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Buzz—!
Black halos rippled outward in waves.
In that instant, Chen Junting felt as if he were mired in thick mud—frozen in place, unable to move. The halos relentlessly sapped his soul power, draining it at an alarming rate.
But the cost to Xiao Xiao was steep:
Her Nine Phoenixes Flute martial soul had gone inert. Her face paled further with each passing second—she couldn't sustain this much longer.
"Hah—!" Xiao Xiao let out a sharp cry, her delicate hand slashing forward.
The colossal cauldron—towering like a mountain—hurtled toward Chen Junting with overwhelming force.
Yet Chen Junting remained unmoved, only a flicker of admiration in his eyes. He tightened his grip on the Seven Kill Sword, its blade glinting coldly in the sunlight. The second star on the sword flared to life, and a torrent of fierce killing intent coiled around the steel. With a single, fluid motion, he swung.
The air itself seemed to tear apart. The arena trembled under the sheer pressure of his soul power.
A solidified sword beam—like lightning—ripped through the sky, cleaving straight toward the cauldron's core.
BOOM—!
For a heartbeat, the entire elimination arena fell silent. Only the clash of sword and cauldron echoed—a sound so profound it shook the soul.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through Sector Seven, nearly knocking spectators off their feet.
The referee acted instantly.
Six soul rings blazed around him as his Soul Emperor-level power erupted, forming a protective barrier over the sector. His eyes stayed locked on the battlefield, tension coiling in his chest.
Inside the arena, Chen Junting stood firm against the gale. His sword beam struck true—slicing the colossal cauldron clean in half!
Xiao Xiao's face went utterly bloodless.
All the fight drained from her.
The referee didn't hesitate—he blurred into the arena. But Chen Junting's sword beam was already upon him, its edge so sharp even his Soul Emperor cultivation felt it might cleave him apart.
Martial soul manifestation?
Too late.
Just as he braced to endure the strike—
A gentle breeze brushed past his face.
The killing-intent-laden sword beam dissolved like willow fluff in the wind.
All that remained:
A dazed referee.
A collapsed Xiao Xiao.
And Chen Junting, standing tall and serene.
"Astonishing brilliance," Chen Junting murmured.
He walked over to Qin Lan and Gao Ming—both frozen in awe. Their captain's display had eclipsed every duel they'd ever witnessed.
"Let's go," he said, clapping their shoulders before striding away.
The match's outcome was undeniable.
---
On the Spectator Stands
"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's prodigy… truly extraordinary," Du Weilun murmured, watching Chen Junting's retreating figure. He spoke too softly for any teacher to hear. As a Soul Douluo, he'd seen clearly how that final sword beam vanished—it was Chen Junting's own mastery, refined to a masterful degree.
Elsewhere on the stands—
"Mujin—what do you mean by that look?!" Zhou Yi snapped, barely containing her fury under Mujin's teasing gaze.
"What look?" Mujin shrugged, feigning innocence.
Zhou Yi's eyes flicked to Xiao Xiao—carried away unconscious by her classmates. The volcano in her chest threatened to erupt. Ignoring Mujin, she snorted coldly and swept away in a huff.
Hearing other teachers congratulate Mujin behind her only made her stride faster.
Watching her flee, Mujin felt as if she'd downed a cup of ice water on a scorching summer day—utterly refreshed.
---
Lunchtime, Cafeteria
Wu Feng speared a chunk of Thousand-Year Armored Crocodile onto her fork—but her mind wasn't on her meal.
"Huo Yuhao," she whispered, leaning close enough to disrupt his eating, "we're getting a new teammate."
"Teammate?" Huo Yuhao blinked, confused.
"You're slow!" Wu Feng rolled her eyes, lowering her voice. "That Xiao Xiao!"
She jerked her chin toward a nearby table.
Ning Tian and Chen Junting stood with trays—but weren't eating. Instead, they were deep in conversation, the words "Xiao Xiao" drifting clearly through the air.
"You've taken a liking to that little girl?" Ning Tian teased, leaning playfully against Chen Junting.
"Do you think so?" Chen Junting scoffed, then turned serious. "The investigation results from a few days ago—ready?"
"Mm." Ning Tian's playful demeanor vanished. "We've already removed all major noble names from our recruitment list. Xiao Xiao's from a minor noble house—the Xiao Clan. Their inherited martial soul is the Soul-Sealing Cauldron—a high-tier soul, but hers mutated into a top-tier one. Her second martial soul, the Nine Phoenixes Flute, is also a mutation, inherited from her mother."
"Then let's approach her," Chen Junting decided. He finally picked up his chopsticks, placing a piece of Thousand-Year Blackhorn Boar Sweet-and-Sour Pork into Ning Tian's mouth. "You're both girls—you're better suited to recruit her."
"Leave it to me," Ning Tian smiled, confidence radiating. "As long as Shrek Academy stays passive, no one can refuse the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's offer. Just like you, haha—"
---
That afternoon, the draw for the 32-to-16 elimination matches concluded.
By some twist of fate—or perhaps cruel irony—Chen Junting's next opponent was another Class One team. In fact, it was the last remaining team from Class One's elimination roster.
But when Chen Junting learned one critical detail about this team, a single thought exploded in his mind:
Has Zhou Yi gone completely mad?!
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