Avoiding the spiderwebs, Ye Xinglan and Yu Weinan came to an open space at one side and faced each other.
Like the other spectators, Nan Liujing stayed more than thirty meters away from the battlefield.
"Second Ring?"
The moment Ye Xinglan summoned her Soul Rings, Mo Jue's expression changed slightly. She said in a deep voice, "three rings against two isn't fair."
Nan Liujing looked at her rather unexpectedly.
The others exchanged glances. Looking at the two yellow and one purple Soul Rings on Yu Weinan, then comparing them with Ye Xinglan's two yellow Soul Rings, they subconsciously nodded.
Yu Jiutian said calmly, "Xu Lizhi, make two Recovery Big Meat Buns and one Lightness Steamed Dumpling."
"Yes."
Within the crowd, a plump young man hurriedly complied. Soul Power light emerged from his body, and a faint fragrance spread from his palms.
Xu Lizhi?
Only then did Nan Liujing notice him, his brows lifting slightly.
So that was it. No wonder Ye Xinglan had also been brought along by the Shrek Academy Representative Team in the Original Timeline to the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition. It was probably because of Xu Lizhi's relationship with Yu Jiutian.
After all, back then, only Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi in the team were just over ten years old. Everyone else was around fourteen years old.
"Give them to her." Once Xu Lizhi had finished making the buns, Yu Jiutian spoke again.
Xu Lizhi eagerly trotted forward and offered the buns, grinning as he said, "This chubby bun is a Recovery Big Meat Bun. Eating it restores Soul Power and stamina, and it can heal basic injuries. This small bun is a Lightness Steamed Dumpling. Eating it makes your body lighter and increases your movement speed."
As he looked at Ye Xinglan's delicate yet valiant face, the little fat boy's eyes widened slightly as he spoke, and his heart inexplicably grew warmer.
Ye Xinglan merely gave the buns in his hand an indifferent glance. "No need for buns. I have something better."
She turned to Nan Liujing.
Nan Liujing smiled. Under everyone's stunned gazes, he flicked a streak of golden light out with his left hand.
Ye Xinglan caught it in one hand and said sternly, "Now we can begin the spar."
Xu Lizhi wanted to say something else, but Yu Weinan, who had long since grown impatient, interrupted him. "Xu Lizhi, step back."
Xu Lizhi squeezed the buns in his hand and returned to the crowd with a disappointed look. For some reason, when he heard the girl say she had something better, an inexplicable feeling of unwillingness rose in his heart.
As the class monitor of the Outer Court's first year, Li Qiankun held considerable authority. He took the initiative to serve as referee. "Since both sides are ready, the spar begins!"
"Roar."
Yu Weinan threw back his head and let out a dragon roar. Blue electric arcs spread from his swelling body. His arms boldly transformed into sharp-aura dragon claws. They were not as thick as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's; instead, they were slender like crescent blades, covered in fine blue Dragon Scales. Lightning flickered over them, radiating a chilling aura.
Though it was not a top-tier Beast Martial Soul like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the Thunder Claw Dragon had still reached the upper ranks of high-grade Martial Souls. Moreover, on the Douluo Continent, dragons were revered above all else, and its combat power far surpassed that of many Beast Martial Souls of the same tier.
Ye Xinglan casually popped the Golden Dragon Candy into her mouth. The rich liquid flowed down her throat, and orange sweetness filled her mouth. The Star God Sword in her right hand trembled slightly, as if it sensed its master's surging strength and unusual Qi and Blood fluctuations.
Every step Yu Weinan took after Martial Soul Possession was especially heavy. His Mental Power had long locked onto Ye Xinglan, and the yellow Soul Ring in first position quietly glowed with soft light.
Another layer of Energy Dragon Claws formed over his arms, which had already become dragon claws. Rampaging currents continuously burst through the air.
"I'll make you regret what you did that night."
His buttocks still ached faintly. Yu Weinan's Eye Pupils turned vertical, and faint Dragon Might surged forth like a gale striking his face.
Ye Xinglan gripped her sword with both hands and raised it beside her eyes. The blade reflected her icy gaze. Threads of starlight shone with exceptional brilliance; even in broad daylight, they remained dazzling.
An invisible aura spread outward from beneath her feet. The sight instantly put Yu Weinan on guard. His Mental Power lock vanished as if sinking into the sea, as though his opponent had merged into that bright yellow longsword in an instant and become impossible to catch.
"Man and sword as one?" Mo Jue's eyes lit up.
Though alert, Yu Weinan, who appeared to be a close-combat Soul Master, made a move that caught everyone off guard.
The Energy Dragon Claw on his right hand suddenly shot out like a Hidden Weapon. Its five claws curled like grappling hooks; once they struck an enemy, they would surely clamp down tightly.
Ye Xinglan reacted swiftly. Her left foot shifted sideways, and her First Soul Skill, Sword God Star, activated. The Star God Sword stabbed out without any flourish. Specks of starlight seemed like intelligent living beings, winding around the sword tip in a gentle flow.
When the sword tip struck the palm of the suddenly flying Energy Dragon Claw, the expected scene of lightning exploding and breaking through Ye Xinglan's defense did not occur. Instead, every strand of Brilliant Starlight frantically broke down the energy within the dragon claw, even suppressing it and taking it for her own use.
Anyone could see that the dragon claw's energy fluctuations had weakened considerably.
Yu Weinan's heart jolted. A Tool Martial Soul was actually suppressing his Beast Martial Soul in terms of innate attribute? How was that possible?
He hurriedly reacted.
The Energy Dragon Claw rapidly closed, clamping tightly around the Star God Sword and buying Yu Weinan extra time to close the distance.
As it clamped onto the Star God Sword, surging Lightning Power erupted with a bang and rushed toward Ye Xinglan like a tidal wave. Yet the dragon claw had already been weakened, and after consuming the Golden Dragon Candy, the hidden Dragon Scales on Ye Xinglan's skin gave her the means to ignore the lightning corrosion of a Dragon Martial Soul. She was not affected by the electric shock at all.
The very next moment, the Energy Dragon Claw exploded without warning. The Lightning Arrows, originally as thin as long snakes, had already turned into starlight filling the sky and flew back toward Yu Weinan.
Yu Weinan only felt his vision blur as sword light appeared before him, layer upon layer, making it impossible to distinguish real from fake.
Yu Jiutian, Xu Cang, Mo Jue, Li Qiankun, and the others suddenly turned grave. Even with their eyesight, they could not see through how the follow-up move had been executed.
Only now did they take Ye Xinglan, this Second Ring Soul Master, seriously.
The only one present who truly understood what had happened was Nan Liujing.
The Star God Sword Martial Soul possessed a talent called Star God Power. It had astonishing penetration and could even detonate.
The dragon claw had been broken apart from the outside in by Star God Power. Combined with the powerful attack boost granted to Ye Xinglan by the Golden Dragon Candy, it forcibly erased the gap of an entire rank. The starlight that filled the sky afterward was mixed with Star God Power and the Thunder Claw Dragon's Soul Power, which had been suppressed by Bloodline Power. With so much of it, it created an unavoidable, sky-filling sense of déjà vu.
The current Ye Xinglan had not yet reached the realm of Sword Intent, but relying on her Martial Soul's characteristics and the sensations after consuming the Golden Dragon Candy, she had taken a different path and created a special method of using sword techniques.
At this moment, Yu Weinan seemed to have stepped into Ye Xinglan's domain of the sword. Sharp starlight sword radiance, mixed with the immensely destructive Star God Force and Lightning Power, blanketed an area within ten meters.
Alarm bells rang wildly in Yu Weinan's heart. He immediately activated his second soul skill, Lightning Scale Protection, then swung forward. The Energy Dragon Claw on his left arm shot out fiercely, trying to force Ye Xinglan, who was attacking head-on, to yield and buy himself time to dodge the Rain of Sword Light that was about to descend from above.
As the sword radiance fell like fine rain, about to pierce his heart with countless swords, a large number of deep blue Dragon Scales rapidly emerged across Yu Weinan's body. Their aura was heavy, and their formidable defense was obvious at a glance.
Without any unnecessary flourish, Ye Xinglan stabbed out like lightning again. Her Soul Power intertwined with her boiling Bloodline Power, and fine dragon patterns unexpectedly emerged on the Star God Sword's blade. The sword tip was like a sharp edge piercing the firmament. That Energy Dragon Claw was as fragile as thin paper and shattered in an instant.
Ye Xinglan's charge did not stop. With a leap and dash, she arrived before Yu Weinan. Like a dragonfly touching water, the Star God Sword merely brushed across Yu Weinan's scaled chest before her body retreated. Only then did the remaining starlight sword radiance fall over him like fine rain, the process gentle and without stirring the slightest ripple.
The earlier sword radiance had stacked layer upon layer, creating an overwhelming pressure, yet when it actually fell, it was light and casual, as weightless as a feather.
Most of the spectators frowned.
Yu Weinan did not even feel much force landing on his body. He could not help feeling puzzled, but amid his surprise, an intense sense of palpitations suddenly erupted from beneath his heavy scales. It was as if countless strange energies had drilled into his flesh and blood.
Under everyone's gazes, brilliant spots of light appeared across many parts of Yu Weinan's body, as clear as punctuation marks.
Yu Weinan's face changed in panic.
As a lightning-attribute Soul Master, his body had actually been slightly paralyzed by Lightning Power. He could not use Soul Power or Bloodline Power to protect his body from within at all.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
In an instant, the light spots exploded together like timed bombs.
Yu Weinan's entire body burst like fireworks, exploding into countless bloody holes, every one of them cleverly located where his meridians connected.
Intense pain swallowed his consciousness. The aura of his body visibly plummeted to its lowest point, and even his Martial Soul Possession was forcibly released.
Yu Jiutian reacted swiftly and rushed forward, slapping the distress signal device on Yu Weinan's right hand. The latter immediately transformed into a beam of light and disappeared.
"Are you from the Ye Family of Heaven Dou City?" After finishing this, Yu Jiutian asked instinctively.
Ye Xinglan flicked her sword. Starlight filled the sky as it fell around her delicate body, illuminating that valiant and proud beautiful face.
"So what if I am?"
Yu Jiutian's gaze shifted slightly.
The Ye Family of Heaven Dou City was unfamiliar to ordinary people, but to Soul Masters from decent backgrounds, it was very well known.
Their inherited Martial Soul, the Star Saint Sword, was undoubtedly a top-tier Tool Martial Soul. Though it was considered a gatekeeper among top-tier Martial Souls, relying on its Martial Soul characteristics, it possessed a natural restraining effect against Soul Masters with powerful defenses.
Yet what surprised Yu Jiutian even more was that this girl's Martial Soul was likely the Star God Sword, one that appeared perhaps once in a century. That explosion alone made it clear.
With the Star God Sword appearing, the Ye Family would likely rise again.
"Though it may be somewhat improper, I'd like to see just how powerful the Ye Family's inherited Star Saint Sword, which restrains defensive Martial Souls, truly is."
A voice came from the crowd. Everyone looked over and saw that it was none other than Mystic Turtle Xu Cang.
Mo Jue frowned. "Why are you joining the fun?"
Xu Cang looked only slightly older than Yu Jiutian, around thirteen years old, but he was exceptionally tall at one meter eighty. Dressed in black, he appeared capable and efficient.
He said with a cheerful smile, "The Riot Period Spirit Ascension Platform has long evolved into a place for Soul Masters to spar with one another. Otherwise, the Spirit Pagoda would not have gathered all the Soul Masters entering it together. I reckon the intermediate and even advanced Spirit Ascension Platforms are already a complete mess."
"Besides, I've finally encountered a Martial Soul that openly restrains mine. If I don't fight her, I won't sleep soundly."
"Little sister of the Ye Family, what do you say?"
Xu Cang appeared carefree and straightforward, but the sharp gleam in his eyes betrayed his true nature.
His status was comparable to Yu Jiutian's. He was also one of the candidates for Young Sect Master of the Xuan Ming Sect. Seeing that Ye Xinglan's Martial Soul was unusual, he naturally wanted to step forward and test it. If he could defeat the Star God Sword, the Spirit Pagoda would report the battle details to his family, which would earn him points.
As for the difference in cultivation making the victory seem unfair, wasn't there Martial Soul restraint? He was at a disadvantage too.
"At least let her rest for a while. I'll spar with you."
A hearty laugh came from not far away, once again drawing everyone's attention.
Xu Cang froze for a moment. He had not expected the speaker to be the person who had just given Ye Xinglan Soul Power food. He instinctively said, "Friend, you're a Food System Soul Master. Are you sure you want to get involved?"
Nan Liujing smiled. "In the Ancient Era, there was Oscar. In the Ancient Era, there was He Caitou. Weren't they both Food System Soul Masters? Didn't they both make names for themselves? What, are you looking down on Food System Soul Masters?"
"I'm not looking down on Food System Soul Masters. I'm only reminding you. After all, the Spirit Ascension Platform strictly forbids carrying offensive Soul Tools." Xu Cang was no fool. Food System Soul Masters held a very high status on the Douluo Continent these days. Shrek Academy even had a Soul Douluo Level Food System Elder. He could not speak carelessly.
Nan Liujing said blandly, "Since I dared to challenge you, I naturally have means for actual combat. It just depends on whether you dare to accept."
Xu Cang only found this troublesome and wanted to finish quickly so he could challenge Ye Xinglan. "Since you insist, then let's give it a try."
They switched positions. Ye Xinglan took over the task of guarding Wu Sidao, while Nan Liujing came to stand where she had just been.
With the mindset of watching the fun, everyone remained quiet.
Food System Soul Masters were indeed rare. The help they provided to a team was no less than that of auxiliary-system Soul Masters, but in terms of combat power, the gap was simply too great. Especially since the Spirit Ascension Platform did not allow powerful Soul Tools, they wanted to see where Nan Liujing got the courage to issue a challenge on his own.
Xu Lizhi stared at Nan Liujing, though no one knew what he was thinking.
Xu Cang said calmly, "To avoid hurting our relationship, we'll stop at the right point."
Nan Liujing nodded slightly.
Li Qiankun continued acting as referee.
"Begin!"
As soon as the words fell, Xu Cang almost immediately summoned his Martial Soul. A heavy Mystic Turtle Shell Shield appeared in his hand. Influenced by the Martial Soul's attributes, even the light within two meters of his feet dimmed somewhat, while Water Element became exceptionally active.
"Second soul skill, Mystic Nether Shield Formation."
Two yellow and one purple Soul Rings rose beneath him. Then the Second Soul Ring shone, and the heavy shield rapidly split apart into dozens of palm-sized circular Armored Blades that howled as they flew toward Nan Liujing.
Could this guy be Xu Sanshi's descendant?
Nan Liujing silently mused, his Mental Power already activating the Demon Body.
Actual combat was the best way to test the Demon Body.
Actually, I should have made the male protagonist's second Martial Soul Gourd Wine. That would have matched Black Myth Wukong perfectly. Haha, what a pity.
Before you continue