fifteen years old level thirty-five, and six years old, level twenty-three—the difference was like heaven and earth! He single-handedly fought two spirit beasts and saved them from the brink of death! Isn't that impressive? His first spirit ring was a thousand-year spirit ring, and his second spirit ring...
Well...it seems we haven't seen it yet.
But isn't that strong enough? So what are we worried about? Yan and Xie Yue stared at each other, suddenly unsure why they were so anxious. After a long stare, they both concluded that they had been biased, still thinking of Lu Leng as just an ordinary genius.
Among the three, only Hu Liena maintained a worried expression.
"You don't believe in me?" Lu Leng's eyes locked onto Hu Liena.
"It's not that..."
"Then that's settled." With that, Lu Leng walked out of the classroom and headed toward the arena.
The students in the classroom, seeing this, quickly followed behind, eager to watch the spectacle.
Hu Liena trailed behind, her eyes fixed on Lu Leng's figure, a sense of foreboding lingering in her heart. She wasn't worried that Lu Leng couldn't defeat Xiong Rige rather, she was concerned about the challenges that would come after his victory. If Lu Leng won, he would quickly become the academy's rising star.
And with that, endless challenges would follow.
Winning those challenges wouldn't be a problem, but if he lost even once, it could significantly impact his future. Because even a single loss would bring a tremendous psychological blow, no less severe than falling from heaven to hell.
The intense sense of failure could make someone with a weak will question their entire existence.
And for a six-year-old child, could he really withstand such a fall? Hu Liena was deeply worried.
The news spread quickly. The word that a new student from the Saint Class was challenging a seasoned genius reached every corner of the academy in less than fifteen minutes.
Students from the elementary, intermediate, and advanced academies, all intrigued by the news, flocked to the arena. In no time, the place was packed to the brim.
This match was undeniably sensational. First, as a student of the Saint Class, almost every one of their matches drew a crowd. Second, when everyone discovered that the new Saint Class student was just a six-year-old child, the hype reached astronomical levels.
Lu Leng looked at the sea of students. The spectator stands were already packed, every available space filled, yet more people were still arriving. Some even activated their spirit abilities just to secure a better view.
The situation quickly caught the attention of the academy, which immediately dispatched teachers to maintain order.
"If I pull this off, it's going to be dazzling," Lu Leng thought of the Thunderous Swallow, the ultimate show-off spirit beast that had indeed brought him good fortune.
"Kid, once you step into the arena, there's no backing out. Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll never forget," Xiong Rige cracked his knuckles, his eyes burning with fervor.
Lu Leng sneered, basking in the attention of the crowd. Since he had decided to act, he didn't bother with unnecessary words.
At this moment, his demeanor shifted. The usual carefree attitude vanished, replaced by a solemn, cold, and aloof expression. Standing with his hands behind his back, he exuded the aura of a lonely, peerless master.
And this image, of course, caught everyone's attention.
"Who is this young man? His aura is so cool, and he's handsome too!"
"Does he have a girlfriend? If not, I'm calling dibs."
"A pheasant dreaming of becoming a phoenix? Do you really think someone from the Saint Class would even look at you?"
"Listen, as someone who's been through it all, I'm telling you, guys who are handsome and have an outstanding aura are usually lacking in stamina. You can't handle him. Leave it to me."
"..."
Soon, as more and more spectators arrived, the atmosphere reached its peak.
Seeing this, Lu Leng felt it was about time and turned to Xiong Rige. "Let's begin."
Xiong Rige twisted his neck, his eyes filled with ferocity, and roared, "Xiong Rige, Level 35 Battle Soul Master, Martial Soul: Blood Fiend Demon Bear!"
"Lu Leng, Level 23 Great Soul Master, Martial Soul: Zhanluo!" Lu Leng said calmly, his gaze steady on Xiong Rige.
But inside, he was screaming with excitement!
Sure enough, within a second, the watching students erupted in piercing exclamations.
"What level? Twenty-three? Did I hear that right?"
"Yeah, twenty-three. If I weren't standing so close, I'd have thought I misheard."
"No way, he's really at level twenty-three? How old is he? Only six, right?"
"No wonder he got into the Saint Class so young, I was suspecting he got in through connections, but it turns out I was just being narrow-minded."
"Sis, he's level twenty-three. You can't handle him. Let me. I'm younger."
"..."
Listening to the gasps and murmurs, Lu Leng felt a surge of satisfaction.
"Level twenty-three? So what? Today, I'll still beat you until you're crawling on the ground!" Xiong Rige's face darkened, his eyes clouded with malice. With a roar, a Blood Fiend Demon Bear materialized behind him, and his body began to transform.
At the same time, three soul rings appeared beneath his feet, floating up and down—two yellow and one purple, the optimal soul ring configuration.
"The Blood Fiend Demon Bear is a top-tier beast-type martial soul. Even though Lu Leng is talented, there's a twelve-level soul power gap. Xiong Rige has this in the bag," a senior student analyzed.
"I agree. Xiong Rige has the absolute advantage in martial soul, soul rings, and soul power. This fight's already decided."
"No wonder Jin Zhengyang didn't come to watch. He must've already guessed the outcome."
The moment Jin Zhengyang was mentioned, the group that had been chatting fell silent, their faces filled with fear.
It was clear that this Jin Zhengyang was no ordinary person.
"Third Soul Skill: Blood Fiend Demon Claw!"
Xiong Rige's eyes turned red, and a thick aura of blood and malice erupted from his body. He leaped into the air, his claws gleaming with a cold, bloody light, ready to tear Lu Leng to shreds.
"This guy's using his third soul skill right off the bat? How much does he hate Lu Leng?"
"Actually, it's not entirely Xiong Rige's fault," a student from the Saint Class explained.
Xiong Rige's talent is considered average in the Saint Class, and he's almost fifteen. If he doesn't make it to the top of the strength ranking by the end of the semester, he'll lose his place in the Saint Class.
Because once he turns fifteen, even if he reaches the top, he won't meet the requirement of holding the first place for six consecutive terms.
So, Xiong Rige has been on edge this semester, and Lu Leng's appearance has only added to his frustration.
Therefore, he didn't care about his image and vented the anger that had been building up inside him. He even wanted to deliver a fatal blow to settle things with Lu Leng.
'Lu Leng hasn't even revealed his martial soul yet. He's probably scared out of his wits.'
'I hope the teachers step in to save him soon. After all, Lu Leng is a genius and has a high chance of becoming a Titled Douluo in the future!'
"..."