Two streaks of deep blue light suddenly tore across the sky. Wherever the sword light passed, the air reflected the dark, icy blue of the Far North's glaciers.
The cold froze space until it grew sluggish. Everything in their path instantly turned to ice crystals, only to be ground into powder by the sword light.
"Five Elements Shield!"
A red Soul Ring lit up on Qilin Douluo Tong Yu's body.
The phantom of a Five Elements Qilin abruptly appeared, and the power of five attributes-metal, wood, water, fire, and earth-formed a shield.
But beneath those two blasts of Ice Extremity Sword Qi, even Qilin Douluo Tong Yu's every last effort could not save him from defeat.
"He lost. He lost again."
"Two matches at once, and we still lost? Is this Luo Chen even human?"
"Is Luo Chen really going to crush the entire Star Luo Empire all by himself?"
"What the hell is the imperial family doing?! How old is Luo Chen? And he can already crush the entire Star Luo Empire!"
"Does our mighty Star Luo Empire really have no one left?"
"If they're that useless, the imperial family should just disband. This is humiliating!"
The spirits of the Star Luo Empire's people had hit rock bottom.
That was precisely what Luo Chen wanted to see. He wanted the people of the Star Luo Empire to lose all trust in the imperial family, causing it to crumble from within.
Meanwhile, on the main platform, Dai Tianling's expression turned utterly grim as curses filled the air.
"Imperial Preceptor, I will tolerate no mishaps in tomorrow's match," Dai Tianling said, his face livid.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will do everything in my power," Holy Dragon Douluo En Ci replied.
"Not everything in your power. You must win," Dai Tianling reiterated.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Meanwhile, beyond the Sky Screen, Qian Renxue watched Luo Chen claim yet another victory.
As the fiancée he had acknowledged himself, her gaze gradually grew resolute.
She sought out Qian Daoliu. "Grandpa, I want to undertake the Angel Nine Trials!"
Qian Daoliu paused in surprise. "Xiao Xue, have you thought this through?"
"Yes, Grandpa," Qian Renxue said with unwavering resolve.
"Very well. Come with me."
Qian Daoliu knew he could not change Qian Renxue's mind. Besides, she would inevitably take this path eventually.
Still, one thing worried Qian Daoliu: among the Angel Nine Trials, one required her to sever her inner demon.
But with Xiao Xue's obsession with Luo Chen, that probably would not be so simple...
The next day,
The Five Gods' Duel reached its final match.
Luo Chen's presence weighed on everyone's hearts like a massive boulder. If they lost even the final match...
Should their Star Luo Empire simply disband?
En Ci had arrived early at the National Stadium.
He was the headmaster of Monster Academy, the Star Luo Empire's Imperial Preceptor, the man the entire Star Luo Empire's Soul Master World acknowledged as its strongest, a Limit Douluo who represented the Star Luo Empire-Holy Dragon Douluo, En Ci!
In the Star Luo Empire, that name was a legend in its own right!
Therefore, he absolutely could not lose the final match of the Five Gods' Duel.
Time ticked by, but Luo Chen still had not appeared. Inside the stadium, everyone was beginning to grow anxious from the wait.
"Has Luo Chen gotten scared?"
"Did he forfeit?"
As the continent-wide Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament progressed,
The members of Shrek Academy had also attracted the Star Luo Empire's attention and received a private box of their own.
"We finally don't have to squeeze into those packed stands anymore." Inside the box, Xu Xiaoyan put on a relaxed air, but her heart had long been filled with anxiety.
Why hasn't Luo Chen shown up yet? Did something happen to him?
"Boss, do you think Luo Chen really got scared? En Ci is the strongest man in the Star Luo Empire, after all," Xie Xie asked from beside him.
"Well..." Before Tang Wulin could answer, Yuanen Yehui spoke up.
"No. Luo Chen won't let anyone down."
"Oh?" Hearing that, Xu Xiaoyan approached Yuanen Yehui. "Yehui, do you know Luo Chen well?"
For a moment, Yuanen Yehui did not know how to answer. Did she really know Luo Chen well?
Meanwhile, Ye Xinglan had kept her eyes closed, resting her mind. These past few days of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament had sharpened her strength even further.
Inside the stadium, the seconds and minutes ticked by.
Just as Luo Chen was about to lose for exceeding the time limit, he finally appeared.
A staircase of ice abruptly materialized in the sky, descending from above.
Luo Chen walked down the steps one at a time. With every step he took, the surrounding temperature abruptly dropped further.
"What's with the posing?! Does he think he looks cool?"
"Exactly! Showing off like that in front of His Excellency Holy Dragon Douluo En Ci?"
The spectators had already been displeased by Luo Chen's late arrival. Seeing him make such an entrance, many immediately began cursing him.
Beyond the Sky Screen, however, inside Spirit Hall,
The sight of Luo Chen making that entrance sent love surging through Hu Liena's heart like a tide.
"Luo Chen is so handsome!"
Ever since Hu Liena had seen Luo Chen's face, she had fallen hopelessly in love with him.
Nothing Bibi Dong said could dissuade her. Ever since Bibi Dong had learned that Qian Renxue liked Luo Chen too, she had been caught in a dilemma.
One was her daughter, and the other was her disciple. Whom should she help?
Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was just as lovestruck over Luo Chen.
"Hmph! There he goes showing off again!"
Although Ning Rongrong said that aloud, her affection for Luo Chen rose once more.
Ever since his help had transformed her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, she had set her heart on Luo Chen.
Within the Sky Screen,
By the time Luo Chen entered the Soul Fighting Arena,
The surrounding temperature had fallen so low that even the Soul Tools could barely start up!
And this was merely what Luo Chen released unintentionally.
En Ci narrowed his eyes.
Could Luo Chen have been holding back his strength from the very beginning?
Once upon a time, he too had been like Luo Chen, fearing nothing and charging boldly ahead.
But now, he carried too many burdens and shouldered too many responsibilities.
"En Ci, before the match begins, how about a wager?" Luo Chen suddenly said.
"What wager?" En Ci asked.
"If you lose, you'll have to protect someone for me," Luo Chen said.
En Ci: "???"
Does he take me for a bodyguard?
"Sorry, but I have no intention of leaving the Star Luo Continent," En Ci said instinctively.
"Don't worry. This person is from your Star Luo Empire. You might even know them," Luo Chen said mysteriously.
En Ci considered it. If the person was from the Star Luo Empire, he did not seem to stand to lose much.
Moreover, since Luo Chen had specifically named him as their protector, this person must be extremely important to Luo Chen. Perhaps he could even use this person to deepen the ties between Luo Chen and the Star Luo Empire.
"Very well. But if you lose, you must become my disciple," En Ci stated his condition.
Luo Chen paused slightly upon hearing that.
"All right."
If he lost this match, he would have to remain in the Star Luo Empire as its Prince Consort, yet En Ci still proposed taking him as a disciple.
It seemed En Ci and Dai Tianling were not quite a single slab of iron after all.
Just then, a notification from the Favorability System caught Luo Chen's attention.
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