The afternoon sun hung high in the sky, its light dazzling.
Four figures arrived together at the academy's training ground.
"I'll act as the referee and ensure both of your safety," the Nuoding Dean said with a smile as he looked at the two students facing each other.
"Fight with full strength—don't worry about hurting one another."
"Tang San," Tang San said calmly as he stepped forward and bowed.
"Spirit: Blue Silver Grass. Rank 20 Spirit Master."
He raised his left hand, and a faint blue glow flickered as strands of Blue Silver Grass emerged.
"Bai Mu," Bai Mu returned the bow.
"Spirit: Zygarde. Rank 10 Spirit Scholar."
"Woof~"
Zygarde stepped forward, lowering its body slightly as it fixed Tang San with a fierce, predatory gaze.
"You go first," Tang San said indifferently.
As a genius Spirit Scholar who possessed the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, Tang San had his own pride.
Rank 20 versus Rank 10—the advantage is mine.
Hearing this, Bai Mu's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Then… I'll take you up on that."
The moment he finished speaking, Bai Mu retreated instead of advancing, rapidly widening the distance between himself and Tang San.
"Roar~!"
At the same time, Zygarde opened its jaws, releasing a Dragon Breath infused with overwhelming dragon might.
A green beam shot through the air, streaking straight toward Tang San's head!
"No spirit ring, yet it can use Spirit Abilities?!"
Tang San was shocked. Without hesitation, he activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and dodged.
Whoosh!
The Dragon Breath brushed past his clothes, scorching heat washing over him.
Boom!
The attack missed and blasted a deep crater into the ground.
"So powerful!"
With just one glance, Tang San's expression turned serious, all earlier disdain vanishing instantly.
He could tell—this Dragon Breath was no weaker than a hundred-year Spirit Ability!
"Don't underestimate Zygarde," Bai Mu reminded him calmly.
"It knows more than one move."
Then his tone turned cold.
"Use Bite."
Zygarde lunged forward like a bolt of green lightning.
In the blink of an eye, it was in front of Tang San, jaws wide open, sharp fangs wrapped in dark energy as it snapped toward his neck!
Even the Dean watching from the sidelines tensed, instinctively summoning his own spirit, ready to intervene at any moment.
So fast!
Tang San's thoughts raced. At some point, his eyes had already taken on a faint purple hue.
With the enhanced perception of Purple Demon Eye, he barely managed to capture Zygarde's movements.
He immediately activated Mysterious Jade Hand and Controlling Crane Catching Dragon at full strength.
"Woof?"
Just as Zygarde was about to bite down, a powerful pulling force came from Tang San's hand, forcibly twisting its head aside.
The bite missed completely.
"Blue Silver Grass Bind!"
Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Tang San retreated instantly.
With a flick of his hand, Blue Silver Grass shot out and wrapped around Zygarde like living chains.
"Dragon Breath!"
Zygarde showed no fear, opening its mouth to counterattack.
In an instant, the incoming Blue Silver Grass shattered into fragments.
Yet the Dragon Breath still carried residual power and continued flying toward Tang San.
"Blue Silver Grass Bind!"
Tang San lashed out again, using the grass like a blade to finally disperse the remaining energy.
Looking at the scattered grass fragments, his expression turned complicated.
His first Spirit Ability—nearly at its maximum year limit—was actually inferior to a natural ability of a Rank 10 opponent's spirit?
Whoosh—
A sudden gust of wind followed as Zygarde charged again.
Tang San dodged swiftly, but Zygarde pressed the attack relentlessly, giving him no breathing room.
"How is this possible?"
Outside the field, Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists, his face darkening by the second.
He couldn't understand it.
Why could Zygarde, also an external spirit, use Spirit Abilities without any spirit rings?
"Such powerful abilities must consume enormous spirit power… it can't keep this up!"
Just as he tried to comfort himself, the situation on the field grew even worse.
Under Zygarde's relentless combination of Bite and Dragon Breath, Tang San was driven back again and again, looking increasingly disheveled.
One move followed another—there was no sign of exhaustion at all.
"How is this possible?!"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened in disbelief.
Both were external spirits.
His own Luo San Pao could only attack three times a day and needed radishes just to fart.
Yet Zygarde showed no restrictions whatsoever.
Was this fair?
Tang San, locked in fierce combat, had no time to care about that.
"Now—Blue Silver Grass Bind!"
After dodging another attack, Tang San slammed his palm into the ground.
The broken strands of Blue Silver Grass scattered around the field suddenly revived, growing wildly under his control and wrapping around Zygarde from all directions.
"It's over!"
In Tang San's eyes, Zygarde—caught in the trap—had nowhere to escape.
But what he didn't realize was that everything had already been seen clearly by Bai Mu.
"Jump. Dragon Breath."
Bai Mu's voice echoed directly in Zygarde's mind.
"Roar~!"
Zygarde leapt more than ten meters into the air, cleanly evading the binding grass, and fired another Dragon Breath midair.
Tang San hurriedly dodged once again.
"They can communicate mentally?"
"I can't fight head-on anymore!"
Tang San's thoughts raced. His gaze bypassed Zygarde and locked onto Bai Mu.
Against a Spirit Master with a detached spirit, attacking the main body was often the most effective strategy.
Without hesitation, he fully unleashed Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, slipping past Zygarde like a phantom and charging straight at Bai Mu.
Mysterious Jade Hand was ready—he was confident he could decide the battle in a single move.
"So you're finally coming?"
Bai Mu smiled faintly and turned to run.
"Little Soft—Heavy Stomp!"
"Roar~!"
Zygarde raised its leg and stomped down hard.
Boom!
A dull tremor echoed as strange shockwaves spread rapidly outward, catching up to Tang San's steps.
"A hidden ability too?!"
Tang San was startled and tried to dodge using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
He succeeded—but only partially.
Though he avoided the main impact, the shockwave numbed his legs, making it difficult to circulate his footwork.
His speed dropped sharply!
Even so, he refused to give up and continued chasing Bai Mu.
"Heavy Stomp!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three consecutive stomps landed, overlapping shockwaves kicking up dust across the entire training ground.
"I can't dodge this…"
Gritting his teeth, Tang San used Blue Silver Grass Bind on the ground, launching himself into the air to avoid the attack.
"Good reaction," Bai Mu praised, his gaze sharpening instantly.
"Dragon Breath!"
Whoosh!
The green beam tore through the air, heading straight for Tang San's back.
"—!"
Alarms blared in Tang San's mind.
He weakened the attack with Blue Silver Grass Bind, then fully activated Mysterious Jade Hand, slamming his palm backward.
BOOM—!
The explosion sent Tang San flying, and he crashed onto the ground in a sorry state.
"It seems I've won."
Bai Mu walked over, smiling casually, without a hint of guard.
"No… not yet…"
Tang San's eyes flickered as Bai Mu approached. His body suddenly tensed—
"Tang San," Bai Mu said calmly,
"Do you still want to continue?"
Bai Mu didn't dodge. His smile never faded.
Because—
"…."
Tang San froze.
After two seconds of silence, he slowly clasped his hands.
"I lost."
"Thank you for the match."
Bai Mu grinned.
"Come back, Little Soft."
"Hmph~"
Zygarde withdrew its mouth from Tang San's neck and returned to Bai Mu's side with steady, confident steps.
The entire training ground fell into silence.