Victory Over Zhao Lie, the Academy's Number One

News of the two about to duel spread quickly.

In less than ten minutes, the training grounds were packed three layers deep with spectators.

Students from the genius class, elite class, and regular class had all come. Even several instructors had brought chairs and sat around the perimeter.

In the middle of the grounds, several teachers worked together to clear a circle twenty meters in diameter.

A middle-aged instructor stepped forward as referee. The rules were simple.

In a spirit duel, whoever fell and could not rise or voluntarily conceded would lose. No killing allowed.

Both sides were making their pre-battle preparations.

Pang Dahai lowered his voice. "He has a fire-element beast martial spirit. Your Behemoth has powerful defense, but don't take his spirit skills head-on. Your spirit power is eight levels below his, so a direct clash puts you at a disadvantage. Find a chance to get close and tear through his defenses with your claws."

Ye Xunhuan nodded.

On the other side, Qian Shuang was also muttering to Zhao Lie.

Zhao Lie responded carelessly, never taking his hostile eyes off Ye Xunhuan.

Several students with special status had also arrived among the crowd.

A black-clad girl with neat short hair leaned against the railing, her gaze cold. She was Shen Qingyue, captain of Shadow Team.

Another sturdy young man stood on the eastern side with four or five equally sturdy clansmen. He was Huyan Li, captain of Ironwall Team.

Neither of them spoke. They merely watched the arena in silence.

"Begin!" the instructor acting as referee shouted.

Zhao Lie made the first move.

"Martial Spirit Possession!"

Golden-red light exploded from his body as the phantom of a Blazing Flame Lion rose behind him, its head held high and its mane burning like flames.

Two yellow Spirit Rings rose beneath his feet, shining brilliantly.

His entire body was enveloped in golden-red radiance, his presence like that of a burning war god.

Ye Xunhuan was unhurried. "Martial Spirit Possession."

Dark-golden light flared to life as the phantom of a Behemoth appeared, dark-golden fur covering his entire body.

A single deep-yellow Spirit Ring rose beneath his feet.

Only one.

The surrounding crowd began whispering.

"One ring against two?"

"That freshman's Spirit Ring isn't ordinary!" Someone had noticed something unusual.

In the arena, Zhao Lie saw that Ye Xunhuan had only one Spirit Ring, and the curve of his lips widened. "That's it?"

His first Spirit Ring lit up beneath his feet.

"First Spirit Skill! Blazing Charge!"

Golden-red spirit power erupted across his body, forming a layer of flaming armor.

Zhao Lie turned into a streak of golden-red light and charged fiercely at Ye Xunhuan. He was so fast that he left a flaming trail through the air, while two scorched footprints were stamped into the ground.

"First Spirit Skill, Berserk Blood Battle Physique!"

The deep-yellow Spirit Ring lit up. Dark-golden light surged, and Ye Xunhuan's body swelled another size. Every strand of fur stood on end, and his skin took on a metallic sheen.

He intended to take it head-on.

"Bang!!"

Golden-red flames and dark-golden blood energy exploded at the instant of impact. The shockwave made people unable to open their eyes, and the ground cracked apart.

Ye Xunhuan retreated half a step. The ground beneath his feet had caved in, but he was clearly unharmed.

Zhao Lie's expression changed.

A full-power Blazing Charge from a level twenty-five Great Spirit Master had failed to knock away a level-seventeen one-ring spirit master?

Ye Xunhuan had no intention of giving him time to wonder.

The bloodline pressure of the Behemoth erupted in an instant, an invisible force blanketing an area ten meters wide.

The phantom of the Blazing Flame Lion visibly shrank, and the flames in its mane dimmed.

"What is this?!" Zhao Lie abruptly retreated to open the distance, his face dark enough to drip water.

"Second Spirit Skill! Blazing Lion Roar!"

Zhao Lie opened his mouth, and a golden-red sonic blast erupted from it, carrying scorching flames as it swept toward Ye Xunhuan.

It was an area attack. There was no dodging it.

Ye Xunhuan crossed his arms in front of himself, neither dodging nor retreating.

"Boom!!"

The sonic blast struck him, but this time Ye Xunhuan did not even take half a step back.

Zhao Lie was completely flustered.

His two Spirit Rings lit up in succession as his first and second spirit skills attacked at once.

Rather than fear it, Ye Xunhuan laughed.

"Good! Soul-Shattering Wall!"

Deep within his sea of consciousness, the Behemoth bloodline boiled.

Dark-golden light suddenly solidified in front of him, forming a thin, nearly transparent dark-golden wall.

The Blazing Lion Roar struck the membrane and vanished like a mud ox sinking into the sea.

Zhao Lie was completely dumbfounded.

And Ye Xunhuan gave him no time to react.

He stomped the ground and erupted with all his strength.

With Berserk Blood Battle Physique stacked with Mighty Dragon, Ye Xunhuan became like a dark-golden wild bull, charging straight through Zhao Lie's flames.

Zhao Lie instinctively threw a punch to meet him. The power of the Blazing Flame Lion wrapped around his fist, and golden-red flames scorched Ye Xunhuan's right arm.

"Bang!"

The fist struck Ye Xunhuan in the chest. He groaned, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but he did not retreat.

Instead, he used the gap between Zhao Lie's spent force and incoming force to close the distance.

"Madman!" Zhao Lie cursed inwardly. They were too close. At this distance, he could not dodge at all.

Ye Xunhuan's right claw shot out. Dark-golden claws extended half a foot from his fingertips in an instant, and five claw blades glowing with dark-golden light slashed toward Zhao Lie's chest.

"Get lost!"

Zhao Lie roared, using all his strength to knock away Ye Xunhuan's right hand as he prepared to pull back.

But Ye Xunhuan's left hand had already reached up from below. His five fingers clamped around Zhao Lie's wrist, dark-golden claws piercing flesh as secondary claws sprang out instantly.

"Rip!"

"Aah!!!"

Zhao Lie let out a pig-slaughtering shriek, and the spirit power he had just gathered dispersed once more.

Ye Xunhuan's right hand shot out again, his claws raking across Zhao Lie's chest.

His uniform was torn open, and five deep, bone-revealing bloody gashes appeared across his chest.

Zhao Lie staggered back three steps, staring at the bloody marks on his chest with terror written all over his face.

He wanted to concede, but his pride would not allow him to do so.

"Damn it, I'm taking you down with me!"

He was going to drain every last bit of his remaining spirit power for one final attack.

"Blazing Charge!"

Dazzling golden light lit up Zhao Lie's entire body, and he transformed into a meteor as he rushed at Ye Xunhuan at extreme speed.

"Good! Soul-Shattering Wall!"

Ye Xunhuan shouted and leaped up like a cannonball, changing direction in midair.

The Soul-Shattering Wall in front of him turned with him.

That was right. He intended to use softness to overcome strength.

Ye Xunhuan precisely calculated Zhao Lie's landing point. After adjusting his position, the Soul-Shattering Wall was like an invisible giant hand, completely covering the impact point.

"Bang!"

A massive cloud of dust mixed with shattered stones rose into the air.

When the dust settled, everyone saw only Zhao Lie, smashed by the Soul-Shattering Wall and lying there like a dead dog, while Ye Xunhuan stood beside him, calm and composed.

One second. Two seconds.

The entire arena fell silent.

Then thunderous cheers erupted.

"He won! The freshman won!"

"Level seventeen beat level twenty-five! The academy's number one is about to change hands!"

"What a ferocious martial spirit. What sharp claws."

"What was that layer of film? How could it be so hard?"

After the referee stepped forward and confirmed that Zhao Lie had only suffered external injuries, he stood and grabbed Ye Xunhuan's right hand, his voice ringing across the grounds. "In this spirit duel, Ye Xunhuan wins!"

Pang Dahai sprang up from the stone steps, scattering melon seeds all over the ground.

Ye Xunhuan stood in the middle of the arena, panting like a bellows. His dark-golden fur receded, revealing clothes that had been scorched black and torn apart.

That was terrifying. My spirit power was almost depleted.

Shen Qingyue leaned against the railing. Her solemn gaze lingered on Ye Xunhuan for two seconds before she turned and left.

Huyan Li scratched his head, muttered, "Pretty fierce," then left with his clansmen.

Xu Qingqing rushed into the arena and grabbed Ye Xunhuan, who was nearly unable to stand. Her eyes were wet.

"Waaah..."

Ye Xunhuan grinned. "I told you, I wouldn't let you lose."

Xu Qingqing's tears finally fell.

Pang Dahai walked over and looked Ye Xunhuan up and down. Only after seeing that he was unharmed did he let out a sigh of relief.

"Good. You didn't embarrass your teacher. Come on, bring your little girlfriend. I'll treat you two to dinner."

Ye Xunhuan said, "She's not my little girlfriend, hey!"