At that critical instant, a figure suddenly appeared in the Arena.
Yan Shaozhe had arrived at the edge of the ring at some point. He reached out and steadily caught Dai Huabin just before he hit the ground, his Soul Power surging as he dissipated most of the impact.
"Enough." Yan Shaozhe looked at Wang Dong, a trace of helplessness in his voice.
"You've already won. If you keep throwing him, he really will die."
Yan Shaozhe had not expected Wang Dong to be so fierce either. If he hadn't stopped him, something truly disastrous would have happened.
Wang Dong halted his movements, glanced at Dai Huabin, who was being supported by Yan Shaozhe, then looked at the dumbstruck spectators in the stands. A smile curled his lips.
The stands were deathly silent.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at Dai Huabin, lying in a sorry heap on the Arena floor, their minds buzzing. That was Dai Huabin!
The student with the highest Soul Power among this year's freshmen, a rank-thirty-four Soul Elder, almost universally acknowledged as the strongest freshman! And what had happened?
From the start of the match to its finish, he had not even lasted thirty seconds before Wang Dong battered him senseless with the Eight-Stage Throw in front of everyone, without giving him any room to fight back.
"He... he lost, just like that?"
"I didn't even see what happened, and the fight was already over?"
"Dai Huabin had it rough... a rank-thirty-four Soul Elder, taken down instantly by someone at rank twenty-nine?"
"What kind of monster is that Wang Dong? Twin Martial Souls were one thing, but that throwing technique was terrifying!"
Zhu Lu stood on the Arena, looking at Dai Huabin lying motionless on the ground. Her eyes reddened, and she nearly cried. She hurried over and crouched beside him, her voice trembling. "Huabin! Huabin, are you all right?"
Dai Huabin lay on the ground, without even the strength to lift his head. His mouth opened as he tried to say something, but all that came out was a muffled groan of pain.
Each of those seven throws had carried terrifying force. He felt as though every bone in his body was about to shatter.
Yan Shaozhe stood at the edge of the ring, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly as he watched. He had just assured Xuan Zi that Dai Huabin had the best chance of winning the championship among this year's freshmen.
And what had happened? He had been taken down instantly in the first round. Yan Shaozhe stepped forward, crouched down, and examined Dai Huabin's injuries, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.
"Three broken ribs, a cracked left arm bone, and varying degrees of damage to his internal organs..." Yan Shaozhe sucked in a cold breath. "These injuries will take at least half a year to heal."
He raised his head and looked at the boy with long pink-and-blue hair on the Arena, a trace of complexity in his eyes.
This kid had been far too ruthless. The Eight-Stage Throw consisted of eight throws in total; he had stopped after seven, with Yan Shaozhe blocking the final one.
If that last throw had landed solidly too, Dai Huabin would probably have been bedridden for years. It might even have killed him. Was this really a Soul Master with only two rings?
Yan Shaozhe sighed, rose to his feet, and announced loudly, "Wang Dong's team wins this match!"
Zhu Lu bit her lip, glanced at Wang Dong, then at Dai Huabin lying on the ground. In the end, she supported Dai Huabin and left the ring dejectedly.
There was simply no fighting him. She and Dai Huabin had originally planned to give it a shot with their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, but Wang Dong had given them no opportunity at all, taking him down instantly.
Continuing the fight would only invite humiliation. She was no match for him.
Their teammate had no desire to keep fighting either and followed them off the Arena.
Xiao Xiao stood on the Arena, watching the three opponents slink away, still feeling somewhat dazed. "We... we won, just like that?"
She looked down at her hands, then at Wang Dong, her face full of disbelief. "I don't think... I did anything?"
Was this what it felt like to win without lifting a finger? It felt incredible!
"You did plenty." Wang Dong smiled. "If you hadn't kept Zhu Lu and the others occupied, I wouldn't have been able to focus on Dai Huabin so easily."
Xiao Xiao blinked, suddenly finding Wang Dong's face especially handsome in the sunlight. She patted her cheeks and muttered inwardly, Oh no, oh no. Why do I think he's getting more and more handsome?
Huo Yuhao stood to one side without speaking. Looking down at her hands, she felt an indescribable emotion well up inside her.
She had actually... beaten Dai Huabin? That older brother who had disliked her since childhood and suppressed her at every turn had actually been defeated by her?
Although Wang Dong had been the one who actually fought, her Spiritual Detection Sharing had provided him with a view and perception of the entire battlefield.
Without her support, Wang Dong could not have seized Dai Huabin's openings so precisely either. For the first time, she felt that she could contribute to this team, that she was not a useless burden holding them back.
She raised her head and looked at Wang Dong's back, her eyes stinging slightly. Him again... Wang Dong again. Ever since their first day at the academy, he had been helping her.
He had stood up for her, helped her cultivate, helped her find a master, and helped her grow stronger. She did not know how to repay him and could only silently resolve to become stronger, so she would not let down his expectations.
The competition soon continued. For the draw to narrow the field from thirty-two teams to sixteen, Wang Dong's team stepped forward once more. Wang Dong reached into the box, pulled out a slip of paper, unfolded it, and raised his eyebrows.
"Xie Huanyue's team?"
Another stir swept through the stands.
"Damn... what the hell is going on with this draw? Another clash between strong teams?"
"Xie Huanyue is a Soul Elder too! Wang Dong's team has such terrible luck!"
"No, you should say Dai Huabin had terrible luck. He ran into Wang Dong in the first round. At least Xie Huanyue didn't run into him until the second."
"Do you think Wang Dong can win again?"
"Hard to say. Xie Huanyue's Martial Soul is the Rubber Elephant. Its defense is astonishing, unlike a power attacker like Dai Huabin. Wang Dong's Eight-Stage Throw might not work against the Rubber Elephant."
Amid the discussion, Xie Huanyue stepped onto the Arena with his two teammates.
Both his teammates were Soul Grandmasters in their twenties in rank, one a Power Attack System Soul Master and the other an agility attacker, making for a fairly balanced lineup. Xie Huanyue himself was tall and burly, looking like a small mountain, fair-skinned and plump.
He took his place on the Arena, looked at Wang Dong opposite him, and grinned.
"Wang Dong, right? Your attack power really is impressive, I admit. But..."
He thumped his chest, producing a dull sound. "My greatest strength is my defense! You can't counter me!"
As his words fell, he abruptly released his Martial Soul. The Rubber Elephant! An enormous elephant-shaped phantom appeared behind him, and his body instantly swelled to several times its size. His muscles knotted, and his skin grew rough and thick, like a moving wall of flesh.
He stood there, exuding a heavy, steady aura, looking indestructible.
In the stands, quite a few people frowned.
"How is he supposed to fight that? The Rubber Elephant's defense is absurd. Ordinary attacks can't break through it at all."
"Wang Dong can't use his Eight-Stage Throw either. That move has limited effectiveness against targets with too great a difference in size."
"Exactly... this guy is Wang Dong's natural counter."
"Wang Dong's in trouble now."
Before you continue