Can I win?
As the blade of her fifth spirit skill drew closer and closer to Yan Meiluo, Qi Qing couldn't help but clench her fists tightly.
"Tch." A soft sound of annoyance escaped Yan Meiluo's lips as his aura shifted suddenly, and his eyes burned with a more intense fighting spirit.
Behind him, his fifth spirit ring lit up instantly.
The double-headed spear in his hand gleamed with a deep, mysterious light as he faced the incoming blade head-on, aiming at its very center.
Ding!
A faint sound echoed as the collision of the two powerful spirit skills erupted, sending a wild storm of energy across the battle stage.
The light blade shattered under Yan Meiluo's spear, dispersing into an energy storm that swept across the arena. Meanwhile, the eerie glow on Yan Meiluo's spear dimmed until it nearly vanished.
Both contestants appeared to be evenly matched in this exchange, but with his third spirit skill temporarily sealed, Yan Meiluo was at a disadvantage in this round of the battle.
The strength of the opposing control-type spirit master was far greater than Yan Meiluo anticipated. With her peculiar Eight-Note Box martial spirit, she could easily qualify for Shrek Academy's inner court.
The fact that the Star Luo Royal Academy had such a strong control-type spirit master came as a surprise to Shrek.
Qi Qing quickly retreated several dozen meters, creating more distance between herself and Yan Meiluo before he could counterattack.
Yan Meiluo didn't rush after her. After suffering a setback earlier, he had become more cautious.
As the two stared each other down from afar, Yan Meiluo's eyes flickered. His gaze fell on the spirit ring circling his spear.
The strange musical note etched on his third spirit ring had begun to slowly fade away.
He had re-established his connection with the ring, which meant his third spirit skill was available again.
Both Yan Meiluo and Qi Qing sensed this shift.
Qi Qing felt her heart sink.
Her fourth spirit skill was undoubtedly powerful, allowing her to temporarily seal one of her opponent's spirit skills. However, just as Yan Meiluo had suspected, the Rest Note skill had significant limitations.
Firstly, it could only seal one spirit skill at a time. Once the seal was lifted, she couldn't use it to seal another until the effect wore off.
Secondly, the skill's duration was influenced by the strength of the target's spirit power and the age of the ring being sealed. Since her spirit power was slightly lower than Yan Meiluo's, and his third ring was a thousand years-level spirit ring, the effect was considerably weakened. The seal had lasted barely a minute.
Even so, this spirit skill was undoubtedly incredible.
As soon as the seal broke, Yan Meiluo's eyebrows raised slightly. He knew it was time to strike back.
With a cold snort, his second spirit ring glowed once more. However, Qi Qing, who had been carefully observing, wasn't about to let him succeed so easily.
Her second spirit ring lit up at almost the same time. A musical note appeared beneath Yan Meiluo's feet and followed his every move. In that instant, his body slumped slightly before he struggled to straighten up again.
Accent!
A gravity control skill!
For an agility-type spirit master, increased gravity was almost fatal because it drastically reduced their speed, their greatest strength.
Although the gravity multiplier was limited by the skill's ring age, the real danger was its continuous effect. It was a single-target, tracking control skill, which was far more practical than area-based control.
"Hmph!" Yan Meiluo grunted as he activated his second spirit ring again, transforming into a flickering shadow. However, as the skill ended, his expression darkened further.
Usually, his second spirit skill allowed him to traverse dozens of meters in an instant, rapidly closing the gap. But now, he barely managed ten meters.
Yan Meiluo's eyes glinted with a cold light as his fourth spirit ring flared. He fused with his spear, becoming a streak of dark light, charging straight at Qi Qing.
In this state, the gravity control had little effect on him.
Seeing this, Qi Qing activated her third spirit ring again. A wave of energy spread out in all directions.
Not this time!
Having already suffered from this skill once, Yan Meiluo wasn't going to be fooled again. Just before the energy wave touched him, he disengaged from his spear fusion state. His first spirit ring glowed, and a spear light erupted, shattering the wave before it could reach him. Then, with his second spirit skill, he closed the gap once more, transforming into a shadow heading straight for Qi Qing.
Even under the pressure of her gravity control, he had drawn close enough to reach her!
Qi Qing's eyes hardened with determination as her first spirit ring lit up.
Despite it being only a hundred-year spirit ring, the aura emanating from it filled Yan Meiluo with a sense of danger.
Legato!
In an instant, Qi Qing's five spirit rings connected, forming a single deep black ring.
"Spirit ring fusion?!"
In the spectator area, Shrek Academy's team watched in shock. Even Yue Lengxin, who had remained calm throughout Yan Meiluo's earlier struggles, now showed a rare look of surprise.
"What's wrong?" Qi Han, noticing her reaction, couldn't help but ask.
"Qi Qing is using a spirit ring fusion technique, but it's different from the traditional method," Yue Lengxin frowned, deep in thought. "Normally, spirit ring fusion relies on secret techniques, but Qi Qing's fusion seems to be triggered by her first spirit skill. While it may be weaker in power, it's far more stable and has no side effects."
"Luoluo might be in trouble," she murmured quietly.
Yan Meiluo felt the shift more clearly than anyone. Though he was only two meters away from Qi Qing, ready to strike, those two meters now seemed like an unbridgeable chasm.
It was as if he were trapped in quicksand, unable to muster any strength, futilely struggling.
"It's over," Qi Qing whispered softly, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
Her right hand gently brushed across the Eight-Note Box, and a razor-sharp blade of light formed, slashing toward Yan Meiluo.
The referee stood nearby, ready to intervene in case of danger.
"No..."
A faint, strained voice came from Yan Meiluo's lips, causing Qi Qing's eyes to narrow.
What did he say?
"Don't... underestimate Shrek!" Yan Meiluo's voice turned into a low growl. His light brown eyes turned completely black, and the five spirit rings around his spear tightened and compressed, fusing into the spear.
"Break!"
His spear shot forward, aiming directly at the oncoming light blade.
Qi Qing's pupils shrank. The sharp edge of the spear seemed to grow larger in her vision. Before it even touched her, the razor-sharp spear light had already left a shallow cut on her face.
The referee intervened instantly, catching the spear and pulling Qi Qing aside. Qi Qing, dazed, raised a hand to wipe the blood from her cheek.
Did I almost... die?
"Shrek Academy, Yan Meiluo wins!" the referee declared.
The sound of the referee's voice brought Qi Qing back to reality.
I lost... after all...
<+>
if you want to see more chapters of this story and don't mind playing $5 per month to see my latest update, please go to my Patreon[1]
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed[2]
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 345: This Boy—He Must Not Be Allowed To Live![3]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/131359207[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131359207
[4] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131359207