The effect of Ning Tian's second Soul Skill, carried by her second Soul Ring, was originally "Dispel"—capable of removing negative states like dizziness or charm from others.
However, after her Martial Soul was temporarily transformed into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Mace using the Ring-Embedding Method, this "Dispel" turned into "Armor Break." Or rather, it allowed her to ignore the active buffs currently strengthening an opponent's body.
Effects such as defense enhancement or strength boosting would briefly malfunction the moment the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Mace made contact with their body.
And Invincible Golden Body was likewise considered a "buffed state."
Therefore, even though Tang San had tracked Ning Tian's attack trajectory and reacted instantly by using his final Invincible Golden Body to block, it was useless.
His clothes had long since been shredded by the activation of the Spider Lance Battle Armor, and the use of that final Invincible Golden Body caused the last of the armor covering his dignity to shatter completely.
Du Weilun, acting as the referee, coughed twice. He glanced at Tang San, who was lying prone and unconscious on the ground, and pinched his own thigh to stifle a laugh. He quickly averted his gaze, but in his mind, he couldn't help but offer an evaluation:
Well... it's very white.
Suppressing his emotions, Du Weilun stood up. Facing the many students watching the ceremony below, he announced the result of the match.
"The Freshman Assessment Elimination Tournament has concluded! The Champions: Freshman Class 1, Ning Tian's team!"
As the words fell, the arena went silent for a heartbeat, then erupted into a thunderous roar of cheers!
"Is that a freaking support Soul Master?! One mace strike to knock out and strip the War God! That's too strong!"
"Did her Martial Soul change just now?! Is it Twin Martial Souls?"
"Hehehe, the Severed X War God is so pale... and it looks like there's really nothing there... isn't this the ultimate 'little southern beam' (femboy)? Hehehe..."
Not cool, bro!
Suddenly, the expressions of the students nearby changed. They immediately distanced themselves from the student who made that outrageous comment, creating a vacuum zone around him.
Whispers, cheers, and discussions rose and fell, but one person remained utterly out of place.
Zhou Yi!
At this moment, Zhou Yi's eyes were vacant, her expression unfocused. Her entire being lacked any shred of authority; she looked like an old dog with its bones broken.
She looked up, ignoring Tang San who was still face-down with his white butt to the sky on the stage. Her gaze drifted toward Ning Tian, who was surrounded by the congratulating students of Class 1, and a strange glint flashed in her eyes.
I still have a chance... I still have a chance!
Zhou Yi's eyes lit up slightly, like a drowning person clutching at a final straw. She stepped forward, pushing aside the students surrounding Ning Tian, and rushed to the girl's front.
"Nin— Ning Tian, student..."
"Oh, it's Teacher Zhou."
Ning Tian offered a flawless smile. Before Zhou Yi could speak, Ning Tian shook her head and said calmly:
"Teacher Zhou... well, this is perhaps the last time I will call you 'Teacher.' I know what you want to say; you want to plead for mercy. But unfortunately..."
Ning Tian paused slightly, then continued with a smile:
"Zhou Yi, actually, the evidence of your crimes was presented to the Sea God Pavilion as early as three months ago. If you want to plead, you'd be better off begging Dean Yan behind you. That might be a better choice."
Hearing the name "Dean Yan," Zhou Yi's expression froze. She turned around only to see Yan Shaozhe looking at her expressionlessly, killing intent flickering in his eyes.
The killing intent of a Rank 95 Super Douluo directed at a mere Soul Emperor—especially a Soul Emperor who didn't fight often and only bullied students—made Zhou Yi's body go limp. She tried to turn back to beg Ning Tian, only to find that Ning Tian had already vanished.
Ning Tian had no time to waste bickering with a dead woman walking. Compared to Zhou Yi, who was merely a trivial cog in the Shrek Purge, she felt her teacher's orders were much more important.
She hadn't forgotten Huo Yuhao's command:
"Appropriately demonstrate your strength as a Soul Tool Engineer. If you still can't win, just use the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Mace to knock the opponent out."
Her bastard teacher, who loved playing the "hands-off" boss, had likely predicted the outcome of the match against Tang San's team. He might have even guessed the specific process almost perfectly.
Truly impressive.
Too bad he's a scumbag.
"Talking behind my back?"
Behind her, Huo Yuhao, having just settled matters at the Sea God Pavilion, popped out.
"No, Teacher. It's your imagination," Ning Tian replied calmly, having built up a certain resistance to Huo Yuhao's habit of appearing out of nowhere.
"Is that so? Whatever, I won't hold it against you. So, how was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Mace? Easy to use?"
"Very effective... but it dissipates naturally if not maintained for long."
Huo Yuhao nodded; he had expected this.
Ning Tian's current state was the result of a powerful physique gained from consuming Blue Silver Immortal Herbs, followed by a "Limit-Expansion Secret Method" researched using the Ring-Fusion Method and the Holy Spirit Cult's ring-aging secret technique, which pushed her second Soul Ring to the thousand-year level.
Then, using the Blood Essence Body Cultivation method, all the energy in that second Soul Ring was used to nourish her body, pushing her physical strength to the level of a thousand-year Soul Beast.
The resulting illusory Soul Ring and the Soul Skill it carried were used as raw materials for the Ring-Shaping Soul Tool Method and the Ring-Embedding Method, allowing her to change her Martial Soul's form to a certain extent—transforming it from a tool of support into a tool of slaughter!
This path was a branch of Blood Essence Body Cultivation, or rather, a branch of the Way of Blood Essence.
Huo Yuhao was inclined to call it Blood Essence: Tool Cultivation!
In the path of Blood Essence Body Cultivation, everything is used to augment the physical body—Soul Rings, Soul Bones, Martial Souls, even Soul Power and Blood Essence—all to reach the absolute limit of the flesh.
In the Blood Essence: Tool Cultivation path, it is split into two parts: the body and the Martial Soul.
The energy from the Soul Rings is fully integrated into the body, naturally condensing into Soul Bones, which are then bolstered by Blood Essence. The remaining Soul Rings are integrated into the Martial Soul via the Ring-Embedding Method, allowing the Soul Master's own will to shape their Martial Soul.
Unfortunately, this path is currently incomplete. In the ideal state, Spirit-Forged metal should be added to allow the Martial Soul to undergo a complete metamorphosis!
Nevertheless, it was an interesting road.
The constitution lacked the absurd survivability of Body Cultivation, and the stamina wasn't as vast as the sea of Soul Power in Magic Cultivation, but in terms of pure lethality, it would be terrifying.
Extending this thought, Huo Yuhao thought of Ji Juechen. That guy would be perfect for this path. If his constitution were boosted and his Martial Soul enhanced, combined with that sword intent that could certainly found a new sect...
Perhaps Ji Juechen could use Blood Essence: Tool Cultivation as a foundation to open an entirely new branch.
One that could be called Sword Cultivation!