Huang Xiaolong stood nonchalantly on his side while Rongguang and Liu Meijun were observing each other warily as battle qi fluctuations surged on the battle stage.
Originally, the strongest of the Third Year students was First Class's Liu Meijun, a peak late-Tenth Order warrior, followed by Rongguang, a late-Tenth Order warrior. However, this year a certain Huang Xiaolong came out of nowhere.
The most unpredictable dark horse of the year!
An atrocious dark horse.
With the crowd's attention on the three people on the battle stage, suddenly, dazzling lights from Rongguang and Liu Meijun's erupted almost simultaneously as both began calling out their martial spirits.
Rongguang's martial spirit was an Angle-Horned Ox. The ox's body was completely white with onyx eyes, but this Angle-Horned Oxen was extremely corpulent. It was stout with a pudgy body that was nearly round in shape. It was obviously fat everywhere the eyes could see−quite similar to Rongguang himself, giving one an incongruous feeling seeing this.
And Liu Meijun's martial spirit was an ice silkworm!
It looked soft, and this ice silkworm emanated an icy blue glow. The moment it appeared, the temperature in the entire Holy Temple dropped drastically.
This was Delusion Ice Silkworm!
The name sounded beautiful, but it was a martial spirit that made people turn pale.
Earlier, the Third Year Third Class's Huang Wen also had an ice element martial spirit, White Ice. But compared to Liu Meijun's Delusion Ice Silkworm martial spirit, Huang Wen's was worse by a large gap.
Fatty Rongguang and Liu Meijun instantly soul transformed the moment they called out their respective martial spirits.
After his soul transformation, Fatty Rongguang's body nearly doubled in size as layers of fat bulged out in white, shining glory. An angled horn that was similar to his Angle-Horned Ox martial spirit's, sprouted on his forehead.
There seemed to be a layer of sparkling ice around Liu Meijun after she soul transformed, and icy blue lights shimmered to make her look even more beautiful and even more cold.
Watching their quick actions, Huang Xiaolong was insouciant as he said, "Both of you attack together!"
Both Fatty Rongguang and Liu Meijun were confounded with Huang Xiaolong's sudden remark.
Attack together?
The fatty and beauty exchanged a look.
In fact, before going up onto the stage, both had the idea of ousting Huang Xiaolong first, for Fatty Rongguang and Liu Meijun had a certain understanding towards the other's strength, but this Huang Xiaolong was too mysterious and unpredictable. Neither of them knew the extent of Huang Xiaolong's true strength.
In their mutual opinion, Huang Xiaolong was the biggest risk factor of all.
First, deal with Huang Xiaolong!
Glancing at each other, both of them simultaneously dashed towards Huang Xiaolong to attack.
Below the stage, Huang Min and Huang Xiaohai's faces tightened with nervousness watching this scene.
And some distance away, Zhou Teng revealed a cold smirk watching the scene on the stage unfold. Even he needed to be wary and careful when facing a combined attack from Rongguang and Liu Meijun. He looked forward to see how Huang Xiaolong would deal with their attacks.
Under the crowd's watchful eyes, Rongguang and Liu Meijun's attacks reached Huang Xiaolong.
Rongguang displayed a fist type battle skill whereas Liu Meijun was using a sword skill.
The fist was shrouded in a white glow and the sword shot out spheres of sword rays that exuded a chilly energy.
Just as the attacks reached him, Huang Xiaolong moved. Both of his hands formed into fists, and battle qi surged as he punched out, colliding with the two of them in the most direct manner.
Bang! Dang!
Two distinctive sounds of collision were heard, and both Rongguang and Liu Meijun exclaimed in shock as their bodies staggered backward awkwardly until the edge of the stage. Liu Meijun fared slightly better than Fatty Rongguang, he wobbled unsteadily at the edge, and his face already turned white.
It was clear the impact from Huang Xiaolong's simple punch had injured him.
Waves of shocked gasps filled the Holy Hall as the crowd witnessed a simultaneous attack by Rongguang and Liu Meijun. Not only did it not harm Huang Xiaolong, both of them were pushed back effortlessly.
Huang Min and Huang Xiaohai breathed out in relief.
Chen Caixiu's tensed expression also relaxed.
Needless to say, Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu danced with joy seeing how strong Huang Xiaolong had become.
Zhou Teng's face darkened gloomily, and a strong killing intent flitted in his eyes.
Ignoring the crowd's reaction, Huang Xiaolong looked at his two opponents, "Use your most powerful attack."
Most powerful attack!
It was hard to conceal the shock in Rongguang and Liu Meijun's eyes. Their joint attack was easily deflected by Huang Xiaolong?! Not to mention Huang Xiaolong not even soul transforming, he had yet to use his martial spirit ability, or a battle skill for that matter.
Neither of them uttered a word. Then, a coruscating white light burst out from Rongguang's body like a violent volcano eruption.
As the white light grew more intense, a streak of blue lightning emerged on Rongguang's body.
Although this lightning wasn't thick, the energy radiating from it was so terrifying that students who stood close to the stage immediately retreated in panic.
At the same time, ice blue light glittered around Liu Meijun that condensed into blooms of snowflakes!
An energy more apprehensive than Fatty Rongguang's lightning streak continued to condense and build up around Liu Meijun.
Expressions below the stage became somber.
The commotion earlier came to an abrupt halt, and the big hall fell into a thick silence.
Even the sound of a falling needle could be heard.
Everyone was aware, the next attack would be Fatty Rongguang and Ice Beauty Liu Meijun's most powerful attack combined with their martial spirit's ability. A joint attack of these two people going all out… could Huang Xiaolong take them on?
Sensing the energy building up around his opponents, Huang Xiaolong gave an appreciative nod inwardly. These two's strength was indeed commendable if they went against another opponent of the same level. There was probably no one that could take their joint attack head-on.
Unfortunately, they met him.
Instead of calling out his martial spirit, Huang Xiaolong called out the Blades of Asura. Black strands of energy emerged, swirling around his physique as the aura of slaughter coming from Huang Xiaolong grew heavier. His eyes turned scarlet and wings the color of ebony spread out from his back.
At the same time, Huang Xiaolong initiated the Golden Linglong Body, crystallized golden sparkles glimmered on the surface of his skin.
"Angle-horn Lightning!"
"Ice Silkworm Delusion Palm!"
At this point, Fatty Rongguang and Ice Beauty Liu Meijun's voice resounded on the stage as their attack shot out towards Huang Xiaolong.
Jagged streaks of lightning shot out from the angle horn on Fatty Rongguang's forehead, splitting through space. Glaring white-colored energy burned across the stage like raging waves at Huang Xiaolong.
A palm struck out from Ice Beauty Liu Meijun at the same time she cried out. The palm pierced through space, bringing a rainbow of icy blue glow flying towards Huang Xiaolong. When this icy blue glow shot across the air, the airflow around it seemed to fall into deep slumber as if in a world of blue ice.
Huang Xiaolong remained calm even as he saw this, everyone saw him raise both his hands and sent hit palms out.
"God Binding Palm!"
Huang Xiaolong's voice echoed from the stage.
The crowd saw two golden shadows of a palm that looked like a golden ring spinning towards Rongguang and Liu Meijun. Wherever they passed, Rongguang and Liu Meijun's attack were actually suspended in the air. Yes, both of their strongest attacks halted strangely in the air.
Inexplicable!
Watching this magical scene, on the main platform, Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu jumped up from their seats in synchronization, 'beyond belief' was written all over their faces. The rest in the Holy Hall were speechless.
"How is this possible?!"
"How could this happen?! Rongguang and Liu Meijun's attack actually froze in the midst of moving!"
"What's really happening?!"
In an instant, there was nothing but questions running through the crowd's minds.
Their reasoning told them that this was something impossible, for what was taking place right in front of their eyes was too magical, too surreal to believe– it didn't matter that they were witnessing it with their own eyes.
Including Zhou Teng of the inner courtyard, the pale-faced youth, and the other students behind them, all were shocked.
Right at that moment, Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu shot up from their seats as they watched the golden rings move closer to Rongguang and Liu Meijun.
Their shock increased when they realized that both Rongguang and Liu Meijun's movements halted as if someone used a petrification spell on them, both remaining frozen in place.
Everything on the stage seemed to have come to a halt.
The airflow.
The lightning and the palm print.
The blue ice… even the wind was stopped in its path!
Sun Zhang, Xiong Chu, Zhou Teng, the pale-faced youth, and everyone else watching widened their eyes in disbelief. Their jaws dropped open wide enough to stuff an extra-large pear inside their mouths.
Considering Sun Zhang and the rest had such a reaction, the two being 'contained' by Huang Xiaolong felt it even more. Although Rongguang and Liu Meijun could not move physically, their consciousness was unaffected, and strangely, they could still talk.
Before many astounded eyes, Huang Xiaolong's palm prints landed on Rongguang and Liu Meijun.
Huang Xiaolong's left palm print struck Rongguang in the chest. Rongguang let out a muffled groan and his body flew back. However, when Huang Xiaolong's left palm print was about to hit Liu Meijun on her chest, he noticed her full, plump bosom. Instead of hitting her chest, he decided to subtlety deviate the course a little and the attack hit her shoulder.
Liu Meijun was sent flying as well.
Both Rongguang and Liu Meijun were knocked away and fell from the stage area.
Landing on the ground, both of them stumbled back a few steps before steadying themselves.
The two of them lost!
When Liu Meijun steadied herself, she was switching between shock and embarrassment. Just now, Huang Xiaolong's palm nearly touched her bosom– it was a close call!
The wind force brought by Huang Xiaolong's palm scraped past her upper body, raising a strange feeling inside of her.
A long time after Rongguang and Liu Meijun fell to the ground, the Holy Hall was still submerged in silence before cheers and applause filled the huge hall like a thunderbolt.
Thunderous applause resounded in the Holy Hall, and some of the passionate fangirls were screaming, shrieking their hearts out.
"Huang Xiaolong, you're such a freak!" One of the high-strung girls cried out, "But, I like it!"
"I love you~~~!"
The Holy Hall was submerged in wave after wave of these declarations of love.
Some of the fangirls even wanted to rush up the stage to Huang Xiaolong, but luckily there were Academy guards hindering them and maintaining order.
Below the stage, Chen Caixiu may have not been affected by the fervor, but her eyes were shining as they stared at Huang Xiaolong.
On the main platform, Sun Zhang and Xiong Chu were dumbstruck. Looking at the reaction of these frenzied female students, both shook their heads and exhibited wry smiles.
Some distance away from Chen Caixiu, Zhou Teng noted the spark in her eyes as she watched Huang Xiaolong. Zhou Teng clenched his fists tightly, the expression on his face was grim.
"Huang Xiaolong wins!" The judge announced amidst the screams coming from the fangirls.
Huang Xiaolong wins!
Another wave of applause resounded in the Holy Hall.
Standing on the stage, Huang Xiaolong was rendered speechless by the enthusiastic female students' response and smiled helplessly inside.
There were no singers or movie stars in the Martial Spirit World, but these female students were more terrifying compared to those fans in his old world.
The female students gradually calmed down, but the shock still lingered in the air and the crowd had not yet adjusted themselves.
The battle for the Third Year's number one was finally concluded.
Huang Xiaolong taking that spot was something no one ever imagined nor expected.
However, the main event was coming up next: the battle for overall Academy champion.
When the judge asked Huang Xiaolong if he wanted to challenge the inner courtyard's number one, Zhou Teng, for the overall Academy champion, his answer was: "Yes, of course!"
Once again, there was an uproar when the crowd heard Huang Xiaolong was going to challenge Zhou Teng for that number one spot.
Excitement rose in the Holy Hall.
Zhou Teng, the number one student of Cosmic Star Academy's inner courtyard, had advanced to peak late-Tenth Order one year ago, and he was someone infinitely close to a Xiantian realm expert.
Zhou Teng was perhaps the same level as Liu Meijun, however the gap in their strength was no secret. Half a year ago, Zhou Teng fought Liu Meijun and defeated her effortlessly.
In the upcoming battle between Zhou Teng and Huang Xiaolong, who would take the Academy's number one spot?
Everyone waited with bated breath.
On the main platform, Sun Zhang chuckled, "The next battle for the overall champion truly makes one look forward to it with anticipation ah!"
Xiong Chu agreed, "It has already been two years since anyone dared to challenge the inner courtyard's number one, and now, finally someone has the guts to challenge him this year! It's been quite a while since the annual competition was this lively!"
Below the stage the teacher for Third Year Third Class, Chen Xiaojing, felt rueful again and again.
Just an hour earlier, he was advising Huang Xiaolong not to act recklessly, to wait to challenge the class's first place next year…
Moments later, Huang Xiaolong and Zhou Teng stood on the stage.
"Big brother, fight!" Huang Min and Huang Xiaohai cheered for their big brother from below the stage.
Huang Xiaolong smiled and nodded at them, and then turned his attention towards Zhou Teng who stood opposite of him.
"You are Xie Wei and Jiang Hengyu's disciple?" Huang Xiaolong asked in an easygoing voice.
The people that used 'Tenth Order' qualifications as an excuse to hinder him from entering the inner courtyard included Xie Wei, Jiang Hengyu, and Cheng Fengli!
Zhou Teng was stunned for a moment at the sudden question: "Yes."
"You were the one that used Lin Han?" Huang Xiaolong's expression turned cold.
Zhou Teng snickered coldly, "So what if it was me? I just did not expect that that wastrel couldn't even take a punch from you!"
"In my eyes, you are no different from him: a wastrel!" Huang Xiaolong commented as if he was talking about the weather.
The brutal glint in Zhou Teng's eyes burst out. Bright light surged from Zhou Teng's body as a giant tortoise emerged behind him! The tortoise's shell was black, yet it reflected a greenish glow, and the moire patterns on the tortoise shell formed the word 'sage*'.
This was Zhou Teng's martial spirit, Blackshell Sage Tortoise!
Blackshell Sage Tortoise was not a superb talent martial spirit, but it was one of the top grade ten martial spirits that was infinitely close to a superb martial spirit existence.
Zhou Teng did not waste time. After calling out his Blackshell Sage Tortoise, he instantly soul transformed. A black light flashed and at the same time, a black shell similar to that of his martial spirit's appeared on Zhou Teng's back. On the surface of the black tortoise shell were black runic patterns that once again formed the word 'sage'.
Staring at Zhou Teng's appearance after his soul transformation, Huang Xiaolong was stunned for a second. A wry smile hung at the corner of his lips after seeing the transformation, he thought Zhou Teng really did look more like a 'tortoise' in this form. Moreover, Zhou Teng's looks were borderline ugly to begin with. His mouth was bigger than average, and he had a nose that was also bigger than average, which reminded Huang Xiaolong of the Undersea Dragon Palace's Prime Minister Turtle.
Zhou Teng's face flushed red when he saw Huang Xiaolong shaking his head and laughing after his soul transformation. The rage in his heart exploded! Although his martial spirit Blackshell Sage Tortoise's grade was infinitely close to a superb talent martial spirit, he had to admit that he indeed looked ugly after fusing with his martial spirit. This was a sore spot in his heart.
Zhou Teng leaped out. Everyone watched as he actually tucked in both of his hands and legs. His entire body rotated at rapid speed akin to a tornado that rose from the surface of the sea, rushing towards Huang Xiaolong.
"Seawind Tornado!"
* 圣 – Pattern/character on the tortoise shell. This character can mean holy/sacred/saint/sage.
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