Tournament Conclusion (Part 2)

Wang Yan nodded. "It is indeed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. It's better to let Xuanheng explain this part."

Mu Xuanheng: "That Soul Tool gave off a familiar, nauseating aura. All of Gu Yuena's and my attacks were blocked. In the end, we had no choice but to use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

Xuan Zi jumped in at an inopportune moment: "When did you two discover you could perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

"During the match," Mu Xuanheng recalled carefully. "Our martial souls are very compatible. Back at the Treasure Appraisal Fair, when Ma Xiaotao appeared, we joked that we might have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. It turned out we actually did."

Gu Yuena coldly added: "You can go back and try to see if you have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Ma Xiaotao instead."

The speaker might have been unintentional, but the listener certainly wasn't. That refers to you, Xuan Zi.

Others might not know, but he was well aware that Mu Xuanheng's martial soul was Chaofeng, the child of a dragon and phoenix; it was entirely possible they really had a fusion skill. His face crinkled into a smile like a chrysanthemum.

The one laughing the brightest, however, was Yan Shaozhe.

Seeing the look on Gu Yuena's face, he knew that was definitely just a remark made in anger.

"Stop messing around; my martial soul isn't compatible with hers. Let's not make wild guesses." Mu Xuanheng didn't want to get too entangled with Ma Xiaotao.

"Teacher Wang, please continue with what happened afterward. I don't know the rest."

Mu Xuanheng took two steps in one, quickly walking over to Gu Yuena and grabbing the hand of the girl who was trying to slip away again.

Then he paused, suddenly realizing that doing these things felt so natural, without a shred of psychological pressure.

Regardless of anything else, he would hold onto her first.

Wang Yan suppressed a smile and continued his account: "The power of your Martial Soul Fusion Skill was truly astonishing. The Hongchen Siblings, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong used four Martial Soul Fusion Skills on the field, yet none of them could compare to your single one."

Wang Dong felt a bit displeased at this, as they had a one-hundred-percent compatibility rate.

Xiao Xiao: "Wang Dong, it's true. The Martial Soul Fusion Skill of Mu Ge and Na Jie first killed a Soul Engineer who came to rescue the Sun Moon team, and then forced the Heavenly Fiend Douluo to his knees."

Not just injured, but forced to his knees. Wang Dong immediately fell silent; they couldn't do that, not even with the same Soul Power Level.

Wang Yan: "Who was injured isn't the point; the point is that you nearly demolished the entire arena. Seven people from the Sun Moon team were knocked unconscious, but they still had three Soul Kings. According to the rules, the competition was supposed to continue. We would have definitely lost the subsequent individual matches and the two-two-three team matches. But because you destroyed the arena so badly that the competition couldn't continue, the officials had no choice but to announce that the matches would resume the next day."

Once you woke up, the Sun Moon team naturally had no choice but to forfeit. No one could defeat you two in this Soul Fighting tournament. You are invincible in the individual matches.

Having four rings and being invincible across ranks, forcing people to concede—they were truly one of a kind.

Xuan Zi yawned: "Don't go out today. Once the Xingluo officials repair the arena, we'll participate in the award ceremony and then leave."

Mu Xuanheng: "Why is there an award ceremony?" He didn't remember this in the original story: "Isn't it just collect the rewards and leave?"

Normally, if there were an award ceremony, you would collect the prizes immediately after the match. Who waits two days to give out awards?

"I wanted to leave directly too, but why don't you two go out and take a look? Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, you go along with them."

Before they even walked out of the hotel, they were back.

The hotel entrance was blocked solid. A crowd surrounded it. It was shoulder to shoulder, packed like sardines.

"This is terrifying, damn it. Isn't it just a match? Is it really necessary?" Mu Xuanheng still found it strange; this situation didn't happen in the original story either.

Yan Shaozhe: "You still underestimate your influence. It's not just you, but Gu Yuena as well—you both exceeded all expectations. Compared to you two, the four-person Martial Soul Fusion Skill of Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong is within the realm of understanding."

Like Mu Xuanheng, Gu Yuena didn't understand: "Why?"

"Probably because your Martial Soul Fusion Skill was seen by everyone in Xingluo City." Wang Yan took out a drawing board and sketched a rather sloppy diagram.

"At the time, your Martial Soul Fusion Skill looked like this." A giant dragon coiled over the entire arena, its dragon claws pressing down on three Title Douluo, its head held high, dazzling and brilliant, surrounded by black and white light, carrying an aura of both holiness and darkness.

"Your popularity among ordinary people is already indescribably high. A four-ringed fighter defeating a six-ringed one—the trope of the underdog winning is perfectly in line with people's aesthetic for stories. Plus, you two are very good-looking."

Yan Shaozhe: "Those are just ordinary people, but there are also a vast number of soul masters who want to know your secrets. Why can a four-ringed soul master have a hundred-thousand-year soul ring? I actually want to know that too, though you don't have to say. And there's that orange soul ring of Xuanheng's that defies all knowledge."

He Caitou chimed in: "The Soul Engineers also want to know what's up with the armor you were wearing." He opened the window, and a wave of cheers drifted in: "It's so lively."

Setting aside the influence, he pointed to a group of people: "Those are the people from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. They've been camping out there. They've also requested negotiations more than once, all of which we've rejected."

The two of them had only rested for one night, yet outside remained incredibly lively.

Xiao Xiao added a few more stabs: "There are even people shipping you as a couple; we can't even leave the door now. If the hotel hadn't received orders from the Xingluo officials, our entire floor would be packed with people."

The surrounding area was like a Heavenly Net, blocked so tightly not even water could pass through.

Even meals had to be delivered by designated personnel.

This award ceremony, while called an award ceremony, was more of a way to get them to leave.

After all, fanatical fans couldn't stop them from going to receive their awards, and the officials could use it as a good excuse to clear a path for them to come out.

When the time came, Dai Hao led a large squad of soldiers to carve out a path.

"Everyone, please."

Even with the soldiers blocking the way, it couldn't hide the enthusiasm of the crowd outside.

Waving cheering signs and continuous, unending shouts.

Dai Hao: "You all are truly popular. No wonder His Majesty ordered me to clear the way for you."

Wang Yan: "Sorry for the trouble, Duke."

"Protecting the contestants is our duty."

Soon they arrived at the competition arena; after two days of repairs, the venue had returned to its basic appearance.

The cheers belonging to the champions echoed throughout the stadium.

Someone from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy suddenly approached: "Elder Xuan, you surely remember the exchange student agreement between us and your academy. Why don't we just finalize the exchange today? We'll leave the Hongchen Siblings with you and take Mu Xuanheng and Gu Yuena back with us."

"Bullshit." Before Xuan Zi could finish, Yan Shaozhe pulled him aside; diplomatic matters were certainly not something that could be left to Xuan Zi.

"The matter of exchange students requires careful deliberation. After all, you aren't the ones who can make decisions for the grandchildren of Mingde Hall Master Jing Hongchen."

No sooner had Yan Shaozhe finished speaking than Jing Hongchen appeared: "Rest assured, Dean Yan. I have come here precisely for this matter. If you are worried, I can entrust the level-9 Soul Tool Hongchen Protection to them."

The Sun Moon Empire's desire for this exchange was incredibly strong; even Jing Hongchen had come in person, and he was willing to hand over a level-9 Soul Tool without hesitation.

Mu Xuanheng and Gu Yuena would absolutely not go to the Sun Moon Empire.

The Sun Moon Empire was far too dangerous right now, and the two of them were far too important.

Once Wang Yan returned from selecting the spirit bones, they decided it was time to leave.

"Although you all don't trust us, we trust the people of Shrek completely. Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, come here." Jing Hongchen brought the two children over, intending for Xuan Zi to take them away immediately.

Mu Xuanheng was deeply puzzled. Why were they in such a rush? They weren't even willing to wait? They wanted to hand them over right then and there?

"Mr. Jing Hongchen, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

"No, it is perfectly appropriate. I must insist that Elder Xuan and Dean Yan take them away with you."

And so, two more people were added to the journey back to Shrek.