On the broad competition stage, the once-boisterous audience fell into an eerie silence. Time passed quietly.
The referee, who had just retreated to the edge of the stage, felt momentarily dazed. When he snapped back to reality…
The Flamingo Spirit Master's body had already fallen to the ground with a dull thud. Beside him, flickering sparks from his still-burning flames lingered in the air.
At that moment, the previously overcast sky suddenly allowed a few golden beams of sunlight to pierce through the dark clouds—falling directly, and perfectly, onto Jiang Jue.
Bathed in golden light, Jiang Jue stood tall and imposing. His eyes were calm and steady like an ancient well, his hands casually clasped behind his back. Just by standing there, an invisible force radiated from him—as if he were the sole king of this place.
"Whoooa—!"
A few seconds later, the silence exploded into thunderous cheers. Roars of excitement surged like crashing waves. In the audience, everyone's eyes were locked onto Jiang Jue, filled with astonishment.
In just three seconds, a Soul Ancestor with a flying martial soul had been grabbed mid-air and slammed to the ground. The entire process flowed smoothly—fast, clean, and utterly dominant.
"What did I just witness?!"
In the upper stands, a man with a particularly large head gasped, his pupils contracting as excitement and shock surged through him.
"Yutao, did you see that?! Yutao!"
"Smack!"
A crisp slap landed hard on the thick arm of the burly man beside him.
"Huh? What's wrong, second brother?"
Yutao blinked awake, lifting his muscular arm and glancing around. When he realized the one who slapped him was his older brother, he scratched his head awkwardly and lowered his arm.
"Second brother, we've been watching for days and haven't seen any body-type martial souls. I just dozed off for a second..."
Yutao looked sheepish.
His brother, Lang Ya, rubbed his forehead. Clearly, Yutao hadn't seen anything.
Just as Lang Ya was about to say something, Yutao interrupted.
"But second brother, you saw it, didn't you?"
Lang Ya paused, then smiled slightly at his dopey younger brother.
"Watch closely. That kid might just have a body-type martial soul. And maybe… even an innate one."
Yutao jolted upright in shock at his brother's words.
Lang Ya hurriedly pulled him back into his seat and whispered a few more words. The two of them, eyes now locked on Jiang Jue at the center of the stage, were burning with excitement.
"What the hell? Wasn't Jiang Jue's martial soul that so-called 'Human Sovereign Banner'? What was that thing just now?"
In the waiting area of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, Xiao Hongchen jumped up, exclaiming in disbelief at Jiang Jue's display.
Everyone else was equally stunned. They'd trained with Jiang Jue for ages—but had never seen him use any power like this.
Only Old Ma's eyes flickered with a knowing glint.
"Meng, do you know anything?"
Xiao Hongchen turned to Meng Hongchen. She nodded gently, her expression calm.
In truth, she didn't know either—but she had always trusted Jiang Jue. If he hadn't told her, she wouldn't pry. She believed that when the time was right, Jiang Jue would explain everything.
Meng Hongchen still remembered clearly—Jiang Jue had once mentioned a powerful enemy. She had been training harder than ever, all so she wouldn't hold him back when the time came.
"Referee, it's time to announce the match result."
"Ah, right! First one-on-one match: victory goes to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy!"
As the flustered referee's voice rang out, the arena erupted once more.
After all, the crowd had bought tickets to see the continent's most gifted geniuses battle it out. The more exciting the show, the more thrilled they were.
But here, talent was merely the entry fee.
"Captain, let me go next!"
Back in the Otto Academy waiting area, a fiery-haired youth glared at the unconscious Flamingo Spirit Master being carried away, his face full of rage.
"Sun Moon Academy is too arrogant! They didn't even reveal their martial soul or soul rings! They're clearly looking down on us!"
"No. Next up—Wang Ye, you go."
The Otto team captain ignored the redhead and addressed a young man seated calmly on a sofa, eyes closed.
That young man remained still, as if the outside world meant nothing to him.
"Understood."
A cold voice replied.
Wang Ye opened his eyes. A faint ink-black glow flashed across them as he slowly stood and made his way toward the stage.
"Captain, is it really okay to send out our vice-captain already?"
"It's fine. If Wang Ye loses too, we'll strategically forfeit."
The captain spoke softly.
The moment the draw had revealed Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, he had already prepared to lose. In the round-robin stage, one loss didn't mean elimination.
As team captain, he couldn't act on pride. Charging in knowing they couldn't win—and even exposing their trump cards—would be irresponsible to both himself and the team.
"From Otto Academy: Wang Ye!""From Sun Moon Imperial: Jiang Jue!"
Jiang Jue looked at the approaching challenger, eyes narrowing slightly.
Finally, a worthy opponent.
Indeed, Wang Ye, Otto's vice-captain, was one of the team's two Soul Kings, currently at Rank 55.
"Match, begin!"
"Fiery Twin-Headed Wolf, Possess!"
As the referee's voice rang out—
Wang Ye immediately activated his martial soul. Two phantom wolf heads emerged from his shoulders, with fiery-red fur, snarling jaws, and feral eyes. The air rippled with scorching heat as he unleashed his terrifying aura.
Two yellow, two purple, one black—five soul rings, a textbook-perfect combination, rose beneath him.
"You'll pay for your arrogance."
Wang Ye's eyes glinted with fury, staring down Jiang Jue—who still hadn't revealed his martial soul or soul rings.
He stomped hard on the ground. His second soul ring lit up.
"Second Soul Skill: Blazing Wolf Claws!"
Flames surged around Wang Ye as soul power concentrated in his hands. Five razor-sharp wolf claws—wreathed in fire—burst from his fingertips, bone-piercing and deadly.
A sharp wolf howl echoed from the twin heads on his shoulders. In an instant, Wang Ye's body became a streak of fire, hurtling toward Jiang Jue. With the power of his martial soul, his speed had increased dramatically.
"Scorching Flame Armor!"
As he dashed forward, his third soul ring also lit up. Red light burst from his chest, quickly forming a set of dark crimson armor, covering him head to toe and intensifying his presence even more.
Against a real enemy, Wang Ye never held back.
To spare your opponent was to be cruel to yourself.
So he opened with both an offensive and defensive soul skill.
Jiang Jue calmly lifted his gaze.
His expression was indifferent. He raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist. A brilliant icy blue glow formed at his knuckles as his body lit up once again with a silver radiance.
"Arrogant bastard—get down!"
Wang Ye sneered. He was now right in front of Jiang Jue. His fiery wolf claws slashed outward like twin blades, blazing with searing heat.
But in that instant—
Jiang Jue's foot tapped lightly against the ground. His body moved like a gust of wind—or a falling leaf caught in a breeze. With an impossible arc, he bent and twisted, evading the attack by a hair's breadth.
The flaming claws missed.
Wang Ye's eyes flashed with surprise. He tried to retract his strike, but a powerful sense of danger suddenly flooded his senses.
(End of Chapter)