The Phoenix Flame clashed once more with Ye Xinglan's full-force attack. This time, it seemed to be an evenly matched contest.
The only difference was that Ye Xinglan had used her full strength in the clash, while this was merely one elemental attack from Lin Xiuran.
Ye Xinglan, supporting herself on her sword, knelt on the ground, her clothes torn and burned, looking particularly disheveled.
Lin Xiuran, however, remained standing upright at the other end of the arena, dressed in fine clothes, his handsome face filled with cold arrogance.
"I lost." Ye Xinglan slowly stood up, looking at Lin Xiuran, her eyes filled with a complex, indescribable emotion.
Although she was proud, she was still someone who accepted defeat willingly.
Lin Xiuran offered no mockery; his expression was even somewhat indifferent. He slowly bowed to the audience, then walked off the stage.
Ye Xinglan watched his retreating figure, a fierce determination rising within her. One day, she would defeat him fair and square.
Xie Xie was the first to rush to the stage to greet Lin Xiuran, excitedly asking, "Brother Xiuran, are you alright?"
Xu Xiaoyan, standing beside him with an uncontrollable smile, squinted but didn't say a word.
Gu Yue stood somewhat somberly to the side, her eyes still filled with deep inquiry.
"He won?!" Shen Yi looked at the result on the stage with some surprise. She hadn't expected it, after all, she knew Ye Xinglan's talent very well, yet he had been defeated by Lin Xiuran.
But then, after thinking about it, Shen Yi smiled and shook her head: "That's right, after all, he's her child. It's normal for him to have this talent."
Wu Changkong's cold eyes also held a hint of a smile. Seeing all this, he was in a good mood.
Seeing Lin Xiuran gradually become stronger and grow stronger was a way of making up for it.
"Senior brother, should we still send him to Shrek Academy?" Shen Yi asked cautiously.
This time, Wu Changkong didn't refuse but nodded.
Shen Yi smiled and then hurriedly said, "I'll arrange it right away."
"No need." Wu Changkong glanced at her and then said, "He can manage on his own."
Shen Yi was taken aback, then seemed to understand something and looked down with some anticipation.
Indeed, it seemed that she didn't need to take him away; he could manage on his own.
"Xiu Ran, this is my teacher. He wants to see you."
Tang Wulin stood outside Lin Xiu Ran's house, and next to him was a middle-aged man in long robes.
Without a doubt, this middle-aged man should be Tang Wulin's forging teacher, also known as the eighth-level Saint Craftsman Mu Chen.
Lin Xiu Ran was well aware of why they had come here to find him.
He had won the championship in this forging competition, and although the awards hadn't been presented yet, his ranking was already set.
Moreover, he was a forging master from Donghai Academy and didn't belong to any forging master association, so Mu Chen naturally wanted to recruit him.
"Hello, I am Mu Chen, the president of the East Sea Forging Masters Association." Mu Chen, an elder, was incredibly approachable, extending his hand warmly.
It's a simple principle not to refuse a smiling face, so Lin Xiuran naturally shook hands with Mu Chen and then invited them both inside.
"Young friend, let me get straight to the point. I heard you're Wu Lin's classmate and haven't joined the Forging Masters Association yet. My main purpose in coming here is to recruit you."
Mu Chen didn't like beating around the bush and asked directly. He was quite confident that Lin Xiuran would join.
"The East Sea Forging Masters Association?" Lin Xiuran asked.
Mu Chen smiled and nodded: "Our East Sea Forging Masters Association is quite powerful, and the benefits are excellent. You can rest assured about that, after all, Wu Lin is my disciple. Moreover, I am an eighth-level Saint Craftsman, fully capable of teaching him."
Lin Xiuran thought for a moment; there was no doubt that joining the East Sea Forging Masters Association would have many advantages. After all, Mu Chen was one of the few eighth-level Saint Craftsmen on the continent, so his abilities were naturally beyond question. His current skill level was indeed limited, but with a good teacher and his Phoenix True Fire, he could undoubtedly go far on the path of forging.
Mu Chen smiled faintly, "You can consider it. We're not in a hurry; we'll wait until your competition is over. We won't bother you any longer."
Lin Xiuran nodded. Alright, he'd consider it for the next couple of days and then decide after the competition.
Mu Chen then stood up and left with Tang Wulin. For him, there was no rush.
Lin Xiuran was already studying at Donghai Academy, so he certainly wouldn't join any other city's forging association.
He could work on him slowly when they got back; sooner or later, Lin Xiuran would be his disciple. Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Mu Chen's face. Just imagining having two genius disciples gave him confidence when he met Zhenhua in the future.
Not becoming a Divine Craftsman was always a regret of his.
In the next three round-robin matches, Lin Xiuran and his two companions won relatively easily, with only one match resulting in another three-ring Soul Master.
However, with the support of Lin Xiuran and his two companions, their opponents offered almost no resistance, easily advancing to the later rounds.
This time, their opponent was a formidable foe: the Hailu Academy team from Hailu City. It was said they had two three-ring members and one two-ring member, making them the strongest team in their group overall, and they had a perfect 4-0 record.
Most importantly, this match was practically a match point for both teams. Whichever side won would secure a place in the top 16.
Therefore, both sides would undoubtedly go all out, holding nothing back. This battle was bound to be difficult, unlike the previous ones.
In fact, Hailu City, where the Hailu Academy team was located, was the third largest city in the Tianhai Alliance, second only to Donghai City, located 200 kilometers north of Tianhai City. The people of Hailu City were known for their strong personalities, and Hailu Academy was quite famous in the Tianhai Alliance, at least more so than Donghai Academy.
The three students representing Hailu Academy this time were all over fourteen years old. Two three-ringed and one two-ringed Soul Master—even the two-ringed Soul Master's cultivation level was at least above level twenty-five. In the previous matches, they won by overwhelming their opponents with absolute strength. They had a certain reputation for winning the championship.
Their captain possessed a thousand-year Soul Ring, but she had never used her thousand-year Soul Skill since the start of the competition, so its nature was unknown.
Soon, the participating students from both sides entered the arena.
The three students from Hailu Academy were all girls. Among the three girls, Zhou Hanyou, walking at the front, had long light blue hair and a tall figure. Although not yet fifteen years old, she had already blossomed into a graceful young woman. (Note: The following text is a separate, unrelated paragraph.)
Read 30+ advanced chapters at p4treon..
[email protected]/Horizons685
End of this chapter...