Silver Moon Asks the Heart

The next morning, when Yun Jingheng and Ye Xinglan walked into the arena, the area in front of the bulletin board was already packed with people.

Today was the second round of the doubles tournament, and the matchup bracket had just been released.

Yun Jingheng stood behind the crowd, tilting his head to look at the board.

Ye Xinglan stood beside him with her arms crossed, her expression one of suppressed irritation.

The board read: Shrek Academy (Yun Jingheng, Ye Xinglan) versus Eastsea Academy (Tang Wulin, Gu Yue).

The buzzing of discussion from the stands had not ceased for a moment.

"Eastsea Academy? Is that the Zero Class?"

"That Tang Wulin is a two-ring, his martial soul is Blue Silver Grass."

"Blue Silver Grass? Isn't that a trash martial soul?"

"What do you know? His Blue Silver Grass is different. And there's that Gu Yue, her martial soul is Elemental Envoy, a type I've never seen before."

"Even if you haven't seen it, can they beat Shrek? The opponents are three-ring Soul Elders."

Yun Jingheng stared at the two names on the board—Tang Wulin, Gu Yue.

He remembered that moment in the Spirit Ascension Platform when Gu Yue had blocked the attack for him.

Her body had turned transparent, dissolving into specks of light.

He still owed her a thank you that he hadn't said yet.

Ye Xinglan stood nearby, also looking at the board, "Gu Yue...? Is that the one who blocked for you in the Spirit Ascension Platform?"

Yun Jingheng nodded, "Mm."

Ye Xinglan didn't ask further and turned to walk toward the rest area.

After two steps, she stopped again.

"Then today, fight properly."

Yun Jingheng followed her, "Alright."

In the Eastsea Academy rest area, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Tang Wulin stood by the railing, his hands clenched tightly.

He had watched Shrek's match yesterday, twice.

The first time was from the stands, and the second time was at night back at the hotel, when he couldn't sleep, tossing and turning until he got up to watch the recording.

Yun Jingheng's Moon Blade, shield, and assault—his three soul skills rotated like a precision machine.

And Ye Xinglan's sword was fast, accurate, and ruthless, every strike carrying a golden light.

Tang Wulin took a deep breath, "Can we win?"

He asked, not knowing if he was asking himself or the person beside him.

Xie Xie stood next to him and patted his shoulder.

"Even if we lose, we have to lose with style."

Tang Wulin smiled, "That's true."

Xu Xiaoyan stood behind them, clutching the hem of her shirt.

She didn't speak, but her gaze remained fixed on the bulletin board.

Yun Jingheng, Shrek Academy.

She silently recited the name in her heart, a thin layer of starlight shimmering faintly in her palm.

She clenched her fist, and the starlight dissipated, but the warmth in her palm remained.

She looked up toward the contestant tunnel on the other side of the arena, but that figure had yet to appear.

Gu Yue sat at the very back, holding a cup of water.

Her expression was indifferent, as if she were thinking of nothing, but her gaze drifted past the crowd and landed on the bulletin board.

Yun Jingheng, Ye Xinglan.

She watched for a moment, then lowered her head to take a sip of water.

Wu Zhangkong stood in front of the team, looking at the four children.

"This match is not for you to win."

His voice was icy, "It is for you to see the gap clearly."

Tang Wulin nodded.

Xie Xie nodded.

Xu Xiaoyan nodded.

Gu Yue did not nod; she stood up and placed her cup on the chair.

"Let's go."

The four of them walked out of the rest area, passed through the contestant tunnel, and stepped into the arena.

The sunlight shone in from the sea, blindingly bright.

Tang Wulin walked at the very front, his palms slick with sweat.

Xie Xie followed beside him, walking with a swagger, because it wasn't him who had to face Shrek.

Xu Xiaoyan walked in the middle, head lowered as she looked at her hands; starlight was beginning to shimmer in her palms again.

She shoved her hands into her pockets.

Gu Yue walked at the very back, her pace steady.

Opposite them, Yun Jingheng and Ye Xinglan walked out from the other tunnel.

Ye Xinglan led the way, her golden ponytail tied tight, her pace brisk.

Yun Jingheng followed behind, wearing a silver-white coat with his hair draped over his shoulders, his pace neither fast nor slow.

There was a gap of two or three steps between them, exactly the same as yesterday.

Xu Xiaoyan looked up and saw that figure.

The starlight in her palm suddenly flared, and she hurriedly pulled her hand out of her pocket, causing the light to dissipate.

She froze for a moment, looking down at her hand.

There was nothing left.

She looked up, and Yun Jingheng had already reached the center of the field.

The referee stood in the middle of the arena.

"Both sides, state your names."

"Shrek Academy, Yun Jingheng."

"Ye Xinglan."

"Eastsea Academy, Tang Wulin."

"Gu Yue."

The referee blew the whistle.

"Begin!"

Ye Xinglan was the first to move.

The Star God Sword appeared, and a golden sword light streaked straight toward Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin dodged to the side, and Blue Silver Grass spread out from beneath his feet like green snakes, coiling toward Ye Xinglan's ankles.

Ye Xinglan flicked her sword tip, and the golden light swept across the ground, severing the Blue Silver Grass into flying debris.

Tang Wulin took a step back and clenched his fists.

Golden scales emerged on his arms, covering the backs of his hands—the Golden Dragon Claw.

He threw a punch, and the golden shadow of his fist collided with Ye Xinglan's sword light.

"Clang—" The sound of metal striking metal rang throughout the arena.

Ye Xinglan retreated three steps, while Tang Wulin retreated one.

Ye Xinglan gritted her teeth. How is this guy so strong?!

Xie Xie shouted from the stands, "Go, Wulin!"

Tang Wulin steadied himself and took a deep breath.

He charged forward again, Blue Silver Grass surging toward Ye Xinglan from all directions, while his Golden Dragon Claw unleashed punch after punch, glowing with golden light.

Ye Xinglan's sword grew faster and faster, the golden sword light and the golden fist shadows weaving together in a fierce, inseparable struggle.

Yun Jingheng stood in the back, not moving.

His gaze was not on Tang Wulin, but on Gu Yue.

Gu Yue stood behind Tang Wulin, also not moving.

She looked at Yun Jingheng, and Yun Jingheng looked at her.

The two stared at each other across the entire arena.

Gu Yue moved first.

She raised her hand, and nothing seemed to happen.

But Yun Jingheng felt the air change; the temperature plummeted, and an icicle condensed above his head, stabbing straight down.

He dodged to the side, and the icicle smashed into the ground, shattering into ice shards.

Another icicle, then another, then another.

Four icicles shot in from different directions, moving with high speed and tricky angles.

Yun Jingheng's first soul ring lit up.

Crescent Slash—four moon blades flew out simultaneously, precisely colliding with the four ice cones.

"Pop, pop, pop, pop." The ice cones shattered into icy shards, scattering across the ground.

Gu Yue's expression did not change.

She raised her hand again; this time it was not ice, but fire.

A fireball flew from her palm, heading straight for Yun Jingheng.

Yun Jingheng dodged to the side, and the fireball slammed into the ground behind him, exploding into a burst of flames.

Immediately following was a wind blade, an invisible blade of wind slicing in from the side.

Yun Jingheng held his Moonlight Sword horizontally before him, taking the blow head-on.

"Clang—" He was knocked back a step.

Gu Yue raised her hand again.

This time, four elements appeared simultaneously—ice, fire, wind, and earth. Four attacks from four directions sealed off all his paths of retreat.

Yun Jingheng's second soul ring lit up.

A silvery-white light spread from beneath his feet, exerting a repulsive force upon himself.

It was a direct vertical leap!

The repulsive force pulled him upward, and the four attacks exploded beneath his feet, launching him into the air.

He turned in mid-air, looking at Gu Yue.

Gu Yue looked back at him.

Their gazes met in the air.

Yun Jingheng's third soul ring lit up.

He charged toward Gu Yue, not on the ground, but in the air.

There was no mark, so he couldn't reset, but he had a shield—eight seconds, that was enough.

His body became translucent, like a beam of moonlight falling from the sky.

Gu Yue raised her hand, and a wall of earth rose before her.

Yun Jingheng passed through the earth wall; his body was intangible, and the wall had no effect on him.

He passed through the wall and swept past Gu Yue, his Moonlight Sword grazing her shoulder.

A silvery-white mark remained on her shoulder.

Yun Jingheng landed and turned around.

Gu Yue turned as well.

The two stood face-to-face, less than three meters apart.

Gu Yue looked down at her shoulder, then raised her head to look at Yun Jingheng.

Yun Jingheng looked at her too.

He smiled slightly. "Back then, thank you."

Gu Yue was stunned for a moment, then nodded gently, saying nothing.

On Tang Wulin's side, Ye Xinglan's sword was already pressed against his throat.

Tang Wulin's Blue Silver Grass was scattered across the ground, and the scales on his Golden Dragon Claw were cracked in several places.

He was panting, but his eyes were bright.

Ye Xinglan withdrew her sword and stepped back.

"The 'grudge' is settled. You're not bad, I won," she said.

Tang Wulin was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you."

The referee's whistle blew.

"Shrek Academy wins! Eastsea Academy's ranking remains unchanged!"

Applause still echoed behind him as Tang Wulin stood on the stage, watching the backs of Yun Jingheng and Ye Xinglan disappear into the tunnel.

He looked down at his hand; the scales of the Golden Dragon Claw were cracked, and his hand was trembling, but the corners of his mouth were curled upward.

Xie Xie ran down from the stands and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Not bad! You held out for so long!"

Tang Wulin rubbed his shoulder.

"She was going easy on me."

"Even if she was going easy, you still lasted that long!"

Xie Xie's eyes were bright. "Did you see that? That punch of yours almost hit her!"

Tang Wulin smiled and said nothing.

He knew Ye Xinglan had not used her full strength; her Sword God Star could be faster, and her sword could be more ruthless.

But she didn't; she was simply fighting with just enough force to suppress him.

It wasn't because she looked down on him, but because she was purely taking revenge.

He took a deep breath and retracted his Golden Dragon Claw.

The scales vanished, and his arm returned to normal.

He clenched his fist; it was still a bit sore, but that didn't matter.

Xu Xiaoyan stood at the edge of the arena, not following them.

She lowered her head to look at her own hand; the layer of starlight on her palm had already dissipated, but she still felt a lingering warmth.

She shoved her hand into her pocket and turned to walk toward the passageway.

After a few steps, she stopped and glanced back.

The arena was already empty; the referee was packing up, and the staff were tidying the field.

She withdrew her gaze and continued walking.

Gu Yue walked at the very front, her pace steady, as if nothing had happened.

As she entered the passageway, the light dimmed, and her footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.

She looked down at her shoulder; that silver-white mark had already faded, but she still remembered the temperature of that mark—very cool, very light, like moonlight falling on skin.

She reached out her hand, but her palm was empty; she clenched her fist and kept walking.

At the end of the passageway, Yun Jingheng stood there.

He leaned against the wall, looking down at his hands as if lost in thought.

Hearing footsteps, he raised his head.

Gu Yue stopped as well.

The two stood a few paces apart, neither speaking.

The passageway was very quiet, save for the faint sound of applause from the distant stands.

Yun Jingheng spoke first.

"Your elemental control is much stronger than it was back at the Spirit Ascension Platform."

Gu Yue looked at him. "Your soul skills are as well."

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment. "That earth wall—did you calculate that I would charge in that direction?"

Gu Yue did not answer.

She looked at him, her black eyes calm.

Yun Jingheng looked back at her, suddenly wanting to laugh.

He curled the corners of his mouth. "Next time, I'll charge from above."

Gu Yue looked at him, her own lips curving slightly, very faintly. "Next time, I'll put a wall up there too."

The two locked eyes for a second.

Yun Jingheng withdrew his gaze, turned, and walked away.

After a few steps, he stopped again.

"Gu Yue."

"Hmm?"

"Why, back then?"

"...Because I felt you needed help."

Yun Jingheng turned back and smiled.

Need help? If I were a native, I might have believed that.

"Alright, see you again."

"Bye."