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Seeing that both participants were ready, the host wasted no time and immediately announced the official start of the match.
"I declare that the one-on-one spirit battle has officially begun!"
White Elephant, Martial Soul Possession.
Sun Gauntlets.
As soon as the words fell, Quan Yi and Xiang Lei summoned their Martial Souls simultaneously, entering their battle stances.
Xiang Lei's body was instantly covered in a thick layer of white elephant skin, his height and body mass increasing significantly. The originally short and stout youth, standing at about 1.6 meters, transformed into a massive figure over two meters tall.
The most striking transformation, however, was his face. Under the influence of his Martial Soul, his nose elongated into a powerful elephant trunk, while sharp, ivory-white tusks grew from both sides of his mouth.
Seeing Xiang Lei's transformation, Quan Yi couldn't help but be reminded of Zhu Bajie. However, unlike the mythical figure, Xiang Lei's nose was much longer.
"As expected of the White Elephant Martial Soul," Quan Yi mused. "Its physical enhancements far surpass those of ordinary beast-type Martial Souls."
Despite having completed their Martial Soul activations, neither fighter made the first move.
Xiang Lei, however, was surprised. Many spirit masters, upon seeing his bulky frame, would instinctively use their speed to launch the first attack. Yet, Quan Yi remained still, showing no intention of making the first move.
"If you're not going to attack, then let me take the initiative!"
Xiang Lei stomped forward, his massive legs propelling him toward Quan Yi with surprising speed.
Many people have a common misconception about elephants, believing them to be slow. However, those who have encountered real elephants know the truth—these massive creatures, despite their size, are capable of incredible bursts of speed.
As Xiang Lei charged forward, his imposing figure and unexpected agility created a moment of hesitation for many first-time opponents.
Indeed, Quan Yi was somewhat surprised by his speed.
Like a battering ram, Xiang Lei barreled toward him. Just when the spectators thought Quan Yi was about to be sent flying, Xiang Lei suddenly made his move.
First Spirit Skill: Sweeping Army Strike!
The yellow spirit ring behind Xiang Lei flashed, and his trunk extended with incredible force, sweeping toward Quan Yi in a merciless arc.
This was Xiang Lei's signature combo. By catching his opponent off guard with unexpected speed, he would then extend his attack range at the last moment with his first spirit skill—ensuring that his opponent was struck before they could react.
Even many agility-type spirit masters had fallen to this technique. Xiang Lei never held back when using this move; it was meant to end the battle in a single blow.
However, from Quan Yi's perspective, Xiang Lei's speed and attack appeared as if they were moving in slow motion.
This is all thanks to Teacher Bai Yan's training.
After an entire year of sparring against agility-type spirit masters, Quan Yi's dynamic vision and reaction speed had been honed to perfection.
The elephant's trunk lashed toward him like a steel whip, yet Quan Yi's arm remained steady, strength surging within it.
Then, just before the attack landed, he raised his arm to block it—with only one hand.
Quan Yi had the speed to evade, but he chose to meet the attack head-on.
"Hah! Foolish!" Xiang Lei scoffed internally, thinking Quan Yi's reaction was a desperate, last-minute decision made out of panic.
Snap!
The elephant's trunk, reinforced by soul power, struck fiercely against Quan Yi's gauntlet, producing a deafening sonic boom upon impact.
Unlike its usual soft and flexible nature, the trunk—enhanced by Xiang Lei's strength and spirit skill—was as unyielding as an iron rod.
Boom!
At the moment of impact, Xiang Lei had already envisioned Quan Yi's arm being severely injured, if not outright shattered.
However, the instant his elephant trunk struck, an unexpected force pushed back against it—as if he had slammed into a steel pillar.
What?!
Xiang Lei's eyes widened in disbelief.
Before him, Quan Yi had effortlessly blocked the attack with just his right arm. His body remained perfectly steady, completely unaffected by the impact.
Not giving his opponent a chance to react, Quan Yi swiftly coiled his right arm around Xiang Lei's trunk, gripping it tightly before yanking backward with immense force.
Xiang Lei, an experienced fighter, quickly adjusted his stance to counteract the pull. He assumed Quan Yi's defense must have been the result of a spirit skill and prepared to engage in a contest of raw strength.
However, he had made one crucial mistake.
Quan Yi's ability to withstand the attack had nothing to do with a spirit skill.
Though his arms were enhanced with steel, their function was merely to reinforce his defense—not to provide additional power.
The fact that he had remained unmoved under the force of Xiang Lei's strike was due entirely to his overwhelming physical strength.
A true expert moves with confidence.
For Quan Yi to block a full-powered first spirit skill with just one arm spoke volumes about his belief in his own abilities.
And rightfully so.
In terms of sheer strength, Quan Yi far surpassed Xiang Lei.
Despite his massive size, Xiang Lei was powerless to resist Quan Yi's pull.
"What kind of strength is this?! Is this also a spirit skill?"
Xiang Lei struggled, attributing the absurd power to some hidden technique. But as realization set in, he had to admit—he had gravely underestimated his opponent.
Still, Xiang Lei was no novice. The moment he sensed the strength gap, he immediately shifted his approach.
Instead of resisting, he used the pull to his advantage.
With perfect timing, he activated his second spirit skill, capitalizing on the brief moment when Quan Yi's strength had peaked and his next move had yet to come.
"Second Spirit Skill: Ivory Advance!"
Xiang Lei surged forward, his massive frame accelerating with surprising agility.
His twin ivory tusks gleamed with a dazzling white light, carrying the full force of his charge straight toward Quan Yi.
"Perfect timing."
Quan Yi smirked. He didn't even try to dodge.
Instead, just before impact, he released his grip on Xiang Lei's trunk and stabilized his stance. Then, with both hands, he grabbed onto the charging tusks.
This time, however, he didn't resist.
Quan Yi knew his footing wasn't solid enough to directly counter the charge, and Xiang Lei's second spirit skill carried far more force than the first.
So, rather than foolishly taking the hit head-on—
He let himself be pushed back.
By shifting his weight and allowing the momentum to carry him, Quan Yi skillfully reduced the force of impact.
His feet scraped against the ground, producing a sharp frictional screech as two long black skid marks trailed behind him.
Even so, he was still driven back nearly five meters, stopping just short of the edge of the Great Spirit Arena.
But in the end—
He remained standing.
"Impossible..."
Xiang Lei's pupils trembled.
The skill, the composure, the sheer adaptability—this wasn't just raw strength.
Quan Yi was clearly someone with extensive combat experience.
What had seemed like a close call had actually been completely under his control.
By blocking the first attack, Quan Yi had already determined the power difference between them.
Xiang Lei's second spirit skill was nothing more than a tool for him to confirm it.
Having completed his test, Quan Yi no longer saw a reason to drag out the fight.
With both hands still gripping the ivory tusks, he exerted immense force, twisting them sharply to the right.
The sudden shift in momentum threw Xiang Lei off balance, sending his massive body crashing to the ground.
Before he could recover—
Boom!
Quan Yi's right fist slammed into Xiang Lei's jaw with devastating force.
Even though he possessed a beast-like physique, he was still fundamentally human.
A direct impact to the jaw would send vibrations straight to the brain, overwhelming the senses and rendering anyone unconscious.
Xiang Lei's eyes rolled back.
His massive body slumped onto the arena floor, motionless.
For a moment, the entire stadium fell silent.
Then—
A deafening roar of cheers erupted!
The host rushed onto the stage, quickly checking Xiang Lei's condition before raising his head to make the official announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the victor is—Master One Punch Man!"
"Master One Punch Man now holds a record of one win, zero losses!"
"Xiang Lei's record now stands at 4 wins and 4 losses."
"Master One Punch Man, please proceed to the points registration area after stepping down!"