The victory over the paid students should have brought Room 7 together, but instead, it planted a seed of discord.
In the days following the fight, Tang San became uncharacteristically quiet. Every time Chen Fan entered the room—or rather, "manifested" near his bed—Tang San's hand would instinctively twitch toward his sleeves. To a master of the Tang Sect, there was nothing more dangerous than a hidden weapon you couldn't see and a scout you couldn't track.
The Clash of Philosophies
Tang San prided himself on control. His Purple Demon Eye allowed him to see through illusions, but Chen Fan's Specter wasn't an illusion; it was a physical displacement. It frustrated him. More importantly, the cold, murderous aura of the Ghost Claw reminded Tang San of the darker techniques of the Tang Sect's inner world.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Tang San stood at the edge of the academy's woods.
"I know you're there, Chen Fan," Tang San said, his eyes glowing with a faint purple light. "The grass stops swaying three inches before your feet. You're leaking intent."
Chen Fan faded into view, leaning against a tree. "Your senses are getting sharper, San. Most people wouldn't notice the wind displacement."
"That's the problem," Tang San turned, his expression stern. "Your Martial Soul is malevolent. In the library, Grandmaster said Undead souls can corrupt the user. I've watched you these past months. You're becoming more like a ghost than a person. I want to see if you're still in control, or if that 'thing' is controlling you."
Chen Fan straightened up, a dry smile on his face. "You want a duel? Or do you just want to see if you can hit what you can't catch?"
"Both," Tang San replied, his right hand dropping into a ready stance. "If I win, you have to let Grandmaster examine your soul. He can help you."
"And if I win?"
"I'll stop watching your shadow."
Duel: The Hidden Weapon vs. The Ethereal Ghost
The atmosphere turned heavy. There was no referee, only the rustling leaves.
Tang San moved first. His feet blurred in the patterns of the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step. He was fast, but Chen Fan didn't move a muscle. He triggered Ghost Walk, letting his body become semi-transparent.
Thwack!
A rain of stones—flung with the precision of the Flying Locust Stone technique—passed straight through Chen Fan's chest. They hit the tree behind him with a thud.
"Intangibility has a limit, doesn't it?" Tang San muttered. He rushed forward, his palms glowing jade-white. Mysterious Jade Hand!
Tang San realized that if physical objects passed through, he needed to use concentrated Spirit Power. He struck at Chen Fan's chest. Chen Fan didn't dodge; he allowed the Specter to merge with his own arms.
"First Spirit Skill: Ghost Claw!"
The collision was silent. Tang San's jade-white palms met the translucent purple claws of the Specter.
The Conflict: Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill was pure and warm, while Chen Fan's power was a bottomless, freezing abyss.
The Sensation: Tang San felt a sharp, soul-piercing chill bypass his Jade Hand defense. It felt like his very life force was being "nipped" at.
Chen Fan, however, was struggling. Tang San's Spirit Power was incredibly dense for a Level 13. It felt like trying to ghost-walk through solid steel.
The Soul-Devouring Spark
As they surged against each other, the Specter's eyes flared a deep, hungry crimson. For a split second, Chen Fan felt a surge of energy—he was accidentally draining a microscopic amount of Tang San's Spirit Power through the contact.
Is this... Soul Devouring? Chen Fan thought, horrified.
He immediately broke the contact, flickering ten meters away. He was breathing hard, the cold energy in his body churning. Tang San stood his ground, his right arm trembling slightly and covered in a thin layer of frost.
"Your power... it's not just cold," Tang San said, his eyes narrowing. "It's predatory."
"It's a Martial Soul, Tang San. Not a moral compass," Chen Fan retorted, though he was secretly shaken by the hunger he felt from the Specter.
Before Tang San could launch another attack, a loud crack echoed through the woods.
"Enough!"
Grandmaster emerged from the shadows, looking at the frost on Tang San's arm and the shimmering state of Chen Fan. "A duel between classmates should not involve devouring intent. Chen Fan, your soul is more complex than I theorized. Tang San, back down."
Tang San lowered his hands, but his gaze remained fixed on Chen Fan. The hostility hadn't vanished; it had evolved into a deep-seated vigilance. He realized that while he was the "Twin Soul" genius, Chen Fan was an anomaly that defied the very laws of life and death.