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Tang San and Feng Xiaotian strode impatiently onto the arena. Even before they were in position, they were already searching for weaknesses in each other.
The two faced each other, eyes locked in the center of the stage.
Seeing both contestants in place, the referee raised his arm and swung it down sharply.
"Match—begin!"
Yet, despite the referee's declaration, neither Tang San nor Feng Xiaotian rushed to make the first move. Both continued to size each other up.
Sensing Feng Xiaotian's spirit power, Tang San's expression remained indifferent, his gaze carrying faint traces of disdain.
"Hmph. Barely a Soul Ancestor? Someone like you is nothing more than a stepping stone for my fame. Even without hidden weapons, I can still defeat you."
His thoughts brimmed with arrogance; in Tang San's eyes, Feng Xiaotian wasn't worth his concern.
With a flick of his right hand, a flash of blue light shimmered as Blue Silver Grass appeared in his palm.
Feng Xiaotian's brows shot up, his eyes narrowing sharply.
He was being underestimated.
Yes—he was being looked down upon by a Soul Elder who had just achieved the rank.
As one of the hosts of this event, Tang San's identity was well-known. His possession of twin martial souls was hardly a secret.
Naturally, Feng Xiaotian was fully aware of this.
"Interesting. A mere Soul Elder manages to make it to the individual competition. And now, facing me, he chooses to use Blue Silver Grass, that useless martial soul, instead of the Clear Sky Hammer. I have truly been underestimated."
His voice grew cold. "Martial Soul, Possess!"
In an instant, a surge of cyan light erupted from his body. Bones cracked and popped as his frame transformed dramatically.
His hair turned cyan, his stature expanded from 1.78 meters to over two meters, and from his left shoulder sprouted the head of a wolf.
This was Feng Xiaotian's martial soul—the Twin-Headed Gale Wolf.
From the audience stands, Lan Nianhua sneered as his gaze fell upon Tang San.
"Fool. To actually treat Feng Xiaotian as an ordinary Soul Ancestor—you're in for a harsh lesson."
And yet, this was exactly what he wanted to see.
If Tang San were defeated in his very first match, it would not only humiliate him but also disgrace the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Clear Sky Clan behind him.
Meanwhile, on the stage, Tang San still wore a look of complete confidence.
He had long studied the information on Feng Xiaotian provided by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
"A mere power-type Soul Ancestor? Watch as I toy with you."
Just as Tang San was planning his path to victory, Feng Xiaotian suddenly moved.
With a sharp whoosh, he appeared directly before Tang San as if teleporting, leaving only a fading afterimage in his place.
"What!"
Tang San's heart clenched in shock. He had never expected Feng Xiaotian's speed to rival that of an agility-type Soul Ancestor.
Even with his Purple Demon Eye, he barely managed to catch a blurred shadow.
Feng Xiaotian, unconcerned with Tang San's surprise, had already let his first spirit ring flare the instant he charged.
His hand transformed into a wolf claw, wrapped in blades of wind. With an ear-piercing screech, the claw slashed directly at Tang San's chest.
At this point, Feng Xiaotian's strength lacked only a few levels of spirit power compared to when he had participated in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. In every other respect, he had already reached his peak form.
Tang San, without the aid of immortal herbs, was only a Soul Elder. How could he possibly stand against such an opponent?
With the attack closing in, he had no chance to evade.
His only option was to cross his arms before his chest and rely on the Xuan Yu Hand to block the strike.
Clang!
A metallic clash exploded across the arena as the Xuan Yu Hand met the wolf claw, sending sparks flying.
Even Feng Xiaotian was briefly stunned. He hadn't expected Tang San to be able to withstand his sudden attack.
But the assault was far from over.
Feng Xiaotian poured force into his arm, flinging aside Tang San's crossed arms before swinging ruthlessly at his chest.
Agonizing pain tore through Tang San's arms, leaving them useless for further defense.
Sensing the imminent danger, he stomped hard on the ground and threw himself backward.
Shhhk!
A flash of green light ripped past, slicing his robes open. He had narrowly avoided being gutted.
But airborne, Tang San had no way to regain his balance.
Seizing the moment, Feng Xiaotian flashed in front of him. His sharp wolf claw struck mercilessly at Tang San's chest.
Puchi!
Blood spurted from Tang San's lips as the impact sent him skidding back more than ten meters across the arena floor.
"How… how is this possible!" Tang San suppressed the metallic taste of blood rising in his throat, his eyes filled with disbelief as he stared at the figure before him.
But Feng Xiaotian gave him no chance to recover. His second spirit ring lit up.
"Second Spirit Skill—Twin Wolf Possession!"
At once, the phantom of the twin-headed wolf on his back merged into his body.
The cyan light around him surged, the air swirling violently into the beginnings of a hurricane.
Before the words had even faded, he shot forward like a streak of cyan lightning, his speed almost unbelievable.
Tang San dared not be careless any longer. His first and third spirit rings shone simultaneously.
"First Spirit Skill—Binding!"
"Third Spirit Skill—Spider Web Restraint!"
Slamming his palm onto the stage, Tang San unleashed a flood of Blue Silver Grass that surged toward Feng Xiaotian like a tidal wave.
Feng Xiaotian scoffed. With a sweep of both arms, he sent dozens of green wind blades tearing into the incoming grass.
The instant they made contact, Tang San's vines were shredded to ribbons.
But the blades didn't stop—they sliced through the remnants and raced straight toward Tang San.
Activating Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Tang San barely evaded, already reaching for a hidden weapon to counterattack.
But before he could turn, Feng Xiaotian was in front of him again.
The wolf claws lashed out, each strike leaving three solid afterimages, sharp as steel.
Tang San's pupils contracted. He quickly raised his Xuan Yu Hand to block.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Three strikes landed in an instant, sparks flying wildly.
Tang San's sleeves disintegrated under the barrage, leaving his forearms exposed. Fine lines of blood appeared on his skin under the relentless storm of attacks.
Crack!
At last, amid the countless blows, both combatants heard the faint sound of bone cracking in Tang San's arms.
His eyes reflected the overwhelming storm of claws as despair welled inside him.
Feng Xiaotian's face darkened, his gaze growing sharper still.
"Still not using the Clear Sky Hammer? It seems I have truly been underestimated! Very well—then take your arrogance with you to hell!"
Completely enraged, Feng Xiaotian's attacks grew even faster.
Tang San cursed inwardly. It wasn't that he didn't want to use the Clear Sky Hammer—it was that he had no opportunity to do so.
But Feng Xiaotian didn't know this. All he felt was contempt.
Only by utterly crushing Tang San could he vent his rage.
Clang!
Tang San, still just a Soul Elder, could not withstand Feng Xiaotian's relentless assault. His Xuan Yu Hand had reached its limit.
"Damn it… am I really going to lose? No… no, I refuse to accept this!" he roared inwardly.
Feng Xiaotian, sensing his opponent was at his breaking point, showed no mercy. His wolf claws gathered swirling gales, the sharp intent seeming to threaten to slice Tang San to pieces.
"This ends now, Tang San!"
Just as he was about to land the finishing blow, a familiar voice suddenly thundered in his mind.
"Xiaotian, stop!"
The voice made his body stiffen.
That single instant of hesitation gave Tang San the chance he desperately needed.
He bowed sharply, and a hidden mechanism on his back fired a crossbow bolt nearly half a meter long straight at Feng Xiaotian's face.
Feng Xiaotian twisted low, the bolt grazing past his cheek.
With a series of rapid backflips, he created distance, then turned a puzzled gaze toward the spectator stands where Shenfeng Academy was seated.
"Father, why? Isn't this tournament supposed to be a matter of life and death?"
(End of Chapter)