Under the three's horrified gazes, Kong Xuan's figure slowly vanished before them like a fading ink painting.
This was clearly the result of Kong Xuan slowing the process down. Otherwise, it would all have happened in an instant.
Whether by sight or by feel, Kong Xuan seemed to have disappeared on the spot.
Then, solidifying again bit by bit from the spear tip onward, Kong Xuan reappeared before their eyes.
"Clear and Serene Selflessness." Kong Xuan's voice came from every direction. "This is Spear Intent, not a Soul Skill."
Only as the final word fell did his figure fully appear.
Spear Intent!
At those two words, both Xu Wei and Xu Tianyi looked a little bewildered. Clearly, neither had heard the term before.
The Sun Moon Empire placed little importance on Soul Master cultivation. They had yet to fully understand even their own Soul Skills, let alone Self-Created Soul Skills.
So even Xu Tianyi, a member of the imperial family, knew nothing about Spear Intent.
Kong Ling, on the other hand, had followed Kong Xuan around since childhood. Through that constant exposure, she knew what the Spear Intent her brother had always pursued was.
Her eyes widened as she exclaimed in delight, "Brother, by a breakthrough, you meant you condensed your Spear Intent?"
Kong Xuan smiled. "That's right!"
Kong Ling then asked curiously, "Brother, what kind of Spear Intent is yours? How can it even make you disappear?"
"My Spear Intent is called Clear and Serene. The spear's momentum is ethereal, seemingly there yet not; the spear moves with intent, and intent arises from the heart."
Seeing the bewilderment in their eyes, Kong Xuan knew they probably had not understood what he had said.
He then explained, "Simply put, within my Clear and Serene artistic conception, I can conceal the traces of my attacks, preventing my opponents from discerning my intentions and targets."
"At the same time, under the effects of this artistic conception, I can also merge with my surroundings. That move I used to dodge Sun Divine Light just now worked that way. It also counts as an application of spatial abilities."
Only after Kong Xuan explained it this way did the three understand what had just happened.
"Brother Xuan, that move of yours just now was even more powerful than plenty of Soul Skills!"
Xu Wei's eyes widened as he said in astonishment, "And wouldn't that mean you have one more Soul Skill than other Soul Masters, Brother Xuan?"
A Soul Master's strength primarily depended on the Soul Skills provided by Soul Rings and Soul Bones.
Now, Kong Xuan's Spear Intent could produce the effects of a Soul Skill, which was equivalent to gaining an extra skill slot out of thin air.
Soul Masters had a fixed number of slots for Soul Rings and Soul Bones, so they could only have so many Soul Skills. Even one extra was an incredible thing.
Xu Tianyi, too, watched Kong Xuan with a solemn gaze. The more he understood him, the more keenly he felt the gap between them.
His state of mind had also undergone a tremendous change in just over ten days.
He had gone from wanting to surpass him at first to now seeing no hope of catching up, however hard he worked.
That sense of disparity was precisely the source of his fear.
He clenched both fists, forcing his surging thoughts to settle.
"If you put in some effort, perhaps you could master an ability like this too."
Kong Xuan swept his gaze across their faces. Apart from Kong Ling, the other two involuntarily lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
Although they did not know how this Spear Intent had been developed, the earlier conversation suggested that even Kong Xuan had spent considerable effort mastering this Clear and Serene Spear Intent. The two of them truly had no confidence.
Kong Xuan had not asked this to humblebrag. Rather, he felt that with his...
No, more accurately, with the guidance and assistance of his teacher Yun Ming, they too might be able to condense an intent of their own.
But all that was for later and would require careful planning.
Kong Xuan glanced at the three and asked, "Are we still continuing the match?"
Kong Xuan's Clear and Serene Spear Intent had shocked the three so deeply that their fighting spirit had plummeted.
Thus, his question was met with silence.
Only after a moment did a voice ring out.
"Of course we keep going!"
The words were almost shouted, and everyone's gaze instantly converged on Xu Tianyi's face.
He raised his head and stared fixedly at Kong Xuan, panting heavily, as though shouting those words had taken an enormous effort.
He had to preserve his fighting spirit. He refused to be someone who retreated without a fight!
Xu Tianyi's shout also awakened Xu Wei's and Kong Ling's fighting spirit, and both immediately declared that the fight would continue!
Kong Xuan's expression also turned solemn. "Then... let's begin!"
This time, Kong Xuan took the initiative to attack.
Just as he had demonstrated to the three earlier, his figure seemed to vanish from the Soul Fighting Arena.
His three opponents looked around in panic, yet could find no trace of him.
Xu Tianyi sensed something was wrong. With no time to think, his body reacted instinctively, raising his dragon-transformed right arm to shield himself.
Kong Xuan had already appeared beside him. The Atlas Spear swept across Xu Tianyi's right arm, knocking him back several steps.
At the same time, Kong Xuan closed in and continued his pursuit, giving Xu Tianyi no chance to catch his breath.
He only felt that Kong Xuan's incoming spear was elusive and unpredictable. However he tried to defend, there seemed to be openings, leaving him scrambling.
Kong Ling's Sun Divine Light shot toward Kong Xuan again, seeking to help Xu Tianyi out of his predicament, but it was still a step too late.
Kong Xuan's figure turned "insubstantial" again, dodging Sun Divine Light while disappearing from their sight.
Meanwhile, Xu Tianyi stood frozen in place. Just now, a scene from before had played out once again.
The Atlas Spear's tip had once again pressed against his throat. Its extreme sharpness sent a shudder through his entire body, and cold sweat already covered his forehead.
Without anyone needing to say it, Xu Tianyi knew he had been eliminated!
When Kong Xuan appeared again, he was already in front of his younger sister.
Naturally, he did not brandish the Atlas Spear at his dear little sister.
He merely reached out and flicked Kong Ling's forehead, then said softly, "You're eliminated too!"
The little orange-red sun above her head vanished. Kong Ling stamped her foot. Although she did not burst into tears this time, she still could not help crying, "Brother, that Spear Intent of yours is just cheating!"
Kong Xuan merely chuckled at her words and did not respond.
Two of his three opponents had been dealt with. Only Xu Wei remained.
After defeating his sister, Kong Xuan's figure abruptly blurred, and the Atlas Spear traced a mysterious arc.
Xu Wei's lightning visibly slowed under the shroud of Spear Intent, yet still darted among the spear shadows at astonishing speed.
Although Kong Xuan's Spear Intent was strong, it could only be considered a utility-type "intent" and did not provide much of a boost to his attack power.
Xu Wei's first Soul Skill, Lightning Flash, could be called a divine skill, granting tremendous speed as well as immunity to physical damage.
But when it came to dealing with him, Kong Xuan would not be as helpless as Xu Tianyi.
His golden pupils grew a little brighter. Although it was not obvious in daylight, they were clearly emitting golden light.
At this moment, Xu Wei's trajectory was perfectly clear in Kong Xuan's eyes. He could even predict where Xu Wei would be next.
"It's useless!"
Kong Xuan's voice came from every direction. "Your Lightning Flash may be exquisite, but..."
The Atlas Spear suddenly halted at a seemingly empty spot!
"But I've already grasped its pattern!"
Clang!
Although the Atlas Spear had embedded itself in the ground, both Kong Xuan and Xu Wei knew that the thrust just now had hit its mark!