The pale blue light curtain quickly spread out in every direction from the Soul Tool. At Ming Yue's command, it separated everyone from the rooftop in an instant.
"Bolstered by the Soul Power of several Super Douluo, the barrier will shield everyone from harm unless energy on the level of a 'full-force strike from a Limit Douluo' erupts inside it."
After offering a brief explanation to the curious crowd, Ming Yue turned to the two standing opposite each other inside the barrier.
"This also counts as a Soul Fighting match personally presided over by me, the Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda."
"So let's add a prize. The winner can make one reasonable request of the Tower Master."
"That's all I have to say. You may begin."
Everyone knew that the current Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda, Qiangu Mingyue, was undoubtedly the mainland's foremost authority when it came to research into technology, Soul Spirits, and other fields!
The reward of being able to make a request of the Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda left everyone present secretly green with envy.
And so, amid the crowd's envious gazes, the two inside the barrier began their Soul Fighting match!
Unlike their match a few years ago, this time Yun Ming used his Soul Spirit and Soul Skills from the very start, after hearing about the additional reward Ming Yue had offered.
With his advantage in rank and his own formidable strength, he quickly forced Leng Yao Mo to reveal her wristband.
Inside the arena, Leng Yaozhu gave an angry, hushed growl. "Damn you!" Then she focused her mind.
With a sharp click, silver-violet light flared from the wristband and spread outward!
In an instant, Leng Yaozhu was clad in a fitted, full-body suit of armor. Silver formed its base, purple lines and patterns traced its surface, and azure Soul Power Crystals adorned it.
"This feeling...!"
She clenched her fist, hardly daring to believe it. Leng Yaozhu felt stronger than she had ever felt before!
"An SSS-rank Valkyrie Battlesuit?"
Across from her, Yun Ming murmured softly. Leng Yaozhu was giving him an unprecedented sense of pressure.
He immediately revealed his own four-word Battle Armor. The arena fell silent for a moment, then Yun Ming decided to strike first!
As his Soul Rings blazed, a vast amount of Soul Power gathered around his Martial Soul, the Heaven-Propping Spear!
His figure vanished in an instant, and a formidable attack carrying immense Soul Power shot straight toward Leng Yaozhu!
"Bring it on!"
Yet faced with such an attack, Leng Yaozhu didn't retreat. She shouted and charged to meet it!
The Soul Rings on her body blazed just as brightly. A surge of energy, scarlet shot through with silver and violet, crashed into Yun Ming's attack!
Boom!
The tremendous energy unleashed made the entire barrier shudder twice.
Within the barrier, smoke billowed from the blast. Scarlet shot through with blue and violet repeatedly collided with the gleaming, pitch-black energy, blazing in every direction!
A moment later, the smoke cleared.
Yun Ming stood pale-faced, his Battle Armor damaged and several furrows gouged into the ground before him. Leng Yaozhu, her face flushed and her armor withdrawn into her wristband, had clearly come out on top.
"Wow! A-Yue, look! Big Sister won!"
Leng Yulai immediately hugged Ming Yue's right arm in delight.
"Mmm, it looks like our Yaozhu really did have the edge."
Ming Yue rubbed Leng Yulai's head with his other hand, then snapped his fingers.
The special barrier Soul Tool vanished, its Soul Power dispersing. Nearby, the Super Douluo stood with stunned expressions still in their eyes.
"I lost."
Now that the barrier had disappeared, Yun Ming stood facing Leng Yaozhu. For once, he lowered his proud head and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Actually, you didn't exactly lose. You're still incredibly strong. If you had a Valkyrie Battlesuit made by A-Yue..."
"Then even wearing this Origin suit, I might not have been able to beat you."
Leng Yaozhu gave a cool, faint laugh at Yun Ming's words, twisting the knife as she ruthlessly mocked the Shrek Battle Armor he wore.
"..." xN
Silence fell. Yun Ming wasn't the only one speechless; everyone present was, too.
After all, a 75th-rank Soul Saint wearing that so-called SSS-rank Valkyrie Battlesuit had given a powerful 83rd-rank Soul Douluo wearing four-word Battle Armor a thorough beating.
Thinking of that, everyone understood: the era of Battle Armor Masters and mecha pilots was about to come to a complete end!
And the armor maker who held the key to letting high-ranking Soul Masters cross an entire major rank in combat strength—or, rather, the very first creator of armor, Qiangu Mingyue—
This youngest Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda in history would become the most coveted and honored figure on the mainland in the years to come!
"Then, Sister Yaozhu, what would you like to ask of me as your reward?"
Ming Yue's warm, resonant voice broke the silence. He gazed gently at Leng Yaozhu.
"I'll ask you later~" Leng Yaozhu glanced at Ming Yue, cheeks flushed, and unconsciously ran her hand over the Origin wristband.
"Don't just stand there, everyone. It was only a Soul Fighting match. And don't forget, tonight is my younger sister's coming-of-age celebration!"
Leng Yaozhu clapped her hands and smiled at the crowd, whose eyes were growing ever more ardent as their attention turned to Ming Yue.
"Ah, yes! Congratulations to Miss Yaozhu for winning the match, and congratulations to Miss Yulai and the Tower Master!"
"That's right, that's right! Congratulations! The Spirit Pagoda's future really is limitless!"
"Who could deny it? The most talented people are all standing right here before us, haha!"
"..."
For a while, the banquet hall was once again filled with warmth and excitement, and everyone went back to offering their congratulations.
But the guests who tried to strike up a conversation with Ming Yue, Leng Yaozhu, or Leng Yulai—
And those who went straight to curry favor with members of the Leng Family or the Qiangu Family—
Were far more direct than before.
As for Yun Ming and the handful of Shrek's senior officials, losers never drew much attention.
And if anyone did pay them any mind, it was only with pity and sighs—or, more openly, malice and contempt.
The coming-of-age banquet carried on in high spirits.
Even when it ended, the guests still felt reluctant to leave.
Of course, it was hard to say whether they were reluctant because they hadn't managed to talk to Ming Yue, or because they hadn't had enough of the banquet itself.
Only after the banquet ended and the guests had all departed, leaving the household staff to clean the hall, did Leng Yaozhu take Leng Yulai and Ming Yue up to the villa's top floor. Several members of the Leng Family watched them go with knowing smiles.
They stepped through the doorway and onto the rooftop. A round table had already been set out ahead, with wine, glasses, and chairs arranged around it.
The light of the stars and moon spilled across the earth. The wine in the bottle glowed an inviting red.
Even the glasses seemed to be rimmed with a silvery halo.
I went to sign the contract today. Everyone's welcome to support me~
Before you continue