"Don't worry."
"..."
Zheng Li couldn't help looking up at the sky. What was he supposed to say to such an innocent little girl?
Hand-in-Hand Combat
Shen Lan stared intently at Zheng Li in the Soul Fighting Arena.
Apart from the reminder from Director Du Weilun, she was curious in her own right.
She was curious about Zheng Li's Martial Soul. She had no idea what it was.
Zheng Li and Su Yunqing were in the northwest section of the Soul Fighting District. The two referee teachers stood in the central area, one to the north and the other to the south.
"Begin!"
Once the five groups had taken their positions, the referee called the start.
"Zheng Li, watch out." Su Yunqing warned him as she held out her right hand. A dark-blue great hammer appeared, and she charged at him, holding it in one hand.
Compared with Ling Nan's speed just now, she was decidedly slow.
Zheng Li's gaze sharpened. Golden light surged from his body, and particles of light instantly destroyed his school uniform, forming a Platinum Combat Suit around him. A golden ring appeared behind his head, slowly rotating as it hovered there.
Su Yunqing's steps faltered for a moment. She seemed surprised by how unusual Zheng Li's Martial Soul was.
It even changed his clothes!
That looked so cool!
But in the next instant, Su Yunqing pushed off the ground and leaped forward. Gripping the hammer with both hands, she quickly raised it over her head and brought it down toward Zheng Li.
"Yunqing, do you have to be this ruthless? You're going straight for my head!"
Wiping away a bead of cold sweat, Zheng Li shifted to his left. His body had become light and nimble, and he was far from slow.
Su Yunqing's hammer struck empty air and slammed into the Soul Fighting Arena with a deafening boom.
Su Yunqing immediately turned around, released the hammer handle with her right hand, and held the hammer in her left. With a twist of her wrist, she swung it at Zheng Li in an awkward motion!
A look of alarm crossed Zheng Li's face. Su Yunqing's follow-up attack was incredibly quick! He immediately wrapped both hands in golden Soul Power and raised them in front of himself.
A tremendous force struck him. The golden Soul Power around his hands shattered, and he was sent flying backward.
Su Yunqing remained calm. She shifted the hammer to her right hand, while an ocher haze seemed to coil around her wrist. Then she hurled the hammer straight at Zheng Li.
Ling Nan watched from the stands, the corner of his mouth twitching. He was glad he hadn't run into this little girl, Su Yunqing. She was no pushover! If she got close, he'd probably be done for.
Shen Lan frowned and murmured, "Is this all he can do...?"
The referee had already moved close to Zheng Li, ready to intervene.
Zheng Li wore a rueful expression. He felt helpless. Not only had he been sent flying, but the blow had left both his hands numb...
If Su Yunqing hadn't swung the hammer so awkwardly, the force would probably have been even greater.
As the dark-blue hammer raced toward him, faster than he was flying backward, Zheng Li couldn't help thinking, I've lost... I never thought it would happen so quickly.
Just as the referee was about to step in, a blinding golden light burst from within Zheng Li and blocked the hammer!
The referee froze.
Su Yunqing, chasing after her own Martial Soul hammer, knitted her brows but didn't slow down.
Shen Lan's eyes narrowed in the stands. "What is that?"
Then a slender hand appeared in the dazzling light and met the dark-blue hammer!
The hammer carried immense force. The figure emerging from the light was driven back five or six steps before finally stopping.
Behind Xiao Nai, Zheng Li crashed onto the arena floor. Xiao Nai's figure came fully into view, while Su Yunqing caught hold of her Martial Soul hammer again and stared at Xiao Nai.
Everyone present looked astonished. Some even stood there with their mouths slightly open!
What had they just seen?
A person had burst out of their classmate's body?
What was going on?
Those who reacted quickly had already guessed. After all, Xiao Nai's white-and-gold dress and the golden ring behind her head looked so much like Zheng Li's.
"You're..." Su Yunqing sounded surprised, and she couldn't help marveling at Xiao Nai's beauty.
In the stands.
"A cute girl just popped out of A Li?" Ling Nan looked shocked. "Am I going to be abandoned now?"
"No, no!" Ling Nan hurriedly shook his head. "Why would I, a boy, even think something like that?"
After driving away that dangerous thought, Ling Nan watched Xiao Nai with deep confusion.
Ling Nan wasn't the only one puzzled. Everyone in Class Five was confused.
Xiao Nai didn't answer Su Yunqing. Instead, she stepped back and stood beside Zheng Li, who had gotten to his feet.
"Xiao Nai, why did you come out?" Zheng Li asked helplessly.
"Should I just watch you get beaten to death?" Xiao Nai replied through telepathy. She didn't move her lips and remained expressionless.
Given their connection as Martial Soul and wielder, it was easy enough for them to do this.
"..."
"It's only a spar. It's not that serious."
After briefly wondering about Xiao Nai's telepathy, Zheng Li shook his head and didn't dwell on it.
"I know! Would you watch me get beaten? Even in a spar?"
"No!"
Zheng Li immediately shook his head. He didn't want Xiao Nai to take part in any battles. Since he could use all of the Spirit of Light's power, he could handle the fighting himself.
"Likewise, I won't let that happen to you," Xiao Nai said calmly.
Zheng Li was about to say something, but Xiao Nai spoke again:
"Xiao Li, remember: your Martial Soul is me, not some 'Spirit of Light.' If anything, I am the Spirit of Light, but the Spirit of Light is not me."
As she spoke, Xiao Nai took Zheng Li's hand.
"No matter what happens, let's face it together!"
The warmth in her palm moved Zheng Li deeply. He didn't say anything; he simply took her hand in return.
In the next instant, Xiao Nai tightened her grip on Zheng Li's hand and pulled hard before he could react!
She spun him around twice, the force of the rotation lifting his body off the ground.
"???" Zheng Li's face was full of question marks.
On the third turn, Xiao Nai calmly said, "Xiao Li, I believe you understand what I mean."
Then she aimed for the air above Su Yunqing's back and let go, carefully controlling her strength.
Zheng Li was sent flying again, just as expected.
"!!"
What did she mean? How had he failed to understand?
Su Yunqing had stopped attacking while Zheng Li spoke, apparently exchanging words with the person who had suddenly appeared. After ten or so seconds, she'd naturally begun to guess what was going on. Could it be...?
But before she could think it through, Zheng Li came flying toward the space above her.
Was he attacking now?
Then bring it on! Even if her guess was right, she wasn't afraid.
She raised her dark-blue hammer and was about to leap up and smash Zheng Li back down, but her plan fell through.
Xiao Nai raised her right hand and pointed at Su Yunqing. In the next instant, the Yellow Soul Ring on Zheng Li's body lit up!
Crack!
The golden ring behind Xiao Nai's head moved, floating in front of her and beginning to spin clockwise. As it turned, golden sparks appeared within it, then became a stream of Light Swords, each about the length of a forearm, stabbing toward Su Yunqing!
Su Yunqing froze for a moment, then abandoned her plan to attack Zheng Li and ran to the right to dodge!
She had no choice. There were simply too many Light Swords.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
One after another, the swords tore through the air, revealing their speed. Halfway to their target, their trajectories shifted and they fanned out, attacking Su Yunqing from above, the left, the right, the front, the back, and every other direction.
Su Yunqing wasn't as fast as the Light Swords. Her escape routes were effectively sealed!
Astonishment spread across her face.
Was this a Century Spirit Ring skill?
Where could anyone find such a powerful Century Spirit Ring? I, Su Yunqing, want one too!
Despite her shock, Su Yunqing immediately lit up both of her Century Spirit Rings to fend off the attack.
Ocher light appeared on her dark-blue hammer. She followed by slamming it into the ground! An ocher shock wave instantly spread outward!
First Soul Skill, Heavy Strike; Second Soul Skill, Hammer Wave!
When she used Hammer Wave after Heavy Strike, its power increased!
The Hammer Wave collided with the Light Swords, which began vanishing one by one. By the time the shock wave disappeared, the swords had nearly all vanished as well.
Su Yunqing smashed apart the few remaining swords with several quick swings of her hammer!
Just then, Zheng Li, who had landed not far behind Su Yunqing, lit up his First Soul Ring again. Just like Xiao Nai, he sent the golden ring floating in front of him and spinning, and a stream of Light Swords condensed once more.
Su Yunqing was dumbfounded.
You can't do this!
What else could she do? Use her two Soul Skills again.
She didn't see Zheng Li and Xiao Nai exchange a glance. Then light flared in both their hands, and they quickly rushed toward Su Yunqing.
The Light Swords and Hammer Wave once again canceled each other out.
While Su Yunqing was fending off the remaining swords, the light in Xiao Nai's hand had somehow condensed into a Light Sword much longer than the Soul Skill's swords. She thrust it toward Su Yunqing.
Su Yunqing's face was a little pale. She had used her Soul Skills four times in quick succession, but she still swung her dark-blue hammer.
The two weapons clashed.
At the same time, a heavy whoosh came from Su Yunqing's side and stopped beside her temple.
It was a golden great hammer, about the same size as Su Yunqing's Martial Soul. The one holding it was Zheng Li.
Xiao Nai's gaze passed over Su Yunqing and landed on the Golden Great Hammer.
"Hmm? Why did you make a hammer?!"
"Is there a problem?" Zheng Li asked with a blink.
Had he misunderstood her?
"The sword would've... Never mind." Xiao Nai trailed off.
A sword held to an enemy's neck would've been so much more satisfying. Why had he insisted on making a hammer?
She shook her head, dispelled the Light Sword, and turned into a ball of golden light that swept past Su Yunqing and returned to Zheng Li's Sea of Consciousness.
Before you continue