A gentle breeze drifted by, and a flock of crows cawed as they flapped their wings overhead, adding an air of tension and mystery to this assessment. Everyone's eyes were locked firmly on Leo in the arena, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief. Who could have thought that facing Teacher Zhao, Gordon, who had activated his Immovable Ming King Body and was surrounded by the radiant glow of powerful soul skills, Leo could be so composed, parrying attacks steadily and even counter - attacking a few times?
"Is this really the strength of a twenty - level Great Soul Master?" Blake's eyes widened in astonishment, and he muttered to himself, "What's going on with this world? Am I dreaming?" The formidable power Leo had shown completely shattered their ingrained understanding of soul master strength, like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, creating huge waves.
Blake let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit of a chill down his spine. Thank goodness he hadn't let his ego get the better of him and forced himself into the match. "With his strength, even if I gave it my all, I'm not sure I could win. I might end up getting my butt kicked and making a complete fool of myself." He shrank his neck, still feeling a bit shaken up.
Ryan's reaction was the exact opposite. His eyes were shining, and he was rubbing his hands together in excitement. A strong urge welled up inside him, and he couldn't wait to have a spar with Leo. "I've never seen a soul master with a lower soul power level but such terrifying combat abilities!" He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "If I could have a go at him and learn from each other, my strength would skyrocket for sure!"
Aria stood to the side. From the moment Leo started fighting, her eyes hadn't left him. Watching his every move, the smooth rhythm of his attacks, and the seamless cooperation with his soul beast, Aria's heart was pounding faster and faster, and her cheeks turned a faint shade of red. "He's so amazing..." she murmured softly. Her affection for Leo was growing like crazy, like wild grass in spring, impossible to hold back.
"Ahem." In the arena, Gordon got up, covered in dust. He patted his clothes vigorously, as if trying to shake off all the embarrassment and frustration from before. Then, with a dark face and his brows knitted into a deep frown, he stared intently at Leo and demanded, "Okay, kid, what the heck is going on with your soul skill?" During the time he was controlled by the Charming Spell, his mind had gone blank, and he had no recollection of what had happened.
As soon as Gordon spoke, the students in the audience, who had been lost in their own thoughts, instantly wore strange expressions. They were suppressing their laughter, their shoulders shaking slightly, and some even covered their mouths, afraid that the laughter would burst out. Everyone couldn't help but recall the comical sight of Teacher Zhao, with a stupid look on his face and drool dripping from his mouth, when he was under control.
"Huh? What's with all of you?" Gordon noticed the students' strange behavior immediately, and his anger flared up like a wildfire. He let out a loud snort, and his eyes swept across the crowd like a sharp blade.
"N - nothing, Teacher Zhao." Blake plastered a big smile on his face, but it looked more like a grimace. He was acting like a sneaky little fox trying to please its master. Inside, he was panicking. "If I tell that embarrassing story, I'll be in Teacher Zhao's bad books for sure. He'll make my life a living hell."
Gordon didn't buy Blake's lie at all. He furrowed his brows and turned to Oscar, yelling harshly, "Oscar!"
Oscar, who had been secretly laughing, was so startled that he nearly jumped out of his skin. His smile froze on his face as if he had been hit by a freeze - ray. He let out a couple of dry laughs, his voice trembling a bit, and pretended to be clueless. "Huh? Teacher Zhao, what did you say? I was spacing out just now and didn't catch it."
Gordon was fuming as he looked at these uncooperative students. His chest was heaving up and down in anger. He snorted again and turned his attention back to Leo. "You, kid, tell me!"
"Umm... Teacher Zhao, look, the half - stick - of - incense time is up." Leo knew very well that if the others were too scared to speak, he definitely wasn't going to be the one to break the ice. He had managed to get the better of Teacher Zhao twice only because the latter was unfamiliar with his soul skills. If they were to have a real fight, with his current twenty - level soul power, ten of him wouldn't be a match for Gordon, unless he revealed his title of Evans.
"Huh?" Gordon turned his head to the side and saw that the incense for timing had indeed burned out, leaving only a small pile of ash. Only then did he reluctantly wave his hand and say, "Fine, I keep my word. You've passed this test."
"Thank you, Teacher Zhao!" Leo quickly expressed his gratitude, wearing a humble smile on his face, while secretly heaving a sigh of relief in his heart.
Gordon nodded and then asked, "Kid, that soul skill you used just now is really weird. What exactly is it?" This was the first time he had encountered such a strange soul skill. It not only forcefully interrupted his gravity - based suppression but also plunged him into a strange and unforgettable illusion. If he didn't figure it out, he was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep a wink tonight.
"Teacher, strictly speaking, this isn't a pure charm - type skill. It's a control - type soul skill with charm attributes." Leo answered truthfully, looking calm. "Everyone's got it wrong. It's not just simple charm; it can also precisely control the opponent's actions and consciousness."
"So that's it! No wonder I fell for it, kid. The soul skills of your soul beast are really something else!" Gordon slapped his thigh, suddenly understanding. He thought to himself, first, there was the Deceptive Orb with its two - stage attack, one of which could ignore defenses, and then this Charming Spell with its control effect. Just these two skills alone were enough to make a name for themselves among soul masters. Moreover, this kid had rich combat experience and coordinated with his soul beast perfectly. They could understand each other with just a glance or a simple gesture. His talent was definitely out of the ordinary. Given time, he was bound to make a big name for himself on the continent and become a legendary soul master admired by all!
Little did Gordon know that Leo had already left behind glorious legends on the continent. At this moment, he was still thinking about whether to pick one of these students as his personal disciple and pass on all his life - long knowledge. But soon, he gave up this idea. "Not to mention Leo's martial spirit, I can't even teach Ryan's. Taking them as disciples would be a waste of their talent." He shook his head helplessly, his face filled with regret.
Hearing Gordon's words, Leo smiled faintly. The soul skills of the Nine - Tailed Celestial Fox were indeed powerful. He had checked the records of soul beasts on the Evans Continent and found no similar ones. Presumably, it came from a distant and mysterious different world.
"Okay, the test is over. I'm very satisfied with your performances." Gordon nodded at Leo and the other students, including Ryan, in the audience. A faint smile of satisfaction appeared on his face. Then he told Blake, "Mobai, you're in charge of arranging accommodation for these five new students. School starts tomorrow."
"Yes, Teacher Zhao." Blake replied loudly, sounding like a dutiful little housekeeper.
As soon as Gordon was out of sight, he couldn't help but wince as he touched the bruises on his body. He mumbled, "That kid really doesn't hold back. It hurts like hell. But, the little guy does have some serious skills..." As he spoke, he shook his head and smiled wryly, yet there was a glimmer of appreciation in his eyes.
At the same time, Blake looked at the five new students and said, "Teacher Zhao said you've passed the test. School starts officially tomorrow. From now on, we're classmates. Follow me."
"Wow, five new juniors and juniors this year! This is awesome!" Oscar jumped up in excitement, his voice cracking a bit, like a child who had just received his favorite toy. There had always been very few students in Rekdo Academy. There were even more teachers than students. Now, all of a sudden, five new students had arrived, and three of them were pretty girls. Oscar felt like his lucky days were finally here, and his heart was as sweet as honey.
Blake looked at the excited Oscar and shook his head helplessly, but there was also a smile on his face. He was actually quite happy. The academy was surely going to be much livelier from now on. As he thought about this, he subconsciously looked at Aria. One look was enough to make his blood boil. "Why is this woman always staring at Leo? Her eyes are practically popping out of her head!" A raging fire of jealousy burned in his heart. "Leo, how dare you steal my fiancée? I'll get even with you! This is a score that must be settled!"
Before he could vent his anger, he saw the girls being drawn to Leo like moths to a flame. Their eyes were shining brightly as they stared at the little fox on his shoulder.
"Leo, is this your soul beast? It's so cute. Can I pet it?" Ava asked eagerly, her eyes wide open with anticipation. Her voice was filled with uncontainable joy.
"If it's willing, I don't mind." Leo replied with a smile, his face as warm as the spring sun.
Ava immediately reached out her hand as soon as she heard this, a big smile lighting up her face. "Little fox, come and let big sister give you a hug." She was full of hope that the little fox would leap right into her arms.
But to her surprise, the little fox not only didn't come forward but also closed its eyes, acting like a spoiled little princess and ignoring her completely.
Ava's face turned as red as a ripe tomato in an instant. She was so embarrassed that she didn't know what to do with herself, wishing she could just disappear.
Thankfully, the little fox treated everyone the same way. Even when it came to Xiao Wu, who was also a soul beast, it just opened its eyes for a brief moment and then closed them again. Seeing this, everyone couldn't help but burst out laughing.