Thousand Rock Spear Art! Mind Ape: Menogias!

The instant Azhdaha unleashed Leyline Draw.

Countless streams of bright yellow earth elemental energy gathered around Xu Yue like a vortex.

Slow yet swift, in the blink of an eye, the Vortex Vanquisher in his hand began to glow with golden light.

At the same time, the weight of the spear rapidly increased.

Two hundred kilograms, five hundred kilograms, until it finally reached a staggering four tons.

Even the muscles in his arms knotted and bulged.

But soon, as the black-red gravity domain covered the spear, it stabilized instantly.

When Xu Yue's momentum had built to its peak, the Vortex Vanquisher in his hand carried an utterly terrifying gravity wave.

He fiercely swept the spear toward the black poisonous dragon before him.

Thousand Rock Spear Art—First Form.

Mind Ape: Menogias!!!

(Mind Ape General, Menogias)

Boom!

Countless black gravity beams intertwined with highly condensed earth elemental energy, forming a gravity slash in midair that seemed to tear through space and time.

United as one, they bore down upon Yang Xiong with overwhelming force.

Everywhere it passed, the ground was crushed downward by several centimeters, cracks spreading everywhere.

It was as though the ground had been repeatedly run over by a soul-guided heavy truck weighing dozens, even hundreds, of tons.

"This..."

Yang Xiong's eyes widened sharply at the sight of that strike.

He knew that he had lost this match.

Although he did not know how heavy Xu Yue's Vortex Vanquisher was at that moment, the distorted gravity waves and the warning bells ringing in his heart told him just how terrifying the attack was.

Without hesitation, the soul power he had originally kept at level fifty-one surged upward, rising several levels almost instantly.

The next moment, the black poisonous dragon formed by the Soulbreaker Spear in his hand grew increasingly fierce and distinct.

Boom!

The black poisonous dragon collided head-on with the black-red torrent of gravity.

Screech!

The Soulbreaker Spear in Yang Xiong's hand bent instantly, and his feet slid backward more than ten meters, leaving two conspicuous tracks across the ground.

Three seconds later.

Only after Xu Yue's gravity wave had swept across more than half the training grounds did it slowly dissipate.

Yang Xiong looked at Xu Yue several dozen meters away and slowly reined in the aura that far exceeded that of a level fifty-one Soul King. His expression was complicated as he spoke.

"Was this a spear art you developed by combining it with your own martial soul?"

"That's right!" Xu Yue likewise withdrew his martial soul and nodded lightly. "I call it the Thousand Rock Spear Art. What I just used was its first form, Mind Ape: Menogias."

"Incredible!" Yang Xiong exclaimed, then said heartily, "I lost this match!!"

In that final exchange just now, he had used soul power no weaker than that of a Soul Emperor, and even then, he had only barely managed to block that gravity-wave attack fused with ultimate earth.

"Xu Yue, you... have graduated!"

At those words, Xu Yue respectfully bowed to Yang Xiong.

"Thank you, Teacher Yang, for your guidance during this time!"

Yang Xiong stood where he was and accepted the bow. After Xu Yue straightened up, his expression turned serious as he warned him.

"Although you won this match, don't assume that applies to all Soul Kings."

"You must understand that after reaching Soul King, a soul master can wield a full set of battle armor. Even the lowest-quality one-word battle armor can boost a soul master by more than ten levels."

"Thank you for the reminder, Teacher Yang. I'll remember it!"

Xu Yue had wanted to say more to Yang Xiong, but a burst of cheers suddenly came from a corner not far behind him.

"Brother Yue, you were amazing!!!"

"Yue!!"

Hearing those two cheers, Xu Yue froze. Without bothering to say anything more to Yang Xiong, he immediately turned around.

In the rest area outside the training grounds stood two youthful, beautiful girls with exquisite features.

They were Xu Xiaoyan and Mu Xi, who had supposedly gone shopping.

Xu Yue waved at the two girls, then turned back to Yang Xiong somewhat sheepishly. "Teacher Yang, I..."

"Haha!" Yang Xiong wore an expression of complete understanding as he laughed. "Go on, go on. You're young—I understand!"

With Yang Xiong's permission, Xu Yue bowed once more, then quickly jogged toward the two girls.

Bang!

Before she could even get close, Xu Xiaoyan's petite body flew into his arms.

"Brother Yue, you're amazing!" Xu Xiaoyan cheered. "You even defeated someone as powerful as Teacher Yang."

"Don't talk nonsense." Xu Yue smiled as he hugged Xu Xiaoyan and spun her around twice before setting her down. "Teacher Yang was only holding back to test me. He didn't even use his battle armor."

"That's still incredible." Xu Xiaoyan looked at him with worship in her eyes. "Even Teacher Yang admitted it himself."

Only then did Xu Yue ask in confusion, "Didn't you two agree to go shopping? Why did you come here?"

Hearing that, Xu Xiaoyan blinked her adorable eyes and pursed her lips toward Mu Xi.

"It was Sister Mu Xi. She brought me here!"

"Xiaoyan, you..." Mu Xi immediately panicked at Xu Xiaoyan's gesture, but when she met Xu Yue's amused gaze, a flush rose on her fair face. She stammered slightly.

"I... Xiaoyan and I... just happened to pass by while shopping! Yue, don't overthink it."

How could Xu Yue not know that the shopping district and the training grounds were in completely opposite directions? There was no way they could have happened to pass by.

Smiling at Mu Xi's inability to say what she truly meant, he took Xu Xiaoyan's hand and walked over to her.

He said nothing, simply opening his arms.

Seeing Xu Yue's gesture, the blush on Mu Xi's face deepened. She muttered, "You just finished fighting and you're covered in stinky sweat. I don't want to."

Though she said that, her feet still unconsciously carried her before Xu Yue.

Seeing this, Xu Yue did not hesitate. He reached out and pulled Mu Xi into his embrace, breathing in the fragrance of her hair as he said softly.

"Sister Mu Xi, why have you become more tsundere the older you get?"

"Hmph!" Mu Xi gave an adorable snort. "How could that be... I can't even be bothered to pay attention to anyone else!"

Xu Yue chuckled softly and said nothing.

Just as Xu Yue was about to release Mu Xi's slender waist, her voice, faint as a mosquito's buzz, sounded.

"This is your reward. Don't overthink it!"

As her words fell, a warm, soft touch brushed over his cheek like a dragonfly skimming water, vanishing in an instant.

"...Congratulations on graduating, Yue!"

After embracing the two girls, Xu Yue turned and bid farewell to Yang Xiong behind him before leaving the training grounds.

In the training grounds, Yang Xiong watched the three of them leave, then swept his gaze over the devastated training field and smiled as he shook his head.

Beep. A soft sound rang out.

A slightly languid, mature female voice came from the communicator.

"What is it?"

Though the other party could not see him, Yang Xiong still straightened his back respectfully and said with reverence, "Your Excellency, Xu Yue has graduated from my instruction."

"Oh? So soon?" Leng Yaozhu sounded somewhat surprised. "How would you evaluate him?"

"My evaluation is: unparalleled in the world."

Yang Xiong sighed. "He has already mastered my Soul-Breaking Spear and has begun integrating its principles, creating his own spear technique.

"And... he has already achieved results.

"I estimate... he is not far from reaching the realm of spear intent. All he lacks is an opportunity."

"Very good!" Leng Yaozhu's tone was exceedingly satisfied. "You've worked hard during this time. I'll add another twenty percent to the agreed compensation."

"Thank you, Heavenly Phoenix Your Excellency!"