Accompanied by the detonation of the fixed-installed soul guidance cannon, a stream of pitch-black annihilation erupted.
It carved a long trail of ashen ruin across the sky, as if even the air had been burned away — a sight that left chills in its wake.
The entire arena fell into deathly silence.
On the platform stood the slender girl, her frail shoulders supporting a fixed-installed soul guidance cannon far too large for her frame. The terrifying recoil bent her fair, graceful legs, forcing her toes into the ground, leaving two deep grooves across the stage.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at the sky — at the figure of Wu Feng engulfed by the black mass of annihilation.
The once-rampaging flame dragon had already vanished without a trace.
Which meant—
The referee's face turned ashen.
How could this be?
Though he did not know much about the Soul Guidance Department, he still understood the properties of a fixed-installed soul guidance cannon: once the white glow lit up, it signaled activation, and there was no stopping it.
But just now, that "fixed-installed soul cannon" had been nothing more than a defective product, a glorified toy.
How could it possibly…?
Even if it were genuine, the accuracy required to strike a target was nearly impossible. How could this girl land such a clean hit on Wu Feng while moving at high speed?
If she had such talent, shouldn't she be in the Soul Guidance Department instead of the Martial Soul Department?
Yet, no matter how many doubts filled his mind, the referee could only forcefully circulate his soul power, rushing toward the sky to attempt a rescue.
"Faster… faster…"
He muttered under his breath, but his heart only sank deeper.
An attack of this caliber… was far beyond what a mere Grandmaster-ranked soul master could endure. Unless a miracle occurred, it would certainly mean death.
Down below, gasps erupted from the stands.
Some timid girls turned away, unwilling to witness such a cruel scene.
The most probable result, no remains will be left behind.
Even Du Weilun, the strongest present and Dean of the Soul Guidance Department, had not had the "time" to act. Wu Feng's death seemed all but inevitable.
Death was simply unimaginable for most of the sheltered, greenhouse-like flowers in this academy, who had never faced true storms.
Silent fear spread like wildfire.
Many eyes turned toward the calm, indifferent girl on stage — their gazes filled with shock. She had killed someone, so why could she remain so composed?
"Silence!"
As the uproar grew louder, a calm voice reverberated through the arena.
In an instant, it drew every gaze.
Countless eyes turned to the skies, toward the place shrouded in black annihilation — the source of that voice.
"That's… Senior Neuvillette!"
The referee, who had been mid-flight, froze in shock. As the grey mist dispersed, a figure in light blue emerged, and the referee's heart leapt with joy.
He had only recently graduated from the inner court, but that calm, ever-unshaken presence, paired with overwhelming strength — he knew it too well.
With him here, everyone instinctively felt reassured.
Even more dependable than Elder Xuan…
"Mm."
Behind a thick ice shield stood Neuvillette, nodding slightly. One hand held Wu Feng by the scruff of her collar, while the other gripped his staff. His gaze swept the surroundings with elegance and composure.
The terrifying strike of the fixed-installed soul cannon had only managed to chip away some fragments.
As expected of Senior Neuvillette.
The referee's eyes trembled in awe. Had he taken that attack directly, his strength as a newly advanced Soul Emperor still wouldn't have been enough—he would have ended up seriously injured.
So this… this was the difference between geniuses and monsters.
"Announce the results."
"Y-yes…"
Though the referee was older in years, before Neuvillette, he seemed more like a little fanboy, nodding vigorously as his voice spread across the field:
"This match — Class One wins!"
"Yaaay!!!"
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, shaken from their stupor, rushed over to hug Huo Yutong. The three little ones celebrated together, bouncing with joy.
The outcome had been decided.
And yet, all eyes remained fixed on Neuvillette.
That calm, water-like figure, his devastatingly handsome features — today, he had revealed just a sliver of his true strength.
In his hand, Wu Feng's body had shrunk slightly, her head drooping as though she had fainted from fright.
Her once-snug combat uniform now appeared loose against her smaller frame.
"She merely fainted."
Neuvillette tapped the ground lightly, descending gracefully to Ning Tian's side.
Handing Wu Feng over, he spoke faintly:
"I…"
Ning Tian's beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked upon him. Watching his retreating, an idea suddenly bloomed in her mind—
Wasn't Neuvillette the homeroom teacher of Class One?
And after the freshman examinations… came the placement into permanent classes…
As Neuvillette's figure disappeared, the three little ones stepped off the stage.
The crowd finally snapped back to their senses.
The spectator stands erupted in excitement, voices overlapping in heated discussion.
"So that's Neuvillette-sensei's true power… how terrifying!"
"You don't know? The last time Neuvillette revealed his strength was in the Soul Arena — a seven-ring Soul Sage! And his seventh soul ring… was a hundred-thousand-year red soul ring!!"
"I was there too! The suffocating aura nearly crushed me to the ground."
"He's an inner court senior… and that handsome too. No wonder so many girls like him."
"Of course. Not long ago, senior sisters from the upper grades crowded into Neuvillette-sensei's office every day to ask questions."
"To even dare pursue Neuvillette-sensei, you'd have to be the academy's top beauties. I heard in the upper grades, countless noble and royal princesses fought over him…"
"Then I guess I'm out of luck…"
"But hey — aren't you all shocked that girl could handle a fixed-installed soul cannon with such accuracy?"
On the referees' platform, Neuvillette's figure slowly reappeared.
He paid no attention to the astonished teachers, nor to the wide-eyed Du Weilun.
Calmly, he sat down, sipped his tea, and nodded in satisfaction.
Not cold yet.
"So… this girl — could you let her join my department?"
Yan Shaozhe's voice broke the silence, carrying an undercurrent of excitement.
A Martial Soul of Spirit Eyes — with such terrifying mental lock and spiritual sharing, this was a god-tier ability for a control-type soul master.
If she joined the Martial Soul Department, she would certainly be nurtured as a core disciple!
"What are you plotting!!"
Qian Duoduo's deep voice thundered like an ox protecting its calf, stepping forward to stand behind the two.
"Little Neuvillette, you mustn't side with your senior brother. The development of the Soul Guidance Department is of utmost importance — Elder Mu himself emphasized this at the Sea God Pavilion meeting…"
"Heh."
Neuvillette merely closed his eyes, sipping his tea with leisure.
If they wanted to compete for a student, shouldn't they settle it on their own?
For him to intervene — what point would there be?
Of course, more importantly, he was simply buying time, letting Qian Duoduo fight for better terms for the girl.
(End of Chapter)