Chapter 209.
Wang Feng remained silent, retracting the blade as his black robe billowed slightly before he turned around to depart. Even the referee's announcement sounded lackluster in comparison to his presence.
Trembling, the referee managed to stammer, "... In the second round of qualifiers, Purple Star Academy wins!"
The audience erupted into an uproar!
"What sort of monster have we recruited?" murmured Dean Fei Lun, wiping sweat from his brow. But it wasn't just him, many shared his sentiments at that moment.
What exactly is this Jiu Yikai? What kind of monster is he?
"He is beyond strong for his level, isn't he?" Tai Long mumbled, looking dumbfounded this time.
"Like a lightning, with precise and meticulous calculations... It's indeed the Jiu Yikai from Silves' Great Fighting Soul Arena," Dai Mubai whispered to Tang San, his voice low. "I fear he will be our toughest opponent in the qualifiers, perhaps even in the promotion match!"
"His battles are unnervingly short. Attempting to face him even with seven of us... it's truly daunting," Tang San replied, shaking his head. "But what's most concerning is that his Axe martial soul hasn't surfaced yet... and I also suspect his special weapon is not just an ordinary soul bone, but something more unique and mysterious."
Tang San often contemplated how he would fare against seven opponents by himself, envisioning himself as a single combatant facing Blazing Academy team. It was a daunting thought.
With just two powerful power attack system soul masters, he wouldn't be as easily subdued but the control system girls precise manipulation of the Defying Flame Ring and her exceptional utilization of soul abilities demonstrated a mastery of combat as if it were an art form.
He shuddered at the sight of facing seven of them all alone, he would win if he was allowed to use hidden weapons and if allowed to kill, but still not as easily as Jiu Yikai made it seem.
"He's also controlling himself, otherwise, those seven would have perished swiftly and even faster," Ma Hongjun shivered. "He's holding back... but we've only seen a fraction of his true strength. Who knows how much power he's concealing!"
"Doesn't he know how to fake matches? Is there really someone this formidable at this age?" Jing Ling couldn't help but wonder aloud. "Could he be a Soul Saint in disguise?"
Everyone fell silent, pondering the mystery surrounding Jiu Yikai.
"Impossible," Grandmaster shook his head.
"You've all been tested on the field. The examiners are also at least Soul Saints. It's not feasible to fake his true strength. At the very least, the martial prowess and soul power levels are genuine."
Jing Ling's assertion resonated with the group, dismissing the notion as improbable.
"I wonder if Feng'ge can take him on," someone mused.
At that moment, Xiao Wu released a heavy sigh.
While Tang San and the others were engrossed in discussion on the viewing platform, at the VIP table, Huyan Zhen, who had initially intended to depart after the Elephant Armored Academy and Shrek Academy bout, remained seated following the Purple Star Academy and Blazing Academy match.
"Our Heaven Dou Empire has produced such a remarkable soul master," Emperor Xue Ye remarked softly amidst the hushed atmosphere.
In the first match, when Jiu Yikai defeated Blue Sunshine Academy, only a few were truly alarmed. However, now that it was evident that one individual could wield such power, it demanded serious attention.
Blazing Academy, one of the five elemental academies of the Heaven Dou Empire was a very prominent and prestigious institution, found itself overshadowed by the spectacle of Purple Star Academy and the enigmatic Jiu Yikai. This served as a reminder to the other elemental academies to be wary of Purple Star Academt. Especially Jiu Yikai. As even among them Blazing Academy is one of the strongest academy.
The events of this day confirmed the capability and potential of Jiu Yikai and his formidable prowess.
Not to mention the finals, the current qualifiers, and the subsequent rounds, this Jiu Yikai will stand out as a formidable opponent for any team! The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament has seen numerous iterations, but a soul master as unique as him is unprecedented!
Gu Rong and Ning Fengzhi remained silent, as did Bishop Salas.
Meanwhile, the audience erupted into cheers following the victory in the preceding battle, chanting the name of Purple Star Academy. As many were unfamiliar with Jiu Yikai's name.
"It seems that Purple Star Academy will emerge as the dark horses of this year's competition," Gu Rong remarked to Ning Fengzhi in a hushed tone.
"Let's not overlook Shrek Academy. Its students are remarkably talented and resilient, on par with those of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Your Majesty, who serves as the dean of Shrek Academy?" Bishop Salas Platinum inquired.
While Purple Star Academy garnered attention due to Jiu Yikai's mysterious presence, Shrek Academy commanded respect for its impressive attributes and producing geniuses. With most of their students possessing over four soul rings, and even two students have the ability to wield ten-thousand-year soul rings alongside potent martial soul fusion skills, Shrek Academy prowess was undeniable.
"Bishop Salas, allow me to answer that question," replied Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly as he glanced at His Majesty Xue Ye.
"The dean is known as Flender, one of the three member of the renowned Golden Triangle in the world of soul masters. The other two are Yu Xiaogang, often referred to as Grandmaster and Liu Erlong. The current students of Shrek Academy have been trained by these three, and Tang San is still a direct disciple of the Grandmaster."
"Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang?" Bishop Salas' demeanor shifted immediately upon hearing this.
Huyan Zhen, nearby, also reacted with a changed expression.
"Oh, are you familiar with Grandmaster Yu?" Ning Fengzhi inquired, surprised by their reactions.
The platinum bishop of the Soul Hall was known for his arrogance and disdain for others. It was unusual for him to react this way upon hearing a name. Although the Golden Triangle was renowned in the world of soul masters, one wouldn't expect such a reaction by the mere mention of a name from him especially Bishop Salas, as he himself was Soul Douluo, right?
While the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Sect, to which Ning Fengzhi belonged, had little interaction with the Soul Hall and knew little of its inner workings, the Elephant Armored Sect, where Huyan Zhen hailed from, was affiliated with the Soul Hall, affording him some insight into its secrets.
"No, I am not," Bishop Salas replied, his expression returning to a faint semblance of normalcy.
"Thank goodness..." Huyan Zhen muttered under his breath.
Ning Fengzhi didn't press further, instead focusing on the ongoing match below while occasionally exchanging words with His Majesty Xue Ye or Gu Rong.
On the other hand, the match continued.
After the match, Wang Feng didn't linger to watch other games. Instead, he returned to the academy and resumed his training. Despite not having mastered the art of Heart Separation Control, Wang Feng persisted with his practice of focusing on two tasks simultaneously.
However, achieving the level Three Apertures Governing Heart proved to be exceedingly challenging. Managing three different weapons with three distinct though process might sound impressive, but in reality, it would compromise the focus and precision of each weapon.
As demonstrated in today's game, attempting to maneuver two short blades to effortlessly slice through the opponent's Defying Flame Rings proved to be arduous, even if he made it seem effortless.
Therefore, Wang Feng concentrated on perfecting his battle prowess with a single blade, knowing that with continued practice, he would eventually master the use of two weapons simultaneously.
Upon their return from the Great Fighting Soul Arena, the others either rested or resumed their training. Participating in matches was exhausting, and so was analyzing them. They scrutinized the games not just for entertainment, but also for strategic analysis. They assessed the strengths of each player, calculated their opponents' capabilities, and strategized on how to counter them. They scrutinized any weaknesses in their opponents' soul abilities and evaluated how effectively the players' soul abilities synergized with each other.
All of this analysis was crucial for devising effective strategies, much like Tang San did.
After watching the games on September 1st, Tang San would envision himself on the court, contemplating how to navigate the various challenges. This mental simulation and analysis were as demanding as physical practice. Consequently, in the following days, they not only played matches but also watched them closely for strategic insights.
As a week passed, Shrek Academy maintained an unblemished record—a winning streak that solidified their reputation as the dark horses and one of the strongest if not the strongest team in this qualifiers.
Alongside them, several other elemental academies, such as Thunderclap Academy, Godwind Academy, and Skywater Academy, also boasted impressive winning streaks. Blazing Academy streak was broken because of losing one game against Purple Star Academy.
The Elephant Armored Academy faced even greater setbacks, losing to both Shrek Academy and later again to Purple Star Academy. Nevertheless, Jiu Yikai's reputation overshadowed all other participating academies, save for Shrek Academy. The latter's popularity soared, partially owing to the presence of numerous attractive students and because of the ten thousand year old soul ring possessing student among them.
Among them, Zhu Zhuqing emerged as a crowd favorite, particularly following her performance against the Elephant Armored Academy.
Though Purple Star Academy lacked the popularity of Shrek Academy due to having only one representative, it was the most feared and formidable academy among the more than twenty teams. The mere presence of Jiu Yikai instilled terror in their opponents, earning them respect and reverence throughout the competition.
As the preliminaries progressed to the seventh round, no team managed to withstand Jiu Yikai's onslaught for more than ten seconds—a terrifying reality and record till sate.
Academies lacking soul masters above level forty typically succumbed within five to eight seconds, enduring merely seven or eight breaths before defeat.
Jiu Yikai's technique was deceptively simple yet devastating. His speed, power, and precise attacks instilled terror, seemingly finding the perfect rhythm with each game. Once he initiated his assault, it was relentless and unforgiving.
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