"Urgh-cough!"
Cracks spread densely beneath his back like a spiderweb.
Jin Yu coughed up a mouthful of blood. The violent impact blackened his vision, then filled it with blurry colors. His limbs ached, swelled, and tingled as though shocked by electricity, leaving him unable to resist on the spot.
The skin and flesh of Xu Zi's ten fingers tightened. Ten purple-gold dragon claws sprang from his fingertips and pierced the golden crocodile armor on Jin Yu's left upper arm and right leg.
As Xu Zi withdrew his hands and rose, the strength in his muscles sent out destructive pulses. His fingers peeled up two plates of golden armor, which cracked and shattered in his grasp.
Thud.
Xu Zi planted his foot on the golden crocodile armor covering Jin Yu's chest and looked back a short distance behind him.
Twenty-five dumbstruck people still stood there.
Before they could react, the renowned young master of the Golden Crocodile Family had suffered an instant defeat in three moves, all within five seconds...
Even the third move hardly counted as a technique. It was merely Xu Zi pulling off two plates of golden armor as he withdrew his hands and stood.
"Young master!"
"Young master!"
The six attendants reacted first.
Their entire families, as well as their own lives, were under the Jin Family's care. That made all six disregard the rules of Soul Fighting and charge straight at Xu Zi shoulder to shoulder, seeking to protect their young master.
Even Huang Ying approached, shouting in a clear voice, "Junior, don't do anything rash!"
"Heh." Xu Zi sneered, the purple rising sun behind him still dazzling.
If he so much as exerted force through his leg joints now, every bone in Jin Yu's chest beneath his foot would shatter.
But he had achieved his goal, so naturally, he would do nothing pointless. Besides, he had no interest in "holding the young master hostage to command his six servants."
Xu Zi hooked his foot upward, slipping it into the gap between Jin Yu's back and the ground. Facing the six charging attendants, he tossed the "ball" their way with a high kick-
Jin Yu traced a yellow arc through the air and crashed sideways across the six men's path.
"Young master!"
The six attendants immediately gathered in a circle. If anything happened to their young master, the punishment visited upon them would be severe.
But under everyone's gaze, the Golden Crocodile Family's young master looked truly wretched. He had even been beaten unconscious.
Although the Golden Crocodile maintained Martial Soul Possession, protecting its dazed host within, Martial Soul Possession could not conceal Jin Yu's injuries at all:
The hard golden crocodile armor along his spine had cracked from the impact, with streaks of bright blood seeping out. Moreover, the golden armor on both his elbows had shattered, his flesh had split open, and two clear fist marks were sunk into them. Four elbow bones had snapped inward toward his wrists.
Had he not possessed the golden bloodline and been a top-tier Soul Ancestor specializing in both offense and defense, that opening double punch alone would probably have driven the pair of amethyst dragon fists straight through his body.
"Cousin!" Huang Ying squeezed into the six men's circle too.
"You outsider! How dare you strike so viciously in a Soul Fighting match!"
As though they had reached some unspoken understanding, one guard shouted angrily.
Another immediately straightened and accused him, "You injured the young master of our Holy City's Golden Crocodile Family like this! Do you really think our Golden Crocodile Family has no one?!"
A third joined in the shouting. "Brothers, avenge the young master!"
The other three immediately responded, fluctuations of Soul Power bursting from all six.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple. This arrangement of Soul Rings spiraled upward around each of them as the imposing presence of high-level Soul Kings erupted.
Facing the six men charging at him again with such aggression, Xu Zi showed no tension whatsoever. Instead, he unclenched his fists and relaxed his fingers.
Because six high-level Soul Kings together, even without golden configurations of Soul Rings, were not opponents a level-36 Soul Elder like him could challenge.
Besides...
"Insolence!"
A surge of scorching Soul Power descended from the sky, crushing the Golden Crocodile Family's six attendants to the ground.
Ling Yuan slowly landed beside Xu Zi. Pointing at the six attendants, she rebuked them angrily, "You broke the rules of Soul Fighting at my Spirit Hall Academy. Considering your eagerness to protect your master, I could forgive that."
"But rather than back down, you dared commit violence right before this elder? You have no regard for me at all!"
As Ling Yuan spoke, she increased the Soul Power pinning them down. A searing wave surged forth, bearing down entirely upon the six men sprawled on the ground.
Under that intense heat, all six immediately covered their faces and rolled about, scalded. Patches of their gold-threaded garments were scorched black.
Most people present had not understood the six men's behavior.
After all, this one-on-one Soul Fighting match had a Soul Douluo-level cardinal as its witness and a Titled Douluo elder personally supervising.
To dare commit violence anyway? Utter stupidity.
But Xu Zi was accustomed to social maneuvering. He saw through the significance behind their behavior at a glance: what those in high positions chiefly valued in lesser people was their attitude.
If the six returned unscathed while carrying the Jin Family's young master, injured and unconscious, pay cuts and punishment would certainly await them.
But if they returned injured themselves, not only could they offset some of their blame, they might even receive compensation.
"All right, all right." The cardinal on duty that week intervened at the right moment. "Elder Ling Yuan, please stay your hand. They are attendants of the Second Worship's clan, after all."
"Hmph." Taking the offered way out, Ling Yuan promptly withdrew her fire-attribute Soul Power.
As the organizer of today's gathering, the cardinal first examined Jin Yu. Finding no damage to his foundations, he breathed a small sigh of relief. "His internal organs and veins are fine. Just fractured elbows and unconsciousness from the impact. Nothing serious."
For an unaffiliated Soul Master, such injuries would be no small matter. But for the family of Spirit Hall's Second Worship, it was merely a matter of inviting a healing-type Soul Saint over.
Then, looking at the six men's scalded, reddened bodies, the cardinal waved a hand. "Hurry and take your young master back for treatment."
Fortunately, Ling Yuan had taken the Golden Crocodile Family's influence into account. She had merely covered the six with fire-attribute Soul Power, burning their skin as a minor punishment without depriving them of the ability to move.
As Jin Yu was carried away, the Soul Fighting match reached its dramatic conclusion.
Everyone had imagined this wagered match would be entirely one-sided. Reality had indeed favored one side, but the opposite one. Such an unbelievable outcome truly left everyone's jaws on the floor.
All seven members of Spirit Hall's main first team, including Huang Ying, now looked at Xu Zi with shock and even fear.
His destructive power was simply too terrifying.
Even Ling Yuan Douluo beside him still had shock lingering in her eyes.
Although she had already been stunned once last night, seeing Xu Zi crush Jin Yu across levels like a thunderbolt left her deeply shocked again.
The purple sun slowly dimmed. The vertical slits in Xu Zi's eyes vanished, and his light amethyst armor scattered into purple radiance before returning to his body.
As the solar disk's light faded and Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon Possession ended, three Soul Rings appeared around the Sun Martial Soul.
Reverting to "yellow, yellow, purple," the three rings resembled beautiful stellar bands, circling the purple star in constant rotation.
This was a new method Xu Zi had learned: placing his Soul Rings around the Sun Martial Soul and using its brilliant purple radiance to conceal their colors.
The inspiration for this "ring-concealing" trick had come from Ling Yuan Douluo's suggestion after their lovemaking last night.
Its reference was naturally the technique used by all the continent's tool Martial Soul Titled Douluos, who placed their Soul Rings around their Martial Souls.
Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, in particular, could even embed his Soul Rings into the Seven Kill Sword, unleashing Soul Skills instantly and moving like wind and thunder.
However, this deceptive trick was almost useless against Titled Douluos, Soul Masters with an eye Body Martial Soul, spiritual-type Soul Saints, and the like.
Their spiritual power had already approached maturity. They only needed to sweep their own spiritual power over the Sun Martial Soul to discover the truth.
Fortunately, Ling Yuan was the only Titled Douluo at the Soul Fighting Plaza today.
Xu Zi's purple eyes swept across everyone present.
He slowly returned to stand before Spirit Hall Academy's main first team. His tone was unhurried, yet brooked no doubt. "Who else dares question my strength?"
A purple sun hung high behind his head, three Soul Rings rotating around it, his bright purple eyes radiating an oppressive might.
None of Spirit Hall Academy's seven main first-team members dared meet his gaze, much less argue.
His purple eyes settled on a bare-chested young man. Xu Zi spoke. "Your name is Sun Chuantao, right? A level-48 Soul Ancestor, just one level below Jin Yu. Want to step up and try too?"
The Giant Ring War Blade Soul Master, the strongest of the seven, immediately fell silent.
What a joke. Who was Jin Yu?
A prodigy among the Holy City's younger generation, a Gold Soul Fighting Medal recipient, and a rare "dual offense-and-defense" Soul Ancestor found in fewer than one in a hundred.
Defeating Jin Yu was equivalent to defeating a Five-Ring Soul King.
Even someone like him had been dealt with in two moves, though underestimating his opponent had played a part.
But it was enough to show that this visitor from overseas was outrageously strong.
Seeing Sun Chuantao remain silent, Xu Zi turned his gaze to someone else.
The leader among the three women, the main first team's sole agility-attack specialist: the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow Soul Master.
"You, Zhang Ping." Xu Zi recalled, "Bishop Sun's daughter, Ghost Leopard Douluo's granddaughter."
"Still planning to submit a joint petition?"
Zhang Ping hesitated to speak, then simply turned sideways to avoid meeting Xu Zi's eyes.
The scene and its oppressive atmosphere were exactly the same as two and a half minutes earlier, but the two sides' roles had completely reversed.
This was why Xu Zi had taken the initiative to challenge Jin Yu to a wagered match, and the effect of "defeating seventeen elites is worth less than vanquishing one powerhouse."
Profit from the wager was not the goal. Using the fight to establish dominance was.
"You..." The cardinal walked to Xu Zi's other side, shaking his head helplessly. For a moment, he did not know whether to praise or counsel him.
Xu Zi changed his attitude and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Your Eminence. I've caused you trouble this time."
"No." The cardinal shook his head. "I have no trouble to speak of. You are the one in trouble."
"You crossed thirteen levels to injure Jin Yu like this. Though it isn't fatal, top families value their reputation above all."
"So you had best see His Holiness the Pope again today."
Ling Yuan interjected at the right moment. "Don't worry. Once things here are settled and he has joined a team, the morning proceedings in the hall should be about finished. I'll take him for an audience when I return to report."
The cardinal nodded. "That would be best."
Ling Yuan looked at Xu Zi and urged him, "Which one do you want to replace? Hurry and decide."
Xu Zi withdrew his Purple Sun Martial Soul, his purple eyes returning to their clear, limpid state.
His gaze swept over the main first team's seven members before he walked straight toward the middle of their formation.
Huang Ying and Zhang Ping panicked, because they were standing right in the middle.
Huang Ying even pleaded softly, "Junior, please don't replace your senior, all right?"
Winning two consecutive championships was the best means for her and her family to build their reputation in the Holy City. Accumulating that reputation was a prerequisite for entering the hall's administration and running for bishop. She had worked hard for nearly ten years for this.
The other six were the same. The most basic benefit Spirit Hall offered to recruit championship-winning Soul Masters was promotion to bishop.
This was a bright, open road into administration, and none of them wanted to lose it. Thus, their eyes held avoidance and even fear as they looked at Xu Zi.
A palm landed on Huang Ying's shoulder, startling her into a shudder.
Yet Xu Zi merely left her with an "All right" and walked between the two women.
Under everyone's puzzled gaze, Xu Zi announced to the ten members of Spirit Hall's second team, "I'm going to be your second team's main captain."
"Huh?"
Everyone voiced their confusion, some louder than others.
Bringing a gust of hot wind with her, Ling Yuan appeared beside Xu Zi and gently advised him, "Are you sure you want to join the second team? They can't even make the top ten."
"If you stay on the main first team, even as a substitute, you can add 'champion' to your future résumé without doing anything, and you'll be able to remain in the Holy City for work after graduation."
She had secretly placed her stake on Xu Zi, after all. Naturally, she could not watch him discard the wheat and keep the chaff.
The cardinal also approached and agreed. "Indeed. Working in the Holy City and being posted elsewhere come with entirely different treatment. In remote areas, you might even have to deal with packs of Soul Beasts in the forests alongside the local populace."
Yet faced with their well-meant advice, Xu Zi appeared rather stubborn. "The second team it is. My mind is made up."
He never did anything without benefit, and this was no exception.
Silence fell over the scene.
Behind him, all seven members of the main first team breathed long sighs of relief.
But the ten people before him wore differing expressions.
The person standing at the very end, in particular, looked as though he were facing death.
"Hah..." Ling Yuan sighed and asked helplessly, "Then who will you replace?"
Xu Zi shook his head. "I don't yet know the specifics of these ten."
As Pope Hall's representative stationed at the academy, the cardinal stepped forward at the right moment.
Pointing to the first person on the left, he introduced him. "Shi Xing, level-45 Soul Ancestor, Blazing Fire Lion Martial Soul, a grandson of the Elder Hall's Fourth Worship."
The latter half was spoken in a whisper.
Then the cardinal pointed to the second, third, and fourth people from the left and continued, "The three brothers of the Dragon Pattern Staff formation. All level-43 Soul Ancestors, exceptionally skilled at coordination. They have trained in a combined staff formation capable of both offense and control."
He added in a whisper, "I suggest not eliminating them. Besides, these three are descendants of the two Worships, Jiang Mo and Qian Jun."
"Dragon Pattern Staff?" Xu Zi thought of a Soul Emperor director at Shrek Academy whose Martial Soul was also a Dragon Pattern Staff.
So before the Coiling Dragon Staff received the blessing of the Break Evil Dragon's soul, its original form was actually the Dragon Pattern Staff? Understanding dawned on Xu Zi.
The cardinal pointed to the fifth person and continued, "Li Qin, Black-Striped Ghost Leopard Martial Soul, level 44. The team's only agility-attack Soul Ancestor."
He immediately added in a whisper, "He is the grandson of the Elder Hall's Ghost Leopard Douluo, and Elder Ghost Leopard has the best prospects of becoming a Worship, so I suggest not..."
"Oh..." Xu Zi nodded in understanding.
Officialdom truly was a tangle of roots and branches.
The cardinal introduced the sixth person from the left. "Tuoba She, level-42 Soul Ancestor, White Armored Earth Dragon Martial Soul. The team's only defense specialist."
He whispered a reminder close to Xu Zi's ear. "A student sent here by the Holy Dragon Sect. His Holiness the Pope has recently taken an interest in the Holy Dragon Sect. Whatever you do, don't cut this one."
Xu Zi was somewhat speechless: in the name of connections.
After looking through this lineup, in terms of team contribution, the one who most deserved replacing was actually the second team's captain introduced first, who had the highest level.
Finally, the cardinal pointed to the seventh person...