The Shrek Academy arena buzzed with anticipation. The internal trial had officially begun. Students filled the viewing stands while instructors watched from above, their eyes scanning the lineup of participants.
Tang San stood at the edge of the battleground in a simple dark robe, his Blue Silver Grass swaying gently around his feet. Beside him, Xiao Wu smiled brightly, but even she could feel the underlying sharpness beneath his calm.
The instructor raised his voice. "First round—Tang San versus Lin Feng!"
A buzz of whispers ran through the crowd. Lin Feng was a well-known second-year student with a powerful turtle shell martial spirit and a reputation for his nearly impenetrable defense.
"He's going to be tough," Xiao Wu whispered, though her tone was relaxed.
Tang San simply nodded and stepped forward.
The Match Begins
As the battle started, Lin Feng immediately activated his martial spirit. A shimmering shell of dark green energy formed over his back and arms. "I've heard about you, Tang San," he said, voice low. "Let's see if the rumors are true."
Tang San didn't respond. Instead, he raised one hand and calmly released his first spirit ring. The ring pulsed, and in an instant, Blue Silver Grass surged from the ground, darting toward Lin Feng.
The turtle-shell boy crossed his arms and crouched, allowing the spirit power shield to absorb the impact.
But something was off.
Instead of attacking head-on, Tang San's vines slid across the surface of Lin Feng's defenses and wrapped behind him like silk threads. Before Lin Feng could react, a second surge of Blue Silver Grass burst upward, grabbing his legs and disrupting his balance.
"Fast!" Lin Feng grunted, trying to pull free.
Tang San's second spirit ring lit up. Illusory mist shimmered around the grass. Lin Feng's vision flickered, and for a brief moment, he staggered.
That moment was enough.
In a blur, Tang San moved like a shadow. He was fast—but not unnaturally so. His speed had clearly increased over time, but it wasn't overwhelming. It was precise. Controlled.
With a flick of his wrist, the grass tightened, pulling Lin Feng to the ground.
"Winner—Tang San!"
The crowd fell silent.
It wasn't the power that had stunned them. It was the precision—the restraint. Tang San had won not through overwhelming strength but through skillful execution and strategic movement.
As he walked back to Xiao Wu, she looked at him with a mix of admiration and concern.
"You didn't even use that fox soul bone ability, did you?"
Tang San shook his head. "Not needed."
She leaned in, her voice quieter. "You're becoming harder to read."
He smiled faintly, but didn't answer.
Later That Day
Tang San sat alone under a tree, meditating. His breathing was even, his mind focused.
The blood refinement technique had subtly strengthened his body, and with it, his combat instincts had sharpened. His movements flowed naturally now, but there was no trace of an overwhelming aura. He was growing—just like the others—but with more depth, more awareness.
In his palm, the faint mark of the fox emperor soul bone glowed softly, invisible to others. He could feel the connection to the six fox spirits he had cultivated. They were working as merchants now, gathering rare materials for the forging of his personal weapon. Everything was building slowly, carefully.
He was not invincible.
But he was always prepared.
End of Chapter 34