Self-Introduction

Hearing the two little beauties praise him, Meng Hongchen instantly retracted her martial soul, pulled the two of them into her arms, and continuously stroked their heads.

"Hehe, you two are also super-duper pretty, oh. Once you absorb soul rings, you'll definitely grow up even prettier than me, hehe."

Xiao Xiao accepted the other girl's embrace quite naturally, but Huo Yuyao grew stiff all over, her hands fluttering uncertainly not knowing where to put them, leaving her no choice but to look at Lin Mo with a helpless gaze.

"Alright, alright, Senior Sister Meng."

"Hehe, your turn, Xiao."

"Mm."

At the mention of displaying his martial soul, Xiao Hongchen's gaze once again revealed a trace of arrogance.

His gaze condensed, the aura all over his body suddenly shifted, and a somewhat dim, golden-yellow soul power churned within his body before scattering outward.

The same two yellow and one purple soul rings emerged from beneath his feet.

Unlike his younger sister's somewhat aloof demeanor, the aura all over his body grew somewhat heavy, and a pale golden, three-legged golden toad projection surfaced over him.

His blue-green eyes did not change on account of this, but his gaze was stained with a hint of pale gold.

"My martial soul is named the Three-Legged Golden Toad. It possesses the power of the metal attribute, and most of my soul skills are related to controlling metal. Therefore, my combat style generally revolves around manipulating metallic soul cannons to fight."

"My innate soul power is rank eight, close to rank nine."

"Wow, only two years older than us, and you guys are already close to four rings while we don't even have two."

Xiao Xiao looked at the soul rings displayed by the two of them with envy, and Huo Yuyao was the exact same.

The remaining three wore expressions as though they already knew.

"Then, then I'll introduce myself, but my soul power level is really low."

"Teehee, it's fine. After all, you guys are still very small right now, oh. To be honest, Xiao and I actually relied on some medicinal pills given by our grandfather to grow quickly."

"Mm-mm."

Xiao Xiao nodded in response, then took two steps toward an open space.

"Um, my martial soul is..."

Unlike the summoned martial souls of the first two people, Xiao Xiao did not have nearly as much soul power fluctuation when summoning hers, but the people around could clearly sense a slight increase in gravity within the space surrounding Xiao Xiao.

A circle of yellow soul rings emerged beneath her feet, and simultaneously, appearing right along with it was an extremely archaic bronze cauldron radiating solemn dignity.

"My martial soul is the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron, and also..."

Before she had even finished speaking, the originally solemn soul-suppressing cauldron vanished, replaced by a thoroughly gentle force that wrapped around everyone present.

Simultaneously, a verdant green long flute appeared in her hands.

"The Nine Phoenix Ceremonial Flute, this is my second part. Both of them lean toward auxiliary-system soul power, and I'm currently at rank 17."

"Oh my god, it really is twin martial souls, so magical."

"That's what I'm saying, so envious."

Meng Hongchen and Jing Ziyan spoke one after the other.

"Hehe."

Xiao Xiao shyly scratched her head, then walked back to the group.

"Then, then next up will be me."

Huo Yuyao took a deep breath, then walked forward slightly by two steps, but she did not put a distance between them like the previous few individuals.

"Um, my martial soul is the Spirit Eyes, a spiritual-attribute body martial soul."

As she spoke, she closed her eyes, then snapped them wide open. Her originally deep blue pupils were at this moment stained with a layer of pale golden light, and a deep yellow soul ring slowly emerged from beneath her feet.

"Ah, my innate soul power is rank nine."

She seemed to have suddenly remembered, then hurriedly added.

"My first soul skill is..."

Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly paused, then looked toward Lin Mo.

Seeing the other nod, she then continued speaking, and the people around also noticed this detail, one after another feeling somewhat curious about precisely what kind of soul skill it could be that required her own older brother's consent before she could release it.

Yet Huo Yuyao had never felt annoyed by having to make an "application" every single time; she always felt that as a thoroughly well-behaved younger brother's-cough, younger sister, she ought to obediently listen to her older brother.

And compared to this, she actually worried more that Lin Mo would feel angry because she didn't listen to him. She didn't want to make her older brother angry.

"Um, please everyone relax your minds."

Hearing these words, the crowd didn't think much of it and harbored no defenses or questions, one after another following suit.

"My first soul skill is Spiritual Detection Sharing."

She did not continue introducing it further, since the effects were already presented before everyone's eyes.

And next was the astonished reaction that the two of them had already witnessed countless times; even Ji Juechen, who always carried little expression on his face, revealed a shocked look.

"Good grief, no wonder grandfather said there was someone naturally suited for crafting soul tools."

After another bout of idle chatter, we all finally entered the most crucial stage of the entire lunch break.

The remaining people departed the field one after another, leaving only Lin Mo and Ji Juechen standing on the stage.

"Ji Juechen, martial soul: Sword, innate soul power rank 3, soul power level 37. Please advise."

"Lin Mo, martial soul: Mystic Sword, innate soul power rank 10, soul power level rank 15. Please advise."

"The match begins."

Standing below the stage, Xiao Hongchen pressed down with his palm, which also signified the official beginning of this duel.

However, although this duel officially commenced, neither of the two made any rash moves. Lin Mo looked at the longsword gripped in Ji Juechen's hand—that was the sword the other always carried strapped across his back.

That sword was somewhat wider than the Mystic Sword of Lin Mo's martial soul, but it certainly hadn't reached the level of a heavy-type sword.

"Because Ji Juechen's innate soul power isn't high, even his soul rings were acquired by going out to obtain them himself. He's someone who has seen blood with real blades and real guns, and moreover, he's practiced swordsmanship since childhood. Although I've also practiced swordsmanship since childhood, those were all merely defensive sword stances."

Lin Mo gripped the grayish-brown hilt of the Suspended Sword in his hand. He wasn't certain whether he ought to make a move at this moment.

Ji Juechen gripped the Meteoric Iron Sword, his sword intent formidable.

"Here it comes."

The very instant his voice fell, Ji Juechen surged toward him like an arrow released from a bowstring.

"Hah!"

By the time Lin Mo reacted, the Meteoric Iron Sword was already thrusting straight toward his chest.

Lin Mo's pupils constricted sharply.

"So, so fast!"

He had indeed killed soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest once upon a time, but those were merely soul beasts of a mere ten years or one to two hundred years.

In terms of intensity and speed, it didn't even match the speed of Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron during his subsequent sparring sessions with Xiao Xiao and Huo Yuyao.

Yet Ji Juechen's sword was different. Clearly appearing to be a large sword, when the other lifted it and charged toward him, it felt as though it lacked the slightest trace of weight.

Clang-!

At the critical moment of imminent peril, he hurriedly raised the Mystic Sword to block horizontally.

The sword body trembled slightly at the instant of collision with it, forcing Lin Mo to retreat a full three steps and more.

Feeling the wave of soreness radiating from the center of his palm, with the webbing between his thumb and forefinger also stinging slightly, Lin Mo frowned.

Ji Juechen did not utter remarks like not bad or instructional words of that sort. His attacks did not cease on account of this either; as Lin Mo retreated three steps, he swiveled his body slightly, his footwork executing an eerie pace from Lin Mo's front-left, putting the attack range precisely where he could slash Lin Mo.

"Brother Xiao Mo!"

Huo Yuyao watched this scene, her heart leaping into her throat in tension, her entire body trembling slightly out of fear.

Although she knew this was merely a duel where they would stop at the point of contact, and that this Ji Juechen wouldn't make the sort of moves that would injure people, she still worried all the same.

He was the last person in this world who had constantly stayed by his side, and she had even thought of helping him decline this match when the other extended the invitation. She didn't want him to suffer even a shred of harm anymore.

Within the Sea of Consciousness, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm slowly awakened upon sensing the emotional fluctuations of the young girl.

As a soul beast-and furthermore, a soul beast of such a weak race-he could not understand the young girl's feelings, for the worldview of the soul beasts was naturally one of the strong preying upon the weak.

Of course, she didn't say anything either, which instead made him recall the accident that befell Lin Mo at the very beginning when he himself underwent fusion with the other.

Huo Yuyao panicked entirely, and even the fusion was on the verge of developing issues, but when she stated that only successful fusion could resolve the problem, the other quickly calmed down.

"Rest assured, Little Yao, that kid Lin Mo will be fine. Didn't they say it's a spar? At most he'll suffer minor injuries."

"I, of course I know that, but I just don't want Brother Xiao Mo to get hurt. He is my last remaining family in this world. I want to grow stronger, not just for revenge, but to protect Brother Xiao Mo."

Over the course of a month and more, she had also grown accustomed to the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm suddenly speaking up, her tone carrying worry.

"When I grow super-duper strong one day in the future, I will definitely protect Brother Xiao Mo very well."

Huo Yuyao poured out everything she held in her heart without reservation, without feeling that there was anything strange about it. Yet the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm felt that something was amiss somewhere, and the gaze he cast toward her also carried a trace of suspicion.

Meanwhile, on the competition stage.

Recalling the defensive sword techniques his grandfather had taught him in his past life, Lin Mo rehearsed them over and over in his mind. The instant the heavy sword was about to slash toward him, he pressed the body of the Mystic Sword flat against his arm, lightly floating one hand to rotate the hilt, and then slid the blade the very moment the Meteoric Iron Sword chopped down.

An unexpected scene unfolded: the previously unstoppable Meteoric Iron Sword unexpectedly slid straight upward along the body of Lin Mo's sword.

The entire process was as though Lin Mo was using the Mystic Sword to guide the attack of the Meteoric Iron Sword.

Noticing this scene, Ji Juechen made a quick response. The exact same moment his Meteoric Iron Sword was guided away, he abruptly kicked out to the side.

Yet this move also seemed to be within the other's calculations. The moment his foot lashed out, Lin Mo not only slid the Suspended Sword, but even tilted his body slightly, dodging the incoming kick by a hair's breadth.

Knowing this sword stance could no longer be used to attack, Ji Juechen hurriedly pivoted the kick he had originally thrust straight out.

The direct thrust transformed into a spinning kick right then and there.

Seeing this situation, Lin Mo stepped back with his right foot and easily dodged the spinning kick.

Seeing this state of affairs, both parties withdrew about five steps backward.

Looking at Ji Juechen standing before him gripping the Meteoric Iron Sword, Lin Mo seemed to sense the sword intent welling up naturally from the other.

As if stimulated into resonance, the corners of Lin Mo's lips curled upward unconsciously, and a dense fighting spirit surged forth.

Although the two of them had exchanged merely a single move, they had both seen different sword intents in each other and felt different sentiments.

The two merely exchanged a glance, sensing the identical fighting spirit within each other's eyes.

This time, Lin Mo did not wait for Ji Juechen to strike first.

He took the initiative to charge toward him, the Mystic Sword sweeping horizontally with extreme sword momentum, kicking up an off-white arc aimed straight for Ji Juechen's flank.

This was something he had figured out on his own. It had no name and no established rules; he had simply stitched together the swordsmanship movements he had seen in his past life combined with the instincts of this body, forcibly piecing them out.

Ji Juechen sidestepped, his Meteoric Iron Sword gently deflecting, and the Mystic Sword was thus directly flicked upward. Yet Lin Mo felt no shock on account of this; on the contrary, he seemed to have anticipated it long ago.

The moment the Mystic Sword was lifted, he slid sideways, and the abruptly raised Mystic Sword actually slid all the way down the body of the Meteoric Iron Sword, the edge and the blade emitting a faint, subtle sound due to extreme smoothness.

Seeing this, Ji Juechen directly gripped the Meteoric Iron Sword and swung it fiercely.

Because this sequence of attacks was itself a semi-finished product, his original thought had been to make the opponent reveal a flaw without retreating, yet he hadn't expected the opponent to choose to receive and swing against the sword, catching him completely off guard.

Wanting to retreat, he realized that retreating would only result in even heavier injuries. With no other option forced upon him, he could only grip the hilt with both hands simultaneously, forcibly blocking this single slash.

Bang!

Clearly just a crisp sounding impact, yet to Lin Mo, it inflicted no small amount of damage. The pressure generated during the collision directly forced him to be violently repelled backward by over seven steps.

"Damn, so this is the physical constitution of a Soul Elder? Truly exaggerated."

He looked down at his palms; the web between his thumb and forefinger had already begun to ooze fine threads of blood.

Yet Ji Juechen wasn't completely unscathed either; that hurried strike had not left him with sufficient time to pursue his advantage with a follow-up.

On the contrary, because of this slash, his center of gravity became slightly unstable, forcing him to take a step back to steady himself.

Yet how could the accumulation built up by an adult be so easily interrupted? After steadying his stance once more, he did not afford Lin Mo the slightest shred of breathing room, flashing right in front of him a mere moment later.

He gripped the sword with both hands, gently closing his eyes, and the aura of his entire body abruptly transformed.

A slash that clearly carried zero soul power fluctuations was at this moment entwined with faint sword qi.

Feeling this terrifying blow, Lin Mo did not feel the slightest ease nor did he retreat. He took a deep breath, the Mystic Sword tightly grasped in his hands.

Sensing the formidable intent and power of the strike, he glided past sideways, attempting to dodge, yet for some reason, the vertical slash clearly seemed to remain locked onto him.

The longsword did not land on the ground like a normal descending chop; instead, it traced an eerie arc through the air, slashing back toward Lin Mo once again.

"If I get hacked by this strike, unless I use soul power to protect my body, I'm afraid I'll end up severely injured."

The next second, his footsteps gradually grew nimble, and his entire body became somewhat pliant.

The instant the longsword swung out, he bent sideways at the waist, dodging the strike with a set of footwork exceedingly difficult for ordinary people to achieve.