Challenge? Don't Regret It! (Please Keep Reading)

Shrek Academy, Soul Fighting Arena.

Everyone's gaze first fell on Xia Yuan, then on Lin Yan. Clearly, they were all interested in this explicitly named challenge.

"What's wrong, kid? Are you afraid to face me?" Xia Yuan asked arrogantly.

Lin Yan smiled and stepped out from the crowd. Calmly, he said, "Then let's fight. What's there to be afraid of? I just hope you won't regret this decision later!"

"Regret? What a joke!"

"I've never had anything to regret in all my life."

"Xia Yuan, level twenty-one Assault System Battle Soul Master."

Pride appeared on Xia Yuan's face.

Among the hundred new students in Class Two, half had soul power above level twenty.

The reason Xia Yuan was proud was precisely because of his age.

Shrek Academy only admitted students under the age of twelve, and most applicants were nearly twelve years old.

As for Xia Yuan, he still had a month before his eleventh birthday.

In other words, at an age one year younger than most, he possessed the same soul power cultivation as the vast majority of new students. That was one of the reasons for his pride.

Xia Yuan slowly spread his arms. Accompanied by the resounding roar of a fierce tiger, his body suddenly grew a foot taller, his shoulders and back becoming exceptionally broad and solid as a layer of tawny tiger hide emerged over his skin.

Several black markings formed a domineering king character across his forehead.

As his martial soul possessed him, two bright yellow Century Spirit Rings rose from beneath his feet.

From the changes in Xia Yuan's body, it was easy to tell that his martial soul was some kind of tiger-type martial soul.

This was another source of Xia Yuan's pride. Tigers stood at the top of nature's food chain, and all tiger-type soul beasts made exceptionally powerful martial souls. Moreover, Xia Yuan's Earth-Splitting Tiger martial soul was one of the stronger tiger-type soul beasts.

"What's wrong? Did I scare you stupid? Too afraid to move?"

Having completed his martial soul possession, Xia Yuan spoke smugly.

Feeling the many gazes gathering on him along with Xia Yuan's voice, Lin Yan smiled and stepped forward to introduce himself. "Lin Yan, level thirty-three Assault System Battle Soul Elder."

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone froze for a moment.

Yan Hongyu was no exception. Her peach-blossom eyes immediately turned toward Lin Yan almost instinctively.

"Level thirty-three?"

Before Xia Yuan could even process that number, a sudden crack of thunder made his body tremble.

A one-meter-long black spiked club appeared in Lin Yan's right hand.

The jet-black spiked club carried a heavy, imposing presence.

Dark purple lightning serpents slithering between its spikes lent it an additional aura of violent savagery.

One yellow and two purple Spirit Rings, three rings surpassing the limit, pulsed around the spiked club.

At the sight of this, the surroundings abruptly fell silent.

Everyone stared at Lin Yan and his martial soul in shock and disbelief.

No one had expected Lin Yan to be a Soul Elder. And a Soul Elder with two Millennium Spirit Rings at that.

Among those present, Jiang Nannan was the only one who was not surprised.

She blinked her golden eyes as she looked at the confident figure in the arena, just as when they had first met, carrying the spiked club over his shoulder. A trace of admiration unconsciously appeared in her eyes.

"A Soul Elder...!"

Looking at Lin Yan, Xia Yuan no longer had any of his earlier confidence or arrogance. Even his voice had become somewhat dry.

The reversal had come too quickly.

Remembering Lin Yan's earlier words telling him not to regret it, Xia Yuan felt his face burn.

He had been the one to specifically name Lin Yan and issue the challenge. If he lost now, it would truly be humiliating.

"How about this? I won't bully you. I won't use soul skills, while you'll have no restrictions. We'll fight like that. What do you say?"

Lin Yan said confidently.

Before Xia Yuan could respond, a burst of cheers and encouragement from the female students among the onlookers suddenly erupted around them.

Lin Yan had already been extraordinarily handsome, and with his cultivation to bolster him, his confident and radiant appearance nearly made him the idol admired by every girl in Class Two in an instant.

"Fine!"

Xia Yuan agreed.

No matter what, surrendering without fighting was out of the question. He had been the one to call out Lin Yan by name and issue the challenge, so he had to see it through even if he cried. Otherwise, people would look down on him even more...

Besides, Lin Yan had agreed not to use soul skills. Xia Yuan might still have a chance.

"Begin!"

Yan Hongyu lowered her slender jade hand.

Roar—

A powerful tiger's roar rang out as Xia Yuan immediately activated his first soul skill.

His first soul skill was called Savage Tiger Strength, a boosting-type soul skill that enhanced his own strength and defense. Its amplification effect was roughly forty percent.

Under the enhancement of Savage Tiger Strength, Xia Yuan's body grew another size larger.

Compared to his physique, Lin Yan, who possessed a weapon martial soul, was undoubtedly much smaller. He did not even reach Xia Yuan's shoulder in height.

However, Lin Yan showed no fear whatsoever. He flashed forward, pouring soul power into the Black Demon Mace.

Crackle—

Blinding lightning erupted, accompanied by the sizzling sound of electric currents.

The spiked club was enveloped in brilliant lightning. Lin Yan gripped it tightly and swung it out in a crushing strike.

His first soul skill seemed to have given Xia Yuan confidence. Faced with Lin Yan's attack, he did not choose to retreat. Instead, he chose to meet it head-on.

However, in the next instant, he realized just how mistaken and foolish that thought had been.

When the spiked club swung over and collided with his fist, he felt a terrifying force travel through the point of contact in his palm, causing his entire arm to go numb in an instant!

"How is this possible?"

"What kind of terrifying brute strength is this?"

Xia Yuan wore an expression as though he had seen a ghost.

Although Lin Yan was a Soul Elder, he had not used any soul skills. How could a weapon-type Soul Elder without soul skill enhancement possess such tremendous strength?

He had actually crushed Xia Yuan, an Earth-Splitting Tiger Great Soul Master boosted by a soul skill!

The dark purple lightning turned into lightning serpents as thick as wrists and spread over Xia Yuan's body, immediately causing him to convulse as though shocked by electricity.

Lin Yan swung again, sending Xia Yuan flying without even the ability to resist.

Bang—

Xia Yuan crashed heavily to the ground, sprawled flat on his back.

Lin Yan did not pursue him, because the outcome had already been decided.

Just as Lin Yan had expected, Yan Hongyu, acting as the referee, immediately announced the end of the match.

The new students of Class Two who had been watching all wore stunned expressions.

At that moment, they could not understand whether the gap between a Soul Elder and a Great Soul Master was simply too great.

Or whether Xia Yuan was simply too weak.

How had Lin Yan defeated him so easily with only two strikes, without even using soul skills?

Xia Yuan crawled to his feet in a sorry state. Lin Yan had held back on the final strike, so his injuries were not serious.

Looking at Lin Yan, Xia Yuan's face reddened with shame. He hurried back to his place without daring to say another word, and the pride in his expression from earlier had been utterly shattered by Lin Yan.

"Alright, Lin Yan, return to your place."

Yan Hongyu stared at Lin Yan, her beautiful eyes filled with interest.

"Yes, Teacher!"

Lin Yan flashed a brilliant smile before returning to his place under the watchful gazes of the crowd.

Perhaps because he had revealed his strength, Lin Yan noticed that the way others looked at him had changed.

The girls had previously looked at him only with fondness and appreciation, but now there was an undisguised admiration as well.

As for the boys, the jealousy they had felt over his looks quickly vanished, replaced by awe!