On the field, Nan Fusheng and Zhao Xiao stood facing each other.
Zhao Xiao glared, let out a loud shout, and activated his martial soul. A white soul ring rose beneath his feet and glowed brightly, spiraling upward along his body. At the same time, his physique began to bulk up, especially his head, which sprouted a pair of curled horns.
This was his martial soul: Mountain Goat.
A small white goat also appeared on his shoulder—his ten-year soul spirit.
First Soul Skill: Fearless Charge!
Zhao Xiao charged toward Nan Fusheng in heavy strides, each step thudding against the ground like a drum. With his stocky frame and fierce momentum, the pressure was quite intimidating.
Nan Fusheng, however, moved with unhurried calm. He summoned his martial soul: Worm of Time. A soft milky-white halo emerged around him, and a white soul ring appeared at his feet.
First Soul Skill (Modified): Steal.
As Zhao Xiao charged straight at Nan Fusheng, his vision suddenly blacked out. In the next instant, he completely lost consciousness and collapsed forward, his body freezing mid-motion and toppling over onto the ground.
Zhao Xiao's strange condition caused a stir among the surrounding students. Even Wu Zhangkong's eyes showed a flicker of surprise.
Five or six seconds passed like that. Nan Fusheng calmly walked up to Zhao Xiao, who still hadn't gotten up. Only then did Wu Zhangkong announce:
"Zhao Xiao, eliminated."
As the words fell, Zhao Xiao groggily came to. Nan Fusheng reached out a hand and helped him up.
"That was an intense battle," Nan Fusheng said warmly. "Honestly, I barely scraped out a win."
Zhao Xiao blinked in confusion.
Battle? We fought? What win? What is he even talking about...?
He looked baffled.
"Those who've already finished, step off the field. Second match, you and you—up next."
Wu Zhangkong, of course, had no intention of indulging Zhao Xiao's confusion. He simply moved on, announcing the next match.
Still, he didn't reprimand Zhao Xiao. After all, even he couldn't fully understand the mechanics of Nan Fusheng's soul skill. He didn't say it aloud, but with more matches ahead, he was confident he'd eventually figure it out.
In the second round, Nan Fusheng's opponent collapsed to the ground inexplicably just as he was about to launch his attack post-spirit possession.
Tang Wulin and Xie Xie also won their respective battles, leaving just five students remaining by the end of round two.
"Nan Fusheng. Han Lan. You two—up next."
In round three, Nan Fusheng faced off against a chubby little girl. She looked a bit silly and slow, but Nan Fusheng remembered her well, not because of her appearance, but because of her martial soul.
Han Lan possessed a Soil Elemental martial soul—an excellent and versatile element. She had Rank 13 soul power, and by all logic, she shouldn't have been assigned to Class Five at all.
She was always smiling, her expression perpetually gentle and amicable.
"Begin!"
With Wu Zhangkong's announcement, the third round began.
Han Lan's white soul ring flashed, and a clump of earth-like soul energy emerged at her shoulder—her soul spirit. Without hesitation, she thrust her hands toward Nan Fusheng.
A circular ring of yellow light appeared at Nan Fusheng's feet, and in the next instant, multiple stone pillars erupted from the ground, forming a solid cage that enclosed him completely.
At the same time, Han Lan rapidly retreated. Nan Fusheng's previous two battles had left a strong impression on her—no, not just on her, but on the entire class.
Even Xie Xie, who had the highest soul power among them, had fought in a way everyone could understand. But Nan Fusheng? His opponents just dropped unconscious halfway through their attacks. It was too strange—too unsettling.
So Han Lan opted for caution. She'd trap him from a distance and stay as far away as possible. No matter how bizarre his soul skill was, he couldn't reach her from within the cage. And if she could hold him in place for ten seconds, she'd win.
The stone pillars arched and sealed shut above, forming a fully enclosed stone prison.
Han Lan had won her first two rounds using this exact method. As a control-type soil-element user, her first soul skill—despite being a ten-year one—was extremely effective for restricting movement.
But being a ten-year skill came with limitations. After using it once, Han Lan couldn't recast it for at least twenty seconds.
In real combat, she'd essentially only have one shot.
Once the cage was sealed, Wu Zhangkong began counting down. His rule was clear: trapped by a control-type for ten seconds was equivalent to death in a real fight.
"Ten..."
As he began the countdown, a familiar feeling of anticipation spread through the crowd.
Han Lan had won her first match like this. In her second match, her opponent had tried to escape the moment the cage formed, but the stone pillars were too fast. One foot barely crossed the edge before being launched into the air like a ragdoll. If Wu Zhangkong hadn't caught the student midair, there would've been serious injuries.
"Nine... Eight... Se—"
Before Wu Zhangkong could finish calling out "Seven," Han Lan abruptly collapsed mid-retreat.
The classroom was stunned. Meanwhile, inside the stone cage, thuds echoed repeatedly—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With soul power infused into his fists, Nan Fusheng smashed the stone pillars one by one, breaking free from the trap.
He calmly stepped out of the crumbled prison just as Han Lan lay face down on the ground.
Only then did Wu Zhangkong speak:
"Han Lan, eliminated."
It's not a spiritual-type ability… but when he was trapped inside, I sensed a small wave of mental energy...
Is he using it to lock on to targets?
Wu Zhangkong frowned slightly but kept his thoughts to himself.
Tang Wulin, unsurprisingly, had once again won his match.
Xie Xie, having no opponent in this round, received a bye.
That left only three students remaining.
Everyone turned toward Wu Zhangkong, curious how he would handle the final round.
He paused to consider, then said:
"Tang Wulin. Nan Fusheng. You two will face each other. Winner fights Xie Xie."
A subtle smugness appeared on Xie Xie's face. He looked at Tang Wulin with thinly veiled pride, as if to say, See? The teacher values me the most.
But Tang Wulin didn't even glance at him. Instead, he quietly stepped back onto the field.
Come to think of it, this will be our first time fighting each other, Nan Fusheng said with a light chuckle.
Yeah. That's why I hope you'll give it your all, Tang Wulin replied, voice serious and steady.
Begin!
With Wu Zhangkong's cold declaration, the fourth round's only battle commenced.