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Kong Mingan stood quietly on the competition stage, his gaze fixed on Wu Ming. She was clearly struggling, her jaw set in a stubborn line despite the visible strain on her face. Kong Mingan did not waste words or offer a warning. Instead, he simply focused his mind, exerting a subtle yet powerful mental pressure.
Ugh!
The reaction was immediate. Wu Ming let out a sharp, pained gasp as the vital energy and blood within her own body began to surge violently. It was a terrifying sensation that she had never felt before. Her spirit power, which usually flowed through her body like a steady river, felt as though it had been slammed behind a massive, unbreakable dam. She felt like she was being held underwater, unable to breathe or fight back. The sensation of being drowned alive intensified with every passing second, becoming far more agonizing than the initial pressure.
Fear and despair quickly shattered her mental resolve. She was a Spirit King, a proud student of Shrek Academy, but in this moment, she felt like a helpless child.
I surrender! I surrender!
She managed to stammer out the words with the last bit of strength she possessed. Her voice was thin and shaky, carrying the clear sound of a sob. The moment she spoke those words, the suffocating pressure vanished. It receded like a pulling tide, leaving her gasping for air.
Although her Meridians still felt blocked and tight, as if filled with lead, she could finally breathe again. Her face was flushed deep red from the lack of oxygen, and she collapsed forward, finding herself slumped against Kong Mingan. Her clothes were completely soaked with cold sweat.
The thick, bloody mist that had covered the stage began to thin and drift away. As the air cleared, the audience could see Kong Mingan standing calmly in the center of the ring. He held the exhausted Wu Ming in his arms, looking as if he hadn't even broken a sweat.
The referee stood frozen for a few seconds, blinking in surprise at the sudden conclusion. He quickly regained his composure and shouted at the top of his lungs.
The first match of the individual competition goes to Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy!
The stadium went silent for a heartbeat as the crowd processed what they had just seen. Then, the silence was replaced by a wave of deafening cheers and applause. Kong Mingan's eyes remained calm and detached. He reached out to steady Wu Ming for a moment before letting go and stepping back.
Wu Ming staggered, her legs feeling like jelly. She almost fell over, but Kong Mingan gave her a slight bit of support to help her find her balance. As she stood there, she realized with a start that her legs were incredibly soft and weak.
It was a bizarre feeling; her spirit power felt like it had been turned into solid rock inside her Meridians. It was completely unusable. She felt like a stranger in her own skin, unable to make her muscles obey her commands.
She stood there for a long time, trying to get used to the strange heaviness of her limbs. Finally, she looked up at Kong Mingan. Her gaze was incredibly complex, filled with a mix of fear, confusion, and a touch of respect. Without saying another word, she lowered her head and walked off the stage, her shoulders slumped in defeat.
Kong Mingan didn't watch her leave. He stayed in his position, waiting for the next opponent to step up.
What had he actually done to her? The explanation was actually quite simple. He had used his own highly condensed vital energy and blood to physically invade her body. By doing this, he could manually interfere with the circulation of her spirit power. He was essentially blocking the pipes, creating a magic sealing effect that rendered her spirit abilities useless.
Because he was using his vital energy in combination with his spirit power and mental force, he could even use this technique against physical Spirit Abilities. He could tear apart the energy structure of an attack before it even reached him. It gave him a powerful spell breaking effect that made him a nightmare for traditional Spirit Masters.
When he had spread his blood and energy out as a mist, he was essentially creating a prototype of a Domain. It was still a bit messy and unrefined, but it was a true Blood Qi Domain that belonged only to a Body Cultivator. Within this ten meter radius, any Spirit Master who wasn't a Body Cultivator would find it almost impossible to use their skills. Their bodies would be corroded by his energy, and their spirit power would be locked tight.
A strange thought crossed Kong Mingan's mind as he waited. It seemed like his research into the power of vital energy and blood was turning him into a specialist at defeating Spell Cultivators. He shook his head, pushing the thought aside for now. Even if the ability felt a bit strange, he couldn't deny that it was incredibly effective against standard Spirit Masters.
He knew the Blood Qi Domain had its limits. The range was short, and it was still quite crude. If he were in an open field, a fast opponent could stay out of his reach and wear him down. But here, on a restricted competition stage, the ability was perfect.
It was a mechanical counter to almost everything a Spirit Master could throw at him. People often thought Body Cultivators were just about brute strength and high stats, but Kong Mingan was proving that they had their own unique mechanics as well.
Across the stadium in the Shrek Academy resting area, the atmosphere was grim. The team members immediately surrounded Wu Ming as she sat down, her face still pale.
Wu Ming, talk to us. Are you hurt? Han Ruoruo asked, her voice full of concern.
Wu Ming shook her head slowly. When she spoke, her voice was hoarse and lacked all of her usual pride. She looked broken, her eyes staring at nothing in particular.
I'm not injured, she whispered. But I can't use my spirit power. It's like my Meridians are clogged with something. Right now, I have the physical strength of a Spirit King, but I'm basically an ordinary person. I don't think I can keep fighting in the matches today.
The Shrek team members looked at each other, their expressions becoming very serious. Zhang Lexuan felt a sinking feeling in her gut. Her worst fears were coming true. This boy from the Sun Moon Academy had an ability that was the natural enemy of Spirit Masters.
The Team Leader Teacher looked frustrated and worried. He turned to Xuan Zi, who was watching the stage from the back of the area with a dark expression.
Elder Xuan, did you see what he did? Can you explain it?
Xuan Zi remained silent for a long time, his eyes never leaving Kong Mingan. He felt a flicker of genuine apprehension, though he tried to hide it. Finally, he gave a slow shake of his head.
Unknown, he muttered.
The Team Leader Teacher sighed, feeling even more stressed. He thought back to the fight, trying to find a weakness.
It seems like that red mist is the key, the teacher said, his voice deep and serious. It interferes with spirit power. We need someone who can stay away from it. Li Yi, you're up next! You have the Azure Wind Falcon spirit. You're the fastest we have and you can fight from a distance. Use your wind to blow that mist away and find a gap in his defense!
Li Yi was a lean young man with sharp eyes. He was the main agility attack system Spirit King for the team. He nodded confidently and stepped onto the stage, carrying the weight of everyone's expectations.
However, the match didn't go as planned. Li Yi was defeated even faster than Wu Ming had been. He returned to the resting area with a pale face, reporting the exact same problem: his spirit power was gone, and he was out of the fight.
He had tried to use his speed, but Kong Mingan's mist wasn't stationary. It followed the boy like a shadow. Kong Mingan had also shown incredible physical speed. Without using a single spirit ability, he had closed the distance in an instant. He had used blood red spears to trap Li Yi and chains made of energy to drag him into the mist. The battle had ended almost as soon as it started.
The Shrek resting area went completely quiet. Losing two matches was bad enough, but having two Spirit Kings taken out of the entire tournament was a disaster they hadn't prepared for.
Just then, Han Ruoruo stood up. Her face was set in a determined expression.
Teacher, let me go out for the next round.
The teacher looked at her, feeling conflicted. You're a control system Spirit Master, Ruoruo. Your skills are amazing, but this opponent's ability seems to counter everything we do.
I'm going out there to test him, Han Ruoruo said calmly. We need to know the limits of his power. If we don't figure out how it works now, we'll lose the two-on-two and the team battles later. Don't worry, I'll be careful. If I see that I can't win, I'll surrender immediately so I don't get my spirit power blocked like the others.
The Team Leader Teacher looked into her eyes and saw her resolve. He looked at the rest of the team, who were looking discouraged, and finally sighed.
Alright. Just be careful, he said.
Han Ruoruo nodded and walked toward the stage with a steady gaze, ready to face the monster from the Sun Moon Academy.