The air in the academy grounds was thick with a tension that had nothing to do with spirit power. Flender, the great Dean of Shrek Academy, had been publicly and logically humiliated by a twelve-year-old boy. His authority was in tatters, and every student present knew it. He stared at Zhang Tian, his hawkish eyes a mixture of fury, embarrassment, and a grudging, newfound respect.
Finally, he let out a long, weary sigh, the anger deflating from his posture like a punctured balloon.
"Fine," Flender said, his voice strained as he tried to claw back a shred of his authority. "I will concede that my training methods may not be perfectly suited for all auxiliary type Spirit Masters." He glared pointedly at Ning Rongrong. "But this time, I will let it pass. However, let me be clear. If you, Ning Rongrong, continue to display this arrogant attitude, if you disdain your fellow students, and if you fail to follow the tasks assigned to you again, you will be expelled."
He then shifted his piercing gaze to Zhang Tian. "And if you choose to speak for her again at that time, you will be expelled along with her. Do I make myself clear?"
'A threat,' Zhang Tian thought, completely unfazed. 'A weak attempt to reassert dominance.' He felt no fear. If he were expelled, what would he lose? A shabby room and a bullying teacher? He could walk straight to the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect's headquarters, present Ning Rongrong, and offer his weapon blueprints. They would welcome him with open arms, providing resources and protection far beyond what this dilapidated academy ever could. It was a solid backup plan.
Outwardly, he simply gave a polite, almost imperceptible nod. "Understood, Dean Flender."
His easy acquiescence seemed to mollify the Dean slightly. Flender clapped his hands together, forcing a business-like tone. "Good. Now that we've cleared the air, your first official class begins now. Follow me."
He turned and strode towards the exit of the academy, not waiting to see if they followed. The students exchanged uncertain glances before falling into step behind him.
A new dynamic had formed within the group. A subtle rift had appeared. Zhu Zhuqing and a now openly admiring Ning Rongrong naturally gravitated towards Zhang Tian, walking beside him in a quiet, supportive formation. Xiao Wu, ever the loyal sister, clung to Tang San's arm, shooting occasional resentful glares in Zhang Tian's direction.
Bringing up the rear were Oscar and Ma Hongjun, a strange pair united by their shared status as Shrek veterans. Oscar kept trying to catch Ning Rongrong's eye, his determination to pursue her only strengthened by Zhang Tian's public validation of her spirit's immense value. Ma Hongjun, on the other hand, was back to his old ways now that the immediate threat had passed. His beady eyes darted around, lecherously scanning every woman they passed on the streets of Suotuo City, his gaze lingering far too long on their figures.
Their destination was a colossal, imposing structure in the center of the city, a building that dwarfed everything around it. It was a grand, circular arena that pulsed with a palpable energy of competition and violence. The Great Spirit Arena.
Flender brought them to a stop before the grand entrance. "This is your classroom," he announced dramatically. "And this will be your primary training ground for the foreseeable future. The graduation requirement for Shrek Academy is not just about reaching a certain spirit rank. Before you can graduate, each of you must obtain, at minimum, a Silver Fighting Badge from this arena."
He gestured to the entrance. "Any level Spirit Master, upon entering the Great Spirit Arena, is simply known as a 'spirit fighter.' After your first victory, you will receive a badge. Every subsequent victory accumulates points. When you have enough points, your badge's rank will upgrade. This badge is recognized by every major city on the continent. The higher your badge's rank, the more benefits and respect you will command. The ranks, from lowest to highest, are differentiated by mineral quality: Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, Purple Gold, Amethyst, Diamond, and the legendary Red Diamond. Eight ranks in total."
Ma Hongjun, seeing a chance to appear knowledgeable, puffed out his chest and elaborated. "To get from an Iron Badge to a Copper Badge, you need one hundred points. Each victory gives you one point. But if you lose, you lose a point. If you get a winning streak of more than five fights, each win after that gives you ten points. If your streak exceeds ten, each win gives you a hundred! But even if you get promoted, if your points drop back below one hundred, you lose your Copper rank. To get to Silver, you need a thousand points, and in the copper-level fights, each win is worth ten points. It's a long, hard grind."
He puffed out his chest proudly. "I've had thirty-three fights myself. Twenty-one wins, twelve losses. I have nine points."
The group entered the massive, chaotic interior and proceeded to the registration area. One by one, they gave their information, chose fighting names, and were officially entered into the system.
Soon, the matchups for the one-on-one fights began to appear on a large display board.
"Iron Spirit Fight, Arena 12: Charming Rabbit versus Qing Bao."
"Iron Spirit Fight, Arena 8: Thousand Hands Asura versus Ling Yu."
And then, a matchup that made the group pause.
"Iron Spirit Fight, Arena 15: Blood Emperor versus Hell Civet."
Zhang Tian versus Zhu Zhuqing.
They were all assigned to different arenas within the massive complex. Flender, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun would move between them to observe.
The first fights were swift and decisive. Xiao Wu, with her blinding speed and powerful close-combat skills, overwhelmed her opponent in under a minute.
Tang San's fight was a masterclass in skill over power. His opponent, Ling Yu, was a power-type Spirit Grandmaster with a bear spirit. But he could never land a single blow. Tang San moved with an ethereal grace, his feet barely seeming to touch the ground, leaving afterimages that confused his opponent. The Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. When Ling Yu charged, Tang San would use the subtle, powerful grappling techniques of the Controlling Crane Catching Dragon to redirect his momentum, sending him stumbling. And when Ling Yu tried to punch him, Tang San's hand would glow with a faint, jade-like luster, catching the powerful blow without injury. The Mysterious Jade Hand.
Zhang Tian watched from the sidelines before his own match, his focus absolute. Through the spore on Tang San's body, he wasn't just watching; he was recording. Every muscle movement, every subtle shift in spirit power, every intricate meridian pathway that lit up for each technique—it was all being copied and stored in his mind.
'Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track for evasion and mobility. Controlling Crane Catching Dragon for grappling and control. Mysterious Jade Hand for defense and poison immunity,' he cataloged internally. 'Excellent. These skills are practical and will complement my own abilities perfectly.' He had no intention of using them immediately. They required practice, muscle memory that he would drill into himself in the privacy of his own training. For now, the acquisition was enough.
Soon, it was time. He and Zhu Zhuqing walked towards Arena 15. The roar of the crowd was a dull hum in the background.
As they stood on the stone stage, facing each other, Zhu Zhuqing's cold, beautiful eyes were filled with a fierce, unwavering determination.
"Zhang Tian," she said, her voice low and serious. "You saved my life. I am grateful. But here, we are opponents. Do not hold back because of what happened. I need this. I need to test my strength. Fight me seriously."
A genuine, appreciative smile touched Zhang Tian's lips. This was the warrior spirit he admired. "I had no intention of holding back, Zhuqing. I'll be expecting the same from you."
The referee announced the start of the match, and the fight began.
There was no preamble. Zhu Zhuqing exploded into motion. Her first spirit ring flared to life. Hell Rush Stab!
Her speed doubled in an instant. She wasn't just a blur; she was a black phantom, crossing the twenty-meter stage in the blink of an eye, her sharp, spectral claws aimed directly at his throat.
Zhang Tian didn't move from his spot. He simply stomped his foot. A thick, layered wall of crimson vines, a Crimson Shield, erupted from the stage floor directly in front of him.
Zhu Zhuqing's claws struck the shield with a series of sharp, tearing sounds. The vines splintered and groaned, but the shield held, absorbing the brunt of her momentum. She used the recoil to flip backwards, landing gracefully on the other side of the stage.
'Fast. Incredibly fast,' Zhang Tian thought. 'Her explosive power is her greatest asset.'
Before he could counter, she came at him again. This time, her second spirit ring lit up. Hell Hundred Claws!
Her hands became a vortex of black, spectral energy. In the space of a few seconds, a hundred sharp, tearing claw attacks flew through the air, aimed not just at him, but at the entire area around him, cutting off his escape routes.
"Thousand Crimson Needles," Zhang Tian said calmly.
The vines of his shield dissolved, not into nothingness, but into a swirling tempest of hardened, blood-red needles. The two swarms of attacks met in the middle of the stage with a deafening cacophony of shrieks and clangs as claw and needle cancelled each other out.
Zhu Zhuqing used the visual cover of the attack to circle around him, her Ghost Shadow-like movements making her difficult to track. She was searching for an opening.
Zhang Tian stood perfectly still, his eyes closed. He didn't need his eyes. His spores were a fine, invisible dust coating the entire stage. He could feel her every movement, every shift in weight, every tensing of her muscles.
She lunged from his blind spot, her claws aimed at his back.
Just as she was about to strike, the stage floor beneath her erupted. A Bloodvine Cage shot up, not to trap her, but to block her path, forcing her to change direction mid-air. As she twisted, a single, whip-like vine, the Viper's Kiss Strike, lashed out from the floor, aimed at her airborne form.
She reacted with incredible instinct, curling her body into a ball to avoid the main strike, but the tip of the vine still grazed her side, sending a jolt of force through her and leaving a red mark on her black outfit. Each time his vines made contact, a tiny, imperceptible stream of her spirit power was siphoned away by his 'Devour' ability. He was slowly, inexorably, draining her stamina.
She landed, panting slightly. This was frustrating. He wasn't even moving, yet he seemed to anticipate her every action. It was like fighting the stage itself.
She decided to bet everything on one overwhelming assault. She activated her first and second spirit rings simultaneously. Hell Rush Stab combined with Hell Hundred Claws.
She became a black hurricane of speed and destructive power, rushing towards him, her attack a solid wall of spectral claws.
This time, Zhang Tian didn't just defend. He met her attack with his own. His two spirit rings glowed. Dozens of thick, crimson vines shot from the ground around him, not to form a shield, but to snake forward like a swarm of pythons. He used his spores to instantly sprout smaller, entangling vines from the stage floor in her path, seeking to disrupt her footing.
It was a clash of styles. Her pure, focused aggression against his widespread, absolute control.
Her claws tore through the first wave of vines, shredding them to pieces. But more took their place. Her feet became entangled in the smaller vines on the floor, her incredible speed faltering for a crucial split second.
It was the opening he needed.
One of his main vines bypassed her frontal assault and whipped around, snagging her ankle.
She cried out in surprise as her momentum was violently arrested. She was yanked off her feet, her body flung into the air.
As she tumbled, her lithe and voluptuous figure was on full display. The tight black outfit did nothing to hide the curves of her large breasts and slender waist. For a fleeting moment, even in the heat of battle, Zhang Tian's analytical mind registered the fact with an objective appreciation.
'She truly is beautiful,' he thought, a faint sigh echoing in his mind. 'Sexy, powerful, and determined. A perfect specimen. Such a waste that she's pinning her hopes on a fool like Dai Mubai to save her from her fate. Her sister, Zhu Zhuyun, and her brother-in-law, Dai Weisi, will not be so easily defeated. She needs a real ally. Well, helping her wouldn't be much difficult as long as my partnership with Rongrong's sect is successful.'
His thoughts took only an instant. His actions were just as swift.
He didn't slam her into the ground. As her body flew towards the edge of the stage, he controlled the vine holding her ankle. With a final, powerful heave, he threw her. Her body sailed cleanly over the boundary line of the arena.
She had lost.
But before she could crash onto the hard floor below the stage, another soft, yet incredibly strong vine shot out and wrapped gently around her waist, arresting her fall. It lowered her to the ground with the care one would use to place a piece of precious porcelain on a shelf.
The referee, stunned by the high-level fight, finally found his voice. "Winner, Blood Emperor!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, appreciating the display of power, skill, and the final, unexpected act of sportsmanship. Zhu Zhuqing stood on the floor, looking up at Zhang Tian on the stage, her chest heaving not just from exertion, but from a complex mix of frustration, shock, and a strange, unidentifiable warmth in her heart. He had defeated her, utterly and completely, but he had not humiliated her by holding back.
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels like "Harem Master: Seduction System" and the "Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist" and I hope you like this story and those stories as well.
Check out more chapters on my P.atreon. The P.atreon will have 20+ Chapters ahead for this story. I hope you like it.
The link of p.atreon is: bit.ly/evildragon