"Xiaofeng, hold them off first."
The brief echo of the starting whistle still lingered in the air as the positions at the center of the field had only just settled.
The golden-haired boy was the first to turn his head and issue an order to Wei Xiaofeng, who stood at the front of the team.
His tone was unhurried, carrying the composed air of someone giving orders as though it were only natural.
"Got it! Yangzi, you two hurry up."
Hearing the command from behind him, Wei Xiaofeng replied somewhat impatiently, his tone casual in the way of someone saying, "I already know, so why tell me?"
As he spoke, his body had already leaned forward slightly, his knees bent. He looked like a spring compressed to its limit.
The instant his words fell, he kicked off the ground and charged straight toward Gu Yue and the other two.
Almost at the same time, two yellow Soul Rings lit up around his body. The light was not particularly dazzling.
But it was clear enough, standing out distinctly beneath the afternoon sun.
A massive, illusory azure serpent coiled around his body. Its sinuous form wound around him, its head raised slightly and jaws parted as if hissing silently.
The phantom lasted only for an extremely brief moment before merging into Wei Xiaofeng's body, as though signaling the activation of some power.
And in that instant, as the two yellow Soul Rings around him appeared, one yellow Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up as well. Its steady radiance spread outward, enveloping his entire body.
Whoosh—whoosh whoosh!
As three nearly overlapping sounds of tearing air rang out, two identical figures split off from Wei Xiaofeng's sides as he rushed toward Gu Yue's group.
The three Wei Xiaofengs sprinted forward side by side.