Chapter 357: The True Essence of a Contract Soul Master
With a sudden thud, the young man, who had already assumed victory and was waiting for the referee's announcement, completely let down his guard. Before he could react, he felt a sharp strike to the back of his neck. His vision spun as he collapsed forward. Just before losing consciousness, he noticed the world around him beginning to distort and shatter, revealing the true reality he had never moved at all. Opposite him, Hu Liena remained standing gracefully, her eyes glowing pink, as did the six tailed white fox beside her.
'Damn…'
'I let my guard down! I forgot that foxes are the best at deception…'
With that final thought, he completely blacked out.
To the spectators, the screen had displayed an entirely different scene. The moment the match began, Hu Liena and her six tailed fox had remained completely still, yet the young man and his Tyrannosaurus like soul beast had suddenly gone berserk, attacking empty space. After a while, the Tyrannosaurus exhausted itself, collapsed onto the ground, and lay there weakly. Meanwhile, the young man, with his martial soul activated, had performed a phantom step forward, wildly swinging his claws at nothingness, grinning as if he had already secured victory.
Soon, he stopped moving, a mysterious smile lingering on his face, seemingly convinced that the referee had declared him the winner. At that moment, Hu Liena calmly walked up behind him and, with a swift chop to the back of his neck, knocked him unconscious. His eyes widened for a split second before he collapsed onto the ground, unmoving.
Thud!
As the young man lost consciousness, the match came to an official end.
[That was an incredible match!]
[I hereby declare the winner: Miss Hu Liena!]
An ethereal voice echoed throughout the arena.
At the same moment, the distorted space around the arena began to shift back to reality. Hu Liena found herself once again standing on a ten meter wide platform, her opponent lying unconscious before her. His soul beast, having merely exhausted its strength, was still able to shrink down to a manageable size, preventing it from breaking the stage.
From all directions, thunderous cheers erupted. Hu Liena smiled elegantly and bowed gracefully to the audience, while her six tailed fox mimicked her gesture, extending its tiny paws as if paying respects.
Moments later, staff members arrived with a stretcher to carry away the unconscious young man. Hu Liena, basking in the crowd's applause, walked back to the waiting area with composed elegance.
For her, this battle had posed no challenge. A simple illusion technique had ensnared her opponent and his soul beast, making them waste their energy attacking thin air. Her six tailed fox, possessing an exceptional bloodline and specializing in mental and ice type abilities, had further amplified her spiritual power. Without it, ensnaring both the soul master and his beast simultaneously would not have been so effortless.
In the VIP section, Ye Cheng and Qian Renxue had closely observed Hu Liena's victory. Unlike the ordinary spectators, their keen eyes immediately discerned how effortlessly she had won. The young man with the Tyrannosaurus had focused solely on raw strength, leaving his mental defenses vulnerable. Against a soul master who excelled in spiritual manipulation, he had been utterly outmatched.
"This level of spiritual synergy between Hu Liena and her six tailed fox… it's almost like an early form of a Martial Soul Fusion Technique," Qian Renxue remarked in surprise. Though she was familiar with Contract Soul Masters, this was the first time she had witnessed a soul master and their soul beast merging their abilities so seamlessly. It was eye opening.
"Indeed," Ye Cheng nodded. "As one of White Cloud Academy's first generation students, Hu Liena has consistently ranked among the top in every aspect. A performance like this is nothing surprising."
"It seems like most of the top spots in this tournament will be taken by students from your White Cloud Academy," Qian Renxue said with a smirk.
"Naturally. The other participants are self taught, having received a contract stone without specialized training or deep bonds with their soul beasts. Most still treat their soul beasts as mere tools, failing to grasp the true essence of controlling them," Ye Cheng said bluntly. "This tournament was organized to show the world that the only way to truly walk the path of a Contract Soul Master is to form genuine, equal partnerships with soul beasts."
"Those who merely see their soul beasts as weapons will never unleash the true potential of a Contract Soul Master," he concluded.
Qian Renxue nodded in agreement, seemingly enlightened by his words. What she truly thought, however, remained unknown.
Their conversation, though casual, was overheard by those seated in the second and third rows of the VIP section. These figures leaders of various factions pretended not to listen while secretly straining their ears, hoping to pick up even the slightest bit of privileged knowledge. Even information considered "common sense" by individuals at Ye Cheng and Qian Renxue's level was invaluable to those below them.
A mere scrap of knowledge from the powerful could be a priceless treasure to the common folk.
The first set of ten matches concluded quickly. The second round of contestants soon took the stage.
Rather than losing steam, the audience's enthusiasm only grew. They craved more thrilling displays of synergy between soul masters and their contracted soul beasts.
Meanwhile, the damage to the arenas from the first round of battles was instantly repaired with a simple press of a button. These battlefields had been designed for such events, ensuring they could regenerate automatically without requiring external repairs.
Amidst the resounding cheers and applause, the day's fifty matches continued throughout the afternoon.
The battles were swift, without unnecessary delays. If one could win, they won; if they couldn't, they conceded. Dragging out a match served no purpose it only made the fighter look foolish. And given that these matches were broadcasted live and would later be distributed across the continent, no one wanted to make a fool of themselves.
(End of Chapter)
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