…Only with such achievements could one hope to receive this kind of reward. A viscount in the Star Luo Empire held status equivalent to the ruler of a city.
That was precisely why so many young people longed to enter this tournament. Reaching the top eight was akin to soaring to the heavens in a single leap. No matter what your background was before, a noble title awaited you, granting you a place among the aristocracy. Even without land, a residence in the imperial capital was guaranteed, along with all expenses covered by the state.
Because of this, all the competitors today—except for Gu You and the three from Monster Academy—were clearly on edge. The remaining dozen or so contestants were filled with anticipation. Even Xie Xie's usual cheer was replaced with excitement. After all, throughout history, how many blood-soaked warriors had died striving for the same noble title?
Of course, that all depended on whether one's opponent wasn't from Monster Academy. Only then did one have a real shot at reaching the top eight. If you drew one of them in the next round, you might as well accept your fate and go find a job at a factory.
Unfortunately for him, that's exactly what happened. Xie Xie's opponent was one of the Eight Heavenly Kings!
And not just any one of them—but the most mysterious and elusive among them.
"Today's first match is already an intense one. We'll be seeing a clash between two agility-type battle soul masters. Representing Shrek Academy from the Douluo Continent is contestant Xie Xie. From Monster Academy, we have the man known as the Wind King—Lin San! Contestants, please take the stage."
Lin San rose calmly from his seat. Both Xie Xie and Yuanen Yehui turned to look at him—their first time truly facing this member of the Eight Heavenly Kings.
His presence was faint. Among the Eight Heavenly Kings, his existence was the least imposing. But now that they focused on him, both Xie Xie and Yuanen couldn't help but tense inwardly.
'A formidable opponent!' The thought struck both of them at once.
Lin San's aura was so serene that he seemed to blend into the air itself. He felt almost invisible, as if he weren't even there. For an agility-type soul master, that level of concealment clearly reflected exceptional mastery.
Xie Xie, however, didn't even look in Lin San's direction. He was unusually composed, his usual energetic demeanor completely subdued.
He stepped forward, striding toward the battle stage.
'For the title… Let's go all out!'
Yuanen Yehui watched Xie Xie with a flicker of emotion in her eyes. He truly had grown. This battle might prove to be a major challenge for him.
But if she knew what Xie Xie was actually thinking right now, she would've changed her opinion instantly.
Back when she defeated Teng Teng, it looked easy—but she had gone all out. Her victory came from seizing the initiative early and not giving him a chance to recover.
This Wind King, Lin San, was stronger than Shadow King Teng Teng. Could Xie Xie handle that?
By this time, both had stepped onto the competition stage. The soul barrier dome lit up. The crowd gradually quieted down.
Only now did Xie Xie and Lin San finally look at each other. Xie Xie's eyes were focused and steady. He stood as still as a statue. Lin San, on the other hand, appeared as gentle and ethereal as a passing breeze, as if he could vanish at any moment.
Their temperaments were entirely different, yet both were agility-types. Clearly, they had taken very different cultivation paths. The result of this battle would ignite the rivalry between Monster Academy and Shrek Academy once more.
Yuanen Yehui's earlier victory over Shadow King Teng Teng had already proven to the people of the Star Luo Empire that Shrek Academy wasn't carried by Gu You alone—each of them possessed formidable strength.
"Begin!"
With the referee's shout, the battle of speed officially commenced.
Both Xie Xie and Lin San launched into motion at nearly the same instant, charging directly toward one another.
Lin San moved as if casually floating forward, like a leaf carried by wind.
But sharp-eyed spectators immediately realized that his speed was in no way inferior to Xie Xie's—if anything, he was even faster.
Three purple and two black rings rose beneath Lin San's feet—five soul rings in total, surpassing the four purple rings on Xie Xie's body. His first ring lit up, and in an instant, two crescent-shaped blades of green wind energy formed in his hands.
They were moon-shaped wind blades, slender yet deadly sharp. Each one was just over a foot long, gripped with precision in his palms like elegant crescent daggers.
'Five rings? That's not right. I remember…'
Xie Xie was momentarily stunned. He was sure Lin San hadn't displayed this setup in his previous matches.
'He was hiding his strength this whole time!'
These quiet, inexpressive types… were often the scariest of all.
For two agility-types sprinting at full speed, the distance between them vanished in the blink of an eye.
Their figures blurred—within a single breath, they collided.
The moment they crossed paths, both their bodies became ghostly and elusive.
Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step!
No doubt about it—they both used the same technique.
Clang! A crisp clash rang out. To everyone's surprise, it was Lin San who was sent drifting away like a breeze after the first impact.
But Xie Xie came to a sudden halt. A thin gash had opened up on his left shoulder.
'That was too fast... his speed is insane.'
Gritting his teeth, Xie Xie split into three copies of himself and lunged forward once again with full force.
"You know, to me, you're like a turtle," Lin San said calmly.
Three streaks of green light burst from his body, each targeting one of Xie Xie's clones. The wind blades swept through the air with such precision that even Xie Xie didn't have time to react—his three clones vanished instantly.
"You're not even worthy of talking to me!" Xie Xie sprang into the air, Light Dragon Dagger in hand. The golden blade flashed with power, and this time, he was even faster than before.
But something strange happened—Lin San's body shimmered like it was melting. Though Xie Xie's dagger glowed brilliantly, its edge couldn't seem to land a single hit.
Both combatants had stopped using additional soul skills. They clashed purely with speed, instincts, and close-range techniques.
"Lin San clearly has the advantage," Fang'er explained, her voice resonating throughout the arena. "If you look closely, you'll see that he surpasses Xie Xie in both speed and agility—two key attributes for any agility-type soul master. Speed is paramount. Once you fall behind, you become completely suppressed. From what I can see, Xie Xie already has at least six small wounds on his body. They're not severe individually, but the difference is adding up. Lin San's lead will only grow."
Her analysis was precise. What Xie Xie faced now was Lin San's relentless, gentle, wind-like assault.
Hit and retreat. Never lingering. Each strike only left a minor wound, but Lin San's evasion was so perfect that Xie Xie couldn't touch him at all.
As a result, Xie Xie was steadily accumulating injuries. Meanwhile, Lin San remained completely untouched.
(End of Chapter)
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