Golden Sword

Two vs Two Soul Battles were not particularly eye-catching. Most spectators who came to watch Soul Battles were really here for the final team battle—that was what truly got their blood pumping.

But procedure was procedure, and it still had to be followed through. Besides, today's main attraction was different.

"Hey, hey! Did you see Crimson Kite over there?"

"No, I only saw Crimson Kite's classmates. But they're all really strong! As expected of students from the same academy as Crimson Kite!"

"Exactly! Especially that Evil Eye White Tiger. The moment his martial soul appeared, it felt like the whole section shook!"

"But Crimson Kite doesn't seem to be in the one-on-one matches! Could he be joining the team battle?"

"Probably. Come on, let's buy tickets for the team battle. We've only ever seen Crimson Kite fight alone—I've never seen what he's like in a team."

The crowd surged once more, while the Crimson Kite they were discussing was heading to take part in a Two vs Two Soul Battle with Ning Rongrong.

Fortunately, Seven Treasures Xuanyuan and Nether Crimson Kite had not been assigned to the same time slot or the same group. One went before the other, just right.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing finally relaxed. As long as they were not in the same group, it was fine. Even if they had been in the same time slot, they would have had a way to deal with it.

In a high-class VIP box at the Great Soul Arena, two or three rooms away from Shrek's lounge, Xue Qinghe sat upright, his blue eyes fixed on Fu Hua as she prepared to enter below.

Fu Hua seemed to sense something and looked up, but all she saw was a sheet of black glass, making the situation inside impossible to discern.

The glass had been specially treated with materials that blocked Soul Power detection. From within, one could clearly see everything in the arena, but from outside, there was only darkness.

Fu Hua's brows furrowed beneath her mask once more. Trouble truly followed like a shadow.

"What's wrong, Fu... Crimson Kite? You don't look too well."

"No. Just some troublesome matters."

"Is that so? If it's something you can't handle alone, tell us. We're a team. Come on, it's almost our turn."

"Mm!"

In the VIP box, Xue Qinghe gave a quiet laugh.

"What sharp instincts."

For some reason, he suddenly recalled what Director Sol had told him. He laughed inwardly, and the smile on his face deepened.

"Fu Hua... doesn't sound bad either."

Even his eyes and brows seemed tinged with warmth. The soldiers standing guard beside him looked at one another, unsure what to say.

Their Crown Prince seemed quite fond of that Crimson Kite fellow. Should they report this to the Heaven Dou Emperor? Otherwise, the royal family might lose its heirs.

Just as the two soldiers' imaginations ran wild, the host's voice rang out from the arena. The rich voice of a middle-aged man was one Fu Hua knew all too well—who else could it be but Manager Ao?

"Next, let us welcome the team formed by the Crimson Kite we have all been eagerly awaiting and his partner—the Seven Treasures Xuanyuan combination!"

"W-What? That Crimson Kite?"

"No way! He's actually participating in Two vs Two? I thought he'd go straight to the team battle! I was even planning to head over and wait for it."

"Crimson Kite! Three months have passed—who knows if he's improved? He can't still be a Soul Grandmaster, can he?"

"Definitely not. He joined an academy. Would the teachers there really let such a talented student go untaught?"

In Shrek's VIP box, Master and the others had been watching the Soul Battles below. Even they were startled by the spectators' enthusiastic cheers.

Flender pushed up his slipping glasses, his tone surprised and his expression strange. "Crimson Kite is this famous? How come I've never heard of him before?"

Dai Mubai pondered for a while, as though he had recalled something.

"I think it started three months ago. At first, not many people paid attention to him. Then, for some inexplicable reason, a Crimson Kite Support Club appeared, and before anyone knew it, he became famous."

Flender stared in surprise.

"Three months ago? Wasn't that after your fight with him, Mubai?"

Dai Mubai gave a bitter smile and nodded.

No one would feel good having their dark history brought up. Still, thanks to Master's intense training over the past three months, the trust among the team had risen sharply. Although Dai Mubai still had a knot in his heart over losing to Fu Hua, he would not directly resent her for it.

All he could say was that he had been too weak. His skills had simply been inferior.

For that reason, he had worked himself to the bone over the past three months, determined to surpass Fu Hua. Unfortunately...

A mortal was ultimately just a mortal. Without some heaven-defying stroke of fortune, he would remain nothing more than a mortal.

"His popularity is almost on par with someone from the imperial city, isn't it?" Ma Hongjun narrowed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

At the very least, it was certainly not a good thing.

"Popularity is good, but standing out too much will inevitably attract the attention of other powers," Master said steadily.

"Hmph! So what? Are they going to snatch him away by force?" Flender said stubbornly.

Four-eyed Cat Eagle Flender was famously protective of his own.

Master shook his head, then shifted the topic back to today's strange events.

"Didn't you see how the Great Soul Arena has been treating us? They're currying favor before we've even grown. How could there be no other powers behind this? You must remember, this is ultimately Heaven Dou Empire territory."

"You mean the royal family is getting involved?"

Master nodded.

"If the imperial family has intervened, then can Spirit Hall be far behind?"

"This..."

"No matter what, all we can do now is take it one step at a time."

Everything was fate. It had been in the past, and it was now as well.

Master's gaze was grave as he watched Fu Hua's proud figure standing in the arena. The hands resting on the armrests clenched involuntarily.

Could this be her fate?

At Xue Qinghe's side—

A scout reported by his ear, and every word made his brows draw tighter. By the end, that refined and courteous gentleman had transformed into someone decisive and ruthless in political affairs.

"Is the information reliable?"

"Yes. They have already arrived at the Great Soul Arena and are right beside Shrek's resting room."

Smack!

A heavy palm strike echoed through the seat, and the teacup on the table shattered soundlessly. The guards stood as silent as cicadas in winter.

Only Xue Qinghe's cold voice could be heard.

"Spirit Hall is becoming more and more brazen in its disregard for our imperial family, acting so openly."

"Your Highness, what should we do next? It seems there is someone from Douluo Hall among them."

"A Titled Douluo? They actually dispatched a Titled Douluo for a level-thirty Soul Elder?" Bibi Dong... what exactly are you thinking?

Xue Qinghe's mind was in utter turmoil. What he had believed was a certain victory had vanished in an instant.

This had been a discreet visit meant to avoid encountering Spirit Hall's people, so he had not brought any high-level combatants. The strongest among them were only Soul Emperors and first-rank Soul Sages. How could they possibly stand against a Titled Douluo? If the other side forcibly took someone away, he could only watch helplessly.

Do I really have to use that?

Beside Shrek's resting room stood a group of five. Though few in number, every one of them possessed an exceptionally powerful aura. Compared to Zhao Wuji, they were roughly on the same level.

Not one of the five was below the Soul Sage rank. One among them possessed particularly profound Soul Power fluctuations, like an abyss staring back at those who gazed into it. This was presumably the Titled Douluo Xue Qinghe had mentioned.

Unfortunately, his face was hidden beneath a cloak, making it impossible to tell which Titled Douluo he was.

Spirit Hall stood upon Heaven Sword Mountain, located at the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. It was said to have once been a battlefield left behind by a god-level war, though there was no way to verify that now.

Spirit Hall was divided into the Pope's Palace and the Elder's Hall, as well as Douluo Hall, which was specifically dedicated to Titled Douluo-level Soul Masters.

Within Spirit Hall, the Pope and the elders each held half of the authority. If half the members of the Elder's Hall opposed a decision made by the Pope, they could directly veto it.

In truth, the Elder's Hall could be said to hold even greater power than the Pope.

The attire of each hall was also clearly distinct. The Pope, symbolizing supreme authority and naturally wielding the power of rulership, wore a luxurious white robe trimmed with golden patterns, along with a scepter that represented authority.

The Elder's Hall, meanwhile, dressed uniformly in white robes—simple yet dignified, naturally made from the finest materials.

The lower branch halls ranked down from there, and even the materials of their robes differed. To distinguish their ranks, they wore badges upon their chests: a sword, a sword and hammer, and so on.

This served to demonstrate the hierarchy.

This time, aside from the personnel of the local Spirit Hall branch, there was also a bishop from the Spirit Hall's main branch in the imperial capital. On his chest was a badge bearing three patterns.

A sword, a hammer, and a ferocious lightning dragon—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.

Yet at this moment, he still stood respectfully behind the cloaked figure.

"Oh! So this is the Crimson Kite that His Holiness the Pope cares about?"

The voice sounded like that of a middle-aged man, deep and forceful, heavy yet restrained. He had likely been a Titled Douluo for many years. He did not remove his cloak, instead keeping his face concealed in darkness, making it impossible to discern his expression.

"She is merely a small Soul Elder, yet she is worthy of such concern from His Holiness the Pope?"

The eyes hidden within the darkness stared into the arena like a Poison Snake's. But when he met Fu Hua's gaze, he gave a surprised sound.

"A perceptive little fellow. To possess the strength of a level-thirty Soul Elder at such a young age is indeed rare."

"My lord, I heard that the Heaven Dou imperial family has also come for him," said a plainly dressed bishop behind him.

"Hmph! They are merely the insignificant Heaven Dou imperial family, nothing to fear. They have been obstructing His Holiness the Pope's plans all these years. It is time to teach them a lesson, starting with this Crimson Kite... not a bad choice."

A chilling laugh immediately sounded from beneath the cloak, making the other bishops involuntarily pull their collars tighter.

"Go. Make the arrangements. I want no room for failure."

"Yes."

Nothing that happened in the VIP seats disturbed the ongoing Soul Battle. Fu Hua and Ning Rongrong had already entered the arena, while two people stood opposite them, sizing each other up.

They were two burly men, their bodies as sturdy as small mountains. They looked somewhat like Dai Mubai, with foolish-looking faces that could not conceal the wicked gleam in their eyes. One of them stared openly at Ning Rongrong without the slightest restraint.

After all, with Ning Rongrong standing beside Fu Hua, no one would imagine that Fu Hua was a girl. Naturally, most of the attention fell upon Ning Rongrong.

Her expression beneath the mask remained unchanged, her eyes as tranquil as water. She stepped sideways, perfectly blocking the other man's gaze. Her demeanor was serene, standing quietly like a maiden in September.

Rather than restraining himself after his view was blocked, the burly man's face spread into a mocking grin.

"So you're that Crimson Kite brat, huh? Don't think that just because they've talked you up like some god, you're anything special. You're just a little milk-fed baby. I bet you haven't even grown all your hair yet!"

Although the other burly man appeared steadier, contempt still flickered in his expression.

"You should surrender! Otherwise, once the Soul Battle begins, my brother won't show any mercy."

Cold and aloof, as though he were bestowing charity.

Fu Hua and Ning Rongrong exchanged a smile, neither saying a word.

Seeing this, the burly man found it dull and said no more. But his silence did not mean his brother would stay silent as well.

"I say, little miss, you found yourself such a pretty boy. He's so skinny—those who don't know better would think he's worn himself out on wine and women, while those who do would think he's impotent! Hahaha!"

His words were filthy, his expression lewd. Even disgust appeared in Fu Hua's usually calm eyes.

Those who took part in Soul Battles generally fell into two categories: those doing so for some purpose, and those seeking thrills.

These two burly men seemed to belong to the latter. They had probably done plenty of such things before.

Fu Hua had seen plenty of powerful yet vile people in Suotuo City. Two more made no difference to her, but she had to consider Ning Rongrong's feelings. No matter what, Ning Rongrong was the young lady of a sect. When had she ever suffered such verbal humiliation?

No matter how refined she was, her face had turned livid, her eyes blazing as though she wanted to tear those two men apart alive.

Fu Hua's expression did not change in the slightest, but anyone who had spent time with her understood the storm beneath that so-called calm. If she did not move, so be it—but once she did, her momentum would be like an army of thousands.

"Those two uncles are done for," Ma Hongjun said silently, mourning for them.

For some reason, those two uncles reminded him of Bu Le.

That incident had happened seven nights ago.

Because of his own issues, Ma Hongjun had gotten into a conflict with an uncle named Bu Le while visiting a brothel. In the end, he had returned with a bruised and swollen face. If not for Oscar's Recovery Sausage, he would definitely have had to meet people the next day with a pig's head for a face.

After hearing about Ma Hongjun's experience, Dai Mubai had taken several boys to settle the score. Xiao Wu, who feared the world was not chaotic enough, had joined in as well. The outcome was obvious—Dai Mubai and the others had not even needed to act. Xiao Wu alone had taught Bu Le a miserable lesson.

Xiao Wu had told Fu Hua about it on a whim. At the time, Fu Hua and Zhu Zhuqing had been cultivating, so they had not joined in.

"Three seconds."

Fu Hua's icy voice rang out. Though she had not spoken loudly, the spectator stands fell silent in an instant.

Layers of frost seemed to spread through the air.

"Ha! What three seconds? Are you saying you can only last three seconds? In every way? Hahaha!"

The burly man continued laughing, unaware that the host had already left the arena. Even the people in the stands were looking at him with pity.

Fu Hua was angry.

Ning Rongrong said nothing more. Standing behind Fu Hua, she happened to block the two burly men's view. Treasure-like radiance swirled around her hand as the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda shone with dazzling brilliance, drawing instant gasps from the spectators.

After that, not a single person spoke again.

Golden light gathered in Fu Hua's hand, slowly outlining a shadow. A three-foot blade lay concealed beneath the radiance, yet its sharp edge still shone through.

"Make it quick."

The light burst forth, blindingly bright.

In the VIP seats, Xue Qinghe froze, staring blankly at the shape that had appeared in Fu Hua's hand.

It was a sword—a magnificent sword that lost none of its sharpness. Mountains, rivers, birds, and beasts covered its surface, depicting the land beneath heaven, like a sword fit only for an emperor.

Yet what shocked Xue Qinghe was not the mountains and rivers depicted upon it, but the Golden Sword itself.

How was this possible?

Inside Shrek Academy's lounge, Tang San shot to his feet in horror, likewise staring blankly at the Golden Sword. It was vastly different from the one he had once seen, yet it had changed in many ways.

It closely resembled a divine weapon he had seen in illustrations and texts in his previous life.

Just like Xue Qinghe, four words sprang into his mind.

How was this possible?

PS: I knew it—forty Monthly Votes is the limit. Lucky, lucky. Good thing I was wise, hmph hmph! You still wanted to compete with me.

PS1: I'm awake now, so feel free to complain as much as you want!

PS2: Also, the cover has been changed. I quite like it, and it feels fairly fitting for Crimson Kite's characterization in this story, so I used it.