"Begin!"
The moment the teacher finished speaking, Yan stepped forward. Flames spread across the ground, and a scorching wave of heat rushed at Lin Feng, forcing him to move sideways.
Yan did not rush after him. Instead, he threw two punches in succession, cutting off the other two directions as well.
He knew the devouring range of Death Feast.
Three meters.
As long as he did not step inside carelessly, the effectiveness of Lin Feng's first Soul Ring would be limited.
As the space available to him shrank, the second Soul Ring beneath Lin Feng's feet lit up.
"Soul Devouring Spider Web!"
Several strands of emerald-green spider silk shot to either side, weaving into a web that swept straight toward Yan.
Yan raised his right arm, and his flames surged. The web swiftly blackened, and a hole burned through it in an instant.
But just as he prepared to continue attacking, two strands of spider silk skimming along the ground suddenly wound around his ankles!
Lin Feng gave a sharp tug.
Yan swayed, then immediately lowered his center of gravity and steadied himself. Flames surged around his feet, burning through both strands.
Yet that momentary pause was already enough.
"Third Soul Skill, Spider Emperor Devil Armor!"
Emerald light blazed from Lin Feng's body.
A thick layer of spider armor rapidly covered him. Six sharp spider legs spread from his back, braced against the ground, and sprang, launching his entire body forward!
Yan's gaze sharpened, and he raised his fist to meet him.
Boom!
A spider leg collided with his rock-armored fist, scattering sparks.
Lin Feng shuddered slightly, but he was not knocked back. Instead, supported by the spider legs on his back, he came to a steady stop right in front of Yan.
Scorching flames washed over his spider armor, leaving only a few charred marks.
The Soul Ring from the eight-thousand-year-old Scarlet Armor Demon Spider had given him not only strength and defense, but also resistance to high temperatures.
Yan's flames still burned him, but they could no longer force him to retreat immediately.
Meeting that punch head-on finally confirmed to Lin Feng that the body he had built through years of devouring and refining, consuming whale rubber, and repeated weighted training had not been for nothing.
The eight-level gap in Soul Power remained, but it was no longer so easy for Yan to suppress him with strength alone.
"Death Feast!"
His first Soul Ring lit up, and the phantom of the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor behind him abruptly opened its enormous maw!
Yan immediately felt the Soul Power in his body draining away.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng controlled the direction of the devouring force, concentrating its pull on Soul Power without drawing out any vitality for the moment. This was only a spar; he had no intention of crippling Yan.
At the same time, the spider legs formed from Lin Feng's arms stabbed out in succession, aiming straight for Yan's shoulders and the side of his waist.
Yan brought his arms across to block. A crack was pierced into his rock armor, and wherever the spider legs touched, his Soul Power drained even faster!
"So that's your plan?" Yan growled. His second Soul Ring lit up, and the rock armor covering his body rapidly thickened.
He did not continue trading blows head-on. Instead, he slammed a fist into the ground.
Shattered stone exploded outward with the flames. Lin Feng raised his spider legs to shield himself, while Yan seized the chance to retreat beyond the three-meter range.
The devouring stopped.
Immediately afterward, a mass of flame blasted straight toward him.
Lin Feng turned sideways to evade it. The paving slab beneath his feet shattered, and scorching fragments grazed his shoulder armor.
Yan gave him no chance to catch his breath, sending flames raining down one after another.
For a time, Lin Feng could only keep dodging around the arena.
"Did you think blocking two punches meant you could stick close to me the whole fight?"
Yan spoke coldly.
"The Flame Lord can do more than fight at close range."
Lin Feng did not answer, but as he moved, several strands of spider silk quietly shot out and stuck to the unbroken paving slabs on either side.
Yan saw them, but did not waste Soul Power clearing them away one by one.
Whenever Lin Feng approached, he would force him back with flames. Once the spider armor could no longer hold out, it would naturally be his turn to counterattack.
Another mass of flame descended.
Lin Feng suddenly leaped to the left. Yan immediately adjusted his attack, cutting off his landing point.
But while still in midair, Lin Feng suddenly pulled his spider silk taut!
His body was dragged to the right, skimming past the edge of the flames. Before his feet even touched the ground, a second web was already sweeping down over Yan!
Yan swung his arm to burn the web as he retreated.
But Lin Feng accelerated again with the pull of his silk. The six spider legs on his back braced against the ground and launched him inside the three-meter range!
The enormous maw opened, and the devouring began again.
This time, he gave Yan no chance to withdraw at leisure.
Eight spider legs attacked in turn, stabbing from the front and sweeping from the sides, striking his rock armor without pause.
Yan had barely raised his arms to block when a heavy blow struck his shoulder. He tried to retreat, only for spider silk to wind around his ankles again.
The instant the flames burned through the silk, two spider legs slammed into his chest, jarring the breath out of him!
At the edge of the arena, Hu Liena unconsciously straightened.
She had watched Lin Feng practice these movements, but had never seen him link his webs, spider armor, and devouring so tightly together in a fight.
Yan's expression finally changed as well. His rock armor constantly consumed Soul Power to repair itself, while his flames could no longer maintain their original intensity.
Yet Lin Feng fought more and more smoothly. Even his breathing, which had been slightly hurried, gradually steadied.
The Soul Power I'm losing is replenishing what he's using!
I can't drag this out any longer!
Yan roared, and his fourth Soul Ring suddenly lit up.
The ground beneath his feet abruptly split open. Scorching flames gushed from the cracks, instantly blanketing the surrounding area.
Lin Feng was prepared. His six spider legs thrust hard against the ground, sending him into the air.
Two strands of spider silk caught the stone pillars at the edge of the arena and pulled him away from the fiercest flames. Even so, a corner of his shoulder armor was blasted apart, and a searing pain shot through his arm.
Lin Feng landed, rolled once, and looked up at Yan.
That attack was powerful, but its cost was considerable as well.
Yan was just about to press his advantage when Lin Feng charged back first.
Another web flew out.
Yan raised his hand and summoned his flames, but they were noticeably weaker than before.
The web took longer to burn through.
Lin Feng's spider legs struck his arm first. Immediately afterward, the pull of the devouring force enveloped him again!
The weaker the target, the faster Death Feast devoured them.
At that moment, this effect finally manifested in full.
Yan felt the Soul Power inside him falter, and his rock armor could no longer repair itself in time.
Lin Feng seized the opening, hammering the same spot with several heavy blows in succession.
Crack!
The rock armor over his chest shattered.
Then a spider leg swept across, knocking Yan straight to the ground. He braced a hand against the ground to get up, but his arm gave way, and he fell back down.
"Stop! The match is decided!"
Seeing this, the teacher hurried forward.
Lin Feng immediately stopped devouring and took two steps back. The spider armor covering him dissipated.
Yan lay on the ground, his chest heaving, unable to say a word for a long while.
Looking at him, Lin Feng said, "Your flames really are powerful. But after you first opened up the distance, you shouldn't have rushed to cut off my landing point."
"Once you let me get close again, it became very difficult for you to replenish the Soul Power you'd already spent."
Hu Liena walked into the arena. Only after confirming that Yan was not seriously hurt did she turn and take Lin Feng's arm.
"And you said you were only trying things out. Your arm's burned!"
"It's just a superficial injury. A little medicine will take care of it."
Lin Feng smiled, but his gaze fell on the academy gates. This fight had made him even more certain of his earlier idea.
"Senior Sister, I want to ask Teacher for permission to go out and gain experience for a while."