Defeat Me, Any Way You Like!

Seeing this, Gu Yue stayed out of it. She had always kept to herself and had no interest whatsoever in forming cliques. She stepped straight forward, stood before Wu Changkong, and asked, "Teacher, what is our special training?"

Her tone was calm, and she went straight to the point. She had come here to improve her strength, not to bicker.

Wu Changkong nodded, quite pleased with Gu Yue's attitude. Standing with his hands behind his back, he swept his gaze over the four of them and slowly said, "No matter what training you undertake, there is only one purpose: to increase your strength. Strength is divided into hard and soft capabilities. Hard capabilities are your soul power level, the power of your Soul Skills, and the strength of your body. Soft capabilities are combat awareness, adaptability in battle, and your understanding of Soul Skills. And in my view, all strength stems from actual combat."

"Therefore, your special training will consist solely of actual combat. You will use actual combat to awaken your own potential and improve your combat experience. First, I will explain the key points to each of you, and then we will begin."

With that, he first walked over to Xie Xie and Tang Wulin and began explaining things to them in a low voice. He spoke quietly enough that only the three of them could hear. Whatever he said, Xie Xie's expression gradually grew serious, and he nodded from time to time. His earlier dissatisfaction faded, and a measure of understanding entered his eyes. Tang Wulin listened with even greater concentration, his fists clenched tight and his eyes shining, as though a door to a new world had opened.

After finishing with the two boys, Wu Changkong walked over to Gu Yue and spoke a few words in a low voice. Gu Yue nodded slightly, her expression as cool as ever. Only her eyelashes quivered a little, and a measure of comprehension entered her eyes.

All three humbly accepted Wu Changkong's comments. They all knew his strength and breadth of vision. Receiving his guidance was an opportunity countless people could not obtain no matter how desperately they sought it. Never mind a few comments-even a few scoldings would have been a gain.

About a quarter of an hour later, he had finished explaining the key points to all three.

Wu Changkong turned around and finally looked at Hu Fangyuan, who stood to one side.

He looked Hu Fangyuan up and down, his eyes holding a measure of scrutiny and curiosity.

After considering his words, Wu Changkong finally asked, "Fangyuan, you... haven't truly used your full strength, have you?"

Hu Fangyuan raised his eyes to meet Wu Changkong's gaze. A candid smile appeared on his lips, and he readily admitted, "That's right."

Wu Changkong nodded, seemingly unsurprised by this answer. Without saying anything more, he reached down and pulled the blue-and-white belt from his waist. It looked like an ordinary leather belt, about three fingers wide, its surface worn somewhat glossy, with nothing special about it.

But a moment later, Wu Changkong's soul power rippled faintly. A faint frosty aura spilled from his fingertips and spread along the belt. In the blink of an eye, a thin layer of frost covered the entire belt, rapidly hardening it. The once supple belt became like a long whip forged from refined steel, gleaming with a cold metallic luster, tiny shards of ice forming along its edges.

"Before putting you through special combat training, I think I should see your full strength for myself."

Hu Fangyuan raised his eyebrows, and the smile on his lips only deepened. Rather than feeling the slightest fear, a fierce fighting spirit surged within him.

Standing before him was Wu Changkong, a genuine high-ranking Soul Master. The chance to exchange moves with such a powerful expert, with the other party even feeding him openings, was something he could not find even with a lantern.

He also wanted to see just how strong he could be when he unleashed everything: his rank twenty-one soul power, his two rank-one Gu worms, and the Heaven Refining Furnace's two Soul Skills.

Without looking back, Wu Changkong walked straight away from him. His pace was unhurried, yet every step seemed precisely measured, each one evenly spaced. Only when thirty meters separated them did he stop and turn around.

The ice-blue belt trembled lightly in his hand, giving a crisp crack as cold air spilled in every direction.

"Defeat me, any way you like!"

The casually spoken words carried an indescribable arrogance. He simply stood there with one hand empty, holding only an icy belt, clearly allowing Hu Fangyuan the first move.

Tang Wulin and the other two had long since moved aside and were standing at the edge of the training grounds. At those words, the three exchanged glances, somewhat speechless.

Xie Xie curled his lip and muttered, "Teacher Wu is really picking on him. With his cultivation, against Hu Fangyuan, who's only rank twenty-one? And he wants him to attack with everything he's got. Isn't this just a one-sided beating?" Although he had been at odds with Hu Fangyuan earlier, he had to admit that Hu Fangyuan was indeed strong. But no matter how strong he was, he could not possibly be Wu Changkong's match. Several major realms separated them.

Tang Wulin clenched his fists, staring nervously at the field.

Gu Yue folded her arms, her black eyes fixed unblinkingly on Hu Fangyuan, her expression calm. In truth, however, she was curious-curious to see how this fellow who did as he pleased and kept to himself would perform.

On the field, Hu Fangyuan drew a deep breath. Scorching flames flickered in his eyes, his fighting spirit almost spilling over.

"Then I'll... begin!"

The instant his words fell, a faint hum sounded. The Heaven Refining Furnace emerged from his palm and swelled in the wind, growing to the size of a washbasin in the blink of an eye.

The ancient-looking furnace hovered in midair before him, its opening aimed at Wu Changkong thirty meters away. The azure patterns on its body lit up one by one, a faint azure glow flowing across them.

First Soul Skill, Water Refining Azure Furnace!

The furnace's opening suddenly widened, and three thick streams of water gushed out. The instant they left its mouth, they coalesced into three arm-thick water spears and shot toward Wu Changkong with a shrill whistle through the air.

The water spears moved extremely fast, crossing the thirty meters in an instant. Arranged in a triangle, they sealed off Wu Changkong's routes of escape to either side, with the central spear aimed straight at his chest.

Wu Changkong stood where he was without moving at all. Only when the water spears were about to reach him did he lightly turn his wrist. Wielding the frost-frozen belt like a sword, he slashed horizontally at them.

The ice-blue belt swept through the air, leaving a faint trail of frost. He had great confidence in his control over ice. Once this slash connected, it would not only cleave the water spears apart; the water would instantly freeze into lumps of ice and fall to the ground.

Ting.

A crisp sound of cracking ice rang out.

The belt struck precisely at the center of the three water spears.

Yet the expected sight of the water freezing did not appear.

Almost the instant they were struck, the thin layer of ice that the cold had frozen over the water spears shattered with a crack. Rather than stopping, the water inside burst through the ice like fierce beasts released from their cages, still charging toward Wu Changkong. Not only did the water fail to slow, but the shattering ice shells made it a little faster.

Wu Changkong's gaze shifted slightly. This time, he no longer took things lightly. Like a phantom, he shifted half a step sideways. The three water spears brushed past the hem of his clothes and slammed into the barrier behind him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three dull impacts sounded, and three rings of ripples spread across the barrier. Water splashed everywhere, scattering across the ground.

Wu Changkong looked down at the wet patch on his hem, then raised his head to look at Hu Fangyuan opposite him, his interest piqued. This was the first time he had seen someone use a water-type Soul Skill without being countered by ice.

Ordinary water would freeze instantly upon encountering ice-type soul power.

This boy's control over his Soul Skill had something to it.