Radiance Amidst Withering: Golden Road

"Titan Snow Demon Ape, you came to the wrong people for help."

"We don't have the ability to save you."

"You need to ask him!"

As she spoke, the Ice Empress and Ice Bear King pointed at Ye Fan in unison.

"Him?" The Titan Snow Demon Ape looked at Ye Fan skeptically.

Ye Fan was not surprised by its attitude. Instead, he casually summoned the Snow Empress Spirit.

"Snow Empress?"

Upon seeing the Snow Empress, the Titan Snow Demon Ape was instantly terrified. The Snow Empress was the sovereign of the Far North, and the Titan Snow Demon Ape held her in the utmost respect. Now that it saw the Snow Empress's Soul Spirit, it no longer dared to look down on Ye Fan.

Seeing this, Ye Fan immediately added, "Titan Snow Demon Ape, you saw it too. The Snow Empress was originally just like you, sealed inside the God-Sealing Platform."

"Afterward, I revived her."

"And it isn't impossible for me to help you."

"But first, tell me how you ended up being made into a Soul Beast Embryo."

Hearing that, the Titan Snow Demon Ape cast aside its earlier contempt and said respectfully to Ye Fan, "Human, you may call me A-Tai."

"Mm, A-Tai, you may call me Ye Fan."

The Titan Snow Demon Ape then recounted, "Ever since you left that day, I had been recovering from my injuries."

"But three months later, a large number of evil soul masters suddenly began burning, killing, and plundering throughout the Far North. I could not stand by and watch, so I intended to teach them a lesson."

"Who would have thought that they had no sense of honor? They summoned several powerful Titled Douluo, including a level 98 peak Douluo and a level 99 Ultimate Douluo whose martial soul was a Black Dragon."

"I was no match for them, and that was how I ended up like this."

Hearing this, Ye Fan and Jing Hongchen exchanged a glance, both thinking, It really was the Holy Ghost Cult!

After understanding the full story, Ye Fan reassured the Titan Snow Demon Ape, "A-Tai, stay in this Undead Demiplane for a while. Once the Continental Soul Master Tournament is over and I return to the Sun Moon Continent, I'll find my grandmaster to revive you."

"Alright!"

The Titan Snow Demon Ape was overjoyed upon hearing that.

Ye Fan left behind the Ice Empress and Tianmeng Ice Silkworm to watch over the God-Sealing Platform.

He then led Jing Hongchen and the others back to the real world.

In the real world, Ye Fan and the others vanished immediately, leaving Xu Jiujiu, who knew of the situation, utterly confused.

"Did you really not see how they disappeared?"

"No!"

"Princess, Ye Fan and the others have appeared again."

"What?"

Soon, Ye Fan and the others returned to the hotel.

They rested for the night and waited for the next round of the Continental Soul Master Tournament the following day.

Over the next few days, the top eight of the Continental Soul Master Tournament were officially decided.

Without question, Star Luo Royal Soul Master Academy, Douling Royal Soul Master Academy, Shrek Academy, Bright City First Soul Engineering Academy, and Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy advanced as expected.

The fifth day after the auction.

The quarterfinals of the Continental Soul Master Tournament began as scheduled.

Shrek Academy's next opponent was Dior Academy.

Star Luo Royal Soul Master Academy faced Dou Ling Advanced Soul Master Academy.

Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy faced Extreme Blade Academy.

The first match was Shrek Academy versus Dior Academy.

Ye Fan, Xu Jiujiu, and the others arrived as expected, taking seats in the stands to watch the duel between the two elite academies.

Ye Fan and the others began reviewing the intelligence they had gathered:

"Jiang Peng, captain: assault-type Soul Emperor, martial soul Heaven-Shaking Axe, the team's core damage dealer;

Tang Niuniu, vice-captain: control-type Soul King, martial soul Heavenly Star Vine, responsible for battlefield control and restrictions;

Feng Chen: assault-type Soul King, martial soul Winged Tiger, possessing both mobility and explosive power;

Yan Xing: defense-type Soul King, martial soul Ironclad Shield, the primary frontline defender;

Yue Xin: support-type Soul King, martial soul Gemstone, provides attribute enhancements;

Yuan Ye: soul power level fifty-three, assault-type Soul King; martial soul Flameburst Heavy Crossbow. Ability description: an assault-type weapon martial soul that condenses heavy Flameburst bolts from soul power, capable of both armor-piercing single-target attacks and area-of-effect explosive burning.

Ling Ting: soul power level fifty-two, assault-type Soul King; martial soul Scarlet Flame War Leopard. Ability description: an assault-type beast martial soul that grants extremely powerful short-range burst charges and close-combat tearing force, with crimson flame burning effects attached to its claws."

Judging from the data alone, this was a team no weaker than Shrek Academy.

Although Shrek Academy had two assault-type Soul Emperors, it also had members such as Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao, who had yet to reach the Soul King rank.

Thus, when Xu Jiujiu invited Ye Fan and the others to the betting counter to wager on the match's winner,

Ye Fan did not hesitate to bet twenty million Gold Soul Coins on Shrek Academy's victory.

Xu Jiujiu had learned her lesson this time and followed Ye Fan in betting twenty million Gold Soul Coins on Shrek Academy.

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen followed suit, wagering twenty million Gold Soul Coins. Ma Rulong and the others then placed bets of two million Gold Soul Coins each. They had no choice; they had lost their wagers last time.

With these influential figures placing bets, Shrek's odds were instantly driven down considerably. In the end, Shrek Academy stood at 1 to 1.4, while Dior Academy stood at 1 to 1.5. Overall, however, the difference was not great.

It was clear that everyone favored the two academies differently.

After placing their heavy bets, Ye Fan and the others, along with Xu Jiujiu, returned to their seats and quietly watched the battle on the stage.

Just as Ye Fan had expected, Dior Academy fielded its main members: one Soul Emperor and six Soul Kings.

Shrek Academy, meanwhile, sent out Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Wang Dong, Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao, He Caitou, and Xu Sanshi.

As soon as the Shrek team stepped onto the stage, each of them had a large cigar in their mouth.

The entire audience burst into laughter.

But Ye Fan could not laugh. He knew these cigars were no ordinary items. Some enhanced a soul master's strength, some increased spiritual power, some improved physical defense, and some boosted soul power.

To soul masters, they were priceless treasures.

Before Ye Fan had time to think further, both sides had already taken their positions.

The first round was a team battle.

Fifty meters separated the two sides as they released their martial souls.

Ye Fan then saw that Shrek still had Huo Yuhao take primary control, while Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng served as the main attackers. However, this time, Shrek did not have Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng charge in aggressively. Instead, Bei Bei, He Caitou, and Xu Sanshi coordinated with the two of them, while Wang Dong assisted Huo Yuhao.

After all, Dior Academy also had a Soul Emperor.

It would not be easy for Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng to break through the opposing formation so quickly.

Thus, the two sides became locked in a melee, neither able to gain the upper hand.

Just when Ye Fan thought the battle would continue in this dull fashion, an unexpected change occurred.

Huo Yuhao's brow martial soul, the Spirit Eyes, bloomed with an unusual radiance. Then Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong joined forces and unleashed their martial soul fusion skill—Radiance Amidst Withering: Golden Road.

The moment this move appeared, it instantly defeated two opponents.

Huo Yuhao then hurriedly unleashed his first soul skill: Divine Might!

It absorbed all of the enemy's attacks, protecting himself and Wang Dong as they retreated perfectly.