Fusion Skill

After it was over, Huo Yuxi indeed sensed something unusual about her body.

Seeing the Holy Light Crystal and the tiny ball of light in her hand dim, she grew a little nervous. "Spider, what's wrong with them? Are they okay?"

They're fine. I'll take them back to your sea of consciousness to recuperate. The Soul Devouring Spider rolled the two beneath its belly, and the entrance to a formation slightly larger than its body appeared.

Unlike Huo Yuhao's sea of consciousness, Huo Yuxi could not enter her own and could only catch incomplete glimpses of what lay inside.

She knew there was a towering tree in her sea of consciousness. Beside it was a patch of golden light shrouded in black mist, making it impossible to see what it was.

The Soul Devouring Spider usually cultivated in the tree, while it placed the two extra little things within the golden light.

The next day, disregarding everyone's attempts to dissuade her, Huo Yuxi resolutely arrived at the arena.

The previous day's matches had already eliminated half the students. Those remaining in the competition were all outstanding talents of Shrek Academy.

The procedure remained the same: everyone gathered first to draw lots for their arena assignments.

Everyone was watching the other competitors, since every team here could become their next opponent.

Huo Yuxi was no exception. Hugging the Soul Devouring Spider, she looked around, roughly familiarizing herself with the contestants and checking them against the team information Zhou Yi had provided.

Most people's gazes were wary, especially when they looked toward Huo Yuhao's team. For a ten-ring soul master to make it into the round of sixteen, either he had some special ability of his own or powerful teammates carrying him.

Either way, they deserved extra attention.

Quite a few people were also watching Huo Yuxi. Every homeroom teacher had repeatedly warned their students that if they encountered a little girl holding a doll in the arena, they had to stay on high alert.

When the drawing results came out, the team assigned to the same arena as Huo Yuxi felt as though the sky had fallen.

When they saw Huo Yuxi standing perfectly fine on the platform, they cursed the rumors as a scam. Just yesterday, they had heard that the three-ring Soul Elder with one yellow and two purple rings had been seriously injured and could not compete.

Yet today, not only was she completely unharmed, but they had the misfortune of being drawn against her.

The match officially began, and Huo Yuxi obediently stood behind Luo Ling and Lu Wanwan while holding the Soul Devouring Spider.

"First soul skill, Vortex." Luo Ling made the first move.

The opposing side did not appear particularly strong—one was level 21, while the other two were level 22. In comparison, Huo Yuxi's team had a complete advantage.

However, the three opponents coordinated with exceptional tacit understanding. Since Luo Ling and Lu Wanwan would not allow Huo Yuxi to make a move, the other side currently held the upper hand.

Huo Yuxi wanted to intervene, but Lu Wanwan still had the chance to shoot her a sharp look, indicating that they could handle it. So she obediently remained where she was.

"Hey, what are they doing? This is an elimination match, and she's just standing there?"

"They're so arrogant. They must have never been properly beaten before and don't know their limits."

"Not necessarily. The other two teammates are quite strong. Maybe they simply want to conserve their strength."

The spectators below the stage discussed the match heatedly.

The same was true on the elevated platform. A scruffy old man sat at the edge, holding a wine gourd in his left hand and gnawing on a roasted chicken leg in his right, watching their battle with great interest.

"Elder Xuan," Wang Yan said respectfully from beside him.

"There are many promising students this year. The three students with Body Martial Souls that I mentioned to you last time are in assessment areas six and eight."

Elder Xuan casually glanced over, only to find Wang Yan still staring at him. That earnest look made his old face redden. "Get lost, get lost, get lost. I'll look myself."

"Yes."

Wang Yan stepped aside and carefully observed Huo Yuhao and the others' battle, studying their tactics.

Meanwhile, Huo Yuxi, who was watching the match, had nearly been unable to stop herself from acting. Yet the next second, Luo Ling gave her a perfect reversal.

She first used the Vortex to disrupt the opponents' judgment, while Lu Wanwan unleashed her first soul skill. Lotus flowers scattered across the entire platform.

Then Luo Ling unleashed her second soul skill. The lotuses hid within the waves and surged toward the three opponents together, explosions ringing out one after another.

The bombs in the water were impossible to guard against. The slightest distraction would send someone washed off the platform by the waves.

The victory in this match came so abruptly that the spectators below had not even reacted. It felt as though they had expected the climax, only to suddenly learn that the story had ended.

They simply could not process it.

Even after the proctor announced the result, everyone remained dazed. The three people washed off the stage were even more bewildered, staring at one another beneath the platform.

They had lost just like that?

They had not even used all their strength yet. A blatant sneak attack?

Huo Yuxi smiled so brightly that her eyes curved into crescents. This had been the strategy she came up with. From her books, she had discovered that there were not only Martial Soul Fusion Skills, but also fusion skills and combination skills.

Last time, she had dragged Xiao Xiao along to try it. As expected, they failed. Their soul skills could not achieve the fusion effect that Lu Wanwan and Luo Ling's did; instead, they collided upon contact and attacked each other.

"Let's go."

After returning to the dormitory, Huo Yuxi sat on her bed and began cultivating. The Soul Devouring Spider sat obediently beside her, occasionally absorbing some of the gathered Soul Power.

When she opened her eyes, her Soul Power had risen another level. She definitely had to eat something to reward herself!

She stood up, intending to visit the cafeteria. Unexpectedly, the moment she opened the door, she saw Xiao Xiao being carried back by Zhou Yi. Seeing Xiao Xiao's pale face, Huo Yuxi frowned with worry.

After Zhou Yi placed Xiao Xiao on the bed, she said, "Don't worry too much. She merely exhausted herself and fell asleep. The healing teacher said that if she rests for a full day and night, with the aid of medicine, there will be no lingering effects."

Huo Yuxi immediately swallowed the question she had wanted to ask. After leaving the room with Zhou Yi, she hurriedly asked, "Teacher Zhou, were my brother's opponents this time very troublesome? How are he and Wang Dong?"

"This time, their opponents were one of the Soul Elder teams with an undefeated record. Your brother is fine, but Wang Dong suffered quite serious injuries as well."

"Then what will they do about this afternoon's match?"

Xiao Xiao had fallen unconscious, and Wang Dong was badly injured. Only Huo Yuhao remained, and he had just one soul ring. It was clearly unrealistic for him to compete alone.

If Wang Dong wanted to force herself to take the field, Huo Yuxi knew Huo Yuhao well enough to know that he might rather forfeit the match.

And indeed, after Huo Yuhao sent Wang Dong back to the dormitory, he hesitated again and again before finally saying, "Wang Dong, how about we forfeit the match?"

Yet unexpectedly, Wang Dong refused without hesitation.

"I know you're worried about my condition, but we have to keep going." Wang Dong looked directly into Huo Yuhao's eyes. "Xiao Xiao fell unconscious for our victory. If she wakes up and finds that we gave up the match, how are we supposed to face her?"

"She can't compete, but we can! And we still have Haodong Power. I'll definitely recover before this afternoon's match. We have to hold on until Xiao Xiao comes back."

Looking at her determined eyes, Huo Yuhao felt deeply moved. After these past few days of competition, their friendship had grown even stronger.

Elsewhere.

Faced with Huo Yuxi's question, Zhou Yi did not know how to answer either. After pondering for a long time, she finally said, "Let them decide for themselves. If they want to forfeit, they will naturally come find me."

Huo Yuxi thought it over, then felt that possibility was too small. They had held on until now, and Xiao Xiao had even been injured because of it...