Chapter 43

On the competition stage of the Central Arena in Shrek City.

Luo Yang watched Ye Xinglan walk slowly toward him, a hint of gravity flashing in his eyes.

This young girl was different from any opponent he had faced before.

She had not released her martial soul, had not revealed her soul rings, and had not made a single unnecessary movement. She simply stood there quietly, yet she made Luo Yang feel a faint, intangible edge locking onto him.

It was not hostility, but something more fundamental.

Sword intent.

Luo Yang's gaze flickered slightly as information about this girl rapidly flashed through his mind.

Ye Xinglan... Star God Sword... Shrek Seven Devils...

As expected, she was the genius girl from the original work who entered the Dao through the sword and would eventually become a core combatant of the Shrek Seven Devils.

"Shrek Academy, Ye Xinglan." Ye Xinglan spoke, her voice as cold as ice, devoid of any emotion. "Martial soul, Star God Sword."

As her voice fell, a long sword, deep blue and seemingly forged from starlight, slowly manifested beside her.

Specks of starlight flowed across the blade, making it as beautiful as a work of art; the edge was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it faintly radiated a heart-stopping, sharp aura.

But Luo Yang knew that the sharpness of this sword was far more lethal than any work of art.

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff Emperor let out a low growl, its massive body blocking the path in front of Luo Yang, its golden beast eyes watching Ye Xinglan with vigilance.

It instinctively sensed that this girl... was dangerous.

Luo Yang gently patted its head, signaling it to stay calm.

Then, amidst the shocked gazes of a hundred thousand spectators—

He recalled the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff Emperor.

The golden light retracted, the majestic golden beast vanished, and only Luo Yang remained on the competition stage, standing alone opposite Ye Xinglan.

The spectator stands erupted in an uproar!

"Is he crazy?! He recalled his soul spirit?!"

"That was a Soul King-level combat force that could defeat Xiao Yan!"

"Isn't this crippling his own martial arts? What on earth is he trying to do?!"

Ye Xinglan was also slightly stunned, a trace of confusion flashing through her cold eyes.

"Why did you recall it?" she asked, her tone still icy but tinged with curiosity.

She truly did not understand.

That existence, whether it was a soul spirit or a soul beast, possessed combat power at least equivalent to a Soul King, which she absolutely could not confront head-on at her current stage. If Luo Yang had continued to fight with it, her chances of winning would have been less than thirty percent.

However, she did not consider it unfair; a soul spirit was part of a soul master's strength, and if someone had the ability to summon one, that was their own capability.

Yet now, Luo Yang had actually chosen to recall it.

Luo Yang smiled slightly, his expression appearing exceptionally sincere under the sunlight:

"Because you are strong. Your sword path is worthy of respect. Therefore, I will fight you personally."

Because you are strong, I will fight you personally.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan's face turned livid off-stage as he stared fixedly at Luo Yang.

What is that supposed to mean?

Just because I'm weak, you didn't want to fight me?

Now, facing Ye Xinglan, you actually recall it—who the hell are you trying to insult?!

Ye Xinglan's eyes fluctuated slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She looked at the boy standing before her, who was more than a head shorter than she was, and a cold sneer curled the corner of her lips:

"Then don't regret it when you lose the match."

The moment her words landed—

Ye Xinglan moved!

The referee hadn't even had time to announce the start of the match!

A streak of deep blue sword light, like a meteor streaking across the sky, instantly closed in on Luo Yang!

Fast!

Fast to the extreme!

A gasp erupted from the spectator stands! This speed, this sword momentum—this was not something a Soul Grand Master should possess!

Luo Yang's pupils constricted, his footwork shifting rapidly, and he dodged the strike by a hair's breadth!

The edge of the blade grazed his sleeve, shearing off a few scraps of fabric that drifted slowly through the air.

Ye Xinglan frowned slightly.

He dodged it?

Although this strike was a probe, the speed had already reached seventy percent of her full power. Among opponents of the same level, those who could dodge it could be counted on one hand. This boy had actually dodged it so calmly?

"Interesting," she said coldly, and her second strike followed immediately!

This strike was faster! More ruthless! More piercing!

The sword light poured down like a torrential rain, every thrust aimed directly at a vital point, every movement carrying the resolve of a killing blow!

However.

Luo Yang's footwork was outrageously uncanny.

He seemed able to predict the landing point of every one of Ye Xinglan's strikes in advance, always managing to evade the most lethal attacks by the narrowest of margins just before the blade could touch him.

Ten moves.

Twenty moves.

Thirty moves.

Ye Xinglan's expression grew increasingly grave.

She was exerting her full strength, pushing her sword technique to its absolute limit, yet she could not even touch a corner of Luo Yang's clothing!

How is this possible?!

Her sword technique was the Star God Sword Technique passed down through generations of the Ye Family, renowned for being fast, accurate, and ruthless; she had never encountered an opponent of the same rank who could withstand it!

Yet this youth before her, whose soul power fluctuations were clearly not strong, how could he dodge so effortlessly?!

"Are you only capable of acting like a turtle hiding in its shell?" Ye Xinglan finally couldn't help but speak, her voice tinged with irritation. "What kind of skill is it to just keep dodging?!"

Luo Yang did not answer.

He simply continued to evade, his gaze locked onto Ye Xinglan's sword as if he were observing something.

Finally, after Ye Xinglan's fiftieth strike missed—

Luo Yang moved.

This time, he did not dodge.

He reached out his right hand to grasp at the empty air, and a longsword, pale white and appearing as if fashioned from countless bones, slowly took shape within his palm!

A faint, ghostly blue light rippled across the blade, and a blood-red gemstone embedded in the hilt emitted a subtle, deathly aura.

Undead Bone Sword!

Luo Yang swung his sword!

"Clang—!"

The two blades collided, sparks flying in every direction!

Ye Xinglan felt a strange force travel up the length of her sword; the power was not great, but it carried a heart-stopping chill that seemed capable of eroding the soul.

Her figure faltered slightly, and her offensive was interrupted in an instant.

Luo Yang withdrew his sword and stood still, watching her with a calm gaze.

Then, he spoke.

His first sentence made Ye Xinglan's pupils shrink:

"Your sword is too heavy."

"What?!" Ye Xinglan almost thought she had misheard.

"I said, your sword is too heavy," Luo Yang repeated, his tone devoid of mockery, offering only a statement. "It is not just the sword itself that is heavy; your sword intent is also too heavy. Things that are too heavy are destined never to be fast."

A layer of frost covered Ye Xinglan's beautiful face.

She had practiced swordsmanship since childhood, knew the sword manuals of the Ye Family's ancestors by heart, and understood the essence of the Ye Family sword technique perfectly.

Now, some boy who had appeared out of nowhere dared to claim her sword technique was trash in front of everyone?!

"Don't take my words as harsh," Luo Yang continued, as if he hadn't noticed her expression. "But your sword technique is indeed trash. It has sharpness but no spirit; it has technique but no soul. You are merely imitating, not creating."

"Shut up!!!"

Ye Xinglan was completely enraged!

From the time she was small until now, when had she ever suffered such an insult?!

She gripped her sword with both hands, and starlight erupted from the Star God Sword! Her third soul ring suddenly flared to life!

Third Soul Skill: Starfall Like Rain!

In an instant, countless streaks of sword light poured down like a meteor shower, each one capable of piercing steel and instantly killing any opponent of the same rank!

This was her strongest strike!

However.

Luo Yang remained composed.

He didn't even use any soul skills, simply treading with his uncanny footwork, weaving through the dense rain of swords that left almost no gaps. Occasionally, when a strike was unavoidable, he would gently deflect it with the Undead Bone Sword, redirecting it elsewhere.

His posture was as relaxed as a stroll in a garden.

Ye Xinglan's heart sank to the bottom of the abyss.

The rain of swords finally ceased.

Luo Yang stood where he was, completely unscathed. He looked at the panting Ye Xinglan and spoke slowly:

"You are too obsessed with 'speed' and 'ruthlessness.' But you have forgotten that the foundation of the Way of the Sword is the 'heart.'"

He paused, as if gathering his thoughts:

"For what purpose do you swing your sword?"

Ye Xinglan was stunned.

For what purpose?

She had been practicing the sword since she could remember. Her father said, you must become the strongest swordsman; the Ye Family said, you must inherit the glory of the Ye Family; her teachers said, you must fight for Shrek.

Yet, no one had ever asked her: what is it that you want?