The second contestant from Sylvis Academy to take the stage was a female student, and she was a very beautiful and charming one.
This female contestant appeared to be around eighteen years old, with long green-gold hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her eyes, also a peculiar green-gold color, were calm and serene, and she wore Sylvis Academy's standard green uniform, which highlighted her graceful curves.
Her skin was fair and tender, and under the sunlight, it had a jelly-like texture.
"Sylvis Academy, Gu Fengli."
Gu Fengli gently parted her red lips and gazed at Xu Zihuang with her calm, golden eyes.
Compared to the previous contestant, Li Yue, Gu Fengli was far more popular.
Her striking beauty and good looks naturally garnered more attention.
Xu Zihuang was the same, but the talent and strength he had displayed earlier had shocked everyone so much that most of the audience had overlooked this.
Of course, no one really thought Gu Fengli would be able to defeat Xu Zihuang in this one-on-one elimination match.
The cheers for Gu Fengli from the audience were mostly out of sympathy and encouragement for the weaker competitor.
Gu Fengli, clearly reluctant to accept such pity and encouragement, furrowed her brow slightly, looking more reserved than usual.
Within Sylvis Academy, in terms of cultivation talent, she was considered one of the best, with her soul power and strength only second to their captain.
Although she often appeared reserved due to her personality, it was undeniable that she had always carried a subtle sense of superiority in her heart.
This was the first time she had been looked down upon like this, but the reality in front of her was just as such.
She had no hope of defeating Xu Zihuang, and even their team leader had advised her to do her best and try to gain some insights from facing this Shrek Academy student.
When both contestants were ready, the referee once again announced the start of the match and swiftly retreated to the edge of the arena.
Xu Zihuang had not retracted his martial soul since the match against Li Yue. He was a naturally full-powered soul master, and by maintaining his martial soul's release, his soul power would automatically replenish over time, although not as quickly as his consumption. Currently, his soul power was not at its maximum, but it was slowly recovering.
Most soul masters with a deep foundation could only maintain a balance between recovering and consuming their soul power.
Now that there was no referee standing in the center of the arena to block Xu Zihuang's aura, Gu Fengli immediately felt an unparalleled pressure.
Although her soul power had reached level 48, she was still being completely suppressed by Xu Zihuang's momentum.
Her mind trembled slightly, and she quickly released her martial soul.
She extended her delicate hands and performed an upward motion. Green-gold soul power surged, and a golden-white radiant flower appeared in her hands. The flower was composed of snow-white petals, with seven long golden stamens at its center.
The leaves and vines of the flower fell gently from her hands, swaying elegantly in the wind, casting long shadows.
With two yellow and two purple soul rings, the flower's movement was accompanied by a faint, pleasant fragrance spreading in all directions.
"It's actually a plant-type martial soul, the Seven-Star Sword Flower," Beibei exclaimed almost instinctively from Shrek Academy.
The Seven-Star Sword Flower was a real plant-type soul beast, and as a human martial soul, it was definitely considered a high-level one. When Tang Ya broke through to level 30, one of the soul beasts she had planned to hunt was the Seven-Star Sword Flower.
The quality of the Seven-Star Sword Flower was clearly incomparable to that of Blue Silver Grass.
The Seven-Star Sword Flower, living in the Soul Beast Forest, released a peculiar fragrance containing a neurotoxin that could paralyze its enemies. Its body was as hard as iron and had a powerful innate soul skill, making it both toxic and offensive.
Among plant-type soul beasts, the Seven-Star Sword Flower was a unique existence.
Wang Yan nodded slightly.
"Correct. In the first round of the knockout, she only revealed a control-type soul skill. But since her martial soul is the Seven-Star Sword Flower, she's not purely a control-type soul master. It's not difficult for Tianhuang to win against her, but it depends on how he manages his soul power consumption."
The members of Shrek Academy were all paying close attention. This one-on-one duel against a soul master with a special martial soul would undoubtedly provide them with valuable experience.
At the moment Gu Fengli released her martial soul, she activated her yellow second soul ring. A burst of golden pollen spread from the flower stamens, forming a thick golden mist that enveloped Xu Zihuang.
This was the control-type soul skill Wang Yan had mentioned earlier.
Poisonous Field Control.
As the golden pollen spread, the faint fragrance intensified, becoming overwhelming.
Her first soul ring glowed, and the Seven-Star Sword Flower in her hands began to float upward. The flower quickly transformed into a slender sword over four feet long. The petals formed the blade, while the leaves and vines became the sword's hilt.
She gripped the hilt with her right hand and, with a soft shout, charged toward Xu Zihuang. The golden sword gleamed with a metallic shine as it scratched the marble floor beneath it.
Just as Wang Yan had guessed, Gu Fengli was not a control-type soul master but rather a power-type soul master. Among the four soul rings of her Seven-Star Sword Flower, only her second soul skill was control-based.
She had deliberately chosen to add this second soul ring for a reason.
In battles at lower levels, especially among low-level soul masters, poison soul masters had a significant advantage. When used properly, they could greatly hinder their opponents. Although Gu Fengli had chosen to focus on offense, obtaining this second soul skill wasn't a waste. The poison mist could make her opponent hesitate and allow her to better showcase her close combat abilities.
Gu Fengli was fully aware of the effects of the neurotoxin in her Seven-Star Sword Flower's fragrance. Any soul master of the same rank who inhaled even a small amount would not only lose their combat ability but at the very least have their movements slowed considerably.
Seeing Xu Zihuang not yet use a soul skill, she couldn't help but feel a surge of heat in her chest.
Defeating a Shrek Academy student would not only greatly boost her confidence but also mark a historic achievement for Sylvis Academy. It would be a response to the earlier comments and actions of the audience.
No one wanted to admit that they were inherently inferior.
But what she failed to understand was that the moment she entertained such thoughts, she had already placed herself in the lower position.
The golden poison mist filled the space surrounded by the soul guidance barrier, and Xu Zihuang calmly observed the surroundings. Thanks to the amazing vision granted by his Golden Eyes, he could clearly see the golden particles floating around him.
It was similar to the poison miasma in the Sunset Forest, but the toxicity of Gu Fengli's Seven-Star Sword Flower's pollen was far weaker in comparison.
Xu Zihuang didn't even need to use his soul power to form a protective shield against the pollen.
The neurotoxic pollen would be dissolved by the destructive nature of his soul power, as his second martial soul, the Purple-Destruction Thunder Hell Dragon, was immune to most poisons. Only rare toxins like the deadly Phosphorous Mist from deep within the Sunset Forest could pose a real threat to him.
In an instant, Gu Fengli reached the front of Xu Zihuang. She raised her right hand, and the golden sword formed from the Seven-Star Sword Flower slashed toward Xu Zihuang's throat.
Xu Zihuang's golden eyes flashed, and with his dynamic vision, even though Gu Fengli's sword was fast, it appeared slow to him.
A storage soul guide flashed on his wrist, and the short blade "Whale Tooth" appeared in his right hand. Soul power surged through the blade, and violent purple thunder crackled along its length.
Xu Zihuang sidestepped, avoiding Gu Fengli's attack.
Their figures overlapped for a moment, and after missing her strike, Gu Fengli's heart skipped a beat. However, she quickly reacted, pivoting on her left foot and spinning 180 degrees, aiming for Xu Zihuang's back.
But what greeted her was the deep purple short blade, Whale Tooth. The blade's transparent body, like purple crystal, contrasted sharply with the golden sword in her hand.
"Clang—"
The blades clashed, sending a shower of sparks flying.
Under the effect of her first soul skill, the Seven-Star Sword Flower's sword had become extraordinarily hard.
It seemed to have completely transcended the realm of plants.
It was no wonder it was one of the top plant-type martial souls.
But that didn't mean the two were evenly matched.
Both were Soul Lords above level 40, but in terms of physical condition and strength, Gu Fengli and Xu Zihuang were worlds apart.
A tremendous force surged from Gu Fengli's sword, and she stumbled backward, her eyes filled with shock, as she was forced back several steps.
This was still without Xu Zihuang using his full strength.
What baffled Gu Fengli even more was that Xu Zihuang wasn't affected by her second soul skill at all.
Clenching her teeth, she activated her third soul ring.
A dense layer of golden light enveloped the sword, and an extremely sharp aura emanated from it.
Third Soul Skill, Seven-Star Sword Aura.
She swung her sword again, unleashing waves of sword light toward Xu Zihuang.
Xu Zihuang calmly moved, using his Whale Tooth to block.
With the golden poison mist covering the area, the audience could barely see what was happening.
They could only vaguely see two figures clashing and the golden and deep purple lights flashing back and forth.
After nearly a quarter of an hour, the golden poison mist slowly began to dissipate from the arena.
Standing in the center of the arena, Xu Zihuang and Gu Fengli revealed their forms.
The referee, seeing the mist clear, also withdrew his protective soul shield.
Gu Fengli's chest heaved with exertion as the first three soul rings faded. The sword transformed back into the Seven-Star Sword Flower, floating silently in her hand.
She bit her lip in frustration.
"Are you trying to mock me by not even using your soul skills?"
"Mock you? I think you're overestimating yourself. I didn't use my soul skills because I don't need them to defeat you," Xu Zihuang replied calmly, with no emotion in his golden eyes, as though stating a fact.
To be honest, he was a little disappointed. He had hoped that Gu Fengli, with her greater strength, would give him a chance to test his other martial soul and soul skill ideas. But instead, she was so weak.
"You?!" Gu Fengli's eyes widened, her breathing growing more labored.
Xu Zihuang didn't bother with her; he had seen too many self-centered individuals with a little talent.
Dai Huabin, Wang Dong, and now Gu Fengli were all the same. The only difference was their personalities.
Once their veil of pride was lifted, they were left clueless.
Being able to accept failure and acknowledge one's shortcomings was something not everyone could do.
The soul guidance barrier around the arena isolated their voices, and seeing Gu Fengli's frustrated expression, many of the spectators couldn't help but wonder what had just happened, their faces showing mixed expressions.
"This brat Tianhuang didn't do anything inappropriate to that girl, did he?" Xu Sanshi said, eyeing the scene with a tone of envy. But remembering Jiang Nannan was nearby, he quickly wiped the lecherous look off his face and pretended to be righteous.
But no one was looking at him. Instead, they were eyeing the short blade Whale Tooth in Xu Zihuang's hand. To have blocked the attack of a soul master near level 50 with just a melee soul guide was a remarkable feat that made everyone rethink the role of soul guides.
Even Caitou and Ning Tian, who were surprised, had never seen Xu Zihuang use a melee soul guide before.
Only Wang Dong's eyes showed visible rejection. While he didn't mind using storage and flying soul guides, he despised the idea of using soul guides to enhance his personal strength.
He couldn't explain why, even to himself.
"A level-four melee soul guide?" The Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy was also taken aback.
Shrek Academy was already using soul guides?
This was something they had to take seriously. It might be a significant signal.
On the arena, Gu Fengli's expression changed repeatedly. Then, as if making up her mind, she poured all of her remaining soul power into her most powerful fourth soul skill.
Even though she knew she couldn't defeat Xu Zihuang, she couldn't just surrender. At the very least, she wanted to force Xu Zihuang to use his soul skills and deplete some of his soul power.
Under the splendid purple glow of her fourth soul ring, the Seven-Star Sword Flower in her hand slowly rose, quickly expanding to more than two meters in diameter.
Fourth Soul Skill, Seven-Star Sword Rain.
Surrounded by a thick green-gold light, the golden stamen at the center of the Seven-Star Sword Flower suddenly glowed brilliantly.
Hundreds or even thousands of sword-shaped golden flashes formed and shot toward Xu Zihuang.
Facing Gu Fengli's attack, Xu Zihuang remained unmoved. In fact, he was looking forward to just such an attack.
The golden sword flashes approached in an instant, but to the audience's surprise, Xu Zihuang still didn't use any soul skills to defend against Gu Fengli's fourth soul skill. Instead, he stood there, seemingly ready to face it head-on.
He kept shifting, dodging, and blocking with minimal movements, effortlessly evading the golden sword flashes.
The Whale Tooth in his hand moved continuously, deflecting sword flashes with a dazzling display of sparks.
Xu Zihuang's golden eyes pulsed as the golden patterns around his pupils expanded and contracted. Bathed in the golden sword rain, he exuded an indescribable, almost ethereal beauty.
The audience's eyes grew blank with awe, and even Wang Yan, who had previously thought Xu Zihuang a bit too arrogant, relaxed his furrowed brow.
Xu Zihuang himself was immersed in this state. His idea had once again been validated.
Ever since his Golden Eyes martial soul underwent its second awakening, the innate ability for dynamic vision had evolved.
Range-based soul skills are known for their wide attack range and formidable power, but they lack the ability to lock onto a specific target.
With dynamic vision as his innate ability, Xu Zihuang could slow down everything he saw by tens or even hundreds of times. As long as his body could respond, he could theoretically dodge or block every attack.
This innate ability of dynamic vision was almost as useful as a powerful ten-thousand-year soul skill—perhaps even more so.
This is the massive advantage of having a powerful innate martial soul.
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