The first match between Jing Shaoyu and Sima Xian was merely an appetizer for today's schedule. The most anticipated event was the third clash between the two academies—Shrek Academy's Ye Xinglan versus Monster Academy's Lin San.
The attention this match garnered was no less than the previous two encounters between the two prestigious institutions. In fact, due to Monster Academy's consecutive losses in the prior battles, the stakes were even higher. As the saying goes, "Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, but three times is a pattern." Monster Academy had already suffered two defeats. If they lost this third match, it would truly be inexcusable.
Despite this, one of the key figures in this match—Lin San, ranked fourth among the Eight Great Heavenly Kings of Monster Academy and known as the Wind King—remained exceptionally calm and composed. There wasn't a trace of anxiety about the upcoming battle. His entire being exuded an ethereal and weightless aura, true to his title, like an untethered breeze.
"San, with so many spectators cheering for you, do you feel any pressure?" Dai Yueyan walked up to Lin San and teased.
"No," Lin San replied evenly.
"Alright then," Dai Yueyan shrugged helplessly. "But I do have a suggestion for you—could you try not to be so brief when you speak? A few more words wouldn't hurt, would it?"
"Okay," Lin San uttered a single syllable.
Dai Yueyan smacked his forehead in exasperation and walked away, needing a moment to collect himself.
On the other side, under the watchful eyes of Jing Shaoyu and the others, Ye Xinglan strode toward the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to witness another thrilling match! Let's turn our attention to the arena, where both competitors have taken their positions.
On the left, we have the Wind King, Lin San, one of the Eight Great Heavenly Kings of Monster Academy! A legendary figure in his own right, he is widely recognized as the academy's top Agility-type Soul Master and a battle maniac!
On the right, representing Shrek Academy, is the formidable Battle Soul Grandmaster Ye Xinglan! Her peerless swordsmanship has left past opponents utterly defenseless.
So, will Wind King Lin San defeat Ye Xinglan and secure Monster Academy's first victory against Shrek Academy? Or will Ye Xinglan defy the odds and claim victory? The anticipation is real!"
In the waiting area, Jing Shaoyu listened to Fang'er's commentary and glanced at the unremarkable-looking Wind King on the stage, feeling an overwhelming urge to criticize. Lin San—what an uninspired name. Did his parents put as little thought into it as Tang Hao's did? Even Lin Wanrong would have sounded better.
On the arena, Ye Xinglan and Lin San locked eyes, each sizing up their opponent.
A formidable foe! The thought arose simultaneously in both their minds.
Lin San's aura was extraordinarily tranquil, as if he had merged with the air itself. His presence was almost imperceptible—an ideal state for an Agility-type Soul Master.
In stark contrast, Ye Xinglan's aura was razor-sharp. Merely standing there, she resembled an unsheathed divine sword, her sharpness cutting through everything around her, making it impossible to look directly at her.
The battle between these two Soul Masters of diametrically opposed temperaments was on the verge of erupting.
"Begin!" The referee's shout signaled the official start of the match.
Ye Xinglan and Lin San moved almost simultaneously.
Ye Xinglan held the Star God Sword, her body enveloped in a chilling sword aura. Like a celestial body, her Sword Intent burst forth from her slender figure in a dazzling brilliance, the sheer intensity causing the nearby Soul Guidance Barrier to tremble. She shot toward Lin San like a meteor.
Lin San appeared far more casual, drifting leisurely toward Ye Xinglan, his speed even surpassing hers. Three purple and two black Soul Rings rose beneath his feet—though not as awe-inspiring as Ye Xinglan's four black rings, they were solid nonetheless.
His first Soul Ring flashed as two streams of light converged in his hands, forming a pair of crescent-shaped Wind Blades. Light yet razor-sharp, each blade was about a foot long. Gripping them, his carefree demeanor gained an edge of sharpness.
The distance between them rapidly closed. The instant they neared each other, Lin San's figure blurred, and Ye Xinglan's pupils flared.
Clang! A crisp sound rang out as Lin San, the Wind King, was sent flying backward like a gust of wind. Yet a trail of starlight pursued him relentlessly.
Ye Xinglan's first Soul Ring shimmered as the Star God Sword condensed into a flying star, its tip radiating golden light that transformed into a resplendent brilliance. The overwhelming sword aura pressed relentlessly toward Lin San.
Sword God Star!
Lin San's eyes remained calm. With a flick of his Wind Blades, one parried the golden sword while the other sliced through the air toward his opponent.
Blade and sword clashed.
Both retreated, locking gazes. A wound had appeared on Ye Xinglan's left shoulder, while Lin San's right arm bore a streak of blood. In just their first exchange, both had drawn blood.
Ye Xinglan's eyes gleamed as a towering Sword Intent coalesced around her. Her black Soul Rings pulsed with depth as countless sword beams intertwined in the air, forming a massive net that descended upon Lin San.
The Sword God Net unfurled, its overwhelming Sword Intent saturating every inch of the arena.
Lin San's expression hardened. From within that net, he sensed boundless Sword Intent. He hadn't expected a girl of fifteen or sixteen to comprehend such formidable Sword Intent—was this what genius looked like? A wry smile touched his lips before he dashed forward, charging straight into the net.
A flash of cyan crossed his eyes as his second Soul Ring ignited. In the next instant, his entire body transformed into a cyan wind spirit. Flickering shadows filled the arena, while the real Lin San shot straight for Ye Xinglan.
The Sword God Net ensnared countless wind phantoms, shredding them with rampant sword energy. But Lin San's true form had already closed in, his Wind Blade thrusting mercilessly toward Ye Xinglan's sword arm. Yet she seemed to have anticipated this—her eyes burned like twin stars, sending an inexplicable jolt through Lin San's heart.
The Star God Sword blazed with boundless starlight as the girl let out a soft cry. Infinite Sword Intent surged from her once more, soaring skyward. The overwhelming Sword Intent, mingled with flecks of starlight, illuminated every shadow in the arena, leaving no darkness untouched.
A sword beam materialized in the sky, hanging suspended. As her third Soul Ring ignited, Ye Xinglan merged with the starlight, her body and sword becoming one as she shot upward, merging with the radiant beam. The light grew blinding before plummeting back down—like a meteor from the heavens, it streaked toward Lin San.
The Sword Intent blazed brilliantly, and the sword energy soared through the air, causing the very space it passed through to tremble, emitting sharp, ear-piercing shrieks. At this moment, Lin San, who was directly facing this starlight, could no longer sense the sharpness of the Sword Intent—it had all been condensed into that dazzling brilliance.
Starfall!
Lin San's expression changed drastically, but his movements didn't falter. The fourth of his Soul Rings flashed as the cyan light around him intensified. A dense circle of Wind Blades appeared around his body, identical to the one in his hand, gathered yet unyielding.
In an instant, thousands of Wind Blades converged around him. As he moved, they began spinning rapidly around his body. At the same time, Lin San himself rose into the air amidst the swirling cyan light, like a towering tornado, charging straight toward the radiant starlight.
Fourth Soul Skill—Dragonwind Blade!
The golden brilliance of Starfall clashed with the cyan whirlwind of Dragonwind Blade. In that instant, the arena seemed to lose all color. Countless plumes of dust and mist surged, filling the semicircular Soul Guidance Barrier with a hazy gray fog, obscuring the battle within from the spectators. Only the intermittent flashes of gold and cyan light hinted at the fierce struggle still raging inside.
When the dust finally settled, the audience saw the two combatants standing on opposite sides of the arena, both looking worse for wear. Ye Xinglan wiped a trace of blood from the corner of her lips, while Lin San ignored the wounds on his arms.
It seemed like a mutually destructive collision, yet the crowd was still in disbelief. Lin San was a Soul King—how could he fail to gain any advantage against a mere Soul Grandmaster? Was this really the same Wind King Lin San they knew?
Could it be that Monster Academy was about to lose three consecutive matches to Shrek Academy?
"You'd better use your Battle Armor. Otherwise, you might not survive my next strike," Ye Xinglan said coldly.
Lin San merely scoffed in response, his attitude clear.
Seeing this, Ye Xinglan said no more. She raised her Star God Sword, and the fourth Soul Ring behind her lit up, releasing a ripple of black light. With a leap, she soared into the air once more. A blinding golden radiance burst from her body, growing ever more intense with her movements.
In the blink of an eye, Ye Xinglan had transformed into a golden orb, hovering in the sky like a miniature sun, its light illuminating every corner of the arena. Countless sword beams poured forth from the golden sphere.
These sword beams were as fine as threads, lacking any overwhelming presence—like an ordinary rain shower, plain and unadorned, covering every inch of the ground.
Lin San watched the descending threads of light and felt his scalp tingle. Though they appeared ordinary, each strand was lethally compressed to its limit. The slightest touch would trigger an explosion of terrifying sword energy!
Starshower—the fourth Soul Skill of the Star God Sword!
The countless threads of light scattered and converged, as if guided, forming a massive swarm that shot toward Lin San.
Lin San's expression darkened. The light rain covering the entire arena left no room to dodge. Behind him, the glow of his fifth Soul Ring ignited as a sudden gust of wind coiled around his body. Amidst the azure radiance, his form gradually blurred, dissipated, and finally transformed into a wisp of breeze, merging with the world itself.
This was his fifth Soul Skill, Wind Spirit Guidance—an ability that allowed him to converse with wind elements and assimilate into them.
However, Lin San knew full well he was merely buying time. He was competing with Ye Xinglan to see whose Soul Skill would last longer. By dissolving into the wind, he could evade the Starfall Sword Rain—unless he chose to summon his Battle Armor.
Yet, he had his pride. If his opponent were his age, he wouldn't hesitate to use his Battle Armor. But facing a child five years his junior, Lin San couldn't bring himself to bully someone so young, even if it meant losing the match.
Thus, an eerie scene unfolded on the arena: golden rain and azure wind stood in stark contrast, a seemingly harmonious tableau masking lethal intent. The rain was a storm of swords; the wind, a tempest of blades. Neither side would yield.
Ye Xinglan frowned as she scanned the arena for Lin San's vanished figure. Sensing his strategy, she acted decisively. The golden orb shattered abruptly, halting the sword rain. The girl descended from the sky, her longsword pointing skyward.
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The breeze coalesced as Lin San materialized silently behind Ye Xinglan, his Wind Blade gleaming coldly as it thrust toward her.
Ye Xinglan's eyes sharpened. Her first, third, and fourth Soul Rings flared simultaneously. Her figure vanished from Lin San's sight. His heart lurched as he looked up—only to see a colossal Star God Sword suspended above him, its hilt forged from Sword Intent, its blade from sword energy. The moment he raised his head, it came crashing down.
Starfall Sword + Falling Star Sword + Sword Star Rain = Heaven-Piercing Star Sword!
"!" Lin San threw up his hands, releasing several azure energy spheres.
With a deafening explosion that shook the arena, Ye Xinglan emerged from the dissipating dust. Her face was pale, her breathing labored—simultaneously activating three Soul Skills had drained her far more than using them individually. Yet the attack's power satisfied her; she nodded approvingly at the massive crater below.
"Cough!" A pained groan came from the crater as a figure staggered to his feet. Though unsteady, his footing remained firm. Waving away the smoke, he revealed himself.
It was Lin San—now clad in azure armor, his aura more formidable than before. Despite his disheveled appearance, this was undeniably the complete form of the Wind King, Lin San.
"Cough!" He cleared his throat again. "Impressive. To force me into using my Battle Armor... truly remarkable."
For the usually taciturn Lin San to speak so much at once proved just how deeply Ye Xinglan had astonished him.
Lin San sighed inwardly, deciding to hold nothing back now that he had summoned his Battle Armor. He had to win this match—otherwise, he'd truly become a laughingstock. In the future, whenever people mentioned Lin San, the first thing they'd remember wouldn't be his title as the Wind King, but the shameful record of losing a match despite using One-Word Battle Armor.
Ye Xinglan watched Lin San clad in his Battle Armor but remained silent. She simply raised her hand as clusters of crystalline yellow light shimmered around her. Exquisitely crafted, form-fitting armor pieces materialized, clinging tightly to the young girl's body. Her gauntlets were pure and translucent, adorned with vermilion lines tracing intricate cloud patterns. The arm guards, shoulder plates, breastplate, waist armor, battle skirt, greaves, and boots fused seamlessly together as if forged by nature itself.
The breastplate resembled a sword piercing the sun, its tip pointing downward toward the battle skirt embroidered with blazing flame motifs that radiated scorching warmth. The sword's hilt connected to the neck guard—a crystalline yellow necklace bearing a vermilion four-pointed star. Its crimson glow seemed capable of devouring souls.
Like Mo Hentian's, Ye Xinglan's Battle Armor was only missing the headpiece to be complete.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Dai Yueyan clicked his tongue in the waiting area. "Shrek Academy is truly wealthy—another set of One-Word Battle Armor made from Spiritual Metal nearing completion!"
The resources required for One-Word Battle Armor crafted from Spiritual Metal far exceeded those of ordinary One-Word Battle Armor. Even as the Fourth Prince of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Yueyan wouldn't dare attempt it lightly—it demanded too much from one's companions and luck. Seeing Ye Xinglan's Battle Armor, he couldn't help but feel envy.
Recalling how Mo Hentian had also displayed One-Word Battle Armor made from Spiritual Metal earlier, Dai Yueyan grew even more envious.
"One-Word Battle Armor forged from Spiritual Metal is indeed stronger than ordinary versions, but it won't change the outcome of this match," Long Yue said solemnly. "Ye Xinglan's Battle Armor is incomplete, and her earlier Soul Skill drained her significantly. She's at the end of her rope now. Meanwhile, Lin San, despite being battered, can easily secure victory with his One-Word Battle Armor."
"Wonderful! We've finally defeated those arrogant people like Jing Shaoyu!" Dai Yuner, standing nearby, lacked such complicated thoughts. She simply clapped her hands in delight.
Hearing Dai Yuner's cheers, Long Yue, Dai Yueyan, and Su Mu exchanged glances, their expressions bitter. While this victory was important, they would rather not have won under these circumstances.
Normally, their victory should have been a given—they were nearly five years older than Shrek Academy's seven representatives, with higher cultivation levels. Yet under these conditions, they had suffered two consecutive defeats—no, three, counting the two-on-two match earlier!
This match might have ended in their favor, but it wasn't something to celebrate. Long Yue and Dai Yueyan even believed Lin San's victory would be dishonorable—a disgrace.
As predicted by Long Yue and Dai Yueyan, Lin San ultimately defeated Ye Xinglan by leveraging the advantage of his One-Word Battle Armor. However, Lin San stepped off the stage far from pleased. His thoughts had been perfectly anticipated by Long Yue and Dai Yueyan. As a man with strong moral principles, his shame was written plainly across his face.
As he walked back to his companions, Long Yue and Dai Yueyan each patted Lin San's shoulder in silent comfort and encouragement. Lin San went straight to his spot, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest, ignoring Dai Yuner's incessant chattering beside him.
"Yun'er, let Lin San rest!" Dai Yueyan frowned and called out to the overly excited Dai Yuner.
"Oh, fine." Dai Yuner reluctantly waved her hand, then lifted her gaze to search for Jing Shaoyu, her eyes darting around as if scheming something mischievous.
On the other side, Ye Xinglan returned to her companions and said dejectedly, "I'm sorry, everyone. I lost."
"It's okay, Xinglan! You were amazing!" Xu Xiaoyan immediately hugged her and comforted her softly.
"Exactly! We had them suppressed the whole time. If we had complete One-Word Battle Armor, victory would definitely have been ours!" Wu Siduo declared.
"Right, right! Xinglan, don't blame yourself." Mo Hentian nodded in agreement.
Though Gu Yue and Na'er remained silent, their expressions showed no trace of blame.
"Come on, it's just an unimportant group match," Jing Shaoyu stepped forward and reassured her. "We'll make up for it in the finals."
"Mhm!" Ye Xinglan looked at Jing Shaoyu's smile and suddenly felt an inexplicable surge of emotion. Ignoring Xu Xiaoyan's indignant protest beside her, she threw herself into Jing Shaoyu's arms, burying her face against his chest and holding him tightly.
At that moment, Dai Yuner, who had been skipping over excitedly to gloat, froze in place. Her expression perfectly captured the meaning of a dramatic mood swing. Furious, she spat a curse in Jing Shaoyu's direction before turning and storming off.