Emperor Xue Ye, seated in the spectator stands, slowly released his grip on the throne's armrest. He could not suppress the smile that spread across his lips. Standing beside him, Platinum Bishop Salas of the Spirit Hall wore a face so gloomy that water droplets might have fallen from it. He had never imagined that this suddenly appearing Soul Elder could possess such overwhelming power. What a catastrophic blunder!
Beside him, Ning Fengzhi's lips twitched slightly. His expression was grave, as though he were confirming something he could scarcely believe.
On the stage, Jin Feng—who had originally possessed a sturdy build—had grown roughly fifty centimeters taller. His shoulders had doubled in width. His hands were now thick and powerful, knuckles prominent. Beneath his dense golden fur coiled dragon-like muscles, making him resemble a massive dark-golden bear standing upright. Every breath he drew released a deep, rumbling roar. The arena floor trembled beneath his feet, and a violent aura surged outward to engulf the entire venue.
"Lin Yang."
Jin Feng's voice emerged like a low growl, echoing across the arena. His gaze toward Lin Yang had changed completely.
"I admit I underestimated you… but I cannot lose!"
Lin Yang gave a light chuckle. "I feel exactly the same."
Bang!
Jin Feng slammed his right foot into the ground. The entire arena shuddered. His first and second soul rings flashed brilliantly.
"Second Soul Skill—Dark Gold Armor!"
"First Soul Skill—Dark Gold Charge!"
He shot forward like a colossal cannonball. His speed far exceeded anything one would expect from a bear-type martial soul.
Lin Yang simply sidestepped, his foot brushing the ground with feather-light grace, easily evading the charge.
Boom!
A golden gale exploded outward, pulverizing the arena's stone slabs. Shards flew in every direction, carving a crater half a meter deep.
"Third Soul Skill—Earth-Shaking Roar!"
Jin Feng opened his maw and unleashed an ear-splitting roar. Visible sound waves rippled outward at terrifying speed, violently shaking the entire stadium.
At that instant Lin Yang felt the impact. Hidden within the sonic assault was a mental attack as well. Yet this level of assault was utterly ineffective against him.
Clang!
With a low growl, the long sword left its sheath.
Lin Yang swung downward. A condensed blade of light sliced cleanly through the sound waves and streaked straight toward Jin Feng.
Jin Feng's eyes widened. The mental attack had failed? A ruthless glint flashed in his gaze. He made no attempt to dodge. His black-gold armor boosted both defense and attack by fifty percent, and the black-gold bear was inherently formidable in defense. He was confident he could endure the strike.
Swoosh!
Blood sprayed. A deep, bloody gash opened across Jin Feng's chest; bright crimson trickled down his fur.
He endured the pain, threw his head back, and laughed uproariously before slamming his thick arm into the ground with tremendous force.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Shatter the Earth and Collapse the Mountains!"
The entire arena detonated. Debris exploded outward. Countless cracks spider-webbed across the floor. A terrifying shockwave erupted from below, threatening to hurl Lin Yang skyward.
It was a pursuit-type control skill reminiscent of Ma Hongjun's "Phoenix Roar One Strike."
What happened next, however, was something Jin Feng could never have predicted.
Lin Yang stamped the ground once, hard. The volcanic shockwave vanished instantly. The trembling arena fell deathly silent.
A failure?
Jin Feng's face twisted. He stared at Lin Yang with eyes full of abject terror.
He destroyed my fourth soul skill with a single kick?
It would be inaccurate to say the skill had been smashed to pieces—the energy convergence node had simply been too obvious.
Under the light of Clear World, Lin Yang had instantly perceived the flaw.
Once the energy convergence node is destroyed, no matter how powerful the soul skill, it becomes meaningless.
Lin Yang looked at Jin Feng and spoke calmly. "Any other trump cards?"
Jin Feng ground his teeth and suddenly leapt upward. The black soul ring on his body erupted with a deep, sinister glow.
"Fifth Soul Skill—Dark Gold Meteor!"
He clapped his hands together. Countless dark-golden lights gathered in his palms, condensing into a meteor-like phantom. He thrust both hands downward. A meteor illusion carrying earth-shaking power roared toward Lin Yang.
This was his strongest killing technique. To unleash its full destructive potential it should have been combined with the restriction effect of his fourth soul skill.
Yet Lin Yang did not dodge. He raised his sword. The blade flashed as he executed two swift slashes.
Sun Breathing, Twelfth Form—Flame Dance!
There was no cataclysmic explosion—only a cross-shaped crimson light blade that sliced through the dark-golden meteor as effortlessly as a hot knife through butter.
Then—cracks spider-webbed across the meteor.
It neither vanished nor detonated. It simply split cleanly into four pieces, like a watermelon neatly quartered.
The shattered fragments streaked past Lin Yang and slammed into the already ruined stage, carving four fresh craters.
Jin Feng remained frozen in his downward-striking pose. When he finally landed he looked up at Lin Yang with a complicated expression.
"How much power did you actually use?"
Lin Yang sheathed his sword and regarded him calmly. "Guess."
Jin Feng was silent for a long moment. The fury on his face gradually faded into a bitter smile.
"I surrender."
The words left his lips. He turned and descended the stairs, his retreating figure somewhat disheveled.
No one paid him any further attention.
The instant Jin Feng admitted defeat, the entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers and applause.
In the stands Xiao Wu leapt to her feet, fist thrust skyward. "We won!"
Dugu Yan smiled faintly. "Isn't that exactly what I'm supposed to do?"
Ye Lingling said nothing, her gaze fixed on Lin Yang for a long, silent moment…
On the highest platform Emperor Xue Ye rose slowly and clapped with powerful force.
Ning Fengzhi also stood, eyes locked on Lin Yang, filled with astonishment.
Only Platinum Bishop Salas cast Lin Yang a venomous glance, snorted coldly, and turned away.
Before the entire audience Emperor Xue Ye proclaimed the final result in a ringing voice:
"I hereby declare that in the final round of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Team One of Heaven Dou Royal Academy is victorious!"
The crowd roared with applause and cheers.
The referee's voice boomed across the arena.
"Would the representative of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team please step forward to receive the championship prize!"
All seven original members of the Heaven Dou team turned as one toward Lin Yang.
"Captain Lin, please go up. This honor belongs to you and you alone!"
Zhao Yu's tone was completely sincere; he had been thoroughly convinced.
Without Lin Yang they would never have stood here today.
The others nodded in agreement.
They coveted the soul bone, yet they also understood there were things they could never touch.
Lin Yang did not stand on ceremony. He walked straight to Emperor Xue Ye and bowed lightly.
"Your Majesty, greetings."
Emperor Xue Ye personally handed him the tray bearing the soul bone, his voice calm and gentle.
"Lin Yang, you are worthy of it."
"Your Majesty, I am honored by your praise."
"Rest assured—the Empire never forgets the contributions of others. They will receive the rewards they deserve."
Lin Yang's heart stirred. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
...