svetikya Chapter 22 First Battle with Tang 3
Chapter 22 First Battle with Tang 3
Inside the auditorium, a stern-faced middle-aged instructor sat before the testing crystal. He was Teacher Li, responsible for assessing the martial souls of the new students, and a level twenty-six Great Soul Master. Behind him, several senior students were taking notes.
"Name, age, martial spirit, soul power level, release soul ring." Teacher Li's voice was calm and indifferent. He had to repeat this process countless times every year, and he was already numb to it.
Most of the children ahead of Yan Zu had awakened farming tool martial spirits such as hoes and sickles, with their soul power hovering around level two or three. Occasionally, there was one with level five soul power whose martial spirit was "Swift Wind Dog," which had already caught Teacher Li's attention.
The line moved slowly forward, and finally it was their turn. "Name, age, martial spirit, soul power level."
"Yan Zu, six years old, Martial Soul Qilin, Level 7."
"Xiao Wu, seven years old, Martial Soul: Phantom Jade Rabbit, Level 12."
This is the result of the Nine Yin Manual's Breath Concealment Technique. After systematic modifications, the Nine Yin Manual's Breath Concealment Technique, when mastered, can alter the color and aura of soul rings.
Before the start of the school year, Yan Zu had already told Xiao Wu to try to hide her strength at school to avoid any accidents.
Teacher Li paused, then looked up and carefully examined the two children. She had seen too many work-study students; most had only one or two levels of soul power, and three or four was considered quite good. These two children were at level seven and twelve, respectively, already stronger than many noble children.
"Let's see if you release your martial spirit." Her tone softened.
With a thought, Yan Zu sent Xiao Yu leaping down from his shoulder. An auspicious aura spread out, making the surrounding air seem fresher. The greenery beside the testing ground sprouted new buds at a visible speed, drawing gasps of amazement.
Teacher Li's pupils contracted slightly: "This...this is a Beast Martial Soul? Why can it leave the body? And this vitality..."
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Wu released her martial spirit. A pink, phantom jade rabbit appeared, but unlike before, the tips of its ears and the end of its tail were tinged with pale gold, and its originally gentle soul power fluctuations now carried a sharp edge. Xiao Wu's figure flashed, leaving several afterimages in the arena, her speed astonishing.
"Such speed!" the female teacher exclaimed. "Your rabbit martial spirit has such explosive power?"
The surrounding freshmen were also stunned.
After the tests were completed, the enrollment process went exceptionally smoothly. Teacher Li personally helped them collect their school uniforms, textbooks, and dormitory keys, and specifically instructed them: "You are work-study students, and according to regulations, you will live in Dormitory 7. Work-study students need to perform some on-campus labor in exchange for tuition reductions; the dormitory head will arrange the specific tasks."
"Seventh Dormitory..." Yan Zu understood. According to the original story, that was Tang San's original territory.
The work-study dormitories at Notting College are located in the northwest corner of the college. They are a row of low, single-story buildings with basic conditions. Dormitory 7 is the largest of them. Pushing open the door, a smell mixed with sweat and dust hits you.
A dozen or so boys of varying ages were inside, some sitting, some lying down. When they saw Yan Zu and Xiao Wu enter, their eyes all turned to them. The one in the lead was a simply dressed, ordinary-looking boy with black hair. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed by the window, his eyes calm but with a hint of scrutiny.
It was Tang San.
"Newcomer?" A burly, dark-skinned boy stood up. He was Wang Sheng, the original number two of Dormitory Seven. He sized up Yan Zu and Xiao Wu, his eyes lighting up especially when he saw Xiao Wu's charming and adorable appearance, but he quickly straightened his face again. "Dormitory Seven has its own rules. Newcomers have to fight the boss first. Whoever wins becomes the new boss!"
He pointed to Tang San by the window.
Tang San slowly stood up and walked to the center of the room. His gaze swept over Yan Zu and lingered on Xiao Wu's face for a moment.
This exquisitely beautiful girl gave him a strange sense of familiarity and a flutter in his heart, but seeing her standing close to Yan Zu, he felt an inexplicable sense of irritation.
"Tang San, Dormitory Head of Seven," Tang San's voice was calm. "According to the rules, new work-study students need to demonstrate their abilities. Who wants to go first?"
Xiao Wu pouted and was about to step forward when Yan Zu gently pulled her back.
"Let me do it." Yan Zu stepped forward and stood opposite Tang San. He was shorter than Tang San, but his calm demeanor made the other children in Dormitory 7 fall silent involuntarily.
A serious glint flashed in Tang San's eyes. He could sense that the boy before him was no ordinary person; he had noticed it when his mentor personally brought him here. But having cultivated the Xuan Tian Treasure Record since childhood and possessing the Tang Sect's unique skills, he harbored his own pride.
"Please." Tang San raised his hand and assumed a starting stance, his hands instantly turning as white as jade—the Mysterious Jade Hand.
He didn't use his martial spirit, but instead wanted to test the waters with a Tang Sect technique. With a swift movement of his feet, his figure became elusive, flanking Yan Zu like a ghost—Ghostly Shadow Tracking.
The students in Dormitory 7 held their breath. They had seen Tang San easily take down several older work-study students with this move; his elusive movements were impossible to catch.
However, Yan Zu simply stood there quietly until Tang San's palm was about to touch his shoulder, at which point he gently shifted his foot.
The basic footwork of "Wind God Leg" - leaving no trace like the wind!
Without any dazzling afterimages or swift bursts of power, Tang San simply shifted his body lightly and naturally, his palm strike grazing the hem of Yan Zu's clothes. At the same time, Yan Zu's body, as if boneless, spun slightly with the momentum of Tang San's palm strike, unleashing the "Snake Walk and Fox Flip" movement technique from the Nine Yin Manual.
Tang San's heart skipped a beat. His ghostly movements shifted rapidly, and he transformed his palms into fingers, aiming for the acupoints under Yan Zu's ribs. Although he had not learned any specific acupoint striking techniques, the Xuan Tian Bao Lu contained records of the human body's meridians. If this finger strike landed properly, it would be enough to make half of an ordinary person feel numb and tingly.
Yan Zu remained calm and composed, his footwork shifting again, like willow catkins in the wind, gently dodging the attack. He didn't launch an attack, but calmly evaded Tang San's increasingly rapid offensive.
Xuan Yu Hand, Ghost Shadow Steps, Crane Control and Dragon Capture… Tang San unleashed all the Tang Clan's ultimate techniques he had mastered, yet he couldn't even touch the hem of Yan Zu's robes. His opponent's seemingly simple yet incredibly profound footwork and movement techniques seemed to have calculated the trajectory of every single one of Tang San's movements.
The children of Dormitory Seven were completely stunned. Wang Sheng's mouth dropped open; he had never seen anyone withstand Tang San's attacks for so long, let alone dodge them so easily.
Tang San's forehead was beaded with sweat, and for the first time, his inner pride began to waver. He gritted his teeth, his soul power surging secretly, and the first soul ring beneath his feet was faintly visible—he was about to use his martial soul.
At that very moment, Yan Zu made his move.
For the first time, he took a step forward, having previously been dodging. The timing of this step was perfect, precisely at the transition between Tang San's exhausted old power and unleashed new power, a moment when his soul power was about to be unleashed.
Without any fluctuation of soul power or any astonishing aura, Yan Zu simply extended his right hand, his index finger gently touching Tang San's chest acupoint. A wisp of pure Nine Yin Soul Power was contained at his fingertip; the movement was slow, yet it sealed off all possible escape routes for Tang San.
Tang San's pupils shrank sharply. He tried to dodge, but found that his body seemed to be locked by an invisible aura, and he was unable to move for a moment!
Her fingertips stopped just before touching his clothes.
"You flatter me." Yan Zu withdrew his hand, took a step back, and spoke calmly.