The morning after the grueling run, the atmosphere in Class 1 was thick enough to choke a Spirit Grandmaster. Zhou Yi stood at the front, her hands folded behind her back.
"Yesterday, you showed me you could run like cowards," she rasped. "Today, I want to see if you can fight like Soul Masters. To the soul-dueling arena!"
The arena was a massive circular stage reinforced with rare ores. As the students gathered, Zhou Yi's gaze landed on two people: the dusty, stoic Lin Feng and the pristine, shimmering Wang Dong.
"Lin Feng. Wang Dong. Step up."
Huo Yuhao gripped the railing, his Spirit Eyes flickering with worry. "Feng... be careful. Wang Dong's spirit power is much higher than ours."
Wang Dong leaped onto the stage with the grace of a falling leaf. His blue-gold hair caught the sunlight. "Lin Feng, yesterday you used some trick to outrun me. Today, there are no tricks. I'll show you the difference between a common body soul and a peak tool-beast hybrid."
Lin Feng walked up slowly, each footfall sounding like a drumbeat.
[System Notification: Combat Encounter Initiated.]
Target: Wang Dong (Rank 24 - Radiant Butterfly Goddess).
Warning: Target possesses Twin Martial Souls (Latent).
Simulation Recommendation: Utilize 'Absolute Gravity' to negate flight advantage.
"I don't need tricks to beat someone who spends more time on their hair than their cultivation," Lin Feng said calmly.
"You—!" Wang Dong's face flushed. "Martial Soul, Release!"
Behind Wang Dong, the air exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors. A pair of magnificent wings, shimmering with every shade of blue and gold imaginable, unfurled to a span of three meters. Two yellow spirit rings rose around him.
"First Soul Skill: Wing Guillotine!"
Wang Dong didn't wait. He dived, his wings turning into razor-sharp blades.
Lin Feng took a deep breath. "Golden Spirit Body, activate!"
Instead of the usual bronze glow, Lin Feng's skin turned a deep, burnished gold. He didn't dodge. He stood his ground as the glowing edge of Wang Dong's wing slammed into his crossed forearms.
CLANG!
The sound of metal meeting metal echoed throughout the arena. Sparks flew. Wang Dong's eyes widened as his "Guillotine" failed to even scratch Lin Feng's skin.
"First Soul Skill: Golden Vajra Transformation!" Lin Feng roared.
His muscles swelled, his height seemed to increase by an inch, and the golden radiance intensified. He reached out with lightning speed, grabbing the edge of Wang Dong's wing.
"How is your physical strength so high?!" Wang Dong gasped, flapping frantically to pull away.
"Because while you were admiring your reflection, I was carrying the weight of a world," Lin Feng replied. He pulled, slamming Wang Dong toward the ground.
Wang Dong flipped in mid-air, his second spirit ring flashing. "Second Soul Skill: Butterfly Goddess Light!"
Hundreds of spheres of golden-blue light erupted from his wings, converging on Lin Feng. The explosions rocked the arena, obscuring everything in a cloud of smoke and dust.
The Hidden Spectator
High above the arena, on a balcony hidden by a soul-guidance barrier, an old man sat on a wooden crate. He held a greasy chicken leg in one hand and a gourd of wine in the other. This was Elder Xuan, one of the pillars of the Sea God Pavilion.
"Hm?" Elder Xuan stopped chewing. His messy eyebrows twitched. "That boy... Lin Feng. That's not a Bronze Body. The density of that soul power... it feels like a mountain is compressed into a human shell."
Beside him, a younger teacher whispered, "Elder Xuan, do you think it's a mutation?"
"Mutation? No," Elder Xuan chuckled, his eyes glowing with a sharp, terrifying light. "That's the foundation of a God. Look at the ground."
The teacher looked down. Despite Lin Feng being stationary, the stone beneath his feet was spider-webbing. Lin Feng wasn't just standing; he was anchoring the arena.
The Climax: The Weight of the Hammer
Inside the smoke, Lin Feng closed his eyes.
[System: Activating 'Absolute Gravity' – 30% Output.]
The smoke was suddenly sucked toward the center of the ring. Wang Dong, who was preparing a third attack from above, felt an invisible hand grab his soul. He plummeted, his wings heavy as lead.
"What is this pressure?!" Wang Dong cried out, struggling to stay airborne.
Lin Feng emerged from the dust. He wasn't using the Hammer, but he was using the intent of the Hammer. He stepped forward—CRACK—another tile shattered.
"Wang Dong, you have the sky," Lin Feng said, his voice echoing with a metallic resonance. "But I have the Earth. And the Earth always wins."
Lin Feng launched himself into the air—a leap fueled by the recoil of his gravity. He appeared in front of the falling Wang Dong. He didn't use a fist; he used a simple palm push.
Absolute Gravity: Focus!
The gravity localized on Wang Dong's chest. It felt like a thousand-pound hammer had tapped him. Wang Dong was blasted backward, crashing into the arena's protective barrier. The barrier flickered and groaned under the impact.
Wang Dong slid to the ground, his wings vanishing as his spirit power exhausted itself. He wasn't seriously injured—Lin Feng had pulled the punch—but he was utterly defeated.
The arena fell into a deathly silence. Zhou Yi checked her watch. "Two minutes. Lin Feng wins."
The Aftermath and the Reward
Lin Feng retracted his golden glow, feeling a wave of exhaustion. Using the Hammer's gravity while maintaining the Body Soul was a massive drain.
[Task Complete: Subdue the Butterfly.]
Reward: 1,000 System Points.
Special Bonus: Relationship with 'Wang Dong' updated to: Begrudging Respect.
Achievement Unlocked: Noticed by the Pavilion.
Lin Feng walked over to Wang Dong and extended a hand. Wang Dong looked at the hand, then at Lin Feng's calm face. He bit his lip, his pride wounded, but he took the hand and let Lin Feng pull him up.
"I... I lost," Wang Dong whispered, looking away. "But don't think this is over. I didn't even use my full power."
"I know," Lin Feng said with a small smile. "Neither did I."
As they walked off the stage, Elder Xuan watched them from above, tossing his chicken bone away. "A boy who can suppress the Radiant Butterfly Goddess with just his body? Interesting. Very interesting. Perhaps the Tang Sect really is coming back to life."
[Exchange Store Updated:]
New Item Available: 10,000-year Whalespirit Torso Bone (Cost: 5,000 Points).
Effect: Grants 'Infinite Vitality' and 'Internal Pressure Resistance'.
Lin Feng looked at his point total (1,500). "I need more tasks," he thought. "The Shrek Seven Monsters selection is coming... and I intend to be the leader."