The six students of Spirit Hall Academy stepped into the arena like emotionless war machines, forming a straight line.
Their faces were blank, their gazes cold as they stared at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy team.
The stench of blood and killing intent rolled from them like a tangible wave, crashing into the arena and suffocating all who felt it.
The murderous aura was so intense that even Bibi Dong's expression shifted slightly. She straightened in her seat, her sharp eyes fixed on the six figures.
Though she had prepared herself mentally, she had never expected these six to appear in such a state. Their killing aura rivaled that of Evil Soul Masters and battle-hardened veterans who had fought for years on bloody battlefields.
And yet—these were merely academy students. Young talents who had scarcely killed, who had only trained for a short time under Lin Fan's personal guidance. Somehow, that brief tutelage had completely remade them, as if they had shed their old selves and been reborn from fire and blood.
Across the viewing stands, the sect masters of the great clans, the emperors of the two empires, and even the honored elders of Spirit Hall sat upright, their eyes flashing with shock.
They exchanged glances, only to see the same expression of disbelief reflected back at them.
On the battlefield, the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's team froze in place. Wide-eyed, they stared at the six from Spirit Hall Academy, unable to decide whether to advance or retreat.
Flender shook his head and sighed softly.
"It's already over. They're not just high-level soul masters with exceptional talent… the most terrifying thing is that they carry killing intent."
"Killing intent?" Ma Hongjun asked blankly. "But aren't they just academy students? Where would they get that?"
Flender pushed up his glasses, his voice heavy.
"It means they're not just for show. They've likely been through real slaughter. The Heaven Dou Academy students… not one of them can stand against even a single one from Spirit Hall Academy."
Dai Mubai clenched his fists, unwilling to accept it. "Is the gap really that big?"
"Among soul masters, even a single level difference is fatal. Right now, the gap isn't just difference—it's absolute suppression."
Silence fell among the Shrek group as they turned back to the field. This battle mattered greatly, for even if Spirit Hall revealed only a fraction of their strength, it would be enough to leave the world shaken.
On the stage, Yu Tianheng swallowed hard, staring at the six cold-faced opponents before him.
Monsters… he cursed inwardly.
As captain, Yu Tianheng felt an enormous pressure bearing down on him. But this match could not be abandoned. He represented not only Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, but also the pride of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
If he surrendered here, it would disgrace the entire clan.
A faint image crossed his mind—Dugu Yan. She had been suddenly summoned back by her grandfather and had not appeared since. If she were here, perhaps his performance would be stronger…
But there was no time for such thoughts.
Yu Tianheng shook his head, drew in a deep breath, and barked:
"Unleash your spirits! Prepare for battle!"
"Yes!"
Four spirit rings rose from behind him—yellow, yellow, purple, purple.
The phantom of a tyrant dragon roared into the sky, releasing an invisible might that swept across the arena.
Seeing their captain reveal his spirit, the other team members steadied their nerves and revealed their own. Soul rings of all colors filled the stage.
With a loud shout, Yu Tianheng's clothes tore around his arms as jagged dragon scales burst forth, transforming his limbs into those of a Tyrant Dragon.
"Wooah!"
The crowd gasped.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was hailed as the strongest beast spirit in the world. Once possessed, its destructive power was unrivaled. For Yu Tianheng to already achieve partial Spirit Possession before reaching the Spirit Avatar realm demonstrated his frightening talent.
Yet his face was grim, for the six of Spirit Hall had not moved an inch.
At last, Xie Yue raised his head. His crimson eyes gleamed with mocking amusement. With just a glance, Yu Tianheng's spirit quivered, his mind shaken.
"You go. Play with them."
Xie Yue tilted his head casually.
Li Kai answered and stepped forward, standing opposite Heaven Dou Academy.
Buzz—
Six spirit rings rose behind him.
Yellow, yellow, black, black, black, black!
Four jet-black ten-thousand-year spirit rings glowed ominously, casting a shadow over the entire arena. The air seemed to freeze beneath their deathly brilliance.
Crack!
The glasses in Flender's hand shattered to pieces. His jaw hung open, his eyes filled with horror, confusion, and fear.
He turned his gaze toward Tang San, whose expression darkened with bitterness.
Tang San drew a deep breath, exhaling slowly, his chest heavy.
He had once believed himself a supreme genius, his fourth ring already a black ten-thousand-year spirit ring. But here, a random student from Spirit Hall Academy casually revealed four such rings…
Four!
Tang San could scarcely imagine what kind of monsters they would become once they reached the Title Douluo realm. Ten-thousand-year rings? Perhaps even hundred-thousand-year rings would not be out of reach.
Yu Xiaogang's lips trembled uncontrollably. His lifelong pride—theories he had built his identity upon—were crumbling before his very eyes. Every principle he had believed in was torn apart and left in ruins.
In that moment, his so-called "Grandmaster's theory" felt like nothing but shattered fragments stabbing into his heart.
Bibi Dong's grip tightened on the armrest of her seat, the wood creaking under her hand. Her breathing quickened.
"It's real…" she whispered.
Lin Fan had demonstrated once before, but only now, seeing it with her own eyes, did the truth weigh upon her completely.
Plans she had buried deep in her heart resurfaced in a storm of possibilities.
Across the stands, every leader sat in stunned silence. Their shock had shifted into fear—and fear into dread.
Forces unfriendly to Spirit Hall looked at Bibi Dong with open hostility.
Peace between factions had always been fragile, but if Spirit Hall grew into such a monstrous existence, no one would allow them to dominate unchecked.
One power towering over all others was something the world could never tolerate.
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