Since this was the final match, all the partitions had been removed, leaving a very spacious arena.
Seeing that it was time for the match, the referee called everyone over.
"You can move freely throughout the arena during this match, but flight is limited to a height of ten meters. You can use your full strength without holding back. If you're in danger, I'll intervene, but once I rescue you, you'll be disqualified. Understood?"
"Understood."
Both sides answered.
Huo Yutong watched Dai Huabin across from her. Although Lu Yu's persuasion yesterday had left her emotions relatively stable, her gaze was still full of aggression.
Dai Huabin looked at Huo Yutong and drew a hand across his throat. He had undergone military training since childhood, and had personally slaughtered Soul Beasts at the age of five to build his courage.
At the same time, to cultivate the bearing of a superior, he freely beat and berated the servants at home. A few years ago, after learning from his mother that a bitch who had seduced his father had tried to compete with her for his favor and had even left behind an illegitimate daughter, he had personally ordered the servants to beat that bitch to death in front of the illegitimate daughter.
Thus, he had also developed a vicious killing intent, one that had often cowed his peers in previous battles.
Next, he would teach that girl across from him a lesson, break her bones, and tell her that not just anyone could look the future White Tiger Duke straight in the eye.
"Both sides, state your names."
"Lu Yu."
"Huo Yutong."
"Xiao Xiao."
"Dai Huabin."
"Zhu Lu."
"Cui Yajie."
"Begin!"
At the referee's command.
Dai Huabin charged straight at Huo Yutong. Before he had covered half the distance, three Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons blocked his path.
He looked at the green-haired shorty behind them.
Although he believed none of the new students were his match, their homeroom teacher had specifically warned him that the shorty opposite him had carried two deadweights all the way to the finals.
"Hmph. Let me see whether you're qualified to be my opponent."
He roared, and a barrier of light appeared around him.
First Soul Skill: White Tiger Protection Barrier-increased attack, defense, and strength by fifty percent.
He raised his fists and smashed them into the three Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons, driving them back again and again.
Hmph, is this all you've got? Looks like this year's new students are nothing but rotten fish and spoiled shrimp.
"Zhu Lu, Cui Yajie, you two go attack those two pieces of trash in the back."
Dai Huabin did not rashly charge past. He knew this shorty's First Soul Skill was a control skill. Once someone stepped between the three cauldrons, even a Soul Elder would have a rough time.
Although he had been stopped, the three Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons could not support the other side while holding him off. Now that Blue Silver Grass Soul Master opposite him was no match for his two women.
"The plan's going pretty smoothly. We haven't even done anything, and they're already following it."
Seeing Xiao Xiao stop Dai Huabin, Lu Yu smiled. To keep them from using their Martial Soul Fusion Skill right at the start, Xiao Xiao had deliberately gone easy on them. Otherwise, she would already have been spamming her first and second Soul Skills.
"We got around them. Looks like we've won!"
Having successfully circled around the Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons, Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie smiled victoriously.
The two had specifically asked their homeroom teacher about the details of the Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons. Although their attack and defense were high, speed was their weakness. If they strayed too far from their user, they might not return in time to defend her.
According to their homeroom teacher, that short girl normally stayed close to her cauldrons and fought at close to medium range. For some reason, she had sent the Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons so far away today.
She had probably been frightened by Dai Huabin.
Cui Yajie smiled confidently. She had yet to see a new student who could withstand the White Tiger's second transformation. Once Dai Huabin activated it, he could even take a thousand-year soul-level attack head-on.
Now they just needed to deal with this Blue Silver Grass Soul Master.
Cui Yajie stared at Lu Yu, pink light flashing in her eyes.
First Soul Skill: Charm.
Lu Yu merely felt a slight ripple in his mind, like a mosquito flying beside his ear.
It actually had no effect?
Cui Yajie then cast Charm on Huo Yutong, but Huo Yutong felt absolutely nothing.
How was that possible? Refusing to believe it, she cast Charm on Xiao Xiao as well. Xiao Xiao's mind did waver, but only for an instant, so briefly that Dai Huabin could find no opening at all.
How was that possible! Cui Yajie could not believe it. She had cast her Soul Skill three times in succession, yet it had accomplished nothing.
This First Soul Skill was her trump card. In previous matches, it had never failed to control a new student. Dai Huabin had not even needed to act; she and Zhu Lu could deal with all three opponents.
So why had her Soul Skill become useless in this match? Did their opponents have a Soul Skill that defended against mental attacks?
Did a hundred-year mental control skill even require a Soul Skill to defend against it? Wasn't it something you naturally became immune to once your Spiritual Power reached the necessary level?
Ah, that poor Nine-Tailed Fox Martial Soul. Its first Soul Skill was already scrap.
This was why Lu Yu did not recommend control skills from low-age rings. Low-age Soul Rings could still be somewhat useful against opponents at the same level, but they could not bridge a level gap at all. Hundred-Year Soul Rings were more or less obsolete by the Soul King stage, while Thousand-Year Soul Rings became obsolete at the Soul Saint stage.
People who invested their first four rings in attack and control skills inherently had four fewer skill slots than those who invested their first four rings in enhancement mechanics.
"Blue Silver Entanglement!"
Lu Yu raised his hand, and a blue wave surged toward Cui Yajie. She tried to flee, but in an instant, the space behind her was surrounded too, so densely packed that there was no escape.
Blue Silver Entanglement + Hair Net!
Seeing no way out, Cui Yajie leaped, swinging the two tails behind her toward the sea of Blue Silver Grass.
Second Soul Skill: Fox Tail Needles!
Trying to break through this dense sea of Blue Silver without a slashing-type Martial Soul? Keep dreaming.
Cui Yajie's attack was like water entering the ocean, failing to stir even a ripple.
First ring, a control skill. Second ring, an attack skill. I wouldn't have said anything if you'd gone all in on Charm, but why mix a melee Soul Skill into it?
This Nine-Tailed Fox was ruined.
Lu Yu shook his head and looked at Zhu Lu, who had been bound behind him.
"Little kitty, you've walked into the snare."
Zhu Lu had initially planned to ambush Huo Yutong, but upon seeing Cui Yajie in trouble, she had immediately changed plans to attack Lu Yu from the rear while Cui Yajie attacked from the front. However, Lu Yu had laid his trap long ago.
A close inspection of the ground revealed Blue Silver Grass densely packed into every gap between the arena's paving bricks.
"Hmph! You think Blue Silver Grass can hold me?"
Hell Stab + Netherworld Hundred Claws!
Purple light enveloped Zhu Lu, and her claws grew sharper.
Hell Stab increased her speed by one hundred percent, while Netherworld Hundred Claws provided attack speed and penetration, and could also damage an opponent's meridians after its Soul Power entered their body.
In an instant, countless claw shadows flashed, shredding the surrounding Blue Silver Grass.
The Blue Silver Grass surging up afterward was also sliced apart in one go. Claw shadows flashed around Zhu Lu as she kept advancing toward Lu Yu.
Area burning, area freezing, continuous slashing-the three sternest fathers of Blue Silver Grass!
"Holy shit, maggots! Why is this Blue Silver Grass such a maggot?!"
Lu Yu looked flustered. This Blue Silver Grass had betrayed his trust. From now on, their friendship was over.
Just as a victorious smile spread across Zhu Lu's face.
Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft...
Countless tiny jets of blood burst from her body. Blood spurted from her body, her face, and every part of her!
In an instant, she became a figure drenched in blood!
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