Dai Mubai's sharp tiger claws tore through the air, aiming straight for Su Bai's chest.
Facing the attack, Su Bai stood still, not moving an inch.
"Second Soul Skill—Auspicious Qilin Protection!"
In the next moment, a Qilin phantom appeared behind him and instantly merged with his body, forming a solid golden barrier.
Su Bai's defense, attack, and strength surged by 200% in an instant. The golden aura surrounding him also granted additional resistance against dark and evil attributes.
Dai Mubai's claws were stopped half a meter from Su Bai's chest by the suddenly formed golden shield.
Clang!
A crisp metallic sound rang out.
Sparks flew as his claws scraped across the barrier—but they couldn't advance even a fraction.
Dai Mubai felt as if he had struck a block of ten-thousand-year refined iron, the shock numbing his arms.
A powerful rebound force sent him stumbling backward several steps before he regained his balance.
How could it be this hard?!
Dai Mubai was horrified. He knew the strength of that strike—yet even a defense-type Soul Elder at the same level couldn't have blocked it so easily.
Su Bai looked at him and shook his head.
"Too slow."
Then, his yellow soul ring lit up as he raised his right foot and brought it down heavily.
"First Soul Skill—Qilin Steps in Heaven!"
Boom!
A visible golden shockwave spread outward from his foot in a fan-shaped arc.
The stone ground cracked inch by inch, a deep trench carved through it by the force.
Dai Mubai's pupils shrank. He felt a deadly threat from that golden wave.
Without hesitation, he activated his strongest defense.
"Third Soul Skill—White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
His muscles bulged again as the golden fur on his body shifted into black-and-white stripes, and a powerful golden aura enveloped him.
His defense, attack, and strength all peaked at that moment.
Almost at the same instant, the golden shockwave reached him.
Bang!
Dai Mubai felt like he had been struck head-on by a rampaging beast.
Even with the Vajra Transformation boosting him far beyond others of his level, he could barely endure the impact.
The golden aura around him flickered violently as he was forced back five meters before stopping.
Two deep grooves were carved into the ground beneath his feet.
His chest churned violently, a metallic taste rising in his throat—but he forcibly swallowed it down.
Leaning on his knees, he panted heavily, his arms trembling uncontrollably.
How… is this possible?
He was Level 37. The opponent was only Level 35.
Yet his third soul skill could barely withstand the other's first.
This wasn't a difference in soul rings anymore—this was absolute suppression at the Martial Soul level!
That Qilin Martial Soul was clearly far superior to his White Tiger.
The surrounding applicants and parents were completely stunned.
Moments ago, Dai Mubai had been domineering—now he was already at a clear disadvantage, and on the verge of total defeat.
Su Bai didn't press the attack immediately. Instead, he walked forward at an unhurried pace.
Step by step.
Each footfall felt like it landed on Dai Mubai's heart, bringing overwhelming pressure.
"Damn it!"
Dai Mubai roared, forcibly suppressing his injuries as his soul power surged again.
He couldn't lose!
Especially not in front of Zhu Zhuqing!
He had already noticed the girl in the line who seemed drawn to him—she had to be his fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing.
Only she would come to Suotuo City to find him. He absolutely couldn't lose face!
"First Soul Skill—White Tiger Barrier!"
A thick white shield appeared again, stacking with the golden aura of his Vajra Transformation to form a dual-layer defense of gold and white.
This was the strongest defense Dai Mubai could muster.
Su Bai stopped less than three meters away.
Looking at the layered defenses, his expression remained indifferent.
"Still too weak."
As his words fell, he raised his right foot once more.
The same movement. The same yellow soul ring lighting up.
"First Soul Skill—Qilin Steps in Heaven!"
Boom!
An even more violent golden shockwave surged outward.
The ground shattered completely, stones pulverized into dust.
Dai Mubai's eyes widened as he poured all his soul power into his shield.
"Hold it!!"
Crack!
The moment the golden wave struck, a crisp shattering sound rang out.
The White Tiger Barrier lasted less than a second before exploding into countless fragments of light.
The remaining force slammed heavily into his Vajra Transformation.
"Pfft!"
Dai Mubai could no longer hold back, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
His body was sent flying like a broken kite, lifted off the ground and hurled backward until he crashed hard into the solid wall of Shrek Academy.
The wall caved in, forming a human-shaped crater.
Sliding down, Dai Mubai's White Tiger possession dissipated instantly, returning him to his human form.
His face was pale, his aura weak—he had already lost consciousness.
Silence fell over the entire scene.
Everyone was utterly stunned.
A Level 37 Battle Soul Elder, a genius of Shrek Academy, had been defeated—twice—by the same soul skill from a twelve-year-old.
The second time was an outright instant defeat.
This wasn't a fight.
It was a one-sided crushing.
At the front of the line, Tang San clenched his fists tightly.
He replayed the battle over and over in his mind.
Su Bai had only used two soul skills—one defensive, one offensive.
The defensive skill had effortlessly blocked Dai Mubai's claws.
The offensive one was overwhelmingly domineering.
Tang San asked himself—if it were him, could he block that golden shockwave?
Perhaps he could dodge it using Purple Demon Eye and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
But if he had to take it head-on, he had no confidence at all.
And that Yellow, Purple, Purple soul ring configuration had completely shattered the theory he learned from his teacher, Yu Xiaogang.
Wasn't the limit for the second soul ring just over seven hundred years?
Then why was Su Bai's thousand-year?
Was his teacher's theory… wrong?
The mere thought unsettled him deeply.
Xiao Wu stood there with her mouth slightly open, forgetting she was still in line.
She felt it most clearly—when Su Bai used his Qilin Martial Soul, the pressure from his bloodline nearly made her kneel.
So this… was the power of an Auspicious Beast?
It was overwhelming.
Compared to the Qilin, Dai Mubai's White Tiger was no different from a house cat.