Chapter 122: Huo Wu's One Versus Seven
While Xiao Yu and Ye Lingling were talking, Hu Yanli had already made his move on the stage.
"First soul skill, Iron Wall!"
Under the effect of his first soul skill, Hu Yanli's originally dark yellow skin gained a crystalline sheen.
After bolstering his defense, Hu Yanli began his attack. He moved slowly, but his imposing presence was terrifying. Every step he took left a large crater on the arena floor.
Weighing over 300 pounds, his massive body was like a mountain, casting a giant shadow over Huo Wu.
Huo Wu remained calm, using her fire control abilities to manipulate the battlefield. Flames constantly harassed Hu Yanli as he advanced.
However, Hu Yanli's skin was thick, and he was particularly resilient, especially with a high-quality ten-thousand-year-old head spirit bone enhancing his physique. Even compared to his fellow soul masters of the same level, he was far more durable.
"Third soul skill, Crushing Death!"
Although Huo Wu repeatedly used her agility to change positions, the gap between her and Hu Yanli was steadily closing.
In an instant, Hu Yanli suddenly surged forward, stomping both feet onto the ground, causing the entire stage to quake. Huo Wu, caught off guard, stumbled backward, struggling to maintain her balance.
"Second soul skill, Mammoth Strength!"
Seizing the opportunity, Hu Yanli was overjoyed. His second soul ring gleamed as his Diamond Mammoth martial soul accelerated, charging toward Huo Wu at full speed. Before she could stabilize herself, he struck, sending her flying.
"Third soul skill, Repelling Fire Ring!"
Though she hadn't regained her footing, Huo Wu still managed to unleash her third soul skill at the last moment. A brilliant ring of flames erupted, instantly propelling Hu Yanli away from her.
"What quick reflexes!"
On the viewing platform, Ning Fengzhi's eyes lit up in admiration, and he couldn't help but praise her.
Even Emperor Xue Ye's gaze flickered with approval. He silently acknowledged that in a situation like that—stumbling and retreating—he wouldn't have been able to release a soul skill so quickly.
However, after the initial praise, both Ning Fengzhi and Emperor Xue Ye sighed.
Both men, having lived for over half a century, had keen eyes. It wasn't difficult for them to notice that Huo Wu was no longer a maiden. Connecting this with her status as the daughter of the Blazing Academy's head, yet appearing as part of Nine Star Academy's team, it wasn't hard to guess who had claimed her innocence. Such a close relationship meant they had no chance of recruiting her.
"I really underestimated you!"
Hu Yanli, who had been blasted away, barely managed to stop himself from falling off the stage, steadying himself at the edge. Staring coldly at Huo Wu, he uttered these words before his aura surged, and a glowing golden helmet covered his entire face, leaving only his fierce eyes exposed.
This was Hu Yanli's head spirit bone, a ten-thousand-year-old Giant Elephant head spirit bone.
During the preliminary rounds, Hu Yanli had already been forced to reveal his spirit bone, so most academies had gathered intelligence on it. The appearance of the spirit bone now didn't cause much surprise.
However, that didn't mean the spirit bone was of low quality. Under its influence, Hu Yanli's strength was amplified by nearly 100%, pushing his power to terrifying levels. In terms of raw strength, he had already reached the level of a Soul King.
"Huo Wu, surrender."
Hu Yanli's deep voice resonated. He wasn't showing mercy out of compassion, but rather due to concerns about Blazing Academy's potential backlash. If Huo Wu were seriously injured, even with the Elephant Armored Clan backing him, settling the matter wouldn't be easy.
Huo Wu let out a cold snort, "If you want to fight, fight! If you want me to surrender, it'll have to be in your next life!"
"You asked for it, so don't blame me for what happens!"
Believing he had already been merciful enough, Hu Yanli no longer hesitated. His fourth soul ring suddenly glowed brightly.
"Fourth soul skill, Diamond Storm!"
In an instant, a fierce gale whipped through the arena, swirling with countless soul power-infused, gigantic diamonds, shining with a pure white light, as they rushed toward Huo Wu like an unstoppable tide.
With the augmentation from his ten-thousand-year soul bone, Hu Yanli's attack was now on par with that of a lower-tier Soul King. Even the referee was ready to intervene at a moment's notice.
However, there was no trace of fear in Huo Wu's eyes. All four of her soul rings lit up simultaneously, and the martial soul behind her rapidly shifted from dark red to a white-hot incandescence.
"Ring Fusion!"
Both Yu Xiaogang, watching from the Shrek rest area, and Ning Fengzhi, seated on the main platform, blurted out in unison.
Tang San, ever the diligent learner, was immediately curious about this unfamiliar technique. He turned to his teacher and asked, "Teacher, what is Ring Fusion?"
Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others were equally intrigued, all turning their attention to Yu Xiaogang. Even Ning Rongrong, who should have known this from her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's extensive library, was puzzled. She had never heard of this technique either, likely because her lively nature kept her from focusing on her studies.
Seeing everyone so eager for an explanation, Yu Xiaogang's vanity swelled with satisfaction. He began to explain confidently, "Ring Fusion is when a soul master simultaneously releases the soul power from several soul rings at once, integrating it into a single soul skill. This amplifies the power of the skill many times over. It's an innate ability that only a select few soul masters with special martial souls possess. This young girl is extraordinary!"
As Yu Xiaogang elaborated, Huo Wu, under the immense boost from the Ring Fusion, unleashed her fourth soul skill—Huo Wu Radiant Sun.
In the center of Huo Wu's palm, incandescent light coalesced, eventually forming a small white orb about the size of an egg.
With the formation of the orb, Huo Wu's complexion had turned ashen. She had poured every last drop of her remaining soul power into this one attack—it would be the decisive blow.
Boom!
The white orb merged into the storm, expanding continuously. The explosive power of the Ring Fusion-infused orb collided fiercely with Hu Yanli's Diamond Storm, sending shockwaves throughout the arena. The unleashed energy devastated the entire stage, leaving it in ruins.
No one knew how much time had passed before the clash of soul skills finally subsided and the smoke cleared. In the end, Hu Yanli had fallen short by just a fraction. Huo Wu Radiant Sun had ultimately overwhelmed Diamond Storm, landing a direct hit on him.
Fortunately for Hu Yanli, the destructive force of Huo Wu Radiant Sun had been weakened by the Diamond Storm, and the presence of his soul bone had spared his life.
Even so, Hu Yanli was in terrible shape. His entire body was covered in burns and wounds from the explosion, blood flowing freely. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Huo Wu wasn't faring much better. She was drained of all soul power and as pale as a sheet. Yet, she still stood tall on the stage, her back straight.
The battle was over—there was no doubt.
"One versus seven!"
"One versus seven!"
Thunderous cheers erupted around the arena as countless students from various academies shouted Huo Wu's name in celebration.
(End of chapter)
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