Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Defeated in a Single Move
Ye Xuan instantly felt as if he were shouldering a crushing weight.
"Profound Pressure?"
Ye Xuan’s eyes narrowed in surprise. He hadn’t expected his opponent’s mastery of Profound Qi to have reached such a level. Tong Hong was using his aura to transform his Profound Qi into a tangible pressure, one that assailed his opponent not just mentally, but physically.
This clearly meant that his control of Profound Qi had reached an extremely profound level. Moreover, to form Profound Pressure, the Profound Qi within one’s body had to be extremely pure. This was a feat only possible with a Cultivation Technique of at least Earth Grade or higher.
No wonder this person was ranked thirty-sixth on the academy’s leaderboard. He indeed had some skill.
Seeing Ye Xuan’s solemn gaze, a sneer appeared in Tong Hong’s cold eyes.
"Is that enough to surprise you? I’m curious how much of your strength you can even use under my Profound Pressure. But this is far from over. Let me show you my Martial Soul."
As his voice fell, Tong Hong sneered. A hazy light suddenly erupted from his body, and a black, illusory shadow appeared above his head. The shadow writhed, morphing into the shape of a black cat.
The moment the cat appeared, a sinister chill spread through the air. Its eyes, cold and dark like black Gemstones, stared at Ye Xuan. A wave of frigid air spontaneously rose from the soles of his feet and shot through his entire body.
It wasn’t just Ye Xuan. Many of the students near the challenge platform felt their hair stand on end as a chill ran down their spines.
"My Martial Soul, the Ghost Shadow Cat!" Tong Hong sneered.
The Ghost Shadow Cat is a Dark Element Martial Soul. Its owner gains a bonus to speed and stealth, allowing them to appear and disappear like a phantom. Furthermore, their Profound Qi carries a unique, sinister chill that can easily corrode and freeze the Profound Qi of others.
Among the many types of Martial Souls, the Ghost Shadow Cat was considered an extremely powerful one.
After summoning his Ghost Shadow Cat Martial Soul, the smug sneer on Tong Hong’s face didn’t fade. Instead, it grew even wider.
"Are you starting to feel despair? Don’t be hasty. This isn’t even the main event. What will truly make you despair... is this!"
Tong Hong let out a low shout. With a humming sound, two black halos suddenly lit up around the Ghost Shadow Cat Martial Soul. The two halos pulsed back and forth, and the sinister, mysterious aura intensified several times over in an instant.
The intense, bone-chilling cold forced the other students at the edge of the challenge platform to retreat, their faces filled with horror.
"A Two-Stars Martial Soul! It’s actually a Two-Stars Martial Soul!"
"That Tong Hong, he really hides his strength. When did his Martial Soul break through to Two-Stars? I had no idea."
"What terrifying cunning. With his strength, once his Martial Soul broke through, thirty-sixth place is no longer his true rank. He could probably break into the top twenty on the leaderboard."
"This Ye Xuan is in for it now."
In an instant, the area below the challenge platform erupted in a clamor of discussion. Everyone stared in utter shock at the Martial Soul Tong Hong had released.
A Two-Stars Martial Soul was far more powerful than a one-star one.
At Profound Spirit Academy, students were eligible for graduation as soon as they reached the Martial Master Third Layer. Therefore, the vast majority of students focused their efforts on cultivation.
As a result, very few students managed to upgrade their Martial Soul to Two-Stars while still at the academy. Only those from powerful families with deep connections, who could easily find Profound Beasts and Soul Refiners, had such an opportunity.
"A Martial Master Second Layer with a Two-Stars Martial Soul. Tong Hong is truly worthy of his high rank in the Crown Prince Alliance and his spot at the top of the leaderboard. He’s actually revealing all his trump cards this time. He must be furious with that Ye Xuan and wants to make an example of him in front of everyone. From the looks of it, Ye Xuan probably won’t even last a few moves against Tong Hong." Another student from the leaderboard commented with a grim expression.
"A few moves?" The person next to him scoffed. "Look at the difference in their auras. I guarantee that when Ye Xuan faces Tong Hong, he’ll be crushed instantly."
"Exactly. If that kid can withstand even a single move from Tong Hong without being defeated, it would be considered absolutely stunning."
As the crowd buzzed with discussion, Leng Yingying and the others watched with solemn expressions, their fists clenched. They prayed for Ye Xuan, their faces etched with worry.
"Kid, are you starting to despair now? You were the one who issued this challenge. I bet when you did, you never imagined it would end like this."
As Tong Hong spoke, he took a step forward. Instantly, the terrifying Profound Pressure intensified, crashing down on Ye Xuan. Mixed with the sinister chill of the Ghost Shadow Cat, it seemed to want to freeze the very air around him solid.
"It’s just a bit of Profound Pressure. Is there really a need to show off like this? What can a little pressure like this do to me, Ye Xuan?"
On the challenge platform, Ye Xuan sneered and spoke lightly, his gaze calm as he walked forward.
The air around him suddenly began to flow strangely, like scorching sunlight melting pristine white snow. The terrifying Profound Pressure was swept away in an instant.
"Hmm?"
Tong Hong’s eyes narrowed. He could feel that as soon as his Profound Pressure entered the area around Ye Xuan, it was as if it had been caught in a whirlpool, rapidly churned, neutralized, and instantly dissipated.
’This kid seems to have a few tricks up his sleeve. No wonder he’s so arrogant.’
Tong Hong thought to himself, but the sneer on his lips only continued to blossom. ’I am a genius at the Martial Master Second Layer. Combined with my Two-Stars Ghost Shadow Cat Martial Soul, I can even easily slay an expert at the Martial Master Third Layer. How could a mere Martial Master First Layer freshman, no matter what tricks he has, possibly be my opponent?’
At this thought, Tong Hong’s figure suddenly moved.
"Ghost Shadow Morph!"
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
In an instant, Tong Hong’s figure burst apart. Streaks of shadows crisscrossed the challenge platform, darting everywhere. Wild Profound Qi shot out, and a black aura swept over everything, making it impossible to tell where Tong Hong’s real body was.
"This Tong Hong is terrifying. He’s utilizing the Ghost Shadow Cat Martial Soul’s talent to the absolute limit. He’s become a ghost shadow; you can’t even find his real body. How is anyone supposed to fight that?"
The crowd was secretly shocked. It seemed Ye Xuan was in danger. Tong Hong was truly worthy of being a master on the leaderboard; his strength was terrifying. His first move had stunned the entire audience.
"This freshman... I heard he defeated Yuan Shan. To have such strength right after enrolling, he must be a heaven-blessed prodigy. Unfortunately, he’s too arrogant—so arrogant he actually challenged Tong Hong. Looking at it now, I’m afraid he won’t even be able to withstand a single move."
Someone in the crowd below the platform spoke up, and many other students quickly agreed.
The moment Tong Hong displayed his power, he shocked the entire audience. In the eyes of almost every student, Ye Xuan was courting death.
Yun Aoxue’s fists clenched, her eyes filled with worry. She was ready to intervene at any moment.
Facing the platform crisscrossed by black shadows and the crowd’s pessimistic chatter, Ye Xuan, standing amidst the swirling black Profound Qi, remained completely unfazed.
His eyes were as tranquil as a deep pool, coldly observing everything. A mocking smile touched the corner of his lips.
SWISH!
Suddenly, a sharp black gleam shot out from behind Ye Xuan’s right side. The hazy black light transformed into a dazzling, sharp profound glow as a claw tore through the lingering black Profound Qi and lunged at Ye Xuan.
Fast. Too fast. Unbelievably fast.
The black claw was like a flash of lightning. In a single flicker, it reached Ye Xuan’s side. The sharp claw descended with a whistling wind, striking hard at Ye Xuan’s right shoulder blade.
"He’s finished!" The thought flashed through everyone’s minds as their pupils contracted.
Tong Hong’s attack was simply too fast. Under the cover of the swirling black Profound Qi, it was almost impossible to react in time. The other leaderboard students in the audience secretly put themselves in Ye Xuan’s place and realized that even they wouldn’t have been able to block this move from Tong Hong.
"Haha! Suffer! Repent! Despair!"
As the claw struck, Tong Hong’s cold, savage laughter echoed across the challenge platform.
He could feel the sensation of his claws tearing into Ye Xuan’s flesh. ’With just this one strike,’ he thought, ’this arrogant brat’s entire right arm will be ripped off.’
DANG!
But in the next moment, the savage grin on Tong Hong’s face froze. His right claw had struck Ye Xuan’s right shoulder, but instead of the satisfying feeling of tearing through flesh, it felt like he had struck a piece of incredibly hard metal. A massive rebound force shot back at him.
Excruciating pain shot through Tong Hong’s right hand. In an instant, all five of his fingers snapped.
This sudden turn of events made Tong Hong tremble violently, his face a mask of horror.
"A Body Refining Divine Abilities!"
A trace of fear spread through Tong Hong’s heart. Ye Xuan’s nonchalant smile now seemed terrifying and sinister!
Body Refining Divine Abilities were among the most difficult types of cultivation techniques to master. Unlike ordinary protective techniques that used Profound Qi to form a defense, Body Refining techniques tempered the physical body, training it to its absolute limit.
Tong Hong was confident that with his strength combined with his Martial Soul, even an expert at the Martial Master Third Layer would be torn to pieces by that attack. But against Ye Xuan, he couldn’t even break his skin. This completely shattered Tong Hong’s confidence.
Retreat. That was the only thought in Tong Hong’s mind.
Unleashing the talent of his Ghost Shadow Cat Martial Soul, Tong Hong stomped his feet hard on the ground. His body, like an agile swift, instantly reversed its momentum and shot backward.
"Trying to retreat now? Too late!"
The cold, indifferent words came from Ye Xuan’s mouth. His body was like a phantom as his right hand descended upon Tong Hong’s chest.
A distinct CRACK was heard. Tong Hong’s chest caved in violently. He screamed as blood, mixed with clots, spewed from his mouth. He tumbled a dozen times across the ground before finally coming to a stop.
His robes were tattered, his body was covered in blood, and his hair was in disarray. All traces of his previous arrogance and refined demeanor were gone.
"Is this the strength you were so proud of? It’s nothing special." Ye Xuan spoke calmly, his words like a sharp knife stabbing once more into Tong Hong’s wounded pride.
BLEGH! He spat a mouthful of blood toward the sky, his face as white as paper. He was overcome with rage. The Profound Qi inside him ran rampant in chaos, and he could no longer control even a sliver of it.
In an instant, the entire arena fell silent.
