"Impossible, absolutely impossible. He must've taken drugs."
"Drugs? Then that's your whole life—why don't you drug yourself to level sixty-eight and show me?"
"I can't afford those drugs!"
"Who was it just now yapping so much? So many people here—if I find out who said it, you're gonna regret it, I swear."
How could this be possible?
Standing across from Guyou, Ye Shihong's body clearly trembled.
Six years ago, he was hailed as the Outer Court's top genius. Now a new student has emerged, and the disparity is ridiculous. No matter how he tried, he couldn't believe someone under fourteen could have reached Soul Emperor rank.
"What's wrong? Got a health issue? Should we wait until you recover before starting?" Guyou asked with a face full of concern.
"I'm perfectly fine," Ye Shihong gritted, clenching his facial muscles tightly.
"Great. Then let's get this over with. I've still got a blacksmith competition to catch."
"Low-year student selects the battle format," the referee looked at Guyou. This was one of the few advantages granted to them.
"The usual's fine—7v7," Guyou replied indifferently.
The referee turned to the sixth-years. "Sixth-year students, please also send out seven participants. You each have three minutes to prepare. Form up and enter the stage afterward."
This short prep time was clearly meant for each team to coordinate tactics based on numbers.
Two and a half minutes flew by. Both teams had finalized their formations.
Grade One, Class One participants:Guyou, Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, Xu Xiaoyan, Xie Xie—seven total.
Sixth-year participants:Ye Shihong, Zhou Tian, Bai Hanying, Qian Xingmo, Yong Hunxiao, Bu Jian Tian, He Xiao—also seven.
On the VIP platform.
Ya Li (Holy Spirit Douluo) smiled and turned to Cai Yue'er, "I haven't seen that brat in years. I wonder how he's doing now. You said his progress has been quite impressive?"
Cai Yue'er smiled, "He's already at that cultivation level and has the ability to hold his own."
Ya Li said nothing more, instead turning her gaze to the match below.
Looking at the sixth-year formation, Guyou chuckled. It was clearly an offensive setup—no support-type soul masters at all. All of them were pure combat specialists. The girl in the center, Bai Hanying, must be the main control-type soul master. The others were all either power attackers or agility attackers.
You couldn't really blame them. After all, facing first-years, why bring support types? This should've been a total stomp.
But the sixth-years had guessed wrong. Their team had been fixed in advance, and once Guyou's soul power was revealed, it was too late to change. That left them stuck with a lopsided, all-offense lineup.
"Last 30 seconds—teams, prepare," came the referee's voice.
Guyou took a step forward. His aura surged suddenly, shaking the entire arena with sheer pressure.
Taking a deep breath, his pupils glinted with a faint purple-gold hue. His presence grew increasingly focused—less like overwhelming pressure, more like a dense force coalescing. Faint purple-gold markings even began to appear around his neck.
Ye Shihong's own aura responded in turn, escalating to match—but as Guyou's momentum grew, Ye Shihong's presence weakened.
All around, invisible confrontations of aura took place. On the first-year side, Guyou alone was holding the entire team's momentum.
Energy clashed and collided—powerful waves already began to ripple across the stage.
"Three... two... one! Begin!"
With the referee's shout, the long-awaited showdown between Grade One and Grade Six officially began.
Guyou didn't hesitate. His left foot stomped down, and he shot out like a cannonball—heading straight for the opposing team's supposed main controller. He didn't even activate his martial spirit—just soul rings flashing—purple-gold bloodline rings, activating Purple-Gold Dragon Armor.
As he shot forward, his body grew, scales appeared, and his left arm expanded into a dragon claw.
Ye Shihong reacted almost instantly, but he wasn't charging in blindly. Six soul rings appeared beneath him.
Golden, emerald-tinged leaves filled the air. His fourth soul ring lit up—
Golden Leaf Wall!
A massive fortress of golden leaves rose, shielding the sixth-year team.
Both sides sprang into motion.
Gu Yue stood still. Xu Xiaoyan stepped forward, taking her hand—and in an instant, a Blizzard storm burst from their linked position. Teamwide crowd control!
Xie Xie vanished into the swirling snow as it formed.Xu Lizhi murmured spell-like chants as he continued conjuring bun after bun.
Ye Xinglan stepped into the front line Guyou vacated, holding the defense.
There was no way to take on a whole team of Soul Kings and Emperors head-on. The only chance was small, precise moves to wear them down.
On the sixth-year side, other students unleashed their martial spirits.
Yong Hunxiao stood out. He held a long flute, and five soul rings rose beneath him.
He brought the flute to his lips—and a mournful, eerie tune rang out.
Everyone on the first-year team except Guyou felt their heads spinning. A mass control-type soul technique? A music-based martial spirit?
You've gotta be kidding me.
Guyou smacked his own forehead. Too naive. How could their supposed "main controller" just stand wide open in the center?
So Yong Hunxiao was the real control-type warrior—and a five-ring group controller at that.
Bai Hanying, who had stood in the supposed control position, smiled gently and stepped back, giving up her spot to Yong Hunxiao. In her hand now was a slender branch, adorned with pink peach blossoms.
With a flick of the branch, petals scattered, blending with the golden leaves in the air. Each falling blossom seemed to dance with a leaf, amplifying its radiant glow.
The Blizzard from Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan faltered noticeably.
"Take out their backliners first. Then we'll all deal with the Soul Emperor," said Qian Xingmo. A long sword appeared in his left hand as he vanished from the sixth-year team.
He reappeared before Ye Xinglan.
Sword intent surged in Ye Xinglan's eyes. Three soul rings lit up beneath her feet.
Her power wasn't enough to go toe-to-toe with a Soul King like Qian Xingmo. But she had her trump card—her hard-earned progress!
Starlight flickered across her shoulders and forearms, surging into her right arm.
A one-word battle armor gauntlet materialized—silver armor bathed in celestial glow, rapidly covering her hand and forearm.
Her aura surged…
(To be continued)