Xie Xie wrapped his left arm around the weakened Gu Yue. With a light flourish of his right hand, he spun the Light Dragon Blade, its gleaming edge flashing as he pointed it at their opponents.
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi were covered in wounds, and their Soul Power had long since run almost dry. They looked like they could no longer fight, but Xie Xie still kept a wary eye on them, in case they suddenly went berserk.
Even with their Soul Power depleted, they could still force themselves to activate their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Long Hengxu stepped out as well, ready to end the match. In his view, the winner had already been decided, and there was no point in continuing.
"We..."
Zhang Yangzi's gaze remained sharp. He forced each word out through clenched teeth:
"We haven't... lost... yet!"
Wang Jinxi furrowed his brow slightly, his voice low and tinged with worry. "Yangzi, we..."
Zhang Yangzi shot him a fierce glare and snapped, "I said we haven't lost yet!"
As he spoke, he sprang behind Wang Jinxi and wrapped his arms around Wang Jinxi's waist from behind.
Wang Jinxi no longer hesitated. A deep dragon's roar and a piercing eagle's cry rang out across the arena at the same time. Their bodies turned into inky black shadows and began to merge in a bizarre fashion.
Zhang Yangzi's body became a streak of black light and fused completely into Wang Jinxi, transforming into a pair of enormous black wings.
Wang Jinxi's body swelled wildly, growing larger, while a thick, massive tail suddenly burst from behind him.
A cold dragon-skull mask covered his face. Ghostly blue Soul flames blazed in his eyes, and both his arms transformed into sharp, fearsome Bone Dragon Claws.
Martial Soul Fusion Skill—Dark Bone Dragon King!
A flash of ghostly blue fire flickered in Wang Jinxi's eyes. The next instant, a murderous chill locked onto Xie Xie and Gu Yue.
"ROAR!!"
He threw back his head and let out a deafening roar.
The Bone Dragon's wings snapped open. Ghostly blue flames surged, and with an aura that could destroy heaven and earth, he swung his enormous Bone Dragon Claw and slammed it toward Xie Xie and Gu Yue.
The Dark Bone Dragon King moved with blinding speed. Xie Xie's heart clenched, and Soul Power surged through his body. Instinctively, he tried to activate his Martial Soul and dodge.
But at that crucial moment, the same sensation of paralysis struck again without warning.
It was as if invisible chains had bound every limb. He completely lost control of his body and couldn't even use his Martial Soul.
Xie Xie glanced at Gu Yue in his arms.
Her little face was still pale.
After all, she was only a One-Ring Soul Master. The Soul Power she'd spent unleashing Ice and Snow Storm at full strength couldn't possibly recover in such a short time.
As the terrifying blow, powerful enough to pulverize anything, came crashing down, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Xie Xie.
Without the slightest hesitation, he poured every last bit of Soul Power left in his body into his palm. Pale golden energy spun rapidly, compressing tighter and tighter.
A Rasengan, wrapped in a violent current of air, instantly took shape, its light dazzling to the extreme.
The pale golden Rasengan spun rapidly in Xie Xie's palm, making a shrill whoosh as the raging wind whipped his clothes.
He shielded Gu Yue tightly behind him, putting his own body in front.
The Dark Bone Dragon King's massive claw came down in an instant. Its black bones swept forward with crushing force, the ghostly blue Soul flames blazing fiercely.
Xie Xie gritted his teeth and met it head-on with the Rasengan, compressed to its absolute limit in his palm.
BOOM!
A deafening blast erupted across the arena.
Golden Soul Power collided with black energy in an instant. A terrifying shockwave swept wildly in every direction, making the entire arena shudder violently.
At the arena's edge, Long Hengxu stopped short. He raised his right hand to shield his eyes and instinctively used Soul Power to block the violent gusts.
Almost everyone watching was forced to squeeze their eyes shut against the raging wind.
Only Wu Zhangkong remained standing calmly.
The gale tossed her hair, but she stood as immovable as a mountain, her eyes fixed on the scene in the arena.
Xie Xie's whole body shook violently. Every muscle screamed as his Soul Power drained away at an alarming rate, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Yet he kept holding on, not daring to relax for an instant.
He knew that if he fell, Gu Yue behind him would be left in dire straits.
Xie Xie also knew that the Rasengan alone couldn't possibly withstand the Dark Bone Dragon King's full-strength attack.
So—
A look of resolve flashed in Xie Xie's eyes. He detonated the Rasengan in his palm!
BOOM!!
Golden light, several times more violent than before, burst open. A torrent of pale golden Soul Power swept wildly in every direction with crushing force.
A shrill cracking sound rang out over the explosion!
The Dark Bone Dragon King let out a pained roar. His enormous body was forced back a full step by the blast.
A clearly visible crack had split the surface of his black, fearsome Bone Dragon Claw.
The terrifying force of the explosion hurled Xie Xie through the air as well. Like a kite with its string cut, he slammed heavily into the arena floor.
Even as he crashed down, he took the full force of the impact with his own body, making sure Gu Yue in his arms wasn't harmed at all.
As the dust slowly settled, Xie Xie lay battered on the shattered floor.
The Light Dragon Blade had long since flown from his grasp. His Soul Power was utterly depleted, and every inch of his body throbbed with tearing pain.
His face was as pale as paper, and blood kept spilling from the corner of his mouth. He could barely move a finger, but the arm wrapped around Gu Yue never loosened.
It had all happened too suddenly, too fast for Tang Wulin or Gu Yue to react.
Sheltered in Xie Xie's arms, Gu Yue was completely unharmed.
But when she struggled to her feet and saw the boy's battered condition, it felt as though lightning had struck her.
Her mind went blank for a moment. Then panic, sharp enough to tear at her heart, flooded in. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and even her breathing grew ragged.
"X-Xie Xie..."
When her trembling fingertips brushed Xie Xie's colorless cheek and touched the warm blood there, her whole body shuddered.
The next second, Gu Yue ignored the fact that her Soul Power hadn't recovered and forced herself to use what little remained. She pressed both hands against Xie Xie's chest, and a faint glow lit beneath her palms.
Soft halos carefully reached into Xie Xie's body, trying to soothe the chaotic, shattered channels of Soul Power within him.
Gu Yue's little face remained pale, and beads of cold sweat gathered at her temples.
She knelt on the shattered floor, a faint light flickering in her palms. It was weak, but it flowed ceaselessly into Xie Xie's body.
Gu Yue bit down hard on her lower lip, nearly drawing blood. Her voice choked with a panic and concern she'd never shown before:
"Please be all right... Xie Xie, you have to be all right..."
Before you continue