Victory!

Wave after wave of blood-red Soul Power surged outward, threaded with a scorching force, and swept wildly beyond the arena!

Inside and outside the arena, everyone was stunned!

"Terrifying! He's only six and a half, yet his First Soul Ring is a Thousand-Year Soul Ring! Talent like that is almost unheard of! Hm? Grandmaster, Yang Que doesn't seem to fit your theory!" the dean said in amazement.

"Ahem! Yang Que is an exception. I suspect it has to do with his Martial Soul, and his body can withstand an extraordinary amount. That's how he managed to take a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as his first..." Yu Xiaogang said, looking embarrassed.

"I can't wait to see what he can do. Will he beat the instructor we carefully selected?" the dean said with a sigh.

"Kid, I admit your talent is unparalleled, but a One-Ring Soul Master is still a One-Ring Soul Master. You can't beat a Soul Elder above your level!" Wang Yingjie said, feigning composure.

"You'll find out soon enough." Yang Que looked at him with open disdain.

The fight was about to erupt!

Wang Yingjie opened with Soul Power pressure, hoping to pin Yang Que in place.

But he was disappointed. Yang Que remained unmoved. He cultivated the Jade-Suppressing Nether King Body, a top-tier body-refining art, even if Wang Yingjie was a level-38 Soul Elder!

When the pressure failed, Wang Yingjie immediately unleashed his first and second Soul Skills.

First Soul Skill: Fierce Tiger Charge! Second Soul Skill: Tiger Fist!

Thunderclap Sword Shadow Steps! Yang Que moved like lightning, three phantoms trailing beside him, impossible to tell from the real thing! He charged Wang Yingjie and met his fists head-on!

Bang! The clash sent them both reeling backward! But Wang Yingjie retreated only ten steps, while Yang Que was driven to the edge of the fighting platform!

"He actually traded blows with an instructor—and came away unhurt?" a group of students exclaimed in shock.

"Just as you predicted, Grandmaster! Yang Que's body really is strong. He clashed head-on with Instructor Yingjie without getting hurt!" Even the dean looked stunned.

"Mm." Yu Xiaogang turned his attention back to the platform.

"Kid, you really are a genius! But I only used half my strength!" Wang Yingjie had nearly gone all out, but his pride as an instructor would not let him admit it.

"Heh!" Yang Que sneered and charged again!

Seeing him come, Wang Yingjie refused to back down. He kicked off hard and rushed to meet him!

They traded blow after blow across the platform, exchanging no fewer than a hundred moves! The force of their clashes spread beyond it, leaving the fighting ground a wreck!

Then they suddenly sprang apart!

Yang Que rubbed his reddened, trembling hands. Wang Yingjie's hands were merely red, without a trace of shaking. As expected of a tiger-type Battle Soul Elder. His strength is frightening! I can't drag this out. Even with the Azure Yang Art, he's still a Soul Elder!

Wang Yingjie studied Yang Que. Looks like he's realized his Soul Power can't match mine. He wants to end this quickly. Fine by me. Let's see which is stronger—his first Soul Skill or my third!

Yang Que abruptly summoned his Martial Soul. A blood-red longsword appeared once more, and that purple Soul Ring shone dazzlingly in the sunlight!

"Instructor, be careful from here on! My Soul Skill won't be easy to take!" Yang Que warned him.

"Hmph. Worry about yourself!" Wang Yingjie clearly did not appreciate it.

Yang Que had nothing more to say.

First Soul Skill: Blood Blade!

"Here it comes! The kid's finally using a Soul Skill. I want to see how powerful a skill from a Thousand-Year First Soul Ring really is!" The dean watched intently.

A red Blood Blade soared into the sky and slashed toward Wang Yingjie!

Third Soul Skill: Thunder Tiger Wave!

A lightning-filled shockwave roared toward the Blood Blade!

Boom! The platform burst apart, and dust swallowed the entire arena!

First Soul Skill: Blood Blade!

Yang Que's voice rang out again! Two blood-red blades slashed toward Wang Yingjie!

"How can he use a Soul Skill that powerful twice in a row?" Wang Yingjie was aghast. His third Soul Skill had already drained most of his Soul Power. How could he dodge Yang Que's lightning-fast strike?

Bang! A figure flew out of the dust, crashed at the edge of the fighting ground, and fell unconscious...

"The monster won?" said the student who had insisted Yang Que would lose, his face filled with disbelief.

"I... I think he did..." Another student could scarcely believe it either.

A deathly hush fell over the arena!

Then, boom! Thunderous applause swept through the fighting ground, accompanied by scream after scream!

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Yang Que! Yang Que! Yang Que!"

"Get him help!" A group of instructors hurriedly carried Wang Yingjie to the Infirmary!

"The kid actually won!" The dean stared blankly for a moment before murmuring to himself.

"Incredible. A Soul Master defeated a Soul Elder! Is a Thousand-Year First Soul Ring really that terrifying? No, it can't be just that. His Martial Soul must be powerful, and the Soul Skill it gave him must be powerful too..." Yu Xiaogang said thoughtfully.

Yang Que staggered out of the ruins, holding a blood-red longsword that flickered in and out of sight. His white robe fluttered, and his face was deathly pale, but his young features showed no trace of distress—only resolve!

Yang Que was so weak now that blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Even an ordinary person without Soul Power could have knocked him down. Yet no one dared look down on him! Just moments ago, he had defeated a Three-Ring Soul Elder as a One-Ring Soul Master!

"Dean, Grandmaster, I won... You... have to... keep your word!" Yang Que said shakily.

The strain had been enormous. After all, he had used his first Soul Skill twice in succession at the end, draining every last drop of Soul Power from his body! Now even speaking was difficult, and his face had gone white as a sheet. Still, he finished what he wanted to say!

"Of course. As agreed, you won. We won't stop you," the dean said with a sigh.

Yang Que grinned. Then, finally unable to hold on, he fainted...

The dean opened his mouth. "..."

"I was starting to think the kid was made of iron. Those last two strikes frightened me! He used a Thousand-Year Soul Skill twice, back to back! What a vast reserve of Soul Power! Genius doesn't even begin to describe him. He's a monster!" Yu Xiaogang exclaimed.

"The more gifted he is, the less I want to let him take that risk," the dean sighed.

"Heh. As he said, an eagle can never truly grow under another eagle's wings. Let him go," Yu Xiaogang said with a smile.

"He won, didn't he? How can I refuse now? I should have fought him myself with my Soul Power Level suppressed to Soul Elder! Ah, let him go. His future won't be confined to Nuoding City!"

A day later!

Golden sunlight slipped into the room, bright and gentle, and woke Yang Que as he slept in bed!

Yang Que raised a hand to shield his eyes and sat up. At once, his whole body felt as though it had fallen apart. He had no strength at all!

They carried me back? I still don't have enough Soul Power. Just three Soul Skills emptied me out! I need to raise my level, and my footwork still isn't fast enough. If I'd been faster, speed alone could have beaten Instructor Wang! Ah, I'm still too weak, Yang Que thought.

If anyone had known what Yang Que was thinking, they would have spat in his face! You call that weak? A Soul Master beat a Soul Elder! If that's weak, what are the rest of us?

Tang San came in carrying a tray of food. "Oh! Brother Que, you're awake! The dean guessed right!"

"Mm. Tang San, did you carry me back? How long was I asleep?"

"Yeah! You slept for a whole day, Brother Que!"

"A whole day? I must've used up quite a lot back there!" Yang Que smiled.

"You did! Your face was frighteningly pale when they brought you back. The dean had the academy's only healing-type Soul Master help you recover. Otherwise, you might've slept even longer! How do you feel now, Brother Que?" Tang San asked worriedly.

"All right. I can still beat you up," Yang Que joked.

Tang San's face darkened. "Brother Que, I never knew you were this strong. No wonder you beat me without even using your Martial Soul! I can't complain about that loss!"

"Of course. Your big brother is still your big brother! Beating up a little brother is child's play!" Yang Que said, half joking.

Tang San was left speechless!

"By the way, Brother Que, my teacher said the highest age a person's First Soul Ring can normally have is around 423 years. How is yours a Thousand-Year Soul Ring?" Tang San asked, puzzled.

"Maybe my body's different from most people's." Yang Que clearly did not want to discuss it.

Tang San understood and did not press him. Everyone had secrets. Wasn't his own greatest secret the fact that he had come from another world?

"Then rest up, Brother Que. I'm going out to cultivate. Breakfast is on the table!" Tang San waved and went out.

After Tang San left, Yang Que sat on the bed, deep in thought. I beat a Soul Elder, but I'm still too weak. I'll train at the academy for a year before I go. At the very least, I need to produce one or two more shadows with my footwork. I should also get as close to level 30 as I can. Only then might I survive in the Star Dou Great Forest...

Yang Que knew exactly where he stood.

He would cultivate at the academy for a full year, then head to the Star Dou Great Forest to temper himself...