Silence. The entire arena fell utterly silent.
Everyone in the arena raised their heads and looked at the White-Haired Boy, whose chin was tilted slightly upward.
The breeze stirred the bangs over his forehead, lending his handsome face a carefree, unruly charm.
The three judges below the arena had been about to scoff when they heard his words.
But at the sight of the radiant boy standing there, they somehow closed their mouths again.
"Old Yang, did I hear that wrong? Did this brat just say he wanted to fight all five of us?"
Zhao Youji dug at his ear and spoke to Yang Wushuang beside him.
"No, that's exactly what he said."
Yang Wushuang also watched the boy nearby with a baffled gaze, unable to understand where he found the confidence to say such a thing.
"Hey, brat, do you know what you just said?"
After getting confirmation, Zhao Youji spoke irritably. This was the first time he had ever encountered such an arrogant student.
Right out of the gate, he had declared that he would fight all five of them.
"I know perfectly well what I'm saying. Don't worry. I'll go easy on you as much as possible. I won't use any Soul Skills, just physical combat. Otherwise, my victory wouldn't be honorable."
Yang Lin's voice remained calm, betraying no emotion.
It was as though his going easy on them was only natural.
"Hey, are you here to cause trouble? If you're not taking the assessment, get the hell out of the way!"
Before Zhao Youji could speak, Dai Huabin, who stood nearby and had long since taken a dislike to this white-haired fellow, spoke with undisguised hostility.
There was no other reason for his dislike of Yang Lin.
Ever since this white-haired boy had walked in, his fiancée, Zhu Lu, had never taken her eyes off him.
Especially just now, when the boy said he would fight all five of them, little stars had practically sparkled in Zhu Lu's eyes.
It made Dai Huabin feel as though something green was sprouting atop his head.
Yang Lin paid no attention to the clamor. He did not even spare Dai Huabin a glance.
He was clearly ignoring him completely.
Being ignored like this, being treated as though he amounted to nothing, made Dai Huabin's face burn.
He was the White Tiger Duke's son. How dared this lowborn wretch ignore him?
Dai Huabin's eyes turned bloodshot, and he panted like an ox.
"White Tiger Possession!"
His Martial Soul instantly possessed him, and two yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.
"Don't, Huabin! They seem to be from General Hua's Residence!"
Zhu Lu hurried to stop him. The Zhu Family's estate was in Star Luo City, and she had seen Hua Mulan bring two people over to visit.
"I don't care who he is! Even if he's the emperor's son, if he dares ignore me, I'll beat him all the same!"
"Die, you lowborn wretch!"
Dai Huabin did not listen. Someone like him, who used his cerebellum in place of his brain, clearly would not consider the consequences.
"White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!"
Zhao Youji had initially wanted to stop Dai Huabin's sudden attack.
But then he remembered the white-haired brat's earlier arrogant words and could not be bothered to move.
He wanted to see just how much this brat really amounted to.
If he struggled even against a mere level thirty-one Soul Elder, he could forget about fighting all five of them.
[Host gained Emotional Value from Dai Huabin +555] [Host gained Emotional Value from Dai Huabin +444]
Only when he heard the burst of Emotional Value did Yang Lin lift his eyes to glance at the bloodshot-eyed Dai Huabin.
Isn't this guy from the Dai Family? How did he come down with Tang Syndrome too?
As he watched the golden beam hurtle toward him, Yang Lin did not move an inch. His signature confident smile remained on his lips.
"Scared stupid? You piece of trash! This is what happens when you dare ignore me!"
Dai Huabin's lips spread into a grin, as though he could already see the boy collapsing.
But the voice that suddenly sounded behind him made his pupils contract sharply.
When did he get there?!
"I don't have time to play house with you. Get out of the way."
With a single Flash Step, Yang Lin appeared behind Dai Huabin, then lashed an airborne roundhouse kick into his neck.
Still releasing his Soul Skill, Dai Huabin was caught in its lengthy recovery and naturally failed to react.
The instant the voice sounded, pain shot through his neck, and his entire body went flying.
Dai Huabin reached the spot where Yang Lin had originally stood even faster than his own White Tiger Fierce Light Wave.
"Wow, a home run. Looks like my aim's pretty good."
Yang Lin held one hand above his brow and chuckled.
He had held back on that kick, leaving him dazed without damaging his brain.
If he had kicked with full force, Dai Huabin's neck would probably have snapped clean through.
Meanwhile, Zhu Lu's gaze kept drifting toward the white-haired boy beside her.
As for Dai Huabin...
Since he had refused to heed her warning, there was no need to spare him a glance.
"That... looks like my White Tiger Fierce Light Wave... why is it coming at me?"
Before Dai Huabin could shake off his daze, the golden beam engulfed him.
Bang, bang, bang!
After tumbling several times, his wretched figure finally came to a stop facedown.
Dai Huabin had never imagined that one day he would be struck by his own Soul Skill...
"Hey! Classmate! No sleeping on the ground!"
Wu Liuqi eagerly trotted over and lightly patted that bloodied face.
At the sound of that infuriatingly cheeky voice, Dai Huabin's last shred of consciousness vanished as he passed out from rage.
"Teacher, someone's sleeping here. Should I drag him away?"
Wu Liuqi raised his hand and addressed Zhao Youji, who was still stunned.
Only two or three short seconds had passed between Dai Huabin releasing his Soul Skill and falling unconscious.
Before Zhao Youji could even register what had happened, it was all over.
Zhao Youji and Yang Wushuang exchanged a glance, their eyes gradually growing solemn.
This brat really was no ordinary fellow.
Even watching from their bird's-eye perspective, they had failed to react.
The battle was already over.
"Ahem, carry him out first!"
At Wu Liuqi's words, the corner of Zhao Youji's eye twitched.
This kid certainly had a cutting tongue.
Wu Liuqi nodded, lifted one of Dai Huabin's feet, and hauled him to the assessment area like a dead dog.
A trail of blood marked the route, the trace left by his face kissing the ground.
Zhao Youji turned his gaze back to Yang Lin, his expression now much more serious.
"Brat, you certainly live up to being a monster who reached level thirty-seven at twelve. You've got some tricks, but if you want to fight five at once, come spar with me first."
"Martial Soul Possession!"
Zhao Youji's figure grew immensely tall, and his muscles swelled a full two sizes.
"Come on, show me everything you've got. Let me see what you're worth!"
The instant he finished speaking, that figure flickered several times and arrived before him at a speed he could not comprehend.
A Russian-Style Swinging Hammer came crashing toward his temple.
A Chinese-Style Opening, a Russian-Style Swinging Hammer-Zhao Youji, could you block this blow?
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