Waist Hold, Gentle Touch

An enormous phantom of a Vajra Bear took shape behind him.

Its bear eyes were ferocious, its massive jaws stretched wide, and its earth-shaking roar echoed in every direction, carrying terrifying pressure!

Facing a Soul Saint's terrifying aura at such close range, Tang San and the others tensed from head to toe, their minds shaken to the core.

Their pores tightened, and even their Soul Power nearly stopped circulating.

Tang San clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with gravity.

"This is the power of a Soul Saint..."

"Just releasing his Soul Power gives off such overwhelming, world-destroying pressure!"

Xiao Wu bit her red lip, a trace of unease rising in her heart.

"Can we... really stop him?"

The moment the words left her mouth, she recalled Ao Yin's resolute expression and instantly regained her confidence.

"Don't be afraid!"

"Brother Ao has never lost! If he says we can do it, then we definitely can!"

Watching their varying expressions of nervousness and determination, Zhao Wuji lazily waved a hand, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.

"Alright, little brats, come at me."

"Once I deal with you four, I'll properly have a round with that arrogant fellow from earlier!"

As his words fell, the battle intent reached its peak!

Tang San's gaze sharpened, and he no longer hesitated as he shouted in a low voice.

"Everyone... follow the tactics!"

Buzz!

Blue light flickered as the Blue Silver Grass martial soul instantly possessed him!

Countless thick, resilient stalks of Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground, shooting densely toward Zhao Wuji with fierce gusts of wind!

At the same time, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing simultaneously activated their martial souls!

Three-colored soul light flared, their auras instantly rising to their peak!

"Got it!"

"Attack!"

"Mm!"

Howling winds rose on all sides as Soul Power surged across the arena!

Shrek's fourth trial, the practical combat assessment, had officially begun!

"First Soul Skill, Pole Vault!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Tang San moved with incredible speed. He flung out a Blue Silver pole, using it to propel himself through the air and seize the optimal attack position.

Yet Zhao Wuji, standing ahead of him, could not be bothered with Tang San's restraint at all.

As a level seventy-six Soul Saint, he regarded the restraint of an ordinary Soul Elder as nothing more than child's play!

His eyes narrowed as he locked onto Ning Rongrong in the back line, murderous decisiveness flashing in his gaze.

In a soul master team battle, taking out the support first was common sense!

"Little girl, you're leaving the field first!"

Boom!

Zhao Wuji slammed both fists into the ground!

The earth instantly cracked apart, and several massive boulders surged forth, hurtling straight toward the defenseless Ning Rongrong with violent pressure!

Everyone's hearts clenched!

Not good!

Tang San's expression changed drastically. Without hesitation, he flung out Blue Silver Grass in an attempt to save her.

But the distance was too great. There was simply no time!

Just as the boulders were about to crush Ning Rongrong—

Buzz!

An Ice-Fire Coiling Dragon Staff descended directly from above, blocking Zhao Wuji's attack on Ning Rongrong. Extremely violent ice-fire power exploded in an instant, shattering the incoming boulders piece by piece and reducing them to ash that filled the sky!

The aftermath of the impact rippled outward. Ning Rongrong could not control her body and staggered backward.

In the next instant, a sturdy arm gently wrapped around her waist, steadily supporting the swaying girl.

Warmth seeped through her clothes.

Ao Yin stood in front of her, his broad palm hovering lightly over her slender waist. He did not press too close, yet he stabilized her off-balance body perfectly.

Ning Rongrong's breathing hitched slightly. She instinctively looked up and met the boy's calm, deep eyes.

They were close enough for her to smell the faint scent of ice-fire Soul Power on him. Her heart suddenly trembled, and a faint warmth quietly rose to her cheeks.

She had always been proud and stubborn, unwilling to show weakness. The words of thanks reached her throat but got stuck there, unable to leave her mouth.

She could only turn her head slightly, her long eyelashes trembling as she deliberately avoided Ao Yin's gaze.

Ao Yin noticed Ning Rongrong's subtle awkwardness and withdrew his hand at the right moment.

Ao Yin glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then, without wasting words, turned to Tang San. His tone was calm and sharp.

"Tang San, a team battle isn't a one-man show."

"You only focused on charging forward and ignored the back line. That was too reckless."

Tang San's breathing stalled, and guilt rose in his heart.

That was true.

If Ao Yin had not acted just now, Ning Rongrong would have been eliminated immediately.

He suppressed his emotions, his gaze turning solemn.

"Everyone, take your positions. Combine attacks according to the plan!"

The next moment, two clear feminine shouts rang out!

"Seven Treasures Have Names, first: Strength!"

"Seven Treasures Have Names, second: Speed!"

Having learned from the earlier scare, Ning Rongrong did not dare relax in the slightest. She immediately activated two support soul skills, and seven-colored halos enveloped Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing.

"Both my strength and speed are up. Feels great!"

Bang!

Using Tang San's Blue Silver Pole Vault point, Xiao Wu spun through the air and circled behind Zhao Wuji in an instant. Her long leg whipped forward on a fierce gust of wind, kicking viciously toward his face.

But the result was far from satisfactory.

"Little girl, did you skip your meals? Is that all the strength you have?"

The kick that could normally shatter boulders struck Zhao Wuji's body as though it had hit a steel plate. He stood firmly rooted in place, utterly unmoved.

"You're still far from ready. Keep polishing your skills."

"Hmph!"

Xiao Wu was full of unwillingness. She grabbed the Blue Silver vine Tang San had thrown out and used its pull to retreat rapidly, widening the distance.

At the moment she pulled away, a strange scarlet red covered her eyes.

Charm!

Almost at the same time, a black shadow silently slipped behind Zhao Wuji.

Black hair fluttered, cat ears emerged, and a cold, beautiful face appeared. It was Zhu Zhuqing, who had been lurking and waiting for the right opportunity!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...

Her body blurred as her ultimate speed erupted. She silently closed in behind Zhao Wuji, her sharp claws crazily tearing toward his vital points!

At that moment, Tang San's gaze sharpened as he shouted!

"Second Soul Skill, Parasitism!"

Tang San shouted, and the killing move he had hidden for so long instantly erupted!

Tiny vine seeds invisible to the naked eye had already fallen into the gaps in Zhao Wuji's flesh during their earlier clash.

Now, they all burst forth and grew wildly!

Vines shot out from within his body, tightly binding his limbs and joints, locking down the circulation of his Soul Power!

Instead of becoming angry, Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up, and admiration appeared on his face.

"Vines growing inside the body?"

"You hid that soul skill quite viciously!"

"You little brats have unexpectedly good coordination!"

Boom!

The moment he finished speaking!

The pressure of a level seventy-six Soul Saint exploded outward!

The enormous phantom of the Mighty Vajra Bear rose and shook through the air, its violent Soul Power sweeping across the entire arena!

Every parasitic vine shattered inch by inch, all of them turning to ash!

Xiao Wu's Charm illusion and Zhu Zhuqing's close-range assault were instantly forced back by the tyrannical shockwave!

In the original story, the two of them would have been seriously injured and exhausted by now.

But at that instant, another change occurred!

Just as the shockwave was about to strike the two girls, the shadow of an Ice-Fire Coiling Dragon Staff suddenly slashed across the air!

Ao Yin gripped the Coiling Dragon Staff and tore through the sky-full pressure with a single strike!

The violent shockwave was forcibly split apart. After protecting Xiao Wu, Ao Yin saw Zhu Zhuqing stagger from the impact, nearly losing her balance and falling.

Ao Yin smoothly reached out with his left hand, his fingertips lightly closing around her slender wrist. With a slight pull, he steadied her.

Their fingertips touched, their slightly cool skin meeting.

Zhu Zhuqing's entire body stiffened slightly. Once Ao Yin saw that she was steady, he did not linger.

"Be more careful," Ao Yin said flatly.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, the staff swept through the air, blocking all the lingering force and keeping Zhu Zhuqing safely protected as well!

"Brother Ao! I'm fine! We can keep fighting!" Xiao Wu gritted her teeth and steadied herself, battle intent blazing in her eyes.

"No."

Ao Yin's tone was decisive, his presence overwhelming.

"Rest where you are."

"Zhuqing, stay with the two of them."

"Leave the rest to me!"

The cold beauty in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes shifted slightly. Looking at the boy's calm profile, warmth quietly spread through her heart.

After several seconds of silence, she softly uttered a single word.

"Alright."

Her voice was soft, no longer cold, and carried a trace of... gentleness.

Ao Yin took it all in, understanding clearly. Zhu Zhuqing's affection for him was steadily rising!