Li Luo dropped to one knee, cold sweat instantly seeping from his forehead. The tearing pain in his spiritual sea made his entire body tremble uncontrollably. But Huo Yuhao's attack did not stop there; another formless, immaterial Spiritual Lash struck through the air. Only this time, his target was not his opponent.
Du Qingyuan, who was currently fighting Shao Feng and Ren Xingchi, suddenly felt his body shake. A burning sense of excitement surged from the depths of his mind, instantly flowing through his limbs and bones, making his entire being seem to boil instantly. The circulation of spirit power suddenly accelerated, his five senses became exceptionally sharp, and his speed and strength also saw a noticeable increase!
This was the supporting effect of Huo Yuhao's first Spirit Ability. Although he could defeat his opponents one-on-four, Huo Yuhao chose not to hog the glory and attack alone, but instead chose to assist Du Qingyuan. Almost simultaneously, the second black spirit ring beneath Huo Yuhao's feet flickered with faint light. Two invisible Mental Tendrils, like spiritual snakes emerging from a cave, silently wrapped around the bodies of Shao Feng and Ren Xingchi.
The two men's bodies suddenly froze, alarm bells rang in their hearts, and their movements became inexplicably sluggish and heavy, as if they had sunk into an invisible swamp. The light in Du Qingyuan's ice-blue pupils flared; this was an opportunity not to be missed! His third spirit ring lit up, and the two snow-white long tails behind him suddenly extended, turning into two long whips that tore through the air and lashed out!
Shao Feng gritted his teeth and urged his spirit power, wanting to use his third Spirit Ability, Shield Shadow Clone, to block Du Qingyuan's attack. But he then discovered in horror that although his spirit power was surging through his meridians, his third Spirit Ability seemed to be firmly stuck by some invisible object, and he couldn't release it no matter what! Ren Xingchi on the other side was equally pale; his second Spirit Ability, Vajra's Fury, had also inexplicably failed!
Impossible!
The two looked at each other in terror, their eyes reflecting the Fox Tail Long Whips that were sweeping toward them with destructive force. The culprit behind the failure of Shao Feng and Ren Xingchi's Spirit Abilities was naturally Huo Yuhao. His second Spirit Ability, Evil Touch: Spirit Binding, besides being able to greatly delay the opponent's actions, also had another extremely powerful control effect. That is, as long as the target is hit by this Spirit Ability, one of their Spirit Abilities will be randomly sealed.
The duration of the seal depends on the difference in mental force between the two parties. With Huo Yuhao's current Spirit Sea Realm mental force, he should be able to seal their Spirit Abilities for a maximum of six seconds! From the moment Li Luo was defeated by Huo Yuhao to the two attacks launched by Du Qingyuan under the enhancement, everything happened in a flash.
As a result, the last person in the four-person team, who had remained outside the battle circle and hadn't made a move, also didn't have time to react. Shao Feng and Ren Xingchi watched helplessly as the two long whips tore through the air toward them. With their intended Spirit Abilities sealed, it was too late to change their moves in haste. However, just as the Fox Tail Long Whips were about to tear through their defenses, a translucent Glazed Wall appeared out of thin air without warning!
Bang!!
The long whips struck fiercely against the surface of the Glazed Wall, which shimmered with light, yet not a single crack appeared. Du Qingyuan's pupils contracted. His gaze swept around like lightning, and he shouted sternly, "Who is it?!"
Huo Yuhao's gaze turned toward the depths of the alley. A hundred meters away, a figure slowly appeared in his line of sight. This person's figure appeared little by little, as if being drawn out bit by bit by a paintbrush. Clearly, the opponent had previously been in some kind of stealth state. If Huo Yuhao's Mental Detection hadn't swept over, it would likely have been difficult to notice his existence.
It was a man who looked about thirty years old, dressed in a plain colored long gown, with a calm demeanor. In one hand, he held a translucent Glazed Lamp, within which pulsed a strange purple-gold flame, faintly flashing with thunderous light as the flame flickered. This was his Spirit—the Thunderflame Glazed Lamp. Beneath the man's feet, seven spirit rings slowly circulated: three purple and four black.
The cultivation of a seven-ring Spirit Saint. That imposing aura was not deliberately released, yet it still quietly spread out like an invisible tide. Du Qingyuan also sensed this person's presence at this moment, and his pupils suddenly contracted. He never expected that a Saint-Grade Spirit Saint expert would be following these four Spirit Elders!
Teacher!
Apart from Li Luo, who was still kneeling, clutching his head and drenched in cold sweat, Shao Feng, Ren Xingchi, and the last person spoke up simultaneously, their respectful tones carrying a hint of relief. The Spirit Saint's figure flickered, and he withdrew his Spirit. Then, with a few nimble flashes, he crossed the hundred-meter distance, silently landing in front of everyone.
He first glanced at Ren Xingchi and the others, his face unreadable, showing neither joy nor anger. Finally, his gaze settled on Huo Yuhao. The younger boy who could so decisively defeat Li Luo was indeed worthy of attention in his heart. The shock in Du Qingyuan's heart upon facing a Spirit Saint had subsided. After all, this place was within the jurisdiction of the Spirit Pagoda, and as the Tower Master's Personal Disciple, he had his own backing.
He stepped forward a few paces to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Huo Yuhao, looked at the Spirit Saint, and asked in a deep voice, "Who is Your Excellency? Are these people your Students?"
"My name is Chen Jin." The Spirit Saint's gaze lightly swept past Du Qingyuan. "They are indeed my Students. I apologize for the trouble caused to the two of you today."
The opponent's understated demeanor caused a surge of anger in Du Qingyuan's heart. But he still maintained restraint, though his voice grew colder: "Your Excellency should be aware of the rule strictly prohibiting private fights around the Spirit Pagoda."
Chen Jin's expression was as calm as ever. He simply said indifferently, "I am a Teacher at Shrek Academy. The four of them are merely completing the Academy's Final Assessment Task on this trip."
Shrek Academy?
Du Qingyuan and Huo Yuhao were both stunned upon hearing this, and they subconsciously exchanged glances. They weren't shocked by these people's identities; after all, they had already guessed as much. What stunned them was: what did being from Shrek have to do with today's incident? Could they ignore the rules established by the Spirit Pagoda simply because they came from Shrek?
Chen Jin's words and attitude truly rearranged Huo Yuhao's perception of Shrek Academy. The people he had met when he previously went to Shrek Academy hadn't seemed this arrogant! Huo Yuhao couldn't help but speak, "Even if it's for an assessment, you shouldn't disregard the rules and attack casually. If casualties occur, who will take responsibility?"
"With me here, naturally nothing will go wrong."
Chen Jin was expressionless, his tone so flat it was almost cold: "Moreover, no trouble has been caused right now. Why are you two Juniors making such a fuss?"
A hint of impatience flashed in his eyes. He had originally valued Huo Yuhao's talent and strength somewhat. But seeing a mere Spirit Elder dare to question him face-to-face, that slight appreciation turned into suppressed anger. To the side, the tearing pain in Li Luo's mind finally began to subside. He gasped heavily, slowly stood up supported by his knees, his fringe soaked with cold sweat and plastered miserably to his face.
He raised his eyes, his gaze complex as it swept over Huo Yuhao. This boy, younger than himself, had shattered his pride as a Shrek student with just one attack.
"Teacher..."
He called out hoarsely, the lingering tremor of pain still in his voice. Chen Jin coldly swept his gaze over his four students, his tone devoid of warmth: "This assessment, all failed. Ten points deducted from each."
As his voice fell, the faces of the four simultaneously turned pale. Shao Feng and Ren Xingchi subconsciously clenched their fists; they had indeed failed. If their teacher hadn't intervened at the end, those two Fox Tail Long Whips would have been enough to severely injure them and knock them down.
"Let's go."
Chen Jin said no more, turning and walking towards the alley entrance: "Your final assessment isn't over yet. It's time to head to the next city."
He was actually planning to take his people and leave immediately. Regarding the conflict that had just occurred within the Spirit Pagoda's jurisdiction, and regarding the unauthorized actions of Li Luo and the others. From beginning to end, he showed no intention of offering a sincere apology. That self-assured attitude made it seem as if Shrek Academy inherently possessed privileges that transcended the rules.
"Senior!"
Du Qingyuan gritted his teeth, couldn't help but step forward, his voice suppressing anger. "To leave just like that, aren't you showing far too little respect for my Spirit Pagoda?"
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