Captain of the Golden Generation, Leading Figure of Spirit Hall!

Yan continuously activated his Third Soul Skill.

The flames grew increasingly fierce.

Yet the withered vines did not loosen in the slightest.

The wood attribute should have been restrained by fire.

But before the Primordial Chaos Azure Lotus, that restraint had already lost its effect.

The All-Heaven Prison Root had also received boosts to its wood attribute and Soul Skill strength.

Combined with the power of a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring itself, it was not something a level thirty-seven Soul Elder could break free from.

Yan's arms were quickly pinned to his sides.

His legs were also completely bound by thick roots.

The withered vines continued climbing over his chest.

In the end, only his head remained exposed.

Yan tried to turn his head, only to discover that his neck had been restrained as well.

The Flame Lord continuously swung its fists, bombarding the surrounding roots.

With every attack, even more roots surged forth to replace them.

After several breaths, the Flame Lord's body was also covered by countless withered vines.

The crimson firelight was gradually suppressed by the Azure Divine Light.

Yan could no longer move.

Lin Tian stepped forward.

He crossed the ground scorched by magma and stopped before Yan.

"You lost."

The plaza fell silent.

Everyone stared at Yan, who had been bound into a ball.

No one had expected this spar to end in such a manner.

A level thirty-seven Soul Elder.

A top-tier martial soul, the Flame Lord.

From the beginning of the fight to his defeat, he had failed to force Lin Tian to move even half a step.

Yan gritted his teeth.

"I haven't conceded yet!"

He continued circulating his Soul Power, but the withered vines tightened again at that very moment.

Tough roots pressed against his chest.

Yan gradually found it difficult to breathe, and his face began turning purple.

The circulation of his Soul Power was obstructed.

The Flame Lord rapidly dimmed beneath the restraints of the withered vines.

The Primordial Chaos Azure Lotus still floated behind Lin Tian.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring slowly revolved.

Lin Tian only needed to continue activating his Soul Skill, and the withered vines could directly crush Yan's bones.

Yan finally felt death drawing near.

The gap between them was even greater than he had imagined.

Lin Tian had not even used his second martial soul.

"I concede!"

Yan spoke with difficulty.

Lin Tian raised his right hand.

"Release."

All the withered vines loosened at once.

The thick roots swiftly burrowed back underground.

The vines wrapped around the Flame Lord vanished as well.

Yan's feet touched the ground once more.

He staggered back several steps, braced his hands against his knees, and gulped down breaths of air.

The Flame Lord and three Soul Rings retreated into his body in succession.

The scorching aura around them dissipated as well.

Lin Tian put away the Primordial Chaos Azure Lotus.

The first pitch-black Soul Ring vanished into his body.

Only then did discussions begin rising around them once more.

"Yan really lost."

"And he didn't even touch Lin Tian."

"His first Soul Ring is a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring. How did he manage that?"

"No wonder the Grand Worshipper accepted him as a disciple."

The students who had mocked him earlier all looked away.

With one battle, Lin Tian proved that he had entered the Advanced Division not because of Qian Daoliu's status.

Hu Liena held Lin Tian's enrollment documents.

She looked at the black-clad figure and did not look away for a long time.

Lin Tian possessed only level twenty Soul Power.

Yet he could easily suppress level thirty-seven Yan.

Even if she had personally acted, she might not have been able to end the battle so decisively.

Hu Liena finally understood why Qian Daoliu had made an exception and accepted a disciple.

Lin Tian's strength and talent had already surpassed the academy's original standards.

Lin Tian turned to look at Yan.

"It's time to fulfill your promise."

Yan straightened up.

His gaze swept over the surroundings.

The nearby students were all watching him.

Hu Liena was also standing at the front of the crowd.

Submitting before Hu Liena was far more unbearable to him than losing the spar.

Yan did not move for a long while.

"What?"

"You want to go back on your word?"

Lin Tian snorted coldly.

Not far away, roots that had just burrowed underground emerged again.

Yan's expression changed drastically.

The feeling of withered vines crushing his chest had not yet faded.

He had already lost once.

If they continued fighting, the result would not change.

Yan took a deep breath and walked up to Lin Tian.

He lowered his head and bowed.

"I was disrespectful just now."

"I apologize to you."

Yan paused for a moment.

"From this day onward, I am willing to regard you as my superior."

Lin Tian glanced at him.

"Remember what you said today."

Yan nodded.

Hu Liena approached with the enrollment documents in hand.

She stopped before Lin Tian and handed the documents back to him.

"Lin Tian, I should apologize to you for what happened just now as well."

"I didn't stop Yan because I wanted to see what strength you truly possessed."

"Spirit Hall Academy does not accept trash."

"The Advanced Division is certainly not a place one can enter by relying on status."

Hu Liena raised her eyes to Lin Tian.

Her long hair draped over her white uniform.

Her legs, clad in black stockings, were pressed together, while her short white skirt swayed gently in the breeze.

"Now, you have proven yourself."

"Welcome to the Advanced Division of Spirit Hall Academy."

Lin Tian accepted the documents.

"This spar was my way of proving myself."

"You don't need to apologize."

Hu Liena looked at his calm expression, and her eyes gained a touch more seriousness.

Had it been an ordinary student, they would have been beside themselves with pride after defeating Yan.

Yet Lin Tian behaved as though he had merely done something utterly ordinary.

Xie Yue walked over from the side.

He first glanced at Yan, then came before Lin Tian.

"I have always served as the captain of the Advanced Division's core students."

"From today onward, that position is yours."

The surrounding students were stunned once again.

"Xie Yue is giving up the captain's position?"

"He is His Holiness the Pope's disciple."

"Whenever the Advanced Division formed teams for competitions, Xie Yue was always the one commanding them."

Hu Liena also looked at her brother.

"Have you thought this through?"

Xie Yue gave a bitter smile.

"The captain's position depends on strength."

"Lin Tian defeated Yan in such a short time. I admit I couldn't do that."

"Besides, he is only level twenty right now."

"As his Soul Power continues to rise, the gap between us will only grow larger."

Xie Yue looked at Lin Tian again.

"This captain's position will belong to you sooner or later."

"Rather than wait for someone else to bring it up, I might as well yield it voluntarily."

Lin Tian did not decline.

"Alright."

Xie Yue extended his right hand.

"Captain Lin Tian, please guide me in the future."

Lin Tian shook his hand.

"Let's learn from each other."

Yan stood to one side, his expression complicated.

But he had just submitted before everyone, so naturally he had no right to object.

Seeing that even Xie Yue had acknowledged Lin Tian, the other students also put away their earlier disdain.

On his first day in the Advanced Division, Lin Tian defeated Yan and took over Xie Yue's position as captain.

His name quickly spread throughout Spirit Hall Academy.

Several days later.

Spirit Hall Academy.

After finishing his morning classes, Lin Tian walked out of the Soul Beast archives.

Over the past few days, he had gradually adapted to academy life.

The Advanced Division's curriculum was extremely comprehensive.

Aside from Soul Beast knowledge and Soul Ring selection, there were also classes in actual combat, Soul Power control, battlefield coordination, and more.

Lin Tian went to the training grounds every day.

Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan had also begun coordinating with him in team training.

Although Yan still cared about his defeat that day, he did not break his promise.

Whenever Lin Tian assigned a task, he carried it out.

Lin Tian had just reached the outside of his residence when he saw an elderly man in golden robes standing before the door.

"Master."