Clang!
A streak of silver shot across the Soul Fighting Arena like a meteor, knocking the Soul Guidance Ray Gun from Xu Tianyang's hand with unerring precision.
The Atlas Spear embedded itself in the distant wall, while the Soul Guidance Ray Gun fell to the ground, its barrel twisted out of shape and trailing wisps of smoke.
This sudden turn of events plunged the entire arena into silence.
Xu Tianyang abruptly raised his head and looked toward the direction the attack had come from!
Kong Xuan's gaze was slightly cold, his golden pupils radiating a commanding presence.
He pushed off with his feet, launching himself into the air and leaping down into the Soul Fighting Arena.
Naturally, Kong Xuan had been the one to act just now!
Although he had guessed that Xu Tianyang would not strike to kill, he would not stand by and watch a classmate suffer such torment and humiliation.
Fortunately, the Soul Fighting Arena's soul guidance barrier had not been activated. Otherwise, even if Kong Xuan had wanted to intervene, he would have had no chance.
"You... really are noisy!"
Kong Xuan's voice was not loud, yet it seemed to lower the temperature of the entire Soul Fighting Arena by several degrees.
Everyone's eyes converged on him as they wondered just who this young man who had suddenly intervened was.
Although Kong Xuan had already made a name for himself, only a handful of people had actually seen him, so the spectators naturally could not put a face to the name.
Xu Tianyang's expression shifted slightly. That strike had left him with lingering fear, but he soon regained his arrogance. "Another one coming to his death?"
Kong Xuan did not answer. He simply walked forward, his presence seeming to grow sharper with every step.
Xu Tianyi struggled to prop himself up and looked at the approaching Kong Xuan with a somewhat complicated expression, also recalling that he had failed to show up at their agreed time today.
Glancing at Xu Tianyi's truly wretched condition, Kong Xuan said coolly, "Doing something despite knowing it cannot be done may indeed deserve praise, but sometimes it isn't wise."
"You really ought to change that stubborn-as-hell personality of yours. One ring against four-there's nothing shameful about conceding."
Xu Tianyi fell silent for a moment, seemingly considering Kong Xuan's words.
Yet throughout this, his gaze did not change in the slightest. Kong Xuan knew that his words had probably not sunk in at all.
Sure enough, flames of anger still burned in Xu Tianyi's eyes as he growled, "Kong Xuan... this is my fight!"
Kong Xuan stopped, having just reached Xu Tianyi.
He turned, shielding Xu Tianyi behind him, and fixed his golden pupils on the silver-robed youth opposite him. "Now, it's mine!"
Xu Tianyang narrowed his eyes, a dangerous look on his face. "You're interfering in Soul Fighting. Who are you to him?"
"I'm his class monitor!"
Kong Xuan delivered those words expressionlessly, yet they silenced the entire arena once again.
Xu Tianyang froze briefly at that, then could not help bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! So you're just his class monitor!"
But his expression soon turned cold as he stared at Kong Xuan. "Do you know what you've just gotten yourself involved in?"
Kong Xuan heard the threat in Xu Tianyang's tone perfectly clearly.
All he meant was that this matter between the brothers concerned succession to the throne, and anyone who wanted to get involved had better carefully weigh their own strength.
But Kong Xuan could not be bothered to explain himself. With an impatient expression, he said, "You really talk too much!"
Xu Tianyang's face instantly flushed red, and the look in his eyes as he stared at Kong Xuan seemed murderous.
"Xu Tianyi hasn't conceded yet. You want to take over for him?"
"Say whatever you like!" Kong Xuan said indifferently. "But weren't you having quite a good time beating him just now? Then let me weigh your worth!"
Xu Tianyang snorted coldly. The metal wings on his back spread, and four Soul Rings lit up at once.
"Fine, then let me see what you're capable of!"
This bout of Soul Fighting in Arena Eighteen truly had been full of twists and turns.
Xu Tianyi had been beaten without any chance to fight back. Everyone had thought the bout was about to end, only for someone else to suddenly jump out.
As Xu Tianyi's class monitor, he was also a member of the Soul Master class.
To their minds, how could an eight- or nine-year-old possibly be Xu Tianyang's match?
Thus, many thought Kong Xuan was acting on youthful impulse and would certainly pay the price for it later.
"Teacher, why did the class monitor go down there? His opponent is a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor! What do we do now?"
Han Lingxi sounded anxious as she looked at the tall figure beside her, utterly at a loss.
And the person standing beside Han Lingxi was naturally Ren Jun, the Soul Master class's homeroom teacher.
Wang Xiao and Han Lingxi had gone to find Kong Xuan and Ren Jun respectively, and the two had arrived at the Soul Fighting Arena one right after the other.
By now, nearly all the students of the Soul Master class had gathered beside their homeroom teacher, Ren Jun, at the edge of the Soul Fighting Arena.
Xu Tianyi's miserable state was right before their eyes. They did not want their class monitor to meet the same end.
Thus, they were all looking at Ren Jun, waiting for their homeroom teacher to decide what to do.
Ren Jun watched the two people in the Soul Fighting Arena, who were already on the verge of fighting, but had no intention of intervening.
In his view, Kong Xuan was not an impulsive person. Since he dared to enter the arena, he must be confident.
Ren Jun also happened to want a look at Kong Xuan's true strength, so he made no move.
He said in a deep voice, "Don't worry. Your teacher is here. Your class monitor will be fine."
Remembering Ren Jun's eight Soul Rings, all of the best possible configuration, everyone knew their teacher was an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo. They relaxed and turned their attention to the Soul Fighting Arena below.
The corners of Kong Xuan's lips lifted slightly, and he loosely curled his right hand.
Hum!
The Atlas Spear embedded in the wall trembled for an instant, then abruptly turned into a streak of silver light and flew back into his hand.
Two purple Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath Kong Xuan's feet.
Those two bands of purple seemed to instantly become the only color in the Soul Fighting Arena, drawing everyone's gaze.
A moment earlier, the spectators had either been mocking Kong Xuan for overestimating himself or guessing how many moves he could withstand...
But now, looking at the configuration of Soul Rings on Kong Xuan, which went beyond their understanding, they felt nothing but shock.
"It's Kong Xuan from the Soul Master class, the greatest genius since the academy was founded!"
A startled cry rang out from the spectator stands, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
In the Soul Fighting Arena stood the youth's tall, gallant figure, his handsome face, and those two purple Soul Rings.
Clearly, someone had already connected him to the young genius who had previously been the subject of such widespread talk.
For a time, waves of discussion rose from the spectator stands, naturally all revolving around Kong Xuan.
Without anyone quite noticing when it had happened, Kong Xuan seemed to have become a mysterious "top star" within the academy.
At that moment, his opponent also shuddered upon seeing his two purple Thousand-Year Soul Rings, instantly putting aside his contempt.
"He's still only a mere two-ring Soul Master!"
Xu Tianyang muttered to himself, sounding rather as though he were trying to bolster his own courage.
His first Soul Ring flashed, and Soul Power surged through his body. This was an enhancement-type Soul Skill.
The two miniature Soul Cannons on his shoulders activated instantly, firing two dazzling beams of Soul Power that tore through the air toward Kong Xuan.
Kong Xuan remained composed. Even facing a senior whose Soul Power exceeded his own by twenty levels, he showed not the slightest panic.
Just as the Soul Cannon fire was about to touch the hem of Kong Xuan's clothes, he flicked it apart with the Atlas Spear in his hand.
Amid the turbulent currents of energy, Kong Xuan's figure flickered like a ghost, each reappearance seemingly placing him at a different point in space.
Facing Xu Tianyang, a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, was unlike their usual sparring. This was a real battle.
Thus, Kong Xuan had no mind to probe his opponent. He used Spear Intent right from the outset and prepared to take the initiative in attacking!