In the third section of the course, all the control-type Soul Masters activated their soul power, allowing them to close the gap that had formed in the earlier stages.
Of course, some control-types had foolishly used their soul power too early in the previous sections. Now, they could only watch helplessly as others sped up, while they themselves were about to be overtaken by Wuqing.
Leading the pack was Jiuying, the beautiful little girl who had left second-place Kong Long far behind—by several hundred meters, at least.
As for the rest? They were nowhere in sight, probably more than a thousand meters behind already.
As a control-type Soul Master, it wasn't just about controlling others—one had to know how to control oneself as well.
The icy, snow-covered ground of the third section was incredibly slippery, but Jiuying used her soul power to create strong traction, clinging to the surface like a gecko running up a wall.
She made full use of her grip. On the glassy surface, she seemed to be wearing spike shoes—perhaps even better than that.
Jiuying glanced over her shoulder with a faint frown and muttered to herself, "That big brother doesn't seem weak. Why can't he even outrun that musclehead behind me?"
The "big brother" in question was, of course, Gu Yecheng. Jiuying liked calling him that—perhaps because he was the only one she didn't find annoying.
As for everyone else, Jiuying couldn't help but nickname them the moment she laid eyes on them. After all, she was still a mischievous little girl at heart.
The "musclehead" she referred to was Kong Long. The nickname came naturally—he was a musclebound hulk, and his pecs were so exaggerated they looked like they had a life of their own.
As the saying goes, "Big chest, no brain." So, "Musclehead" was the perfect fit.
Jiuying soon reached the fourth section—an area specifically designed for defense-type Soul Masters. This section was littered with obstacles, and flanking both sides were arrow traps.
This segment tested physical defense. If anyone had already depleted their soul power, they were bound to get injured here.
Even those with remaining soul power wouldn't escape unscathed—though their injuries would be lighter.
The lethality of the arrows had been tested in advance by the three commissioners. As long as you weren't a defense-type, you wouldn't die—but you would bleed.
And once someone was injured, their speed inevitably dropped. This was where the defense-types finally began to shine.
Unsurprisingly, Jiuying was cut on the calf by a sharp, icy arrow as she passed an obstacle. Her speed dropped significantly.
"Damn it!" she cursed under her breath. "Those three damned old men just had to set up this crap. If most of my strength weren't sealed away, these little tricks couldn't even scratch me."
Jiuying had always been fiercely competitive. She had to be number one at everything.
But now, with her leg injured—even though she still had soul power left—she couldn't perform at her previous level. Whether she could hold onto first place was now uncertain.
Seeing more and more figures appear behind her, Jiuying pouted and furrowed her brows, letting out a cold snort. "Even injured, I'm still stronger than all of you… because I'm from Spirit Hall."
She ignored the others. Jiuying wasn't the type to admit defeat. Even with her leg injured, she gritted her teeth and pressed on.
Ahead were two more obstacle clusters. To get through them quickly, she would need to burn more soul power.
Meanwhile, Kong Long was being tailed closely by several others. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake them.
Eventually, Kong Long and his unwanted followers reached the first obstacle area—where Jiuying had just been injured. And it looked like they were in for trouble, too.
This section was fortified with copper walls and steel barriers. Within the iron walls were countless small holes—the exit points for the arrows.
Whether the traps were manned or automated was unclear, but one thing was certain: no one passed through unscathed.
Screams echoed everywhere. Pain ruled this zone. Fear was its aura. Injury was its theme.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Eight arrows shot out from both walls, cutting through the air like missiles into the crowd. Fortunately, the dense group meant not everyone got hit—but those who reacted too slowly suffered badly. Some were disfigured. Some lost all dignity.
"AHHH! It hurts like hell!" someone screamed, breaking off the arrow in their arm. Another had six arrows stuck in his back, looking like a human pincushion. Someone else was hit in… a very sensitive place—and blood splattered everywhere.
Some dropped flat and crawled forward. Yes, it was humiliating. Yes, it slowed them down. But… it worked. It was a glitch in the system.
If they could avoid injury, it would make a huge difference in the final section designed for support-type Soul Masters.
Of course, some people tried to cheat the system. Others charged forward fearlessly. The defense-types began their moment of glory—marching forward like ironclad warriors. Arrows? They were just tickling them.
Indeed, aside from the defensive nature of their Soul Spirits, their soul rings gave them added defense stats.
If their ring was a ten-year ring, they gained 10 points of defense. A hundred-year ring gave 100. As long as the incoming attack didn't exceed this threshold, they'd remain unharmed.
The arrows in this trial didn't reach that threshold. At worst, they slowed the Soul Masters down a bit.
According to the commissioners' design, anyone with at least 40 defense points—say, two ten-year white rings—could pass through unscathed.
(Level 20 soul power = 20 defense points; two ten-year rings add another 20; total 40 = safe zone.)
Among the examinees, a guy named Wang Ba strutted in with splayed feet, leisurely passing one exhausted competitor after another.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Arrow after arrow clanged off his clothes, sounding like metal striking metal.
He didn't even flinch—just kept walking and humming happily:
"True love is like the vast prairie,
No storm can block its way.
When the clouds part and sun shines through,
A thousand rays will light our path...
"True love is like plum blossoms blooming,
Not even ice and snow can hide it.
In the coldest moment, it blossoms proudly—
Spring walks toward us with grace.
Snowflakes flutter, the north wind howls,
The world shrouded in frost...
A single winter plum stands proud,
For love alone, I bloom without regret…"
Someone suddenly shouted, "Look! His first two soul rings are yellow—century rings—and both look like defense types. That means his defense must be at least 220 points!"
"A dual-yellow setup? The optimal soul ring configuration?!"
Even though most of the examinees were nobles, such ideal configurations were still rare.
Usually, safety came first—then strength.
In large noble families, people helped hunt soul beasts, so getting yellow rings was easier. But smaller families had to hunt alone, often settling for white rings.
Most people got a white ring first, then a yellow one. Dual-yellow setups were uncommon—even in Tian Dou Royal Academy.
Wang Ba's swaggering, unstoppable performance lit a fire under the injured and frustrated crowd.
They all thought the same thing: why not let him clear the path?
No one believed there were only eight arrows behind those copper walls. There were bound to be more.
And so, the crowd transformed into a line of baby chicks, hiding behind the mother hen—Wang Ba—as he tanked the arrow storm. They reaped the benefits without taking the risks.
Sure enough, with his help, some non-defense types finally made it through the first obstacle zone.
Many thanked him, hoping he'd keep shielding them. But there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Wang Ba ignored them and sped up—passing Kong Long and charging toward Jiuying.
With her injured leg, Jiuying wasn't running very fast. Glancing back and seeing Wang Ba rocketing forward, his twin yellow
rings glowing brightly, she cursed under her breath:
"Damned turtle bastard… and he's dual-yellow, no less."
(End of Chapter)
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