With Wang Teng collapsing, every member of the Wang family in the arena stared in stunned silence.
Their eyes widened as if they could hardly believe what had just happened.
Wang Teng was supposed to be one of the very top prodigies of the younger generation—both the eldest and the most advanced in cultivation.
As the clan's genius, he was nothing like those common Soul Elders outside, the ones who embarrassed themselves with only ten-year or hundred-year soul rings.
If Wang Chen had defeated an ordinary Soul Elder, none of them would have been shocked.
But Wang Teng wasn't ordinary. His martial soul was powerful, his foundation solid, and his rings followed the optimal configuration of yellow, yellow, purple.
Not only that—his skill set was excellent. His Fire Corrosion could be stacked with other attacks, Fire Element Amplification strengthened his offense, and his thousand-year Explosive Flame Annihilation Slash was formidable even among Soul Elders.
And yet, this same Wang Teng had just been defeated by Wang Chen—a mere Grand Soul Master?
In the stands, Wang Teng's parents, who had been quarreling fiercely moments ago, were left gaping in silence, the pride on their faces vanishing instantly.
Meanwhile, Wang Chen's parents were radiant with joy, eyes shining with pride. His mother murmured:
"My son is incredible… tonight we must celebrate properly."
An elder of the clan muttered:
"Our Wang clan has produced such a monster… this is the dawn of prosperity. His strength could rival even the direct descendants of the royal family with their top-tier martial souls, hahahaha!"
Another clansman echoed:
"Wang Chen's performance is shocking. Wang Teng was excellent, but only in the ordinary sense of the word. Compared to Wang Chen, the gap is clear."
Even Judge Wang Yuan was left speechless. He had expected Wang Teng to emerge victorious, but who could have imagined Wang Chen would win so swiftly?
A top-tier genius like this must be reported to the ancestor. We must pour all resources into cultivating him—only then can this piece of jade shine, ensuring our clan's glory endures.
Standing at the center of the arena, Wang Chen met the gazes of the clan—shock, disbelief, awe, pride—yet his own expression remained calm, as though victory was nothing more than natural.
Looking down at the unconscious Wang Teng, lying peacefully where he had fallen, Wang Chen thought to himself:
"Wang Teng's strength isn't bad… but unfortunately, I'm stronger."
In truth, once he invoked the secret art and relied on his peak third-tier soul tools, his raw strength already matched Wang Teng's.
From there, it became a contest of soft skills—and in combat mastery, there was no one among the Sun and Moon Empire's younger generation who could stand above Wang Chen.
With the Black Book's records and his own extraordinary learning speed, Wang Chen had mastered countless skills—not only in soul tool crafting but also in combat techniques, weapon use, and close-quarters fighting.
Take the spear, for instance. In his hands, it was no mere weapon but an extension of his arm, moving as naturally as his own body.
His heightened spirit power gave him sharper observation, faster reactions, and finer timing than his peers.
Thus, with hard power nearly equal and soft power overwhelmingly superior, Wang Teng had no chance.
His defeat was only natural.
Pitiful Wang Teng… to be defeated across realms. When he awoke, his very Dao heart might shatter.
Amidst the heated discussions of the Wang clan, several judges carried Wang Teng off the arena for treatment.
Though he seemed peacefully asleep, his injuries were light. Wang Chen had struck with control, using only enough force to knock him out. Otherwise, the judges would have intervened.
With the Sun and Moon Empire's healing methods—and the clan's own healing-type soul masters—Wang Teng would likely wake within minutes.
As Wang Teng was carried away, Wang Chen still felt the energy within him surging strongly.
He scanned the circle of younger clansmen around the arena and declared boldly:
"Who else wishes to challenge me? Step forward, and I'll face you all!"
He intended to subdue the entire younger generation of the Wang clan in one sweep, securing his place as the undisputed number one.
From this day forward, the clan's best resources would belong to him.
And if anyone refused to accept it? Then he would simply knock them down with his spear.
But under the crushing momentum of the one who had just defeated the three-ring Wang Teng, none dared to answer.
Some of the clan youths looked fearful, others admiring, and still others had flickering, unreadable eyes.
The silence stretched on for a full half-minute.
Just as Wang Chen thought no one would step forward, a clear, melodious voice rang out:
"Big Brother Wang Chen, let me test myself against you!"
A strikingly beautiful young girl, full of heroic spirit, strode confidently into the center of the arena.
Her name was Wang Mengting—the only other genius besides Wang Teng and Wang Chen to be born with innate ninth-level soul power.
Younger than Wang Chen, she was currently at rank 27. In soul tool crafting, she was only at the level of a second-tier soul engineer.
Gazing at Wang Chen, she thought smugly to herself:
"Wang Chen just fought Wang Teng—he must be heavily drained. This is the perfect time to take advantage. Maybe I can even defeat him."
But before her scheme could unfold, Judge Wang Yuan addressed Wang Chen:
"Do you require rest to recover your state?"
He bore no displeasure at the disruption of the clan's grand tournament. Geniuses always had privileges. And this tournament's purpose was to single out the strongest to receive the clan's full support. As long as the right result was achieved, the process mattered little to him.
Wang Mengting's face immediately darkened. If Wang Chen was allowed to rest, she stood no chance.
But Wang Chen said firmly:
"My energy is full. We can start immediately."
Wang Yuan nodded.
"In that case, begin."
The instant the words fell, Wang Chen's body blurred forward like a phantom.
His peak third-tier thruster roared, propelling him at a speed rivaling agility-type Soul Elders.
Wang Mengting tried to lock on and unleash her soul skills and soul tools to intercept him—
—but he was too fast. She couldn't even target him properly. Her desperate counterattacks fell wide, completely missing.
In the blink of an eye, Wang Chen appeared before her. With a sharp motion, the shaft of his spear slammed mercilessly into her flat stomach.