The venue was filled with all sorts of sounds.
The crisp clang of metal, the rustle of turning manual pages, the low-voiced tactical exchanges between teammates, and the occasional gasp of wonder at a particular weapon.
Furina stood in the center of the arena, her gaze sweeping across these young and energetic faces. She could see nervousness in many eyes, but more so excitement and a readiness to try.
These were the students of Shrek; while their talent might vary, their desire to become stronger was universal.
A half-person-high wooden lottery box was carried to the center of the arena by two students. The surface of the box was painted deep red, with the Shrek Academy crest drawn in gold pigment on the side.
Furina reached her hand into the circular hole at the top, groping for a moment until her fingertips touched neatly folded slips of paper.
She pulled one out, unfolded it, and her gaze lingered on the paper for a brief instant. Immediately, a meaningful smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.
"First match—" Her voice, bolstered by Soul Power, spread clearly throughout the venue, causing all whispering to cease instantly. "The first team, composed of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao, against the second team, composed of Huang Tian, Su Su, and Wang Ye. Both teams, please step onto the stage and prepare."
As soon as she finished speaking, a slight commotion broke out in the back rows of the spectator stands.
Many of the upperclassmen and teachers who had come upon hearing the news had clearly heard of the name 'Huo Yuhao' before.
After all, everyone knew there were two Genius freshmen with Heaven-Defying spirit rings.
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and exchanged a look with Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao beside him. The three of them stacked their palms in the air and pressed down firmly.
"Go for it!" A low shout from three voices as one served as both mutual encouragement and a declaration of battle.
Opposite them, the three-person team led by Huang Tian had also stepped onto the martial stage.
Huang Tian was a tall youth with thick eyebrows and large eyes. At this moment, he was staring intently at Huo Yuhao, his gaze containing both caution and a hint of a challenger's eagerness.
On both sides of the martial stage, the two teams stood in their positions.
Teacher Li stood in the center as the referee, while Zhou Yi and Furina sat in the supervisor seats on either side.
"The competition rules have been reiterated, and I will emphasize one last time: this is primarily for sparring; stop once the point is made. Deliberate crippling or killing is strictly prohibited." Teacher Li's thick voice echoed through the hollow venue, carrying an unquestionable authority. "Now, the match begins!"
The moment the words fell, six waves of Soul Power fluctuations erupted almost simultaneously.
On Huang Tian's team, three yellow spirit rings lit up first—a standard hundred-year spirit ring configuration, representing that while this team wasn't top-tier, they were already the backbone of the freshmen.
Behind Huang Tian himself, the phantom of a majestic lion emerged, which was his Martial Soul, the 'Gale Lion'; at Su Su's feet, the phantom of vines spread out, the plant-type Martial Soul 'Ghost Vine'; and between Wang Ye's hands, pale blue ice crystals condensed, the elemental Martial Soul 'Ice'.
However, when the spirit rings of Huo Yuhao's team lit up, a sound of collective gasping came from the spectator stands.
Behind Wang Dong, one yellow and one purple spirit ring rotated slowly. The pressure emitted by the purple thousand-year spirit ring caused Huang Tian's expression opposite him to change slightly.
Beside Xiao Xiao, there were likewise two yellow hundred-year spirit rings, which was standard.
But everyone's gaze was locked dead on Huo Yuhao.
White, Purple, Black.
Three spirit rings hovered around him as if defying common sense, pulsing slowly.
Just from the spirit ring configuration, the difference between the two sides was immediately apparent.
Huang Tian's Adam's apple bobbed up and down; he could feel the stagnant breathing of his two teammates behind him. But in the next moment, he clenched his fists tightly.
He couldn't be intimidated before the fight even started! Hadn't Teacher Furina said so? Huo Yuhao could only use his First Soul Skill today, which was that weakest white ten-year spirit ring!
"spirit rings don't represent everything!" Huang Tian growled, both to encourage his teammates and to bolster his own spirit. "Focus on cooperation, stick to the plan!"
What he said was true.
While the age of a spirit ring could greatly enhance a Spirit Ability's effect, the factors determining victory or defeat were much more complex: the counter-relationships between Martial Souls, the Spirit Master's understanding and application of their own abilities, team coordination and synergy, and even on-the-spot adaptation and decision-making... There were many instances in history where the weak defeated the strong.
Moreover, Huo Yuhao could only use his First Soul Skill, that white spirit ring that looked like it was just there to make up the numbers no matter how one looked at it.
In the spectator stands, many upperclassmen began to whisper to one another.
"That black spirit ring... is it real?"
"It should be; many people saw it at the opening ceremony."
"But a white spirit ring paired with a black spirit ring? This combination is too bizarre..."
"The point is, he can only use his First Soul Skill. What kind of powerful skill can a ten-year spirit ring have?"
"Could it be a disguise..."
Various speculations circulated among the spectators. But soon, everyone's attention was drawn by the suddenly shifting situation on the field.
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes, then opened them again.
The moment he opened his eyes, the white spirit ring brightened slightly. There was no earth-shattering momentum, nor any dazzling light and shadow effects; it was as if the spirit ring itself had just flickered gently.
However, at the very instant this seemingly plain and unremarkable change occurred—
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's bodies jolted simultaneously.
"Holy crap..." Wang Dong squeezed these words out from between his teeth, his pink-blue eyes filled with unbelievable shock. "Huo Yuhao, this is your First Soul Skill? Is it really a ten-year spirit ring?"
His voice was slightly out of tune due to excessive surprise: "This effect is just too Heaven-Defying!"
Xiao Xiao, who was beside him, was also stunned. She opened her mouth and only found her voice after a long while: "No wonder... No wonder Furina only let you use your first two Spirit Abilitys, and you agreed so readily yourself... This, this is practically a divine skill!"
She looked around; clearly, her vision hadn't changed at all, yet an incredibly clear 'map' had appeared in her perception.
A three-dimensional image of the entire martial stage was projected directly into her mind; every corner and every detail was visible at a glance.
What was even more terrifying was that she could not only'see' her own and her teammates' positions, but even every move of the three opponents, and even the faint fluctuations of Soul Power flowing within their bodies, were as clear as the lines on her palm.
A three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view with no blind spots, plus motion capture that was almost like precognition.
This was Huo Yuhao's First Soul Skill—Spiritual Detection plus Spiritual Sharing.
Huo Yuhao, however, shook his head, his expression remaining calm: "Don't be careless. They have pistols and Hidden Weaponss. For Hidden Weaponss, we should be able to get an early warning and dodge using Spiritual Detection, but the bullet speed of a pistol is extremely fast. If I have even a slight Divided Soul, I might not be absolutely certain of dodging them completely."
"So what?" Wang Dong had already regained his usual confidence, a flamboyant smile hooking the corner of his mouth. "Aren't there still me and Xiao Xiao? Besides, it's their first time using those things; whether they can even aim straight is a question. Anyway—"
He flexed his wrists, and the phantom of the Light Goddess Butterfly behind him slightly spread its wings:
"Let's fight!"
"Mm." Huo Yuhao gave a brief response, his gaze already locked onto Huang Tian opposite them.
The battle erupted in the next second.
Huang Tian gave a low roar, his first spirit ring lighting up as he charged out like an arrow from a bow, his fists carrying a gale as they lunged straight for Huo Yuhao.
To capture the rebels, first capture their leader; everyone understood this principle.
Su Su and Wang Ye followed closely behind; vines sprouted from the ground attempting to entwine them, while ice crystals condensed into cones in the air and shot forth.
However, in Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's perception, all these movements were as slow as a deliberate demonstration.
Huang Tian's charge trajectory, the growth direction of Su Su's vines, the flight path of Wang Ye's ice shards... all information had been analyzed almost the instant the opponents began their moves.
Wang Dong didn't even use his Second Soul Skill; with just a flap of the wings on his back, his body evaded Huang Tian's straight punch by a hair's breadth, while simultaneously landing a precise side kick to the opponent's ribs.
Xiao Xiao, meanwhile, performed a few light maneuvers, the vines unable to even touch the corner of her clothes, while she simultaneously activated the First Soul Skill of the Thrice-Born Cauldron.
Huang Tian let out a muffled groan, his body staggering back. He couldn't understand at all how Wang Dong had counterattacked from that angle and at that timing. What alarmed him even more was that Su Su and Wang Ye's attacks had all missed as well, as if the opposing trio had already agreed upon their evasion routes.
"Use the pistols!" Huang Tian barked through gritted teeth.
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