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On the battlefield, Yuwen Tuo was completely unaware that the two teachers watching from the sidelines had placed a bet on him.
Just like in the original story, Mu Jin's wager was a Soul Bone, while Zhou Yi's stake was none other than Yuwen Tuo himself—and even included Xiao Xiao as part of the deal.
If Yuwen Tuo won, Mu Jin would give Zhou Yi a Soul Bone.
But if Ning Tian's team emerged victorious, then during the class assignments, Zhou Yi would relinquish both Yuwen Tuo and Xiao Xiao to Mu Jin's class.
In Mu Jin's mind, she believed that Ning Tian's chances of winning this Soul Duel were extremely high. If they did win, her roster of students would gain two prodigies—Yuwen Tuo and Xiao Xiao.
Everyone knew of Yuwen Tuo's extraordinary combat prowess, and while Xiao Xiao's dual Spirit Souls had been revealed early on, most students remained unaware of her potential. However, the teachers were well-informed about it. For Mu Jin, nurturing a dual Spirit Soul user like Xiao Xiao would be an invaluable opportunity—one far more rewarding than a single Soul Bone. The prospect of teaching two top-tier geniuses in the future outweighed any material reward.
Little did she know, Zhou Yi had cleverly outmaneuvered her with this bet. To Zhou Yi, Yuwen Tuo was nothing but trouble—a thorn in her side that she didn't want to deal with. And though Xiao Xiao possessed dual Spirit Souls, her loyalty lay firmly with Yuwen Tuo. If he were forced to leave, Xiao Xiao would surely cause an uproar and might even follow him out the door. For Zhou Yi, obedience mattered far more than raw talent.
Take Huo Yuhao for example—how obedient and well-behaved he was. That was the kind of student she adored.
So even if she lost this bet, it wouldn't matter much. Of course, winning would be better; with the Soul Bone Yuwen Tuo won, she could simply gift it to Huo Yuhao later, allowing Yuwen Tuo to contribute indirectly to their New Student Class One.
---
"Seven Treasures has its fame, the first being Strength!"
Two beams of light shot out from the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda, instantly boosting Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er's strength by forty percent—four times stronger than Lian Yue's Ruyi Disk.
Though strength wasn't exactly the same as attack power, the two were closely related. While not equal, they could at least be considered approximately equivalent.
"Yuwen Tuo, I've heard you defeated Bei Bei of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Let me see what you're made of—take this!" Wu Feng's entire body erupted into flames as a fierce crimson dragon phantom appeared around her, completing her Spirit Fusion.
This was a high-level Beast Spirit—the Red Dragon, fire attribute.
"First Spirit Skill: Dragon's Flame!"
Wu Feng unleashed a punch, her fist imbued with dense fiery energy. With the forty percent strength boost from the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda, this strike rivaled that of a Soul Elder.
"Not bad flames! First Spirit Skill: Flame Executioner's Blade!" Yuwen Tuo summoned his flaming blade and slashed downward in one swift motion, cleanly slicing through the column of fire Wu Feng had unleashed.
"What incredible attack power! It seems the amplification isn't just coming from the Ruyi Disk—it must be his first Spirit Skill itself that enhances his attacks, stacking with the disk's effects," Ning Tian remarked. "Yun'er, coordinate with Wu Feng to disrupt his rhythm."
"Understood! First Spirit Skill: Crimson Blade!"
Nanmen Yun'er's first Spirit Skill bore some resemblance to Yuwen Tuo's Flame Executioner's Blade, both condensing razor-sharp blades of fire to strike their opponents.
Yun'er gathered the sharp edge of her Crimson Slash onto her hand, holding back before releasing it like a deadly hand strike.
She then charged forward fiercely, flanking Yuwen Tuo alongside Wu Feng.
"You won't bully my Tuo Tuo so easily! First Spirit Skill: Tripod Tremor!" Xiao Xiao, unwilling to let Yuwen Tuo face the onslaught alone, sent the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron flying toward Nanmen Yun'er.
"Seven Treasures has its fame, the third being Soul!" Two more beams of light emanated from Ning Tian's pagoda.
This time, it was a Soul Power enhancement.
While strength amplification boosted physical attributes, Soul Power amplification increased the output of one's Spirit Skills, indirectly enhancing their potency.
"Ha!" With twin shouts, Wu Feng's heavy punch and Nanmen Yun'er's hand strike collided simultaneously with the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron, sending it flying backward. Xiao Xiao staggered uncontrollably, retreating seven or eight steps and nearly falling out of bounds.
Fortunately, thanks to her mastery of the Su Lü Heart Technique, she managed to stabilize herself quickly.
---
"Xiao Xiao, they have the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda supporting them. You can't match them head-on. Retreat—I'll handle them," Yuwen Tuo called out.
"Understood!" Xiao Xiao nodded, realizing that Yuwen Tuo was about to change tactics.
Yuwen Tuo swung his blade horizontally, leaving behind a massive sea of flames that enveloped both Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er.
This was the Wildfire Blaze technique from the Fierce Flame Saber style.
"You think you can take us both on? Yuwen Tuo, I admit you're strong, but don't get too cocky!" Wu Feng snarled. "Second Spirit Skill: Dragon's Fury!"
This was a buff-type Spirit Skill, greatly enhancing both offense and defense while amplifying all other Spirit Skills.
With the combined boosts from the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda and her own skill, Wu Feng now rivaled Bei Bei's strength from their previous encounter.
Clashing with Yuwen Tuo, neither gained a decisive advantage. He only managed to push her back three steps without inflicting any real damage.
Yet Wu Feng was far more shocked than Yuwen Tuo.
"I knew this guy was strong in battle, but no one told me he was this strong! Even with all my stats maxed out, I still can't overpower him." Wu Feng grumbled.
"Wu Feng-nee, let me help you. Sorry, handsome—don't mind us girls ganging up on you. Surely a big man like you won't object to a two-on-one fight, right?" Nanmen Yun'er smiled sweetly. "Second Spirit Skill: Crimson Slash!"
The power of Crimson Slash was twice that of Crimson Blade, with two razor-sharp fire blades forming on Yun'er's hands.
The two attacked Yuwen Tuo simultaneously.
Yuwen Tuo chuckled. "Not at all. It's an honor to fight against not just two—but three lovely ladies. Since that's the case, allow me to perform a dance for you all!"
Yuwen Tuo wielded his blade effortlessly, his movements fluid yet powerful. The shadows of his blade danced like lightning, exuding a momentum akin to ten thousand galloping horses. His slashes were wide and bold, each swing producing a sound like roaring dragons and roaring tigers.
He parried left, blocked right, and countered seamlessly.
His blade flashed like electricity, moving faster than the eye could follow. The precision of his technique left everyone in awe.
Despite their combined efforts, Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er couldn't gain the upper hand. Instead, Yuwen Tuo's masterful blade techniques forced them into retreat after retreat.
"What beautiful blade work—it's like watching a dance," Mu Jin praised.
"That's not just ordinary swordplay; it's a form of 'blade dancing,' similar to 'sword dancing.' More than mere techniques, it emphasizes rhythm," Yan Shaozhe commented, having arrived unnoticed to observe the match.
"This blade dance may appear graceful, but it is filled with lethal intent, radiating killing intent detectable from miles away. However, without accompanying music, it cannot reach its full potential. All he needs to do is rely on speed to disrupt the rhythm. Besides, there's still one layer of support from the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda left unused."
"Second Spirit Skill: Seven Treasures has its fame, the second being Speed!"
Coincidentally, just as Yan Shaozhe finished speaking, Ning Tian activated the final layer of support—speed enhancement—for Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er.
Their attacks suddenly accelerated.
Though Yuwen Tuo's blade dance was formidable, it relied heavily on rhythm. As Yan Shaozhe had pointed out, once the opponent moved too quickly, his rhythm would falter, rendering the dance ineffective.
At such times, music was typically used to restore balance.
And so, Xiao Xiao stepped in!