Could He Really Be My Brother?

Xue Qinghe frowned. Ye Hao's expression was far too familiar. Impossible. She was an only child—how could that be...?

Seeing that Hu Yanli and Ye Hao were ready, the Referee announced, "Third match: Hu Yanli versus Ye Hao. Both sides have one minute to summon their Martial Souls."

The moment he finished speaking, Hu Yanli flung off his shirt, revealing solid, exaggerated muscles. Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul, possess! A layer of yellow, angular armor emerged over his muscles, gleaming with golden light. Hu Yanli's body nearly doubled in size, his upper lip curled back, revealing thick, powerful tusks a full foot long.

Before Hu Yanli, Ye Hao looked like a tiny ant.

Ye Hao did not indulge this blustering fellow either. Three Soul Rings slowly rose beneath his feet. The configuration of one yellow and two purple rings left everyone present dumbfounded. Such a Soul Ring configuration was unprecedented on the continent; Ye Hao was undoubtedly the first.

Eight black spider spears burst from his back. Black Armor covered his chest and face alike. A pair of scarlet eyes stared fixedly at Hu Yanli, while several smaller eyes below them spun continuously. Green bristles sprouted from his feet—he only lacked actual spider legs. Ye Hao completed his Death Spider Emperor possession, transforming into a humanoid spider. He stood there in all his savage ferocity as verdant Death Spider Emperor Poison began spreading into every corner of the Arena.

Because of what Qin Ming had said earlier, Ye Hao gave up using the Death Spider Emperor Poison.

A Diamond Mammoth silently appeared behind Hu Yanli, its robust aura rushing forward. Ye Hao was entirely unaffected. Behind him, the Death Spider Emperor appeared as well, bearing the aura of a king—the sovereign among demon spider-type Martial Souls.

The appearance of the Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul made it impossible for Xue Qinghe to remain calm. Her breathing quickened as her bright eyes stared intently at the Death Spider Emperor behind Ye Hao. What Death Demon Spider? This is clearly the Death Spider Emperor!

No one understood the aura of the Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul better than Xue Qinghe. After all, it was one of her mother's Twin Martial Souls. Bibi Dong rarely acted personally and had served as the Pope of Spirit Hall all these years. Besides, Ye Hao's soul master journal had recorded his Martial Soul as the Death Demon Spider.

There was not much difference between the Death Spider Emperor and the Death Demon Spider. Both were demon spider-type soul beasts of the same species.

Ye Hao's Death Spider Emperor was practically identical to hers. Other than their Soul Rings, Xue Qinghe could scarcely find a second difference. The two seemed cast from the same mold—his bearing, facial expressions, and every movement all carried the shadow of that woman.

It was as though Ye Hao had been born to her, while Xue Qinghe herself had been adopted.

Xue Qinghe quietly shook her head at the thought. Impossible. She was an only child and had never heard that she had a younger brother. Besides, this Ye Hao had merely been lucky enough to awaken the Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul and possess Innate Full Soul Power. That was all. Yes, that was all.

With boundless curiosity in her heart, Xue Qinghe began closely observing Ye Hao's every move.

"Begin the soul battle."

At the Referee's command—

Hu Yanli charged like thunder, making the ground tremble violently. Raising his massive hand, his mountain-like body swiftly smashed toward Ye Hao.

Ye Hao narrowed his eyes. His first Soul Ring began to rotate beneath his feet, and his hands transformed into two thick Death Spider Emperor Spears. He directly withstood Hu Yanli's heavy punch. The ground beneath Ye Hao abruptly caved in, cracking apart like a spider web.

Seizing the chance, Hu Yanli's Soul Ring lit up. A dark yellow layer resembling armor covered his entire body, increasing his defense.

Ye Hao's figure flashed past. Seizing the opening, he raised the Death Spider Emperor Spear overhead and viciously drove it downward.

The dark yellow armor condensed over Hu Yanli's chest instantly shattered, leaving behind a patch of purple-black skin. So close—just a little closer, and the Death Spider Emperor Spear would have pierced his body.

Hu Yanli was horrified. He understood that Ye Hao had clearly held back just now. This was only a sparring match; they bore no deep grudge against one another, so there was no need to take the other's life.

Yet this battle held great significance for both sides. With the score temporarily tied one to one, victory had become the only thing either of them needed to pursue.

Hu Yanli's performance had been watched by Hu Yanzhen from beginning to end. For some reason, a sense of defeat and helplessness suddenly rose within him. An invisible pressure nearly left him unable to breathe.

When he looked at Ye Hao, Hu Yanzhen felt as though he were looking at the Pope herself. Yes, this was exactly that bearing of looking down upon the world and treating the strong as ants—an aura that existed without form.

Ye Hao stood perfectly straight, unafraid in the face of Hu Yanli's powerful oppressive aura. At this moment, the serious Ye Hao seemed as though he had been possessed by the Pope.

Hu Yanli silently clicked his tongue. He had never expected that Heaven Dou Royal Academy, aside from its "Royal" title and strict admission requirements, would have students of such uneven quality. Yet it had produced someone as terrifying as Ye Hao.

Xue Qinghe, seated at the head, understood this deeply. Her relationship with her had never been good since childhood. She remembered the first time she called her "Mom."

Back then, her expression had been exactly the same as Ye Hao's now. As time passed, Xue Qinghe had gradually let it go. Yet upon seeing Ye Hao today, she began pondering her life. Could I really have gained a younger brother?

On the Arena, after his earlier probing attack, Hu Yanli began adjusting his strategy. His third Soul Ring, a Thousand Year Soul Ring, lit up beneath his feet. A solemn, heavy aura rapidly spread outward, and a powerful pressure swept across the entire field.

The same trick again?

Was he planning to use the method he had used against Osler on Ye Hao?

Ye Hao raised his head. The Diamond Mammoth's form appeared in midair, its thick forehoof dropping straight down. At nearly the same instant, a thunderous boom rang out. The Arena descended into chaos, and the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy shook as though an earthquake had struck.

At that moment, countless hearts clenched. Whether it was Qin Ming, the Imperial Dou Team, or the Three Education Commissioners, Xue Qinghe held her breath and looked up.

"This... this is..."

"Six..."

Xue Qinghe hurriedly swallowed the words that were about to escape her lips. External Soul Bone · Six-Winged Purple Light Wings—it was exactly the same as hers!

Xue Qinghe fell silent. Ye Hao possessed the Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul, Innate Full Soul Power, and the External Soul Bone · Six-Winged Purple Light Wings. No matter how she looked at it, Ye Hao was simply too much like her.

There could not be such a coincidence in the world. She had previously heard Meng Shenji say that Ye Hao was an orphan who had been alone and destitute since childhood. Xue Qinghe held a certain degree of suspicion toward that claim.

The more they said so, the more suspicious it became. Ye Hao's appearance had been far too stunning, catching Xue Qinghe completely off guard.

Could it be... that she and Ye Hao truly shared that kind of relationship?

Things had reached this point, and Xue Qinghe could no longer merely speculate. No matter what relationship Ye Hao truly had with her—

What could possibly escape her grasp? Ye Hao would be no exception. First, she could not let her find out about this matter, or it would not be interesting anymore. After opposing her for all these years, Xue Qinghe had already grown numb. Now that Ye Hao had appeared, Xue Qinghe wanted to uncover the secret herself.

If Ye Hao really is my younger brother, then this will be fun!