Coexistence

This match was won quite beautifully.

The other match was still ongoing, featuring Ling Luochen's team. They were coordinating much better than in their first bout, but their opponents were incredibly tenacious.

"Yue Ling, you..."

Gongyang Mo looked at Yue Ling, who was currently wearing a calm expression, his mouth dry.

"Well done, you actually had an ace up your sleeve. I never expected you to have a domain as a trump card." Ma Xiaotao teased, nudging him with her elbow.

"Oh, keep it low-key. It's just that the opponents were too difficult to deal with. Xixi was constantly harassing them, and if we dragged it out any longer, something would have gone wrong. I had no choice but to use my domain skill."

"So that's how it is."

Gongyang Mo nodded in sudden realization.

Just as he was about to say something more, Yue Ling's eyes glazed over, accompanied by a ringing in his ears.

This made him shiver.

Yue Ling looked at his other two teammates and said, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, "How about we leave first? This afternoon's battle definitely won't be easy."

"Let's go back to recover our soul power and rest, so we can be ready for the final match this afternoon."

"Alright, don't forget to come this afternoon, don't be late!" Ma Xiaotao said with a grin, likely due to their sweeping victory just moments ago.

"Alright, then we'll head off first."

"Mm."

After Yue Ling and Gongyang Mo greeted Dean Yan and Director Du, they left the Assessment Area.

Back at the dormitory, Yue Ling splashed some water on his face to perk himself up.

In truth, he had been feeling mentally unwell lately, suffering from excessive fatigue.

He had even been teased by Gongyang Mo about it that evening.

During this match, however, releasing his domain and smelling the floral scent had made his brain feel much better.

Yue Ling attributed his poor mental state to having fought too many battles recently, so he didn't pay it much mind.

Gongyang Mo looked at the beautiful weather outside the window, feeling eager to go out. He looked at Yue Ling and said, "Do you want to go out and stroll around Shrek City? I cultivated all night yesterday and I'm exhausted; I don't want to cultivate at all right now."

Yue Ling endured his discomfort. "No, I don't feel like my mental state is very good. I need to rest."

Gongyang Mo looked a bit regretful. "Alright then, I'll head out first. Get some good rest."

"Mm."

Gongyang Mo took a careful look at Yue Ling and found that he seemed fine, just a bit tired. Suspecting he was overthinking things, he happily went out to play.

Watching his carefree demeanor, Yue Ling smiled faintly. They exchanged goodbyes, and then Gongyang Mo left.

Click. The dormitory door closed completely, followed by a profound silence.

Yue Ling stopped pretending and collapsed onto his bed.

A sudden, needle-like pain pierced through his spiritual sea.

What is going on...? Damn it.

Yue Ling gritted his teeth, fighting off the drowsiness to sit up, and began to assume a meditative posture to inspect his inner state.

But before he could even begin, a wave of dizziness washed over him.

His vision began to scatter and overlap.

Until he could no longer hold on, he slowly blacked out.

As Yue Ling lost consciousness, a strange, aged face flickered in and out of his own, as if trying to break through shackles.

If anyone were there, they might even have caught a glimpse of greed after a successful scheme.

"Little one, thank you for nurturing this perfect body for me for so many years. Your Wonder-Silk Heavenly Chrysanthemum has been mine from the very beginning."

"If you had stayed by that old man's side, I truly wouldn't have had the chance to hatch. But you left, and that was a heaven-sent opportunity."

"So little one, don't be in a rush... we shall merge, slowly."

"Heh-hahahaha, hahahaha!"

It wasn't until lunchtime that Gongyang Mo pushed open the dormitory door while humming a tune.

He would have been better off not looking, for what he saw gave him a fright.

Yue Ling was sprawled over his bed, his entire right arm completely limp, hanging uselessly at his side.

His left arm was clutched over his head, making his whole posture look incredibly eerie.

Gongyang Mo covered his mouth, stunned for a moment, before immediately shouting, "Yue Ling, what happened to you!" He rushed over and began to shake him.

"Yue Ling, Yue Ling, Yue Ling...!"

After several calls, Yue Ling finally opened his weary eyes as if sensing something.

He tried to sit up, but fell back down, only managing to prop himself up on the second attempt.

"Alright, alright, I'm awake. Is the afternoon match about to start?"

Gongyang Mo's tense heart hadn't yet relaxed. "What was wrong with you just now? You looked like you were dying!"

"Pfft, you're the one dying. I was just a bit tired... so I fell asleep."

He used his spiritual power to forcefully suppress the exhaustion in his body and paused. "It's fine, don't worry. The finals are this afternoon; once I finish this match, I'll get some proper rest."

"Mm, you have to tell me if you can't hold on!"

"Alright."

Yue Ling slowly stood up, smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes, and prepared to splash his face with water again.

After the dormitory door closed, Gongyang Mo looked at his departing figure with concern.

This state was clearly abnormal. He had been perfectly fine before, even after the morning match, so why was he like this now?

That appearance was clearly him just toughing it out.

Maybe... he shouldn't let him compete.

The thought flooded Gongyang Mo's mind, but he dismissed it just as quickly.

They had worked so hard for so long; they were just one step away from receiving generous rewards...

Was it really okay to just give up like this?

Those were three soul bones... and it was the final match.

Conflict, conflict, conflict.

Gongyang Mo's brows furrowed. He recalled how Yue Ling looked when he first opened his eyes. The exhaustion and that trace of pain in his eyes didn't seem fake at all.

He gritted his teeth.

The unwillingness to give up and his worry for Yue Ling reached a stalemate.

Maybe... he should still ask for his opinion. Competing in this state really wasn't good.

Having made up his mind, he sat on the bed, waiting anxiously.

His lively eyes glanced at the dormitory door from time to time.

In the hallway.

Yue Ling had finished washing his face and was leaning against the wall, clutching his head.

His spirit felt blocked, as if something extra had been added inside...

This feeling of a foreign object was extremely uncomfortable.

He immediately assumed a meditative posture, carefully searching and scanning every inch of his body.

Unfortunately, he found nothing.

Yue Ling clenched his fists tightly, feeling his soul power flowing normally, and sighed softly before walking toward the dormitory.

He pushed open the door, bumping into Gongyang Mo's hesitant face.

Yue Ling knew what he wanted to say and refused without hesitation.

"Stop. I won't give up. At the very least, I won't give up during the final match."

"But you..."

"I checked my spiritual sea, and my soul power doesn't feel strange at all. It must just be a personal issue; it's nothing major."

He felt his heart beating rapidly due to his anxiety.

There was even a hair-raising sensation deep within his body.

This was too strange. Simple fatigue couldn't cause this...

Yue Ling couldn't voice his concerns, and he certainly couldn't let his friend worry.

Everything would wait until the match was over and he could see his teacher.

"Alright, let's go get something to eat, then head to the Assessment Area for the final match this afternoon."

Yue Ling waved his hand, pretending to be indifferent.

"Alright, but if you feel uncomfortable anywhere, don't force yourself!"

"Alright."

Yue Ling smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes and walked out with him, heading toward the academy cafeteria to eat.