Chapter 45: Xiong Er, Ao Siluo

The Tiandou Second Team still requires playing match after match; only after winning can one go to Wuhun City to participate in the finals. He wasn't that idle—wouldn't it be more comfortable to join the Heaven Dou Team directly and be guaranteed a spot in the finals?

This selection tournament didn't involve any cumbersome ceremonies; once the members of the Heaven Dou Team and the Tiandou Second Team were all present, the selection challenges began quickly.

Shi Quan was directly arranged to go up first.

Walking onto the Soul Fighting Platform and looking at the dense crowd on the side, Shi Quan raised his hand to lightly rub the tip of his nose; he was more or less unaccustomed to the feeling of being watched by so many people.

What surprised him was that Ning Rongrong had actually come to watch the match too. He had originally thought Ning Rongrong would be emo for at least a day, but it turned out she came to watch his match that afternoon.

Shi Quan's opponent was a tall and sturdy young man who looked to be seventeen or eighteen years old; his muscular build made it clear at a glance that he was a Power Attack System Battle Soul Master.

"The selection tournament is just a friendly match, so keep it within limits." When the teacher acting as referee arrived in the center of the two, he continued: "Exchange greetings and introduce yourselves, then release your martial souls."

The sturdy young man introduced himself: "Xiong Er, martial soul Crazy Bear, twenty-seven-level Power Attack System Battle Soul Master."

Shi Quan also introduced himself: "Shi Quan, martial soul Blue Silver Grass, twenty-two-level Control System Battle Soul Master."

"Only twenty-two levels? And the martial soul is actually Blue Silver Grass? Isn't it said that the vines he releases can directly control seven people?"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Er's expression showed a bit of surprise. He had heard of Shi Quan's reputation: a two-ring Spirit Master with a Millennium Soul Ring, possessing group control abilities, fighting seven alone, and defeating Xue Beng and his group of seven.

Although surprised, Xiong Er was different from spoiled brats like Xue Beng, and his expression quickly returned to seriousness.

Roar!

A low, bear-like roar resounded throughout the entire Spirit Arena. Xiong Er, who was already tall and sturdy, saw his body expand once more. Brown-red fur and sharp claws flashing with a cold light appeared, followed by a violent aura, and two pale yellow Soul Rings floated up and down.

On the other side, Shi Quan appeared exceptionally calm, though the purple Soul Ring beneath him was particularly conspicuous.

It immediately attracted the gaze of everyone in the arena. Shi Quan's Millennium Soul Ring had already spread due to Xue Beng, but seeing it with their own eyes again, the crowd couldn't help but stir.

"The match begins." With the teacher's words, it started.

Xiong Er's figure moved violently, rushing toward Shi Quan; his violent momentum was like an unstoppable truck.

The first Soul Ring beneath Shi Quan immediately lit up, and the Blue Silver Grass in his hands transformed into a large number of vines, rolling toward the bear-like youth.

Xiong Er shook one leg, and the first Soul Ring beneath him also lit up. A barrier appeared around him, isolating all the Blue Silver Grass around his body. He had heard of Shi Quan's powerful control ability and naturally wouldn't let the Blue Silver Grass Shi Quan released get close.

Shi Quan flicked his hand, and the Blue Silver Grass that had been extending along the ground was flicked out like a wave. The vines that were originally extending on the ground suddenly changed direction, extending into mid-air along the barrier released by the bear-like youth. The growth speed of the Blue Silver Grass was extremely fast; almost in the blink of an eye, the intertwined Blue Silver vines quickly formed a cage along the barrier.

Xiong Er hadn't expected Shi Quan to be able to do this and immediately prepared to knock these Blue Silver vines away, but at this moment, the second Soul Ring beneath Shi Quan had already lit up.

Second Soul Skill, Blue Silver Hardening.

The soft vines emitted the luster of ink jade, instantly turning as hard as iron and stone.

Xiong Er's forward momentum came to a sudden halt, and the barrier around him slammed heavily into the iron cage formed by the hardened Blue Silver Grass.

With a 'thud', he was knocked dizzy.

"I want to see just how hard this Blue Silver Grass of yours really is."

Xiong Er let out an angry roar, his second Soul Ring suddenly lit up, his brown-red bear paws rapidly enlarged, and a heavy, powerful strike slammed onto the Blue Silver Grass.

A dull thudding sound rang out, and the huge Blue Silver Grass cage shook with it. It could be seen that where the bear-like youth's claws struck, only a few cracks appeared; not even a single vine was broken. For such a large cage, it couldn't produce any substantial effect at all.

"How can these Blue Silver Grass vines be so hard? What kind of Spirit Beast's Soul Ring could make a soft plant become so hard?"

On the side, at the Heaven Dou Team's seating area, Yu Tianheng couldn't help but have a flash of amazement in his eyes, then he looked at Ao Siluo beside him with a solemn expression.

"Ao Siluo, if Shi Quan challenges you, you must not give him a chance for the Blue Silver Grass to make contact. You must rely on your speed to win in one strike. If you get trapped by him, you will undoubtedly lose."

"I understand," Ao Siluo said in a low voice. His expression was equally serious. He hadn't cared much about Shi Quan before, especially after hearing about his soul power level and martial soul.

But his thoughts changed immediately just now. The powerful control ability displayed by the Blue Silver Grass on the competition field was definitely not something he could break free from; he had to be careful.

Thud, thud, thud!

After several more violent strikes, Xiong Er inside the Blue Silver cage was panting heavily, his thick arms trembling slightly. After continuously using his second Soul Skill, his soul power consumption was already quite high, but the Blue Silver cage before him remained unbreakable, making him doubt his life.

Xiong Er understood that if he continued to strike, he would only suffer. Looking through the gaps in the Blue Silver Grass, he saw that Shi Quan had been standing in the same spot from beginning to end without moving. Although there was a five-level difference in soul power, the gap in strength was the exact opposite of the soul power levels. Xiong Er then took the initiative to admit defeat: "Teacher, I cannot break his control. I admit defeat."

"He won so easily against a twenty-seven-level Battle Soul Master? Without even moving?" Ning Rongrong bit her lip, looking at Shi Quan.

Her purpose in coming to watch the match was to see Shi Quan make a fool of himself, but it turned out Shi Quan had won the match without even moving.

Although Ning Rongrong didn't want to admit it, Shi Quan was indeed more outstanding than her, and also more diligent...

"Xiong Er admits defeat, Shi Quan wins the selection tournament. Congratulations to Shi Quan for joining the Tiandou Second Team." The teacher's voice also sounded on the platform.

Shi Quan withdrew his martial soul and said: "Teacher, since I have joined the Second Team, can I apply to participate in the Heaven Dou Team selection?"

"He is directly challenging the Heaven Dou Team?" The many students watching the match suddenly became excited.

This kind of thing was the first time in history.

Currently, after the Heaven Dou Team and Tiandou Second Team were initially determined, no one had ever been able to join the first team directly from outside the team via the second team all at once.

One must know that the weakest in the first team now were twenty-nine-level Great Soul Masters, and by next year, the weakest would be over thirty levels.

Twenty-two levels challenging a twenty-nine-level Great Soul Master—that was a full seven-level difference in soul power.

The teacher acting as referee was not surprised either; he nodded and said: "You may. You first recover your soul power, and when your soul power is recovered, I will arrange the match for you."

"Sorry for the trouble, teacher." Shi Quan nodded, stepped off the stage, and returned to the rest area to begin recovering.

Because the Blue Silver Grass martial soul consumed very little soul power to begin with, coupled with the Yin Yang Mutual Generation inherent in his Divine Art, which nourished each other, he was constantly recovering while consuming; thus, Shi Quan's actual soul power consumption was not high.

In order not to appear too abnormal, Shi Quan still meditated and waited for the selection matches of the other three to end, and practiced for another quarter of an hour before walking out of the rest area again, signaling to the teacher on the stage that he had recovered.

In that quarter of an hour, the enthusiasm of everyone present had not dissipated; instead, they were all heatedly discussing whether Shi Quan could join the Heaven Dou Team.

"Then get on the stage." The teacher nodded toward Shi Quan, then looked toward the other side of the Soul Fighting Platform, toward Ao Siluo.

Ao Siluo of the Heaven Dou Team also stood up and walked toward the Soul Fighting Platform.

"Wait for you to come back victorious," Yu Tianheng said to Ao Siluo.

"Don't worry, Boss." Ao Siluo smiled at Yu Tianheng, but when he turned to look at the Soul Fighting Platform, his expression immediately turned serious.

"Both sides, introduce yourselves and release your martial souls."

"Ao Siluo, twenty-nine-level Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master, martial soul Ghost Leopard."

"Shi Quan, twenty-two-level Control System Battle Soul Master, martial soul Blue Silver Grass."

It was the same opening again, only this time, Shi Quan's opponent had been changed to Ao Siluo of the Heaven Dou Team.

Unlike Xiong Er with his Crazy Bear martial soul, after Ao Siluo released his martial soul, the feeling he gave people was that of a danger poised to strike, and like Xiong Er, he had two yellow Soul Rings.

The Blue Silver Grass in Shi Quan's hands hung downward; in this kind of arena battle, a Control System Spirit Master is the greatest counter to an Agility Attack System Spirit Master, because their agile figures cannot be utilized to their full potential.

Ao Siluo's only advantage was the gap in soul power levels, which was also the most important point of this battle; if Ao Siluo could use the gap in soul power levels to catch Shi Quan off guard, only then would Ao Siluo have a chance to win this battle.

"The match begins."

Following the teacher's command.

The first Soul Ring on Shi Quan's body lit up once again, and with Shi Quan as the center, the long vines of Blue Silver Grass spread continuously along the ground, covering the area within a three-meter diameter around Shi Quan's body in the blink of an eye, and expanding rapidly.

Ao Siluo's figure did not pause in the slightest; his crouching body suddenly sprang up, even carrying a series of afterimages as he pounced toward Shi Quan from the front.

When Ao Siluo rushed into the range of the Blue Silver Grass, the Blue Silver Grass from all directions immediately extended upward along Ao Siluo's legs, but Ao Siluo's agile figure swayed, and relying on his own speed and strength, he directly knocked the Blue Silver Grass away, not giving the Blue Silver Grass any chance to perform Entanglement.

In the eyes of all the spectators, Ao Siluo at this moment was like dancing in an ocean of vines, his movements swift and graceful.

"Ao Siluo's movements are too fast; Shi Quan's Blue Silver Grass cannot bind him."

Seeing this scene, Ning Rongrong on the spectator stand should have had a joyful expression, yet for some reason, she subconsciously clenched her fists, her eyes staring fixedly at the progress of the match on the Soul Fighting Platform.

(End of this chapter)