Tang San confidently used his Mysterious Jade Hand to block Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Slash. Even though his spirit power was lower than Zhu Zhuqing's, he had great confidence in the strength of his technique.
Bang!
The moment Tang San caught Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Slash, he felt a sharp pain. His brow furrowed as cold sweat dripped down his face—something was wrong. Shocked, he looked at Zhu Zhuqing, then at his own hands. There were no visible cracks on his Mysterious Jade Hand, so why was he injured?
"Could it be that Zhu Zhuqing's third spirit ability ignores defenses?" Tang San thought, surprised by this unexpected turn.
Zhu Zhuqing, seeing Tang San's reaction, knew her attack had been effective. However, the continuous use of her spirit abilities had drained her spirit power significantly. She quickly began to silently use her internal cultivation technique to recover her energy.
Not giving Tang San any time to think, Zhu Zhuqing pushed her speed to the limit and launched a barrage of Netherworld Slashes at him.
This time, Tang San didn't dare face her head-on. He frowned and tried to distance himself, using his Blue Silver Grass to block her attacks. But Zhu Zhuqing refused to let him retreat, breaking through every vine and staying close to him with relentless pressure.
Outside the arena, Su Ming noticed something odd. "Strange... why is Tang San dodging after taking just one hit from Zhuqing's Netherworld Slash? Why isn't he engaging her in close combat? That's not like him."
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong exchanged glances, both understanding. They nodded slightly, realizing that Zhu Zhuqing's attack likely had the "true damage" effect she had mentioned earlier, which ignored defense.
Tang San hadn't expected Zhu Zhuqing to be this difficult to deal with. A small misstep caused her attack to slice his arm, and blood began flowing.
Zhu Zhuqing smiled lightly, satisfied that her Netherworld Slash had finally wounded Tang San.
Initially, Tang San thought it was a minor wound and didn't pay much attention to it. But soon, he noticed that the bleeding wouldn't stop—it was actually worsening. The wound grew larger and larger. Could this be another effect of Zhu Zhuqing's ability?
Seeing the opportunity, Zhu Zhuqing calmly said, "Tang San, you should surrender. My third spirit ability, Netherworld Slash, has a bleeding effect. Even a small wound will gradually worsen over time. If you don't surrender, even after healing, you'll be weakened for a while, which could delay your chance to get your third spirit ring."
Tang San was stunned. He hadn't expected Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Slash to have such an overpowered effect.
He had seen her use this ability before, during their battle against Teacher Zhao. However, since she couldn't penetrate Zhao Wuji's defense, the ability's effect never took hold.
After weighing the pros and cons, Tang San had no choice but to admit defeat. He felt a bit disheartened—he possessed Tang Sect techniques but still couldn't win even when fighting beyond his level. Was it that he was too weak or that his opponents were too strong?
He couldn't even beat Su Ming, nor could he beat Xiao Wu. And now, he couldn't even defeat Zhu Zhuqing, an agility-type spirit master who he should have had an advantage over. Tang San's confidence was starting to crumble.
As for using hidden weapons against Zhu Zhuqing?
He hadn't even considered it. Zhu Zhuqing was now his classmate, and he wanted to maintain good relations. More importantly, they were in the Great Spirit Arena, and he didn't want to expose his hidden weapons to the public too early. That required more careful planning.
Turning to the host, Tang San declared, "I surrender."
The host, momentarily taken aback, quickly recovered and announced, "Thousand Hands Shura surrenders! Netherworld Spirit Cat is the winner!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, shouting, "Netherworld Spirit Cat! Netherworld Spirit Cat!"
Some spectators, however, were confused. They had seen Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing fighting on par, so why had he surrendered so suddenly? They speculated that if Tang San had delayed a bit longer and covered the arena with Blue Silver Grass, Zhu Zhuqing's speed advantage would have been neutralized. Victory would have been assured then.
What they didn't know was that Tang San was running out of time. His arm was severely injured, though the wound was hidden beneath his clothing. Blood was gushing out faster and faster, and he couldn't stop it.
After leaving the arena, Zhu Zhuqing calmly turned to Oscar and said, "Oscar, give Tang San one of your recovery sausages for healing."
At that moment, Tang San pulled off his sleeve, revealing the full extent of the damage. The sight of his arm shocked everyone.
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth in surprise. "Zhuqing, what's going on? I remember Tang San only had a small cut on his arm from your Netherworld Slash. How did it become this bad?"
Su Ming examined Zhu Zhuqing and then looked at Tang San's gaping wound. The injury was deep, far more serious than what a single strike could have caused. Could this be the effect of her spirit ability? But he didn't recall Netherworld Slash having such an effect.
Zhu Zhuqing, noticing the curiosity in everyone's eyes, explained, "My third spirit ability, Netherworld Slash, has a bleeding effect. If the wound isn't treated in time, it will continue to grow, eventually leading to death."
She then added awkwardly, "I wanted to test it out when we fought Teacher Zhao, but my attacks couldn't hurt him, so the effect didn't trigger."
Oscar, standing nearby, quickly prepared a recovery sausage and handed it to Tang San.
Tang San hesitated for a moment—still not used to the idea—but realized they were classmates now, and he would have to rely on these sausages eventually. He gulped it down in one bite.
Dai Mubai, who was observing, suggested, "Su Ming, why don't you also use your healing ability on Tang San? It will speed up his recovery."
Xiao Wu immediately objected, "But my brother's match is coming up soon, and his fourth spirit ability uses a lot of spirit power. What if he's too exhausted to compete?"
Dai Mubai realized he had put Su Ming in a difficult position. After all, at Su Ming's level, his fourth spirit ability consumed a significant amount of energy.
However, Su Ming didn't seem concerned and chuckled. "It's fine. Afterward, Rongrong can use her third spirit ability to help me recover."
With that, Su Ming's fourth spirit ring lit up, and a green glow enveloped Tang San. Within moments, Tang San's wound was fully healed, and he felt incredibly invigorated.
Of course, seeing Tang San bathed in green light made everyone suppress a laugh. Dai Mubai's mouth twitched—he had almost forgotten that Su Ming's healing ability gave off an eye-catching green aura. Was this intentional?
In truth, Su Ming had only asked Ning Rongrong for help as an excuse. His own spirit power recovered quickly, but he had to maintain appearances.
Watching Tang San glow green, Su Ming felt amused, thinking that the green aura suited Tang San's current state perfectly.
Seeing Su Ming healing Tang San, Xiao Wu didn't say anything further.
Then she asked, "Brother, what's your code name for the one-on-one matches?"
Su Ming thought for a moment. "I'll go with 'True Thousand Hands.'"
Xiao Wu frowned. "Brother, your code name doesn't sound as cool as Tang San's. His 'Thousand Hands Shura' sounds much more imposing!"
Ning Rongrong chimed in, "Xiao Wu's right. Su Ming, why not pick something better?"
Su Ming laughed. "It's just a code name. What matters is strength, not how cool the name sounds. Once you show your true strength, no one will care about your code name. And trust me, you'll understand the significance of this name later."
Su Ming was hinting at something—when they eventually saw the full power of the "True Thousand Hands" technique, they'd realize how fitting the name was.
Tang San, overhearing this, felt a twinge of discomfort. It almost seemed like Su Ming was subtly mocking him. Despite having the fierce-sounding "Thousand Hands Shura" as his code name, he hadn't won his match or lived up to the title.
At that moment, the host announced, "Next, we have our second match: the Bone Soft Enchanting Rabbit versus the Evil Eyed White Tiger! Let's welcome our two Spirit Elders!"
Everyone turned their attention to Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai. Dai Mubai's face darkened as he realized his misfortune—he had been matched against Xiao Wu. He felt as though he was about to lose again. Xiao Wu's Charm and Teleportation, combined with her powerful Eight Stage Throw, made him doubt his chances of victory.
With no other option, Dai Mubai turned to Xiao Wu and pleaded, "Xiao Wu, we've fought before. How about we put on a show, and then I surrender?"
Xiao Wu readily agreed. It was a good way to conserve spirit power, especially with the two-on-two match coming up later.
Soon, the two of them stepped into the arena.
As they entered, the audience buzzed with excitement. Xiao Wu, though masked, was clearly much smaller than Dai Mubai, and the size difference had many spectators convinced that she would lose. Some even heckled, telling her to go home.
Their mockery irritated Xiao Wu greatly.
The screen displayed their match details:
Evil Eyed White Tiger, level 37 power-type battle spirit master, spirit: White Tiger.
Bone Soft Enchanting Rabbit, level 39 power-type battle spirit master, spirit: Bone Soft Rabbit.
This revelation left the crowd in shock—another prodigy? They couldn't believe that someone so young had reached such a high level.
Dai Mubai had also realized that the crowd's jeers had angered Xiao Wu. He feared that she might take it out on him in the fight.
"Begin!" the host called out.
Xiao Wu wasted no time, instantly using her third spirit ability to teleport right next to Dai Mubai.
Dai Mubai's heart skipped a beat. He whispered, "Xiao Wu, don't mind what those people said. We agreed to just put on a show, right?"
Xiao Wu scoffed, "There's no way I'm letting this slide. I have to show them what I'm made of! Don't worry, I won't use Charm on you this time. You'll just get a few scrapes. Oscar or my brother can heal you afterward."
Xiao Wu, despite being adorable around Su Ming, had a fiery temper when provoked. Dai Mubai knew he had no choice but to give it his all.
But despite his best efforts, Dai Mubai couldn't even touch Xiao Wu. Though she was a power-type spirit master, her speed was impressive, and combined with her teleportation ability, she had Dai Mubai running in circles. He grew increasingly frustrated, unable to land a hit.
The audience, initially mocking Xiao Wu, now realized her true strength. They had severely underestimated her.
Ning Rongrong asked Su Ming, "Didn't they agree to just go easy? What happened?"
Su Ming sighed, "I think those spectators insulted Xiao Wu, and she got angry. Now she's taking it out on Dai Mubai."
He added with a chuckle, "Xiao Wu may seem sweet, but she can be quite fiery when someone pushes her buttons. She used to be the top student at the academy, known as 'Sister Xiao Wu.' She only behaves this way around me."
Ning Rongrong giggled. "It seems like you're the only one who can calm her down and make her listen."
Su Ming turned to Oscar and said, "Oscar, better get some sausages ready. Dai Mubai's going to need them."
Back in the arena, Dai Mubai had had enough. "Xiao Wu, what's with all the dodging? Stop running and fight me!"
Xiao Wu grinned, "Upset already? Fine, I won't dodge anymore. Let's see if you can handle this!"
Dai Mubai suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Why did I have to provoke her?
He quickly activated his White Tiger Barrier and White Tiger Vajra Transformation, boosting his defense and offense. Xiao Wu had promised not to use her Charm ability, so he thought he might stand a chance. After all, she was small—how much damage could she do?
"First Spirit Ability: Waist Bow!"
"Third Spirit Ability: Teleport!"
Xiao Wu's waist bent with incredible flexibility, and with a powerful kick, she sent Dai Mubai flying into the air.
"You wanted me to fight you seriously, right? Here you go!" Xiao Wu yelled.
"Exploding Eight Stage Throw!"
Dai Mubai had been keeping a close eye on Xiao Wu, but even then, she was too quick for him. Before he could react, she launched him into the air and delivered a flurry of devastating throws. Thankfully, Xiao Wu held back, avoiding any major injuries, but Dai Mubai still took a serious beating.
The host and the audience were left speechless by Xiao Wu's incredible agility and strength.
The host finally found his voice. "The winner of the second match is Bone Soft Enchanting Rabbit! Let's give a big round of applause to this impressive young Spirit Elder!"
After the match ended, Xiao Wu happily ran to Su Ming's side, while Dai Mubai looked utterly miserable. Although Xiao Wu had controlled her strength, Dai Mubai still felt like his body was falling apart.
Su Ming could only give Xiao Wu a helpless glance. Then, he activated his fourth spirit ability, enveloping Dai Mubai in a green light, a sight that seemed to carry a hidden meaning.
Seeing himself covered in green light, Dai Mubai's mouth twitched, but he couldn't deny the healing effect was impressive. He also ate one of Oscar's sausages, healing his wounds while filling his stomach.
Finally, the third match arrived, and it was Su Ming's turn. His opponent was a level 48 agility-type spirit master with a Leopard Spirit.
The host announced excitedly from the arena, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is today's first one-on-one battle at the Spirit Elder level!"
"Now, let's welcome our two Spirit Elders to the stage!"
The large screen displayed both participants' information.
True Thousand Hands: Martial Soul: Wood Element, Level 43 Control-type Battle Spirit Master.
Leopard Roar: Martial Soul: Leopard, Level 48 Agility-type Spirit Master.
When the two stepped onto the stage, Leopard Roar was stunned. His opponent was clearly quite young, yet had already reached the level of Spirit Elder. Leopard Roar himself was in his forties, and it had taken him that long to reach his current strength. This young kid was already this powerful at such a young age!
The spectators, having learned from their previous experience, refrained from mocking and jeering. Instead, they were filled with curiosity—what was going on today? Why were there so many talented spirit masters suddenly appearing?
The host, momentarily stunned himself, quickly regained his composure. "The match begins!"
Both contestants released their martial souls. Su Ming's soul ring configuration was two yellow and two purple, while Leopard Roar's was one white, one yellow, and two purple. Just from the soul rings alone, the difference in quality was apparent.
Su Ming politely nodded at Leopard Roar. "Uncle, please guide me."
Leopard Roar, appreciating Su Ming's manners, nodded back. "Kid, your talent is impressive. To reach Spirit Elder at your age is remarkable. Your future is limitless. Let's keep it to a friendly match."
Leopard Roar did not underestimate Su Ming. With his years of experience, he knew that even though there was a noticeable gap in their spirit power, such gaps meant little when facing a talented spirit master.
With no further words, the battle began.
Su Ming lightly tapped the ground with his foot, and immediately, thick vines sprouted all over the arena, growing at an astonishing speed.
Watching from the stands, Tang San noticed Su Ming's approach. He was using the same tactic to restrict Leopard Roar's movements that Tang San had tried against Zhu Zhuqing earlier. However, Su Ming's vines grew much faster than his Blue Silver Grass.
Seeing Su Ming grow stronger day by day, while he remained stuck at level 30, Tang San couldn't help but feel anxious. But he knew that cultivation required patience and progress would come in time. He hoped that after absorbing the spirit ring of the Man-Faced Demon Spider, his strength would see a significant improvement.
Initially, Tang San had thought that with his Tang Sect techniques, combined with his Mysterious Heaven Technique and twin spirits, he was unique in the world. But Su Ming, with an innate spirit power of only level 7, had progressed so quickly, mastering techniques across multiple fields and even creating his own spirit abilities.
Tang San felt frustrated—aside from his hidden weapons, Su Ming surpassed him in every area. Without using hidden weapons, he probably couldn't even defeat Xiao Wu anymore. Upon entering Shrek Academy, he found that his spirit power level was the lowest among all the new students!
These situations made Tang San question whether cultivating his Blue Silver Grass was the right choice. He could feel that his second spirit was much stronger. As a control-type spirit, Blue Silver Grass was too fragile, while his hammer spirit was clearly far more powerful.
On the stage, Leopard Roar saw the rapidly growing vines and his expression changed. The growth speed was abnormal. He had to finish the battle quickly; otherwise, he wouldn't have any space left to move!
"First Spirit Ability: Speed Boost!"
Leopard Roar's first spirit ability, though only a ten-year spirit ring, increased his speed by 30%.
Leopard Roar knew time was critical. He had to close the distance with Su Ming as fast as possible.
"Second Spirit Ability: Fierce Claws!"
Leopard Roar charged at Su Ming, his hands forming deadly claws. Just as he thought he was about to succeed, he realized he had struck nothing but a shadow.
Clearly, Su Ming, despite being a control-type spirit master, had impressive speed as well.
Su Ming had used his Lingbo Weibu technique to effortlessly dodge Leopard Roar's attack.
For Su Ming, combat experience was still somewhat lacking. These battles in the Spirit Arena were perfect for him to gain experience and observe different martial souls and their spirit abilities.
Dodging easily, Su Ming smiled and said, "Uncle, you'd better use all your strength. Otherwise, you won't get another chance!"
Leopard Roar's face hardened. He hadn't expected Su Ming to be this strong, especially since Su Ming had yet to even use a single spirit ability. Leopard Roar realized he was being used as practice!
Taking a deep breath, Leopard Roar prepared for his strongest move. If this didn't work, he had no hope of winning.
"Leopard Transformation!"
This ability doubled his attack and speed for ten minutes but would leave him weak for an hour afterward.
"Fourth Spirit Ability: Double Cross Slash!"
This was Leopard Roar's strongest single-target attack. With the boost from his first and third spirit abilities, he reached his peak speed and power.
Su Ming's expression became serious. He could sense the immense power behind Leopard Roar's attack. Both his speed and attack were at their peak!
But even so, it wasn't enough to threaten Su Ming.
Thanks to his various passive boosts, Su Ming's vines had already been reinforced several times over.
Still, to be cautious, Su Ming decided to use his first spirit ability for defense.
"First Spirit Ability: Tree World Wall!"
Instantly, thick vines formed several walls in front of Su Ming. Leopard Roar's attack slammed into them.
Boom!
The stage was shrouded in dust and debris.
When the dust settled, Leopard Roar realized his attack hadn't even broken through Su Ming's defense. He had seen it clearly—this was only Su Ming's first spirit ability. How could it be so strong?
What Leopard Roar didn't know was that all of Su Ming's spirit rings were at least ten thousand years old. Combined with his various enhancements, there was no way Leopard Roar could break through.
Having used a series of powerful spirit abilities in quick succession, Leopard Roar was now exhausted, his face pale. He knew there was no way he could win, so he raised his hand and told the host, "I surrender."
Su Ming smiled and said, "Thank you for the match, Uncle."
Leopard Roar sighed in admiration. "The new generation truly surpasses the old. Kid, your future is limitless!"
The outcome of the match surprised many. Leopard Roar had already won four consecutive matches and was just one victory away from entering the main arena. No one had expected him to lose to someone so young.
The host declared, "The winner is True Thousand Hands!"
Su Ming calmly walked back to his friends, knowing there was still a two-on-two match to come. The one-on-one match had barely drained his spirit power.
Xiao Wu happily hugged Su Ming, laughing. "Brother, you're amazing! You beat a level 48 Spirit Elder so easily!"
Su Ming chuckled. "Basic stuff. After all, control-types counter agility-types. And he couldn't break through my defense."
Su Ming's words felt like a dagger to Tang San's heart. The gap between them was clear as day.
Tang San watched Su Ming with a flicker of determination in his eyes. On the upcoming trip to the Star Dou Forest, he was determined to find a high-quality Man-Faced Demon Spider.
Once he absorbed the spider's spirit ring, his Blue Silver Grass would become much tougher, and its venom would be far more lethal.
Soon, all the one-on-one matches concluded, and it was time for the two-on-two battle.
The host announced, "Today, we have only one two-on-two match at the Spirit Elder level. Let's welcome the Thousand Hands Enchanting Rabbit team and the Iron Hammer Brothers team!"
Su Ming and Xiao Wu stepped onto the stage while the others cheered them on.
The host recognized them immediately. "So, the Thousand Hands Enchanting Rabbit team is actually True Thousand Hands and Bone Soft Enchanting Rabbit! These two were in the earlier one-on-one matches!"
He had noticed that both Su Ming and Xiao Wu had worn identical black masks in their previous matches, but he hadn't thought much of it. Now, it was a pleasant surprise to see that they were a team.
The host shouted enthusiastically, "Everyone, we've already seen the impressive skills of these two. Their strength is undeniable!"
"Their opponents, the Iron Hammer Brothers, are also well-known fighters in this arena. Please look forward to an exciting match between these two teams!"
The Iron Hammer Brothers were two siblings with the Iron Hammer martial soul. The elder brother, Mo Tie, was level 45, and the younger brother, Mo Chui, was level 44. Both had two yellow and two purple spirit rings, an optimal configuration.
Xiao Wu turned to Su Ming and said, "Brother, let me take the lead in this match. I want to test my strength. You can just support me from the side."
Su Ming agreed, curious to see how strong Xiao Wu had become. Although she was only level 39, he had no doubt she could handle opponents a few levels higher.
The host called out, "The match begins!"
"First Spirit Ability: Tremor!"
The Mo brothers simultaneously used their first spirit ability, slamming their hammers into the ground. The ground shook violently, sending shockwaves toward Su Ming and Xiao Wu.
Su Ming used his vines to lift himself and Xiao Wu off the ground, neutralizing the attack. The shockwave, though disruptive, wasn't powerful enough to affect his vines.
After their first move, the Mo brothers quickly followed up with their second and third spirit abilities.
"Second Spirit Ability: Weapon Control!"
"Third Spirit Ability: Weapon Clone!"
They hurled their hammers at Su Ming and Xiao Wu. The second ability allowed them to control their hammers remotely, while the third created additional hammer clones. Their strategy was to focus all their attacks on Xiao Wu, as she was the lower-leveled target. Once she was eliminated, they could easily handle Su Ming.
Seeing the barrage of attacks aimed at her, Xiao Wu didn't hesitate. She activated her first spirit ability, Waist Bow, and used her third spirit ability to teleport directly in front of the Mo brothers, leaving their attacks to strike nothing but air.
The Mo brothers had no idea that Xiao Wu had a teleportation ability. If they had seen her earlier fight, they would have known better than to use such tactics.
"Second Spirit Ability: Charm!"
Xiao Wu unleashed her Charm on Mo Tie, causing him to lose control of his hammer and inadvertently attack his brother.
The host exclaimed, "Incredible! Bone Soft Enchanting Rabbit's Charm ability has caused the Iron Hammer Brothers to turn on each other! Despite being only a Spirit Elder, she's fighting on par with her Spirit King opponents!"
Mo Chui shouted in panic, "Brother, what are you doing? Snap out of it!"
But under the enhanced mental power of Xiao Wu's Charm, Mo Tie remained dazed, attacking his brother without realizing it.
Xiao Wu glanced at Mo Chui, considering her options. It would be too cruel to use her Eight Stage Throw on the brothers. Perhaps this was a good opportunity to try out her newly acquired move.
"Wind God Leg Second Form: Reed in the Wind!"
This was the second technique in the Wind God Leg style, which not only increased her speed but also significantly boosted her attack power. The move had impressive destructive power.
Xiao Wu had only recently begun practicing the Wind God Leg, focusing mostly on integrating its internal energy into her Eight Stage Throw. This had improved her throwing technique and increased her speed. She had already mastered the first form, Catching the Wind, but rarely used it, as her teleportation ability was more convenient.
With one swift kick, Xiao Wu sent Mo Chui flying off the stage, knocking him unconscious. His martial soul disappeared as he lost consciousness. Mo Tie, still under her Charm, soon met the same fate, kicked off the stage by Xiao Wu.
Su Ming watched Xiao Wu's powerful kick and fell into deep thought. When had Xiao Wu's kicking abilities become so strong? Without even using her Eight Stage Throw, she had knocked out two opponents with a single kick!
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