Dropping the Ball

Dropping the Ball

Speaking of masters, one had to mention the theoretical formula Dr. Ratio had released. Over the past three days, the Soul Master Realm had been deriving its subsequent formulas, yet not a single person—including Spirit Hall scholars—had managed to derive the formula for Bloodline Inheritance Spirits.

Of course, three days was not particularly long, so no one had grown impatient yet.

At this time, Qian Renxue, who had rushed all the way from Heaven Dou City at top speed, was stopped by Ning Fengzhi as soon as she entered Spirit City and invited into his carriage.

When she saw Ning Fengzhi enter, Qian Renxue immediately gave a slight nod and smiled.

"Teacher..."

Ning Fengzhi's expression was serious as he said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, I am glad you could come. This will undoubtedly be an epoch-making day for the Soul Master Realm. Master Ratio's talent is enough to shake heaven and move ghosts to tears. We should witness this miracle together."

"Oh? To earn such praise from Teacher, this Master Ratio must surely be a legendary figure."

Qian Renxue nodded softly, a flash of delight passing through her eyes.

Hearing Ning Fengzhi praise Ratio made her heart bloom with joy.

After all, he was her fiancé!

He was a ray of light in her life, someone she could rely on when Bibi Dong hurt her, someone who stood on equal footing with her grandfather.

He was countless times more precious than any outsider!

Only before Ratio could she show her gentlest side.

Ning Fengzhi hummed in agreement and sighed. "I have never seen anyone as extraordinarily gifted as Master Ratio. I consider myself a good judge of character... yet in my eyes, Master Ratio is a god!"

A god!!!

That was Ning Fengzhi's most direct and lofty impression of Ratio.

Qian Renxue was slightly startled. She knew exactly how rigorous Ning Fengzhi was.

Since she had known him, this was the first time he had ever praised someone so highly!

More than ten years have passed, Brother Ratio. Just how exceptional have you become now...? Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes, her mind filled with endless imaginings as her longing for Ratio reached its peak.

At the top floor of the Pope's Palace, they could overlook the central plaza below.

Qian Daoliu and several other elders stood there, looking down at the scene.

A sea of people—those four words were the only way to describe it.

The expanded central plaza could hold as many as a million people, yet it was still packed to the brim.

One could only imagine how explosive the scene was, and every one of those people had come for a single person.

Master Ratio!!!

Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at the crowd below and snorted coldly. "What a bargain for these people! If we had discovered Master Ratio's talent sooner, perhaps we could have monopolized those achievements."

Golden Crocodile Douluo's words resonated with the other elders.

Qian Daoliu turned back to glance at them and secretly shook his head.

They simply did not understand Ratio's true intentions. Whether or not anyone had discovered him, Ratio would never have served Spirit Hall alone.

In fact, he would only teach his theoretical findings to one person, and even then, not in their entirety.

Want more? Then they could only think and innovate for themselves.

"Have you figured out that Three Elements Fusion Skill?" Qian Daoliu asked instead.

"..."

At the mention of it, everyone fell silent, their faces turning awkward.

Everyone present was a Titled Douluo with Soul Power exceeding level ninety-five, yet none of them could learn that Three Elements Fusion Skill.

It would be humiliating if word got out!

"Ahem, Grand Elder, you said it yourself. That manual was tailored by Ratio for Xie Yue, so naturally we cannot cultivate it."

"Exactly. No matter how I tried to replicate it, I couldn't achieve three-element fusion. I couldn't even manage the most basic fusion of Soul Rings. Grand Elder, you need to speak with Ratio about this. We simply can't figure it out ourselves."

"..."

All the elders had given up. They had not slept properly for two days straight.

They knew that even if they kept researching, they would never make any progress.

It would be better to ask Ratio directly and obtain Three Elements Fusion Skills suited to them.

Qian Daoliu shook his head without speaking. These people simply did not understand Ratio's temperament.

Asking Ratio to tailor Three Elements Fusion Skills for them would most likely get them told to get lost, wouldn't it?

He absolutely would not do that...

"Huh? There are only ten minutes left before it begins. Why hasn't Ratio appeared yet?" Light Feather Douluo stood at the edge of the rooftop and gazed toward the venue, but he could not spot Ratio anywhere.

The other elders were all taken aback. They immediately came to the rooftop's edge and looked down together, yet they also could not find Ratio.

"Where is Ratio...?"

"He wouldn't stand us up at an occasion like this, would he? That would be quite a spectacle!"

"This is too..."

"..."

A dreadful premonition arose in the elders' hearts.

Qian Daoliu immediately said to Light Feather Douluo, "Go find Ratio at once. Don't let him be late!"

Light Feather Douluo nodded and transformed into a streak of white light, swiftly diving downward.

At the venue, all the audience members had arrived. Every seat was occupied, and even the standing areas were shoulder to shoulder, leaving no room to squeeze in another person.

All their gazes were fixed on the platform, their expressions excited and expectant as they waited for Ratio to appear.

Spirit Kite Douluo was hosting the event. The only woman among Spirit Hall's elders, she was a strikingly beautiful, short-haired mature woman, but she was now somewhat flustered.

This was a grand event witnessed by a million people. If the main figure failed to show up, the enraged audience would surely tear the place apart!

Many of them had traveled thousands of miles to get here.

If they could not even catch a glimpse of Ratio, their anger would be enough to make Spirit Hall tremble.

Master Ratio, if you're late, I won't let you off even as a ghost. Spirit Kite Douluo grumbled inwardly, her beautiful eyes scanning the surroundings for Ratio's figure.

As she waited as though every second were a year, no miracle occurred.

Ratio did not take the stage.

The audience's expressions had already begun to change, and dissatisfaction was brewing.

Spirit Kite Douluo took a light breath, gracefully stepped onto the stage, and smiled.

"Everyone, let us first invite Master Ratio's student, Xie Yue of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, onto the stage to demonstrate the effects of the Three Elements Fusion Skill..."

Thinking quickly in her moment of crisis, Spirit Kite Douluo invited Xie Yue up.

Xie Yue calmly walked onto the stage. Facing the attention of the masses, he showed no trace of stage fright.

Dr. Ratio had given him that confidence.

He walked to the center of the platform beside Spirit Kite Douluo and confidently introduced it. "The so-called Three Elements Fusion Skill unifies the three elements of Spirit, Soul Ring, and Soul Power. As for its specific effects, please watch as I demonstrate it."

Spirit Kite Douluo stepped back, yielding the stage to Xie Yue.

Xie Yue summoned his Spirit and Soul Rings. Four rings rose beneath his feet.

He began to use the Three Elements Fusion Skill.

The four Soul Rings moved closer together at once, seeking to fuse into one.

First, they fused in pairs, becoming two Soul Rings. Then, the two rings began to fuse together.

But just as they drew closer, they suddenly split apart and returned to four Soul Rings.

"!!!" Xie Yue was stunned as he stared at the scene in disbelief. The Three Elements Fusion Skill he had successfully performed countless times had actually failed him at a moment like this?