"It's Dai Huabin! And Zhu Lu!"
Someone in the audience recognized them at once, and a chorus of gasps rang out.
"They're both three-ring Soul Elders!"
Huo Yuhao's gaze instantly locked onto Dai Huabin.
His once-calm eyes turned icy in an instant, and a volcano of hatred erupted from the depths of his heart.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. Blood trickled slowly between his fingers, but he didn't notice.
It was him!
He had killed Huo Yuhao's mother!
The people of the White Tiger Duke Mansion had made him and his mother endure humiliation and torment!
Dai Huabin stepped onto the Assessment Platform and looked at Huo Yuhao, the corner of his mouth curling into a cruel, arrogant smile.
"Huo Yuhao, I didn't recognize you at first. I just thought you looked a little familiar.
"It wasn't until I went back to the Duke's Mansion a few days ago and heard the servants talking about that slut and her bastard from back then that I finally put it together.
"So you're that little bitch's son."
"Shut up!"
Huo Yuhao jerked his head up. His voice was as rough as sandpaper, and his eyes were bloodshot.
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
Dai Huabin sneered, growing even more brazen.
"Your mother was nothing but a lowly maid serving my father, and she dared to give birth to a bastard like you?
"I can't believe you actually dared to come to Shrek. You really don't know when to quit."
He paused, his eyes sweeping over Huo Yuhao with contempt.
"Today, I'll beat you right here and show everyone that the direct bloodline of the White Tiger Duke Mansion is the noblest of all.
"Lowly bastards like you don't deserve to stay at Shrek.
"I'll beat you until you're on your knees begging for mercy, then drive you out of the academy and send you crawling back to the Star Dou Great Forest to become Soul Beast fodder!"
Zhu Lu stood beside Dai Huabin, staring coldly at Huo Yuhao without a word, her eyes filled with the same disdain.
The audience erupted into an uproar.
No one had expected Dai Huabin and Huo Yuhao to have such a deep-seated grudge.
Wang Dong'er frowned as well. She could clearly sense the murderous intent radiating from Huo Yuhao, so intense it was almost out of control, and she couldn't help feeling worried.
On the high platform, Mu En furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Yan Shaozhe beside him.
"What's going on? Does Dai Huabin have a grudge against Yuhao?"
Yan Shaozhe was just as puzzled.
"We don't know either. All we know is that he got in through the Tang Sect's special admission quota."
Mu En sighed. He hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to have gone through something like this.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Zhao Ze's voice turned serious as well.
"Yuhao, stay calm! Dai Huabin is deliberately provoking you. Don't fall for it. You can only beat him if you keep your head."
Electrolux added solemnly,
"That's right, child. Hatred will cloud your eyes and make you leave yourself open. Steady your mind first, then deal with him at your own pace."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, forcing down the murderous rage surging in his heart.
He raised his head and stared coldly at Dai Huabin, speaking each word deliberately.
"Dai Huabin, you'll pay for what you just said."
"Pay?"
Dai Huabin burst out laughing, as if he'd heard the funniest joke in the world.
"You? A lowly bastard? I'd like to see what you think you can make me pay!"
Before the words had even left his mouth, the three Soul Rings around Dai Huabin blazed to life.
A deafening tiger's roar resounded throughout the Great Soul Arena.
Dai Huabin's body rapidly swelled. White fur sprouted through his skin, his hands turned into razor-sharp tiger claws, and a black king appeared on his forehead.
Vast Soul Power surged from his body, carrying a savage, ferocious aura.
"Zhu Lu, move!"
"Understood."
Zhu Lu nodded, and three Soul Rings—yellow, purple, and purple—lit up around her as well.
Her body grew leaner and more agile, black fur covered her from head to toe, and her pupils became vertical slits. She looked like a leopard poised to pounce.
"Huo Yuhao, prepare to die!"
Dai Huabin roared. He kicked off hard and charged straight at Huo Yuhao.
"White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"
A searing white beam blasted from his mouth, hurtling toward Huo Yuhao with an aura of destruction.
Huo Yuhao's gaze sharpened. He flashed aside, dodging the White Tiger Intense Light Wave.
The beam exploded behind him, blasting a huge crater into the ground.
"White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
Dai Huabin's body swelled another size. His muscles bulged, and his defensive and offensive power surged.
He swung his razor-sharp tiger claws at Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao raised a hand and swept it out. A silvery-white mental slash tore through the air, striking Dai Huabin's claws with pinpoint accuracy.
"Clang!"
The sound of metal striking metal rang out, and a scratch appeared on Dai Huabin's claws.
He was startled. He hadn't expected Huo Yuhao's mental slash to still have such power after he'd already expended so much energy.
"Zhu Lu, keep him occupied!"
"Got it!"
Zhu Lu flashed away, turning into a black blur as she circled behind Huo Yuhao.
Countless sharp claw-shadows raked toward Huo Yuhao's back.
Without even turning his head, Huo Yuhao flicked out his left hand. A Soul Guidance Ray shot out, forcing Zhu Lu back.
At the same time, he swung his right hand again, sending three mental slashes in a triangular formation toward Dai Huabin.
"Over here!"
Zhu Lu's eyes lit up as she pounced toward a figure to her left.
But what she struck was only an afterimage.
Just then,
Zhu Lu suddenly felt dizzy, and her movements slowed for half a second.
A mental slash skimmed past her shoulder, drawing a string of blood droplets.
"Zhu Lu!"
Dai Huabin cried out in alarm and rushed over to shield her.
"You're asking for death!"
Dai Huabin was completely enraged. He shielded Zhu Lu behind him and glared at Huo Yuhao with murderous eyes.
"I was going to let you keep your miserable life, but now I see there's no need! Zhu Lu!"
"Right!"
Zhu Lu nodded, enduring the pain in her shoulder as she stood back-to-back with Dai Huabin.
Their Soul Power instantly fused. Six Soul Rings—yellow, purple, and purple—lit up together, radiating dazzling light.
An aura far more powerful than before burst from the two of them.
A Martial Soul Fusion Skill!
Hell White Tiger!
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's figures merged completely, and a black Hell White Tiger with a pair of wings took shape in an instant.
It was three meters long, the king on its forehead gleaming with a ghostly light. Its fangs bared, it fixed Huo Yuhao with golden beast eyes, radiating terrifying power that rivaled a Soul Ancestor's.
"Roar!"
The Hell White Tiger let out a deafening roar. Its four paws pounded the ground, and it shot toward Huo Yuhao like a black bolt of lightning.
A gust of wind, carrying a savage aura, rushed at him and sent his robes snapping.
The audience erupted.
"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill! It really is a Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"
"That's terrifying! A Martial Soul Fusion Skill from two Soul Elders is almost as powerful as a Soul Ancestor!"
"Huo Yuhao's been fighting all morning. His Soul Power and spiritual power are nearly gone. How could he possibly hold it off?"
"It's over, it's over! Huo Yuhao's going to lose!"
Wang Dong'er's heart leaped into her throat. She instinctively took a step forward and clenched both fists, worry filling her pink-and-blue eyes.
On the high platform, Mu En also sat up slightly, his expression grave.
Xuan Zi couldn't help asking in a low voice,
"Should we stop this? If they keep going, Yuhao might get hurt."
Mu En shook his head.
"Let's watch a little longer. This child has never let us down."
Before you continue