155: Sirius

Before the words had even finished echoing, Zhang Lei's figure swayed slightly. To the onlookers, it was but a blur; he had appeared in the center of the ring as silently as if he had teleported, standing with his hands behind his back, as steady and imposing as a mountain.

The two stood ten meters apart, their gazes meeting in the air as if physical sparks were flying! Two powerful auras, like awakening prehistoric behemoths, erupted suddenly, instantly enveloping the entire Training Ground! The surrounding crowd involuntarily backed away to give them more space, their very breathing becoming cautious.

"Come!" Yang Tian hesitated no longer, letting out a battle cry that seemed to pierce the clouds and crack stone!

Following his roar, a five-meter-tall, solid phantom of an ancient general suddenly emerged behind him! The general had a solemn face and wide, angry eyes, with a hideous scar running from his temple to his jaw, adding a touch of malevolence! He wore heavy and magnificent Bright Light Armor, his crimson cape fluttering without wind. He wore a Song Dynasty Phoenix-Wing Helmet, a longsword at his waist, and held a Plain-Tasseled Azure Gold Spear that gleamed with cold light! He was majestic and lethal, exuding an immense sense of pressure! It was the Heroic Spirit manifestation of the famous Northern Song general—Yang Yanzhao!

The moment the Heroic Spirit appeared, streaks of flowing light merged into Yang Tian's body! Yang Tian was quickly covered in a set of Bright Light Armor identical to the phantom's, topped with a Phoenix-Wing Helmet, and the murderous Azure Gold Spear condensed in his hand! His aura climbed steadily, as if an ancient god of war had possessed him, his power shaking the heavens!

Heroic Spirit Possession was an extremely special Superpower. According to National Government research, the probability of it appearing was less than one in ten thousand. Its combat power even surpassed that of ordinary elemental Evolvers, though it lacked their large-scale destructive potential. There was also a prerequisite for the Heroic Spirit Possession Superpower to appear: one's ancestors had to be famous generals worshipped by later generations. Only then was it possible for such a powerful Superpower to manifest, and even then, it wouldn't appear in every descendant. There were many third-generation disciples in the Yang family, but Yang Tian was the only one to manifest the Heroic Spirit Possession Superpower.

On the other side, Zhang Lei's eyes narrowed slightly, and with a thought—

*Crack, crack, crack!*

Crystal-clear ice armor, swirling with a faint blue cold light, instantly covered his entire body! Simultaneously, a slowly rotating phantom of a Water-Fire Dual-Polarity Taiji Diagram—half leaping divine fire and half tumbling ocean—suddenly unfolded behind him! The contrasting extremes of intense heat and absolute cold spread like a tide, enveloping the entire Training Ground. All the onlookers felt as if they were simultaneously in a volcanic crater and a polar ice field. The terrifying divine might of this 'Heaven of Ice and Fire' sent tremors through everyone's hearts!

"Watch my spear!" Yang Tian launched the first attack! Stepping with profound footwork, he shook the Azure Gold Spear, and a highly condensed, half-moon-shaped green spear-qi tore through the air, whistling sharply as it slashed toward Zhang Lei's waist! Behind him, the phantom of Yang Yanzhao moved almost in sync, slashing out an even larger and more solid spear-qi! The two spear-qis, one in front and one behind, one large and one small, sealed off Zhang Lei's space to dodge!

Zhang Lei's expression remained unchanged. He simply raised his right hand casually and pressed forward into the air!

*Hum—!*

The air in front of him instantly blurred as a thick wall of water, composed entirely of flowing liquid, appeared out of thin air. It shimmered with light, yet gave off an unfathomable feeling.

The two peerless spear-qis slashed into the water wall, but it was like throwing a stone into the ocean. They only stirred up a circle of violent ripples before being silently dissolved and decomposed by the water's strange soft strength and neutralizing power, eventually vanishing into nothingness!

Yang Tian's pupils shrank, but his offensive did not stop! He gave a great shout, following his spear. The Azure Gold Spear was like a venomous dragon emerging from its hole, instantly piercing the water wall as the cold light of the spear tip aimed straight for Zhang Lei's throat! It was so fast that only an afterimage remained!

Unfazed, Zhang Lei spread the fingers of his left hand and pushed forward!

"Buzz!" A thick, hard ice wall, flashing with runic light, instantly froze into existence, blocking the spear tip!

*Bang!* Ice shards flew everywhere! The Azure Gold Spear pierced half a foot into the ice wall but failed to penetrate it completely!

And at the moment the ice wall shattered, Zhang Lei's figure flashed out from behind the flying ice crystals like a ghost. A heavy Fierce Flame Kick, carrying scorching heat, kicked straight at Yang Tian's chest!

Yang Tian hadn't expected Zhang Lei's counterattack to be so swift and eerie. In his haste, he could only pull back his spear to block!

*Thud!*

A dull explosion! Fire and power erupted! Yang Tian felt an irresistible, massive force travel through the spear shaft, numbing his arms and churning his blood. He retreated seven or eight steps, his feet thumping against the ground, before he managed to steady himself, nearly being kicked right off the ring!

Yang Tian was horrified, knowing he could no longer hold anything back. He roared and charged forward again with his spear, demonstrating the essence of the Yang Family Spear Techniques to the fullest. Stabbing, thrusting, hacking, and sweeping, the spear shadows were layered like a violent storm as he attacked Zhang Lei.

Zhang Lei also reined in some of his casualness. A red light flashed in his hand, and the fire qilin spear, condensed from Qilin Divine Fire, was now in his grasp! He displayed exquisite spear techniques, battling Yang Tian in one place!

*Clang, clang, clang!*

The fire qilin spear and the Azure Gold Spear collided at high speeds. Every clash erupted with a deafening sound of metal on metal and flying sparks! Residual energy of ice and fire intertwined and filled the arena; the scene was brilliant yet filled with killing intent!

However, any keen observer could see that Zhang Lei was responding with ease, attacking and defending at will. The power on the fire qilin spear was controlled perfectly by his heart; he clearly wasn't using his full strength. Yang Tian, on the other hand, was already using his ultimate techniques. Although his spear style was sharp, he could never break through Zhang Lei's seemingly casual but actually airtight defense. Instead, he was made quite disheveled by the strange intertwined power of ice and fire and the heavy water domain that appeared from time to time. Sweat had already appeared on his forehead.

After more than ten rounds of fierce fighting, Yang Tian suddenly made a feint and used the momentum to leap back, creating distance from Zhang Lei. He knew he would surely lose if this continued.

"Brother Zhang Lei's strength is indeed unfathomable! I, Yang, am impressed! Please take this final move of mine!" Yang Tian took a deep breath and poured all his energy into the Azure Gold Spear without reservation! The phantom of the Heroic Spirit Yang Yanzhao behind him surged again, reaching a terrifying height of ten meters. It was as solid as if cast from metal, and the pressure it emitted made the entire ground of the Training Ground tremble slightly!

"Ultimate Skill—Sirius Array Breaker!" Yang Tian let out a heaven-shaking roar and thrust the Azure Gold Spear forward with all his might!

The giant phantom of Yang Yanzhao behind him simultaneously thrust its energy-formed giant spear! A beam of green spear-light, as thick as a water bucket and condensed to the extreme, emitting an aura that could tear everything apart, shot toward Zhang Lei like a comet chasing the moon! Even more terrifying, behind that massive spear-light, dozens of energy-formed, snarling phantoms of Sirius appeared out of thin air. They chased the spear-light, their bloody maws open as if to tear Zhang Lei to pieces! This strike gathered all the power of Yang Tian and his Heroic Spirit; it was earth-shattering!

Facing this heaven-defying strike, a hint of seriousness finally flashed in Zhang Lei's eyes.

"Well done!" He laughed aloud and advanced instead of retreating! "Fire God's Wrath!"

The giant Water-Fire Dual-Polarity Diagram behind him suddenly shrank and merged! Endless divine fire gathered frantically, instantly transforming into a massive, majestic, three-headed and six-armed phantom of a Fire Deity, with countless roaring fire dragons entwined around its body!

Zhang Lei put away the fire qilin spear and pressed his palms together in front of his chest, forming a profound hand seal. The six arms of the Fire Deity phantom behind him opened simultaneously, making a gesture as if to embrace heaven and earth!

*BOOM—!!!!*

Centering on Zhang Lei and the Fire God phantom, a visible, golden-red heatwave of flame containing destructive power erupted like a supernova, madly sweeping out in all directions!

The seemingly invincible 'Sirius Array Breaker' spear-light and those dozens of snarling Sirius phantoms, upon contact with this destructive heatwave, were like snow under the sun. They lasted only a few seconds, letting out 'sizzling' wails before being easily and completely annihilated, vaporized, and vanishing without a trace!

The heatwave continued unabated, slapping toward Yang Tian like a tsunami!

Yang Tian's face changed drastically. The Heroic Spirit phantom behind him held the Azure Gold Spear horizontally in front of him, but was struck hard by that irresistible, terrifying force!

*Pfft—!*

He spat out a mouthful of blood. The Bright Light Armor on his body instantly turned red and scalding. He was sent flying uncontrollably, as if hit by a high-speed train, directly out of the ring's boundaries. He crashed heavily onto the hard ground and rolled several times before stopping, struggling but unable to get up for a moment.

"Brother Yang!"

Just then, an anxious voice rang out! A youth who looked only fourteen or fifteen years old, wearing slightly oversized training clothes, rushed out from the crowd like a nimble leopard. He ran quickly to Yang Tian's side, trying to help him up, his face filled with worry and anger.

"I... I'm fine..." Yang Tian waved his hand with difficulty, barely standing steady with the youth's support. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and suppressed the churning blood in his body. He looked at Zhang Lei on the ring, who appeared normal as if he had only done something trivial. His gaze was complex—there was unwillingness, but even more, deep respect and admiration.

He pushed away the youth's support, straightened his back, and cupped his fists toward Zhang Lei. His voice was somewhat weak but exceptionally clear: "Brother Zhang Lei's divine powers are peerless. I, Yang Tian... admit defeat wholeheartedly! My subordinates were rude before; on their behalf, I solemnly apologize to our friends from Lujiang Base!" He spoke openly and honestly, showing the full bearing of a soldier.

Zhang Lei dispelled his Superpowers and jumped down from the ring, coming before Yang Tian. His tone was sincere: "Brother Yang Tian, you flatter me. In a spar, victory and defeat are common occurrences. Just now, I did not have proper control and accidentally injured you. I hope you can be magnanimous and not hold a grudge." He reached out, wanting to check Yang Tian's injuries.

However, just as Zhang Lei's hand was about to touch Yang Tian, the youth who had been glaring at Zhang Lei suddenly took a step forward, blocking him!

Though he was young and not particularly tall, his eyes were as stubborn as an enraged wolf cub's. He looked up at Zhang Lei without fear, his voice somewhat sharp with anger:

"You're not allowed to touch Brother Yang!"

Then, he did something that no one expected—he suddenly turned to Zhang Lei, pointed at him, and shouted:

"I want to challenge you!"

"Nonsense! Xing Feng!! You are no match for him! Don't act recklessly!" Seeing this, Yang Tian was greatly shocked. Enduring his pain, he hurried to scold him, trying to pull back this youth who didn't know the heights of the heavens.

But the youth named Xing Feng seemed not to hear Yang Tian's warning at all. His eyes held only the obsession of 'avenging' Yang Tian. His body crouched slightly, and an exceptionally violent, ancient, and desolate aura, like an unsealed beast, began to spread uncontrollably from his small body!

He stared fixedly at Zhang Lei and let out a low growl from deep within his throat:

"Xing Tian!—"