The Fire Dragon Tests the Blade

As night fell, fires lit up the back mountain of the Blue Tyrant Academy.

The area Liu Erlong chose was quite spacious, surrounded by exposed rocks, and more than twenty feet from the nearest grove of trees. She clearly often fought here, as there were many scorch marks on the ground, the deepest of which was half a foot deep.

When Yuan Yu arrived, Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the Shrek members were already standing on the sidelines.

He stopped and turned to look at Flender.

"Dean, I thought it was a solo trial."

Flender pushed up his glasses. "I thought so too."

Liu Erlong stood in the center of the open space with his arms crossed, and sneered upon hearing this, "A level 58 Soul King is going to fight me? Are you afraid of people watching?"

"I'm afraid if I play too well, the whole college will come to challenge me to a duel tomorrow."

Ma Hongjun chimed in from the sidelines, "Brother Yu, don't worry. As long as Erlong Dean hard enough, no one will dare to come tomorrow."

Yuan Yu turned to look at him. "Fatty, let's practice one-on-one when we get back."

Ma Hongjun immediately shut up.

Liu Erlong was too lazy to listen to their banter, so he lifted his foot and drew a circle with a diameter of three zhang on the ground.

"Twenty moves. I won't use my Martial Soul Avatar. If you can leave a knife mark on my Dragon Scales, you'll pass. If you still can't do it after twenty moves, you'll train with me tomorrow morning."

Yuan Yu drew his Sun Wheel Blade and glanced down at the White-Clad he had just changed into.

"First, let me ask you, who's responsible if the clothes are damaged?"

"It's Boss Fu's turn."

Flender's face darkened instantly. "You're fighting, why should I be held responsible?"

Liu Erlong has already released her Martial Soul.

A deep dragon roar echoed from the back mountain, and crimson scales quickly returned to her arms, flames rising along her shoulders and back. Seven Spirit Ring appeared beneath her feet, and the aura of Soul Sage spread out. Oscar and Ning Rongrong, standing on the sidelines, subconsciously took a step back.

Yuan Yu's smile faded slightly.

Five God-given Spirit Rings circled around his sides, and the Water Pattern on the Sun Wheel Blade were the first to light up.

Liu Erlong rushed out in one step.

Without testing her, she aimed her right fist, still glowing with fire, straight at Yuan Yu's chest. Before her fist even reached him, the heat wave had already lifted the hem of his clothes, and a few withered leaves at his feet were swept into the fire, turning to ash in the blink of an eye.

Yuan Yu sidestepped and drew his sword, the water swirling along the back of the blade.

"Water Breathing - Third Form, Flowing Dance"

The blade spun past the Dragon Fist, and the water was burned by the flames, creating a large cloud of white mist. Yuan Yu used the momentum to slide past Liu Erlong and slashed at her arm with his other hand.

Liu Erlong elbowed him.

Fire Star as the blade grazed the Dragon Scales, Yuan Yu's wrist went numb, and he was thrown back two zhang. Before he could land properly, Liu Erlong had already caught up with him, sweeping his left leg horizontally, flames spreading along the ground.

Yuan Yu plunged the knife into the ground, and the Rock Pattern pressed into the mountain rocks.

"Stone Breathing, First Form: Serpent-Pattern Rock, Dual Extremes"

Two Rock Ridge rose up from his feet, blocking his way one after the other. The first one was shattered by Liu Erlong's kick, and the second one only lasted for half a breath longer. Yuan Yu took the opportunity to draw his sword and retreat, the pebbles flying past his cheeks and making a crisp sound as they hit his ears.

Zhao Wuji's eyelids twitched as he watched.

"Erlong said she was testing the knife, but she didn't hold back at all."

Flender stared at the field. "She's playing it safe. Yuan Yu isn't using his full strength either."

"This isn't working yet?" Oscar asked.

Flender did not answer.

The game has reached its ninth move.

Liu Erlong fought faster and faster, each punch carrying the brute force of the Fire Dragon Martial Soul. Yuan Yu did not fight her head-on. He used Water Pattern to deflect the force, Wind Pattern to shift his position, and Rock Pattern to stabilize his lower body. Several times when he got close, he was forced back by the Dragon Claw.

The twelfth move: Liu Erlong's third Spirit Ring lit up.

She clenched her fist, and the flames that had been spreading around her simultaneously converged, condensing into a blinding red light in her palm.

Try to dodge it.

A burst of fire erupted.

Wind Pattern swirled beneath Yuan Yu's feet as he slashed upwards with his Sun Wheel Blade.

"Wind Breathing - Fourth Form, Rising Dust Storm!"

The wind whipped up gravel and dust, colliding head-on with the oncoming wave of fire. A muffled thud echoed from the back of the mountain, and the flames parted on both sides, the hot wind whipping the clothes of those on the sidelines against their skin.

Ning Rongrong raised her hand to cover her face. "Which move is it?"

Tang San kept counting. "Sixteen."

When the flames dissipated, Yuan Yu was no longer where he had been.

Liu Erlong's eyes flickered, and he swept his Dragon Claw to the left. The claw shattered a faint glow, but there was no one inside.

"Mist Breathing - First Form, Sky-Hanging Distant Rosy Clouds"

The sound came from the right.

Liu Erlong turned and threw a punch, but his fist pierced through another layer of Rosy Glow. The second and third layers unfolded one after another, and the sound of Yuan Yu's footsteps was carried by the wind, sometimes near and sometimes far.

The nineteenth move.

Liu Erlong simply stood firm, flames rising simultaneously from all her Dragon Scales. She stopped chasing and instead guarded the center of the three-zhang circle, waiting for Yuan Yu to come to her.

"One move left."

That's enough.

Yuan Yu's voice faded, purple and white Lightning Flash flashed from the depths of the rosy clouds.

He didn't charge directly at Liu Erlong. Instead, he circled halfway around the edge of the circle, and suddenly turned back the moment she turned around. The Water Pattern subsided, and Flame Pattern lit up along the blade, the crimson-gold firelight reduced to a thin line.

"Flame Breathing, First Form, Unquenchable Fire"

Liu Erlong raised his arm to block.

The Sun Wheel Blade slashed at the outside of her forearm, the crimson-gold flames colliding with the Fire Dragon scales. Liu Erlong's flames blocked the blade, but Yuan Yu used the Wind Pattern to push the blade forward another half inch.

A soft sound.

A thin, long white mark appeared on one of the crimson Dragon Scales.

Yuan Yu sheathed his sword and stepped back, his heels landing just outside the circle. He glanced down at his sleeve, which had two holes burned into it, and sighed.

"Twenty moves. The clothes are still ruined."

There was a moment of silence on the sidelines.

Zhao Wuji laughed first, "Not bad, kid. You just reached level 58 and you dare to go head-to-head with Fire Dragon."

Liu Erlong raised his arm, looking at the knife marks on the Dragon Scales, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Who taught you that last move?"

Yuan Yu sheathed his sword. "Since you're from the Sword Cult, I'll take the beating."

Liu Erlong didn't continue the joke, "You changed moves too quickly in the first ten moves. The water had just subsided when you attacked with the Rock Pattern, and I caught you twice in the middle. If your opponent had used claws, you would be bleeding now."

Yuan Yu lowered his head and thought for a moment, then nodded. "I just reached level 58, my Soul Power increased a bit, so my attacks were faster, and I couldn't keep up with the recovery."

"Good to know. Come again tomorrow night, and get the water and rock powers up first."

"Again?"

"The clothes are all on Boss Fu's tab, what are you afraid of?"

Flender' face darkened further upon hearing this.

Liu Erlong raised her hand to slap him.

Yuan Yu was prepared and turned to hide behind Flender: "We agreed on twenty moves, the Dean can't have an extra round."

Just as Flender was about to push him out, hurried footsteps suddenly came from the mountain path.

A teacher named Blue Tyrant ran up carrying a lamp, his shoes covered in mud, and he was still panting when he spoke.

"Dean, something's happened in the Herb Garden!"

Liu Erlong's smile vanished immediately.

"What's up?"

"The newly planted herbs are all turning black, and even the herbs in the old garden are withering. If we wait until dawn, at least 30% of the Herb Garden will be destroyed!"

Tang San had already walked over. "Take me to see."

Yuan Yu gripped the Sun Wheel Blade.

Inside the scabbard, the Rosy Cloud Pattern that had been dormant all the way cooled slightly.