Ten minutes had passed since Huo Dong announced the start, but no one dared to make a move. Most students were huddled together in groups of three or five, discussing their strategy. Zang Xin and his three companions, who hadn't separated from the group from the beginning, naturally found a corner to stay in.
“Let’s analyze the subtext of his so-called ‘not using soul power’ first,” Leng Yaozhu suggested. Cao Dezhi nodded to her and continued, “If he doesn’t use soul power, then he probably won’t use a soul tool either. The main points of suspicion are mental strength and physical strength. And Teacher Huo clearly doesn’t look like the muscular type, so he’ll probably excel in speed. Also, if his mental strength is strong enough, he could even repel someone who attacks him from a distance using only his mental strength.”
“Looking at it this way, perhaps launching a surprise attack while things are in disarray would be a good idea. But the problem is that everyone is aware of this, so they're all waiting for someone else to make the first move.” Leng Yulai glanced at the other students. “If all else fails, then we'll have to strike first.”
Seeing the other three deep in thought, Zang Xin shook his head and said, "Do you really want to be class committee members that much?"
"What else?" the other three said in unison, with Cao Dezhi rolling his eyes at him in disdain.
"Fine, fine, I can't go against you." He could only wave his hand helplessly. "But if I really have to say, I have an idea."
On the other side of the classroom, some students finally couldn't hold back any longer. About twenty students surrounded Huo Dong, presumably having planned to attack together at a single command, hoping someone lucky would succeed. However, these freshmen weren't very familiar with each other and were wary, each harboring a degree of arrogance stemming from their own genius. One student, overly nervous, stumbled, and the others, thinking someone had jumped the gun, rushed off on their own, creating a chaotic scene. Fortunately, several experts were well-prepared, the largest group being two young men wielding spears. One had long black hair, the same student who had inquired about martial souls earlier; the other had gray hair tied up. They stood to the left and right, one in front and one behind, each with four spirit rings illuminating their bodies, and their spears glowed with golden and silver light.
It was actually the Sky-Piercing and Sky-Piercing Twin Guns!
The two, clearly long-time partners, leaped into the air simultaneously, thrusting their spears diagonally in perfect unison. The commotion was so great that Zang Xin and his three companions nearby had long since ceased their discussion, their gazes fixed on the sparks flying across the battlefield. Boosted by gravity, their speed increased rapidly, the sharp tips of their spears poised to pierce the still unmoved Huo Dong. At the same moment, the other students, not to be outdone, also summoned their martial spirits and charged towards the center.
Silence.
Time seemed to freeze for a second. Everyone who had been moving just moments before lost consciousness as if their central nervous system had short-circuited. The spirit rings that had been brightly lit dimmed, and then that circle of students collapsed heavily to the ground. In the blink of an eye, more than half of the once energetic students in the classroom were sprawled on the floor.
Leng Yaozhu and Leng Yulai pinched each other's cheeks in perfect unison, accepting the fact in shock, and then looked at Cao Dezhi and Zang Xin, who were still in a daze.
They were pulling each other's ears. Then they turned around, and the four of them just stared at each other.
"Did he really not use his soul power?" Cao Dezhi was the first to break the silence.
"It's really useless. Besides, didn't you already guess what methods I would use?" A voice suddenly rang in their minds.
He heard that?!
Leng Yulai looked up at where Huo Dong had been standing, only to find that he had quietly moved. She was about to remind the other three when she noticed they were all staring blankly at something behind her.
So she turned around, trembling slightly.
Huo Dong stood behind her, bending over and looking down, his face still bearing that same smile, like a kind and approachable teacher.
Before this, Leng Yulai hadn't even noticed anyone behind her. Just as he had said, Huo Dong showed no signs of soul power fluctuation.
This was the first time the four of them had observed Teacher Huo up close. Previously, they had been sitting far away and hadn't had a chance to closely examine him—the model that, from a distance, was unmistakably handsome. Huo Dongyuan appeared to be a very gentle person, but up close, he instilled a chilling fear in them. His hair wasn't as soft as they had imagined; on the contrary, every strand radiated an invisible coldness. And his eyes…
His eyes were an indistinguishable mix of blue and gray, possessing an almost inhuman quality. His pupils were like magnetic black holes; just a single glance at them was enough to send a wave of dizziness through one's body.
Is this something that can be done with just mental power?
“Of course, with proper mental training, one can do many things that other Soul Masters of the same level cannot.” Huo Dong smiled at them, withdrew his gaze imbued with mental energy, and continued, “So, have you finalized your battle plan? I’m looking forward to it.”
"You've heard everything, what are we still doing? Acting?" Cao Dezhi looked at him with a dark expression.
"Talking skills and actual combat are two different things. Of course, just like the previous students, I won't move. I'll just stand here and let you hit me. Is that alright?"
"But…"
"Then ask if the target has become a moving target that can reach supersonic speeds."
"I was wrong, teacher. Then you can just stand still and let us hit you." Zang Xin said, indicating that I was already crying.