C43 Challenge

The unexpected voice instantly drew the gaze of everyone present.

Upon recognizing Xie Yang as the speaker, a collective pause washed over the crowd.

Luh Qiu sized up Xie Yang with a smirk.

"You're challenging me?"

With an even tone, Xie Yang nodded, "Yes."

Amusement flickered in Luh Qiu's eyes.

His pet was already on display. And still, this person dared to challenge him?

"Junior Brother, what should I call you?"

"Xie Yang."

A shift flickered across Luh Qiu's face.

Even Moo Yaoyao and Luo Tu, who had remained quiet since the challenge's inception, now scrutinized Xie Yang with renewed interest.

He was the top newcomer, commanding attention even from them.

The smirk vanished from Luh Qiu's eyes as he nodded, now smiling genuinely.

"Very well, I accept your challenge."

Luh Qiu's acceptance sent a ripple of excitement through the previously hushed crowd.

"I just can't fathom why Xie Yang would challenge him."

"Luh has already unveiled his Wind Lion. How could a freshman possibly defeat a fourth-rank pet?"

"Xie Yang may be the top freshman, but isn't this arrogance?"

"Perhaps he's just clinging to a stroke of luck."

"He's squandered a month of cultivation resources for nothing."

Concern etched the faces of Bai Tian, Moo Shuqin, and Zou Xinrui.

They had faith in Xie Yang's abilities, but this was no freshman fray.

His adversary was a sophomore from Nightbay Academy, leagues beyond them in strength.

Even Xie Yang stood little chance against such a formidable opponent.

Regrettably, the situation had escalated too quickly for Bai Tian to intervene.

Elsewhere, Han Xuemei watched Xie Yang with a puzzled gaze.

"What's going through his mind?"

She couldn't grasp Xie Yang's reasoning.

He stood no chance of winning!

Lian Xia shared her bewilderment, silently pondering Xie Yang's motives.

Yun Ye let out a scornful laugh.

"A man blissfully unaware of his limitations!"

The crowd buzzed with speculation.

Amidst the chatter, Jin Haocan remained silent, his face betraying an odd expression.

Of everyone there, he alone seemed to understand the source of Xie Yang's confidence.

Unfazed by the murmurs and stares of the onlookers, Xie Yang strode into the arena and called forth his pet. The instant Jennie materialized, a wave of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

"She's stunning!"

"A humanoid pet, really?"

"She looks just like a human!"

"Does anyone recognize this pet?"

"I have no idea."

Luh Qiu, Moo Yaoyao, and Luo Tu exchanged puzzled glances. They, too, were unfamiliar with the pet before them. Nevertheless, it wasn't a major concern for them. The world of pet beasts was vast, and encountering unknown species was hardly unusual.

Amidst the spectators, Bai Tian and the other two girls were visibly taken aback.

"Why has my brother's pet changed?"

"Where's the Ice Crystal Soul?"

"Could this be his second pet?"

The trio shared a look, a simultaneous shock flashing in their eyes. If this were indeed his second pet, then all was well. But if not, there was only one other possibility: the evolution of the Ice Crystal Soul!

The idea had barely surfaced before Bai Tian and the others chuckled, dismissing it as ludicrous. Xie Yang's Little Snowball had evolved into the Ice Crystal Soul just over a month ago. Another evolution in such a short span seemed far too incredible.

"Let's begin," Luh Qiu announced, eyeing Jennie intently. Unfamiliar with the pet, he struggled to gauge her power based solely on her appearance. After a moment's scrutiny, he summoned his Wind Lion.

"Just a heads-up, my Wind Lion is at the second layer of the fourth rank," he warned.

Xie Yang simply smiled, offering no response.

The battle ignited without delay. The Wind Lion launched the first strike, its massive form transforming into a tornado that surged forward. A shrill, tearing sound filled the air, its presence ferocious. Even those standing several meters away, especially the examinees at the very front, instinctively held their breaths.

"Such formidable power!"

"It's definitely a fourth-rank pet beast!"

"How will Xie Yang counter this strike?"

Countless eyes, some curious, others reveling in potential misfortune, were fixed on Xie Yang. Yet, to everyone's surprise, he remained unfazed by the formidable attack, as if only a gentle breeze brushed against him.

"Jennie."

The girl clad in white responded with a delicate laugh and extended her fair finger in a pointing gesture.

Before the astonished onlookers, a myriad of ice crystals materialized around the Wind Lion. They merged into three azure rings of ice chains at a speed visible to the naked eye, intertwining to form a circle.

The Wind Lion had no time to react before the circle contracted sharply, the Extreme Ice Chain binding it tightly in place.

Extreme Ice Chain!

Despite its frantic struggles, the Wind Lion couldn't escape its icy bonds.

Meanwhile, Jennie was already preparing her second skill.

A chill that seemed to freeze the marrow in one's bones emerged as numerous ice blades coalesced out of thin air above the Wind Lion's head.

With a swift downward sweep of her right hand, Jennie unleashed the blades, which cascaded down like a torrential ice waterfall.

Ice Waterfall!

In a moment, the area was engulfed in dust and smoke.

The biting cold swept dust and debris in all directions, causing the nearby examinees to involuntarily shiver from the sudden chill.

But their attention was no longer on the cold. Their eyes were wide, fixated on the scene unfolding before them.

As the dust settled, the extent of the devastation became clear.

The ground was pockmarked with depressions, and at the center lay the Wind Lion, motionless. Its body was covered in shocking wounds and a layer of frost, signaling the loss of all its combat prowess.

Stunned silence fell over the crowd as they took in the aftermath.