"Hmph, an overconfident fool," sneered Aldo. With nearly a ten-level difference in soul power, yet Tian Lin still dared to fight. Aldo couldn't wait to see Tian Lin get beaten to a pulp.
"Gale and Thunder!" Tian Lin struck with one of the strongest moves in the foundational techniques of Mount Shu swordsmanship.
This move was as swift as a gale and as fierce as thunder, the most powerful attack Tian Lin could currently perform apart from his spirit skill Frozen Snow.
"First Spirit Skill: Ring Impact!" Sensing the danger in Tian Lin's swordsmanship, Chu Jie quickly retaliated.
Clang!
The demon sword collided with the bronze ring. Tian Lin staggered back three steps, but Chu Jie's ring was also sent flying.
This time, neither side had the upper hand. However, considering the ten-level disparity in soul power and the fact that Chu Jie had used a spirit skill, yet failed to gain an advantage, it was clear that if they were at the same level, Chu Jie would have no chance against Tian Lin.
"Damn it! I didn't expect a mere one-ring soul master to have such powerful attacks. Fine then, Second Spirit Skill: Ring Bind!" Chu Jie, a control-type soul master, was far more adept with this move than the first.
The bronze ring expanded and enveloped Tian Lin from above, quickly locking him in place. Tian Lin gripped his demon sword tightly, resisting the ring's constriction.
"How about now? Surrender? With your soul power, there's no way you can break free from my bind," Chu Jie said smugly.
"Surrender? Are you joking? With such a weak bind, how long do you think you can hold me? First Spirit Skill: Frozen Snow!" Tian Lin's soul ring lit up as he activated his first spirit skill. With the power of Frozen Snow, the demon sword relentlessly sliced into the edges of the bronze ring, causing visible cracks to appear.
"Damn it! What kind of weapon martial soul is this? Its attack power is absurd! What are you all waiting for? Get in here! I can't hold him much longer!" Chu Jie panicked and shouted for help.
Tian Lin hadn't expected that someone like Chu Jie, a top-tier student, would stoop so low. Not only did he bully those weaker than him, but now he was also summoning others to gang up on him.
Aldo was ecstatic. He had been waiting for this moment. With Tian Lin bound, he was now at Aldo's mercy. For someone like Aldo, who had no sense of honor, taking advantage of others' misfortunes was his favorite pastime.
Aldo summoned his Sunflower spirit and unleashed his second spirit skill: Flower Storm.
In his bound state, Tian Lin had no means to defend or evade and was immediately engulfed by the storm. The sharp petals within the storm left countless cuts on Tian Lin's body.
Not only that, but Aldo's lackeys, with martial souls such as wolves, dogs, and whips, joined in. Fangs, claws, and lashes rained down on Tian Lin.
Seeing this, Aldo laughed uproariously. "How does it feel? This is what happens when you cross me!"
"You scum! You're utterly despicable!" The excruciating pain pushed Tian Lin into a fury. Consuming a third of his soul power in one breath, he boosted the power of Frozen Snow to its maximum, shattering the bind in an instant.
The demon sword seemed to resonate with its master's anger, emitting an eerie blue glow.
"Seven-Kill Sword Technique: Killing Intent Spreads!"
Tian Lin was now truly intent on killing. The killing aura quickly gathered around him, causing the surrounding temperature to drop noticeably. Those enveloped by the aura broke out in goosebumps, their entire bodies trembling.
"Die!"
Tian Lin spat out the word and charged into the crowd.
With a sweep of his sword, several individuals were sent flying, long bloody gashes appearing on their chests.
While Tian Lin showed some restraint with the lackeys, he had no intention of sparing the instigators, Chu Jie and Aldo.
Chu Jie, still reeling from the backlash of his shattered ring, was unable to move. Tian Lin effortlessly slashed off one of his ears, leaving him writhing on the ground in agony.
As for Aldo, he was so terrified that his legs gave out. Kneeling on the ground, he begged repeatedly, "I'm sorry! Please forgive me! It was all my fault! I know I was wrong! I'll never do it again!"
But Tian Lin, filled with killing intent, ignored his pleas. He swung his sword, aiming directly for Aldo's head.
At that moment, a melodious female voice echoed from the forest. "Nine-Hearted Begonia!"
From the sky, countless petals began to drift down. These petals had healing properties. The wounds on Tian Lin's body gradually disappeared. Even the injuries of those Tian Lin had slashed stopped bleeding and formed scars. Of course, Chu Jie's severed ear was beyond saving.
"Stop! This is just a fight. While they were in the wrong, if you kill someone, the situation will escalate beyond control."
The girl's voice calmed Tian Lin somewhat. He shifted his sword slightly, ultimately slicing off one of Aldo's ears as well, just like Chu Jie.
This was deliberate. While Tian Lin could spare their lives, it didn't mean he would let their offenses go unpunished. Taking an ear from each was a small price for what they had done.
"Sigh, why are you so impulsive?" A girl stepped out of the forest, sighing. Under the moonlight, Tian Lin finally saw her.
She was an exceptionally beautiful girl with short silver hair and delicate features, holding a begonia flower in her hand. Two yellow soul rings circled around her.
Another Soul Grandmaster. And her martial soul was none other than the legendary, one-lineage-only Nine-Hearted Begonia.
This martial soul was said to be the strongest healing martial soul in existence, with only one spirit skill: an area-wide healing ability that became stronger with each added soul ring.
It was rumored that with a Nine-Hearted Begonia spirit master around, even dying became difficult.
"You must be Ye Lingling?" Tian Lin guessed her identity. After all, according to the original story, only Ye Lingling possessed the Nine-Hearted Begonia martial soul.
Ye Lingling nodded. She wasn't surprised Tian Lin recognized her. She was quite famous at the academy as one of its beauties, and her rare martial soul made her even more well-known.
However, she didn't seem to enjoy talking much. Quietly, she began healing everyone.
As it turned out, she was a cold-faced but warm-hearted girl.
Under Ye Lingling's care, all of Tian Lin's wounds healed completely. Since his injuries were superficial, aside from his depleted spirit power and torn clothes, he was back to normal.
The reputation of the strongest healing martial soul was indeed well-deserved.
"Out of respect for Senior Lingling, I'll let you off today. Now get lost!" Tian Lin shouted, holding his demon sword.
Terrified, Aldo and his lackeys scrambled to carry their unconscious leader and fled without a word.
Ye Lingling retracted her Nine-Hearted Begonia and said to Tian Lin, "They won't let this go. They might use their family's power against you. Be careful."
"Thank you for the warning, Senior," Tian Lin replied with a smile. This senior was truly kind-hearted.
It seemed that not everyone at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was trash. There were still genuine talents here.