Early morning, on the training grounds of Spirit Hall Academy.
Lin Feng flipped aside to evade the fox tail sweeping toward him. His feet had barely touched the ground when a figure was already upon him.
Rather than retreat, he turned sideways to meet her, caught her wrist with his right hand, and used the momentum of his turn to pull her outward.
Hu Liena tapped her foot lightly against the ground, slipped free of his grip, and retreated two steps.
"Stop, that's enough." She withdrew her Martial Soul, brushed back the hair over her forehead, and looked at Lin Feng with some exasperation.
"I asked you to practice footwork with me. Why were you trying to charge right at me again?"
"Senior Sister, you swept your fox tail at me first." Lin Feng reined in his Soul Power as well, smiling as he caught the towel she tossed him.
"I couldn't just stand there and wait for you to sweep me away, could I?"
"Always ready with an excuse." Hu Liena gave a soft huff, then asked, "Well? You only reached rank thirty-five yesterday. Has your Soul Power stabilized yet?"
"It already has."
"That quickly?"
"I cultivated a little longer last night."
Lin Feng wiped away his sweat without explaining further.
He had endured no shortage of hardship over the past six years.
Nourishing his body with whale rubber was only part of it. He had not neglected body tempering, actual combat, or devouring and refining, either.
In particular, Martial Soul Bibi Dong's requirements for cultivating the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor were extremely meticulous. If a movement strayed even slightly, or he wasted even a fraction of Soul Power, she could pick it out.
At first, Lin Feng had found it annoying. Only after entering the forest had he truly understood what those details were good for.
His current ability to adjust his center of gravity immediately after attacking had likewise come from having his mistakes pointed out again and again, then practicing repeatedly.
"Come on, let's get something to eat first."
Hu Liena draped her towel over her shoulder and motioned for him to follow.
"Afterward, I'll take you to look at the new Soul Beast information the academy received. Haven't you always wanted to learn about the Soul Beasts outside?"
"No cultivation today?"
"We'll practice this afternoon. This little while won't make a difference."
The two talked as they walked. Just as they reached the exit of the training grounds, they encountered Yan coming toward them.
The red-haired young man stopped, his gaze settling first on Hu Liena before shifting to Lin Feng beside her.
"Nana, I was just coming to find you so we could practice together."
"I've already practiced today," Hu Liena replied.
Yan said with some displeasure:
"With him?"
"What about it?"
"Nothing."
Though Yan said that, the smile on his face faded a little.
Almost every time he had come looking for Hu Liena lately, he had run into Lin Feng. Sometimes the two were training, sometimes discussing cultivation. Even when Lin Feng went out to buy medicinal herbs, Hu Liena was willing to accompany him.
That left him feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Naturally, Lin Feng could tell.
He did not respond, however, merely folding his towel and preparing to pass by them.
But Yan suddenly spoke. "I hear you've broken through again?"
"Yes, rank thirty-five."
"Twelve years old and rank thirty-five. That really is impressive." Yan nodded. Those words were no flattery.
Such a cultivation speed was enough to draw attention even in Spirit Hall. Moreover, Lin Feng possessed an eight-thousand-year third Soul Ring, something even Yan had not achieved back then.
But talent was one thing, and present strength was another.
"Still, once a Soul Master reaches this stage, he can't focus solely on increasing his Soul Power."
Looking at Lin Feng, Yan continued, "A Soul Ring's age only matters if you can truly bring out the power of its Soul Skill."
"I know that."
"Knowing doesn't necessarily mean you can do it."
Lin Feng finally raised his eyes to look at him and asked in a low voice, "So, what are you trying to say?"
"Let's spar."
Yan's answer was straightforward.
"You're always training with Nana. No matter how much you practice against the same Martial Soul, you're bound to fall into habits. I happen to be free today, so I can help you test yourself."
At this, Hu Liena's brow furrowed slightly. "Yan, he's already practiced today."
"Weren't you only practicing footwork just now?" Yan looked at Lin Feng, his tone still fairly calm. "Of course, if you feel your Soul Power hasn't recovered, we can do it another day."
Lin Feng smiled.
With things put so plainly, how could he fail to understand what Yan meant?
Still, he genuinely wanted to exchange blows with Yan.
The Flame Lord's defenses and flames were just what he needed to test his current close-combat abilities. The Soul Elders he had fought before could hardly put enough pressure on him anymore.
"All right."
Hu Liena turned to him.
"Xiao Feng, you don't have to pay him any attention."
"Senior Sister, I want to give it a try too."
Looking at Yan, Lin Feng asked, "What rank are you now?"
"Forty-three."
"Then that's just right."
At those words, Yan narrowed his eyes slightly.
Eight ranks separated them, along with an entire Soul Ring. He had expected Lin Feng to hesitate at least a little, yet the other boy had agreed without the slightest fuss.
"Just right?"
"Yes. I need an opponent strong enough to find out how well my training has gone."
With that, Lin Feng handed his towel to Hu Liena. "Senior Sister, hold this for me."
Hu Liena looked at him, confirmed that he was serious about fighting, and only then accepted it. "Then let's go to the sparring grounds and find a teacher to supervise."
She looked at Yan again, her tone noticeably more serious.
"A spar is a spar. Don't bring any other feelings into it."
Yan did not meet her gaze, merely offering a reply.
"Of course."
The three turned and headed toward the academy's sparring grounds.
At this hour, quite a few students were already training there.
After asking what was going on, the teacher overseeing the grounds marked out an empty area and had the two stand on opposite sides.
"You may use Soul Skills, but you must not attack vital points. Once one side concedes, the other must stop immediately."
Both nodded.
Lin Feng glanced around, noting the positions of the boundaries, then tested the stone slabs beneath his feet with a few steps.
The space isn't small. Yan has plenty of room to unleash his flames. Keeping him within three meters will take some thought.
Hu Liena stood at the edge, draping the two towels together, her gaze fixed on Lin Feng throughout.
Yan took in the sight, and the little spark of displeasure he had suppressed flared up again.
But once he actually stepped onto the grounds, he still cleared away his distracting thoughts.
A disciple personally trained by the Supreme Pontiff, an eight-thousand-year third Soul Ring-either fact alone warranted taking him seriously.
He wanted to win, and to win so decisively that Lin Feng would have nothing to say.
"Are you ready?"
The teacher at the sidelines asked.
Lin Feng nodded and raised his arms.
Emerald light spread along his arms, condensing into two sharp spider legs, while the enormous phantom of the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor slowly materialized behind him.
One yellow, two purple.
Three Soul Rings rose in succession.
On the other side, a searing wave of heat suddenly surged.
Yan's body swelled amid red light. Rocklike patterns appeared across his skin, flames coiled around his arms, and even the air warped around him.
Two yellow, two purple-four Soul Rings pulsed up and down.
His Martial Soul, the Flame Lord!
"Lin Feng, if you can't hold out later, just concede." Yan clenched his fists, his voice much deeper than before.
Lin Feng rolled his shoulders, and the Spider Emperor behind him slowly spread its legs as well. He smiled. "Keep those words in mind yourself."