The Dawn After the Storm
The collision was not merely an impact—it was a fundamental contest between creation and negation, light and void. Yao Xuan's Ancestral Dragon's Right Claw, sheathed in nine-colored radiance, met the Dark Demon Flash with the quiet authority of dawn dispelling a starless night.
BOOM-CRACK!
The sound was layered—a deep, thunderous detonation of energies, overlaid with the crystalline shattering of something that was never meant to be solid. At the point of contact, a miniature storm of conflicting powers erupted. The pitch-black pillar of entropic darkness convulsed, its cohesive form resisting for a desperate millisecond before the primordial, creative power within Yao Xuan's claw asserted its hierarchy.
It didn't just overpower the darkness; it unmade it from the inside out. The nine-colored light seeped into the cracks of the void-beam like roots into frozen soil, and where it touched, the darkness didn't retreat—it dissolved, transmuting into harmless, shimmering motes that faded like ash in a warm breeze. The terrifying cold was replaced by a wave of revitalizing warmth that washed over the front rows of the stunned audience.
Silence, absolute and profound, gripped the arena for three full seconds.
Then, the dam broke.
"He—he shattered it!" a voice screamed, high-pitched with disbelief.
"That black beam… it felt like it could erase anything! And he just… clawed through it!"
"Did you see the colors? It was beautiful…"
"Is he even human?!"
The roar that followed was deafening, a tidal wave of shock, awe, and raw exhilaration that shook the stands. Students leaped to their feet, pounding their hands together until they stung, their earlier fears transformed into explosive celebration. Teachers exchanged dumbfounded looks, their theoretical frameworks for freshman capability utterly demolished.
On the platform, Long Hengxu slowly lowered the hand he'd unconsciously raised, his planned intervention now laughably redundant. He stared at Yao Xuan as if seeing him for the first time. 'A Soul King… no, perhaps a Soul Emperor would need to take that attack seriously… and he is a first-year Great Soul Master.' The world had tilted on its axis.
Only Wu Zhangkong remained as he was, though a faint, almost imperceptible curve touched the corner of his mouth—the ghost of a smile. The seed he had nurtured had not just grown; it had revealed itself as a sapling of a world-tree.
Within the dissipating energies, the Dark Eagle Dragon form flickered violently like a guttering candle. The dual-toned voice that emerged was thin, strained, and filled with a weary, hollow realization. "Impossible… You withstood… the Flash…" The sentence trailed off. The fusion, sustained by sheer will and drained beyond its limits, could hold no longer. With a sound like tearing silk and cracking bone, the monstrous form disintegrated in a burst of dissipating shadow.
Two figures—Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi—collapsed onto the cold stone, unconscious, their bodies finally succumbing to the massive soul power and mental exhaustion. Their faces were pale, but their expressions in unconsciousness were oddly peaceful, the struggle finally over.
"Yangzi! Jinxi!" Wei Xiaofeng cried out, his duel with Xie Xie forgotten. He became a streak of azure light, darting across the arena toward his fallen friends.
Xie Xie, panting slightly, lowered his Light Dragon Dagger. A grudging respect flashed in his eyes. He gave a slight nod to Wei Xiaofeng's back. "They fought well," he muttered to himself.
Before Wei Xiaofeng could reach them, Yao Xuan was already moving. The magnificent scales on his right arm receded, the luminous claws withdrawing until his hand was human again, though it still faintly glowed. He activated the Ancestral Dragon Shattering Void Step, not with a dramatic blur, but with two precise, space-compressing strides that put him beneath the falling duo. He caught them with careful, almost gentle motions, absorbing their momentum and lowering them smoothly to the ground.
Wei Xiaofeng skidded to a halt beside him, his chest heaving. He looked from his unconscious friends to Yao Xuan, conflict warring in his eyes—pride, defeat, concern. Finally, he dipped his head. "Thank you," he said, the words raw but sincere.
"They are our classmates," Yao Xuan replied simply, his voice carrying no triumph, only steady respect. "The match is concluded. Do you concede?"
Wei Xiaofeng closed his eyes for a second, then opened them, meeting Yao Xuan's gaze. "We concede. You… you are the strongest opponent I have ever seen. I take back my earlier words. They were unworthy."
Long Hengxu, having finally gathered his wits, stepped onto the ravaged arena floor. His voice, amplified by soul power, cut through the lingering din of the crowd. "The match is over! Victory goes to Class 5, Grade 1!"
He paused, letting the renewed cheers wash over him before continuing, his tone shifting to one of administrative decisiveness. "By virtue of this victory, and the overwhelming strength demonstrated, the scheduled cross-grade challenge against Class 5, Grade 2, is hereby cancelled. It would serve no educational purpose."
He looked directly at Yao Xuan, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, and the watching Tang Wulin. "For the new Class 1 of the first year, your journey does not end here. The academy recognizes extraordinary achievement. We are preparing a special resource package and training considerations for your class. Details will be finalized with the board and the dean."
He gestured, and a team of medical Soul Masters with gentle, green-hued martial souls hurried onto the field to attend to Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi. "Now," Long Hengxu finished, a genuine smile breaking through his official demeanor, "let us have one more round of applause for the birth of our new top class!"
The applause was thunderous, lasting for a full minute, a cathartic release of tension and admiration.
Amidst the celebration, as they walked back to their classmates, Gu Yue moved closer to Yao Xuan. The roar of the crowd created a pocket of relative privacy. She leaned in slightly, her silver-purple eyes studying him with an intensity that was both analytical and deeply personal.
"Yao Xuan," she began, her voice a low melody beside him. "The transformation of your right arm during the clash… it was not a soul skill from your rings. The energy signature was different. More… fundamental."
Yao Xuan glanced at her, not surprised by her acute perception. 'Of course she would notice. The Silver Dragon King's perception of energy is peerless.' He offered a half-truth, crafted to satisfy curiosity without revealing the system. "It's an ability that awakened alongside my bloodline as I grew stronger. It draws on my life force and vitality, not my soul power. My martial soul… it seems to have layers I am still uncovering."
Gu Yue's eyes gleamed. This was the opening she needed. "I see," she said, a thoughtful frown on her lips that was almost convincing. "Such a unique martial soul must be difficult to understand fully." She paused, as if an idea had just occurred to her. "My family… we have a long history of studying rare and powerful martial souls. We have archives and testing methods that even the Spirit Pagoda might not possess."
She turned to fully face him as they walked, her expression open and helpful. "During the winter break, perhaps you could come to my home? My elders could examine your martial soul. It might help you understand its nature and potential better." The invitation was delivered smoothly, wrapped in plausible concern and scholarly interest.
Yao Xuan's mind raced. This was a pivotal moment. He knew exactly who her "family" was—the remaining power of the soul beasts, likely led by the Elemental Spring. Going there would be stepping directly into the heart of the Silver Dragon King's world. It was a risk, but also an unparalleled opportunity to deepen their bond and influence the course of events. He allowed a look of grateful surprise to cross his face.
"Your family specializes in martial soul research? That's incredible!" he said, his tone earnest. "I've always had questions about my Ancestral Dragon. An examination like that would be… invaluable. Thank you, Gu Yue. I'd be honored to accept. I'll just need to inform my mother in Aolai City first."
A genuine, warm smile touched Gu Yue's lips—not the cool, calculated curve she often used, but one that reached her eyes, making them sparkle. "Then I will look forward to it," she said softly, the words carrying a weight of unspoken promise. "I am sure we can help."
As they rejoined Xie Xie and a beaming, back-pounding Tang Wulin, Yao Xuan felt the twin chimes in his consciousness.
Eighty points. A substantial haul, earned not just by brute force, but by turning a school competition into a legend. Yet, as they headed for the cafeteria amidst a crowd of cheering peers, the points felt secondary. The real victory was the awe in his classmates' eyes, the respectful nod from a passing senior, the unbreakable trust in Tang Wulin's and Xie Xie's faces, and the subtle, purposeful alliance forming with the enigmatic girl walking beside him. The tournament was won, but a far more complex and promising game had just begun.