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The next afternoon, in the northeast corner of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, there was a relatively independent area surrounded by tall trees and a special soul-tool barrier. This was the private training ground allocated to Mo Bai, which was spacious, fully equipped, and offered excellent privacy.
Ning Rongrong arrived at the observation area on the edge of the training ground. The observation area was separated from the main field by one-way transparent soul-glass; one could see the inside from here, but those inside could not see or hear anything outside. This was specially arranged by Meng Shenji to satisfy Ning Fengzhi's request for Rongrong to observe while avoiding any direct disturbance to Mo Bai.
Ning Rongrong pressed against the glass, looking curiously inside.
The training ground was very empty and flat. Currently, four people were standing in the field. The one with his back to the observation area was Mo Bai, whom she had glimpsed briefly on the platform yesterday. He was still in simple black clothing, standing with his hands behind his back.
Standing opposite him were three girls, distinct in style yet all beautiful enough to make it hard to look away. Ning Rongrong recognized them; she had noticed them during the lineup on the plaza yesterday. The pink-clad, lively girl with rabbit ears was called Xiao Wu; the cold and striking girl in black was Zhu Zhuqing; and there was a green-eyed girl in dark green combat attire with a somewhat eerie aura, who seemed to be called Dugu Yan.
The three of them were currently bowing their heads slightly toward Mo Bai, their postures respectful. That respect wasn't just for a teacher; it was something... Ning Rongrong couldn't quite name it, but it felt total, as if they were completely submissive in both soul and body.
"Today's training content," Mo Bai's flat voice seemed to carry faintly to the observation area through some transmission device, "is soul skill linkage and combat pressure resistance. Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, you two are a team against Dugu Yan. All soul skills are permitted, including the ones I customized for you. The rules are simple: until one side surrenders or I call a halt. Begin." Mo Bai's voice held no ripples.
As soon as he finished speaking, the three girls moved almost simultaneously.
A dangerous curve appeared at the corner of Dugu Yan's mouth. Two yellow, two purple, and one black soul ring rose instantly beneath her feet, the fifth black ten-thousand-year ring shining brightly. "Jade Phosphor Red Poison—Madness!"
She didn't attack directly but first applied an enhancement to herself. Red toxic mist diffused from her body with a sweet, cloying fragrance, and her speed and strength surged instantly. Immediately after, her third purple ring flashed: "Jade Phosphor Purple Poison—Erosion Mist!" Large clouds of purple toxic mist spread rapidly, enveloping Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing. This mist carried strong corrosiveness and nerve-paralyzing effects; an ordinary Soul Ancestor would lose combat capability the moment they touched it.
However, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing seemed to have expected this. Zhu Zhuqing's figure became blurred almost as soon as the mist spread. Beneath her feet were also two yellow, one purple, and one black soul ring; her fourth deep black ring glowed slightly, and her speed surged abruptly, leaving a trail of afterimages as she easily escaped the core of the purple poison zone. Her movements were silent and swift, like a true ghost.
Xiao Wu was even more direct. Her soul rings were two yellow and two purple; the third and fourth were purple, but their colors were far deeper than normal thousand-year rings. She didn't even dodge; her pink figure flashed, charging right into the edge of the toxic mist. A faint pink halo flowed over her body, and the toxins—which would have caused agony to an ordinary Soul Ancestor—only made her frown slightly when they touched her skin, her speed not decreasing at all. "Third Soul Skill: Teleportation!"
Her body suddenly vanished, reappearing behind Dugu Yan's side, her slender leg carrying a sharp whistling sound as it swept toward Dugu Yan's waist.
Dugu Yan snorted coldly. Her second soul ring brightened, and her arm was instantly covered in a layer of emerald snake scales, becoming supple and elastic as she blocked Xiao Wu's whip kick in the blink of an eye. "Bang!" A muffled thud followed as air currents surged. Dugu Yan's body swayed slightly while Xiao Wu flipped back to land, a pink light flashing in her eyes.
Zhu Zhuqing's attack arrived quietly at that moment. She had somehow appeared in Dugu Yan's blind spot on the other side. Her cat claws under the martial soul possession glinted with an eerie light, stabbing toward Dugu Yan's neck with no sound but terrifying speed. First Soul Skill: Hell Stab—Modified!
Though startled, Dugu Yan did not panic. Her body twisted at an incredible angle, narrowly avoiding her vitals, though her shoulder was still grazed by the wind of the claws, leaving several bloody gashes. She swung her hand back, shooting an emerald poison blade to force Zhu Zhuqing back.
"Good coordination," Mo Bai commented flatly.
The battle on the field instantly reached a fever pitch. Dugu Yan used her powerful poison control and soul power rank advantage, deploying endless toxic mists, blades, and arrays over a huge range with high corrosiveness. Her fifth soul skill could even condense the phantom of a Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor to attack, possessing a terrifying aura.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing relied on their incredible speed, flexibility, and silent teamwork to maneuver around Dugu Yan. The combination of Xiao Wu's teleportation and Soft Bone combat was tricky and ruthless; her physical flexibility reached an inconceivable level, often allowing her to make dodges that defied logic. Zhu Zhuqing was like a true shadow assassin; if one strike missed, she retreated a thousand miles to wait for the next opening, her attacks carrying a cold precision that aimed straight for the vitals.
Ning Rongrong held her breath. She had never seen combat of this level. Dugu Yan's strength was expected, given she was a Soul King near Rank 60. But the strength displayed by Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing far exceeded their soul power ranks! Especially Zhu Zhuqing—though she was only a Rank 43 Soul Ancestor, her speed was that fast, and her attacks were terrifyingly sharp. Xiao Wu was even more eerie; her soul skills didn't seem to be just about strength and flexibility, and the influence of the toxic mist on her was clearly much smaller than normal.