The pure, domineering yang Soul Power within Su Ming surged out like a blazing sun, while the cool, serene yin Soul Power surrounding Zhang Lexuan flowed like moonlight.
Two forces, utterly opposite yet naturally in harmony, suddenly intertwined and entwined.
The embracing pair urged their Martial Souls almost at the same time. Yellow, purple, black, and red Soul Rings rose in layers beneath their feet.
They circled their bodies in dazzling streams of light, and the immense pressure released by the Soul Rings instantly enveloped the entire courtyard.
Especially the brilliant blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring on Zhang Lexuan, shining like a bright moon in the heavens.
The ancient, powerful pressure of the Soul Beast within the ring spread unchecked in every direction, making the surrounding plants tremble and the air grow still.
The next moment, Su Ming's Snow Mastiff Martial Soul took shape behind him, majestic and imposing. A mighty, snow-white mastiff stood in midair, fierce winds howling around its body.
A gigantic Taiji yin-yang symbol slowly appeared in the air, black and white energies flowing and winding around each other in an endless, seamless cycle.
Zhang Lexuan's Moon Martial Soul transformed into a cool, luminous full moon, hanging in the air and radiating the soft beauty of yin.
It slowly drew closer to the Taiji symbol, then sank into the yin side of the black fish, fitting perfectly into place.
The Snow Mastiff Martial Soul raised its head slightly, its massive body swaying from side to side as though sensing the pull of the yin and yang energies.
After a moment's pause, it stepped slowly from the center of the Taiji symbol, settling firmly on the yang side of the white fish.
In an instant, the Snow Mastiff Martial Soul and Moon Martial Soul spun rapidly within the Taiji symbol. The yin and yang Soul Power continuously blended, complemented each other, and became one.
Black and white streams of energy wound together, inseparable. Amid the extreme resonance of yin and yang, the two figures gradually merged, their outlines overlapping until they became one.
Light and shadow shifted dramatically where they stood, and a nearly two-meter-tall humanoid figure slowly took shape.
Its body was clad in ancient armor of black and white, the patterns swirling like Taiji. It looked stern and imposing, and the enormous axe in its hands gleamed with a chilling light, its keen edge awe-inspiring.
The figure was devastatingly handsome. It bore Su Ming's naturally sharp, masculine air, yet also carried the gentle, feminine beauty Zhang Lexuan possessed from birth. Strength and softness blended in it, giving it an unparalleled presence.
Su Ming tried raising his arm. He felt completely in control of his body, every movement guided by his own will, his mind perfectly attuned to this fused form.
A surge of excitement rose in his heart, impossible to hide. He spoke softly, his voice tinged with delight:
"Sister Lexuan, does anything feel wrong? I feel great right now. It's as if endless strength is surging through my whole body."
A clear, gentle female voice sounded directly in Su Ming's mind, calm and soothing:
"I don't feel the slightest discomfort. The yin and yang are blending very smoothly. Why don't you try making a move and see how powerful this Martial Soul Fusion Skill really is?"
Su Ming thought that made sense. With a thought, he shot into the air and darted across to the sky above the broad Sea God Lake.
He gripped the great axe tightly, pouring all the yin and yang power in his body into its blade. Then he swung with all his strength and cleaved down toward the calm lake below!
Boom—!
A thunderous crash erupted. The axe's gleam, wrapped in the power of black and white yin and yang, came crashing down, splitting the surface of Sea God Lake into a straight, empty channel.
The lake water was forced apart by the overwhelming blast of energy, surging violently to either side as waves soared into the sky.
Together, the two looked down through their fused form at the earth-shattering strike. Both gaped in shock, their hearts full of astonishment.
Su Ming couldn't help exclaiming, "Sister Lexuan, isn't our Martial Soul Fusion Skill a little too powerful?"
Zhang Lexuan didn't answer. She simply gazed at the empty channel in the lake, her eyes shifting slightly.
After a moment, the water that had been cleaved apart crashed back together, quickly returning to its former calm.
Yet in the air, the rich, concentrated energies of yin and yang still lingered, refusing to dissipate.
After unleashing that all-out finishing strike, Su Ming felt the Soul Power in his body instantly drain away. A wave of weakness washed over him.
The next second, the fused form of yin and yang broke apart, and the two figures separated.
Zhang Lexuan reacted quickly, reaching out to steady Su Ming as he swayed. She gently drew his head against her soft shoulder and supported him tenderly, letting him lean against her in comfort as he recovered.
Although Su Ming had been in control of this Martial Soul Fusion Skill, he was still only a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor in the forties.
His reserves of Soul Power were nowhere near hers. Forcing the fusion skill to deliver a full-power strike had completely exhausted the Soul Power in his body.
Zhang Lexuan, meanwhile, had long since reached the Eight-Ring Soul Douluo level and possessed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. Her reserves were deep, and the fusion had left her scarcely tired.
Su Ming took the opportunity to wrap his arms tightly around Zhang Lexuan's waist. Pressing his cheek against her clothes, he spoke with lazy delight:
"Sister Lexuan, since we're naturally able to use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill together, why don't we stay together and cultivate every day from now on?"
"Just now, when our yin and yang blended, I could clearly feel my Soul Power steadily improving. It was more than twice as fast as cultivating alone."
Afraid she wouldn't agree, Su Ming began using his crooked logic to persuade Zhang Lexuan again:
"Look, my cultivation speed has increased, so yours must have too, Sister Lexuan. As long as we cultivate together, we'll become the strongest sooner or later."
Perhaps it was the bond of spirit brought by their Martial Soul Fusion, or perhaps the intimate atmosphere of their embrace still lingered in her heart.
Zhang Lexuan, who was usually cool and self-possessed, didn't refuse him at all. After a moment's silence, she gave a slight nod, tacitly agreeing to cultivate together in the future.
Su Ming grinned and led Zhang Lexuan by the hand toward the little courtyard.
From then on, Su Ming simply settled into Zhang Lexuan's private courtyard.
Aside from occasionally stepping away to guide Huo Yuhao's cultivation, he spent all his remaining time
in the courtyard, meditating alongside Zhang Lexuan and diligently cultivating with the advantage of their complementary yin and yang Soul Power.
Time slipped by quietly. Before long, the day arrived when Huo Yuhao returned from his trials in the Extreme North and completed his second-year advancement assessment.
With the academy's Treasure Appraisal Fair just around the corner, Su Ming finally paused his day-after-day cultivation.
Having immersed himself in the excellent state of cultivating in harmony with yin and yang, he had made rapid progress, rising two levels in one go and firmly reaching the ranks of a level forty-six Soul Ancestor.
Su Ming quietly calculated that as long as he successfully obtained the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue at the Treasure Appraisal Fair and continued to build his strength through their yin-yang cultivation,
he might be able to reach level fifty and break through to the Five-Ring Soul King realm by the time the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament began.
With that thought, Su Ming softly said goodbye to Zhang Lexuan, who sat meditating beside him. "Sister Lexuan, I'm going to the Treasure Appraisal Fair."
While her gaze was lowered and she was focused on regulating her breathing, he quietly leaned closer and stole a quick kiss on her cheek. Then he darted away, vanishing from the courtyard in a flash.
The sudden intimate gesture left Zhang Lexuan frozen in place. A faint blush crept over her cheeks, and she stood motionless for a long time.
Only after quite a while did she calm herself. She turned and walked slowly back to her room to continue cultivating in quiet meditation.
Yet an almost imperceptible ripple of tenderness had appeared between her brows.