"Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Device!"
As he was sent flying back, Mijia recognized what was behind Huang Heyun. That device could instantly raise one's soul power.
By injecting soul power into the Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Device, it would be converted by the Chaos Silver within into pure, attribute-less soul power that could be absorbed. At this moment, the twin wind-and-fire control soul masters behind Huang Heyun also had white light flashing behind them.
They were injecting their soul power into the device, feeding it to Huang Heyun, allowing him to briefly wield attack power comparable to that of a Soul Sage.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy also possessed such devices, but they had not provided them to their students. The reason was simple — the aftereffects were too severe.
Anyone who absorbed power from it would require at least half a month of recovery to repair the damaged meridians torn apart by the violent energy.
If the Sun Moon Academy equipped their students with such devices, it would be like harming the enemy by one thousand at the cost of harming themselves by twelve hundred — not worth it.
At this moment, Huang Heyun's face was flushed red, his hands trembling slightly — it was clear that absorbing power from the Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Device was not so easy.
"Fiery Blaze Cross!"
Li Yan followed closely behind. The soul tools on his arms instantly glowed fiery red.
His martial soul was Severing Fire. Though not a pure elemental martial soul, through the compression and amplification of soul tools, the power it unleashed was still terrifying.
By infusing his own martial soul's fire attribute into his weapon, it was clear this was a soul tool he had crafted himself.
Two blazing fireballs shot forth from his arms, streaking toward Huang Heyun. Before Huang Heyun could even raise his tiger claws to block, they detonated in midair.
A surge of searing flames spread, embers wrapping around Huang Heyun. The heat could not pierce his defenses, but it blinded his vision.
"You Sun Moon Academy soul engineers only have such petty tricks?"
"Then watch closely—"
"See if our tricks are worth watching!"
Before Huang Heyun even finished, two figures, one fiery red and one deep blue, burst through the flames and lunged at him — Li Yan and the battered Mijia.
"Close combat? Courting death!"
Huang Heyun bellowed. With the Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Device empowering him, he felt like a war god! On this stage, no one could stop him!
Clang!Clang!
Two metallic snaps rang out.
Li Yan and Mijia clung tightly to Huang Heyun, soul tools locking down onto his arms, holding him fast.
"Hmph!"
A cruel glint flashed in Huang Heyun's eyes. His fifth soul ring lit up, black radiance covering his tiger claws.
Before this match, Xingluo Academy's students had been told: the goal was not to defeat Sun Moon Royal Academy outright — they couldn't anyway — but to force out Sun Moon's trump cards, even grievously injure or kill one or two, to lessen Shrek Academy's pressure later.
Though unwilling, Huang Heyun had to obey. If nothing else, he could vent his rage on Sun Moon's students.
"Die!"
His claws descended toward Li Yan and Mijia's heads. In his bloodthirsty eyes, their skulls already seemed like watermelons ready to burst apart.
"Don't underestimate our bond!"
Li Yan and Mijia exchanged a look, seeing the same determination in each other's eyes.
"Invincible Barrier!"
At the very instant the tiger claws struck down, two white lights flared from their bodies.
A harsh screech of impact filled the air, sparks flying as dark energy ripped against the shimmering barrier.
Invincible Barriers were priceless treasures, rarely sold on the market, their price exorbitant. But Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy lacked for nothing — to protect their students, each participant had been equipped with one.
At crucial moments, this was the difference between life and death.
"Go!"
Li Yan and Mijia shouted in unison. Their barriers flickered under the strain, but they pushed forward, activating thrusters on their backs, dragging Huang Heyun toward the edge of the platform.
"Bastards!"
Realization struck Huang Heyun too late. He had been lured in! They were already near the edge!
"Stop!"
He roared, eyes bulging, dark soul power erupting once more. The barriers around them flickered wildly, about to shatter.
"For glory!"
"Let's all go down together!"
Mijia coughed blood, face pale. Li Yan too was red-faced and straining.
The platform's edge rushed closer. Their barriers cracked, dark energy flooding in.
They exchanged one last look, grinning madly.
"Come down with us!"
The flames of their thrusters roared, and beneath the blazing sun, three figures plunged off the stage together.
"Who says only those standing on the stage are heroes…"
As they fell, Mijia's body was consumed by darkness, but a trace of peace flickered in his eyes.
"Boss Ma… it's up to you now…"
The instant they hit the ground, Huang Heyun's eyes flashed blood-red. Even as he was being dragged off, he tried to strike them down — but then a cold, indifferent voice cut through.
"Boy, move again, and this old man will take your head."
"On the stage, if they're injured, that's their weakness. But off the stage, if you dare touch them — I will not show mercy."
"Do you really think Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy has no one?"
Elder Lin had appeared behind Huang Heyun, face cold, eyes pained as he looked at Li Yan and Mijia. Terrifying azure soul power gathered in his hand, its oppressive force ready to strike.
"Ahem… Senior, I was only concerned about your students' injuries, nothing more."
Huang Heyun immediately yielded, politely handing Li Yan and Mijia over.
"Elder Lin… we didn't shame ourselves, did we…"
Li Yan, lips bloodied, forced the words out weakly.
When the Invincible Barriers shattered, Huang Heyun's dark power had already invaded their bodies, wreaking havoc. The fact that they could drag him off stage was pure willpower and belief in their team's honor.
"You children did very well."
Elder Lin's gaze softened. He quickly carried them down to be healed by support-type soul masters.
Back on the stage—
Xu Jiujiumei's face darkened.
"Is Huang Heyun unable to control his emotions? Has his pig brain overheated?!"
Their strategy had depended on Huang Heyun as their strongest force. Now that he was out, the advantage they held was beginning to collapse.
"Pfft!"
The twin controllers of wind and fire suddenly spat blood — with Huang Heyun gone, their Nine-Turn Soul Transformation Device had backlashed on them.
"Damn it!"
Ma Rulong's eyes turned bloodshot. After all their training and camaraderie, they had become like brothers. Seeing the two gravely injured, his face hardened, hand reaching toward his spatial ring, ready to unleash their great killing weapon and shatter the absolute defense barrier, now down to ten stars.
But just then, a cold voice rang out.
"No need. I will break this myself."
It was Jiang Jue.
In his eyes shone an ultimate radiance of light. His whole body gleamed as though embraced by the essence of light itself.
"Light… I seem to understand a little of it."
"But! I stand above you!"
Jiang Jue's voice was cold as he looked at Xu Jiujiumei outside the barrier. His palm pressed against the golden shield flared with blinding brilliance.
At the same time, Electrolux's ancient, profound voice echoed within.
"What is the essence of starlight? It is light. Whatever its structure, its root is still light — merely a higher manifestation of it."
"And light… I have already reached its pinnacle."
As his words fell—
Crack! Crack!
From Jiang Jue's hand, fractures spread like ice across the golden barrier, racing outward like a spider's web until they covered the entire dome.
"Break!"
At his command, the crown of the barrier gave a mournful cry, shattering.
"What! Impossible!"
Xu Jiujiumei's face froze in shock — her starlight power had actually… betrayed her!
"There is nothing impossible."
Jiang Jue's words dropped like thunder. The golden barrier trembled violently, splitting apart with deafening cracks.
Countless fragments fell, gleaming under the sunlight — dazzling, but tragically beautiful.
And Jiang Jue stood amidst the falling shards, golden light reflecting around him, his robes fluttering in the wind of destruction.
In that moment—He was the incarnation of Light itself.
(End of Chapter)