In the Ye Residence, home of the Nine-Heart Begonia Clan...
On the training grounds, Ling Zhantian had summoned his Martial Soul, the Bloodthirsty Berserker Blade. Nine Spirit Rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—rotated around him as he clashed repeatedly with Ye Yu.
Ye Yu's fists crackled with intense lightning. Even without drawing his External Spirit Bone – Thunderous Hell Prison Spear, his raw strength—bolstered by the terrifying lightning condensed around his fists and his self-created Spirit Ability, Thunder Magnetic Body—allowed him to go toe-to-toe with Ling Zhantian.
"Dominating Heaven!"
As the spar continued, Ye Yu's eyes flashed sharply. With a shout, he launched a punch infused with surging blood essence and Spiritual Power—his strongest unarmed strike.
His self-created Spirit Ability—Dominating Heaven—was unleashed!
In an instant, the brilliant blue-silver lightning that had been dancing around his fists vanished. In its place erupted a surge of crimson blood energy.
Once the blood essence fused with his Spiritual Power, a powerful will burst forth, radiating spiritual pressure and life-force suppression, sweeping outward in a wave.
Under the force of Dominating Heaven, which resembled something akin to Conqueror's Haki, even Ling Zhantian's mind went blank, his body freezing in place.
Though the paralysis lasted less than three seconds, Ye Yu had already arrived before him.
A blood-enriched fist filled with tyrannical force hovered right in front of Ling Zhantian's forehead.
"Uncle Ling, you've lost."
Ye Yu retracted his fist, smiling.
"I admit defeat," Ling Zhantian responded, withdrawing his Bloodthirsty Berserker Blade. He couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
"You little freak… Others can go their whole lives without creating a single self-made Spirit Ability. But you? You've already got four, maybe even five or six!"
"And none of them are simple, either!"
"I can't even imagine how far you'll go in the future."
Maybe… this kid really will become one of the legendary gods.
Recalling what Ye Yu had once said when he first arrived at the Ye Residence, Ling Zhantian felt deeply moved.
If a monster like Ye Yu couldn't become a god, then maybe all those legends about Spirit Masters ascending to godhood… were nothing more than fairy tales.
With Dominating Heaven now fully developed as an unarmed self-created Spirit Ability, Ye Yu's training reached a new level.
At the same time, the qualifying rounds were drawing to a close.
Due to Ye Yu's involvement, Tang San had lost his chance at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's fortune. Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar also missed out on the immortal herbs that would've boosted their cultivation and potential.
However, the addition of Yu Tianheng had bolstered their team's strength.
At the start of the tournament, Yu Tianheng had already reached rank 42 Spirit Ancestor. Combined with Dai Mubai, who had broken through to rank 41, and Tang San—who, though still a Spirit Elder, had strength on par with a Spirit Ancestor thanks to his control-type abilities—the Shrek team's overall power was still solid.
In the end, the Shrek team successfully advanced from the Heaven Dou Division's qualifying rounds of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament.
The five advancing teams were:
Godwind Team, Thunderclap Team, Blazing Team, Skywater Team, and Shrek Team.
Now that the qualifiers were over, it was time to head to Spirit City for the finals.
Would Yu Xiaogang go to Spirit City ahead of time—just like in the novel—to ask Bibi Dong about the secret to surviving with Twin Martial Souls?
Just in case...
After the Canghui Team revealed their Seven-in-One Fusion Ability—Seven Asura Illusion Domain—Ye Yu had someone release rumors across Heaven Dou City.
The gossip said that Shi Nian, the one who developed the Canghui Team's Seven-in-One technique, was the real "Grandmaster."
That Yu Xiaogang? Just an empty title.
Ye Yu figured that this mix of ridicule and provocation would push Yu Xiaogang into action—to prove himself.
And if he couldn't develop a Seven-in-One Fusion Ability himself, he might just turn to Bibi Dong, asking her for the secret to mastering Twin Martial Souls—trying to regain Tang San's respect.
Ye Yu had been quietly keeping an eye on Shrek Academy.
And sure enough…
After the qualifying teams from the various subordinate kingdoms and duchies arrived in Heaven Dou City, Yu Xiaogang packed up his things, mounted a tall steed, and departed—heading straight for Spirit City.
He was clearly planning to ask Bibi Dong for the secret behind surviving with Twin Martial Souls.
Where did he get the confidence, anyway?
He knew full well the deep enmity between Tang Hao, Tang San, and the Spirit Hall.
In this world, Bibi Dong had been blamed for the annihilation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Yu Xiaogang likely felt that Bibi Dong owed him—so of course she'd answer his questions.
But this time…
That iconic moment from the original novel—when Bibi Dong shouted at him for drinking her tea in the Pope's Hall—wasn't going to happen.
Because just after Yu Xiaogang left Heaven Dou City…
Ye Yu shot into the sky like a thunderbolt, departing from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy and taking a shortcut through the skies to intercept him.
In a mountain range along the way…
As Yu Xiaogang galloped through a forest on horseback—
Suddenly, a vine as thick as a tree trunk burst from underground. It glittered like blue crystal, wrapping tightly around one of the horse's legs.
The steed collapsed instantly, sending Yu Xiaogang flying.
Thankfully, as a Spirit Grandmaster, he flipped in midair and landed gracefully.
"Who's there?!"
Rising to his feet, Yu Xiaogang summoned his Martial Soul—Luo Sanpao. Two hundred-year Spirit Rings lit up at his feet. He growled angrily, voice hoarse.
From the edge of the forest, Ye Yu stepped out, a playful smirk on his face.
"It's me."
"Yu Xiaogang… been a while. Or no—just a few days, hasn't it?"
"Ye Yu!"
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened. He suppressed his anger and said coldly:
"Ye Yu, I told you before. I had matters to attend to and needed to leave for a while."
"During that time, it's true you couldn't devour Luo Sanpao again."
"But once the tournament ends, I'll keep my promise."
"There's no need for you to chase me down from Heaven Dou just for this!"
Ye Yu simply shook his head, smiling meaningfully.
"No, no. I'm not here to block your path…"
"I've come to take you away."