Feng Tianyang did not refuse Su Cheng's request.
He couldn't refuse.
Zhu Zhuying, being a junior with little fame and not an overwhelmingly powerful peer, left him with no reason to back down regardless of the circumstances.
If the opponent were an ordinary soul master with no background, he might have dismissed the request out of disdain.
But unfortunately, the one making the request was Su Cheng.
Su Cheng's strength was far beyond his imagination, and with the powerful Spirit Hall backing him, Feng Tianyang had to accept the challenge, whether for himself or for the academy.
Soon, in the main campus square of Shenfeng Academy, two figures stood facing each other: one old and one young.
The elder, with white hair and beard but spirited and vigorous, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, exuding a powerful aura as overwhelming as a tide.
Opposite him, Zhu Zhuying, with a tall and slender figure, wore an expression of indifference. Despite facing a high-level Contra master, she showed no fear, her face remaining cold and unflustered.
The next moment, their spirits were simultaneously released.
A majestic eagle with divine anomalies and a giant fierce tiger with restrained murderous intent manifested behind them.
As these two powerful spirits appeared, a murmur of awe and suppressed astonishment arose from around the square.
Feng Tianyang, the dean of Shenfeng Academy and the biological grandfather of Su Cheng's disciple Feng Qingyu, was an eighty-seventh level Soul Douluo.
His spirit was the top-tier wind-attribute beast spirit, the Emerald Feathered Eagle, which was also the ancestral spirit of their family.
Of course, spirit mutations occasionally occurred, such as with Feng Qingyu, whose spirit was the extremely unique Wind Shadow.
The students of Shenfeng Academy were already very familiar with their dean's spirit.
What surprised them was the soul rings and the spirit behind Zhu Zhuying.
Two yellow, one purple, three black – six soul rings floated silently around her.
Especially the sixth soul ring, pitch black with a hint of red mixed in.
This was not all. Whether it was Feng Xiaotian, who had seen the Hell White Tiger before, or the ordinary students who hadn't participated in the competition, all were stunned by the terrifying Hell White Tiger spirit.
The Hell White Tiger had undergone significant changes from its previous appearances.
Particularly in size.
While a small spirit wasn't necessarily weak, a large beast spirit always held immense potential.
The giant white-furred, red-striped tiger behind Zhu Zhuying, over ten meters in length, was even larger than Feng Tianyang's Emerald Feathered Eagle, creating a stark contrast with the petite girl's figure.
The fierce tiger, like an ancient beast crouching on the ground, bared its sharp teeth in its bloodthirsty mouth. Its eyes, completely crimson with no whites, radiated a murderous and violent aura.
Zhu Zhuying stepped forward with her left leg, her body leaning forward, and finally unleashed her formidable and domineering aura without restraint.
Beneath her cold and indifferent demeanor lay a rock-solid will and a fearless fighting spirit.
The enormous white tiger behind her raised its head to the sky, roaring silently.
The wind began to rise.
As the sound of the howling gale echoed, Feng Tianyang's brows furrowed, and his heart sank slightly, "Such a strong domain!"
He could hardly believe that a domain of this caliber could be wielded by an obscure Soul Emperor.
Meanwhile, the intense intimidation radiating from Zhu Zhuying's entire being even made him feel a certain degree of threat, leaving him exceptionally shocked and making him realize he could not afford any carelessness.
Although he had never paid attention to this girl's name before, it was clear that during the last Soul Master competition, there was no way she could have had such power.
A quick glance at the periphery confirmed his suspicions as he noticed the shocked expressions on the faces of Feng Xiaotian, Feng Qingyu, and others who had participated in the previous competition.
It was apparent that within this year, Zhu Zhuying's strength had undergone a complete transformation.
From the level of a Soul King to a Soul Emperor, her aura was as strong as that of a Soul Saint.
How did she do it? Or rather, how did the Spirit Hall Academy achieve this?
However, now was not the time to dwell on these questions.
Suppressing his doubts, Feng Tianyang's seventh soul ring instantly lit up.
Enveloped in emerald green light, the white-haired elder transformed into a giant majestic eagle nearly ten meters long, soaring into the sky. His iron-hard, sharp feathers glinted with a captivating green sheen under the sunlight.
Without hesitation, he directly used his beast spirit avatar.
He not only had to win this battle but had to win it decisively and cleanly.
Guidance? That was just a polite phrase.
The moment Zhu Zhuying stepped onto the field and fully revealed her aura, he understood that she was preparing to make a name for herself by stepping on him!
As an experienced Soul Douluo and the dean of Shenfeng Academy, how could he allow such a thing to happen?
Noticing Feng Tianyang's response, Su Cheng smiled slightly.
This old man had no intention of underestimating his opponent. It seemed Zhu Zhuying would have a tough time winning.
The girl, slightly bending forward and ready for battle, had tightly pursed lips and a calm expression, betraying no hint of her thoughts.
Behind her, the shadow of the enormous Hell White Tiger flickered, and her cat-like pupils shone with a crimson cold light. Three whisker-like dark red marks appeared on each side of her pale cheeks.
Her fingertips bore sharp claws like short daggers, and the long, slender wings formed by the whirlwind behind her were raised high, while her dark red hair fluttered like a battle flag.
Spirit Possession!
Although not yet at the seventieth level, unable to use her full spirit avatar, beast spirit owners naturally possessed the ability to partially merge with their spirits, achieving a similar effect.
This is why, at lower levels, beast spirit owners often had the upper hand in combat over tool spirit owners.
At the same time, the powerful Wind God Domain spread around, its tangible fighting intent and killing aura mingling within.
Zhu Zhuying's domain was clearly different from ordinary ones.
It was an extreme attack domain, creating an environment that could fully enhance her strength and speed, with even the surrounding air currents serving as her most reliable weapons.
As for the restrictions on her enemies, they were merely a byproduct of the wind-attribute environment, not an active suppression like typical domains.
However, these restrictions were of little significance to Feng Tianyang—he was also a wind-attribute soul master.
Next, Zhu Zhuying's sixth soul ring flashed.
A faint red mist diffused through the surrounding breeze, carrying a subtle scent of blood.
Zhu Zhuying's delicate face turned slightly pale, and a fierce aura began to rise from her body.
It seemed that even before the battle started, she was already somewhat injured.
Hurting herself before the enemy, Zhu Zhuying's sixth soul skill: Blood Battle!
This skill fully merged the combat will and instincts of the Hell White Tiger with her own, allowing her to continuously break through her limits during battle.
The more intense the battle, the greater her strength would increase.
Moreover, this enhancement had virtually no limit, determined entirely by the intensity of the battle. Even after the battle ended, some of this enhancement would remain permanently within her bloodline spirit.
Of course, the premise was that she survived.
However, this boost only increased her power, speed, reflexes, and soul power quality—none of her defensive, endurance, or stamina attributes would be enhanced. Instead, they would deplete faster, maintaining her combat strength in a state of severe injury or near death.
This was a state-type soul skill, but not an ordinary one, combining her spirit's true essence, her innate domain, and her own insights and physical foundation.
It could be said this was a growing, soulful soul skill, no less powerful than those extremely strong self-created soul skills.
The reason for this lay in her exceptionally unique sixth soul ring.
Aside from lacking one skill and not reaching the hundred-thousand-year level, this soul ring was almost comparable to a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, containing a powerful individual will.
Moreover, this soul ring was self-consolidated, perfectly matching Zhu Zhuying's own circumstances and her Hell White Tiger spirit, not weaker than those hundred-thousand-year soul rings acquired through hunting spirit beasts.
Looking up at the giant eagle in the sky, Zhu Zhuying's wind-formed wings slightly trembled, and she instantly turned into a shadow, charging towards the eagle several times her size.
The battle erupted instantly.
Sharp claws surrounded by wind streaks slashed towards the giant eagle's chest, almost silent under the domain's enhancement.
This fierce attack, leveraging her stepping power, was not something Feng Tianyang planned to take head-on. He twisted his body to dodge it.
The sky was different from the ground, making it easier to maneuver.
In his view, although Zhu Zhuying also had flight capabilities, she relied on wind power rather than innate ability, making her far less agile than him with real wings.
If she missed this strike, her momentum would falter, and she would lose the initiative in the battle.
But the shadow adjusted quickly, her wings folding slightly as she twisted, her long leg enveloped in strong wind blades striking downward.
Feng Tianyang was startled, not expecting Zhu Zhuying to respond so swiftly.
This response was clearly not a forced adjustment; the fierce claw was also a feint.
Anticipation!
Despite being a Soul Emperor, Zhu Zhuying's combat experience and situational awareness were not weaker than those of Feng Tianyang, a Soul Douluo.
She had the battle insights of a peak Douluo.
This time, Feng Tianyang did not dodge. Cold light flashed between his claws as he directly counterattacked.
"Clang—"
After the strike, the giant eagle retreated several meters.
But Zhu Zhuying's lower leg, which had delivered the blow, was now covered in blood.
Clearly, she was at a disadvantage in this exchange.
Yet her expression remained unchanged, as if she wasn't the one injured. Her figure flashed as she attacked again, her speed on par with Feng Tianyang, who had years of aerial combat and Spirit Douluo-level abilities.
Feng Tianyang's sharp eagle eyes glanced at the slender wings formed by the wind, feeling a sense of gravity.
He had underestimated their potency.
In terms of wind-attribute control, he, the dean of Shenfeng Academy, was slightly inferior to her.
After a few rounds of aerial exchanges, Zhu Zhuying's arms, back, and legs bore deep, bone-revealing claw marks.
The surrounding blood mist thickened.
"Chirp—"
Suddenly, Feng Tianyang's fourth soul ring glowed, and a piercing eagle screech stabbed into her mind, momentarily halting her agile figure.
Feng Tianyang did not hesitate. His wings spread as he dived, his razor-sharp claws striking head-on.
Just as he was about to hit, Zhu Zhuying's left arm emitted a faint pink light, and her figure vanished, reappearing in another direction the next moment.
Hundred-thousand-year soul bone skill: Teleport.