A Battle to Establish Authority

The four of them grew even angrier upon hearing that.

Shi Hu clenched his fists until they crackled. "What an arrogant brat! I hope you can still talk this tough later."

Jiang Cong gave an eerie smile. "Interesting. This is the first time I've seen someone voluntarily ask to be ganged up on."

Yang Ming looked at Zhang Fei's supremely confident expression and thought to himself, This kid probably really has some skill. Perfect. I want to see his true strength with my own eyes too.

"Since Zhang has issued the challenge himself, the four of you will spar with him," Yang Ming said, waving a hand as he stepped to the side of the field. "Same rules as always. Falling down or leaving the ring counts as a loss."

"Yes."

The four walked onto the training field and stood side by side. Zhang Fei also stepped onto the arena and faced them.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

The four shouted in unison, each displaying two yellow Soul Rings.

The phantoms of a War Tiger, Black Panther, Golden Eagle, and Earth-Cave Demon Spider intertwined above the training grounds, creating a rather terrifying aura.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Zhang Fei gave a light shout. One yellow and one purple Soul Ring slowly rose from beneath his feet.

That purple Soul Ring was like a heavy hammer smashing brutally into everyone's hearts.

"What? A thousand-year... second ring?!" Li Gang's voice cracked.

Immediately afterward, a golden dragon phantom over thirty meters long abruptly unfurled behind Zhang Fei, its pressure exploding outward!

"Roar!!!"

The dragon's roar echoed through the entire training field.

Everyone present involuntarily took half a step back under that pressure, their eyes full of shock.

Meng Yiran murmured, "So this is... the Golden Dragon?"

Zhang Fei raised his arms. Golden dragon scales surfaced beneath his skin, a pair of dragon horns over an inch long sprouted from his forehead, and his pupils turned into imposing vertical slits.

He rolled his neck and looked at the four across from him, a slight smile curling his lips.

"Gentlemen, be careful."

"First Soul Skill, Golden Armor Body!"

The deep yellow Soul Ring suddenly lit up. Golden light covered his entire body, increasing both his strength and defense by one hundred percent!

Zhang Fei stomped down, turning into a golden cannonball as he charged straight at the four!

Seeing that he still dared to attack while fighting four alone, the four suppressed their shock and began taking him seriously.

"Roar!"

After Shi Hu possessed the War Tiger Martial Soul, his body swelled by a full size. He met Zhang Fei head-on, his tiger claws slashing down with howling force.

At the same time, Li Gang transformed into a black blur with his Black Panther Martial Soul and lunged from the left, his panther claws aimed directly at Zhang Fei's throat.

Wang Meng flapped his wings in the air. The sharp eagle claws granted by his Golden Eagle Martial Soul descended from above like two hooked blades, grasping for Zhang Fei's head.

Behind him, Jiang Cong flicked all ten fingers, sending a ghostly green spiderweb sprawling toward Zhang Fei's back. Corrosive venom still dripped from the web.

An attack from all sides! Their coordination was fairly seamless.

Zhang Fei neither dodged nor evaded. His right fist shot forward, colliding head-on with Shi Hu's tiger claws.

Bang!

With a dull impact, Shi Hu felt an overwhelming force surge from his opponent's fist. That was absolutely not strength a Soul Master of this level should possess!

His massive body was sent flying backward. He flipped halfway through the air before crashing heavily at the edge of the arena. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out.

One punch. Instant defeat!

"Shi Hu!" Li Gang cried out in shock.

His panther claws scraped against the dragon scales on Zhang Fei's shoulder with a piercing screech, and then... nothing. They did not even leave a white mark.

"What?!" Li Gang's pupils shrank sharply.

Wang Meng's eagle claws followed close behind, striking Zhang Fei's other shoulder. It felt as if he had clawed at divine metal, leaving his fingertips numb from the shock.

"Scratching an itch?" Zhang Fei turned his head toward Li Gang and grinned.

The Ice-Fire Body Tempering and Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum had forged an Indestructible Vajra Body, further boosted by Golden Armor Body's one-hundred-percent increase in defense. Not to mention two Soul Grandmasters in their twenties—even a Soul Elder could not break through his pure physical defense!

The spiderweb descended from behind. Zhang Fei grabbed it with one hand and actually tore the tough web to pieces by force! Jiang Cong's venom splashed over him but failed to dull even the slightest sheen from his dragon scales.

The Immunity to All Poisons gained from Ice-Fire Body Tempering was no joke.

Even more frightening was how the mental power enhanced by Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew made the world in Zhang Fei's eyes seem to slow down.

Li Gang's circling path, Wang Meng's diving angle, Jiang Cong's twitching spider threads—all of it appeared clearly before his eyes.

"Too slow."

Zhang Fei took a step and appeared before Li Gang. Under Li Gang's terrified gaze, he grabbed the panther claw that had yet to retract, then slammed his right fist into Li Gang's abdomen like a heavy hammer.

"Urgh!"

Li Gang's body bent like a shrimp. His Soul Power collapsed, and he was knocked unconscious by that single punch, crumpling limply to the ground.

After dealing with Li Gang, Zhang Fei did not stop. He spun around and rapidly closed in on Jiang Cong behind him.

Jiang Cong was scared out of his wits. The phantom of the Earth-Cave Demon Spider's eight legs flailed wildly behind him as he tried to unleash a control-type Soul Skill.

But Zhang Fei gave him no chance at all. A chop to the back of his neck made Jiang Cong groan. His vision went black, and he dropped to the ground with a thud.

Before even half an incense stick's time had passed, three of the four had already fallen.

Only Wang Meng remained, still flapping his wings in the air.

Wang Meng's face was pale as he hovered more than ten meters overhead, unable to advance or retreat.

His Golden Eagle Martial Soul gave him the ability to fly, but his attacks were practically no different from scratching an itch against Zhang Fei.

Unfortunately, Zhang Fei could not fly yet.

One stood above while the other stood below, staring at each other from a distance.

Wang Meng felt the Soul Power in his body draining rapidly, then looked at his three companions lying on the ground. Once his Soul Power ran out, defeat would only be a matter of time.

"I... I surrender!"

Wang Meng descended, dispelled his Martial Soul Possession, and wore a helpless expression.

Yang Ming opened his mouth. Only after a long pause did he say, "Zhang Fei wins this soul battle!"

Ye Sheng hurried forward, scattering healing light over Li Gang, Shi Hu, and Jiang Cong.

The three slowly came to. Clutching their stomachs or the backs of their necks, they grimaced as they got to their feet. When they looked at Zhang Fei again, there was no longer even a trace of anger in their eyes—only intense shock.

Meng Yiran stood at the edge of the field, watching Zhang Fei's upright figure. Her eyes sparkled, and her heart raced uncontrollably.

Everyone else in the arena looked at Zhang Fei as if he were a monster.

Zhang Fei dispelled his Martial Soul Possession and cupped his fists toward the four. His tone was sincere. "Sorry. I hit a little too hard. Please forgive me."

Li Gang held his stomach, his face still somewhat pale, but the corners of his mouth twitched into a bitter smile.

There was no resentment left in his heart. He hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no... We admire your strength. We're completely convinced. From now on, you're our boss. You have the final say in the Advanced Class."

"Yeah, yeah, Boss!" Shi Hu echoed, rubbing the back of his head.

The others nodded repeatedly as well. None of their previous hostility remained.

Meng Yiran looked at him with even more admiration, every bit the image of a lovestruck young girl.

Zhang Fei did not know whether to laugh or cry. In the world of Soul Masters, strength truly was the only hard rule.

He quickly waved his hands and said modestly, "No, no, no. We're all classmates. We should learn from each other, learn from each other. Forget this boss business. Just call me Xiao Fei."