The tension in the venue wasn't limited to the teachers in the stands.
Up on the stage, Dai Yueheng and Du Weilun, along with the others, were also on edge.
Dai Yueheng suddenly stood up, ready to intervene, but Neuvillette calmly extended a hand, stopping him at the chest.
"This…"
Dai Yueheng's pupils shrank slightly. He couldn't believe it.
She still hadn't fired yet?
Du Weilun was nearly jumping out of his skin with anxiety.
If she didn't act soon, someone was going to get hurt.
They had witnessed the power of this weapon before; during Qian Duoduo's test, it had blasted a pit five meters in diameter and three meters deep!
No ordinary Grand Soul Master could withstand that!
"Heh, you don't understand Soul Conduction Devices yet."
Neuvillette shook his head leisurely.
In the original canon, Huo Yutong had already used a similar tactic during the Soul Conduction Department test…
…
But as Nanmen Yun'er desperately tried to change direction and flee at her fastest speed,
the Soul Conduction Cannon didn't unleash the devastating force everyone expected. Instead, like a dud, its incandescent light slowly faded away.
"What?"
The teacher who was about to intervene froze mid-step, staring in disbelief at the calm-faced girl.
Why had she retracted it?
The question nearly short-circuited his mind.
From the stands came a murmur of confusion. No one seemed to understand why this had happened.
Meanwhile, at the judges' table,
Neuvillette sipped his tea lightly, a faint smile on his lips.
This move had allowed the girl to fully understand how to use her weapon.
But…
On stage, the girl didn't take advantage of the opportunity to launch a follow-up attack—no paralyzing beam, no psychic shock.
She simply watched silently as Nanmen Yun'er fled in a rather humiliating manner.
"Damn it!!"
Wu Feng had been startled at first, her reaction mirroring most people's: pupils dilated, scalp tingling.
But in an instant, she realized the scorching light that had flared up was like a large, broken light bulb—it had gone out just as quickly.
The reason was unclear,
but she knew one thing: she and Nanmen Yun'er had been played.
Frustration and fear surged through her. Flames erupted around her, forming a fiery dragon that charged straight at the girl.
The ascending flames were dark red; her palms turned into dragon claws, carrying fierce fire. The surrounding air twisted as if being scorched.
"Dragon's Wrath!"
With her roar,
everyone barely registered the movement.
"Shake!"
Xiao Xiao's voice rang out.
The cauldron had already positioned itself before Wu Feng, activating its shaking Soul Technique.
"The Seven Treasures are famed; the second is: Release!"
Before Wu Feng could even be dazed, a beam of light landed on her, preemptively intercepting the incoming control effect.
This allowed Wu Feng to charge toward the girl's figure with almost no resistance.
Huo Yutong, on her delicate shoulders, carried the black cannon barrel. In everyone's eyes, it was still just a useless tool.
It might have scared the opponent once, but would it work a second time?
If no effective measure was taken, she might really be eliminated.
Yet the girl remained calm.
She watched the approaching crimson figure, the scorching flames that charred the surrounding air.
Her beautiful eyes reflected the growing image of the red dragon.
As Wu Feng's anger surged, the massive barrel on her shoulder flared once again with white-hot light.
"Again?"
The teachers in the stands furrowed their brows, ready to intervene. This time, their rescue target would be Huo Yutong herself.
At the judges' table,
Du Weilun also raised his eyebrows.
"A broken Soul Conduction Device can only be used to bluff an opponent. But if you don't act after the first success and hope for a second…"
"Perhaps…"
Dai Yueheng said nothing, but astonishment flickered in his eyes.
"Heh, I told you, you don't understand Soul Conduction Devices."
Neuvillette said lightly, then slowly rose.
His gaze was fixed on the still, calm girl on stage.
He exhaled deeply.
"The match is over."
"Over?"
Du Weilun's pupils widened, as if he realized something extraordinary.
"Yes, over…"
Dai Yueheng also stood slowly, a look of admiration on his face.
…
In everyone's stunned gaze,
the white-hot glow in the massive cannon barrel didn't fade as expected. Instead, it intensified, then blasted out a thick black beam.
It shot straight toward Wu Feng.
"What!"
Wu Feng's delicate face instantly went pale.
Staring at the incoming black annihilation, her mind went blank.
Her heart felt as if gripped by giant hands, unable to breathe.
She knew this type of Soul Conduction Device was extremely difficult to hit with. Even with terrifying power, few used it.
But…
Why did she feel her spirit locked down completely?
At that moment, Wu Feng finally widened her eyes. She watched as Huo Yutong slid backward ten meters from the recoil, the massive cannon barrel on her shoulder making her figure seem so abrupt, and she slowly lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
She saw the girl's calm, watery blue eyes.
It wasn't about winning—it was about displaying strength…
"Boom!!!"
Moments later, the deafening roar filled the stage, echoing through the entire arena.
The roar of the steel colossus.
The girl's enhanced Standardized Soul Conduction Cannon.
Thick mist shot straight into the sky.
(End of Chapter)