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"Ladies and gentlemen!!"
"Today is the most anticipated showdown for first place in the Heaven Dou Empire preliminaries!!"
"Heaven Dou Royal Academy's record: twenty wins, one loss!"
"Godwind Academy's record: also twenty wins, one loss!"
"This match will decide who is the No. 1 academy of Heaven Dou City! Though there's a ninety-nine percent chance the Royal Academy claims the top spot, is there the slightest possibility that Godwind can upset them? Let's witness the brilliance from both sides!!"
"First to appear—Godwind Academy's captain, Feng Xiaotian, martial soul: Twin-Head Gale Wolf, rank forty-four, agility-attack type Soul Ancestor!"
"Feng Ling, martial soul: Wind Falcon, rank forty-three, agility-attack type Soul Ancestor!"
"Feng Yao, martial soul: Wind Butterfly, rank forty-two, auxiliary-type Soul Ancestor!"
"Feng Lie, martial soul: Wind Eagle, rank forty-two, power-attack type Soul Ancestor!"
"Feng Jing, martial soul: Wind Roc, rank forty-one, agility-attack type Soul Ancestor!"
"Feng Yu, martial soul: Wind Sparrow, rank thirty-eight, agility-attack type Soul Elder!"
"Feng Xu, martial soul: Wind Moth, rank thirty-eight, control-type Soul Elder!"
Seven from Godwind Academy, clad in teal uniforms embroidered with silver thread, took to the stage in perfect formation, soaring as one toward the arena platform.
From the instant they appeared, the audience could tell how tacitly coordinated the seven were—one of the key reasons Godwind had amassed twenty wins.
Had Godwind not gone easy on Blazing Academy, they would likely be sitting alone at the top of the standings right now.
"Next on stage—captain of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Azure Emperor Ye Lan!!"
"Shi Mo!"
The lineup followed one after another: Ye Lan, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Yu Feng, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Ye Lengleng.
As the seven from Royal Academy stepped out, the cheers swelled even louder than before.
A red-haired girl nearest the stage cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted, "Idol, go for it!!"
Feng Xiaotian heard that voice he knew best and turned his head.
It was Huo Wu, hands flared like a trumpet, cheering herself hoarse for Ye Lan. Feng Xiaotian's face darkened.
Today, he had to defeat Ye Lan to prove himself!!
From what Ye Lan had revealed, Feng Xiaotian knew Ye Lan's strongest card was his Blue Silver Grass, its life force unbelievably tenacious.
His only chance was to rely on "Gale Demon Wolf: Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes," stacking speed and strength again and again to punch through the Blue Silver Grass's defenses.
What's more, he had six teammates to support him. He wasn't without hope.
"The afternoon session, Round Twenty-Two, First Ring of the First Arena—Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Godwind Academy—begins now!!" The referee announced and briskly retreated from the platform.
In an instant, fourteen columns of soul light shot skyward. Martial souls flared as everyone either possessed their spirits or summoned them forth.
Feng Xiaotian threw back his head and howled. A layer of azure light wrapped his whole body.
With bones cracking, his frame bulked up, his hair turned cyan, and from his left shoulder sprouted the snarling head of a feral wolf. The wolf's eyes gleamed with eerie green light, and a continuous breeze circled his body.
The rest of Godwind completed possession as well—forearms transforming into wings, talons, and the shapes of eagles, falcons, butterflies, and moths.
Strangely, after possessing their martial souls, none of the seven took to the air.
Ye Lan glanced over in puzzlement. Are they planning to fight on the ground?
Feng Xiaotian stepped forward one slow stride at a time, the wolf head on his shoulder brimming with battlelust.
"Captain Ye, how about we make a deal?" he said with an easy smile.
"Oh? What sort of deal?" Ye Lan replied.
"How about this—you and I, one-on-one! If you defeat me, Godwind Academy surrenders immediately."
"But if I defeat you, we proceed with a standard seven-on-seven team battle."
"This is nothing but beneficial to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Captain Ye. Please grant me this small request," Feng Xiaotian asked earnestly.
Ye Lan thought for a heartbeat and saw right through it.
So it's because of Huo Wu… You want to prove yourself to her.
He couldn't help being a bit speechless.
Even if you really beat me, it doesn't mean Huo Wu will suddenly like you, right? Who courts a girl like this—an utter emotional blockhead.
Besides… can you beat me?
Suddenly, a gentle tug at Ye Lan's sleeve—Zhu Zhuqing.
He looked down into her big, pleading catlike eyes and promptly surrendered to the cat-eared girl's silent request.
Today was Zhu Zhuqing's turn to shine. He had no intention of stealing her thunder.
He'd even promised her yesterday that she would be the main attacker today.
Breaking a promise to a girl? Not happening.
Ye Lan cast an apologetic look at Feng Xiaotian. "Sorry. I already decided yesterday that today I'll only be supporting my teammates."
"So, I can't agree."
Feng Xiaotian nodded, crestfallen. A full seven-on-seven against Royal Academy—he had little confidence.
"How about this instead? The one beside me is the 'Sacred Shadow Lynx' Zhu Zhuqing, and she is my personal disciple."
"I'll have Zhu Zhuqing duel you one-on-one. But not an ordinary duel—a 'seven-on-seven duel'."
"Other than you and Zhu Zhuqing, no one is allowed to attack. The rest may only assist or defend."
Feng Xiaotian stared at Ye Lan, baffled. He couldn't see why Ye Lan would propose this.
Besides, beating Zhu Zhuqing did nothing for him. If he didn't defeat Ye Lan himself, how could he claim any space in Huo Wu's heart?
"Captain Ye? Why?" he asked.
"Feng Xiaotian, your self-created soul skill may be hidden from lesser academies, but not from us."
"Your secret weapon is 'Gale Demon Wolf: Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes,' right? That technique must stack without interruption—the more it stacks, the more terrifying it becomes, with the final blow peaking at maximum power."
"But if we fight a normal seven-on-seven, I won't allow you to stack it."
"If a self-created skill you've honed for years can't even be used, what will people think of you?" Ye Lan's words were meaningful.
Feng Xiaotian's face turned graver the longer Ye Lan spoke.
When Ye Lan finished, enlightenment struck—Ye Lan was giving him a stage.
Since Ye Lan already knew about the "Thirty-Six Slashes," then as a master tactician he would have prepared counters in advance.
If his technique were shut down before it even began, what would all the years he poured into it be worth? And what impression would Huo Wu have of him?
A big fool?
But if he could unleash the technique to its fullest—even if he lost—Huo Wu would at least look at him differently.
"I understand. Let's decide this match with a 'seven-on-seven duel'," Feng Xiaotian said, shooting Ye Lan a grateful look.
Ye Lan waved it away. His true aim was to showcase Zhu Zhuqing's strength; that's why he'd bothered explaining all this to Feng Xiaotian.
Otherwise, putting himself in Feng Xiaotian's shoes—would he accept a duel against a rank-forty agility-type Soul Elder? Zhu Zhuqing's reputation still lagged far behind the "Azure Emperor." Dueling her would be a thankless task.
The 'seven-on-seven duel' format was designed to fully spotlight a team's main attacker.
It was like six soul masters supporting a single primary combatant—nothing short of outrageous.
Feng Xiaotian returned to his teammates brimming with excitement. He could barely wait to show Huo Wu his most powerful skill!
His opponent was a rank-forty agility-type Soul Elder—and not even a flying martial soul.
If he were facing a rank-forty-six Wind Spirit Bird supported by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, he'd be cautious.
But against a feline Soul Elder? Once he took to the sky, she simply wouldn't be able to reach him.
And by the rules, other than him and Zhu Zhuqing, no one else could attack.
In other words—he'd already seized an unbeatable position!
He quickly explained the 'seven-on-seven duel' rules to his team.
The six from Godwind lit up with joy. If moments ago they'd judged their chances against Royal Academy at only five percent—
Now they felt their odds shot up past eighty!
The remaining twenty percent? That was out of respect for Ye Lan's name.
If Ye Lan weren't on the opposite side, they'd think the championship was as good as theirs.
"Captain Ye, let's begin!!" Feng Xiaotian shouted, then he and his six teammates took to the sky.
Ye Lan nodded. "Shi Mo, Shi Mo—you two hold off his assault! Zhu Zhuqing won't get many openings—only two or three. We go for a one-strike kill!"
"Yes, Captain! No attack can break through the two of us!" the stone twins vowed.
Godwind rose to about fifty meters, then halted, hovering in midair.
At that moment, Feng Xiaotian's second and third soul rings flashed—yellow, then purple.
"Double Wolves Attached!!"
"Gale Twin Wings!!"
A spectral twin-headed wolf surged up behind him, then fused into his body. Attack, defense, and speed—all up by fifty percent!
A pair of brilliant cyan-blue light wings burst from his back, spanning a full five meters when fully spread—
His speed doubled again!
The Gale Twin-Head Wolf was a mutation of the Gale Demon Wolf—an excellent, benign mutation.
He possessed the speed of an agility attacker and the strength of a power attacker—and he could fly.
Call him a power-attack type, call him an agility-attack type—both fit.
In short: a terrifying martial soul.
As Feng Xiaotian finished his own buffs, the teammates behind him unleashed their skills to empower him.
Feng Ling (Wind Falcon): third ring blazing.
"Winds Arise, Clouds Surge!"
Gales rolled downward toward Royal Academy, adding a massive tailwind to Feng Xiaotian's dives.
Feng Yao (Wind Butterfly): second skill, "Maze-Trace Wind Field!"
Seven-colored wings beat the air; a turbulent wind zone unfurled over Royal Academy's position.
The chaotic eddies slowed any enemy inside by fifty percent.
Feng Yao, her team's auxiliary, lit her first, second, and third rings in rapid succession—yellow, then purple.
"Wind Sigil!"
"Power of the Wind Swallow!"
"Gathering Wind Ring!"
A turquoise talisman spun onto Feng Xiaotian's body—speed +50%.
Power of the Wind Swallow—strength +60%.
Gathering Wind Ring—supercharging the wind domain constructed by Feng Ling yet again!
Feng Xu (Wind Moth) cast "Wind-Stall Domain," slowing Royal Academy below by an additional thirty percent.
Feng Xiaotian's eyes blazed. "Gale Demon Wolf: Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes!!"
With four major support skills stacked, his speed and strength spiked wildly.
This was his first time realizing a "duel" could be played like this.
Many thanks, Captain Ye.
But the victory today—belongs to me, Feng Xiaotian!!
First slash!!!
Feng Xiaotian's figure vanished—leaving only a streak of blue-green afterglow.
He was too fast.
To the crowd, he was but a cyan phantom.
As he folded his wings and knifed down, there wasn't even the softest whisper of sound. His body and wings aligned to a perfect angle; as a wind-type, he knew how to use the wind to minimize air resistance.
Just as he was about to smash into Zhu Zhuqing—
Two figures flashed into place before him!
"Xuanwu Earth Shield!"
"Xuanwu Water Shield!"
Shi Mo and Shi Mo slammed two colossal shields together in front of him. Break their line and strike Zhu Zhuqing?
No way!!
Feng Xiaotian's forearms merged seamlessly with his massive wings. The blades of light, honed razor-sharp by stacked speed and power, slammed into the earth-and-water shields.
Boom!!
The twins' damage transferred cleanly—beneath Ye Lan's feet, a Blue Silver Grass exploded.
Agony lanced through Feng Xiaotian's wing-bones. As expected of the Xuanwu Turtle—so damn hard!
But this was only the first slash.
Next came the second.
A sweeping arc—he rolled the last burst of speed straight into the next dive.
Boom!!
Third slash!
Boom!
With each compounded strike, Feng Xiaotian became faster and faster.
In the air, he vanished from sight; only a spinning cyan ring remained.
Blue Silver Grass stalks at Ye Lan's feet popped one after another. He didn't even blink.
Because their "shared life total" was simply too thick.
Layered with the Xuanwu Turtle's double shields, Royal Academy's ability to absorb damage bordered on despair-inducing.
If Feng Xiaotian could see their total HP, his expression wouldn't be half so elated.
Thirty-fourth slash!!!
Boom!!
The impact shoved the stone twins back over ten paces.
They surged forward again to meet him.
This was the thirty-fifth.
"Xuanwu Water Shield! Xuanwu Earth Shield!" The two titanic shields shattered under Feng Xiaotian's scything wings!
"The final slash!!"
Godwind's last two members who hadn't yet acted—Feng Lie (Wind Eagle) and Feng Yu (Wind Sparrow)—ignited their soul rings. Their wings whipped up two violent tailwinds behind Feng Xiaotian.
His speed surged once more—
Bang!!
A thunderous crack—a Prandtl–Glauert condensation cloud flowered around his body. The sonic boom made countless eardrums throb with pain.
Ye Lan caught it all with his Golden Gaze.
"Zhuqing! Rongrong, Yu Feng—ready!" Ye Lan's words snapped like a whip.
Ning Rongrong's nine-colored pagoda flared. She called out swiftly:
"Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—First: Strength! Second: Speed! Third: Soul!"
Three nine-colored beams fell onto the Sacred Shadow Lynx, lifting her strength, speed, and soul power by forty percent each—her baseline speed blasting past Soul Elder into Soul Ancestor territory.
Yu Feng's brown wings churned the air into chaos.
"Winds Arise, Clouds Surge!"
"Wind God Piercing Barrage!"
Countless wind blades and cross-winds slashed through Feng Xiaotian's domain, savaging the airflow. His speed dropped thirty percent. The sonic cloud clung to him, but his actual velocity had indisputably fallen.
"Zhuqing!!!"
Black soul light flared over Zhu Zhuqing—"Sacred Lynx — Velocity Form"!!
Speed +100%!
First soul skill—"Nether Thrust"!
Speed +100% again!
Third soul skill—"Become Shadow"!
Speed +100% once more!
Her cumulative speed boost now stood at +340%.
And once she became shadow, the slowing wind fields conjured by Wind Butterfly and Wind Moth no longer applied to her.
"Become Shadow" includes a core mechanic: ignore terrain. And the sky counts as terrain.
Feng Xiaotian had completely misread the Sacred Shadow Lynx.
She couldn't "fly"—but she could charge straight into the heavens.
He looked up in disbelief—the Shadow was actually streaking straight at him!
A jump?
In that heartbeat, the pure black of her shadowy form was suddenly rimmed with golden arcs—
Flash!!
Her total speed spiked by another +150%.
Zhu Zhuqing's speed boost exploded to +850%.
I'm going to die!!
That was the last coherent thought left in Feng Xiaotian's mind.
Like a spear of night, the Sacred Shadow Lynx lanced past him—then rocketed hundreds of meters higher into the sky.
Frozen midair, Feng Xiaotian mumbled blankly, "I'm… not dead?"
The moment he spoke, the faint claw mark at his neck burst open.
Heat flooded his throat. He touched it, looked—a palm red with blood.
"Huu…"
His taut nerves loosened all at once.
A brush with death. The cat-eared girl's speed utterly crushed him.
So this is the personal disciple of Ye Lan?
Then just how terrifying is Ye Lan himself!?
"I concede," Feng Xiaotian said softly to the referee, his eyes dim. He couldn't even defeat Ye Lan's disciple. No wonder Huo Wu worshiped Ye Lan.
Indeed—Ye Lan deserved it.
The audience stared, dumbfounded. In their eyes, Feng Xiaotian had turned into a cyan blur, detonated a sonic boom—
And then just… hung there.
"How did Godwind's captain get hurt? His neck's bleeding a lot!!"
"Why concede? What happened?"
"I don't know! I only vaguely caught a black shadow."
"Wasn't it gold?"
"Wait—where's the Sacred Shadow Lynx? She's gone!"
"Look!! Up there!!!"
Thousands of faces tilted back. A blurry silhouette hung hundreds of meters high.
As it began to fall, the shape clarified—the Sacred Shadow Lynx.
"Ancient Beast's Touch—Form Two: Water-Flame!" Ye Lan commanded.
Eight streams of blue water-flame unfurled behind him. He shot into the sky like an arrow.
For a heartbeat, Zhu Zhuqing panicked—then she saw Ye Lan streaking toward her, and joy burst out of her: "Teacher!!!"
A blue meteor arced beneath her. Ye Lan opened his arms and caught her; Zhu Zhuqing, cheeks blazing, threw her arms tight around his neck.
As Ye Lan gathered her into a princess carry, a thought flashed through his mind: So light!
Zhu Zhuqing buried her face in his chest, ears pink to the tips, holding him as if she'd never let go.
The roar of the arena faded for her—there was only Ye Lan's heartbeat, and the heat climbing her cheeks.
Ye Lan, using his "Eight-Faceted Exquisite Heart," tuned the currents of Water-Flame with deft micro-adjustments, carrying Zhu Zhuqing down in a slow, steady descent to the center of the ring.
Before tens of thousands of witnesses, the Azure Emperor saving the falling Sacred Shadow Lynx was a vision to behold.
And of course, a scene this romantic demanded a chorus.
"Kiss!!"
"Kiss!!"
"Kiss!!"
"Kiss!!"
In the blink of an eye, the preliminary stage turned into a confession square.
Zhu Zhuqing's face burned a deeper scarlet than ever before at the waves of chanting.
Ning Rongrong covered her eyes with both hands—and peeked through her fingers.
In her heart she chanted right along: Kiss! Kiss!!
If Zhu Zhuqing and Ye Lan hadn't dragged things out for so long, she would've made her move back when she evolved the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!
But Zhu Zhuqing was her dearest best friend—and Zhu Zhuqing liked Ye Lan first. Before their relationship progressed, Ning Rongrong refused to act.
So, she cheered for Zhu Zhuqing with all her heart.
Let Zhu Zhuqing kiss Ye Lan—and then I'll make my move!
Ye Lengleng's lips curled in a playful arc. I wonder when Ye Lan will kiss me?
"Zhuqing," Ye Lan said softly.
"Mm?" Zhu Zhuqing turned her face up to him—
Their lips met.
At the touch of that soft warmth, Zhu Zhuqing squeezed her eyes shut and clung to Ye Lan as if he were her entire world.
At that moment, Ye Lengleng's fourth soul ring lit.
A rain of Nine Heart Begonia petals drifted down over the Grand Spirit Arena, healing the battered eardrums of spectators and mending the minor wounds of those on the stage.
The flower-rain bore witness to the purest feeling.
The stands erupted into total madness.
This was exactly the kind of beautiful love they yearned for. When would they meet their own "Azure Emperor" or "Sacred Shadow Lynx"?
"Zhuqing actually got there first!!!" Dugu Yan howled, frantic.
Idol's first kiss!!
Sob, sob…
Xiao Xue licked her lips and smirked to herself: Not quite—Zhuqing wasn't first.
Ye Lan's first kiss was actually mine!
Hee-hee.
High in the stands, a blond youth with double pupils—Dai Mubai—had a face the color of bruised iron. Blood leaked from his clenched palm.
Ye Lan!!!
Zhu Zhuqing!!!
I'll kill you both!!!
He stared at the embracing pair without blinking. He had rehearsed this moment in his mind a thousand times—he knew Zhu Zhuqing had gone to Heaven Dou Academy to find Ye Lan.
But seeing his fiancée kissing another man with his own eyes—an agony seized his chest until he couldn't breathe.
His blood-slick left hand clamped over his heart.
Pain.
Too much pain!!
(End of Chapter)