Shui Bing'er frowned with concern. "Their soul skills combined... even I couldn't defeat them…"
Shen Liuyu casually ran her fingers through her light green hair and said indifferently, "Let them win or lose however they want. As long as we're all together, it doesn't matter."
While the others at the sidelines showed varied expressions, Qin Jian faced the charging Hai Rou without panic. He simply declared, "My body is the sword!"
Clang!
A violet sword spirit appeared out of thin air, embedding itself into the ice in front of him and effortlessly blocking Hairou's attack.
"It's not over yet!"
Swish!
Yu Hairou smirked confidently, her form flickering as she suddenly reappeared on Qin Jian's left side, launching another attack.
Clang!
But Qin Jian, just in time, gripped the hilt of his martial soul sword and narrowly parried her strike again. The intense clash left his hands stinging, and his soul power was rapidly depleting.
"She's five or six levels above me in soul power... the gap really is significant…"
Suddenly, Qin Jian surged forward, his eyes flashing with a faint pink sword aura. "First Soul Skill: Bewitching Sword!"
Yu Hairou felt her vision blur as Qin Jian's exquisite visage filled her mind…
"At least two seconds of daze…"
Qin Jian smiled faintly. Amid the astonished gazes of the spectators, he grabbed Yu Hairou's wrist, swung her through the air, and flung her directly at Xue Wu.
Bang!
Xue Wu, being a support-type Soul Master, couldn't react in time and was struck head-on.
"That's his first soul skill? Its effect is actually a stun?"
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
Shui Bing'er rolled her eyes slightly. "It's not a stun… it's charm…"
At this moment, Qin Jian, holding his violet sword, had already closed in on the just-recovering Yu Hairou. "I won't go easy on you."
"You dare underestimate us!"
Yu Hairou flipped to her feet, her second soul ring flaring to life. "Second Soul Skill: Wave Burst!"
"Hairou's second soul skill boosts attack power by another 30% and defense by 20%!" Shui Bing'er exclaimed.
"And I'm here too! Second Soul Skill: Frosted Glory!"
Xue Wu simultaneously unleashed her second soul skill.
"Frosted Glory enhances both attack and defense by 30%!"
Shui Bing'er clenched her fists nervously. "Now, Hairou has at least the equivalent of level 35 attack and defense!"
"Relax, Hairou won't kill your little sweetheart, hehe…" Qiu Ruoshui teased with a chuckle.
Shui Bing'er grew even more anxious.
Boom!
Sure enough, the greatly enhanced Yu Hairou sent Qin Jian flying with a single Snow Hammer. "You'll see soon enough who's not holding back!"
Swish, swish, swish…
Transformed into a flurry of snow shadows, Yu Hairou's attacks came from all directions. Qin Jian was unable to retaliate, getting struck seven or eight times in rapid succession!
"At this moment, Yu Hairou's speed, attack, and defense completely overwhelm Qin Jian. He's doomed to lose!" Xiao Jing commented with a smile.
Yan Zhining countered, "Celebrating too early is never a good habit."
On the icy battlefield, Qin Jian's condition worsened under the barrage of attacks.
"First Soul Skill!"
Finally, he unleashed his Bewitching Sword once more, seizing a brief moment of daze to escape Yu Hairou's relentless assault.
"In a formal battle, it's impossible to achieve the same effect as making someone walk off on their own due to the charm. What a pity… And with her enhanced defense, the stun duration is even shorter…"
Qin Jian sighed softly, unaware that his soul skill's effects had already astonished everyone watching.
"Qin Jian, your first soul skill is strong, but in my current state, it can't hurt me. You've already lost!"
Yu Hairou charged again, her hands now adorned with sharp ice spikes. "It's over, Qin Jian!"
Shui Bing'er and the others watched intently, holding their breath. Then they saw Qin Jian's purple soul ring slowly rise, a snowy sword aura filling his eyes.
A strange sense of unease crept into Yu Hairou's heart. "What is this soul skill? Why am I recalling memories of the past…"
"Second Soul Skill: Primal Sword!"
This soul skill, bestowed by Ning Rongrong, brought opponents back to the mindset of their pre-cultivation days, reducing all attributes by 20%.
At the same time, it affected Qin Jian himself, flooding his mind with memories of his moments with Ning Rongrong and reigniting his determination to grow stronger—boosting all his attributes by 20%!
"I will not lose."
His voice was calm as his body erupted with radiant sword light. With a single strike, his martial soul, the violet sword, roared to life, slashing through Yu Hairou's dual ice spikes.
Ch-ch-ch!
Sword energy surged, shredding all of Yu Hairou's defenses.
"Sword Qi Slash!"
The oppressive aura of the strike made everyone hold their breath.
Unable to withstand the attack, Yu Hairou's icy light shattered, and she was sent flying.
"Hairou!"
Xue Wu barely managed to catch Hairou, who had already lost consciousness.
Tap, tap…
The young man, sword in hand, walked across the ice.
"Do you want to continue?"
His tone was indifferent, but it sent chills down Xue Wu's spine.
She could feel the sharp sword aura radiating from Qin Jian, carrying an unmistakable intent to kill.
"No… no need… we concede…"
Xue Wu lowered her head.
Buzz!
The next moment, Qin Jian withdrew his martial soul and smiled. Turning to Shui Bing'er and the others, he said, "Why are you all frozen? Let's head out. Yu Hairou needs rest to recover."
"Ah! Right!"
The group finally snapped out of their daze and hurried to help Xue Wu carry Yu Hairou.
"Qin Jian, you defeated Yu Hairou and Xue Wu. That's incredible!"
Shui Bing'er couldn't help but ask, "What exactly does your second soul skill do? How did you turn the fight around so suddenly?"
The others perked up, listening intently.
"Hmm…"
Qin Jian pondered briefly before explaining, "It's a bit hard to describe. Its effect is to make both combatants recall their original intentions. For the opponent, it reduces all attributes, while for me, it enhances them."
"Attribute reduction and enhancement?!" The group exclaimed in unison.
Even the senior instructors watching from the sidelines were impressed.
"Regardless of Qin Jian's background, his outstanding talent and strength alone make him more than qualified to be the captain of the Skywater Team," remarked the elderly white-haired instructor, earning nods of agreement from many.
Even Xiao Jing had nothing more to say this time.
"I just hope our academy doesn't become a laughingstock at the Continental Advanced Academy Soul Master Tournament. A predominantly female academy with a male captain…" That was all she could mutter.
Yan Zhining chuckled. "By then, things will naturally change. I believe Qin Jian is just the catalyst. He will lead us to reveal our true core."
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