The distance between both sides was still vast—so far that even Huo Yuhao's spiritual detection could barely reach it.
His golden eyes shimmered, radiating an aura of authority. Within his sharp pupils, a faint image of a lotus could be seen, quietly floating in the depths of his gaze.
Huo Yuhao recalled his conversation with Sister Tianmeng earlier that morning.
When Wang Feng first noticed the changes in his eyes, Huo Yuhao had immediately contacted Sister Tianmeng through their spiritual bond, waking her from her deep slumber in the sea of his consciousness.
"Sister Tianmeng," he called out, his voice trembling with caution.
"Mmm… What is it, Yuhao?" Tianmeng murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep. "You woke me up again? Don't tell me someone's after you again?" She sighed. "You're always getting into trouble, Xiao Yuhao."
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "It's not that. I feel something strange with my Martial Soul."
"What?!" Tianmeng was instantly wide awake. Her voice hissed with sharp alertness. "You're my only hope. Nothing must go wrong with you!"
"I don't know if it's a good or bad sign," Huo Yuhao admitted, his expression serious.
"Stop stalling. Just tell me!"
Huo Yuhao sighed before explaining. "My Martial Soul, the Spirit Eyes, seems to have mutated."
"Mutated?" Tianmeng went silent for a moment, then let out a chuckle. "Don't joke around, Xiao Yuhao. If your Martial Soul mutated, I would've sensed it. I'm inside your consciousness, remember?"
"It's real," he insisted. "Look."
He activated his Martial Soul, and his golden eyes glowed brighter than usual.
Tianmeng observed closely. At first, she didn't notice any major difference. But as she peered deeper, something made her freeze—a lotus, floating quietly within the depths of Huo Yuhao's pupils.
"This…" Tianmeng was stunned. "How is this possible?"
Seeing her reaction, Huo Yuhao realized that even Sister Tianmeng didn't understand the phenomenon.
"Wang Feng said the mutation happened because my Martial Soul was exposed to his Ethereal Lotus Martial Soul when the three of us did a Martial Soul Fusion," he explained.
"The three of you?" Tianmeng caught the key point. "Did your other friend experience the same thing?"
"Yes," Huo Yuhao nodded. "Wang Dong changed too. His Bright Goddess Butterfly wings now have lotus patterns. But strangely, the change only appears when he's near Wang Feng."
Tianmeng fell into thought before refocusing. "Alright, let's deal with your situation first. Do you feel any changes in your Martial Soul? Or any strange effects?"
Huo Yuhao furrowed his brows. "Nothing too noticeable. But… sometimes, my Martial Soul suddenly absorbs my mental energy without me realizing it. I panicked at first, but after a while, the energy returns to normal."
He paused, recalling. "That only happened in the beginning, after our Martial Soul Fusion with Wang Feng. Then it stopped on its own. I thought it was just my imagination."
"No," Tianmeng disagreed firmly. "It definitely wasn't your imagination. I just realized—my spiritual energy inside your body has decreased, even if only a little."
She fell silent for a moment, as if processing the information. "Maybe your Martial Soul needs mental energy to complete its mutation. It drew from your energy, but since it wasn't enough, it returned it to avoid exhausting you. Then, once it detected me—a much greater source of spiritual energy—it began passively absorbing it."
"If this continues," Tianmeng went on, "it might take years for the mutation to complete."
Huo Yuhao frowned. "Then what should I do? Help it or just leave it be?"
"Of course you have to help it!" Tianmeng exclaimed, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "Your Martial Soul's mutation is definitely leading to an enhancement. We can't afford to waste this opportunity!"
She paused for a moment, then added teasingly, "Remember, Xiao Yuhao—true treasures are only found in danger."
Huo Yuhao's face tightened with concern. "But the semifinal match is about to start. I can't let my teammates down."
"Relax," Tianmeng replied in a calming tone. "I'll channel my spiritual energy directly into your Martial Soul. All you need to do is stay focused, like usual."
Huo Yuhao let out a short sigh. "Does this mean I can't use my Martial Soul during the process?"
"No need to worry," Tianmeng reassured him. "You can still use your Martial Soul freely. This process won't interfere with you at all."
After a moment of thought, Huo Yuhao finally nodded slowly. "Alright, Sister Tianmeng. I'll leave everything to you."
Back to the battle happening now—
While running, Wang Dong activated his Martial Soul. His Bright Goddess Butterfly Wings unfurled magnificently from his back, scattering golden light particles. But instead of charging forward, he stopped directly above Huo Yuhao, forming an aerial defensive stance.
Xiao Xiao was no less quick to react. Her small figure dashed in front of Huo Yuhao, becoming a living shield. In her hands, the Nine Phoenix Worshipping Flute had already appeared, ready to be played at a moment's notice.
Dai Huabin and his two teammates continued advancing in a tight triangular formation, with Dai Huabin at the forefront as the spearhead. "White Tiger, possess!" he shouted, triggering a powerful transformation.
Instantly, Dai Huabin's body underwent a dramatic change. His muscles swelled with incredible power, his uniform tearing in several places under the strain. His golden hair turned mostly white with black streaks, forming the character "王" (wang/king) clearly on his forehead. His hands grew to twice their normal size, covered in fine white fur that shimmered in the sunlight. From his fingertips, razor-sharp claws about 20 cm long extended and retracted, glinting with a cold metallic sheen. Beneath his feet, three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—spun in orbit, radiating spiritual pressure that could be felt tens of meters away.
Huo Yuhao couldn't suppress a small gasp as he watched the transformation. In his heart, he muttered bitterly, "If only my Martial Soul hadn't mutated…" With power like that from the White Tiger, not even the Duchess would dare underestimate him.
Dai Huabin's two allies also revealed no less impressive transformations. Zhu Lu, the black-haired girl, became more slender and agile, like a wildcat ready to pounce. Deadly, thin claws emerged from her now elongated fingertips. Each of her steps left behind an illusory shadow, making it difficult to track her real position with the naked eye.
Meanwhile, Cui Yajie—the pink-haired girl—underwent the most dramatic change. Her body suddenly matured into that of a 16-year-old girl, her figure more developed. Two fox tails about a meter long swayed gracefully from her waist, moving in sync with her footsteps. The sweet smile she directed at Huo Yuhao held no goodwill whatsoever, especially with her first soul ring already activated without anyone noticing.
Yet Huo Yuhao remained unfazed. His identity as a female naturally dampened Cui Yajie's charm effect, and his mental strength far surpassed that of his opponents. His golden eyes glowed brightly, with the lotus shadow deep within his pupils shifting gently.
Suddenly, Cui Yajie trembled, her face turning pale. Huo Yuhao's mental backlash struck her with unexpected force. With a soul power level of 20 and the support of Tianmeng's spiritual energy, Huo Yuhao's mental power now exceeded the limits of his rank. He could already feel the significant changes in his Spirit Eye Martial Soul—his vision had become sharper, and his mental power continued to grow as the mutation progressed.
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