On the academy plaza, Su Cheng glanced at the crowd that numbered nearly a hundred people and couldn't help feeling a bit surprised.
This was almost one-fifth of the academy's total student population.
He had only just returned with Ning Rongrong not long ago—how had everyone gathered so quickly? Hadn't it been said that the academy's students were usually scattered across various mimetic training grounds, making it difficult to assemble them all at once?
Meng Shenji smiled at him and nodded, saying, "The news about your second soul ring being a thousand-year one somehow spread earlier. Quite a few people wanted to see it for themselves. You could say it was a coincidence—saved us a lot of time."
Only then did Su Cheng understand. It was probably when he displayed his martial soul upon first entering the academy that other students noticed him.
He casually swept his gaze across the crowd and spotted several clearly defined small groups. He wasn't sure whether Xue Beng's faction was among them.
If not, it didn't really matter. After today's battle, the Fourth Prince Xue Beng would most likely come looking for him on his own. That one was also an ambitious character.
In Su Cheng's imagination, Xue Beng should have been a low-strength but arrogant, spoiled noble type. Yet among the people he saw, none quite fit that image. Most likely, the Fourth Prince wasn't present.
What he didn't know was that Xue Beng was in fact scanning the crowd at that very moment. It was just that over the past few years, he had been thoroughly suppressed by Qian Renxue masquerading as Xue Qinghe, and had therefore become much more low-key.
Meng Shenji looked at the assembled students, his expression turning noticeably more serious, no longer as gentle and kind as before.
"I trust you've all heard that our academy has welcomed a new student, though you may not know much about him. Allow me to formally introduce him."
As he spoke, he raised his hand toward Su Cheng.
"Su Cheng, a level thirty-two assault-type Battle Soul Elder, not yet eleven years old this year. His second soul ring is of the thousand-year level."
The students who had still harbored doubts about the rumors were instantly thrown into an uproar when the chief education committee member Meng Shenji personally confirmed it. The plaza erupted into noise, discussions breaking out everywhere.
Some frowned secretly, some examined him carefully, others were openly disdainful—emotions varied widely.
But the most prevalent reaction was shock.
Seeing this, Meng Shenji nodded inwardly.
The students of Tiandou Royal Academy were either of noble birth or outstanding talent, and many had grown overly arrogant. Letting them know that there were always people stronger than themselves wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
What surprised him, however, was Su Cheng's reaction.
His expression was calm, neither nervous nor smug despite being the center of attention.
Meng Shenji gestured for silence and continued, "However, today isn't only about introducing Student Su to all of you. The selection for our academy's team for the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament three years from now isn't over yet, and this new student also wishes to participate."
At these words, the students' expressions immediately changed.
This person was not yet eleven and already a Soul Elder. Three years from now, who knew how far his cultivation would advance? If he was going to compete for a spot, then everyone else's chances would be reduced yet again.
"However," Meng Shenji went on, "Student Su has said that in the soul master world, only strength matters—nothing else. If today he proves inferior in skill, then he will wait for the next tournament to compete. So, who would like to be the first to battle him?"
Hearing this, Su Cheng shot him a sidelong glance.
This old fox was quite shrewd—by saying this in front of everyone, he had completely sealed the matter today.
If Su Cheng lost, it would mean he would entirely miss the chance to represent Tiandou Royal Academy in this tournament.
As Meng Shenji's words fell, regardless of their prior attitudes toward Su Cheng's arrival, the students now felt a sense of shared hostility.
Being able to participate in this tournament was far more than just a proof of strength.
The honor, status, rewards, and the complex利益纠葛 behind them meant no one was willing to hand over a competitive opportunity to someone else.
Students like Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, who were already confirmed members of the first team, naturally had no interest in stepping forward.
But others were clearly restless.
Ji Yuan was one of them.
Compared to most academy students, his background could be considered ordinary—he came from a declining noble family. Yet in his generation, his martial soul had mutated, granting him an innate soul power of over level six.
This year, at twenty-one years old, his soul power had already reached level thirty-four, making him one of the candidates for captain of the second team.
Ji Yuan had long regarded this position as his rightful prize—it was the hope for his family's revival.
Naturally, he felt the greatest sense of threat.
Upon hearing Meng Shenji's words, he immediately stood up with a darkened expression.
"Boss, are you really going? That kid's a genius too, you know," someone beside him whispered.
"I'm beating geniuses," Ji Yuan replied.
A genius?
Just a kid not even eleven years old.
Among Tiandou Royal Academy's more than five hundred students, aside from the useless noble scions shoved in by their families, which one wasn't a genius?
What use was a genius who hadn't grown up yet?
Ji Yuan strolled leisurely to the center of the plaza, looking down at Su Cheng, who was nearly a head shorter than him, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Kid, fighting isn't just about level. Of course, in terms of soul power, you're inferior to me anyway. Silver Wolf, possess!"
As he spoke, a layer of bright silver light lit up around him. Silver fur emerged on his exposed arms, enhancing his defensive strength. He extended his arms forward, muscles bulging, almost tearing apart the light-yellow academy uniform.
Sharp claws sprang from his fingertips, gleaming coldly like short daggers. As they collided, they produced metallic clanging sounds, clearly razor-sharp.
He shook his bones, producing crackling noises, his body stretching slightly longer as his eyes glowed with eerie light. Steel-needle-like silver hairs appeared at his temples.
As his beast martial soul possession completed, a faint scent of blood seemed to spread through the surrounding air.
At his feet, three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—rose in succession, surging soul power rolling like waves.
Ji Yuan flexed his fingers and said lazily, "Ji Yuan. Martial soul: Silver Wolf. Level thirty-four Battle Soul Elder."
Seeing this, Su Cheng also raised his right hand, and the Longevity Sword appeared in his grasp.
At his feet, three soul rings appeared—one yellow and two purple.
"Su Cheng. Martial soul: Longevity Sword. Level thirty-two Battle Soul Elder."
As his martial soul manifested, another wave of discussion erupted from the crowd.
Ning Fengzhi glanced at Meng Shenji beside him and casually asked, "Chief Meng, who do you think has the better odds of winning?"
Meng Shenji pondered slightly before replying, "Ji Yuan should have the higher chance. For Su Cheng to reach this level at such an age, no matter how talented he is, it must have required diligent cultivation. He likely lacks experience in actual combat against other soul masters. Moreover, he hasn't received systematic training in this area."
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi instead shook his head. "I think young friend Su has a good chance."
He added silently in his heart: if he truly has some connection to the person Sword Uncle mentioned before.
"He won't win."
At this moment, a clear, girlish voice cut into their conversation.
Ning Fengzhi turned in surprise, only to see his daughter pouting. "That Su Cheng told me earlier—he hasn't systematically studied soul master theory, doesn't even understand soul ring selection. His martial soul's innate soul skills probably aren't very strong."
Ning Fengzhi looked at her in mild surprise.
From her tone, it seemed her lack of confidence in Su Cheng wasn't just due to these objective reasons. It sounded like their earlier interaction hadn't gone very well?
That wasn't a good sign.
"Look how slow his reaction is."
Ning Rongrong's words pulled his attention back to the fight.
On the plaza, Ji Yuan had no intention of testing the waters.
Once possession was complete, his physical qualities and combat instincts were greatly enhanced. His wolf-like body lunged forward at high speed, carrying a gust of bloody wind.
At the same time, the claws on all ten of his fingers shot out, slashing toward Su Cheng.
His first soul ring lit up, and streaks of gale-like wind seemed to appear out of nowhere, flowing between the claw blades.
Right from the start, he used his first soul skill—Silver Wolf Divine Wind Claw!
Clearly, Ji Yuan intended to end the fight quickly.
Yet Su Cheng showed no reaction at all, with no sign of using a soul skill.
"It's over!" Ji Yuan felt a surge of joy.
The effect of this soul skill was to greatly enhance the instantaneous speed and power of his claw strikes. If the opponent failed to prepare in advance, they would easily fall into a disadvantage.
Su Cheng hadn't even activated a soul skill—there was no suspense left.
It was even easier than he had imagined.
"It's over."
Meng Shenji sighed, feeling somewhat disappointed.
He didn't want Su Cheng competing with older students for team spots, but he also didn't want this new student to be merely a cultivation prodigy.
At this distance, with Su Cheng still not using a soul skill, it was already too late for him to react.
Soul power circulation required time—one step slow, and every step afterward would be slow.
Ning Fengzhi also frowned slightly.
"Junior, today I'll give you a lesson. Soul master combat isn't about cultivation talent," Ji Yuan's voice came along with the wind.
"I can defeat you because I know how to leverage my strengths, understand psychological warfare, and even consider the terrain. I used my strongest single-target attack right from the start!"
Su Cheng looked calmly at the body lunging toward him, seemingly not hearing a word.
In an instant, his soul power coursed through several meridians. The Longevity Sword in his hand slashed upward at an angle, striking later but arriving first, blocking in front of him.
The sword was fast, and its power was equally immense.
Silver light flared along the blade, as if the sword had suddenly become far sharper.
Sword Dao Thirteen Forms: Sword Seven—White Tiger!
In an instant, offense and defense reversed. Ji Yuan's movement was practically like hurling himself straight onto Su Cheng's blade.
His attack and evasion paths were completely sealed.
Ji Yuan's pupils shrank, every hair on his body standing on end, the silver whiskers at his temples rising like steel needles.
He didn't understand what had happened, couldn't comprehend how Su Cheng's sword strike could be so bizarre.
But the attack had already arrived. He could only forcefully halt his momentum and swing his claws in advance, colliding with the razor-sharp sword blade.
"Clang—!"
With a deafening metallic clash, Ji Yuan let out a muffled groan and staggered back several steps, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth—his internal organs had already been injured by that single strike.
This was normal. He had responded hastily, his strength not yet at its peak, and was intercepted in advance. Without an overwhelming power advantage, being at a disadvantage in this collision was hardly surprising.
However, before Ji Yuan could make any further move, Su Cheng's next strike arrived in the blink of an eye.
He smoothly thrust the sword forward, the speed so fast that Ji Yuan had no time to react at all.
Within his field of vision, the sword light resembled a white rainbow, stabbing straight toward his brow.
Sword Three—Shadowless!
Ji Yuan was shocked, feeling as though the sword shadow had already pierced through his skull, cold sweat instantly breaking out all over his body.
Everything happened in a flash. Dodging was clearly impossible—he could only muster all his strength to block with his not-yet-shattered wolf claws.
It felt as if life and death hung on a single instant.
At that moment, a thread of killing intent swept past. Ji Yuan's scalp went numb as he stared at Su Cheng in horror.
Yet unexpectedly, Su Cheng's long sword suddenly changed its movement again. He didn't press the attack further, but instead lifted the blade upward.
What followed was a towering sword shadow, like a collapsing mountain.
"If life is fleeting, if death is rest. Life is but a dream—how many moments of joy are there?"
Sword Thirteen—Sentient Beings Have Feelings!
But what Su Cheng used at this moment was merely the opening stance of the Sentient Sword, drawn out by the lingering momentum of the previous move.
Even so, Ji Yuan felt an incomparably immense pressure, as though everything around him was slowly drifting away.
He seemed to return to the days when he fought with peers in his family for resources; to the times he was oppressed and bullied by the strong in the academy; to when he was excluded and driven out of the academy team…
Status and wealth, gained only to be lost.
Honor and power, brushing past him.
The boundless sword shadow rose higher and higher.
Ji Yuan felt as if he stood at the edge of a sheer cliff—one misstep, and he would be shattered to pieces.
Like walking on thin ice. Like standing on the brink of an abyss.
He wanted to roar.
To swing his fists.
To unleash every soul skill he could use.
To reveal all his trump cards and killing moves.
Yet he couldn't even move a single finger.
His soul power and soul skills were firmly suppressed within his body.
That terror—like losing everything—made his body tremble slightly.
He could only stare wide-eyed at the youth before him.
No—not just him.
The senior students standing behind him, including first-team members like Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, were all enveloped by that sword momentum as well.
A sense of despair rose from their hearts, taking root and growing bit by bit.
Gazing at that sword momentum was like gazing at an insurmountable mountain.
"You… you…" Ji Yuan's throat trembled as he forced out a few broken words in a warped voice.
"I defeat you—not because of tactics, but simply because I am stronger than you."
Su Cheng's gaze was calm as water. His eyes passed over Ji Yuan's shoulder, looking at the figures behind him.
"Who's next?"
Dead silence filled the entire plaza.
Behind Su Cheng, Meng Shenji, Ning Fengzhi, and the others exchanged looks, their expressions solemn.
Ning Rongrong stood there, eyes vacant.
This battle had ended in less than a minute.
Throughout it all, Su Cheng hadn't used even a single soul ring skill.
Only then did she suddenly realize that perhaps the things Su Cheng had said earlier… really did have some truth to them.
.....
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