Inside the training grounds, it was so deathly quiet that a dropped needle could be heard.
Liu Yuan's fingertips lightly pressed against Ji Juechen's heart, the movement so gentle it was as if he were merely brushing away a fallen leaf.
However, in Ji Juechen's senses, the pressure escaping from between those fingers was like a sword of judgment hanging over his Soul; with just a thought from Liu Yuan, his proud sword-path body would instantly crumble.
Silence.
The hundreds of students below the stage widened their eyes, and some even turned red in the face from forgetting to breathe.
"Just now... what happened?" A student from the advanced class rubbed his eyes, his voice trembling.
"I only saw a flash of green light, Ji Juechen's sword strike missed, and then... then Senior Liu Yuan won?"
"Has this guy already become this powerful?" Beside Ju Zi, Ke Ke subconsciously grabbed the corner of Ju Zi's clothes, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.
"Ji Juechen is a Six-Ring Soul Emperor! A Six-Ring Soul Emperor who has comprehended Sword Intent couldn't even last a second before Liu Yuan?"
Tang Ya stared blankly at the calm and composed youth on the stage.
The more detailed her understanding of the current Liu Yuan became, the more she could understand just how outstanding he was now...
On the stage, Ji Juechen's hand, which was originally gripping the Meteorite Iron Sword, trembled slightly.
He looked down at the claws pressed against his chest, feeling that Bloodline suppression that made even his Spirit tremble. After a long time, the fanatical Battle Intent in his eyes gradually receded, turning into a bitter yet relieved sigh.
"I lost."
Ji Juechen's voice was hoarse as he slowly withdrew the black sword and sheathed it back on his back.
He wasn't despondent; instead, a deeper level of persistence burned in those dead fish eyes: "Extreme Speed... is this your ability? It's so fast that even my Sword Intent couldn't lock onto it."
Liu Yuan withdrew his hand, the half-human half-dragon transformation around his body quickly fading as he returned to being that refined and elegant youth. He smiled faintly: "Your sword is very pure. If I only had a conventional Spirit at the Spirit Emperor Realm, that strike would indeed have been difficult to block."
Ji Juechen shook his head and looked at Liu Yuan seriously: "A loss is a loss. However, Liu Yuan, this won't be the last time. Once my sword can be a bit faster, I will come looking for you again."
After saying that, he bowed slightly to Liu Yuan and turned around. His grey robes were still as straight as a sword as he walked off the stage, lonely and determined.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has completely subdued Ji Juechen, mission complete!]
[Congratulations to the Host! Obtained a random Pokémon item: Mystic Water!]
[Item Description: When held, it increases the power of the holder's water-type Moves.]
Listening to the notification in his mind, Liu Yuan nodded inwardly.
"Mystic Water... not bad, just right for Kyogre to use. With this, its water-type explosive power will reach another level."
While Liu Yuan was thinking, the crowd below the stage had already erupted.
"Liu Yuan! You're too fierce!" Ke Ke was the first to jump onto the stage and circled Liu Yuan several times, staring at him as if he were a monster. "Be honest, how much effort did you just use? That guy Ji Juechen is a famous hard nut to crack in our academy, yet he was handled by you like a child."
Ju Zi also walked up and adjusted her glasses, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of heartfelt admiration: "You're getting more and more incredible. Your Grace's strength is indeed unfathomable."
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, the two siblings, walked behind composedly. Xiao Hongchen even deliberately lifted his chin at the shocked students around them, his proud expression making it seem as if he was the one who had just won.
"How about it? I told you your jaws would drop, didn't I?" Xiao Hongchen chuckled.
...
With the conclusion of this sparring match, Liu Yuan's academy life returned to tranquility once again.
Due to Jing Hongchen's firm reply, Sun Moon Royal Academy completely severed its exchanges with Shrek Academy.
Without those scheming "hostage" exchanges, Liu Yuan was happy to have some peace, devoting all his energy to his daily diligent cultivation.
In the blink of an eye, half a year passed by quickly.
During this half-year, the sunlight in the Bright Capital remained the same.
The friendship between Liu Yuan and Ji Juechen heated up rapidly through repeated "one-sided crushing" matches. Ji Juechen had practically become a regular guest at Liu Yuan's residence. Although he was beaten miserably every time, his pure swordsman spirit was something Liu Yuan quite admired.
And Tang Ya, after cleansing her evil Qi, displayed surprising talent.
Under Liu Yuan's suggestion, she began to try her hand at spirit tools.
Because the perception of the mutated Dark Blue Silver Grass was extremely strong, she had a natural advantage when carving core Formations. In just half a year, she had actually officially entered the field and become a trainee Level 2 Soul Engineer.
However, Liu Yuan was not very satisfied with his progress over the past half-year.
Inside the quiet room of the Duke's Mansion.
Liu Yuan sat cross-legged in the center of the Soul Gathering Formation, the phantom of Primal Kyogre appearing faintly behind him.
"Rank 66..."
He opened his eyes and sighed helplessly.
Now that his Rank had increased, his cultivation speed was no longer as incredibly fast as before.
Therefore, over this half-year, without any System missions being triggered, his cultivation had only increased from Rank 64 to Rank 66.
"At this rate, to touch the threshold of a Rank 70 Spirit Saint, do I really have to wait another year?" Liu Yuan frowned slightly.
Although this rate of improvement could already be considered very swift, Liu Yuan, who was used to "cheating," wanted to be even faster. Unfortunately, he could not control when the System would trigger.
...
Cultivation knows no time.
Another long year slipped through his fingers.
During this year, Liu Yuan lived in seclusion, almost confining himself to the high-level simulation laboratory and the Duke's Mansion.
He continued to Cultivate diligently, taking it one step at a time and constantly improving his cultivation Realm.
Finally, on this day, when the first ray of dawn from the Sun Moon Empire shone into the quiet room.
Buzz—!
An extremely massive wave of spirit power erupted and spread out with the Duke's Mansion as the center!
Within that azure glow, Liu Yuan's eyes snapped open, his pupils seemingly reflecting the endless deep sea.
"Rank 70..."
Feeling the thick spirit power surging within his body like a vast river, even faintly threatening to burst out, Liu Yuan let out a long breath of relief.
A Rank 70 at seventeen years old—this was an unprecedented miracle in the entire history of Spirit Masters.
And at the moment of his Breakthrough, the System's voice, silent for a long time in his Sea of Consciousness, finally rang out like a thunderclap, carrying an unprecedented aura of slaughter:
[Ding! Detected that the Host's cultivation has reached Rank 70, triggering Main Advancement Mission: Purging Darkness!]
[Mission Description: The Holy Spirit Cult has established a secret branch on the border of the Sun Moon Empire and is conducting a large-scale capture of civilians for an Evil Soul Sacrifice. The Host must go to that location and completely eradicate them, leaving no survivors!]
[Mission Reward: Issuing Mega Rayquaza's seventh spirit ring — god-bestowed spirit ring (The age will automatically match the highest level based on the Host's endurance, with a minimum of one hundred thousand years)!]
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