"Thunderclap Academy's attacks did not hit him even once. Could that have been Wu Ling's Spirit Skill? But he did not even reveal his Martial Soul." Alistair Jewel thought back to Wu Ling's movements. He could see that Wu Ling's steps were unusual, but he could not explain what made them unusual.
So Alistair Jewel had no choice but to look at Vane Ash, hoping this sword master could solve the puzzle. To his surprise, he saw gravity in Vane Ash's eyes.
Vane Ash stared firmly at Wu Ling on the stage, as if trying to engrave every one of his movements into memory. Then he slowly said one term.
"That is... Mind's Eye."
"Mind's Eye?" Alistair Jewel asked, puzzled. As a support-type Spirit Master, he understood all kinds of Spirit Master knowledge. He also understood business, treasures, and many other things. But when it came to martial technique, he knew almost nothing. At most, he had learned a little self-defense stronger than an ordinary person's.
Hearing Alistair Jewel's confusion, Vane Ash slowly explained.
"I once heard my father mention that a very, very long time ago, the founder of our Seven Kill Sword obtained Mind's Eye. It is a technique, but also a kind of talent.
"Compared to so-called unity between man and nature, this talent is closer to instinct, or something like a sixth sense.
"A person with Mind's Eye can predict an enemy's movements. Even if the opponent only raises a hand slightly, he can predict what that person will do next. That is why people with Mind's Eye are extremely difficult to ambush.
"Looking at that young man's movements just now, from the moment he took his first step, he had already predicted every attack from all seven opponents. After that, each step he took contained extremely precise adjustments. That is why their attacks seemed to avoid him.
"Of course, because his movements were so smooth and the adjustments so fine, in most people's eyes, it looked as if he simply walked straight through."
After hearing Vane Ash's explanation, Alistair Jewel nodded as if he half understood. He did not need to think too deeply. Knowing that it was extremely powerful was enough.
Below, after Wu Ling threw the opposing captain out of the arena and the referee announced Spirit Hall's victory, thunderous cheers erupted again. Amid that sound, Vane Ash gave another reminder.
"Fengzhi, did you notice?"
"That he did not use his Martial Soul?"
"Correct. That is one point. The other is his body. He just received a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's dragon-transformed strike with his bare body, without using even the slightest Spirit Power."
In emotions completely out of place beside the fiery enthusiasm of the surrounding audience, Alistair Jewel and the other two stared blankly as Wu Ling's back disappeared into the tunnel.
"Alistair, I want to meet him," Vane Ash suddenly said.
Alistair Jewel was slightly stunned by Vane Ash's request. How long had it been since he last heard Vane Ash ask for something?
"Very well. After the finals, I will invite him." The fact that Alistair Jewel used the word invite meant he had already begun treating Wu Ling as someone of his own standing.
Even after hearing Alistair Jewel's promise, Vane Ash kept his eyes locked on the tunnel. He had a premonition. If he wanted his sword path, stagnant for years, to advance another step, the key would lie with Wu Ling.
Back inside the tunnel, Wu Ling gave a symbolic nod to the six people who kept praising him, though he still could not remember their names. Then, under everyone's gaze, he left the competition venue.
Over the following days, every team that faced Spirit Hall was defeated by Wu Ling within one minute, without exception. Vane Ash, meanwhile, became more and more absorbed as he watched.
Finally, the day of the grand final arrived. As expected, the two sides were Spirit Hall and the Star Stripe Empire's main team.
Before the match, the young Davis made a bold declaration. He said he would definitely force out Wu Ling's Martial Soul.
"So you are the one who said you would force out my Martial Soul?" Wu Ling asked, looking at Davis across from him.
"That is right. After observing you these past few days, I realized that the more we estimate your strength, the easier it is for you to overturn those estimates. After discussion, we changed our goal from winning the championship to forcing you to use your Martial Soul. After all, being the only one in the entire tournament to fight you after you reveal your Martial Soul would still be an immeasurable honor."
Wu Ling chuckled a few times.
"Hehe. Then come and try."
Ten seconds later, once the referee called the start, Wu Ling did not actively approach this time. He simply stood there.
Opposite him, however, the seven members of the Star Stripe Empire dazzled him with their series of actions.
The two support-type Spirit Masters at the back completely ignored their own losses and frantically stacked buffs on Davis.
After those two exhausted their Spirit Power, they did exactly what Spirit Hall's six teammates had done and jumped off the stage by themselves.
"As expected, you do not care at all about your opponent's preparations." Feeling the abundant power inside him, Davis spoke with sharp eyes.
He had discovered this while watching Wu Ling fight the Polaris main team. Wu Ling could very easily dodge or block direct attacks, then counterattack. But when it came to enhancement-type and weakening-type skills, he gave his opponents plenty of time to use them.
Davis understood. This was Wu Ling's absolute confidence in his own strength. He disdained interrupting those enhancements that meant little to him. But that suited Davis perfectly, because among the plans he had once abandoned, there was one called the Limit-Flow Netherworld White Tiger.
After the two support-type Spirit Masters left the stage, a Spirit Master who had not appeared before stood behind Davis.
"That person seems to be a substitute member," Wu Ling said after glancing at him. Then, losing interest, he continued watching Davis's setup.
But immediately afterward, something happened that even surprised Wu Ling.
"Fourth Spirit Skill, Spirit Power Chain!"
With that person's Spirit Skill, several chains shot out from his body. Those chains linked Davis, Zhu Zhuyun, and the remaining two Spirit Meisters together.
In the next second, aside from Zhu Zhuyun and Davis, the others' auras weakened rapidly, while the Spirit Power levels of Davis and Zhu Zhuyun rose.
"Wu Ling, I actually have to thank you for letting this plan succeed. It is far too cumbersome. It consumes all seven people on the field only to create a Netherworld White Tiger capable of contending with a high-level Spirit Leader. Under any normal circumstances, it would never have been possible. But your pride and arrogance made it happen.
"Now, I am not only going to force out your Martial Soul. I am going to win!"
By the time Davis finished speaking, his aura had reached the peak of the Spirit Meister tier. Zhu Zhuyun beside him had also reached the aura of an ordinary Spirit Meister. But there was a price. The strain was obvious from their faces as they endured it with difficulty.
"You will be defeated by me!"
With Davis's roar, he and Zhu Zhuyun fused together. In the next second, a massive figure wrapped in thick white smoke appeared before Wu Ling.