156 Chapter 154.

All eyes were fixated on Zhu Zhuqing. Her martial soul proved irresistibly captivating to the eyes, drawing the attention of nearly everyone. Without a doubt, her martial soul held an allure that transcended ordinary beast type martial soul.

"Brother Feng, they're about to engage in a fight," Tang San remarked. "Should we intervene?"

The discomfort on the black-haired man's face suggested he was likely a Soul Ancestor of level forty-one or higher. Wang Feng shook his head and replied, "Let's observe for now. Let's see the power of her martial soul after mutation. Moreover, with Ye Lingling present, the risk of serious injury is minimal."

He was also curious about the mutation her martial soul brought forth, Wang Feng remained uncertain. However, he anticipated a significant enhancement inall her attributes, recognizing that the soul power level was only one facet of her transformation.

The Grandmaster asserted that, post-mutation, Zhu Zhuqing's martial soul already exuded the aura of the mainland's top beast martial soul, leaving no room for doubt. Tang San concurred with this assessment, nodding slightly as he contemplated the situation.

The black-haired man scrutinized Zhu Zhuqing's martial soul attentively, then grinned, "Moon Elf? A cat, huh? With a feline-like martial soul, your chances of defeating me are even slimmer."

Confidence resonated in his tone.

After a brief glance at the masked man, who nodded in agreement, the black-haired man stepped forward. His body trembled, as the four soul rings on his person lit up—yellow, yellow, purple and purple. The optimal soul rings configuration. He stood as a formidable Soul Ancestor, surpassing level 41.

Tai Long couldn't help but sigh. "If it were a different martial soul, Goddess Zhuqing might still stand a chance against him."

Zhu Zhuqing and her group had trained in the academy for half a year, earning them a place in the advanced class, a fact well-known among the students. Just as Tai Long pursued Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing also had admirer in the academy, often referred as a goddess by them. However, Zhu Zhuqing's aloof demeanor made her seemingly disinterested in such attention, a trait shared equally by Ning Rongrong.

"Is the man's martial soul particularly effective against cats?" Wang Feng furrowed his brow. "Is it a lion-type martial soul?"

Tai Long, taken aback, nodded in response, "Yes, his name is Luo Shi. His martial soul is a Golden Lion... It's the most effective against cat martial souls. Even my Vigorous Orangutan martial soul had been slightly suppressed by his abilities."

Upon hearing this, Tang San and Xiao Wu exchanged glances. It appeared that the lion was indeed a natural adversary to cat type martial souls.

"Isn't this similar to my Phoenix martial soul, naturally countering many bird type martial souls?" Ma Hongjun chimed in. "No wonder Luo Shi claimed it would be nigh impossible for Zhuqing to defeat him."

The concept of martial soul restraint was a fact, potentially influencing the outcome of a battle between martial soul of the same level, and even more so if one's martial soul was of a higher level than their opponent.

"Not necessarily." Wang Feng remarked casually, leaving the statement hanging at that moment.

The black-haired youth, Luo Shi, abruptly stamped the ground, as a majestic golden lion martial soul materialized behind him, emanating an imposing presence. The appearance of this martial soul stirred an uproar among the students witnessing the spectacle.

Despite the aesthetic appeal of Zhu Zhuqing's mutated martial soul, it was clear that hers was a cat type martial soul. In contrast, Luo Shi's lion martial soul was in a league of its own, overshadowing Zhu Zhuqing's in both grandeur and pure power. The level of soul ring suppression only exacerbated the mismatch.

"Do you truly wish to engage in combat with me?" Luo Shi frowned, addressing the girl before him. "My soul power level is forty-three, and my martial soul still holds a suppressing effect on yours. Fighting against me, you might only be able to unleash 60 to 70% of your strength."

Zhu Zhuqing responded impassively, "Who decided that?" 

The sentence brought a chill down Wang Feng as he was reminded of a certain prideful being who claimed to stand at the top of all clans. But after a moment he shrugged it off as it was just a mere co-incidence that Zhu Zhuqing uttered that line. 

As the words left her lips, she immediately possessed her martial soul. The mysterious figure of Moon Elf emitted a low howl, blending seamlessly into Zhu Zhuqing's body. The howl, peculiar and resonant, seemed to carry a distinctive sound wave that reverberated in the surroundings.

Luo Shi's body quivered, a hint of apprehension creeping into his heart. Even his martial soul seemed slightly dispersed, and his soul power surged in response to the unexpected turn of events.

"Wait, her martial soul doesn't seem to be suppressed by mine?" Luo Shi exclaimed in astonishment. Instead of suppression on her, there was an unexpected sense of restraint on him.

As Zhu Zhuqing, possessed by her martial soul, approached, Luo Shi noticed a faint crescent mark on her forehead. Her body emitted a moon-like glow, and her claws took on a purple-golden hue with a chilling light that sent shivers down one's spine.

In the blink of an eye, Zhu Zhuqing charged towards Luo Shi with remarkable speed.

"Such incredible speed!" Tang San was momentarily taken aback. Zhu Zhuqing's agility and speed seemed to rival that of a level forty agile attack system soul master.

Tang San, having cultivated to the third level of the Purple Demon Eye, could clearly observe Zhu Zhuqing's movements. However, he soon realized something unusual. "Huh? Is it some kind of shield!"

Even with the enhanced vision of the Purple Demon Eye at the third level, Tang San could distinctly see Zhu Zhuqing's figure shielded by the faint moonlight emanating from her body.

"Brother Feng, after Zhuqing's martial soul possession, the light on her body can interfere with the enemy's perception! It's very potent!" Tang San whispered. "I'm afraid it's a trait brought about by the martial soul mutation."

Wang Feng smiled in response. While Zhu Zhuqing's speed didn't appear fast to him, her evasive maneuvers made her perception elusive. It was as if she could vanish into thin air.

If this ability were employed on the battlefield, its lethality would undoubtedly be formidable.

As they conversed, Zhu Zhuqing launched an attack on Luo Shi. Fortunately, Luo Shi reacted swiftly. He immediately possessed his own martial soul, creating a golden shield of light with his hands folded in mid-air to block the assault. The sharp purple-golden claws clashed with the light shield, producing a piercing sound.

A swift, whooshing noise followed.

In an almost instantaneous move, Zhu Zhuqing's figure flickered away, appearing behind Luo Shi. The soul ring on her body illuminated, and she unleashed Moon Elf Claws. While the claw marks were originally black, they now gleamed in purple-gold, showcasing their formidable power.

Reacting swiftly, Luo Shi conjured a light shield on his back. However, due to the lack of preparation, the effectiveness of his soul ability, the Golden Lion Shield, was not as potent as during the frontal defense. Zhu Zhuqing swiftly shattered his defenses with her claws.

"Her attack is so powerful and penetrating," Ma Hongjun remarked. "Luo Shi's Golden Lion may be slightly inferior to Boss Dai's White Tiger, but the difference can be entirely compensated by the soul power difference. It's not weaker than Boss Dai, but rather, stronger. However, Zhu Zhuqing's attack power seems exceptionally potent. Her previous Hell Hundred Claws wouldn't have easily broken through the opponent's defensive light shield."

Having practiced together for half a year, Ma Hongjun was well-acquainted with Zhu Zhuqing's strength.

"Zhuqing's attack power seems to have taken a significant leap. The claws now being purple-gold appear sharper. The improvement brought about by the martial soul mutation seems substantial," Xiao Wu remarked in surprise. 

"I want to keep that Acacia Broken Red Heart..."

Tang San responded, "Eat it if you want."

"No, I can't eat it. I want to keep it forever with me. This... this is symbolic." Xiao Wu tugged at Tang San's arm, expressing her sentiments with a touch of love

"..." Wang Feng.

Wang Feng didn't direct his attention toward the two of them but simply nodded slightly. It appeared that the improvement brought about by the martial soul mutation was substantial. The ability to conceal her own presence, making it challenging for the enemy to discern her speed, coupled with the freedom from restraint imposed by superior martial soul, significantly enhanced Zhu Zhuqing's attack power. This seemed to compensate for her shortcomings as an agility attack-type soul master.

Meanwhile, Luo Shi found himself vexed by the onslaught. As a forty-three-level Soul Ancestor, he found himself pressured by a Soul Elder, a Soul Elder who also seemed impervious to the natural restraints of martial soul suppression.

In response, the purple soul ring on Luo Shi's body illuminated as he activated his fourth soul ability, Lion King's Wrath. This ability significantly amplified the Martial Soul's deterrent power, essentially intensifying the effect of restraint. Manifesting as a Lion King, the soul ability commanded beasts.

In terms of restraint, this meant an additional 20% reduction in the opponent's overall state. The significance of a 20% decrease encompassed aspects such as soul power, strength, speed, response time, and more. In essence, it played a decisive role in the confrontation. However, it held no effect against a weapon martial soul, soul master.

However, for nearly all beast soul, there was a substantial decrease in their capabilities—almost universally, they would experience a significant decline of at least ten to fifty percent. Even without a specific restraint effect, a similar beast soul would suffer a reduction of half its strength.

Under the influence of Lion King's Wrath, Luo Shi embodied the pride and anger of a lion, and his roaring echoed throughout the audience. The students, gripped by fear, instinctively took steps backward. In this moment, Luo Shi transformed into a lion-like figure, with his flowing mane dyed in golden hues, as his muscular body growed explosively.

Zhu Zhuqing was noticeably affected by this aura. Her speed abruptly stagnated, rendering her vulnerable.

Seizing this opportunity, Luo Shi unleashed his third soul ability, King Lion's Palm. Roaring fiercely, he locked onto Zhu Zhuqing, charging directly at her.

"I fell victim to this move earlier—the King Lion's Palm." Tai Long sighed. 

"As the name suggests, it exerts his full strength into a single palm. This blow represents the culmination of his entire power, making it challenging to defend against."

At this critical juncture, Wang Feng refrained from taking action. His dynamic vision allowed him to distinctly observe the crescent marks on Zhu Zhuqing's eyebrows, starting to emit a faint light. This light neutralized the deterrent and pressure brought about by the Lion King's Wrath, instantly restoring her to her original state.

Following this, Zhu Zhuqing didn't evade but directly employed her own third soul ability: Hell Decapitation!

Yet, at this moment, it shouldn't be named Hell Decapitation.

Zhu Zhuqing's purple and gold claws intersected, forming a knife-shaped arc that directly slashed towards Luo Shi. The two figures crossed in mid-air, and simultaneously, a muffled grunt echoed. Zhu Zhuqing's face paled as a minor blood trail marked her right shoulder, while Luo Shi bore a more significant injury, as a visible bone-deep gash appeared in his lower abdomen.

A quick assessment revealed the clear distinction in their conditions.

On the sidelines, Ye Lingling promptly employed Jiuxin Begonia to deploy her soul abilities. Two beams of light descended on Zhu Zhuqing and Luo Shi simultaneously, swiftly healing their injuries.

"I concede." Luo Shi spoke after a moment of silence, clutching his abdomen as he turned to face Zhu Zhuqing. "Unexpectedly, there are such formidable girls in this academy."

Zhu Zhuqing's body returned to normal, but her complexion remained slightly pale. Ning Rongrong rushed over to assist her, and though Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, her face displayed a hint of flush as she clenched her fists.

I won!

I won!

Yearning for strength, she had never envisioned defeating a Soul Ancestor of the forty-third level while still being a Soul Elder. Even though this wasn't a life-or-death struggle, the opponent hadn't held back at all. Nevertheless, it was still a victory—a prospect unimaginable to Zhu Zhuqing before.

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