Chapter 219.
As the game drew to a close, the mysterious soul bone wielded by Jiu –Yikai revealed its terrifying edge! Many other teams observing the scene also fell into a somewhat somber silence.
The Purple Star Academy's slogan, "One person alone is enough," which seemed ludicrous at the opening ceremony, now... somehow felt plausible as Jiu Yikai continued crushing each and every opponent academy single handedly.
This sense of absurdity left many teams feeling uneasy, even a bit horrified. On the spectator stage, Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu, who had remained silent for quite some time, already departed. They coincidentally encountered Feng Xiaotian, who had just stepped off the ring.
"Huo Wu, I almost had victory in that battle..." Feng Xiaotian approached, attempting to offer an explanation, but was promptly cut off by Huo Wu.
"No, you couldn't have won."
Feng Xiaotian fell silent. Huo Wu shook his head and continued, "Feng Xiaotian, I know you still have some major moves you didn't unleash today, along with your self-created soul ability. But believe me or not, even if you were to fight again, would you still get a chance to unleash them? I'm not accusing you unjustly, Feng Xiaotian."
After speaking, Huo Wu departed, her dark red hair brushing lightly across Feng Xiaotian's cheek, leaving behind a lingering fragrance.
"Huo Wu..." Feng Xiaotian turned around, wanting to say something, but remained silent, a trace of reluctance flashing in his eyes.
"Jiu Yikai..." he whispered to himself, then suddenly smiled, "If I can't beat you, I can still beat Shrek Academy, right? That Tang San, I can defeat him?"
With a sense of unwillingness, Feng Xiaotian left.
"This Jiu Yikai feels a little bit intimidating," Dai Mubai whispered on the spectator stage. "After witnessing so many matches, maintaining such high efficiency to defeat the enemy each time is hard to imagine. And his methods and strategy also seem endless."
They had seen many displays of strength, but the shock of today's events surpassed even their previous encounters with the Elephant Armored Academy and the Blazing Academy.
"His soul bone is truly impressive and easy to use," Ma Hongjun said enviously. "I wish I had one too."
"It's not that simple," Tang San shook his head. "The more powerful the soul bone, the more skill it requires to utilize it perfectly. It's like a peerless weapon. Giving it to you wouldn't necessarily mean you could wield it as efficiently as he does. Only in the hands of the truly strong can such weapons unleash their full power!"
The implication was clear, possessing such a soul bone was useless without the necessary strength to wield it effectively.
"Xiao San is right," Grandmaster nodded. "You only see the strength of others, but have you considered the effort and time they've invested in researching, thinking, and practicing? Consider Jiu Yikai, who hasn't even used martial soul so far. His remarkable physical fitness forms the foundation for his perfect use of his soul bone!"
"Can such physical fitness be developed quickly and easily? It requires persistence over a long period! That's why he can utilize such a powerful soul bone! Don't think about obtaining such a soul bone. Focus on the fundamentals!"
"Otherwise, even if you were to obtain a great soul bone but couldn't use it, how disappointing would that be?"
Grandmaster's words served as a harsh lesson for everyone. They all nodded in agreement, recognizing the truth in his words.
"Let's return and prepare for tomorrow's match," Tang San said quietly. Today, he –had revealed quite a lot, including Huo Wu's identity and certain tactics used against the Blazing Academy. This exposure, while necessary in the earlier matches, could now prove detrimental in the future.
Grandmaster glanced at Tang San and suggested, "Xiao San, if you face Jiu Yikai or the Godwind Academy next, consider conceding defeat and losing two rounds in the qualifiers. As long as you can advance to the promotion matches, that's what matters. The promotion matches is where the real challenge lies!"
Although they understood the rationale behind the suggestion, they couldn't help but feel a twinge of reluctance. Exposing more now meant facing greater challenges later on.
"Brother Feng and Master initially suggested using only one soul ability and revealing as less as possible. But now..." Tang San shook his head. "No, Master. The competition only comes once. Feng'ge said that we youths cannot afford any regrets. Admitting defeat would be a decision we would definitely regret! We'd rather compete once, even if we lose. Giving up is not an option!"
His words stunned everyone, including the Grandmaster.
"That's right... Youth should have no regrets," Grandmaster reflected, memories flickering in his eyes. He felt he had left behind many regrets, not just in his youth but even in his later years.
"So, even if we face Jiu Yikai, we'll fight!" Tang San grinned.
"Third brother is spot on!" Ma Hongjun chimed in. "If things get tough, we'll call in Captain Monster. I refuse to believe we can't beat this guy with his help!"
"I believe when Wang Feng steps onto the field, we would be invincible!" Ning Rongrong asserted confidently.
"Jiu Yikai may have formidable personal strength, but brother Feng is no slouch either! He hasn't even revealed his fourth soul ring yet! Have you forgotten?" Xiao Wu's eyes gleamed with cunningness.
"Brother Feng can't reveal too much. His Chaos Green Lotus martial soul should have four forms by now, right? Even if he only uses the first two, coupled with a [Deification] soul skill, I believe we can easily win!"
"Don't forget about Fatty and Captain's martial soul fusion skills. They're equally potent," Oscar added with a smile.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly, conveying her agreement without words, yet her actions spoke volumes. For a moment, everyone's confidence surged once again. Only the Grandmaster remained silent on the side.
At the VIP table, Bishop Salas's eyes gleamed with a cold intensity. "Jiu Yikai! He's truly a wildcard."
There were already two unpredictable factors in this year's competition. Shrek Academy was manageable, but this Jiu Yikai was proving to be a challenge to predict.
"I heard two days ago, Bishop Salas sent someone to the Purple Star Academy to find information about this Jiu Yikai. Did they not find him?"
Ning Fengzhi's expression soured as he looked at Bishop Salas, feeling a sense of satisfaction. The Purple Star Academy did not held a prestigious status, and typically, individuals like Bishop Salas wouldn't pay much attention to it.
However, with the emergence of Jiu Yikai, they naturally couldn't afford to ignore it. Many aristocrats were eager to recruit him, and Bishop Salas, as the platinum bishop of the Soul Hall, would naturally seize such an opportunity. With his status, recruiting someone from the Purple Star Academy would be seen as an honor for the academy.
Unexpectedly, it was elusive. The Jiu Yikai didn't entertain any solicitations and remained extremely mysterious. Even the Dean of the Purple Star Academy was unaware of his identity, only confirming his participation in the competition within the specified time frame. In other words, among the over 80,000 participants in the main venue, anyone could potentially be the Jiu Yikai. Was it feasible for him to search for each individual?
Ning Fengzhi chuckled to himself. He had also sent someone, but Jiu Yikai remained elusive. Apart from their encounter at the auction, there had been no further opportunities to meet him.
"Some things aren't worth pursuing if they can't be obtained," Bishop Salas remarked lightly.
Ning Fengzhi felt a sinking sensation in his heart. Did this platinum bishop intend to employ certain methods? If unable to obtain something, was destruction the alternative? After all, losing qualification for the competition wouldn't be difficult for a team...
When Wang Feng exited the arena, the entire home crowd was still cheering with excitement. It resembled the jubilation seen when a national football team wins the World Cup. Wang Feng could understand the audience exhilaration.
Though the battle seemed to span more than ten seconds, it actually lasted only a fraction of that time. It took a while for the two Swallow Bird Soul Masters to execute their techniques after Feng Xiaotian led his team in swallowing clouds and spewing fog. However, the real combat lasted no more than ten seconds. To be precise, the attack on Jiu Yikai lasted only five seconds.
In battles among Soul Ancestors members above forty levels, reactions are measured in seconds, unless utilizing energy-demanding soul abilities.
Feng Xiaotian had intended to employ a potent soul ability that required charging, leaving Wang Feng with no means of evasion. Unfortunately, –Wang Feng didn't afford him the opportunity. He endured an onslaught of wind blade attacks from his opponent, retaliating relentlessly.
Why the rush to resolve the battle in such a short time? In truth, Wang Feng didn't particularly mind ten seconds, but there shouldn't be any delays if he can end it early. The reason is simple, the longer the engagement, the more vulnerabilities are exposed, increasing the risk of identity detection. If the conflict could be swiftly resolved, Wang Feng would face no such risk of exposure.
In addition, Wang Feng had meticulously prepared for the battle against the Godwind Academy. He had even strategized in advance to bring about the scene that unfolded. Wang Feng had rehearsed the tactics multiple times in his mind; otherwise, the battle wouldn't have concluded so swiftly. There were too many variables at play.
If faced with another confrontation against the Godwind Academy, Wang Feng estimated that resolving it within ten seconds would be challenging, it might take considerably longer.
"It's a classic yet non-repeatable battle. While there are numerous ways to deal with the Godwind Academy, this unexpected and highly efficient method would lose much of its effectiveness when employed a second time," Wang Feng thought to himself.
This was the most concise and efficient method Wang Feng could conceive, unique and sudden. If the opponent was prepared to counter it, even with his arrows capable of turning, Feng Xiaotian and the other six members would likely evade. The Godwind Academy wouldn't fall for the same trick again twice. Much like well-known battles in historical accounts, there were too many variables at play, any one of which could drastically alter the battlefield dynamics. It was impossible to replicate.
...…
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