Chapter 101: High Damage on the Left, Higher Damage on the Right
The moment Zheng Xun stepped onto the Soul Fighting Platform, an overwhelming wave of sound bore down on him as if it were physical.
"Shrek!! Lin Xuan!!"
"Shrek!! Lin Xuan!!"
The shouts of tens of thousands of spectators converged into a churning ocean, every sound striking his chest like a heavy hammer. Zheng Xun's face turned slightly pale, and his throat felt as dry as if he had swallowed a handful of sand.
He looked up, gazing at the dark green figure across from him.
That person stood there with a calm expression, as if the mountain-shaking, ocean-roaring cheers had nothing to do with him.
Zheng Xun couldn't help but clench his fists. Then, the referee came between the two of them.
"Both sides, state your names."
Zheng Xun took a deep breath, trying his best to calm himself down.
"Double Star Academy, Zheng Xun."
"Shrek Academy, Lin Xuan."
After the names were stated, the two began to retreat to opposite sides of the Soul Fighting Platform. The referee flew away and immediately announced in a loud voice,
"Match, begin!"
Before the words had even faded, five Soul Rings instantly rose beneath Zheng Xun's feet: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, and black!
The optimal ratio!
A wave of gasps erupted from the stands. To reach the Soul King realm and assemble five Soul Rings before the age of twenty was enough to be called a genius.
Next, a surge of silver-gray light appeared by his right hand, and a head-sized iron ball emerged, its entire surface flowing with a metallic luster as it hovered by his side.
Zheng Xun assumed a defensive stance, his eyes fixed on Lin Xuan, waiting for the opponent's move.
Then he saw that the first Soul Ring beneath Lin Xuan's feet did not light up; instead, his hands were quickly forming seals.
In the next moment, one black and one white Divine Dog leaped out from the shadows. The moment the two Shikigami landed, they turned into afterimages, flanking Zheng Xun from the left and right!
Zheng Xun was stunned for a moment. He wasn't using his First Soul Skill for control? Instead, he was directly summoning Shikigami to attack?
But he didn't have time to think much as the first Soul Ring beneath his feet suddenly lit up!
First Soul Skill, Iron Meteor!
The iron ball hovering by his side shot out violently, its speed astonishing as it trailed a silver-gray afterimage through the air!
The two Divine Dogs didn't meet it head-on, agilely flashing to the sides and easily dodging the strike.
Seeing this, Zheng Xun didn't panic; instead, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes as the fourth soul ring beneath his feet lit up.
The iron ball was now perfectly positioned between Lin Xuan and the two Divine Dogs. Immediately after, the iron ball suddenly erupted with a ring of white light, instantly enveloping the person and the two dogs within it!
Lin Xuan's brow twitched slightly. In the next moment, a powerful suction erupted from the center of that iron ball, pulling his body uncontrollably toward it!
Fourth Soul Skill, Gravity Field!
Gravity?
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, feeling this terrifying attraction, somewhat surprised in his heart.
He had originally thought this iron ball Martial Soul was just a Weapon Spirit capable of both offense and defense, but he hadn't expected it to hide such a special ability.
Furthermore, this Martial Soul likely possessed more than just suction. After the First Soul Skill was activated, the iron ball had that terrifying speed, which was probably also the result of acceleration using repulsive force.
Lin Xuan remained unhurried, forming seals with his hands again. From the shadows behind him, several half-human-sized Shikigami: Toads emerged, each spitting out its tongue to subject him to a Binding Vow, countering the iron ball's gravity.
He then turned his gaze to Zheng Xun himself; an irrepressible joy had already appeared on the other's face, his eyes burning with a fanatical light.
Immediately after, he began to rush toward this side at top speed, while waving his right hand as the second soul ring beneath his feet lit up.
The surface of the iron ball that was releasing suction suddenly split open, and a fist-sized small iron ball shot out from within, landing steadily in Zheng Xun's hand.
Second Soul Skill, Mother-Son Separation!
He gripped the small iron ball as the first soul ring beneath his feet lit up again!
First Soul Skill, Iron Meteor!
Aided by the repulsive force, the small iron ball left his hand, transforming into a silver-gray stream of light at an even more terrifying speed than before, shooting straight for Lin Xuan's face!
At this moment, Lin Xuan was being firmly held by the Gravity Field, his body unable to move!
The entire audience held their breath.
The referee had already secretly circulated his Soul Power, ready to step in and save him at any moment. At this speed and distance, he didn't believe Lin Xuan had any possibility of dodging.
In the Double Star Academy's rest area, Xu Xiu jumped up in excitement.
"Captain is awesome!!"
However, within Shrek's waiting area, there was nothing but calm.
Xu Sanshi yawned lazily, Bei Bei leaned back in his chair, not even bothering to lift an eyelid. Ning Tian and Jiang Nannan exchanged a look, a smile irrepressibly appearing at the corners of their mouths. Wang Dong remained expressionless, without a hint of worry in his eyes.
They weren't worried at all. If Lin Xuan's states were divided into three tiers, the current Lin Xuan didn't even count as being in the first tier.
He was just playing with them.
Meanwhile, on the Soul Fighting Platform.
The small iron ball, carrying terrifying speed, was now less than three feet from Lin Xuan's face.
Every spectator thought the match was decided, and even Zheng Xun himself thought so, but the sudden appearance of golden arcs of light on Lin Xuan's body shattered the sliver of confidence that had just risen in his heart!
He still has a trump card!
Zheng Xun's heart skipped a beat as he forced the iron ball to accelerate again, but it was already too late.
Lin Xuan calmly watched the iron ball, which was now less than an inch from his face. At such close range, being struck should have happened in an instant, but after the blink of an eye, the iron ball hit nothing but air.
"You finally fell for it."
At this moment, Lin Xuan was standing at the other end of the Soul Fighting Platform, surrounded by golden lightning. He then proceeded to warm up as if no one else were there, a faint smile on his lips.
"How is this possible?! That speed!"
Zheng Xun whipped his head around toward the sound, his face instantly turning pale. He knew very well how strong the attraction of his Gravity Field was, and he knew even better how close his iron ball had been to Lin Xuan just now!
Yet, even under the control of gravity, in less than a thousandth of a second, the opponent had not only broken free from the Binding Vow of the Gravity Field but also dodged the iron ball enhanced by the First Soul Skill!
What terrifying speed! What terrifying strength?!
Thinking of this, Zheng Xun couldn't help but feel his limbs go weak, his fighting Martial Soul completely vanishing. If he would get nervous facing a major competition, then once things exceeded his expectations, he would completely lose his will to fight!
He was, in every sense of the word, a tournament weakling.
Not just him—except for the Shrek members who already knew Lin Xuan's strength, everyone else was filled with astonishment.
"What's going on? He also has lightning attributes? Could it be a second Martial Soul?!" Ma Rulong exclaimed.
"And his speed just now... but what's truly terrifying is his strength. To break free from the Gravity Field's Binding Vow in an instant, this physical power..."
The more he thought about it, the more shocked Ma Rulong became. His previous assumption that Lin Xuan's body was weak now seemed like a complete joke.
Xiao Hongchen didn't speak. He squinted, staring intently at the golden figure on the Soul Fighting Platform, the smile gone from his face.
From the handshake two days ago, he knew Lin Xuan's physical strength was not low, but he hadn't expected the opponent to be hiding this move.
"No, it's not a second Martial Soul," Xiao Hongchen shook his head. "If I'm guessing correctly, his current lightning originates from that strange bird that defeated the Qianling captain in the elimination round."
"That... makes sense."
"Tsk, I didn't expect your Martial Soul to have this kind of application," Xiao Hongchen's eyes suddenly shone with an amazing light, his gaze completely fixed on Lin Xuan.
"Lin Xuan, you really are a man of mystery. I'm becoming more and more interested in you."
...
On the Soul Fighting Platform.
Lin Xuan finished rotating his wrists and cracked his neck, completing a set of warm-up exercises as if no one were watching. Then he waved his hand, and the two Divine Dogs instantly turned into shadows and dissipated.
Zheng Xun's breath hitched, and he hurriedly recalled the large iron ball, using it along with the small iron ball to protect himself.
He didn't understand why Lin Xuan would voluntarily dismiss those two Shikigami; he only knew that he was likely going to lose.
Lin Xuan looked up at him and said in a calm tone,
"Use all your methods."
Then, he instantly vanished from the spot, leaving only a faint golden afterimage. Almost at the same moment, a scorching wave of air rushed from behind!
Zheng Xun didn't have time to think; the third soul ring beneath his feet lit up instinctively!
Third Soul Skill, Iron Wall!
The large iron ball protecting him instantly expanded, and a layer of silver protective shield appeared, enveloping his entire body!
"Bang!!!"
Behind him, Lin Xuan lowered his center of gravity, cocked his arm, and slammed a punch into that silver light shield!
Immediately after, the shield shattered upon impact!
Zheng Xun turned back in terror, but his vision was completely filled by a pair of large hands. Lin Xuan grabbed his face, then swung his arm, violently throwing him into the sky!
Zheng Xun's head buzzed from the massive force, and stars danced before his eyes, but his combat instincts made him react subconsciously.
The large iron ball flew high into the air, while he tightly clutched the small iron ball, barely managing to stabilize himself in mid-air.
Then, the black ten-thousand-year soul ring beneath his feet suddenly lit up!
Fifth Soul Skill, Ten-Thousand Catty Pressure!
An invisible, massive force descended from the sky!
The pebbles scattered on the Soul Fighting Platform from the fighting trembled incessantly against the ground under this massive force, making a rattling sound. Under such immense pressure, an ordinary Soul Sect wouldn't even be able to lift their head!
Yet Lin Xuan, standing at the center of that pressure, had no reaction. Instead, he took steps as if strolling through a garden.
He even looked up at Zheng Xun in the air, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth as he chuckled softly,
"You thought my physical body was weak? Then I'm truly sorry."
"Summoning Shikigami to fight is just a characteristic of my Martial Soul. Close-quarters combat is my hobby."
He paused and continued, "Next, if you survive this 5A-level combo, I'll admit defeat."
Before his voice had even faded, Lin Xuan exerted sudden force from his feet, and his entire body shot into the sky like a cannonball!
Zheng Xun's pupils constricted.
He saw the golden figure close in instantly and smash a punch into the hovering large iron ball!
"Bang!"
High damage on the left!
The large iron ball trembled violently, and fine cracks even appeared on its surface! Before Zheng Xun could react, the second punch had already arrived!
"Bang!"
High damage from the right hand!
The large iron ball could no longer hold up and was sent flying away with a blast!
Zheng Xun was stunned.
He hung in mid-air holding that small iron ball, his mind completely blank.
Then he saw Lin Xuan had appeared in front of him once again. That large hand reached out again and grabbed his face.
The next instant, the world spun.
"Boom—!"
Dust rose all over the Soul Fighting Platform, and the entire venue was deathly silent.
As the dust gradually dissipated, everyone finally saw the scene on the Soul Fighting Platform clearly.
Zheng Xun was lying on his back on the ground with dull eyes, as if his soul had already left his body. Lin Xuan was squatting beside him, one hand grabbing his face, while the back of his head was only one centimeter from the ground.
The entire venue was silent.
Lin Xuan lowered his head to look at Zheng Xun's eyes, which had completely lost focus, and then released his hand, letting the back of Zheng Xun's head land gently on the ground.
Leave a line for others, and it will be easier to meet in the future. They had come here with great difficulty, so unless necessary, it was better to go easy on them.
Moreover, he thought quite highly of both Zheng Xun and Xu Xiu; after all, their Martial Souls were indeed good and played a strong role in team battles.
Of course, what he wanted to see more was whether this Double Star Academy could break the curse this time and break into the top eight.
He stood up, brushed the non-existent dust off his hands, and turned to walk off the stage.
The referee was stunned for a long while before reacting and hurriedly asked, "Lin, Lin Xuan! You're not going to continue fighting?"
Lin Xuan didn't even look back; he just raised his hand and waved it casually.
The referee's eye twitched uncontrollably. He took a deep breath, turned to face the entire venue, raised his right hand high, and announced with a voice infused with Soul Power, "Second match of the Individual Elimination Tournament, Shrek Academy's Lin Xuan, wins!"
The entire venue was silent for three seconds.
"Shrek!! Lin Xuan!!!"
"Shrek!! Lin Xuan!!!"
"Shrek!! Lin Xuan!!!"
Cheers like a mountain of calls and a sea of roars erupted again, crazier and more intense than any time before!
And that dark green figure had already disappeared into the passage of the waiting area.
In the Sun Moon Team's resting area, Xiao Hongchen looked at the disappearing figure, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening.
"Meng."
"Hmm?"
"I've set my sights on this person."
Meng Hongchen looked at him expressionlessly, "Brother, if you keep doing this, I'll really start to suspect that there's something wrong with your sexual orientation."
Xiao Hongchen: "..."
Just as Lin Xuan returned to the waiting area, Wang Yan immediately took the lead in applauding. The applause was thunderous, and he only stopped when the others' hands started to hurt a little.
"Now that Lin Xuan has taken care of their two strongest people, the next two Soul Sects and three Soul Elders are up to you." Wang Yan said, looking at Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others.
"Don't worry, I might not be able to handle that Soul King from just now, but aren't the others just a piece of cake?" Xu Sanshi said nonchalantly. He stood up and walked out of the waiting area impatiently. Immediately after, he experienced the same cheers that Lin Xuan had just experienced.
In an instant, cold sweat broke out on his back, and his fingers trembled uncontrollably. There was no way around it; when the gazes of tens of thousands of people are focused on you, unless you have a natural big heart or have experienced it many times, it's impossible not to be nervous.
Fortunately, this situation did not affect Xu Sanshi's performance. He consecutively defeated a Soul Sect and a Soul Elder from Double Star Academy, and Double Star Academy, considering the subsequent matches, chose to concede directly after that. Thus, Shrek Academy won the first match of the round-robin tournament.
The liveliness of Star Luo Square did not dissipate because of the end of one match; instead, it became even more intense.
In the spectator stands, fans from different camps were already arguing.
"Another Soul Sect! Is the configuration of Shrek's reserve team this strong?" Someone couldn't help but exclaim, "I don't even dare to imagine how strong their main team, which hasn't appeared yet, must be!"
"If you ask me, what's the point of this Soul Master Competition? Just give the championship to Shrek. It's boring." A spectator yawned in boredom.
This immediately drew a chorus of agreement, but it also stirred up different voices.
"Indeed, and according to rumors, the reason Shrek can win the championship every time is that various countries are hindered by Shrek's strength and have to let them win. It's a custom-made championship, for sure."
"You've gone too far with that." Someone nearby frowned and retorted, "A custom-made championship is definitely fake, but there is definitely something fishy here. Have you noticed that in the past few sessions, after Shrek fought strong enemies several times, they drew the weakest opponents? If you ask me, 'lucky champion' is more accurate."
"Exactly!" Another person stood up excitedly, slapping the table. "In the eyes of true Soul Masters, the Sun Moon Team is the uncrowned king! Their spirit tool configuration, their tactical literacy—if it weren't for the bad luck of running into Shrek every time..."
"You Sun Moon people are so annoying." A Shrek fan sneered. "The ten-thousand-year runner-up has the nerve to speak? You've been losing for ten thousand years, and you're still talking tough?"
"Who are you calling the ten-thousand-year runner-up?!"
"I'm talking about you, so what?"
Fans from both sides glared at each other, and the smell of gunpowder in the air grew stronger.
Wherever there are competitions, there are fans, and wherever there are fans, there are naturally arguments. Shrek team's fans and Sun Moon Team's fans can be called the number one rivals in the continental Soul Master circle.
On one side is the ten-thousand-year champion, on the other is the ten-thousand-year runner-up.
The grudges and feuds between the two are enough to write a thick history of the struggle of continental Soul Master fans.
In the past, because of Shrek's solid achievements, every argument ended in the victory of Shrek's fans. The Sun Moon fans held back their anger, but could only swallow it silently, waiting for a chance to turn things around.
They thought they would have to wait a long time for this chance. But they didn't expect it to come so quickly.
One day later. The second match of the round-robin.
Shrek Academy's opponent was the top 16 team from the previous session, Longcha Academy.
The strength of this team had undergone a transformation within five years, ranking above Double Star Academy. Two Soul Kings, and the rest were all top-tier Soul Sects, with tacit cooperation and mature tactics. They were recognized as strong contenders for the top eight in this competition.
However, what was truly fatal was the draw result. The 2-2-3 battle method.
When that small blue ball fell out of the hollow sphere, Wang Yan's expression instantly became grave. This was the competition method they least wanted to draw.
The 2-2-3 battle method requires dividing the seven people into teams of two, two, and three, and personnel cannot repeat their appearance. Two 2-on-2 matches are held first. If one side wins both matches, they win directly. If it's a tie, the final 3-on-3 decider is held. This battle method has extremely high requirements for personnel configuration. And for the current Shrek, Lin Xuan can only play one match.
Before the match started, Wang Yan repeatedly studied the Longcha Academy's lineup and finally made a bold guess. The opponent would likely arrange their two strongest Soul Kings for the final 3-on-3 to settle the match with one blow.
So he made corresponding deployments: for the first 2-on-2 match, Bei Bei and Jiang Nannan would compete. For the second 2-on-2 match, Xu Sanshi and Wang Dong would compete.
As long as Bei Bei and Jiang Nannan could win the first match, then for the real decider, Lin Xuan would lead Ning Tian and He Caitou to win the 3-on-3.
The plan seemed foolproof, but as soon as the match started, Wang Yan's expression changed.
In the first match, Longcha Academy actually sent out their strongest Soul King captain!
The opponent did not play by the rules at all, but chose to use the strongest force to directly grab a point in the 2-2-3 battle method!
Bei Bei and Jiang Nannan tried their best, but still lost under the terrifying offensive of that Soul King.
First match, lost.
Second match, Xu Sanshi and Wang Dong went on stage. Their opponents were also a Soul King paired with a Soul Sect, and the two had extremely compatible Martial Souls, tacit tactics, and complementary Martial Soul Abilities, suppressing the two of them from the very beginning.
After a bitter battle, the second match was also lost.
Both 2-on-2 matches were lost.
According to the rules, the match ended directly, without even the chance for a 3-on-3.
The entire venue was silent.
"Holy shit!!!"
"Longcha is awesome!!!"
"Shrek lost?! Shrek actually lost?!"
A mountain-shaking and sea-roaring exclamation erupted from the spectator stands.
Countless people stood up, looking in disbelief at the team standing dumbfounded on the Soul Fighting Platform.
The ten-thousand-year champion, Shrek Academy, lost.
This was the first defeat for Shrek in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Competition in ten thousand years!
The Longcha Academy team members were stunned for a moment, then hugged each other crazily, crying and laughing, excited and incoherent.
"We won! We beat Shrek!"
"Oh my god! Is this real?!"
And in Shrek's waiting area, it was deathly silent.
Wang Yan's face was pale, his lips moved, but he couldn't say anything. He stared fixedly at the Longcha members on the Soul Fighting Platform, as if all his strength had been drained from him.
Bei Bei lowered his head, his fists clenched tight. Jiang Nannan's eyes were red, but she held back, not letting tears fall. Xu Sanshi rarely didn't speak, just sat there blankly with hollow eyes. Even Wang Dong had a dejected look on his face.
Among them, only Ning Tian and Lin Xuan's expressions were relatively normal. Ning Tian was the eldest young lady of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, so Shrek Academy's honor was not that important to her; at most, she just felt bad about losing the match.
And Lin Xuan was even simpler; this was what he wanted to see most. After all, a match with suspense would be interesting, and of course, only in this way would there be more fun to watch.
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