Yan, clad in blazing red armor, raised a fist the size of a small sandbag and slammed it straight toward Yin Zhang.
Although Yin Zhang kept his left hand behind his back, his wings were spread slightly, poised to move at any moment.
To everyone watching, it looked as though he was facing Yan's attack with just his right hand—despite his spirit power being more than twice Yan's.
In their eyes, defeating Yan under these conditions was nothing short of delusional.
Many students shook their heads, convinced Yin Zhang had gone too far just to show off and would end up humiliating himself.
Yan thought the same.
"Ha! Yin Zhang, let's see what you can do!" Yan shouted.
The moment Yan's right fist reached him, Yin Zhang caught it effortlessly.
Just as Yan's lips curled upward and his left fist rose, ready to pummel Yin Zhang—
Yin Zhang smiled.
Suddenly, his tail lashed out.
Whoosh—!
The air tore apart as the massive Dragon Tail slammed into Yan's back.
Bang!
Crack—!
Fine cracks instantly spread across the armor on Yan's back, accompanied by a sharp, brittle sound.
Startled, Yan hurriedly tried to retreat, hoping to avoid the next strike.
Naturally, this Dragon Tail wasn't a Spirit Ability—it was pure physical power.
"Damn it! No one told me your tail was this strong!" Yan gritted his teeth.
Only then did he realize his right fist was still tightly held in Yin Zhang's grip, leaving him no way to break free.
"You still have a chance to admit defeat," Yin Zhang said calmly.
Once his Martial Spirit was possessed, every part of it became a weapon. Used properly, it could produce unexpected effects.
Take his tail, for example. At first, Yin Zhang hadn't been very skilled with it. But after obtaining the Dragon Tail Spirit Ability as a reward, both his control and power improved drastically—without even consuming spirit power.
Yan's eyes lit up. "Then your previous condition doesn't count anymore?"
Yin Zhang smiled faintly. "No, it still counts. I just mean that if you surrender early, you'll suffer less. After all, you're about to become my follower. It'd be a shame if I broke you."
Yan's eyes widened, but he was powerless to resist.
Anger and frustration began eroding his rationality.
Yin Zhang didn't finish him off immediately. He wanted Yan to lose completely—both physically and mentally.
The thick Dragon Tail, its tip wreathed in flames, swung relentlessly behind Yin Zhang.
Yan fought desperately.
Every time he tried to pull away, the Dragon Tail would coil around him and yank him back.
Yin Zhang's Charizard was different from an ordinary one. Its body was slimmer, its scales more refined, and its belly no longer bore the pale coloration of a typical Charizard. The flame at its tail burned more fiercely, and the tail itself was nearly two and a half times longer than usual—thick, powerful, and terrifying.
With a single motion, it could drag Yan back from several meters away, or even lift him clean off the ground.
Yin Zhang wanted Yan to surrender sincerely.
Unfortunately, surrender wasn't Yan's style.
To Yan's shock, Yin Zhang suddenly deactivated Azure Flame Shield, exposing his body completely.
"Hah!"
Ecstatic, Yan gathered all his strength and punched Yin Zhang squarely in the lower abdomen.
He expected to see pain on Yin Zhang's face.
Instead, he heard a metallic clang.
"Huh? Are dragon scales really this tough?" Yan muttered, stunned.
Yin Zhang smiled.
Normally, dragon scales remained in a flexible state.
But under Yin Zhang's conscious control, the scales on his abdomen hardened instantly, their durability comparable to metal.
Yan's full-powered punch felt no different from scratching an itch.
"You're out of tricks," Yin Zhang said calmly. "Now it's my turn."
Before Yan could react, the Dragon Tail moved again.
Whoosh—!
The next instant, Yan was completely wrapped up.
His body spun wildly as he was swung around a full circle—once, then again—before being lifted high into the air, suspended helplessly.
"Yan," Yin Zhang asked, looking up at him with a smile, "are you convinced now?"
"Can you fulfill my condition?"
In front of the entire crowd, Yan was rendered utterly powerless, toyed with like this.
Shame surged through him—followed by helplessness and despair.
Yin Zhang was only two years older than him, yet already this strong.
And the gap would only grow wider with time.
Defeat Yin Zhang?
Even if he lived his entire life, he would never see that day.
Because the stronger someone was, the longer they tended to live.
Yan didn't believe his strength would ever surpass Yin Zhang's—nor would his lifespan.
At last, Yan lowered his head.
"I'm convinced," he said hoarsely. "Yin Zhang, from now on, you're my big brother. Your word is law. If you need anything in the future, just say the word."
Though his voice was low, Yin Zhang could hear the sincerity in it.
He didn't mind.
It was only the first day of being a follower—feeling down was normal.
Once Yan realized the benefits of following him, he'd be more than happy.
After this battle, Yin Zhang's reputation within Spirit Hall Academy skyrocketed.
Students came to challenge him nonstop—some out of admiration, others hoping to use him as a stepping stone.
Aside from the Elite Class, even a Rank 34 attack-type Spirit Elder from Advanced Class Two showed up.
But against Yin Zhang—who possessed six Spirit Abilities and could fly—
They were all toyed with mercilessly, before being blasted away with a single strike.
And so, Yin Zhang became a living legend within Spirit Hall Academy.
Of course, that was a story for later.
That night, when Bibi Dong learned that Yan had been defeated by Yin Zhang and had willingly become his follower—along with the full details of the battle—she couldn't help but rub her forehead and sigh.
"This Yin Zhang really is a peerless prodigy… He's about to advance to Spirit Elder and enter the Advanced Class already. Sigh…"
She realized that at this point, she not only lacked a reason to target Yin Zhang—but also lacked the means.
Her only disciple, Hu Liena, liked Yin Zhang, just as she herself once had.
And objectively speaking, Yu Xiaogang was nowhere near Yin Zhang's level.
Among the younger generation she favored, Xie Yue didn't dislike Yin Zhang, and Yan had already become his follower.
All of this left Bibi Dong feeling even more exhausted.
More than a month later, Yin Zhang used a Spirit Power Enhancement Card and broke through to Rank 31.
After consuming two Rank-1 Spirit Power Enhancement Cards, he felt an unprecedented lightness flow through his body.
He stretched lazily, his bones crackling like beans being stir-fried in a pan.
"This month of cultivation really let me feel my growth," Yin Zhang muttered.
"If everything goes smoothly, my third spirit ring will once again be absorbed beyond my level—and my spirit power should jump straight to Rank 34."
"These Spirit Power Enhancement Cards are really convenient. Using one saves months of hard cultivation."
Leaving the Spirit Mimicry Cultivation Environment, Yin Zhang headed straight for his homeroom teacher.
"Teacher, I'd like to see the Vice Dean."
The teacher looked at him curiously. "Why? You'll need a reason. The Vice Dean is usually very busy."
Busy? He drinks tea in his office all day.
Yin Zhang complained silently.
"My spirit power has broken through again," he said aloud. "I'd like the Vice Dean to arrange a powerful teacher to lead me on a Spirit Hunt."
"What? You broke through again?!"
Soon after, Yin Zhang met Qiangu Yuan, just as he'd hoped.
Over the past two months, Yin Zhang had gained a good understanding of his temperament.
If he had to describe Qiangu Yuan in three words, it would be: an old child.
Optimistic, carefree, and cheerful—his attitude toward life had directly influenced Yin Zhang.
Every time Yin Zhang spent time with him, he felt completely at ease.