Battle Soul Saint (Complete)

The hazy steam obscured everyone's sight and hearing, naturally making it easier for Fu Hua to act.

She raised her left hand, and a flash of red light flickered across her palm.

Whether it had been an illusion or not, Zhao Wuji felt as though he had seen someone else.

Crimson eyes, silver-white hair.

They brushed past him, and afterward, it seemed as if everything had returned to the beginning.

As the mist dispersed, Fu Hua and Zhao Wuji stood with their figures crossed, back to back.

The field was silent. The rustling of wind through the leaves was especially clear; it seemed one could see the direction of the wind and hear the color of the leaves.

Zhao Wuji looked dazed, as though he had yet to recover from what had just happened, when Fu Hua's exceptionally calm voice sounded behind him.

"Teacher Zhao, the victor has been decided."

At some point, the incense stick planted in the ground beside them had burned out. Yet amid such a spectacular battle, it had not suffered the slightest damage. Had it been intentional, or deliberately left alone?

"This..."

Dai Mubai was speechless.

Ning Rongrong's eyes shone brightly.

Even Zhu Zhuqing's cold eyes finally gained some warmth. It was shock.

Xiao Wu was still her lively self, shouting, "Won! Won!"

The purple haze in Tang San's eyes gradually faded, but another question arose in his heart.

Was that... really a feather?

No one noticed the golden feather pressed against Zhao Wuji's back slowly dissipating into the air.

Thus ended Shrek Academy's entrance examination for new students. Yet no one present would ever forget that final battle, which had set their blood racing.

A level-thirty Soul Grandmaster had challenged a level-seventy-six Spirit Saint and won without a scratch. Whether that victory had been watered down because someone had held back was something only the parties involved knew.

And Fu Hua's journey at the academy was about to begin once more.

The next day, before dawn.

Fu Hua appeared on the small path between Shrek Academy and Suotuo City. After the examination ended, she had immediately returned to Suo Tuo Library to share the good news with Librarian Sol.

Before the sky had even brightened that morning, she had set out for Shrek Academy. This was what she had agreed upon with Teacher Zhao and the others.

"Make sure to report to the academy before dawn. Dean Flender hates late people most of all."

That was Teacher Zhao's exact wording.

Before she left, Librarian Sol had stuffed several gold coins into Fu Hua's hand, repeatedly reminding her to protect herself outside and, preferably, not let others know she was a girl.

Fu Hua was deeply touched. Since arriving in this unfamiliar world, the only person who had shown her kindness was Librarian Sol. Even though his own life was difficult, he had still been willing to raise an outsider like her.

"Even if I'm not afraid of those spoiled young masters, since Grandpa Sol said so, I should listen."

And so, the future Crimson Kite Young Master was born. Of course, that day was not far off now.

Shrek Academy was still that same small village. At the village entrance hung an old piece of agarwood, inscribed with the words: Shrek Academy, accompanied by a strange monster—the Shrek.

As she entered the village, diligent farmers had already begun their work. Whenever Fu Hua passed by, they would occasionally look up and greet her. The peaceful, tranquil atmosphere made her feel very comfortable.

The farmers' simplicity, the fragrance of flowers and grass, the damp scent of freshly irrigated soil—everything seemed to bring Fu Hua back to a thousand years ago, when she was still in the Divine Land.

Traveling across mountains and rivers with Cang Xuan, discussing her figurines with Danzhu. How oddly strange.

Those days always filled her with endless longing. Sometimes, Fu Hua wondered whether, if Honkai had never descended, they might have died peacefully a thousand years ago.

The answer was no.

If Honkai had never descended, she might never have met Cang Xuan and the others, nor would they have formed bonds that could not be severed even across two worlds.

Fu Hua was saddened, yet honored. She was grateful to have met them, grateful that she was no longer alone.

Dong—dong—

A crisp bell rang out. Fu Hua looked toward the sound, which seemed to come from within the village.

At that moment, a working uncle raised his head and looked at Fu Hua, who was still standing there. A kind smile appeared on his honest face.

"Young man, you're a student of that academy, right?"

"Yes."

"That bell is your dean's summons. Hurry on over! Otherwise, you'll be late."

Fu Hua understood. No matter where one was, bells always carried some meaning: a gathering, an enemy attack, mealtime.

She nodded at the honest uncle, a warm smile appearing on her face.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Using Flash Step, she rushed toward the gathering place.

The honest uncle returned to his work and gave another silly grin, scratching the back of his head with a calloused hand.

"That young master is really handsome. His smile is so lovely. I wonder which lucky girl will get to marry him in the future."

"Old Zhuang, we shouldn't think too much about it. He's a soul master!"

"Heh heh! There's no law against thinking about it!"

"That's true."

Laughter filled the fields. Fu Hua, who had not yet gone far, heard it and curled her lips into a faint smile.

After the bell had rung three times, Fu Hua appeared at the relatively spacious training ground in the village, dressed in a sharp blue, white, and black outfit.

She wore black suit trousers, cinched at the waist by a pure white belt. Above them was a black stand-collar shirt, covered by a small dark-blue jacket. A blue-and-white patterned tie was loosely knotted around her neck, and a pure white butler's coat covered the outside. She also wore a pair of black leather gloves.

The slight rise at her chest would only make others think she had trained well. She had replaced her glasses with Black-rimmed Glasses. Her body was upright and unrestrained, yet she stood as straight as a soldier at attention.

Gradually, the training ground finally began to fill with people.

The four people from the entrance examination, along with Dai Mubai, arrived. There was also an unfamiliar youth among them, round and plump, like a ball.

He had short hair cut level with his ears, a youthful yet chubby face, and narrow eyes that darted around like a mouse's. His gaze lingered more often on girls, and there was ** in his eyes, though it did not seem to be his true nature.

The six of them approached while chatting and laughing. Naturally, they noticed Fu Hua standing upright in the center of the training ground. The little fat boy could not help asking in confusion,

"Do we have a student like this at our academy?"

She stood there perfectly straight without the slightest restraint. Even though it was not yet noon and the sun was not at its strongest, she still seemed to shine brilliantly. Yet she could remain motionless beneath the sun. That perseverance alone was enough to surprise the little fat boy.

At least, he did not remember Shrek Academy having anyone like her.

"Hehe! She's the student you wanted to see—the one who left Teacher Zhao helpless!" Ning Rongrong laughed playfully, the pride in her voice making it seem as though she herself had done it.

"Huh? Him?"

"No, her."

Ning Rongrong corrected the little fat boy's wording. Indeed, if she had not known beforehand, she too would have taken Fu Hua for a boy.

"A girl?" The little fat boy was shocked.

"Ma Hongjun, I advise you not to provoke her. You can't afford to," Dai Mubai said solemnly.

After a night, Dai Mubai seemed somewhat haggard. Even his handsome heterochromatic eyes carried a deep haze.

"Come on, Boss Dai. Aren't you supposed to be invincible among women? I've already seen you get shut down twice today!"

"Fatty, are you looking for a beating?"

"No, no, I wouldn't dare."

Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul was the Evil Fire Phoenix, a mutated Martial Soul. His Soul Power Level was around twenty-eight, making him one of Shrek Academy's three students. Though it was called a phoenix, after Martial Soul Possession, it looked more like a chicken.

Dai Mubai and the others often said his Martial Soul was a grass chicken—a fire phoenix that had jumped out of a chicken coop.

Evil Fire Phoenix, Evil Fire Phoenix—the emphasis lay on the words "evil fire."

Not only because its flames were difficult to deal with, but also because of its effects on its owner. Due to this mutated Martial Soul, Ma Hongjun was more unusual than ordinary people. Regular women simply could not handle him.

If it were a female soul master, that would be easier to manage. But finding a soul master girlfriend was no simple matter, unless his Martial Soul mutated once more.

"Fu Hua, you came so early," Ning Rongrong was the first to greet the figure in the center of the training ground.

"Mm. Morning."

Fu Hua turned around and returned the greeting.

When Fu Hua fully turned around, Ma Hongjun once again seriously asked Dai Mubai, "Is she really a girl?"

It was not just Ma Hongjun. Even Tang San and the others were rendered speechless.

Looking at the person who was unconsciously radiating her charm, even the aloof Zhu Zhuqing's eyes sparkled.

What a handsome young master(?)

"Fu Hua, you..." Tang San was at a loss for words.

"What is it? Is there something wrong?" Fu Hua lowered her head and looked over her outfit.

There was nothing wrong. Her tie was not crooked, the buttons on her small jacket were fastened, and her clothes were not damaged in any way.

So there really was no problem.

No, the problem was huge.

You said you were a girl, but no one would believe it now.

"How should I put it? It feels like you've become a completely different person," Ning Rongrong said, carefully choosing her words.

"You mean these clothes?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

"Grandpa Sol said I should be more careful outside, so I made an outfit based on the clothes I used to wear."

Careful? Who exactly needed to be careful around whom?

"Oh! You're all here. What are you talking about? Hey! Who are you?"

A voice very familiar to Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun rang out. Everyone turned in the direction of the newcomer.

He had silver-white hair cut level with his ears. Beneath his brows were a pair of peach blossom eyes, deep-set sockets, and a face as fine as jade. He was handsome and well-proportioned, with a carefree, roguish smile like that of a dashing noble young master.

Except this noble young master was holding a sausage in his hand, thoroughly ruining the aesthetic.

The newcomer looked at Fu Hua, who was surrounded by the others, his thin lips voicing his confusion.

Fu Hua was equally puzzled. Who was this man who looked so bewitching?

"Let me introduce him. You probably don't know him yet. He's Uncle Sausage, whom we met during the second round of the examination," Tang San said with a smile in his eyes.

"What Uncle Sausage? Please call me Sausage Specialty—Oscar."

Tang San shook his head and ignored him, continuing the introduction. "This fatty is Ma Hongjun. His Martial Soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix."

Phoenix.

Fu Hua raised an eyebrow. In the Divine Land, phoenixes were also top-tier beasts, so this Martial Soul must surely be powerful as well.

"Cough, cough! His Martial Soul is mutated from a bird with no offensive ability, and it has also caused him some serious aftereffects."

Apparently afraid that his explanation was not clear enough, Tang San repeated word for word what Dai Mubai had told him.

At this point, even Fu Hua's gaze became strange.

This mutation seemed to have changed starting from the most fundamental place.

Regardless of whether Ma Hongjun's mutation had begun from the fundamentals, after the third bell, all of Shrek Academy's students had gathered on the training ground. The dean of the academy—Flender—arrived only then.

As the dean of the academy, his strength was naturally not low. He was a level-seventy-eight Spirit Saint, with the Four-eyed Cat Eagle as his Martial Soul.

He looked like an old man in his fifties, but the way he strode over with the gait of a dragon and tiger made him seem nothing like an old man without cultivation.

His chin protruded somewhat, his cheekbones were broad, his face flat, and his nose slightly hooked. A pair of Black-rimmed Glasses rested on his nose bridge, concealing the crafty gleam in his eyes.

He stopped before the eight students, and his hoarse voice rang out.

"This year is quite good. We have five more little monsters. I, Flender, dean of Shrek Academy, welcome you on behalf of the academy. Later, each of you will hand one hundred gold coins to Teacher Li, who handles the finances. Mubai."

"Dean." Dai Mubai listlessly stepped forward.

Flender could not help frowning.

He said in a grave voice, "Afterward, you will explain the academy rules to them. Then go back and rest well. Get yourselves into your best possible condition. The first class today will begin tonight. Oscar, Ning Rongrong, stay behind."

Fu Hua did not know how Dean Flender trained Oscar and Ning Rongrong, but she was extremely clear about her own cultivation.

After her battle with Zhao Wuji, Fu Hua had also realized that she had indeed grown lax in her training recently. Perhaps because she had sensed no danger, her nerves had unconsciously relaxed.

This was a world without Honkai and without Herrschers. Fu Hua's power seemed to have become mere decoration. Yet this world had soul masters, Soul Beasts, and perhaps even gods.

What exactly were gods like? Fu Hua did not know, nor would she speculate wildly. But there was one thing she understood...

She was still too weak.

She might be able to fight a Spirit Saint, but what about those above them?

Soul Douluo, Titled Douluo.

It was said that after level sixty, every single level was like an insurmountable chasm. At present, Fu Hua could use the strength of a Soul Grandmaster to fight a Spirit Saint, but what about later?

Could she still use the strength of a Spirit Saint to fight a Titled Douluo, or an even greater Limit Douluo, perhaps even a god?

She was a warrior, and even more so, a warrior who defied gods.

If she could not even defeat gods, how could she be worthy of the sword in her hand?

"Cang Xuan, I... don't think I'll be lonely. There are more stories here that we never understood, broader lands, stronger opponents. My martial path has not ended."

The afternoon light shone upon the figure standing atop the mountain, casting a long shadow behind her. On the other side of darkness was light. Everything had only just begun.

PS: I got too carried away playing Honor of Kings today and forgot. I'm off tomorrow, so I'll stay home and write properly!