"What?!"
Xie Yue's real body was hidden among the afterimages, and his pupils contracted sharply at the sight.
Ordinary defenses could never withstand the dense, high-speed slashes of his Moon Wheel Dance.
Yet this wooden wall did not budge, forcibly keeping his net of blades outside.
Standing behind the Wood Locking Wall, Su Yu could clearly feel the vibrations coming through it, but he was not the least bit flustered.
His fingertips twitched, and several thick vines suddenly sprouted from the top of the Wood Locking Wall, lashing toward the afterimages.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several afterimages were struck by the vines and instantly dispersed.
Xie Yue's real body was forced into view, and he staggered back two steps.
As he looked at the Wood Locking Wall, still standing firm, his expression finally grew grave.
"This defense..."
He tightened his grip on the Moon Blades, feeling for the first time the frustration of having strength with nowhere to use it.
Su Yu's voice came from behind the wall, carrying a measure of composure:
"You're fast, but not fast enough."
Before his words had faded, a gap suddenly split open in the middle of the Wood Locking Wall, and Su Yu darted out like a phantom:
"Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!"
Several wooden vines emerged from Su Yu's arm and shot toward Xie Yue to bind him.
Xie Yue's pupils contracted sharply. Soul power erupted beneath his feet, and his figure once again blurred into afterimages as he tried to evade the entangling vines.
But this time, Su Yu's wooden vines seemed to anticipate his path. Their branches turned nimbly as though alive, pursuing him relentlessly.
Clang! Clang!
Xie Yue swung his blades and severed two approaching vines, only to see several new, slender vines instantly sprout from the breaks and coil toward his wrists.
His heart tightened. This Wood Release's regenerative power is actually this formidable!
"You want to tie me up? It won't be that easy!"
Xie Yue shouted angrily. His first soul ring lit up again, and the light on his Moon Blades grew even more intense.
"First Soul Skill: Moon Wheel Dance!"
He spun rapidly in midair, his Moon Blades turning into a silver whirlwind that shredded toward the vines rushing at him.
For a time, wood chips flew everywhere, and the sound of vines being torn apart rang out without end.
But there was no trace of panic on Su Yu's face as he thrust both hands forward.
More vines surged from the ground, covering the entire arena in the blink of an eye.
"No matter how fast you are, you can't outrun the growth of these wooden vines."
Su Yu's voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable force.
Xie Yue's spinning assault gradually slowed. His soul power was being consumed at a tremendous rate, while the vines around him grew ever denser, almost completely sealing off the space around his body.
As he attempted to break out, a thick main vine suddenly shot out from the side and lashed across his back like a steel whip.
"Pfft!"
Xie Yue grunted, losing his balance, and the momentum of his whirling blades instantly collapsed.
Seizing the opportunity, several vines wound around his limbs in an instant, binding him tightly.
The Moon Blades fell to the ground with a clatter. Xie Yue struggled a few times, only to find the vines tightening further and even the circulation of his soul power becoming sluggish.
Su Yu walked slowly up to him and withdrew the excess vines, leaving only those binding him:
"Thank you for the match."
Seeing this, the referee announced loudly:
"Su Yu wins!"
Thunderous cheers instantly erupted below the stage. On the raised platform, Golden Crocodile Douluo clapped his hands in admiration:
"What a Great Forest Technique! Offense and defense in one, with well-executed restraint-this boy's use of Wood Release has reached the realm of perfection!"
Holy Dragon Douluo stroked his beard and looked at Bibi Dong beside him:
"Your Holiness, you truly make this old man envious. You've taken an outstanding disciple!"
After Su Yu left the stage, Hu Liena was the contestant in the second match.
Her opponent was also an Agility Attack System soul master, with the Gale Wolf King martial soul and a soul power level of around thirteen.
The Gale Wolf King martial soul was good, but its attack methods were too limited, while Hu Liena's first soul skill provided area control.
Naturally, this soul master with the Gale Wolf King martial soul was no match for Hu Liena.
The winners among the ten contestants were soon decided. The five remaining contestants were Su Yu, Hu Liena, Tuoba Yu, Yan, and Lin Yifeng.
The five stepped onto the stage to draw lots, and Su Yu actually received a bye this round.
Tuoba Yu versus Yan!
Hu Liena versus Lin Yifeng!
Hu Liena took a deep breath and stepped into the arena first.
At the entrance opposite her, Lin Yifeng walked out slowly. His build was much like Hu Liena's, his features were refined, and his eyes held a hint of sharpness.
He raised his hand and closed his grip, and a pitch-black spear appeared in his hand out of thin air.
A cold gleam shone along the spear's shaft, and his first soul ring quietly lit up beneath his feet.
"Please, show me your skills."
Lin Yifeng cupped his hands, his voice clear. He planted his spear with a thump, its tip pointing straight at Hu Liena, his bearing steady.
Hu Liena nodded slightly. The light of her martial soul flashed, and a Demon Fox Phantom appeared behind her.
A fluffy fox tail swayed gently behind her, carrying a faintly bewitching aura:
"Go easy on me."
At the referee's command, Lin Yifeng moved first.
Soul power erupted beneath his feet. He shot forward like lightning, his spear thrusting straight at Hu Liena's heart with a piercing whistle as it cut through the air.
"First Soul Skill: Spear Shadow!"
The spear instantly split into three afterimages, indistinguishable from the real weapon, enveloping the vital points all over Hu Liena's body at once.
Rather than retreat, Hu Liena advanced. The beguiling power of her Demon Fox Martial Soul quietly spread, and a trace of pale pink light flashed in her eyes.
"First Soul Skill: Demon Fox Charm!"
Lin Yifeng's movements faltered slightly, and a momentary daze appeared in his eyes.
In that instant of hesitation, Hu Liena had already drifted aside like willow fluff, evading the spear shadows' attack.
By the time he came to his senses again, Hu Liena was already in front of him with her fist clenched, driving it toward his chest.
Not good!
Lin Yifeng's heart tightened. Unable to pull back his spear in time, he could only hastily draw back his left hand, using his palm as a shield before his chest.
Her fist collided hard with his palm. Lin Yifeng felt a deft force pass through it, rather than a brute impact.
His arm involuntarily recoiled, and the blood and qi in his chest surged.
The grip of his right hand loosened as a result, and his spear nearly slipped free.
"How could..."
Lin Yifeng's eyes were full of astonishment.
He had assumed that a Control System Soul Master would be weak in close combat, never expecting Hu Liena's footwork and hand-to-hand techniques to be so crisp.
Hu Liena pressed her advantage without letting up. The instant she withdrew her fist, she pivoted on her feet.
Her right leg swept out with a rush of wind, kicking straight at Lin Yifeng's knee. The kick came from a tricky angle, avoiding the focus of his defense.
Lin Yifeng hurriedly retreated, but he was still half a beat too slow, and the sweep struck his knee.
An aching numbness immediately spread through it. He staggered back several steps before finally managing to steady himself.
At such close range, Lin Yifeng's spear had no way to bring its advantages into play.
"Your spear techniques may be strong, but you rely too much on your martial soul. Your own fighting ability is far too poor."
Hu Liena came to a stop, the Demon Fox Phantom swaying gently behind her.
"Soul skills aren't the only things a soul master can fight with."
Lin Yifeng looked at her, his face full of bitterness. In close combat, he, a Power Attack System soul master, was actually no match for Hu Liena!
He tightened his grip on his spear and was about to attack again when he saw pink light flash in Hu Liena's eyes.
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