Chapter 81: Sleep

"The combat test will begin in a moment. You'll all be in a 1 vs 5 battle. Xiu Ye against all of you." Wu Zhangkong instructed.

Xu Xiaoyan whipped her head around towards Wu Zhangkong, a dumbfounded expression on her face and slacked jaw.

"Huh?! Isn't this an unfair battle?" And thought, 'Is he serious?!' No matter how much of a genius someone is, they couldn't possibly handle a group five people with different abilities and skillset and almost the same cultivation rank, right?

While she was complaining in her head, the others were deathly silent. They all slowly turned their head and stared at Xiu Ye with intense determined expressions. Their hands curled into tight hardened fists.

Xiu Ye merely smirked at them and spread his arms apart. "I hope you all have some improvements since we last saw each other. I'll be very, very disappointed if you guys and gals are still weaklings."

They remained silent but an aura of battle and bloodlust suddenly enveloped their bodies together and burst forth to try and overwhelm Xiu Ye in it, unfortunately, it didn't work. He kept on smirking at them.

Xu Xiaoyan whipped her head around once more, expression of fear on her face, as she stares in shock at her classmates.

'W-What? What's with this atmosphere? Instead of a classroom of young students like myself, it's like a room ready for war! It's so scary! And why isn't anyone else complaining how unfair this is?' She was so shock that she stood frozen in place, unable to ask anyone on why they were acting like this.

Xiu Ye's smirk widened even more as he felt their enthusiasm and proclaimed, "How about this, if anyone of you could manage to draw out my martial soul or spirit soul you guys win? Sounds fair?"

They all nodded and thought it was, except for Xu Xiaoyan, who is more shock than ever before.

'What? How is that fair! You're handicapping yourself too much, are you seriously that arrogant and confident to defeat all of us without using your martial soul? And why are you all agreeing that it is fair! Just what is going on with these people?!'

....

Soon they were in the training/gym room to start their combat test.

Xiu Ye waited patiently with a calm expression as he watch his friends and Xu Xiaoyan discuss their battle plan. He could try to eavesdrop on them by reinforcing his ears but where's the fun in that?

After a five minute discussion between themselves Tang Wulin, Xu Xiaoyan and his friends positioned themselves against Xiu Ye. Tang Wulin was at the front, both Xie Xie and Mu Xi behind him by his left and right side respectively, creating a spear formation. While Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan, standing side by side, were position behind the trio.

Wu Zhangkong was at the sideline between them, acting as the referee, he raised his right arm up and said, "Ready... fight!"

Tang Wulin charged forward like a raging bull and raised his right arm and cocked it back; his arm's skin began to pour out strange silver liquid, as if it were mercury, and began to transformed into a familiar trident in his hand. With Atlanna in hand he stomped his right foot on the ground, cracks forming beneath his foot and creating a small shockwave, using that momentum, he leaped like a speeding bullet towards Xiu Ye and, due to his explosive speed, he had appeared just several inches above him.

He spun Atlanna around easily with a single hand over his head. Golden circuit lines began to appear on the trident's shaft then its prongs; strengthening its edge and piercing ability. As he gathered enough force, he then grasped the middle shaft with both of his hands and tilted Atlanna back. The long beautifully forged silver trident's five sharp prongs was then pointing down towards Xiu Ye's head and he unhesitatingly struck down like a god of war!

Xiu Ye tilted his head back and saw the five sharp tips of Atlanna about to pierced through his head. He didn't panic. He calmly tilted his entire upper body back and completely dodge the spear; like the matrix, showing a great amount of flexibility and acrobatic skills. As the spear's prongs passes by his face he immediately lashed out a reinforced right leg kick towards Tang Wulin's left rib.

It didn't connect however as a loud dragon roar sounded out and a bright yellow blade blocked his attack, glancing at the culprit, Xie Xie was at Tang Wulin's left side with a emotionless face. His left hand that held his Light Dragon Dagger is currently blocking his attack while his other hand, holding the Shadow Dragon Dagger, had it stabbed to the leg. Only for cloth to be pierced and not flesh.

'When Wulin charged towards me Xie Xie soon followed after him like he was his own shadow, flawlessly copying the former's every movement that would make him unnoticeable. It was when Wulin leaped towards me that he hid within his shadow and waited for an opportunity to either attack me or defend him.' Xiu Ye inwardly nodded in approval. 'Un. Good. His speed, reaction and wit had improved compared to last month.'

Tang Wulin used that moment to retract his trident up with his left hand, have it point down towards Xiu Ye's neck, and unleashed his martial soul. A purple light appeared around his body; revealing his thousand year old soul ring.

"Bind!"

It glowed and thick vines of Blue Silver Grass protruded from the ground under Xiu Ye's back and started wrapping around him: his entire torso, arms, hands and left leg.

With the Blue Silver Grass binding him in place, Xiu Ye was stuck in midair with only his left foot on the ground. He narrowed his eyes, he's seen enough hentai to know where this was going...

His eyes widened as he felt the floor beneath his feet turning soft and wet, before he could try to pull out his foot was quickly sunk into the ground! It wasn't over however as he felt the disturbance of elements with his spiritual power to his left, turning towards it, he was greeted with dozens of wind blades, sharp long icicles and light spears.

As if that wasn't enough, through his sixth sense, he could sense Mu Xi to his other side with her reinforced fist coming towards him. She didn't use her martial soul as she knew it was totally useless against his. While Xie Xie was preparing to stab his abdomen.

They didn't let him move or think, the entire exchange had started for only a few seconds!

It completely stunned Xu Xiaoyan, with a blue staff in both of her hands giving off a chilly air, who watched all of this with widened eyes dropped jaw. She nervously gulped, 'F-Fast! What's with their monstrous abilities!? Before I could think and blink, they had completely charged towards Xiu Ye and attack him without pause; quickly cornering and subduing him within seconds! They all acted as both attack agility and control type system soul masters. This battle, is over!'

She narrowed her eyes, 'Is what it should be but...' She took quick analytical glances at Wu Zhangkong and Gu Yue. 'Teacher Wu, big sister Yue and the others' attitude towards him tells me that Xiu Ye wouldn't go down this easily.'

A second later as she thought of that, she was proven correct.

Xiu Ye's lips curved into a grin, despite of his situation. It had completely made Tang Wulin and the others have goosebumps from seeing that smug smile on his lips. Just as they were about to hit him–

"Trace, on." Xiu Ye's mutter entered their ears.

And the stench of iron and ash soon entered their noses.

Swords, dozens of varying thick iron swords appeared all around his body and surrounded him like a box. Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Mu Xi and Gu Yue's attacks were either blocked or rebounded from the iron walls of blades, making them all jump back.

Their eyes widened in shock. This was the first time they witnessed this ability of Xiu Ye! Before they could recover from their surprise, the wall of swords started to have cracks all around it before shattering into pieces.

Tang Wulin had felt his connection with his Blue Silver Grass being completely cut off so he knew that Xiu Ye was freed and was prepared to confront him.

What he wasn't expecting was a blue lightning bolt coming straight towards him with blinding speed!

Without any hesitation Tang Wulin called upon the ability within Atlanna and the water elements in the air around gathered in front of him and formed a huge water wall, blocking the lightning bolt. What he didn't notice was something flickering on his forehead for a moment before disappearing.

The air split and the booming sound of thunder rippled against the water wall before dissipating into air.

Cold sweat dropped down Tang Wulin's temples.

'That was so close!' If he had acted a second later, he would have been screwed.

Xiu Ye's counterattack however, didn't end there. After he lashed out a lightning bolt towards Tang Wulin, distracting him, he immediately flash stepped towards Xie Xie with two unnamed D-rank tanto daggers and engaged him in a battle of blades.

Xiu Ye thrusted one of his tantos towards Xie Xie's sternum, who quickly blocked it with his Light Dragon Dagger and counterattacked with his Shadow Dragon Dagger towards the former but he had also successfully blocked it.

They both broke away from each other with a step back. Their eyes met with each other, one was of a cold glare while the other was one of bemusement. Suddenly, Xie Xie took a step forward and his first soul ring began to lit up in a yellow glow. A loud dragon roar was heard as he horizontally swipes his Light Dragon Dagger and a blade of light flies towards Xiu Ye.

Xiu Ye held his tantos to each of his side in his hands, raising his right hand with a tanto over his head, he cut apart the half a meter wide blade of light and he diagonally intercepted the second attack that was about to pierced his forehead.

A clung was heard and it was seen in the air, by people with crystal clear vision, that the Shadow Dragon Dagger was the second attack on Xiu Ye!

Xie Xie clicked his tongue and resummoned his invisible dagger back to his hand.

Their eyes met with one another. A silent understanding passed between them, daggers ready at hand, they then charged at each other and began cutting, dodging and blocking the other's relentless attacks.

Cuts appeared on their uniforms and skin spewing blood, the latter being on Xie Xie only, as their respective blades continued on slashing against each other with a ferocious speed and destruction of a tornado. Which Xie Xie then used his second soul ring, Light Dragon Storm; turning its edge into the winds of a violent storm that spiraled as the user spins rapidly whilst holding the dagger and slashed at the surroundings; especially against Xiu Ye.

But the young man flawlessly dodged or parried against his attacks; giving him an image like he was dancing within the storm of wind without a care in the world, making Xie Xie almost spat out a mouthful of blood from indignation. Moreover, he was running fast out of soul power!

"Don't you forget me!" Fortunately for Xie Xie, they were suddenly interrupted by a loud familiar yell and Xiu Ye tilted his head to avoid the dangerous drop kick of Mu Xi, which shattered the floor beneath her kick. Without pause she spun in her heel, doing a complete spin around, she lashed out a high kick at him but Xiu Ye avoided her attack by somersaulting back.

Clicking her tongue Mu Xi lowered her leg and rose both of her fists up, glancing back, she said, "You alright?"

Xie Xie panted, blood and sweat soaking his uniform; wiping off the sweat from his forehead he nodded at her. "Yeah. Just slightly winded. What took you so long? And where the hell's the support?"

Mu Xi frowned, her fists clenched even more, and simply said, "Take a look."

Xie Xie scrunched his eyebrows, confused, he looked around and his eyes went wide.

It was a forest of iron; swords and chains surrounded the entire arena.

Large and varied long blades protruded from the ground, each giving off differing but all the same terrifying auras. While long differing chains dangled around from the ground and in the air! How was that possible? It was like the chains had came from another dimension and were spewing out. All of his other teammates were being held up by them.

Tang Wulin's body is being wrapped around by a dark colored chains, despite his great divine strength, he was completely subdued even when he tried using his Golden Dragon King Right Arm. He was roaring out in anger from being chained.

While Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue were completely surrounded with numerous sharp blades protruding from the ground.

Xie Xie looked at all these with complete wide-eyed shock.

'When, when did he do all these?!'

Mu Xi said, "While you were fighting him we were all being attacked by those annoying swords and chains. The only reason why I was able to get away was because those shits weren't immune to the fire of the sun."

Xie Xie turned towards Xiu Ye, who was standing a few feet away from them with complete calmness and unarmed, yet that didn't make him any less of a danger to them. He could see the tremendous amount of fighting spirit pressure emitting from his body that threatened to bring his wobbly knees down in complete submission.

"Why did he go against me? Why not against Wulin or Gu Yue?"

My Xi shrugged. "Don't know. Probably because of your Shadow Dragon Dagger's annoying innate ability to hide in the shadows and make surprise attacks."

Xie Xie nodded and stood besides her, his daggers in both of his hands, and asked. "So, any plans of attack?"

Nope. With all of their friends subdued and they were on their own, it was clear to them that it's game over for them.

Mu Xi forcibly smiled and dryly said, "Charge forward and go down in a blaze of glory?" Though she slightly winced at the latter wording as she, and everyone knew, Xiu Ye could literally make them go down in a blaze of glory.

Xie Xie snorted, deciding on that last bit, and said, "On three?"

Mu Xi nodded. Blue circuit lines appeared on all four of her limbs.

They both turned towards Xiu Ye, who had been patiently waiting for them with a smirk on his lips.

He raised his left hand up and did a "come on" gesture to them.

"Three!" They yelled out and charged towards him. Mu Xi moved like the wind and appeared to the left of Xiu Ye with her right hand clenched, shining with blue and orange light, which made the air split apart, as she prepared to throw a punch towards him while Xie Xie was on the other side much earlier than her with his first soul ring glowing and two dragon roars was heard. An arc blade of light was emitted out of his Light Dragon Dagger and followed behind it was the Shadow Dragon Dagger.

This was their last stand, their last attack filled with everything that they have.

"Hm. You both had gotten a bit stronger... sadly however, it's still my win."

Xiu Ye prepared to summoned out the Crimson Yang Sword when he felt a sudden chill behind him. Glancing over his left shoulder he was surprised to find a giant spinning ice wheel coming towards him from behind.

'Ice? Is it Gu Yue? No. I hadn't felt the water element solidify or the ice element form behind me. It would usually take about a second or less to form so I should have been able to sense this before it would have finish being formed. This is instant; like a soul skill. Is it her?' Xiu Ye glanced towards where Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue are, and unsurprisingly, a translucent dome of blue ice had taken their place with the metal pieces of his swords on the ground around it.

Although they couldn't be completely seen but the clear yellow light glowing within the dome was unmistakable.

'Not bad.'

Although her attack against him was annoying at best but if it were anyone else in his current situation, with Mu Xi and Xie Xie going in a pincer attack on him with all they got, they would have already been defeated.

But the most important part was the timing. Xu Xiaoyan had probably judged him to have exhausted most of his soul power from using that fortress wall of swords and an aoe on all of them except Xie Xie; which is correct as it had consumed a lot of soul power, especially tracing that chain that binded Tang Wulin, and had left him at about twenty percent of soul power. That amount of projection wouldn't have left him so drain if Tiangou didn't occupied some of his storage area(dantian).

With the pincer attack on him as well, attacking right at this moment from behind would prevent him from blocking at his front from that and so it would be their victory.

Xu Xiaoyan's talent to control the battle was superb! Her potential as the future number one control system soul master was shining right at this moment.

'But it still wouldn't be enough for you to secure a win for you all.' Xiu Ye raised his right hand up and on the back of his hand had a strange red tribal tattoo; containing the Crimson Yang Sword 2.0.

Just as he was about to summon it out he felt a sudden disturbance of space over his head and the feeling of numerous compressed elements.

Xiu Ye tilted his up to see Gu Yue, over his head, their eyes meeting each other. His eyes displaying surprise while hers was of excitement and anticipation.

He glanced to her right hand where he felt numerous elements gathered and his eyes widened to see something he never thought he would see again.

In her right was a six-colored sphere with the size of a human adult head. Fire, water, earth, wind, space and light elements in the atmosphere around them suddenly grew so thin that it was like it disappeared, but no. All the mentioned elements didn't disappear but was instead being absorbed into the ball of elements in Gu Yue's right hand.

'She actually did it...' Xiu Ye thought as he watches Gu Yue thrusting the 'rasengan' towards his face. It was really just a test really.

Before the one month long vacation, he had asked Gu Yue if she would be able to compressed raw elements like wind into an orb and use it like an attack; he wanted to see if she could make a rasengan and add it into her fighting style. Despite his spiritual power giving him the ability to control wind as well as other elements, he could only do basic elemental control that weren't fire, lightning, metal, darkness and space.

But who would have thought that she would go beyond and compressed more than one element together into a small sphere? Looks like being the Silver Dragon King wasn't just some title.

Nonetheless, he would still be able to dodge by a hair's breath by-Xiu Ye's eyes widened as he felt his arms, torso and legs being wrapped tight by something thick and heavy. He look down to see a familiar wrapping of Blue Silver Grass and he glanced to the side to see Tang Wulin, still chained, grinning at him.

'Oh, you sunvabitch.' He was completely trapped and surrounded, and just inches away from hitting him.

He closes his eyes and let out a sigh.

'Welp, I played with them enough. It's time to end this.'

"Alright. You guys asked for it." He opened his eyes, orange circuit lines appearing from his lower eyelids to his neck. A sudden oppressive feeling started to fill the air around him.

Nobody noticed this change except for Gu Yue, whose eyes widened and opened her mouth to yell out,

"Everyone! Get back!" But it was too late.

"Sleep." A bright white aura enveloped Xiu Ye's entire body before bursting forth, engulfing everyone in his vicinity.

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