At this moment, Xiao Tianyang had no idea how many eyes were fixed on him. With his back facing the academy gate, he only felt a chilling sensation creeping up his spine.
'How strange. I'm clearly facing the pressure head-on, so why does the threat behind me feel even greater?' Xiao Tianyang silently complained to himself.
"How dare you lose focus under the pressure of my soul power!" Tai Tan's voice boomed, snapping Xiao Tianyang's attention back to the old man's furious expression.
"Senior, please don't misunderstand. I was just—" Before he could finish, an even more terrifying force crashed down on him, as if a mountain had been placed on his shoulders.
"I heard from my grandson that you're Shrek Academy's top genius. Let's see just how much that title is worth!" Tai Tan's roar was like thunder, causing even the distant students to cover their ears in discomfort.
Of course, Tai Tan wasn't truly angry or intent on harming Xiao Tianyang.
Instead, he hoped to use this overwhelming pressure to make the young man take this trial seriously. After all, not every Titled Douluo would go to such lengths to pave the way for their descendants.
Take Zhi Lin, the Board of Education at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, for example.
He had used a similar method to help Xiao Tianyang and Tang San improve their strength.
As for Dugu Bo later, his approach was more for amusement. His method, if it didn't break the younger generation in a couple of rounds, would be considered a failure.
It was only because of a monster like Xiao Tianyang that he could endure it. Otherwise, do you think Dugu Bo was just testing him back then?
Facing this intensified pressure, Xiao Tianyang no longer dared to be careless. His Nine Suns Divine Art was operating at its peak, and soul power-formed dragons coiled around him like loyal guardians.
The Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms Arts, though simple in technique, was incredibly powerful, domineering, and fierce.
In the hands of a genius, such a martial art would only grow stronger and more tailored to the user, rather than being confined to its original form.
Previously, Xiao Tianyang had been in the exploratory stage, but now, under this pressure, he had begun to uncover new methods.
'Why can it only be used for offense and not defense?' Xiao Tianyang refused to believe it, and thus, the scene before him unfolded.
'The conventional approach won't work. Reversing the flow of soul power would only harm my body, so I need to find another way—to forge a new path!' Xiao Tianyang's current method was the beginning of practicality.
Though he appeared calm, the strain was immense.
On one hand, he had to endure Tai Tan's pressure, and on the other, he had to resist the backlash from his experimental soul power manipulation. Most importantly, this was still in the trial phase.
Despite the impressive appearance of the soul power dragons, they couldn't yet fully serve their purpose.
However, his actions left Tai Tan stunned. In all his years, this was the first time he had seen someone manipulate their soul power in such a way. But as a Soul Douluo, he quickly realized what Xiao Tianyang was doing.
"This kid is using my soul power to create his own means of attack or defense, independent of his soul rings!" Understanding this, Tai Tan's expression shifted to one of approval.
'This child is truly teachable!'
"If that's the case, then I'll give you my all!" Whether out of childlike mischief or genuine desire to nurture Xiao Tianyang, Tai Tan pushed his soul power to its limit, crushing down like an unstoppable force.
The dragons surrounding Xiao Tianyang struggled under the pressure, and with a series of cracking sounds, one of the nine dragons collapsed.
Meanwhile, Tang San, standing nearby, wasn't under as much pressure.
The strain was still within his limits, and he even began to absorb the residual energy from the two immortal herbs he had consumed earlier.
With a swish, his Eight Spider Lances extended, their white hue growing paler, with a faint trace of scarlet appearing.
This scene didn't escape Tai Tan's notice. "Shrek Academy truly is a den of hidden talents. This kid is another extraordinary genius!" With a playful grin, he decided, "In that case, let's help them both!"
For Tai Tan, both geniuses deserved equal treatment, and he wouldn't show favoritism. However, he hadn't considered that Xiao Tianyang's current physique far surpassed Tang San's.
"Pfft!"
Tang San spat out a mouthful of blood, staggering back as his face turned pale.
Xiao Wu rushed to his side, supporting him. "Brother, are you okay?"
Tang San shook his head, unable to speak. At that moment, Tai Tan's voice rang out: "Half the time has passed. If you can't hold on, then give up."
Just as Tang San was about to respond, Xiao Tianyang shouted from beside him, "Senior, don't forget about me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a roar of tigers and dragons erupted. The dragons surrounding Xiao Tianyang scattered outward like wild beasts unleashed from their chains!
Tai Tan was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. "Boy, I've been holding back my soul power until now. It seems I've underestimated you!"
"If you don't push yourself, how can you grow under pressure?" Xiao Tianyang replied nonchalantly, then turned to Tang San. "Xiao San, step aside for now. Leave this to me."
Tai Tan was pleased with the first part of Xiao Tianyang's statement, but his expression darkened at the second.
"If he quits…" Tai Tan began.
"If he quits, I'm still here," Xiao Tianyang interjected with a sly smile. "I only said that if both of us can't hold on, we lose. But if one of us can't continue, it doesn't mean we've failed. Did senior forget?"
"You…" Tai Tan was left speechless, realizing he had fallen into the young man's verbal trap.
'I was careful, but I still got caught by this kid's cunning!' Tai Tan could only lament internally, as there was no way to undo the situation.
He now had two choices: either accuse Xiao Tianyang of being deceitful and argue over the verbal agreement, which would only make him look petty, or admit defeat and teach the boy a proper lesson.
Naturally, with Tai Tan's pride and temperament, he chose the latter.
"Fine, you're right!" Tai Tan gritted his teeth, then turned to Tang San. "You can step aside."
"Brother Tianyang…" Tang San hesitated.
"Don't worry. I survived Dugu Bo's test back then. A Soul Douluo won't be a problem," Xiao Tianyang said with a smile. "Besides, I need him to focus entirely on me to help me break through."
Tang San knew Xiao Tianyang well enough to understand that once he made a decision, it was nearly impossible to change his mind. So, with a nod, he allowed Xiao Wu to help him step away.
…
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