Chapter 166: Feng Xiao Tian vs. Tang San, Soul King Feng Xiao Tian

Gu Xuan and Xue Qingluan left the main tent and no longer paid attention to the conversation between Zuo Yan and Shui Bing'er inside the tent at this moment.

"For Shui Bing'er to have a teacher like Director Xue is the luckiest thing in her life," Gu Xuan said suddenly beside Xue Qingluan.

Xue Qingluan was startled for a moment, then smiled and replied, "It's only within my ability; perhaps in the future there will truly be a need to trouble the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, I just hope that then my junior friend Gu Xuan will remember today's promise."

Gu Xuan nodded: "A gentleman's word is hard for even four horses to pursue."

……

The promotion matches below proceeded as usual; the first two contests were not very spectacular, but the final match in the afternoon sparked cheers and excitement from everyone present as soon as it began.

Because the final match was Stark Academy versus Divine Wind Academy.

On the arena, Tang San and Feng Xiao Tian faced each other, and Feng Xiao Tian spoke first: "Tang San, I admit you're outstanding, so how about we place a wager on this match?"

Hearing this, Tang San's expression remained unchanged, and he calmly said, "Glad to oblige."

Then Feng Xiao Tian said, "We settle the outcome in one battle; if I lose, the Divine Wind Academy concedes this match, and vice versa. What do you think?"

There was no strong tension, because Feng Xiao Tian had already outgrown the impulsive fury for a beloved woman; now he was calm and wise.

Tang San glanced at the confident Feng Xiao Tian, and a wild ambition rose within him. "Is this the confidence of a genius? Very well, you will become my first important stepping stone!"

Tang San smiled and replied, "Fine."

At this moment, the referee signaled that both sides could release their martial souls; as a referee of the Tiandou Empire, he naturally hoped the local Soul Masters would fully display their talent and excellence.

Tang San and Feng Xiao Tian simultaneously felt soul power surge on their bodies; black energy swirled in Tang San's left hand, and a two‑meter‑long black Haotian Hammer materialized in his grasp.

Tang San switched the Haotian Hammer to his right hand, then hoisted it onto his right shoulder; at the same time, three purple and one black Soul Rings rose slowly on his body, their brilliant light illuminating the entire arena.

Although it wasn't the first time seeing Tang San's terrifying Soul Ring configuration, the second sight still evoked a strong and moving reaction from the audience.

"Tang San, martial soul: Haotian Hammer, level 49 strong‑attack Battle Soul Ancestor, please!"

Tang San spoke softly; this time he was not a Control-type Soul Master but a strong‑attack type, and his martial soul was the Haotian Hammer, the first‑class martial soul, plus the terrifying three‑purple‑one‑black Soul Ring setup—calling it the strongest strong‑attack type would not be an overstatement.

However, this "strongest" refers to the Soul Ancestor level.

Feng Xiao Tian let out a somewhat sharp wolf howl, and a faint green light surged from within him; as the green light roiled, his body visibly changed, accompanied by the crackling of bones, his muscles and skeleton expanding, making his stature markedly larger.

Feng Xiao Tian's originally white long hair turned green, and most peculiarly, a wolf head emerged from his left shoulder.

The green wolf head stared at Tang San with a fierce gaze, as if conscious, continuously emitting a chill.

The Swift‑Wind Twin‑Headed Wolf is a mutated form of the Swift‑Wind Demon Wolf; the Swift‑Wind Demon Wolf is a mid‑high‑grade martial soul, but its mutation into a twin‑headed wolf elevates it to a top‑grade martial soul.

"Feng Xiao Tian, martial soul: Swift‑Wind Twin‑Headed Wolf, level 51 strong‑attack Battle Soul King!"

As Feng Xiao Tian spoke, five Soul Rings rose on his body—two yellow, two purple, one black—symbolizing a Soul King.

Over the past month Tang San has been improving, and Feng Xiao Tian likewise; his soul power level had already reached 49, and after the preliminaries he entered a closed cultivation with Huo Wu; half a month later his soul power naturally broke through to level 50.

Moreover, before that, the higher‑ups of the Divine Wind Academy had already prepared Feng Xiao Tian's fifth Soul Ring in advance, because he might not have time to seek a Soul Ring during the tournament.

This is the advantage of having powerful backing—it allows a Soul Master to skip many trivial matters and focus on strengthening.

The audience, composed of teachers and students from various academies, all wore uneasy expressions when they saw Feng Xiao Tian break through to Soul King and acquire additional Soul Rings.

Not for any other reason, Feng Xiao Tian's breakthrough undeniably raised the overall strength of the Divine Wind Academy, meaning that battles against them will become more difficult.

Soul King and Soul Ancestor are already a qualitative difference, because it's not just an increase in soul power, but also the addition of a ten‑thousand‑year Soul Ring.

However, at this moment they have no mind to ponder this, as the battle on the arena is about to erupt!

"The match begins!"

With the referee's command, Tang San and Feng Xiao Tian moved simultaneously; Feng Xiao Tian's body accelerated almost instantly, charging straight at Tang San, a trail of green light stretching behind him at incredible speed.

Tang San was startled; according to his information, Feng Xiao Tian should be a strong‑attack Soul Master, yet his displayed speed was no less than that of a level‑50‑plus agile‑attack Battle Soul Master.

Time allowed Tang San no hesitation; the instant Feng Xiao Tian lunged, his first Soul Ring lit up, sharp wolf claws sprang from his palm, and his cold, keen gaze locked onto Tang San.

Before the person arrived, the wolf claws had already been swung; with the release of the first soul skill, ten half‑arc wind blades, emitting a sharp slicing sound, blocked all of Tang San's possible evasive paths.

The first soul skill of the Swift‑Wind Demon Wolf martial soul is usually a wind blade, but Feng Xiao Tian, wielding the Swift‑Wind Twin‑Headed Wolf, uses a wind blade formation.

The tenfold increase shows that his first soul skill is vastly stronger than that of a regular Swift‑Wind Demon Wolf, illustrating the innate advantage of a higher‑grade martial soul.

But was Tang San truly sealed from every direction? Yes, yet not entirely.

If Tang San were using the Blue‑Silver Grass martial soul at this moment, he naturally couldn't defend against such swift and fierce a wind blade formation.

However, the martial soul he currently wields is the Haotian Hammer, and it bears the terrifying three‑purple‑one‑black Soul Ring configuration.

Tang San swung the Haotian Hammer fiercely, and the first purple Soul Ring lit up as well.

"First soul skill: Hammer of Resolve!"

This first Soul Ring of Tang San's Haotian Hammer is derived from a five‑thousand‑year‑old armored beetle; its soul skill is terrifyingly powerful, and a single strike can directly nullify Feng Xiao Tian's first soul skill.

Moreover, Tang San's attack didn't stop there; at that moment Feng Xiao Tian's gaze focused, and the two were less than five meters apart—so close that only a single movement could change the outcome.

Then Tang San lifted the Haotian Hammer and slammed it straight at Feng Xiao Tian's face, its residual force from the first soul skill enough that this hammer strike could severely wound a Soul Ancestor.

Unfortunately, Feng Xiao Tian's speed was too great; although he is a strong‑attack type, one must not forget that the Swift‑Wind Demon Wolf is a wind‑attribute soul beast, whose greatest strength is speed.

Feng Xiao Tian's Swift‑Wind Twin‑Headed Wolf originated from a mutation of the Swift‑Wind Demon Wolf; although the mutated martial soul's power is more pronounced, it does not mean Feng Xiao Tian's speed has decreased.

On the contrary, due to the martial soul's mutation, Feng Xiao Tian's speed surpasses that of Soul Masters with a standard Swift‑Wind Demon Wolf of the same level.

Honestly, calling Feng Xiao Tian a dual strong‑attack and agile‑attack Soul Master would not be an exaggeration.

Feng Xiao Tian flashed, evading the terrifying hammer strike, and after moving to Tang San's side, unleashed five wind blades; the distance between them was now so close that any lapse by Tang San could have him sliced into fragments by the split blades.

Unfortunately, although the Haotian Hammer in Tang San's hand appeared cumbersome, it moved with no lag for him, as if an extension of his arm.

The high‑level Soul Masters present could see that Tang San employed a technique while wielding the Haotian Hammer, and it was this technique that allowed the hammer to be used as fluidly as an arm.

This technique is the supreme chaotic cloak hammer method of the world.

The chaotic cloak hammer method is not a secret; any seasoned blacksmith knows it, but to date only the Haotian Hammer has fully unleashed its full power.

It is said that when mastered to the extreme, the chaotic cloak hammer method can continuously swing out eighty‑one hammer strikes; each strike's power increases over the previous, and the final, eighty‑first strike can enable a Soul Master to ascend a level in battle!

However, at this moment Tang San only employed the power‑generation technique of the chaotic cloak hammer method to control the Haotian Hammer, without actually using the full method.

Tang San casually spun the Haotian Hammer in his hand; its massive half‑meter‑diameter head shattered the wind blades that Feng Xiao Tian had launched almost at close range, nullifying the attack.

At the same time, the two began close‑quarters combat, and Feng Xiao Tian's second soul skill was released.

"Second soul skill: Dual Wolf Possession!"

As the second soul skill was released, a surge of blue light swirled, and Feng Xiao Tian's pair of wolf claws transformed into a pair of ferocious wolf heads. The wolf heads grew huge, with blood‑filled gaping mouths, two rows of sharp, impenetrable canine teeth protruding, giving a sense of a predator ready to choose a victim.

The wolf heads and the Heavenly Hammer constantly collided, and even though Feng Xiao Tian had already broken through to Soul King, he felt tremendous pressure, because the Heavenly Hammer's power was truly terrifying.

This time Tang San had no celestial herb boost, but he did have three thousand‑year Soul Rings, one ten‑thousand‑year Soul Ring, and a fifteen‑thousand‑year‑grade stone‑armor bear torso bone.

His bodily condition even surpassed the contemporary Tang San in the original work, and Tang San immediately used the Heavenly Hammer. In this close‑quarters combat, Feng Xiao Tian didn't gain any advantage, but was restricted at every turn.

And just as Feng Xiao Tian was admiring Tang San's strength, the second purple thousand‑year Soul Ring on Tang San's body also lit up.

"Second soul skill: Whirlwind Frenzy!"

At the moment Tang San activated his second soul skill, in the crisis Feng Xiao Tian reacted incredibly fast, leapt backward, and instantly widened the distance between them.

As Feng Xiao Tian retreated, he no longer hesitated; after a brief probe, he realized that as a strong‑agility dual‑type battle Soul Master, he found it hard to gain any edge over Tang San in close combat.

Therefore, as he stepped back, the third Soul Ring on his body also lit up.

A pair of massive cyan wings unfolded from Feng Xiao Tian's back, and at the same time cyan light coalesced behind him, forming the shape of a swift double‑headed wolf.

Against the backdrop of that huge dazzling light, Feng Xiao Tian rose into the air; his wings gave a single flap, and using the wind in the sky, his body rose swiftly, reaching a height of about thirty meters above the ground.

"Third soul skill: Gale Twin Wings!"

Seeing this, the faces of everyone at Shilake Academy turned pale; they were worried about Tang San.

Because in previous contests, although many members of Divine Wind Academy could fly, as team captain and a strong‑attack Soul Master, Feng Xiao Tian had never flown before.

At this moment Feng Xiao Tian suddenly ascended into the sky; with sufficient soul power to support him, he clearly placed himself in an invincible position. Though Tang San's Heavenly Hammer was formidable, if he couldn't reach Feng Xiao Tian, it would be hard to affect him.

Seeing Feng Xiao Tian suddenly take flight, Tang San did not panic; while staring at his opponent, he held the Clear Sky Sect's Heavenly Hammer and spun it to the center of the arena.

Feng Xiao Tian's twin wings fluttered lightly in the air, gazing down at Tang San: "Tang San, you are stronger than I imagined, so I will not hold back."

As he spoke, Feng Xiao Tian's fourth purple Soul Ring lit up, and with the bloom of his fourth soul skill, a massive wolf head over ten meters in diameter suddenly coalesced high above, its ferocious visage and sharp canine teeth chilling the heart.

"Fourth soul skill: Demon Wolf Storm!"

The huge wolf head erupted instantly, charging toward Tang San at the arena's center, intending to swallow him whole.

Tang San remained unflustered, increased his soul power output, and the power of his second soul skill Whirlwind Frenzy suddenly grew several folds, even generating a black vortex at the arena's center.

The two thousand‑year soul skills clashed, and a terrifying wave of energy instantly spread toward the arena's perimeter; as the booming roar faded, Tang San, still holding the Heavenly Hammer at the arena's center, emerged unscathed, not even a single fringe of his robe torn.

Feng Xiao Tian sensed a faint apprehension in Tang San's heart, because his fourth soul skill had an unknown weakness: the farther toward the center, the weaker the wind it received.

Feng Xiao Tian didn't know whether Tang San guessed it or stumbled upon it, but this strike indeed caused no harm to Tang San, and both combatants' soul power consumption was roughly equal.

Feng Xiao Tian's soul power was even greater, yet he had used the first soul skill multiple times, and aside from the fifth soul skill, he had employed every other soul skill at least once.

Although Tang San used fewer soul skills, thousand‑year soul skills consume far more soul power, and the soul power used for his recent second soul skill was also considerable.

After that strike, both briefly halted their offense; high above, Feng Xiao Tian's phoenix wings spread, soaring through the blue sky.

Tang San's Heavenly Hammer hovered silently before him, watching Feng Xiao Tian, as if awaiting something.

But compared to their brief silence, the spectators at the side erupted in excitement, because the two's attacks had already surpassed the Soul Ancestor level in sheer momentum; this was a true Soul King‑level Soul Master's battle.

Since the tournament began, this was still their first time witnessing such a level of combat. Moreover, it came from two students!

One should know that even most teachers in advanced Soul Master academies are only at the Soul Ancestor level, while Soul King‑level Soul Masters are already the backbone of the faculty.

Those who have reached Soul Emperor level are already heads of an academy; now, with just two academies' clash already reaching Soul King level, one can imagine the astonishment among the many Soul Master academies present.

ps: typos will be corrected later.

Who do you think will win in the end?

(End of chapter)