Can't drag this out any longer — end it fast!
Ye Zhiqiu realized these brats weren't as simple as they looked. If he kept playing around, he just might trip and fall into the gutter himself.
His fifth soul ring blazed to life!
Fifth Soul Skill — Xuan Shui Tidal Wave!
BOOM!
A massive surge of black water exploded from Ye Zhiqiu's body, rolling outward in relentless layers, a crushing wave sweeping straight toward Tang San and the others.
"Not good! Dodge!"
The wave was immense, its area of effect far too wide. Tang San's face changed drastically — he hadn't expected this teacher to throw "fair play" out the window and go straight to his ultimate skill. He shouted for Dai Mubai and the others to evade, but the tidal wave was too broad and too fast.
They didn't even have time to move.
BANG!
The once-smug Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun and the others were smashed off their feet by the black wave. Only Zhu Zhuqing, relying on her agility-type speed, barely managed to slip away.
The scene was a wreck.
The black water carried a strange concussive force — when it struck, it rattled their bones and left them limp. The icy yin-cold power in the water seeped in, freezing their limbs solid. One by one, they lay stiffly on the ground, unable to move.
The fight was over.
With no Zhao Wuji to charge in and break things up this time, Tang San's group stood no chance against a Soul King who opened with their ultimate skill. If Tang San had been able to bring his hidden weapons to bear, he might have had a shot — but now, he couldn't even twitch a finger.
Their top fighters — Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun — were down for the count from a single Xuan Shui Tidal Wave.
All that remained were the two support-types, Oscar and Ning Rongrong, along with Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing — neither of whom could hope to breach Ye Zhiqiu's defense.
The outcome was plain.
"Third Brother, are you alright?" Xiao Wu hurried to Tang San's side, seeing him pale and stiff on the ground. The moment her hand touched him, a piercing cold spread up her fingers. She gasped, pulled back, and blurted, "So cold!"
"I'm… fine…" he got out through clenched teeth.
But in his heart, Tang San felt a rare stab of regret. I should've just opened with my hidden weapons. Caught off guard like this, they'd been crushed in a single wave.
Not far away, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun had the same thought. None of them regretted provoking the fight — only underestimating the opponent. Shrek's teaching method really does have issues.
"Well? Do you still want to fight?"
Ye Zhiqiu, seeing the three strongest down and the rest unable to touch him, relaxed slightly — though he kept his soul skill active to guard against any tricks.
"Do you yield? If you do, go bring out your teacher!" Believing the Shrek students likely had some background, Ye Zhiqiu's attitude stayed outwardly civil. Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, on the other hand, were in the wrong from the start — and still managed to be arrogant and provoking.
"Screw you!" Even pinned, Ma Hongjun showed no fear with Yun Chuan as their accompanying teacher. He shot back, "If you know what's good for you, let us go now. When our teacher gets here, you're dead!"
"Still mouthing off on death's door!" Ye Zhiqiu's temper snapped.
"You lot — go give him some proper attention!" he barked to his students.
At that, the Canghui students who'd been beaten earlier eagerly cracked their knuckles, grinning as they closed in on the immobile Fatty.
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, the only ones still standing, naturally stepped forward to block them — and were instantly frozen in place by Ye Zhiqiu's second skill, Xuan Shui Ice Seal.
Now, the only Shrek members still able to move were… Oscar and Ning Rongrong.
"Old turtle! I'm telling you now — release us! You can't afford to cross us!" Dai Mubai, scowling, called out. "If our teacher comes and you're still here, you'll regret it!"
"Your teacher? Heh." Ye Zhiqiu sneered, turning to Oscar and Ning Rongrong. "I'll give you both a chance — go fetch your teacher. I want to see what kind of man could raise students this insolent!"
The two exchanged a look and, without a word, bolted back the way they'd come. At this point, all they could do was "call the parents."
"As for you three…" Ye Zhiqiu looked down at Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun, smirking coldly. "Weren't you cocky just now? Go on, give them a nice warm welcome. Leave the girls alone."
The Canghui students needed no further encouragement. They went at the three prone boys with boots flying — stomps, kicks, and more stomps.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun were punted around like footballs, battered relentlessly. It was a sorry sight.
"Third Brother…" Xiao Wu's eyes blurred with tears. She couldn't do a thing.
Zhu Zhuqing, watching Dai Mubai get worked over, felt an undeniable satisfaction. After all, he'd left her to fend for herself in the perilous Star Luo Empire while he enjoyed a carefree life here. Her resentment had been building for a long time.
Of the three, Fatty suffered worst. His lewd mouthing-off earlier had made him the top target — most of the kicks landed right on his face. His chubby features puffed even larger from the swelling. No one present spared him a single shred of sympathy.
After the flurry of boots, the trio were a mess from head to toe; their faces were covered in shoeprints, noses bloodied, swollen beyond recognition. There wasn't a trace left of their earlier arrogance.
It was then that Oscar and Ning Rongrong finally returned — with a black-haired, white-robed young man in tow.
The moment the three saw the pathetic scene — their comrades bounced around like rag dolls — Oscar shouted, "Stop!"
"We brought the teacher!" Ning Rongrong called.
Good work. Yun Chuan's eyes lit up, satisfaction blooming in his chest at the sight of Tang San and the others being kicked around like beaten strays. Exactly what you deserve.
Outwardly, of course, he kept his glee hidden. His face turned cold as he barked, "Enough!"
The sheer weight of soul power in his shout made everyone's eardrums buzz. The students stopped mid-kick and turned to their own teacher.
"You're their teacher?" Ye Zhiqiu frowned at the young man, recalling the power in that voice. He couldn't help but feel warier.
"That's right," Yun Chuan said, brows knitted as he looked over the sorry state of his students.
"They insulted my Canghui Academy earlier," Ye Zhiqiu said coldly. "Don't you think you owe us an explanation?"
"I know exactly what happened," Yun Chuan replied. "This time, my students were in the wrong. But if they need discipline, I am the one to do it. That's none of your business. As for giving you an explanation… how about this — is this enough?"
In a blink, Yun Chuan vanished from where he stood and reappeared before Ye Zhiqiu, soul power surging as his palm lashed out.
Fast!
Shocked, Ye Zhiqiu reflexively unleashed his Xuan Shui Ice Seal, cold flooding toward Yun Chuan, while twisting to bring his shell into line with the strike. Even if you're stronger than me, without your martial soul, I'll make you pay—
But the ice seal that had given the Shrek students so much trouble did nothing to Yun Chuan.
A second later, Ye Zhiqiu was airborne, sent flying like a rag doll. A deep crack marred the shell on his back before he slammed into the ground over ten meters away.
Yun Chuan didn't spare him a glance, turning instead to the battered Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun. Even as his mouth twitched at the sight of their shoeprint-covered faces, he forced down a laugh and kept his expression grim.
He said nothing.
Supported by his students, Ye Zhiqiu staggered upright, coughing blood. His back felt like it was caving in. The fact that his shell — his pride and defense — had been damaged without the man even using his martial soul… the gap in strength was terrifying, at least fifteen ranks if not more.
When Yun Chuan's voice came again — "What's wrong? Want another beating?" — Ye Zhiqiu seized the offered way out.
Grateful for the lifeline, he gave his opponent a last look of respect and quickly led his students away.
(End of Chapter)