Chapter 47 – The Battle of Eastsea Park
Eastsea Park wasn’t far from Eastsea Academy. One could reach the park after a 10 minute stroll by following the path next to the exit of the academy. The park was accessible to the public at no charges at all. As it was still early in the day, the park was filled with many citizens doing their morning exercises.
As one strolled into the park, their senses would be greeted with a rush of nature’s perfume – a blend of the crisp scent of the plants and the floral sweetness from flowers, which refreshed their minds. Tang Wulin felt himself gradually relaxing. His Bluesilver Grass was a plant martial soul, and he was currently surrounded by fields of Bluesilver Grass. This was the environment he loved best.
He had a faint thought that if he meditated here, the results would be much better than if he were to meditate back in the dorms. He had already proven this point when he was back home in Glorybound City. But it was impossible to compare the small garden back home to this park with its endless boundaries; the differences in size was simply incomparable.
Xie Xie wasn’t surprise that he wasn’t the first to arrive. He strolled casually and with much familiarity into the deepest parts of the park.
Following the gravelled walkway into the park, one would realise the differences in the size of the trees. The deeper into the park, the larger they became. Eastsea Park had a history of over a thousand years, long before even the Eastsea Academy had been founded. With its rich history, the park contained many varieties of rare trees.
As he moved deeper into the park, Tang Wulin gradually felt even better. This feeling of returning back to nature revitalised the martial soul within him.
‘Such a good place! I will be back again.’ Tang Wulin thought.
As they reached the deepest part of the park, where they were well hidden from others, Xie Xie halted in the center of an open area.
“Here it is.” He turned to face Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin stopped at the same time, returning a cautious look to Xie Xie.
“I will be fair to you. Since I am an Agility System Battle Soul Master, I will move back 50 meters. When I say start, you may move.” As he spoke, Xie Xie began moving backwards. He refused to take advantage of Tang Wulin. Especially not with his pride held up so high.
Tang Wulin didn’t make a sound. Instead, his mind was filled with the images of their previous match. The yellow colour of Xie Xie’s martial soul when he released it during the match the other day was still vivid in his mind. Though he hadn’t managed to grasp the spirit soul of Xie Xie’s, it was clear to him that the colour meant that Xie Xie had a hundred year spirit soul.
A hundred year spirit soul would naturally have hundred year soul skills. Tang Wulin was unsure about the strength of that power.
“Are you prepared?” Xie Xie’s voice came to him from afar.
Tang Wulin took a deep breath and focused his gaze. “Let’s start.”
Xie Xie answered back coldly, “I will show you the disparity between our skills. I will make you pay for the shame you have done to me. Start!” As soon as he ended his words, he was flying towards Tang Wulin’s direction like a released arrow.
As Xie Xie prepared for his sprint, he had positioned himself low, giving others an image of him hugging the ground. A ring of yellow light appeared beneath his feet. Like the day before, Tang Wulin noticed that as he released this hundred year spirit soul, a 35 centimeter long blade that seemed to be made of crystal yellow appeared in his right hand. As Xie Xie sped forth, the accompanying dagger produced a faint dragon’s growl.
Tang Wulin also released his Bluesilver Grass within a short span of time. A tiny, golden glowing grass snake appeared on his arm and twirled around his wrist. Strands of vine-like Bluesilver Grass flew out.
While Tang Wulin had little to no practical experience, the Bluesilver Grass thrived with its ability to cover a wide range of space. As these little blades of grass expanded, its surface area increased rapidly and enveloped Xie Xie easily.
‘Still using the same trick?’ A trace of disdain flashed across Xie Xie’s face, he increased his speed swiftly.
Xie Xie, who was previously charging in a straight line towards him, shifted into an illusion. At once, Tang Wulin lost sight of Xie Xie and his ability to pinpoint his exact location due to the dizzying blur before him.
Xie Xie moved through the gaps of Tang Wulin’s weaving of variant Bluesilver Grass unscathed and shortened his distance with Tang Wulin.
‘This is bad!’
‘If Bind fails to trap my opponent, then this variant Bluesilver Grass is no longer useful in battle,’ Tang Wulin thought this as he retracted the grass vines and directed them before himself. The denser these vines were, the higher the defense capabilities they would have. It was an idea that came to him during his meditation the night before.
At this time, Xie Xie was already within a 10 meter range from Tang Wulin.
Xie Xie’s speed didn’t change. Instead, his arm moved even quicker.
The Light Dragon Dagger in his hand morphed into a bursting ball of light which released endless golden rays that were aimed precisely at the Bluesilver Grass beneath him.
It was then that Tang Wulin realised the immense difference between Xie Xie and himself. Every blade of his Bluesilver Grass had been slashed apart by the light that came from Xie Xie’s Light Dragon Dagger. Although the blades of grass were still intact, they could easily be swung off. With the Light Dragon Dagger’s sharp blade cutting against his Bluesilver Grass, Tang Wulin felt the soul power within him diminished rapidly. Within a breath’s time, Tang Wulin’s soul power had depleted by more than 10%.
If Xie Xie had found out the characteristics of Tang Wulin’s soul power, he would not have needed to use such a forceful attack against Tang Wulin. This technique would have easily emptied out all of Tang Wulin’s soul power.
As the shield of Bluesilver Grass parted, Tang Wulin no longer had any defense against Xie Xie’s oncoming attack. Xie Xie was already right before him by then.
Since Bluesilver Grass was no longer useful, Tang Wulin shot both his fists forwards, exploding them at Xie Xie. At the same time, he controlled and withdrew all of his Bluesilver Grass. He was hoping that by doing so, he could successfully perform Bind as he tried to shield off his opponent’s attack. This was his only chance at winning the match.
From a typical point of view, Bluesilver Grass belonging to a control system would ideally make it easier to defeat martial souls belonging to the Agility system category.
However, the difference between Tang Wulin and Xie Xie was far too great in terms of their skills or experiences.
Xie Xie tilted only slightly to avoid Tang Wulin’s pair of clenched fists that had produced a light explosive sound. With a sharp, flash-like turn, he was already at Tang Wulin’s side. At this point in time, Tang Wulin was caught defenseless.
If this was a battlefield, and Xie Xie had the intention to kill, he could have laid his blade easily on Tang Wulin’s neck.
However, Xie Xie took an abrupt pause. He only had the thought of defeating Tang Wulin in mind, and didn’t have any other intention.
He changed the direction of his dagger, twitching the blade at its handle, and locked on his target – Tang Wulin’s cheek. ‘I will pay you back for the swelling that you did to my face.’
While many decisions were being made within Xie Xie’s mind during this split-second, Tang Wulin suddenly jerked and tilted his head down, using the back of his skull to knock against Xie Xie’s handle during this fraction of time.
However, Xie Xie’s response was quick. What made a person an Agility System Martial Soul Master? At its highest realm of mastery, the master would be able to avoid direct combat for as long as they wished. When the opponent was finally selected, they would have already been left defenseless.
Though Xie Xie was proud, his analysis of Tang Wulin wasn’t influenced by that pride and was accurate. He knew clearly that Tang Wulin’s strength wasn’t something that he could withstand.
He twisted his agile wrist in a split-second and sank the Light Dragon Dagger into Tang Wulin’s shoulder blade.