Watching Jiang Xia learn her ability, Xu Xiaoyan did not know whether to feel happy or worried.
Noticing Xu Xiaoyan's state of mind, Jiang Xia smiled and said, "Xiaoyan, from now on, you can unleash your Starwheel Chain without thinking, too."
At his words, Xu Xiaoyan's eyes lit up.
He had experienced the ice-attribute enhancement Jiang Xia gave her.
That feeling of having an idea in her head, then having someone perfect it for her, drive her mental will, and mobilize her Soul Power to bring it all into reality was truly wonderful.
It was like... it was like-
Getting into a wheelchair!
Once she had experienced that feeling, she never wanted to get out.
Now, could she do the same not only with ice Elemental Control, but with her Starwheel Ice Chain ability as well?
Xu Xiaoyan was undoubtedly excited.
As for stray thoughts about becoming useless after Jiang Xia learned her abilities, she tossed them to the back of her mind in an instant.
Now, she only felt that Jiang Xia was learning all this for her.
So that she could get into a wheelchair when using Starwheel Ice Chain, too.
After mastering Starwheel Chain, Jiang Xia devoted the rest of his attention to opening up an illusory space.
That continued until the Skysea Alliance Tournament began.
"I'm only entering the team competition."
Jiang Xia did not have many expectations for this tournament.
Almost none of the continent's top geniuses would make an official appearance at this tournament.
To put it bluntly, this was just an amateur operation in some backwater.
The Skysea Alliance was actually already enormous, but that could not change the fact that its development was still lacking.
Although the coastal regions had been developing ever more rapidly lately, their foundations were ultimately far weaker.
Compared with major cities with deep historical foundations, such as Heaven Dou City and Star Luo City, the gap was far more than a little.
Not a single person on the Spirit Pagoda's list of talented youths came from the Skysea Alliance.
Naturally, Jiang Xia would not care about a tournament like this.
Of course, it was not as though no formidable figures had appeared at this tournament.
For example, the Skysea Alliance had invited a representative team from Shrek.
There were also Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi, who belonged to the final batch of inner court disciples.
Two geniuses who could not both be considered beyond the standard.
Skysea City.
An open-air stadium.
At the center of the enormous stage, Shrek's representative team and Skysea Academy's team began their so-called exhibition match.
The oldest member of Shrek's representative team was no more than fifteen, yet they swept through Skysea Academy's youth team, whose members were all over fifteen, like a gale tearing through rotten wood.
Across an age bracket, it was practically an instant defeat.
An exhibition match like this left the entire audience speechless.
"So this is Shrek Academy? They're so strong!"
Tang Wulin watched the seven Shrek members flaunting themselves freely on the stage, his face full of envy.
Jiang Xia curled his lip.
Wu Zhangkong explained from beside them.
"Their strength is actually already quite good by the standards of Shrek's outer court."
"That boy leading them has almost reached the threshold of the inner court."
"In that lightning field just now, he actually used the power of his battle armor in secret."
"He just doesn't have a full set of battle armor yet. I vaguely caught sight of three pieces just now. He still has a long way to go before completing it, but he only broke through to four rings recently. I suspect that when he reaches five rings, he'll be able to finish making his battle armor at the same time."
"At Shrek Academy, every student has to keep their battle armor production progressing alongside their Soul Power cultivation. Otherwise, they have no right to call themselves a qualified outer court disciple."
As he spoke, Wu Zhangkong unconsciously took on a proud air.
Jiang Xia curled his lip.
Noticing Jiang Xia's expression, Wu Zhangkong's face turned stern.
Still, he did not lecture him.
Because even at Shrek Academy, Jiang Xia's talent would place him among the very best.
He might even rank first or second.
If he lectured Jiang Xia now and accidentally said something to belittle him, only for Jiang Xia to later study in Shrek Academy's outer court and discover that not a single person there could put up a fight, wouldn't that tarnish Shrek's reputation?
Wu Zhangkong knew Jiang Xia belonged to the Spirit Pagoda.
But quite a few people from the Spirit Pagoda also went to Shrek Academy's outer court for further study.
For no other reason than to build connections.
If you said Shrek Academy twenty thousand years ago had jack shit and only knew how to manipulate people, you wouldn't be wrong.
If you said Shrek ten thousand years ago couldn't teach anything and only knew how to turn geniuses into geniuses, you wouldn't be wrong either.
But if you said Shrek Academy in this era had no redeeming qualities, that wouldn't do.
Shrek Academy in this era was still very important to talented soul masters.
Normally, if someone wanted to become a battle armor master, joining Shrek Academy's outer court was the easiest way to find like-minded companions.
It was easy to assemble a group covering three secondary professions.
The rare metals needed to make battle armor were also easier to obtain there than on the market.
In short, whether they belonged to the Spirit Pagoda or the War God Hall, as long as their lineage bore no ill will toward Shrek Academy itself, they would choose to pursue further studies in the outer court.
Wu Zhangkong held back the urge to run his mouth.
It was agonizing.
But there was nothing he could do.
That was just how talented Jiang Xia was.
Wu Zhangkong could only hope that after Jiang Xia entered Shrek Academy, the teacher responsible for him would be able to take him down a peg.
Jiang Xia noticed Wu Zhangkong's constipated expression but had no idea what was wrong with him.
Still, he did not care about any of it.
Tang Wulin still ended up clashing with Xu Lizhi and Ye Xinglan.
He also treated the two to a feast, then left them behind to wash dishes.
The next day, Ye Xinglan came looking for Class Zero with a flushed face.
She kept insisting that she would teach everyone a lesson.
Then, relying on her status as a Shrek Academy student, she forced her way onto a team.
That very day, the team she had joined was matched against Class Zero's team.
"Jiang Xia?"
Tang Wulin looked at Jiang Xia.
"You caused the trouble. You handle it."
Jiang Xia did not want to wipe his ass for him either.
"I know you want to study my bloodline power. Come onto the stage with us this time. Once we win, I'll cooperate and let you study it to your heart's content."
Tang Wulin suddenly said this.
A glint flashed through Jiang Xia's eyes.
He looked at Tang Wulin, a trace of doubt flickering in his eyes.
Tang Wulin spelling this matter out so openly was hardly a good thing.
Jiang Xia was no ordinary person. He knew a great deal.
There was an Old Tang inside Tang Wulin.
With Tang Wulin suddenly proposing something like this himself, Jiang Xia suspected a trap.
Still, since Tang Wulin had offered to let him study his bloodline power to his heart's content, Jiang Xia would not reject him outright.
He could think about whether there was a trap after this match was over.
If the risk really was too great, he would give up on studying it. He could not give Old Tang an opening.
Of course, the prerequisite was that this match itself would not be difficult for Jiang Xia.
They took the stage.
Their match was three-on-three.
Fighting for Class Zero were Jiang Xia, Tang Wulin, and Gu Yue.
Their three strongest fighters.
Tang Wulin had persuaded Jiang Xia to participate by offering to let him study his bloodline power, while Gu Yue had volunteered.
She had heard Tang Wulin and Jiang Xia's conversation and said she wanted to participate when the time came, too.
Tang Wulin had not refused.
Jiang Xia linked up with Gu Yue through Broken Dream and asked, "Why are you interested in his bloodline, too?"
"None of your business."
"Don't go studying it recklessly on your own. There's a remnant soul inside him, and its level is extremely high. Its spiritual fluctuations are stronger than my teacher's," Jiang Xia warned.
At his words, Gu Yue's eyes flashed.
She looked at Jiang Xia, surprise flickering in her eyes.