragon's roar suddenly erupted from the center of the fire wave.

Xiao Jin opened its mouth and bit down fiercely at the oncoming flames.

It had not yet acquired any consumption-type soul skills.

However, its dragon bloodline and reinforced Light Scales still granted it extremely strong elemental resistance.

Xiao Jin did not attempt to eat the entire sea of fire.

It specifically bit at the weak points in the soul power that Chu Jin's Double Pupils had identified.

Snap!

A gap was torn open in the center of the fire wave.

A figure charged out from the opening.

Chu Jin's clothes were scorched with several holes, his exposed skin was slightly reddened, but the Heavy Halberd in his hand remained steady.

Yan had long been prepared.

A fist covered in Rock Armor descended toward his face.

Chu Jin's gaze locked onto his right leg.

After using his Second Soul Skill, most of Yan's soul power was concentrated in his upper body and the surface of his Rock Armor.

Every time he threw a punch with full force, a brief gap appeared in the soul power connection of his right leg.

Chu Jin did not attack immediately.

He continued to raise his halberd to block.

Yan's fist slammed into the shaft of the halberd.

Chu Jin's body slid to the side.

Yan stepped forward with his right leg once more.

The gap in soul power appeared.

"Xiao Jin."

The golden figure charged out from the flames.

Its first soul ring shone at full brightness.

Holy Dragon Soul Suppression was about to be unleashed.