The group moved along the hallway, heading deeper into the main teaching building.
This building was enormous. Gu You felt that even spending a month or two wouldn't be enough to fully understand every corner of it.
Eventually, everyone was led into a wide, circular hall.
Strangely, though, despite its considerable size, the hall felt a bit cramped for the more than one hundred students gathered there. It definitely wasn't large enough to accommodate a proper fight.
"In a moment, you will enter a virtual space. It's similar to the Spirit Ascension Platform, which many of you should be familiar with. Now, everyone step outside the white circle on the floor."
Shen Yi walked to the wall on the side. No one knew exactly what she did, but intricate patterns resembling a soul tool array began to glow. A moment later, the floor opened up, and several egg-shaped pods began to rise from below. Each pod split open with a soft hiss.
Each one was about 2.5 meters tall and 1.2 meters wide. Inside, there was a seat and a harness.
"Everyone, choose one pod and sit down. In a moment, you will appear in a forest. The terrain is limited, so you'll run into each other quickly. If you want to work together, sit near your allies. You have three minutes to get ready. Don't forget to fasten your seatbelt once you're inside."
Very advanced, Gu You thought. Shrek's virtual reality technology was definitely on par with, if not superior to, the Spirit Pagoda's systems.
Soon after entering the pod, star-like lights flickered inside. It felt as if he was surrounded by the night sky. A gentle wave of energy enveloped him, and the pod began to spin.
Suddenly, his feet touched solid ground. His vision cleared.
As expected, he had been transported into a dense forest.
The foliage was thick, and visibility was poor.
Gu You quickly moved next to a large tree and crouched among the bushes. Purple light flickered in his eyes.
Time to scout first. Quietly.
Holy—what the hell is that?
Gu You wiped his eyes in disbelief.
He was looking at a humanoid beast—none other than Yang Nianxia, under the effect of his martial soul. His body had tripled in size, but not in fat—it was solid muscle, muscle so overdeveloped it could rival a Tyrant Dragon.
Gu You couldn't help but grumble internally at the sight.
"What do you see?" Xie Xie's voice came through. He knew all too well about Gu You's all-seeing spiritual eyes.
"Nothing much," Gu You replied calmly, settling his emotions. "Everyone, follow me."
He bent down and moved swiftly toward Yang Nianxia's position.
This was a battle royale. He wasn't going to hide. He was here to fight—to enjoy the thrill of combat.
A loud dragon roar exploded from Gu You's body, shaking the entire forest.
Yang Nianxia, standing in a slightly open area, looked around in confusion. His massive build made him a clear target.
When the dragon's roar sounded, his body instinctively tensed.
But something even faster than the roar arrived—a shadow.
It was a strange silhouette. A shadow appeared on the ground, but there was no sign of a person. Then, when the shadow moved behind Yang Nianxia, it suddenly sprang to life and transformed into a human figure.
A thin cord looped around Yang Nianxia's neck in an instant, pulled tight from behind by a slender figure now practically hanging from his back, both feet braced against Yang's back for leverage.
The sudden choke stunned Yang Nianxia. His neck was a vulnerable point, and there was no doubt that the assassin-type soul master behind him had serious attack power. Three soul rings glowed around the attacker, with the second ring shining brightly.
It was the perfect moment.
Gu You wasn't about to let it go to waste. His first soul ring lit up—Invisibility Ring.
A massive purple dragon head appeared above Yang Nianxia and the assassin.
There was no time to react.
The dragon head crashed down.
A cloud of dust erupted.
Both of them vanished from the battle.
"You dare hurt him!"
A shout rang out as three figures emerged from the grass—two boys and a girl. All had their martial souls released, each sporting two yellow rings and one purple.
The girl's right arm was coiled with a green serpent radiating a dark, poisonous aura.
Her thousand-year soul skill activated.
Jade Poison Empress!
A thin jet of venom sprayed from the serpent's mouth at blinding speed. Even without a direct hit, the nearby grass and trees began to corrode.
Gu You merely pointed his middle finger toward the girl. A wave of destructive energy shot out, wiping away everything in that direction. The entire virtual space warped under the force.
Gu You could feel the immense power of the Destruction attribute coursing through him. It wasn't ordinary destruction—it had surpassed extreme destruction. This was divine destruction.
And it came from just two unlocked seals of the Golden Dragon King's power.
Gu You didn't dare to imagine what he'd become after unlocking all of them.
When Tang Wulin and the others arrived, they could only cover their mouths in shock at the scene before them.
Gradually, roars, shouts, and chaotic sounds began to echo throughout the forest. Clearly, the rest of the class was also deep in combat.
One hundred and one students were battling for just three positions. The intensity of the fighting was easy to imagine. All of them were gifted, proud youths. No one lacked spirit or arrogance. Each one hoped to make a strong impression in today's match.
...
"Senior Brother, Gu You has grown even stronger," Shen Yi remarked as she watched the scene unfold on the massive display screens covering the wall.
"That's a good thing for us," Wu Zhangkong replied calmly. "The boy has a good heart. He seems cold and distant on the outside, but deep down he's full of warmth. He just acts rashly sometimes—still inexperienced. Once he matures, he'll have what it takes to become the strongest on the continent."
...
Far away, a patch of bushes rustled, and a figure burst out.
He was covered in blood—obviously just out of a brutal battle.
A pair of white wings extended from his back, but they weren't angelic. Unlike Le Zhengyu's Holy Angel Wings, these had no feathers. Instead, they were covered in white fur with black stripes.
Clouds follow the dragon. Wind follows the tiger.
It looked like a tiger-type martial soul—but one with wings. Was it Winged Tiger?
Just as he emerged, three more figures gave chase. Each one had distinct features, but the leader stood out the most.
He was cloaked in a swirling black aura, his entire figure shrouded so that even his face was obscured.
Compared to the fierce Winged Tiger soul master, he seemed...
(End of Chapter)
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