Chapter 27: Routing the Enemy

"How is it that the plants summoned by Li Xun's first soul skill seem endless? What is going on here?"

Someone in the square exclaimed. Even the most efficient soul skill should have a limit! How could he possibly keep using it continuously like this?

"Twelve meters... do you think you have victory in your grasp?"

Yu Tianheng’s face flushed red, and he gritted his teeth as he glared at Li Xun. His second and third soul rings lit up, the purple third ring shining with the most intensity.

"Second soul skill: Thunder Fury! Third soul skill: Dragon's Wrath!"

Yu Tianheng's third soul skill was an enhancement ability, which could be viewed as a berserk state, doubling the effects of all his other skills.

*Crackle, crackle—*

Electric arcs, even denser than those from his previous attack, erupted around Yu Tianheng. Any nearby plants were shattered the moment they approached this powerful current.

*It seems individual plants are still too fragile,* Li Xun thought to himself.

He hadn't been focusing on Yu Tianheng since the start; instead, he was contemplating how to develop his abilities. Li Xun discovered that in the heat of actual combat, his mind raced, and ideas would inexplicably surface.

Watching Yu Tianheng charge toward him, Li Xun controlled five tree seeds, quietly placing them in the path of his opponent, and then commanded them to grow in a spiral. The five small trees intertwined like a spiraling lance, bursting forth from the ground and heading straight for Yu Tianheng.

Yu Tianheng was startled. Surging with soul power, he pushed the lightning on his body to its limit.

*Crackle, pop—*

The moment the spiraling lance touched the electric arcs, it was ground down as if by a whetstone. Seeing this, Yu Tianheng sneered, preparing to leap over the obstruction. But before his leading foot could even touch the ground, more lances erupted from the earth ahead of him—some even formed by the intertwining of over a dozen trees.

"Break!" Yu Tianheng roared in horror, unleashing his soul skills with everything he had. But the sheer number of lances was too great; despite the power of the lightning on his body, he could not block such a massive onslaught.

Suddenly, a vine silently coiled around his left leg. Before he could react, a second, then a third followed.

"Shatter!"

Yu Tianheng's pupils dilated as he struggled with all his might, but it was too late. Within moments, everything from his chest down was wrapped in vines. He flailed and tore at them with his hands, but he was quickly and firmly bound. Some of the vines were even embedded with thorns.

When they came into contact with Yu Tianheng, the thorns pierced his body mercilessly like awls. As the vines shifted and intertwined, the thorns acted like dull blades, carving deep gashes into his flesh. Yu Tianheng poured all his soul power into his skills to destroy the binding vines, but he could not keep pace with their rapid growth. Blood flowed along the vines, leaving spots of crimson on the ground.

"Aaaah!"

Tears streamed down Yu Tianheng’s face as his head thrashed about, his screams of agony echoing through the square. More vines were already creeping up toward his upper body.

The students in the square watched the gruesome scene with wide eyes, their own legs trembling uncontrollably. Some covered their mouths to suppress the urge to vomit, while some of the more timid girls shrieked and fainted.

"Li Xun, stop! He has already lost!"

Meng Shenji, having realized the severity of the situation, turned pale with shock and hurried forward.

"It’s alright, Chief Meng. Although I’m not yet fully proficient with my skills, I have control. He won't die." Li Xun smiled at Meng Shenji and commanded the plants to slowly release Yu Tianheng.

Even though he found Yu Tianheng annoying, he wouldn't be stupid enough to kill someone in public. After all, it involved the harmony between two sects. Yu Tianheng was a genius of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, and since the old dragon’s family already lacked successors, killing such a promising talent would surely drive the old man to madness.

It was much like when Tang San had revealed killing intent toward him; he had chosen not to retaliate. If a Titled Douluo truly wanted to assassinate a junior, there was no way to defend against it.

Yu Tianheng, now deathly pale, collapsed to the ground as the vines released him. Below his chest, his body was covered in trench-like wounds, with blood flowing uncontrollably.

"Quick! Ye Lingling, heal Tianheng!" Qin Ming said, his face etched with anxiety.

Ye Lingling, appearing dazed, was only brought back to her senses after Qin Ming called her name several times. "Oh... oh, right! Yes, Teacher!"

As the healing began, Yu Tianheng’s life was no longer in immediate danger, but he had fainted from the sheer agony. The members of the team slowly emerged from their shock, looking at Li Xun as if he were a monster. That was Yu Tianheng! A direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and a fourteen-year-old Soul Master. Yet, he had been crushed by Li Xun. Furthermore, Li Xun hadn't moved from his spot from start to finish. Someone calculated the distance between them: it was exactly eleven meters.

Absurd. A monster!

Even the three committee members—Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and their colleague—had changed their perspective on Li Xun. They had originally anticipated Li Xun’s defeat; they hadn't expected him to give them such a massive shock.

"Brother, you’re so strong!" Ning Rongrong approached with a pale face. She had also been quite shaken, but since Yu Tianheng was an outsider, she quickly recovered.

"That’s what you get for not believing in your big brother. I’m sending you back to practice," Li Xun said with a laugh, pinching Ning Rongrong’s cheek.

"No... way," Ning Rongrong protested.

"I really didn't expect you to defeat Yu Tianheng," Dugu Yan said, her expression still lingering with shock. As a member of the same team, she knew his strength well, yet Li Xun had defeated him with such ease.

"Sister Yan, now no one will bother you anymore," Li Xun teased with a chuckle.

Dugu Yan sighed dramatically. "True! It’s so hard to find someone to chase after me, and you’ve just gone and ruined it."

"Heh, don't worry, there are plenty of good men out there," Li Xun hurriedly changed the subject.

"I hope so..."

News of Yu Tianheng’s defeat spread throughout the Shrek Academy in the blink of an eye. Upon hearing the news, the students began comparing themselves to Yu Tianheng, trying to gauge the gap between them and Li Xun.

Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng also received the news and immediately set off for the infirmary to visit Yu Tianheng.

"Nephew Tianheng, what do you plan to do now? Should I help you notify Senior Yu Yuanzhen?" Prince Xue Xing asked, looking at Yu Tianheng, whose lower body was wrapped in bandages.

Yu Tianheng stared blankly at the ceiling. "No need. I’ve already withdrawn from the academy..."

Prince Xue Xing’s heart sank. He tried to persuade him, "Tianheng, how can you think like that just because of a temporary setback? That Li Xun is just a mere child. You’ve learned his skills now; you’ll surely defeat him next time."

Yu Tianheng represented the connection between the academy and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. If he withdrew, this newly established relationship would become incredibly fragile.

"I will defeat him, but not today."

Yu Tianheng knew the consequences of this defeat, especially since he had been humiliated so thoroughly despite being a Soul Master. He could already imagine the students of the Heaven Dou Academy gossiping about him.

"Hmph! Nephew Tianheng, do not be discouraged. Since Li Xun was so heavy-handed, I will definitely demand an explanation for you," Prince Xue Xing said with a cold snort. He stood up from his chair and walked toward the door, with Xue Beng following closely behind.

"..."

Yu Tianheng opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. He had already decided to leave the academy, and that would not change. Rather than being pointed at here, he would rather go elsewhere. As he thought this, a flicker of deep hatred appeared in his eyes.

*Even if I leave, I’ll take a few people down with me. Li Xun, you may have won this time, but don't think you'll have it easy.*