Tang San toyed with the hidden weapon in his hand. He naturally had some understanding of these things—he'd seen them in the memory fragments of the Soul Guidance Device and had even trained with them for a while before abandoning them as useless.
"Hidden weapons should aim for fatal blind spots. You should have targeted my eyes just now. Those too kind-hearted aren't suited for training with hidden weapons," Tang San said with a faint smile.
"You—you—how did you—!"
With a whoosh, Tang San sent the flying dagger in his hand straight toward Meng Yiran's eyes. The blade severed several strands of her hair before embedding itself firmly in the ground, mere millimeters from her eyeball.
Tang San crouched down, gripping Meng Yiran by the neck and slowly lifting her like a chick. Her struggles caused two snowy-white mounds to bump against his arm.
"Who dares claim invincibility? Even my father wouldn't claim to be peerless at the same level. You merely have an external soul bone of a thousand-year grade—does that make you invincible?" Tang San sneered coldly. Even an external soul bone depended on its grade—how could a mere thousand-year one make anyone invincible?
And if you can have one, why can't others?
Meng Yiran was a three-ringed Soul Elder. Her external soul bone couldn't possibly exceed two thousand years. Even possessing a ten-thousand-year soul bone wouldn't make one invincible.
Still, Tang San acknowledged that Meng Yiran's strength was indeed considerable, and she even knew some rudiments of hidden weapons. If Tailong had faced her, he'd likely have suffered a crushing defeat.
After a brief glance, Tang San casually tossed the soul-power-depleted Meng Yiran off the stage, then turned to the four older Soul Ancestors below, grinning. "Anyone else want a fight? Come on up—I'll take you all on."
For a moment, the arena fell into dead silence. No one dared step forward.
For ordinary soul masters, possessing a thousand-year soul bone was already an immense blessing. Having an additional one provided an overwhelming advantage at the same level, let alone an external soul bone.
Yet now, this soul master with an external soul bone had been casually defeated by another at the same level—and the victor didn't even seem to have exerted himself fully, not even breathing heavily.
The four older Soul Ancestors below exchanged glances, none daring to accept the challenge.
This couldn't really be blamed on them. As Meng Yiran had said, they were just here to coast by, hoping to join the Spirit Hall Main Hall after graduation for better treatment. If they were truly strong, they'd have joined the Spirit Academy long ago instead of relying on their higher levels to bully others now.
They also knew that Soul Ancestors like themselves stood no chance against Tang San wielding the Clear Sky Hammer. All four shook their heads—there was no way they could fight.
Seeing everyone else forfeit, Qian Renxue announced coolly, "The Main Academy promotion qualifiers have concluded. First place: Tang San. Second place: Meng Yiran."
Faced with the Saintess Qian Renxue's proclamation, no one present voiced any objections. Even though Meng Yiran had lost to Tang San, the other Soul Ancestors hadn't even mustered the courage to challenge him. Moreover, it was clear to any discerning eye that what the Spirit Academy truly needed were young soul masters like Meng Yiran and Tang San.
After giving Tang San a deep look, Qian Renxue turned and left.
"Third Young Master is amazing! Third Young Master is incredible!!" Tailong jumped up despite his pain, shouting and clapping loudly. Although this outcome was expected, Tailong still felt extremely happy.
Tang San gave Tailong a thumbs-up. After all, without Tailong, Tang San wouldn't have won so effortlessly.
The highly anticipated battle for the Main Academy promotion spot finally concluded with Tang San's near-overwhelming victory. Afterward, he went back for lunch and enjoyed a peaceful nap.
While Tang San slept soundly, the entire Spirit Hall City remained immersed in the intensity of the previous battles. The duel between Meng Yiran and Tang San, in particular, left many in awe.
Meng Yiran, a three-ringed Soul Elder with an External Soul Bone, was practically unmatched below the Soul Ancestor level. Yet, no one could have imagined that despite her formidable strength and setup, she suffered a crushing defeat at Tang San's hands, barely able to fight back.
This outcome left many sighing in resignation. Rumors even began circulating in the city about "the heavens being unfair," claiming that those with powerful Martial Souls were destined for greatness while weaker ones were doomed to mediocrity.
After securing first place, Tang San didn't immediately enter Spirit Academy, as the official enrollment was scheduled for a week later. During that week, he kept a low profile, staying within the Clear Sky Sect's properties, focusing solely on cultivation, meals, and sleep.
The week passed quickly.
"Third Young Master." Early in the morning, Tailong knocked on Tang San's door, as today marked their official enrollment.
Tailong was excited too—this was his first time attending an academy, and he had no idea what academy life would be like.
With a creak, Tang San, dressed neatly, pushed the door open and nodded. "Let's go."
This wasn't Tang San's first visit to Spirit Academy. Following the familiar path, they arrived at the academy gates, where Dean Zhong Wei was already waiting.
"Tang San, Tailong, these are your student IDs, which also serve as your dormitory keys. Take good care of them," Zhong Wei said, handing them two tokens resembling Pope Tokens.
Tang San accepted the token and thanked him. "Thank you, Dean."
"Take some time to explore the academy and get to know your fellow students. You're quite the celebrity, after all," Zhong Wei teased, patting Tang San's shoulder.
Tang San responded with a faint smile. Being a celebrity meant stirring up attention wherever he went—something he'd grown accustomed to in the Clear Sky Sect.
This time, Tang San didn't head toward the Angel Gate. Instead, he walked straight along the academy's main path.
As Tang San and Tailong stepped through the grand gates of Spirit Academy, a wide road dozens of meters across unfolded before them. Exquisite carriages rolled by, and the area was bustling with people. Looking ahead, they were greeted by a majestic and awe-inspiring sight.
Before them stretched an endless expanse of land, dotted with towering cultivation pavilions, crisscrossing mountain ranges, and occasional cascading waterfalls. The lush greenery painted a breathtakingly magnificent scene.
"Wow, Third Young Master, the inside of Spirit Academy is unbelievable! It's like we've stepped into another world," Tailong exclaimed, utterly stunned by the view.
In some Simulated Training Fields, figures darted about, their powerful Soul Power clashing, producing waves of deep, resonant sounds.
Tang San and the others had advanced to the Main Academy, but the academy already had many students. Only external Soul Masters like them needed to take entrance exams. Those who were originally from Spirit Hall City or whose parents were Clergy of the Spirit Hall could be directly admitted without examination.
Not long after Tang San and his companion entered Spirit Academy, a massive Soul Guidance Device stood blocking the center of the road. Atop the device, golden light shimmered, converging into five magnificent characters: Elite Soul Master Ranking!
"This Elite Soul Master Ranking is a list created by Spirit Academy for its students. Only those who make it onto the ranking are qualified to participate in the Pan-continental Elite Soul Master Competition," a calm voice came from the side. Tang San turned his head and saw Qian Renxue standing beside him, also gazing at the Soul Guidance Device's ranking.