"I actually think that little girl has the better odds. What do you think, Old Man Su?" one of the elderly men voiced his opinion.
"Hehe, we've all seen what that guy is capable of. Someone like him raising a disciple? No need to even question it. The time may have been short, but she's not someone to underestimate." Su Qian chuckled lightly, his expression calm and confident. Judging by his tone, he clearly believed in Hu Jia's victory.
"Heh! You're a girl, but don't think for a second I'll go easy on you. Arrogant women like you—I'll show you what a true Dou Spirit is today! As a freshman, you'd better learn your place!" Shen Lang sneered coldly as he stared at Hu Jia. With a clench of his hand, black light flashed—nearly half a meter long, a black spear materialized in his grip, gleaming ominously.
"You sure talk a lot," Hu Jia replied flatly, giving Shen Lang a dispassionate glance. Her indifference only darkened his expression further.
As the referee gave the signal, Shen Lang lunged forward with his spear, explosive energy trailing behind him as he launched a brutal thrust toward Hu Jia.
"You self-righteous bullies, I can't stand your type the most!" Hu Jia snapped, her long whip appearing in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, the whip lashed out like a venomous serpent, fiercely countering Shen Lang's attack.
"Tch!" Shen Lang scoffed in disdain, spinning his body with sharp footwork. In the blink of an eye, he dodged the whip's range and appeared right in front of Hu Jia, his spear glowing with a fierce azure light as it pierced straight for her chest—swift and merciless!
The spectators in the stands couldn't help but wince, already imagining the sight of that stunning girl being run through.
But just as the spear closed in, Hu Jia's form split into four, surrounding Shen Lang from every direction. His spear pierced straight through—but hit nothing. Just an afterimage!
Shen Lang was visibly shaken. In an instant, he shifted from a stab to a sweeping motion, spinning rapidly and swinging his spear in a wide arc. The four surrounding images were cleaved through at the waist, disappearing into mist.
"More afterimages?!" Shen Lang's heart raced.
"Where's the real one?" He scanned his surroundings but couldn't spot her. Suddenly, a shadow cast down from above. His eyes widened in alarm. "Above?!"
Looking up, he saw Hu Jia plummeting from the sky, whip in hand, engulfed in fierce energy, like a descending venomous dragon!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Faced with Hu Jia's aerial assault, Shen Lang's expression turned grim. His spear thrust upward repeatedly like crashing waves, each strike met by Hu Jia's relentless whip lashes. Green light spiraled around him, forming layers of energy waves that struggled to block the razor-sharp whip strikes. Each clash of weaponry produced a sharp, explosive sound. Shen Lang's defense was solid, but Hu Jia felt as though she were lashing into the ocean—her attacks meeting resistance, hard to fully break through.
"As expected of a Dou Spirit. You're not completely useless!" Hu Jia remarked, her voice cool. Then, midair, she twisted her body with astonishing speed, flipping around Shen Lang and reappearing behind him in the blink of an eye. With a flick, her whip turned into a crimson arc, striking out!
The sudden reversal stunned not only Shen Lang, but everyone in the audience!
"Airborne movement?! But... she's only at the Great battle master level! How is that even possible?" an old man on the balcony exclaimed in disbelief.
"Could it be some kind of special technique?" another elder mused, stroking his beard.
"As expected of the continent's strongest... this must be one of Goku's teachings," Su Qian said with a faint smile, glancing at Goku in the distance.
Hu Jia's sudden use of Sky Dance Technique had caught everyone by surprise—including Shen Lang. Her descent should've been the end, with Shen Lang's spear sealing the fight. But somehow, she reversed momentum midair, reappearing behind him in a completely impossible angle. The speed left everyone speechless. Shen Lang had no time to react.
Splat!
Pain exploded in his back, and Shen Lang's body was sent flying. He staggered in the air but managed to flip and land, skidding dozens of meters before coming to a stop. Though wounded, he was still a Dou Spirit and managed to regain his footing.
"Impressive... very impressive. For a mere Great battle master to land a hit on a Dou Spirit like me—you should be proud." Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Shen Lang's face darkened. He had underestimated his opponent and failed to use his Battle Armor, suffering a heavy blow in return.
With a cold grunt, battle energy surged around Shen Lang, quickly forming a suit of green armor over his body. His energy condensed in his palm, transforming into the shape of a soaring eagle, which launched directly at Hu Jia. This was the signature move of Dou Spirits: Dou Qi Manifestation—capable of mimicking any creature for attack!
"Tch, a Dou Spirit, huh? Big deal! I've taken down magical beasts on that level before!" Hu Jia shouted back with a cold smile. "Phoenix Dance!"
Boom!
Golden energy burst from Hu Jia, swirling into the sky. Above her, the energy condensed into a majestic golden phoenix, wings spread wide. The sky trembled as spiritual energy rushed inward, converging into a divine form. Its presence was overwhelming—majestic, regal, awe-inspiring. Even the clouds turned golden.
Caw~~
A resonant cry pierced the sky. It was like a sovereign descending to the mortal realm. Every spectator shivered involuntarily. Even Shen Lang's eagle-shaped attack faded beneath the phoenix's radiance. The illusion crumbled and dissipated. Compared to a phoenix—the king of birds—what could an eagle amount to?
"Incredible... simply incredible. That move... could it be a Heaven-rank combat technique?!" The elders on the balcony were dumbstruck.
It was too much! Right off the bat, she unleashes a freaking Heaven-rank technique?! Was she trying to give people heart attacks?
---
The Phoenix Dance was one of Lingxin's legacy techniques—a high-tier Heaven-rank battle skill! Normally, someone at Hu Jia's level shouldn't be able to use it at all. But then again, her teacher was Goku. After undergoing his divine power baptism, all those usual limitations meant nothing.
All the legacy techniques and cultivation methods from Ling Xin's inheritance were Heaven-rank and came with severe restrictions. To overcome them, Goku had used divine energy to completely temper the girls' bodies, dramatically enhancing their talent and physical capabilities—flexibility, resilience, and raw power. Even some Emperor-level experts couldn't compare. In the same realm, they were unmatched.
As the golden phoenix finished forming above Hu Jia, the faces of everyone present turned pale. The divine pressure from the celestial beast weighed heavily on their hearts. It was suffocating. Shen Lang, most of all, was overwhelmed—after all, that attack was aimed at him.
"What... what level of combat skill is this? It carries the power of the heavens!" Shen Lang muttered in terror, his face ghostly white. That golden phoenix in the sky filled him with dread—it was death incarnate. If it struck, not even his bones would remain.
"I... I surrender..." Shen Lang's voice was strained and bitter. That single sentence seemed to drain every ounce of strength from him. Maybe others would mock him for it, but he had no choice. Under the pressure of a divine beast, he felt as weak as an ant—one false move and he'd be obliterated. The terror was too great to bear.
As his words fell, the arena went silent. But no one laughed—everyone present had felt that oppressive might.
The golden light faded, and the divine bird dissolved into shimmering motes of light, vanishing into the sky. The suffocating pressure lifted, and calm returned to the arena.
Moments later, a thunderous cheer erupted!
Today, they had witnessed the rise of a true prodigy—a battle goddess whose strength was undeniable. Only the top three ranked fighters on the Heavenly Rankings might stand a chance against her.
"Anyone else? Doesn't your Inner Academy have something called the 'Heavenly ranking'? Bring all the top fighters on that list! Today, we freshmen are going to challenge every one of them—and take their spots!"
Hu Jia's bold declaration stunned the entire arena into silence. You could hear a pin drop. Then came the outcry—roars of disbelief and excitement! For such audacity to come from such a stunning young woman—it was pure charisma, sheer dominance! Many young men and women looked at Hu Jia with a newfound admiration, even obsession. This was true allure.
Had a man said the same thing? He'd have been booed off the stage. But from her? The crowd went wild.
"Hehe~~ This girl really is something... Looks like we older students are being underestimated. Do these freshmen really think they can rewrite the rules of the Inner Academy?" A white-robed young man sat in the viewing stands, eyes flashing with intrigue as he watched Hu Jia on the arena floor. He was one of the academy's top elite—and only someone like Hu Jia could catch his attention.
"She caught your eye, huh?" the youth beside him chuckled, his own gaze fixed on the fiery young woman, eyes twinkling.
"Likewise," the white-robed youth replied with a faint smile.
"But her tone's quite arrogant. Should we step in?" another blue-clothed youth asked, gently fanning himself, eyes narrowed in amusement.
"She's thrown down the gauntlet—we can't just hide! To match someone like her, you need strength worthy of her. Let me take this one." The white-robed youth smiled, stepped forward, and leaped over the railing. A white blur streaked through the air and crashed onto the arena floor with a boom. The tiles beneath his feet cracked and sank from the impact.
"Wow! It's Xiao Yuan—ranked fifth on the heavenly ranking! Didn't think he'd make a move!"
"Did you see that freshman's combat technique just now? Only someone from the top ten would even dare face her!"
"These freshmen are insane! First day in the Inner Academy and already gunning for the heavenly ranking!"
"Hey, I don't care. I'm here for the show. Those top dogs have been sitting on the rankings for too long—maybe it's time someone knocked them off their thrones..."
The excited crowd didn't distract Xiao Yuan. He turned to Hu Jia, gave a respectful clasp of his fists, and smiled gently. "I'm Xiao Yuan—currently ranked fifth on the Inner Academy's heavenly ranking. Please, do me the honor."
"Hu Jia, your turn's over. We agreed—one fight each," said Rei as she approached the arena.
"Tch, no fun! I was just getting warmed up," Hu Jia pouted, reluctantly stepping down.
Rei smiled. "Don't worry, you'll get more chances soon. Go rest for now." She stepped onto the arena and faced Xiao Yuan. "You've waited long enough. Your opponent is me—Rei Miyamoto. Let's fight!" A flash of light appeared in her hand as she summoned a brilliant, multi-colored spear. The blue magic core embedded in its base radiated energy on par with a rank-seven magical weapon—clearly an extraordinary artifact.
Xiao Yuan's expression grew solemn. His irritation at the sudden opponent switch faded. This girl was no pushover. Her poised stance, sharp aura, and gleaming weapon—all screamed danger.
"Heh, looks like Rei's fight will be a tough one," Goku commented casually from the stands.
"Goku, what's that guy's power level?" Saeko asked, snuggled against Goku, her eyes locked on the arena.
"Five-star Dou Spirit," Goku replied with a light smile.
"Five stars, huh? Might be tricky," Saeko nodded thoughtfully.
"But just a Dou Spirit? Rei's not going to lose," Shizuka said from behind Goku. She leaned over and hugged him from behind, her generous chest pressing against the back of his neck. With a soft smile, she looked out toward the arena.
"Come on! I want your rank!" Rei shouted, her battle energy surging. It enveloped her spear, making it even sharper and deadlier.
"…She's just a Great battle master, so why do I feel so threatened?" Xiao Yuan muttered as his own energy flared. A full battle armor of energy formed around him—this was going to be serious.
____
T/N:
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