The ultra-fast collisions between the two made the spectators' eyes blur. Most people could only see two shadows flashing back and forth. They couldn't even tell that Xie Xie was injured — it was only through Fang'er's commentary that they realized what was actually happening on the battlefield.
Xie Xie's breathing gradually grew heavier. The wounds on his body were all very small, but no matter how small a wound was, it would bleed, and it would hurt — and all of it affected his combat ability and condition.
There were already more than ten cuts on his body. The torn clothes fluttered slightly with every movement. Colliding at this kind of speed was absolutely not a comfortable experience.
"Don't you understand yet? I've been holding back this whole time. Just admit defeat."
"If you've got time to talk, why not attack a few more times?" Xie Xie snorted coldly.
Suddenly, Xie Xie's figure flashed and slipped past Lin San. The wind blade in Lin San's hand lightly swept across and left another cut on Xie Xie's back.
But this time, after landing, Xie Xie did not immediately rebound and counterattack. Instead, he stopped the moment his feet touched the ground.
From motion to stillness — the change was extremely abrupt. The moment he landed, he was like a statue.
Lin San, however, remained in high-speed combat mode. His figure flashed like lightning, and in an instant, three more wounds appeared on Xie Xie's body.
Yet Xie Xie stood there completely unmoving. Zoomed in on the screen, one could see that he had actually closed his eyes.
His right hand held the Light Dragon Dagger raised in front of his chest, and his entire person seemed frozen in place.
For once, Lin San showed a hint of surprise. This youth from Shrek Academy truly surpassed him in talent.
But was opportunity really so easy to find?
Lin San did not stop — on the contrary, his speed suddenly increased again. The speed that had completely suppressed Xie Xie earlier was not even his limit.
Azure light swirled around, and it was as if a green tornado had formed around Xie Xie, sweeping over his body again and again.
In just a short moment, from a visual standpoint alone, he had become a man soaked in blood.
At some point, Yuanen Yehui had already sat up straight, her back rigid.
The situation was worse than imagined. Xie Xie was being completely suppressed. With their level of perception, they couldn't see any chance for him at all.
Neither side had used powerful soul skills or battle armor, but the opponent had five soul rings, including two ten-thousand-year ones. In terms of soul skills alone, he was already suppressing Xie Xie — not to mention battle armor. Under such circumstances, where could an opportunity be found?
Cling!
At that moment, a clear metallic sound suddenly rang out across the battlefield.
Lin San drifted backward lightly. Brilliant golden light still shimmered on Xie Xie's Light Dragon Dagger — and at that moment, Xie Xie opened his eyes again.
"Thank you," Xie Xie said to Lin San.
Lin San's heart stirred slightly. He smiled faintly. "No need to thank me. That was your own insight."
He looked at Xie Xie seriously. "I apologize for what I said earlier. You're not a turtle. Worthy of being a Shrek Academy student. When I reached this stage of understanding, I was two years older than you." His expression remained calm and gentle.
A good opponent only made him more excited. Unfortunately, in his eyes, the current Xie Xie still wasn't enough to truly be his rival.
What the strong desire most is for everyone around them to be even stronger than themselves. Only then does pressure turn into urgency, pushing them harder and harder on the road to power. Lin San was exactly that kind of person — Xie Xie becoming stronger only made him happy.
Suddenly, a flash of green passed through Lin San's eyes. His second soul ring lit up. The next instant, a green glow spread over his whole body, and as his figure flickered, the sky seemed filled with his afterimages.
Xie Xie's heart trembled. So even earlier hadn't been his limit — he had a soul skill that further increased his speed. At this moment, both in his eyes and in his perception, he couldn't sense Lin San's true position at all. Around him seemed to be countless invisible currents of wind, completely unpredictable and impossible to grasp.
A streak of green light flashed past — another wound appeared on Xie Xie. Immediately after, an overwhelming pressure crushed down on him, like a meat grinder.
This was the pressure brought by an absolute speed advantage.
Xie Xie didn't scream. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He raised the Light Dragon Blade in his hand.
"Wind… will eventually be severed!"
"Good!" Lin San shouted lightly.
The green figures around suddenly converged. When the audience saw him again, he was suspended in midair.
Without using soul tools, only those at the seven-ring level could fly. Yet Lin San was floating purely by his soul power. Green winds gathered around him, supporting his body, and he himself seemed like a part of the wind.
"No need to continue. In a battle of equal footing, I've already lost."
"I concede."
Lin San spoke calmly, like a passing breeze.
What?!
The entire arena fell silent.
"In a fight where strength is overwhelmingly unequal, my victories are never glorious!"
Lin San's back turned into a streak of green wind…
…and vanished.
This…
From the bottom of his heart, Xie Xie began to admire this person. He could win whenever he wanted — yet he chose to give up.
Because he knew that he had always been the one with the advantage.
"This child…"
"That's just his character — like the wind itself, light and calm. And it is precisely this character that forged who he is today."
The old man with white hair and beard smiled and stroked his beard.
Lin San was the most diligent of all — and also the proudest among the Eight Heavenly Kings. But his pride was this: using overwhelming advantage against the weak was a disgrace. Using his authority against a child five years younger than himself was worse than losing. Losing was a way to wake himself up.
The battle was dramatic, but all the Star Luo spectators remembered one principled man who refused arrogance:
The Wind King — Lin San.
The competition continued. Today, the top eight would be decided.
On the VIP platform, Dai Tianling sat at the center seat, with Monster Academy's headmaster En Ci beside him.
"Teacher, what do you think Moonflame's chances are against Nagu You?" Dai Tianling asked quietly.
En Ci pondered. "Your Highness, if Nagu You can truly contend with Long Yue, then Moonflame's chance is no more than ten percent."
Dai Tianling nodded, his expression heavy with worry…
(End of Chapter)