"Mm—" The sensation of a jade hand interrupted the words of comfort, and Leng Yulai's expression briefly froze.
Seeing Ming Yue's expression, she couldn't help smiling slightly, inwardly chiding herself for letting concern get the better of her.
Then she introduced the people from Shrek Academy to Ming Yue one by one.
"That's basically it. But in my opinion, the one among them who poses the greatest threat to you, Sister, is Yun Ming."
"Still, besides you, we have Young Master Qiangu Dongfeng on our side. Our odds of winning should be better."
As she spoke, Leng Yulai offered her own assessment based on this basic information.
"Yun Ming?" Ming Yue murmured the name, his expression unreadable.
By then, the teams had taken their places, and the match in the Soul Fighting Arena below had officially begun.
Martial Souls and Soul Rings, Soul Spirits and Soul Skills—energies of every color, visible to the naked eye, surged across the vast arena.
Ming Yue's eyesight was sharp enough that he even spotted several combatants whose bodies had suddenly blazed with light before they unleashed powerful blows, turning the tide in an instant!
The spectacular sight made Ming Yue's blood stir with excitement.
But before long, as the score gradually evened out, it was time for the key players on both sides to take the field.
Leng Yaozhu stepped up for the Spirit Pagoda, while Yun Ming took the field for Shrek.
Naturally, everyone in the private box sat up straight. As the battle began in the arena below, they watched without blinking.
Yun Ming truly was a young genius. Even without using a Soul Skill,
he held his own against Leng Yaozhu, whose Martial Soul Possession was reinforced by her Soul Skill, relying on nothing but a spear technique he had created himself!
In Ming Yue's eyes, Yun Ming seemed to be treating Sister Yao Zhu as a whetstone for honing his spear skills.
In the arena, Leng Yaozhu gradually realized it too.
Her lovely face grew colder and colder. Knowing that her sister and Ming Yue were surely watching her,
and that her opponent was toying with her like this, she could no longer hold back the blaze of anger surging inside her!
Her Martial Soul fully possessed her, and all five Soul Rings lit up. Her two Soul Spirits circled her as she unleashed her strongest attack, gathering all her Soul Power into one blow!
As expected, the attack sent the atmosphere soaring to a fever pitch!
Boosted by high-quality Soul Spirit Rings and a top-tier Martial Soul, the blow even seemed to warp the space around it!
Not even a peak Soul Emperor would dare take it lightly. Yet Yun Ming remained perfectly calm.
He seemed to realize that he had provoked his opponent, but all he did was light up his Soul Rings.
With a single, effortless spear technique that combined a Soul Skill with his spearwork, he neutralized Leng Yaozhu's strongest attack!
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath! Then an even louder roar of cheers erupted.
Leng Yaozhu grew even angrier. Ignoring the depletion of her Soul Power, she forcibly activated her Martial Soul and, bolstered by her Soul Spirits, charged straight at Yun Ming!
"Not good! Sister, she—!"
Before Leng Yulai could finish her worried cry, Leng Yaozhu was sent flying through the smoke kicked up by an explosion of energy, tossed away like a willow leaf.
"Sister Yao Zhu!"
His exceptional eyesight let Ming Yue clearly see Leng Yaozhu's pale face, the blood at the corner of her lips, and the wounds on her body that dripped blood!
His mind went completely blank. All the knowledge he had accumulated seemed like garbage at that moment.
Power! Ming Yue had never wanted power so desperately!
[ Ding! The more you lack something, the more you desire it! Under extreme emotional stimulation, your talents "Void Archives (Red)" and "Great Inventor (Gold)" have been fully awakened at this moment!!! ]
The Simulator's prompt chimed in at just the right time. Ming Yue felt as if the strings binding him had snapped completely!
The Void Archives floated before him, blazing with golden light. The truths of the world flung their doors wide open to Ming Yue!
"A-Yue!"
"Gasp!" Everyone in the private box turned to look at the scene, which had caused such a tremendous commotion.
Ming Yue merely rose calmly. He silently invoked Thousand Worlds, and the Void Archives flashed. In an instant, Ming Yue appeared in the Soul Fighting Arena below!
"You really do love pushing yourself, Sister Yao Zhu."
Bending down, Ming Yue lifted Leng Yaozhu, whose consciousness had grown hazy. His figure stood tall as he said,
"You're quite impressive."
He glanced back at Yun Ming, who looked confused. The floating Void Archives flashed again.
As the girl in his arms softly called, "A-Yue," Ming Yue vanished from the arena.
Back in the private box, Ming Yue took Leng Yulai with him and used a simulated Thousand Worlds to return to his laboratory.
While Leng Yulai was still dazed, he laid Leng Yaozhu on a clean lab table.
Ming Yue shook his head, which throbbed from the flood of knowledge.
"Simulate Abyss Flower."
He murmured and raised a hand. A lance with a hidden spear inside it appeared in his grasp.
Using what little Soul Power he had left as a Level 9 Soul Scholar, Ming Yue activated the flower's power of creation.
Under Leng Yulai's astonished gaze, Ming Yue thrust the flower into Leng Yaozhu's chest.
Ming Yue's face grew paler and paler. The instant he pulled the flower free, every wound on Leng Yaozhu's body was completely healed.
"Hah—seriously, that nearly drained me dry, a Level 9 Soul Scholar."
The Abyss Flower turned back into the Void Archives and floated before him, but Ming Yue collapsed to the floor as if all strength had left him.
"Sister... A-Yue, this—this—this—!"
Only then did Leng Yulai come out of her daze at Ming Yue's complaints. She glanced at Leng Yaozhu, who was as good as new on the lab table, then hurried to help the exhausted Ming Yue up.
"Don't worry, Sister Yulai. Sister Yao Zhu is fine." Leaning half his weight against Leng Yulai, Ming Yue spoke softly.
"If you want an explanation, you can think of everything that just happened as my Martial Soul's Second Awakening."
"S-Second Awakening?"
Her beautiful swanlike neck bobbed unconsciously as she helped Ming Yue over to a recliner and sat him down.
Looking at the Void Archives floating beside him, Leng Yulai couldn't imagine that this regular hexahedron could transform into such a long, strange weapon.
"Mm—" Just then, Leng Yaozhu opened her beautiful eyes in confusion.
She gave a soft groan and blinked twice. Realizing that she was looking at the ceiling of Ming Yue's laboratory,
she shot upright. It didn't take long for her to spot Ming Yue and Leng Yulai sitting nearby, his face pale.
"Yulai, A-Yue! Wasn't I just—A-Yue, what happened to you?!"
She darted over to them. In her memories, she had been sent flying by that detestable Yun Ming, who had treated her as a whetstone.
Though she could vaguely recall a familiar warmth at the very end, her body should have been covered in wounds by now.
Yet she had never felt so comfortable in her life.
Before you continue