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"Yes," the three education committee members replied together as Emperor Xue Ye gave his orders.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted among the Shrek Academy team. After the incident two days ago, they hadn't faced any troubles and their opponent was just a slightly tougher team than Blue Tyrant Academy. Victory came easily, but no one felt like celebrating.
"That woman's strength has reached such a level," Dai Mubai said, his eyes red with frustration. He had assumed Zhu Zhuqing only outmatched him in soul power, and that he'd still win in a straight fight. But after watching her today, it was like seeing Ning Tian all over again. She had perfected her first two soul skills, weaving them into her normal attacks. With Nether Thrust, she darted around at high speed, bending her path mid-motion. Even without her soul rings, she unleashed claw strikes like Nether Hundred Claws. It was a sight to behold.
"Boss Dai, if you fought her, could you win?" Ma Hongjun asked, swallowing hard. The mess two days ago had shaken him, and now he regretted siding with Tang San. If he'd stuck with Ning Tian, he might already be a Spirit Ancestor.
"She's just got more soul power than me," Dai Mubai shot back. "No matter how strong she is, she's still an agility-attack type. If she can't break through my White Tiger Vajra Transformation, I'll come out on top. If we fight, I'll make her regret it forever." Even now, he refused to admit defeat.
.......
Over in the Cang Hui Academy rest area, the team in their moon-white uniforms looked grim. They couldn't believe how powerful the two Heaven Dou Imperial Academy teams were. The New Heaven Dou Battle Team was no surprise, it was the main squad, after all. But Shrek, a team nearly kicked out and mocked, was just as fierce. Cang Hui wasn't even sure they'd reach the promotion round or finals. Their only hope was their Spirit Saint teacher Shi Nian and his Seven-in-One Fusion Skill. Without it, they'd be finished.
Losing was bad enough, but the thought of being crushed and humiliated like Blue Tyrant Academy stung worse. They already had a grudge with Shrek, and an even bigger one with the New Heaven Dou Battle Team.
A student close to Shi Nian glanced at him, worry in his voice. "Teacher, what do we do?"
Shi Nian stood with his hands behind his back, eyeing his team. "Don't bother with the New Heaven Dou Battle Team for now. If we face them, just forfeit. As for Shrek, I'll take care of it."
He didn't believe Shrek's members would always stay together. The New Heaven Dou Battle Team, though, had backgrounds too daunting to challenge. He'd wait and see.
...…..
At the same time, Ning Tian cast a quick glance at Shi Nian, plotting how to claim the soul bone he carried. Days passed with Shi Nian lurking, looking for an opening. Thanks to Ning Tian's earlier warning, Shrek's team stuck together, leaving Shi Nian no chance to strike. Ning Tian, however, made a point of leaving the Great Spirit Arena half an hour early each day after training, dangling himself as bait.
Shi Nian nearly took the hook several times. When nothing happened, Ning Tian wondered if he should send Jiansheng after him instead. That Illusion Head Soul Bone on Shi Nian was meant for Ning Rongrong, after all.
...….
One day, after training, Ning Tian left the Great Spirit Arena half an hour early as usual. Walking toward his quarters, he felt a chill despite the bright morning sun. His steps slowed, a spark of excitement flickering inside. 'Finally here, Shi Nian,' he thought.
Acting unaware, he kept going until he was sure he'd left Heaven Dou City behind. Then he stopped.
"Show yourself. No need to hide around."
As he spoke, the world shifted. The street faded, shrouded in a thin mist, and the city's usual clamor went silent. A figure in a moon-white robe emerged ten meters ahead: Shi Nian.
"Worthy of the youngest Spirit Ancestor in Spirit Master history," Shi Nian said. "You have sharp senses, but you're still dead."
Ning Tian stayed calm. "All this for a spot in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament?"
As he spoke, he summoned his Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword. His second soul ring glowed, wrapping him in a sword shield laced with Evil-Warding Divine Lightning. His Purple Demon Eyes flicked on, scanning the scene.
Shi Nian snorted. "That's right. Blame yourself for being too talented and too reckless. Shrek was my target, but even those fools know to travel in packs. You, though…you've been wide open. It's your own bad luck."
"There's more to it," Ning Tian said, pointing at him. "Your excitement betrays you."
In Ning Tian's sight, Shi Nian's face twisted into a strange, eager grin.
Shi Nian laughed. "You've caught on, have you? Fine. It's not just about the tournament. My greatest joy is watching my enemies lose their minds in my Nightmare Spirit until they die. Seeing the most gifted young Spirit Master fall before me has me thrilled beyond words. But don't worry, as a special favor, I'll—"
Before he could finish, Ning Tian's sword flew from his hand, reaching Shi Nian's chest in a blink. It passed through without a trace of blood, vanishing as if it had never been there.
Ning Tian gave a faint smile.
Shi Nian flinched at the speed but quickly recovered. "What was that? A self-made soul skill? Close call. If I'd been careless, you might've had me. But in my Nightmare Spirit, I'm in control. Even a Spirit Saint like me couldn't break free, let alone you."
"We'll see," Ning Tian replied. His fourth soul ring flared.
A sharp crack split the air. The Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword that had pierced Shi Nian burst with pale golden lightning, spreading outward from its core.
...…..
"Damn it!" In the real world, Shi Nian jolted back, retreating fast. He'd seen Ning Tian's ten-thousand-year soul skill before, its power was terrifying. As a mental-type Spirit Saint, he knew his defenses couldn't compare to the Elephant Armor Academy's brutes. As long as he stayed out of the lightning's ten-meter range, he'd be fine.
"Can you get away?" Ning Tian's purple-tinged eyes locked onto Shi Nian's real form. Four golden-green lights shot toward him.
Caught mid-air, Shi Nian flinched again. But he was a Spirit Saint; steadying himself, he twisted aside, dodging the flying swords with quick footwork.
He didn't know Ning Tian's swords were guided by mental power. The four Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords curved in mid-flight, striking from all sides. Shi Nian saw the lights closing in. He dodged one from the front, but the other three hit, pinning him where he stood.
He stared at the swords lodged in him, identical to the one Ning Tian had thrown, each crackling with pale golden lightning.
"One last thing," Ning Tian said. "You didn't target me, I targeted you. Or rather, your Illusion Head Soul Bone."
He snapped his fingers.
"No, don't!" Shi Nian, frozen by the lightning, could only watch in panic as the swords' arcs linked up, blasting him apart. Nothing remained but his soul tool and a colorful head soul bone.
The five swords, including the one from his fourth soul skill, shrank back into tiny green lights and returned to Ning Tian's body.
Without a second glance, he tucked the Illusion Head Soul Bone into his own storage soul tool. Then he checked Shi Nian's soul tool; a ring, easy to carry and found a manual for the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill inside.
"Shi Nian was clever enough," Ning Tian muttered, pocketing the manual and ring. "But he didn't know playing with fire gets you burned."
With Shi Nian gone, the illusion faded, revealing a quiet forest. He glanced around, saw no one, and headed back.
The forest wasn't far from the city. Soon, the towering gates came into view, guarded by over a hundred Heaven Dou Imperial Knights in full armor. They were there to keep out invaders and beggars.
As Ning Tian approached, a shrill, eager voice called out, "Ning Tian!"
He turned. A ragged, bony old beggar, covered in grime, stumbled toward him: Yu Xiaogang.
The knights blocked his path. "Stop! Beggars and dogs aren't allowed in. Step closer, and you're dead."
"I've told you a hundred times, I'm not a beggar!" Yu Xiaogang snapped. "I'm a teacher at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, the deputy leader of the team; Master Yu Xiaogang. That student there can prove it!" He pointed at Ning Tian. "Ning Tian, tell them!"
He'd been through hell. Ambushed at the border, his soul power ruined, his soul tool stolen, his body mutilated. On the way back, thugs took his clothes. Weak and starving, he'd begged his way here, suffering every step. When he finally reached Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, they threw him out as a fraud. He learned it was the opening day of the Spirit Master Tournament and came to the gates, hoping to find Flender and the others. But the knights turned him away, leaving him to sleep among filthy beggars.
Spotting Ning Tian was a lifeline. He'd tried following him out of the city earlier but was too frail to keep up. Now, with Ning Tian back, he clung to hope.
"Sir Spirit Master, do you know him?" a knight asked, noting the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy emblem on Ning Tian's uniform.
"Who are you?" Ning Tian asked, tilting his head as if unsure.
Yu Xiaogang looked nothing like before. Dirty and worn, he'd aged drastically with wrinkles creasing his face, white streaked his hair, and starvation had left him skeletal. Even a friend would struggle to recognize him.
"It's me, Master Yu Xiaogang, Tang San's teacher!" he said, his voice weak yet desperate. "You remember, Ning Tian, I taught you for three months at Shrek Academy!"
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