Awakening of the Black Tortoise!

After forcing Huo Yuhao back, Xu Sanshi rubbed his numb right arm in discomfort, staring at Huo Yuhao with lingering fear. How was this guy's attack so powerful?

Yes, Xu Sanshi had never expected anyone to be able to penetrate his shell and strike his insides. He had never encountered something like internal force before.

"Internal force can penetrate his shield, but it consumes a lot of soul power. After all, I can't keep using a martial technique like Eight Extremes Collapse. The backlash is still there." Huo Yuhao likewise rubbed his numb right arm.

Golden light radiated from his eyes as he linked his Spiritual Detection to Xu Sanshi's mind. The spiritual imprint he had left behind earlier took effect, and in the next instant, a strange vision appeared before Xu Sanshi.

Huo Yuhao's figure, standing where he had been, slowly faded away and vanished completely. The sight instantly shocked Xu Sanshi, who immediately summoned his other two shields into position, forming a triangle around himself for protection.

"Strange. What's wrong with Xu Sanshi today?"

"Who knows? Is a freshman really that hard to deal with?"

Watching Xu Sanshi seemingly struggle in a bitter battle, the crowd began discussing it among themselves. Xu Sanshi had already released all three of his soul skills, practically letting Huo Yuhao figure out exactly what they were!

"Damn it! Spiritual-type Soul Masters really are hard to deal with. But do you think my defense is so easy to break through?" Xu Sanshi secretly scoffed as he focused all his attention on searching for Huo Yuhao!

Yet Huo Yuhao was currently hiding in a place Xu Sanshi had never even considered. Suddenly, Huo Yuhao appeared above Xu Sanshi.

"Look! Up there!" the spectators cried out.

Xu Sanshi sensed it as well and abruptly looked up, only to see Huo Yuhao somehow standing above him, a sword appearing from nowhere in the other boy's right hand!

"Human Emperor Sword Technique! First Form: Imperial Might Shatters Mountains!"

The Human Emperor Sword slashed viciously downward at Xu Sanshi. Though Xu Sanshi had been watching the field closely, he had never expected an attack from this angle. He immediately moved the Darkworld Shield above him to defend against Huo Yuhao's strike.

However, as one shield rose to defend the sky above, Xu Sanshi left an opening at his side. At that moment, Huo Yuhao's true body appeared in that very opening.

With a single swing of his sword, he slashed fiercely at Xu Sanshi. Sword qi swept forth, and its terrifying power gave Xu Sanshi no time to defend. The strike landed, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Seeing Xu Sanshi get hit, Huo Yuhao did not relax. Instead, he remained fully focused, using Spiritual Detection to observe any abnormalities in the smoke. As the dust gradually dispersed—

Xu Sanshi's shield stood before him. It had clearly blocked the blow, but judging by his disheveled state, his soul power had obviously been heavily drained. After all, his third soul skill had remained active the entire time, protecting him from Huo Yuhao's spiritual attacks!

Xu Sanshi's Dark Nether Turtle had no means of defending against spiritual attacks, so he could only rely on the powerful attribute boost of his third soul skill to resist them.

"Kid, I underestimated you! You truly have the strength to fight me, but a Soul Elder is still a Soul Elder!" Xu Sanshi's soul power suddenly surged, waves of terrifying energy spreading from his body.

"Oh no! That guy Xu Sanshi is about to unleash his true power. I never thought he'd be forced this far!" Bei Bei shot to his feet in shock, clearly knowing what Xu Sanshi intended to do next!

"Unleash his true power? Brother Bei! Are you saying that turtle guy hasn't even used his full strength yet?" Wang Dong asked in surprise. Bei Bei nodded.

"That's right. Xu Sanshi's martial soul is the lower form of the divine beast Black Tortoise—the Dark Nether Turtle! The Xuanming Sect possesses a mysterious ritual that can awaken the Black Tortoise martial soul. But Sanshi's awakening seems to have failed, so he is currently only half-awakened!"

Half-awakened? Hearing Bei Bei's explanation, Wang Dong was confused. Could an awakening be only half complete? Jiang Nannan, standing nearby, furrowed her brows tightly, as though she had recalled unpleasant memories. But then another figure appeared in her mind, and her expression relaxed once more!

"Hm? What is this?" Huo Yuhao frowned. Something was wrong with Xu Sanshi's aura. This power was still rising.

"Black Tortoise Awakening!" Xu Sanshi roared. Dark green water flowed around his body as his appearance changed. His short golden hair transformed into long dark green hair.

His dark red eyes locked tightly onto Huo Yuhao. The Darkworld Shield evolved into the stronger Black Tortoise Shield, and their number increased to four.

"Kid, it's not too late to admit defeat. Otherwise, you'll be lying in the infirmary! In this state, I can't control my strength!" After awakening, Xu Sanshi seemed to have grown noticeably taller!

He looked down at Huo Yuhao, but Huo Yuhao showed no panic whatsoever. His strength was not something a mere Black Tortoise could handle!

Huo Yuhao swung the Human Emperor Sword in his hand, tracing a flourish through the air before pointing the blade at Xu Sanshi. "How will we know whether your Black Tortoise is really that powerful unless we try?"

"Good kid! After Bei Bei, you're the second person I've acknowledged!" Xu Sanshi lowered his body, and with a flicker, he arrived before Huo Yuhao in an instant. Raising the Black Tortoise Shield high, he smashed it down viciously!

With Spiritual Detection, Huo Yuhao easily dodged the attack. However, Xu Sanshi's attack was not so simple. His first soul skill activated at once, and terrifying vibrations burst outward, sending Huo Yuhao flying.

"Urgh!" The enormous force in his arm made Huo Yuhao feel as though his internal organs had been displaced. But Xu Sanshi was not finished. The other three shields flew toward him as well, ready to finish Huo Yuhao off.

Faced with the incoming shields, Huo Yuhao unleashed Mental Shock. He poured more than half his spiritual power into it, instantly shattering Xu Sanshi's willpower enhanced by his martial soul awakening. Xu Sanshi's vision went black, and he nearly collapsed.

Raising the Black Tortoise Shield, Xu Sanshi slammed it hard against his own chest. His mind instantly cleared! The shields' attacks were not affected in the slightest and smashed heavily into Huo Yuhao.

The blows drew blood and left Huo Yuhao dazed. Shield strike after shield strike crashed into him, launching his slender body into the air before he finally slammed heavily outside the arena!

"Over!" Blood flowed from Xu Sanshi's seven orifices, but he still forced himself to remain standing. Just as he was about to go down and help up this powerful little fellow—

Crack!

A sound like shattering glass rang out. Xu Sanshi suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. Huo Yuhao's figure slowly appeared before him, and while he was still wondering what had happened, a tremendous force gave him no chance to find the answer. He was sent flying and crashed outside the arena.

The entire venue fell silent! Not a single person made a sound!

"Yu-Yuhao, he... he defeated Xu Sanshi?" Wang Dong's eyes widened. From their perspective, ever since Xu Sanshi activated his martial soul awakening, he had remained standing motionless in place.

Huo Yuhao had simply walked right up to him and sent him flying with one punch, ending the battle.

The battle ended so dramatically after Huo Yuhao left the arena that all the spectators were utterly dumbfounded.

Some of the teachers watching from the side could not figure out what had happened either, but they still had someone take Xu Sanshi to the infirmary for treatment.

As for Huo Yuhao, he had already returned to the lounge. The moment he entered, he felt three burning gazes locked firmly onto him!