First Spirit Skill: Blue Silver Entanglement

Seeing Tang San summon his Martial Soul, Yu Xiaogang, seated in the stands, nodded in satisfaction. In his view, Tang San, having been guided by him, would surely defeat Lin Qing with ease. Once Lin Qing lost and became disheartened, he would descend like a savior and shield Lin Qing behind him. Then, moved by gratitude, Lin Qing would take him as his master. What a perfect plan.

Tang San saw his teacher smile and nod at him, and he was instantly filled with boundless encouragement. "Teacher trusts me so much. I absolutely cannot let him down. Lin Qing, today, I, Tang San, will definitely defeat you!"

"Lin Qing. Martial Soul: Nichirin Blade. Level thirteen assault-type one-ring Battle Soul Master." With that, Lin Qing loosely clenched his right hand, and a black blade appeared in it. A yellow Spirit Ring, far deeper in color than Tang San's, slowly rose and floated quietly around him.

"A Hundred-Year Spirit Ring! It's another Hundred-Year Spirit Ring!"

In Nuoding City, Soul Masters' first Spirit Rings were usually white ten-year Spirit Rings. Aside from Yu Xiaogang, the only ones these students and teachers currently knew of were Lin Qing and Tang San.

"Spirit battle, begin!"

At the teacher's command, Tang San made the first move.

"First Spirit Skill: Blue Silver Entanglement!"

Tang San's Spirit Ring flashed beneath his feet, and the Blue Silver Grass in his hand began growing wildly, winding toward Lin Qing.

Lin Qing remained calm. He raised his Nichirin Blade, settled his mind, and gradually made his breaths steady and rhythmic.

Just as the Blue Silver Grass vines were about to reach Lin Qing, his gaze sharpened. Then more than a dozen flashes of blade light vanished in an instant. Everyone clearly saw Lin Qing standing there without moving at all, yet the Blue Silver Grass before him was suddenly shredded into pieces by over a dozen slashes.

Damn it. My Blue Silver Grass has become tougher, but it isn't hard enough. It simply can't withstand Lin Qing's blade, Tang San thought in frustration as his Blue Silver Entanglement was so easily cut apart.

Looks like I can only use hidden weapons!

Without another word, Tang San immediately activated Purple Demon Eyes and Mysterious Jade Hand. His pupils turned violet, while his hands became jade-colored. Reaching for the belt around his waist, he pulled out several different hidden weapons the next moment—leaf-shaped blades, nails, silver needles, and throwing knives. He continuously hurled them at Lin Qing using a variety of techniques.

"Using hidden weapons?" Lin Qing seemed to have anticipated it.

"First Spirit Skill: Water Breathing." Lin Qing's first Spirit Ring flashed, and his black blade instantly turned water-blue. Its oval guard became hexagonal. On one side of the blade were the words "Demon Slayer," while the other bore the name "Lin Qing."

At the same time, Lin Qing immediately activated his Breathing Style. "Water Breathing: Eleventh Form: Dead Calm."

The next instant, a body of water centered on Lin Qing immediately spread across the entire arena.

At this sight, both Yu Xiaogang in the stands and Tang Hao, who was watching from the shadows, were shocked. "A domain Spirit Skill?!"

But in the next moment, a series of clanging sounds rang out as all of Tang San's hidden weapons were knocked to the ground.

"So it's merely a defensive Spirit Skill." Yu Xiaogang had just breathed a sigh of relief, but then he felt some regret. "What a pity. This child's Martial Soul is a blade, and blades excel at offense. Yet Lin Qing's first Spirit Ring gave him a defensive Spirit Skill. His first Spirit Skill is practically wasted. At most, it can block Little San's hidden weapons. Against even slightly stronger attacks, it'll reveal its true limits."

"No, I must take this child as my disciple! I cannot let him continue down the wrong path! Little San, you must win. Whether Lin Qing becomes my disciple today depends on you!" Yu Xiaogang now desperately hoped Tang San would win.

Tang Hao, meanwhile, saw through more than Yu Xiaogang did. "This Spirit Skill is interesting. It knocks down enemy attacks through high-speed slashes. It appears to be defensive, but it is actually both offensive and defensive."

After all, Lin Qing was still too weak at present, so Tang Hao easily saw through his high-speed slashes.

However, the essence of Lin Qing's sword techniques was to use the movement of his lungs to draw upon the various currents in heaven and earth, attaching them to the Nichirin Blade and thus creating the effects of different sword techniques.

Because of this, Lin Qing had not used any Soul Power at all. He had merely used ordinary breathing, so Tang Hao did not realize that this was not Lin Qing's Spirit Skill.

Damn it, even my hidden weapons don't work? Seeing that even his prized hidden weapons could not threaten Lin Qing, Tang San was suddenly discouraged.

Just as Tang San was about to give up, the water around him suddenly receded, shrinking back beneath Lin Qing's feet.

Lin Qing, meanwhile, supported himself with his blade and gasped for breath, looking as though he were about to collapse.

It could not be helped. For the current Lin Qing, using Water Breathing's Eleventh Form still put too much strain on his lungs.

Great! Lin Qing seems to have expended a great deal. I only need to keep wearing him down until his Soul Power is exhausted! It was not that Tang San did not want to attack head-on; Lin Qing's earlier display had left him rattled. He knew that he could not defeat Lin Qing with his Martial Soul. Nor had he yet made any particularly powerful hidden weapons, and the ones he had would have difficulty hurting Lin Qing. Thus, Tang San could only resort to stalling.

"Blue Silver Entanglement!"

Tang San used Blue Silver Entanglement again, while Lin Qing could only keep swinging his blade and cutting the Blue Silver Grass apart again and again.

Seeing Tang San endlessly cast Blue Silver Entanglement as though he had gone mad made Lin Qing's mouth twitch.

Has Tang San lost it? It's not as if I can't hold on anymore. That sword technique just now only caused some damage to my lungs. With my demon physique, this kind of injury isn't much of a burden. A few breaths are enough for me to recover almost completely, Lin Qing inwardly complained as he watched Tang San.

Tang San probably thinks that attack just drained all my Soul Power. He wants to win by exhausting it all? Heh, no chance!

Lin Qing's gaze turned cold as he continuously launched ordinary slashes with his blade. He did not dare use sword techniques again. Tang Hao was surely hiding somewhere and watching him, and if he displayed another unfamiliar sword technique, Tang Hao would probably come have a "heart-to-heart" with him tonight.

While cutting through the Blue Silver Grass, Lin Qing advanced toward Tang San.

As Lin Qing gradually approached, Tang San guessed that Lin Qing intended to get close and end the battle quickly.

"Humph! You want to end this quickly through close combat? Dream on!"

"Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track!"

Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. Immediately, his figure became illusory, and his speed surged as he tried to shake Lin Qing off.

But Lin Qing gave him no chance. He concentrated all his strength in his calves and stomped down hard. With a loud bang, Lin Qing became a blur and instantly arrived before Tang San.

Lin Qing held the Nichirin Blade horizontally, its back facing outward, and struck Tang San's waist with it. The blow sent Tang San flying off the spirit battle platform.