Chapter 540 - Black Swan

Since the strongest students of the outer court entered the inner court or graduated, the peak of the outer court were one-word battle armor masters. Currently, there were only two such students and both were in the third grade: Mo Jue and Li Qiankun. They were the strongest in the entire outer court and this had earned them many fans such that the entire audience zealously cheered when they saw Mo Jue ascend the stage. 

Mo Jue and Li Qiankun would soon be taking the exam for the inner court. Passing would be simple for them, and they would be able to hold their heads up high as students of the inner court afterward. 

The third grade team sending out Mo Jue meant that the winning the third duel was a certainty. The final score for the duels would be two to one in favor of the first and second grade team. It was only a question of how much of an inconvenience could the first and second grade team’s combatant put up against her. 

On the other side, Ye Xinglan cooly walked up the steps to the stage. She maintained silence the entire time. With her mind was wholly focused on her opponent since before the match, she hadn’t even spoken with her teammates. As she neared the top of the stairs, a bit of oppressive might leaked out from her, sending fluctuations in the air. She was a tempest ready to rage at any moment. 

“She’s restraining herself,” Yali said in astonishment, leaning forward in her chair. 

Mo Jue walked onto the stage first, just in time to watch Ye Xinglan arrive on the other side as well. A girl, huh? They’ve only sent out girls so far.

Compared to Yuanen Yehui and Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan didn’t have much of a reputation in the outer court. While this was partly due to her late entry to the first grade, it was mainly because she kept a low profile. Apart from during class, rarely would other students see her around. 

Everyone knew she was talented since she was part of Tang Wulin’s team, but they didn’t realize the depths of her strength with how radiant Tang Wulin was. Most people glossed over her and focused on him instead. In fact, most people didn’t understand just how powerful the other members of Tang Wulin’s team were. The exceptions to this were Yuanen Yehui and the rankers. They knew first hand just how powerful his entire team was. 

The crowd quieted its rowdy cheers now that both combatants were on the stage, leaving only hushed murmurs exchanged as they waited in anticipation.

Off-stage, Xu Lizhi stood up and watched as he clenched his fists. Just as the third grade had investigated the first and second grades, so too had they investigated the third grade. He knew that Mo Jue was one of the third grade’s one-word battle armor masters! But there was some hope. Of the three combatants the first and second grades sent up so far, Ye Xinglan was undoubtedly the strongest. 

Elder Cai floated in the air above them. She looked at Mo Jue, then Ye Xinglan. “Begin,” she declared with a wave of her hand then flew back to her seat among the elders. 

Unlike the previous matches, the two did not immediately charge at each other. They remained poised, calmly evaluating one another. 

The space around Mo Jue dimmed and darkness gathered around her as she began her advance. Soul rings rose up around her, five purple rings in total! This meant she possessed a pair of thousand-year spirit souls. However, her rings weren’t as simple as that. The ones that rose up later were far deeper in color, their edges even tinged black. They were approaching the ten-thousand-year level. 

Soul masters could ascend their spirit souls in the spirit ascension platform, but it became increasingly difficult with each additional ring they possessed. Yet Mo Jue’s fourth and fifth rings were clearly on the threshold of reaching the ten-thousand-year level. The audience could only imagine how much time and effort she had invested into raising her spirit soul to this level considering she was a five-ringed Soul King! 

Barely nineteen years old and she was already a Soul King and a one-word battle armor master. Talents like these were rare, but not at Shrek Academy. She stood as one of the twin peaks of the outer court. 

Jet black feathers appeared along her long hair, flowing down to cover the front of her body. Regal might overflowed from her, showcasing the power of her martial soul: Black Swan! 

Swans were noble creatures and most species of swan soul beasts possessed potent healing powers. The legends had it that among the Ten Great Beasts, one was the Jadeite Swan and it ranked in the front in terms of cultivation level. 

However, Mo Jue’s Black Swan did not specialize in healing and she was most definitely not a support-type soul master. She was fully committed to battle as an assault-type that excelled at using curses and ranged attacks using the darkness-attribute Black Swan. With her skills, she was even reputed in the third grade as being stronger than Li Qiankun. If he was said to be the grounding foundation of the third grade, then Mo Jue was the pillar that held them all up. 

Every grade of Shrek Academy had their own leaders. The second grade had Yuanen Yehui, Yue Zhengyu, and Duan Hunxiao, and the third had Li Qiankun and Mo Jue. However, the first grade having so many powerhouses capable of serving as pillars for the entire class was a rarity. 

Ye Xinglan calmly waited in place as Mo Jue approached without bothering to summon her soul rings. She locked gazes with her opponent, determination blazing in her eyes. She was not the slightest affected by her opponent being a one-word battle armor master and stood straight as a rod, poised to engage. 

Mo Jue narrowed her eyes as she advanced, examining Ye Xinglan. She could sense the tense aura around her opponent, so sharp that already felt pressured. Her opponent was no ordinary soul master. Knowing all too well the sort of monsters Shrek Academy raised, she didn’t dare underestimate Ye Xinglan. 

She had thought it impossible for Wu Rui to lose, but he did. Then Ye Wu went up and held dominated, but had the tables turned on him as well. Now that it was her turn, she refused to grow careless no matter how much of an advantage she held. 

Mo Jue raised her right hand and her first soul ring lit up. A void appeared in front of her palm facing Ye Xinglan. Then a black skeleton flew out. 

Ye Xinglan stirred from stillness. Starlight exploded from her body and she unleashed her sword intent. The barrier surrounding the arena trembled before her power. 

Shooting forth like a meteor, Ye Xinglan cut down the skeleton and continued onward to Mo Jue. 

Mo Jue’s face contorted in shock. How is this possible? 

Her first soul skill was Weaken. It shot out a curse in the form of a skeleton, and upon striking its target, it would bypass their physical and elemental defenses to weaken them for ten seconds and suppress their soul power by twenty percent. The only way of resisting its effects were with high spiritual power. 

However, Ye Xinglan clearly had not used spiritual power to overcome the curse’s effect. She had used sword intent instead! Her congealed aura of sword intent sliced right through the curse. 

Her sword intent is already so refined at her age? Mo Jue suppressed her astonishment and summoned two orbs of darkness with a wave of her hands while a pair of wings spread out from her back. With a powerful flap, she ascended into the air. Pressing her hands together, the two orbs fused to form a dark green skull. Then she directed the skull at Ye Xinglan and it belched up dark green flames at her.