Chapter 36: The Core of Hurricane Canyon

*Swish!*

As expected, Feng Xiaotian’s other wing was also severed by the Cutting Wind Wheel. The Gale Demon Wolf’s Eighteen Consecutive Slashes was brought to an end before even a single slash could be unleashed.

*Thud.*

With his spirit skill shattered, Feng Xiaotian coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed from the air, barely managing to keep himself upright by bracing a hand against the ground.

On the other side, Mo Hui retracted the Cutting Wind Wheel, condensing it to a diameter of thirty centimeters, and began walking slowly toward Feng Xiaotian with it in his hand.

"First Spirit Skill: Wind Blade Array!"

Even now, Feng Xiaotian did not give up. His first spirit ring lit up, and ten wind blades surged toward the approaching Mo Hui.

The ten wind blades arrived simultaneously, effectively sealing off Mo Hui’s path. Such an attack would force even a Spirit Ancestor to dodge, but Mo Hui showed no intention of evading.

Holding the Cutting Wind Wheel in one hand, Mo Hui continued to stroll leisurely toward Feng Xiaotian, casually striking down the wind blades in his path. His nonchalance stunned everyone watching.

Seeing the ten wind blades fail, Feng Xiaotian desperately clawed the air, launching even more blades in a futile attempt to halt Mo Hui’s advance.

Mo Hui offered a disdainful smile and manifested a second Cutting Wind Wheel in his other hand. He tossed both wheels, which orbited him like protective shields, batting away every incoming blade.

As he closed the distance, Mo Hui spoke coldly to Feng Xiaotian: "Your strikes are feeble, your wind blades unrefined, your rhythm is chaotic, and your spirit skills are sluggish. You have nothing to show for yourself. Someone like you thinks they’re qualified to challenge me? Keep dreaming."

With that, Mo Hui reached Feng Xiaotian. He recalled one of the wheels and swung it directly at him.

Feng Xiaotian squeezed his eyes shut, but after a long moment, the expected pain never came. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Mo Hui had already withdrawn the weapon and was walking toward the edge of the arena, where he leaped off.

It was only a spar; Mo Hui had no intention of actually striking him. The Cutting Wind Wheel was not a simple wind blade; a direct hit would likely have sliced Feng Xiaotian in two.

Through this battle, Mo Hui confirmed his own strength. Although Feng Xiaotian had yet to obtain his fourth spirit ring, he was still a level 40 powerhouse, and his Gale Two-Headed Wolf spirit was exceptionally formidable. Being able to easily defeat him proved that Mo Hui had surpassed the level of a Spirit Grandmaster and was likely capable of rivaling many Spirit Ancestors.

Having lost interest in further dueling, Mo Hui left the Kamikaze Academy’s arena with his Pidgeotto, heading toward the Hurricane Canyon to continue raising his spirit power.

Back at the arena, the crowd only regained their composure once Mo Hui had departed, erupting into heated discussion. It was unbelievable: a child who had just broken through to Spirit Grandmaster had defeated the level 40 Feng Xiaotian. Had they not witnessed it themselves, they would have dismissed it as a joke.

Feng Xiaotian was one of the top five talents in the entire academy, and his self-created spirit skill, the Gale Demon Wolf’s Eighteen Consecutive Slashes, had been praised even by the Dean as having power equal to a standard fourth spirit skill. Yet, against this new student named Mo Hui, he had been utterly crushed—both in close-quarters combat and ranged exchanges, with his signature skill shattered on the spot.

The parting words Mo Hui left him with were particularly stinging. The students who had previously sparred with Mo Hui felt a sudden sense of relief. Had he said such things to them, their confidence would have been shattered beyond repair.

"Xiaotian, are you alright?" Feng Yunfan flew onto the platform and helped him up, looking worried.

"I’m fine! He held back; he didn't aim for any vital points," Feng Xiaotian replied, shaking his head.

Suddenly, he sighed and said to Feng Yunfan, "Yunfan, do you know? I once thought I was a genius—innate full spirit power, becoming a Spirit Ancestor at twenty, creating my own spirit skill. I achieved things others thought impossible, and I became lost in the praise and glory."

"Xiaotian..."

Feng Xiaotian waved a hand, cutting him off. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Mo Hui was right. My flaws are too numerous: my strikes are weak, my blades unrefined, my rhythm chaotic, and my skills sluggish. In front of him, I have nothing to show for myself."

"No wonder he refused to perform a Spirit Fusion Skill with me. We are simply not the same kind of person. A fusion would never succeed, and even if it were forced, it would have no power."

He laughed at himself. To think he had actually tried to propose a Spirit Fusion Skill with such a person—it seemed truly laughable now.

Meanwhile, Mo Hui had purchased a month’s worth of supplies and arrived at the inner perimeter of the Hurricane Canyon with his Pidgeotto.

Previously, entering the inner area had been a struggle, but now that he had broken through to level 30 and Pidgey had evolved into Pidgeotto, the winds no longer affected him.

*Perhaps I can try training in the core area,* Mo Hui thought.

After reaching level 30, the difficulty of cultivation had increased significantly. Even with his meditation efficiency rivaling other geniuses, maintaining his previous speed of six levels per year was impossible. However, if he could secure a stronger external boost, his progress might improve.

He was eleven and a half years old. With eight and a half years left in his golden cultivation period, he needed to maximize his growth. Many things were difficult only because one’s level was too low; with enough power, obstacles that once seemed insurmountable would become trivial.

With that, Mo Hui and his Pidgeotto headed toward the core of the Hurricane Canyon.

As soon as he entered, a violent gale struck him, making every step a struggle. The occasional thin wind blades whistling past made cold sweat prick his back.

*This is bad. The winds here are no weaker than the gale produced by that two-thousand-year-old Hurricane Bird!*

Mo Hui realized the danger. In such conditions, he couldn't even sit still without the risk of being blown off the cliffs. Just as he turned to retreat, a lean figure appeared before him.