The Path of the Strong

The scene on the arena gradually became clearer.

The entire hall fell silent.

One second, two seconds.

"Oh My God..."

I don't know who gasped first, their voice trembling.

The seven members of the Tianhai Youth Group lay sprawled on the arena, their bodies charred black, their clothes torn, their shields shattered, and their weapons broken in two. They hadn't even fully deployed their formation before they all passed out.

Meanwhile, the seven members of Shrek stood properly.

Hu Yuxiu stood on the far left, blood still dripping from his claws, his breath slightly ragged, his eyes flashing with a frightening light.

Yu Lin stood in the center, the electric light around him slowly receding into his body, his aura calm and composed, his face expressionless.

All seven people were completely unharmed, barely even taking a few breaths.

A complete victory.

He didn't even use many of his main Soul Skill.

"I... I didn't see wrong, did I?"

"The youth group... lost? Lost to the junior group?"

"This is the defending champion! He didn't even last a minute?!"

"Shrek... is this Shrek Academy?!"

The entire venue erupted in cheers.

Applause, cheers, and exclamations mingled together.

Everyone stood up and clapped wildly, oblivious to the fact that their hands were red from clapping.

Shocking.

That's amazing!

I originally thought the exhibition match was just a formality, with the youth group giving way to the junior group.

The result was a one-sided crushing victory?

A teenager crushed a youth champion in his twenties?

If this gets out, the entire Soul Master circle of the Skysea Alliance will be shaken.

Tang Wulin stood below the stage, his mouth slightly agape, his face filled with shock.

He originally thought that he had made rapid progress in Class Zero, and that his control over the Blue Silver Grass was becoming more and more proficient.

But look at the boys on stage who are about your age...

The difference... is it really that big?

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and a stronger fighting spirit ignited in his golden eyes.

Xie Xie also abandoned his usual playful demeanor, his brows furrowed, and his dark green eyes filled with seriousness.

Xu Xiaoyan covered her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.

The three of them exchanged a glance, and each saw a heavy weight of pressure in the other's eyes.

So... the geniuses outside are this strong?

On the high platform, the referee stepped forward and raised Yu Lin's hand.

"I hereby declare the Shrek Academy team the winner of this exhibition match!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cheers rose another octave, almost lifting the roof off the stadium.

Yu Lin remained expressionless, withdrew his hand, and nodded slightly to the audience, displaying a calm demeanor that suggested he was completely at ease.

For him, winning a local youth group title was nothing to be happy about.

However, Yu Lin's dissatisfaction grew even stronger as he looked at Hu Yuxiu, who had already walked off the stage.

Hu Yuxiu walked towards the audience, his gaze sweeping across the dense crowd.

Still haven't found it.

The figure wearing the white tiger mask seemed to have never come at all.

He pursed his lips, feeling a void in his heart.

I'm playing so hard today because I want that person to see it.

She wanted him to know that she was also running desperately in his direction.

But he... didn't come?

Below the stage, Gu Yue stretched out her elbow and gently nudged Bai Yushan next to her.

"Hey, what do you think of their strength?"

She raised her chin, looking at the Shrek team on the stage, her tone somewhat nonchalant.

She knew that among all the people present, besides herself, only Bai Yushan could clearly see the details of the entire battle.

Bai Yushan pursed his lips and yawned.

Well, how should I put it?

He spoke lazily, his voice carrying the languidness of someone who had just woken up, "Apart from that kid who controls the fierce winds, no one else can match you. Of course, I'm talking about one-on-one."

His tone was so flat, as if he were just saying the weather was nice today.

"Who? Him?!"

Gu Yue immediately turned to look at him, her silver-purple eyes wide open, pointing at Hu Yuxiu on the stage with a face full of disdain.

"Him?"

Are you kidding me?

He's just a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.

Give her another three years, and she can easily catch up to the Soul Power Level, and her strength will far surpass it!

How could such an ordinary player possibly be a match for me?

Gu Yue looked incredulous, even a little angry.

You can say I'm weak, but you're comparing him to me?

"Hmph."

Bai Yushan chuckled twice, turned his head to look at her, and said with a knowing look in his eyes, "He has already forged his own path."

"Road?"

Gu Yue frowned, her silver-purple eyes filled with doubt.

She followed Bai Yushan's gaze and looked at Hu Yuxiu, who was walking down the stage.

The boy's back was straight, and his steps were steady. Even though he had just finished a tough battle and was slightly out of breath, every step he took was firm.

In her view, Hu Yuxiu simply didn't follow the tactics and caught the opponent off guard with a sudden charge.

Their playing style was a bit too aggressive, and they were quite fearless.

To elevate this to the level of a "road" is an exaggeration.

Isn't the cultivation of Soul Master simply about honing Soul Power, practicing Soul Skill, and upgrading Soul Ring Levels?

What road or not, it's all so mysterious.

Bai Yushan sensed the disbelief in her tone but didn't rush to refute her.

He crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping over the gradually departing Shrek team, and slowly began to speak.

"Where do you think Soul Master's power comes from?"

He didn't wait for Gu Yue's reply and continued speaking on his own.

"Soul Ring? Martial Soul? Or those routine Soul Skill?"

"None of those."

Bai Yushan raised his right hand and clenched his fist.

Two hundred and ninety thousand volts of current flowed slowly through his meridians. Tiny arcs of electricity flashed between his fingers, hidden beneath his skin, invisible to outsiders, but he himself felt them clearly.

"A fountain's height will never exceed its source, and a person's strength will never exceed their belief."

His voice was soft, yet carried a heavy weight.

"When you steadfastly forge ahead in the direction you've chosen, when you fearlessly overcome all obstacles towards your goals, your will will be fully ignited, surging forth endlessly from your bones, your blood, and the depths of your consciousness."

"By then, Martial Soul will be merely tools, and Soul Skill will be just techniques. You can use them however you want, and fight wherever you want."

"This is what it means to walk your own path."

Gu Yue was taken aback.

Subconsciously, she looked in Hu Yuxiu's direction.

The boy had already stepped down from the platform and was walking through the crowd, his back ramrod straight, like a gun sheathed in its sheath.

His face still had faint traces of blood, but his amber eyes shone with an eerie light.

There was no triumph of winning the game, only an unsatisfied fighting spirit and a fierce determination to charge forward.

You could feel that energy from a great distance.

So... this is the power of belief?

"When beliefs converge into a river, an extraordinary power is born from within. This is awakening."

Bai Yushan's voice came again, calmly.

"And he is not far from awakening."

The moment the words left her lips, Gu Yue keenly sensed that something inside Bai Yushan's body stirred slightly.

It's not Soul Power, it's not electricity.

A deeper, more domineering aura surged from the depths of his consciousness, then quickly receded.

fear.

That's terrifying.

It's like condensing one's powerful spiritual beliefs into something tangible.

Even just by sensing it, one can feel that surging, overwhelming belief brutally pouring into one's heart.

Fighting such an opponent, if one's will is not firm, one might even surrender before the battle is over!