"...My butt hurts?"
Jin Qiu'er sat up in bed, her body feeling a bit off.
But she couldn't quite pinpoint where the discomfort came from.
All she knew was that her butt throbbed faintly, like she had been beaten.
Still, her mind and body felt incredibly light, as if a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
Overall, she felt great.
"So this is the effect of the Martial Soul Fusion Technique? It feels so... liberating... Wait a minute—my Fate Power!" Jin Qiu'er's eyes suddenly widened in shock.
To her astonishment, her Fate Power had weakened significantly!
"What the hell happened? Could it be... Fate Linkage?"
"And the only one who could've linked fates with me is…"
Jin Qiu'er froze. Fragmented memories began to rush back.
Last night, she had gone to find Huo Yuhao to test the Martial Soul Fusion Technique.
It had worked.
Then, she had blacked out.
And this morning, she'd woken up in her own room.
"Could it be that while I was unconscious, Huo Yuhao and I…"
Her expression instantly darkened.
She leapt out of bed, ready to storm off and confront Huo Yuhao.
But then she stopped mid-step, because strange images started surfacing in her mind—
She and Huo Yuhao... on the bed… and Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochén, and Wei Na were there too?
"What the—!!" Jin Qiu'er was horrified.
She hurriedly checked her body, only to find her skin smooth and unmarked, with no signs of having been violated.
Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
"It must've been an illusion! A dream! Yes, definitely just a dream!"
Still, her face flushed red.
"What the hell is wrong with me? Why would I dream something like that?"
"Could I… actually like Huo Yuhao? No way! Absolutely not! Huo Yuhao is just my pawn. Yeah, just a tool!"
Yet her heart pounded like a startled deer.
Even if it had all been fake, this was still her first wet dream, and her emotions were in chaos.
One thing was for sure: for the time being, Jin Qiu'er wouldn't be able to look Huo Yuhao in the eye.
Feeling conflicted, she sighed in resignation.
"For the sake of the Martial Soul Fusion Technique, I'll let it go. If we ever go back to the Star Dou Forest, I'll have to bring Huo Yuhao along—he did absorb some of my Fate Power, after all."
She then washed up and got dressed in her usual outfit before stepping out of her room.
By now, the rest of Shrek Academy's team was already up and gathered in the common area, each occupied with their own tasks.
The moment she walked out, Jin Qiu'er locked eyes on Huo Yuhao.
He was seated at a table, quietly eating breakfast.
Wei Na sat beside him like a gentle housewife, smiling softly and chatting with him.
They looked very close, which irritated Jin Qiu'er.
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochén sat not far off—one reading a book, the other flipping through intel.
There was nothing strange about their demeanor. They didn't look like they had anything intimate going on with Huo Yuhao.
This reassured Jin Qiu'er: clearly, those images in her mind were just dreams.
But what caught her attention more was the fact that Huo Yuhao now did have Fate Power!
And it looked like he had more than she did.
"So it really was him. I wonder if he even realizes what Fate Linkage is?" Jin Qiu'er narrowed her eyes, her gaze toward Huo Yuhao turning dangerous.
Still, because of that "dream," she didn't take a step forward to confront him.
Huo Yuhao noticed her staring and looked back, giving her his usual calm smile.
"Hmph!" Jin Qiu'er scoffed and turned away.
She didn't notice the flicker in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
Today's Jin Qiu'er, though outwardly the same, carried a distinctly different aura.
She used to be arrogant and a little silly.
Now she was arrogant and cold.
The silliness was gone.
In its place was an aloof elegance—
Just like... the original Wang Dong!
"Qiu'er, over here!" Xiao Xiao called out to her.
Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, and Jiang Nannan were eating breakfast together.
Xu Sanshi sat pitifully nearby, squatting without even a chair.
He wanted to sit with them.
But because of his performance in the previous match, everyone gave him strange looks, and he didn't have the face to join the table. Yet he didn't return to his room either—he wanted to stay close to Jiang Nannan.
Jin Qiu'er walked over and sat beside Wang Dong.
"Qiu'er, we saved breakfast for you. Go ahead and eat," Jiang Nannan said warmly, like a big sister.
"Thank you, Sister Nannan," Jin Qiu'er replied politely.
Then Xiao Xiao tilted her head, staring at Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er.
"You know… you two really look like siblings."
"Xiao Xiao, I've told you—I'm an only child," Wang Dong said, exasperated.
"I don't have any siblings either," Jin Qiu'er added.
"But you do seem like you're fated to be together," Jiang Nannan said with a teasing smile. "Why not follow the example of our ancestors from ten thousand years ago, and become sworn siblings, like Tang San and Xiao Wu?"
Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er froze.
Become siblings?
Wang Dong: But I'm a girl!
Jin Qiu'er: Shouldn't I be the older sister?!
Before they could say anything, Xiao Xiao suddenly squeezed between them and firmly objected:
"No way! Absolutely not!"
Jiang Nannan asked with interest, "Why not? What's the problem?"
"Because… b-because…" Xiao Xiao blushed furiously and couldn't find the words. Finally, in shame and frustration, she stomped her foot and shouted,
"It's just not okay!"
Then she fled back to her room and locked the door behind her.
Leaving Wang Dong and Jin Qiu'er looking at each other in confusion.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Why is it not okay?"
Jiang Nannan only smiled mysteriously.
Just then, Xu Sanshi, who had been eavesdropping the entire time, scampered over with a knowing grin.
"Hehehe, think about it: what happened to Tang San and Xiao Wu in the end?"
"What happened?" Jin Qiu'er blinked. "The book said they became husband and wife… huh?"
She froze mid-sentence and said no more, instead glaring coldly at Xu Sanshi.
How dare he laugh at her? Think she won't throw hands?
But Xu Sanshi didn't care about her threat. He snuck a glance at Jiang Nannan.
"So, did I get the divine message right this time?"
All he got in return was a cold glare and a scolding from Jiang Nannan:
"You talk too much!"
Xu Sanshi instantly deflated, retreating like a beaten puppy into a corner.
He had no idea what he'd done wrong—
But clearly, he hadn't done enough right.
Meanwhile, Wang Dong's face turned red as her thoughts spiraled—not from disgust at Xu Sanshi, but at what he'd implied.
"Tang San and Xiao Wu were supposed to be siblings, yet they became husband and wife? That's just…"
"Wait! Even a thousand years ago, Dean Flender and Dean Liu Erlong were sworn siblings. Some rumors said Flender even pursued Liu Erlong. In the end, she married Yu Xiaogang—and they were actual siblings…"
"Ugh. Disgusting!"
From now on, Wang Dong could never look at sibling relationships the same way again!
The semifinals have arrived!
Only four teams remain.
They are—
The Shrek Academy Team,
Star Luo Empire's Star Luo Royal Soul Master Academy Team,
Sun Moon Empire's Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy Team,
and Sun Moon Empire's Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy Team.
That's right—this year's Top Four includes two academies from the Sun Moon Empire!
In the original storyline, this last slot should have gone to the Dio Academy from the Heavenly Soul Empire.
Dio Academy is also the royal academy of the Heavenly Soul Empire, inheriting the legacy and resources of the former Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy. Royal family members of the Heavenly Soul Empire all studied there.
It had always been a strong contender for the Top Four.
If Wei Na weren't a disciple of the Body Sect, she would've also gone to Dio Academy.
In the original, Dio Academy made it to the Top Four largely thanks to a powerful Soul Emperor on the team—one of the few academy teams with such strength.
Unfortunately, that Soul Emperor was taken out by Huo Yuhao during a beast tide in the Far North… because he had bad breath.
Yes, that Soul Emperor was Jiang Peng.
And now, without him, the Dio Academy team is made up of seven Soul Kings. With some bad luck, they didn't make it to the semifinals.
As for what that "bad luck" was, outsiders remain in the dark.
The Dou Ling Empire's representative team, the Dou Ling Academy Team, had just been defeated by Shrek Academy.
Which left the door open for another Sun Moon Empire academy to sneak in.
Whether it's because the original three empires under Douluo were weaker this year, or because the hosting Star Luo Empire didn't arrange things properly—
Either way, the audience was not happy.
The Star Luo officials in charge of organizing the tournament were drenched in sweat.
Who could've predicted it would end up this way?
But none of this had much to do with Huo Yuhao, who didn't particularly care.
The Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy had also appeared in the original story. They were no pushovers either, fielding a full team of Soul Kings and Tier-5 Soul Engineers.
In the Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu Academy was second only to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. It had a long history and was considered a prestigious institution.
Unfortunately, it was always overshadowed by the Royal Academy.
However, five years later in the next Soul Master Tournament, Mingdu Academy would produce several once-in-a-millennium geniuses—
including the Sun Moon Empire's princess, Xu Tianzhen.
"I wonder what the princess of the Sun Moon Empire tastes like?" Huo Yuhao mused.
Early Morning.
With nearly half an hour still left before the match began, all four teams had already gathered.
For each team, only two battles remained at most.
From here on out, every match was do-or-die. Each team would give it their all.
The rest area had been remodeled—only four sections remained, each one separated from the others.
Even casual eye contact would spark tension between the teams. The atmosphere in the waiting area had become solemn, charged with intensity, even a bit bloodthirsty.
As matchups were to be determined by drawing lots, any team could end up facing another.
Yet Huo Yuhao appeared calm.
The one exuding a murderous aura was Jin Qiu'er.
Her battle spirit had even affected the rest of the team. Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and the others were all solemn-faced.
Jin Qiu'er was different today.
Everyone she looked at seemed to her like a "marked-for-death" target!
Why?
Because she had a Martial Soul Fusion Skill now!
Ling Luochén was also back on the bench. Her injuries had nearly healed, and she was ready to fight again.
However, her nightly "healing sessions" with Huo Yuhao continued.
As daylight broke and the sun spilled onto the arena, everyone perked up. The spectators were already buzzing with anticipation.
The semifinals were about to begin!
But instead of the referee announcing the start, what greeted the crowd was a ten-meter-wide red carpet, stretching from the gates of the imperial palace to the front of the arena.
Ten minutes before the match, the palace gates opened.
Xu Jiawei emerged, flanked by palace guards, striding toward the arena.
Clearly, the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire had come to personally watch the semifinals!
The audience erupted into cheers.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes.
"Delaying the match like this, making me sit here for half an hour? Star Luo Empire… you're courting death."
By Xu Jiawei's side were four black-robed elders, and behind him followed only twenty guards.
It seemed like a small force.
But those twenty, along with Xu Jiawei and the four elders—
were all Titled Douluo. Anyone who underestimated them would pay dearly.
Then Xu Jiawei began his speech—empty platitudes about unity, joy, and sharing prosperity with the people.
To Huo Yuhao, it was all meaningless drivel.
"He's not just courting death—he's doubling down," Huo Yuhao thought, comparing Xu Jiawei to Jin Qiu'er.
Huo Yuhao, too, felt inflated with power today.
Because he was the Child of Destiny.
If this were a game, he'd have loved to show off his Fate Trait and blind everyone with its brilliance.
But this was reality.
So Huo Yuhao remained calm on the surface, hiding any openings, even becoming more cautious.
The stronger the fate, the more cautious one must be.
Great opportunity always walks hand-in-hand with great risk.
Still, grudges must be remembered.
Finally, Xu Jiawei took his seat.
Huang Jinxu stepped onto the stage and called out:
"Captains of the four teams, step forward to draw lots!"
His voice echoed across the arena.
It was time—the match was about to begin!
Ma Xiaotao didn't move.
Instead, Huo Yuhao stood up and walked onto the stage.
Captains from the other three teams followed.
Star Luo Academy: Xu Jiujiao
Sun Moon Royal Academy: Ma Rulong
Mingdu Academy: Quan Dong
Interestingly, all three stared at Huo Yuhao.
Because they knew he was just the vice-captain.
Ma Xiaotao wasn't absent—she was sitting right there below the stage.
This gave them a feeling of being "disrespected."
But even if they were annoyed, none dared to speak up.
Because they feared—
that Huo Yuhao might poison them during the match!
Still, they maintained proper decorum.
Ma Rulong and Quan Dong were full of fighting spirit, their eyes locked on Huo Yuhao as if ready to challenge Shrek Academy directly.
Defeating Shrek had become an obsession for the Sun Moon Empire—especially the Royal Academy.
Xu Jiujiao, on the other hand, smiled politely.
"Huo Yuhao, we meet again."
"Mm." Huo Yuhao nodded with a faint smile.
…And that was it.
Xu Jiujiao: "…"
She didn't press further. Representing the Star Luo Empire, she had to maintain composure.
She just returned the smile politely.
Meanwhile, Ma Rulong and Quan Dong secretly observed Xu Jiujiao, trying to gauge her strength.
But she wore a special soul tool that masked her spiritual fluctuations, making it impossible to tell how strong she was.
Their expressions turned a little more serious.
This was psychological warfare.
"The draw begins!" Huang Jinxu announced, tossing four small balls into the air.
Ma Rulong and Quan Dong immediately leapt up to grab a ball.
Even drawing lots was a kind of subtle contest—unless you chose not to participate.
Like Xu Jiujiao, who stayed put.
And yet…
"Number One," Huo Yuhao said calmly.
All three captains were stunned, turning to look at him—
Only to find that, at some point, he was already holding a ball.
In the sky above, only three balls remained!
Ma Rulong and Quan Dong had just grabbed theirs and hadn't even seen the numbers yet. Their expressions changed drastically.
Xu Jiujiao's smile vanished as she grew serious.
She had been watching Huo Yuhao the whole time—yet didn't see when he moved!
When she looked toward Huang Jinxu, she saw that even he looked shocked.
Huang Jinxu noticed her gaze, hesitated, then sent her a mental message:
"That was extreme speed—on par with an agility-type Soul Sage!"
"The hell—he's thirteen?!"
Xu Jiawei had also seen Huo Yuhao's speed. His heart was filled with disbelief, followed quickly by deep concern.
"If Huo Yuhao doesn't die young, then for the next two hundred years, my Star Luo Empire will have no chance of rising again!"
"Must we wait another two centuries?"
But two hundred years from now, would the Star Luo Empire and its royal family still be as powerful as they are today?
Right now, the Star Luo Empire, the White Tiger Duke's household, and Shrek Academy had a tense and delicate relationship. The friction between them could ignite at any moment.
As the final ball fell into Xu Jiujiu's hand, the drawing of lots was over.
Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy, as always, drew the short straw against the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
Shrek Academy, meanwhile, would be facing the Star Luo Royal Academy.
And within the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy team was the only soul emperor-level fighter still capable of battle—Ma Rulong.
Mingdu's team didn't stand a chance.
Huo Yuhao was quite pleased with the outcome.
Both the Star Luo team and the Sun Moon team were his targets. He wouldn't let either of them go.
The captains stepped onto the stage—the match began.
First round: team battle!
Shrek Academy vs. Star Luo Academy!
Both teams entered the arena.
This time, Shrek's team swapped out Xu Sanshi for Ling Luochén. The other six remained unchanged.
Leading the Star Luo team was Xu Jiujiu, accompanied by six Soul Kings.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu were still on the bench.
They were reserve team members.
But when Dai Huabin saw Huo Yuhao leading his team on stage, he nearly ground his teeth to dust.
Zhu Lu's expression was more complex.
Their overall strength was still lacking. Even with their martial soul fusion technique, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu—a four-ring and a three-ring soul master respectively—could at best match the power of a high-tier assault-type Soul King.
Letting them onto the field would mean benching two current Soul Kings. It wouldn't result in a net gain in strength.
Moreover, the main team was built around Xu Jiujiu. Letting Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu play would steal her spotlight and disrupt the team's synergy.
In short, they simply didn't offer the team a decisive edge. They would have to wait for the next tournament.
Onstage, Xu Jiujiu's expression turned serious when she saw Huo Yuhao step forward.
He might only be thirteen. He might have the demeanor of a gentleman. He might not be exuding any overt pressure—but…
Just him standing there made it feel like one was facing a mountain.
Xu Jiujiu knew that if she wanted to go up against Shrek Academy, she had to reveal her trump card.
Even if the Star Luo team couldn't win, they couldn't lose badly.
This wasn't just about the empire's pride—it was about royal dignity.
One minute of prep time ended. The match began!
Jin Qiu'er stepped to the front, raised her hand, and commanded:
"Huo Yuhao stays. Everyone else, fall back!"
The rest of the team withdrew, leaving Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er at the front.
The battle strategy had been devised by Jin Qiu'er.
Even before going onstage, she had declared:
"I have a secret weapon. Trust me!"
The others gave her a shot—mostly because Huo Yuhao hadn't objected. If that guy's not saying anything, she must be fine, right?
Huo Yuhao didn't object because the Star Luo Empire's animosity should be directed at Jin Qiu'er for now.
Besides, compared to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the Star Luo team was a bit weaker.
Everyone was shocked by Shrek Academy's formation.
Speculation ran rampant.
Xu Jiawei also furrowed his brow slightly.
Xu Jiujiu had already summoned her martial soul—Star Crown!
Two yellow rings, two purple, one black.
Five soul rings rose and shimmered.
The Star Crown martial soul was no joke.
Ten thousand years ago, the Spirit Hall had engraved six top-tier martial souls onto its elder tokens—symbols of the most powerful sects of that era.
Among them was the Star Crown, representing the Star Crown Sect.
It was also the most powerful of the three great martial souls in the Star Luo Empire!
However, due to its rarity, the Star Crown's fame had never spread. It wasn't until the Dai and Zhu clans declined that the Star Crown Xu clan rose to the throne.
The Xu clan's rise was thanks to the Dai clan's abdication, and in return, the Xu clan granted hereditary dukedoms to both the White Tiger Dai clan and the Nether Zhu clan.
This kept the empire stable for thousands of years and helped it grow stronger.
The Xu, Dai, and Zhu clans once had a good relationship.
Xu Jiawei and Dai Hao even referred to each other as brothers.
But…
After thousands of years, the Dai and Zhu clans had recovered their strength, while the Star Crown martial soul had not become more prevalent. The Xu clan's grip on power was no longer guaranteed.
The balance of power had long since shifted.
And after so much time, how much of the original bond remained? How much of their alliance was just political calculation?
Even if Xu Jiawei and Dai Hao were close personally, their respective factions would eventually force their hands.
Ten thousand years later, the White Tiger remained. But the Star Crown was fading.
Even if this was fiction, anyone who's read a serious book would know:
You can't just force a change in royalty without consequence.
That's why, due to the Shrek Academy incident, cracks had finally appeared in public between the royal family and the White Tiger Duke's faction.
Back to the match.
Xu Jiujiu's teammates were all Soul Kings too.
Huo Yuhao saw how serious Xu Jiujiu looked—like she was facing a final boss—and he understood: she still had tricks up her sleeve.
After all, Star Luo still had money.
"If I'm not mistaken, Xu Jiujiu will try to use an Absolute Defense Barrier to trap me."
"Then channel everyone's soul power into herself using the Ninefold Soul Convergence Device and finish us with Star Guardian."
"Too bad."
Huo Yuhao chuckled to himself.
Neither the Absolute Defense Barrier nor the Ninefold Soul Convergence Device came cheap.
But no matter how much money you spend—a whale can't beat a hacker.
Jin Qiu'er suddenly grabbed Huo Yuhao's arm and snapped:
"Stop watching the show. Give me your power!"
Huo Yuhao:
"You won't even call me 'Senior Brother.'"
"…!" Jin Qiu'er blushed slightly.
"S-Senior Brother, hurry and use the martial soul fusion technique with me!"
"Alrighty~"
The next moment, Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er summoned their martial souls.
Golden Dragon and Frost Venom Centipede —two martial soul projections didn't attach to their bodies, but instead resonated and spiraled together.
Golden and blue soul energy began to engulf them, accompanied by a tremendous surge and deafening dragon roars.
Even though the soul of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had been extracted, they could still use the fusion technique—because the fusion didn't require a soul spirit in the first place.
"Martial Soul Fusion Technique!!" Xu Jiawei leapt from his seat, utterly stunned.
Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er were already terrifying on their own—and they had a martial soul fusion technique on top of that?!
Shut it down. Game over.
The audience erupted.
The atmosphere was electric.
Xu Jiujiu's heart tightened.
Then she realized something strange…
"Why does the rest of the Shrek team look just as surprised?"
Because they didn't know either!
Wei Na suddenly felt her head spinning.
Zhu Lu, watching from below, felt her emotions grow even more tangled.
Martial Soul Fusion Technique —
The birth of the ultimate: Golden Dragon's Roar!
The golden and blue light dissipated.
When Jin Qiu'er, clad in dragon-scale ice armor and wielding a golden dragon spear, appeared on the arena with an even more mature and beautiful demeanor, the atmosphere of the match reached its climax.
Huo Yuhao had concealed his strength, but Jin Qiu'er did not.
Even so, the power of this Martial Soul Fusion Technique was still unimaginably strong!
This fusion could be considered a technique performed by two Soul Kings, but it carried the might of Ultimate Power and Ultimate Ice—two supreme elements.
Its combat power reached an exaggerated high Soul Sage level, verging on Soul Douluo.
It could be said that this was the most powerful force in the entire tournament!
If Huo Yuhao hadn't hidden his strength and unleashed his full power through the fusion, then Jin Qiu'er would have wielded strength comparable to a Super Douluo!
Though whether Jin Qiu'er could withstand it was another question, since she was the vessel for this fusion technique.
Huo Yuhao: "Mine is huge, you can't handle it!"
But for now, this form didn't place too much burden on Jin Qiu'er.
When Jin Qiu'er felt the overwhelming power coursing through her, joy blossomed in her heart. She then raised her gaze to Xu Jiujing.
Xu Jiujing shuddered. In that instant, she felt a massive pressure—almost as if Jin Qiu'er's gaze alone could pierce through her.
The next moment, Jin Qiu'er vanished from the spot, flashing into midair, floating above the arena!
"Feel honored to fall by my hand!" Jin Qiu'er's cool and haughty voice rang out as she raised her golden dragon spear.
"Not good! Quick, use Star Guardian with me!" Xu Jiujing cried out in shock. Abandoning all combat strategies, she instantly resorted to her trump card.
Honestly, Xu Jiujing felt wronged.
Who starts a match by playing their strongest card?
They hadn't even had time to prepare. Their original plan had been to feign weakness and lure in Huo Yuhao for a trap.
But instead of playing the pig to eat the tiger, they really became pigs.
Whether they could even activate Star Guardian was now uncertain. All they could do was give it everything they had!
Meanwhile, Jin Qiu'er began to gather power mid-air.
Golden soul power and ice-blue soul power poured into the golden dragon spear, entwining it in a golden-blue glow that radiated an immense aura.
The sheer force caused the surrounding air to shudder, emitting sharp, cracking booms.
Anyone could tell—the golden dragon spear was no ordinary weapon.
And the strike about to be released would be anything but ordinary!
As Jin Qiu'er charged her attack, even powerhouses below the Title Douluo level felt a deep sense of crisis—despite the fact that the attack wasn't even aimed at them.
So one can imagine how it felt for Xu Jiujing and her team, who were the target.
Xu Jiujing trembled.
It was a primal fear—instinctive terror in the face of overwhelming power and danger.
"What… what kind of power is this?" she gasped, looking up at Jin Qiu'er in the sky, her war-god-like figure etching itself into memory with awe and despair.
She knew then—they had lost.
Even if they used their ultimate defense to block this strike, they couldn't save everyone, nor could they possibly defeat Jin Qiu'er.
Moreover, from Jin Qiu'er's elevated position, their ultimate defense wouldn't even be able to trap her.
The next second—
Jin Qiu'er's spear finished charging. She hurled it downward.
"Golden Dragon's Roar — Break!"
No frills. Just absolute force unleashing absolute destruction.
The spear wasn't huge, yet it descended like a mountain crashing down from the heavens, sweeping with overwhelming wind pressure.
The Star Luo team couldn't even complete the Star Guardian. The fierce wind pressure alone pinned them all to the ground, including Xu Jiujing.
They were terrified.
This strike could kill them!
Huang Jinxu reacted immediately.
Before the golden spear hit, he used his Title Douluo power to shield the fallen members of the Star Luo team and evacuated them from the attack's range.
He didn't try to block the spear directly.
Because he could tell—if he did, the resulting explosion would engulf the entire arena. Xu Jiujing and her team could be caught in the backlash, and even the nearby Shrek Academy team spectators could be injured.
In truth, the Shrek Academy team was stunned.
They hadn't imagined the fusion of Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er's martial souls would be this powerful.
No, not just powerful—terrifying.
Wei Na sighed bitterly, "We've lost…"
They had a fusion technique too, but Wei Na knew—there was no way theirs could release this level of attack.
Technically, they were different types of fusion, but…
When you lose in raw power, you just lose.
At last, the golden dragon spear struck.
BOOM!!!
The dual forces of Ultimate Power and Ultimate Ice exploded.
The raw power shattered the arena.
A stage that could withstand the attacks of high-level soul masters—cracked wide open, erupting with deafening roars.
Meanwhile, the Ultimate Ice spread in all directions, trying to freeze everything in sight.
The Shrek Academy girls were shocked, and Ling Luochan prepared to defend.
Thankfully, Huang Jinxu acted quickly and brought the Star Luo team to the Shrek side, shielding both teams behind him.
"Haah!" he roared.
Summoning his martial soul, he erected a soul force barrier to withstand the aftermath.
The arena fell silent.
Everyone stared in stunned silence, shocked by the sheer power of the blow.
Was this really an attack from a Soul King and a Soul Elder using a fusion technique?
Every strong soul master had only one thought: "My life has been a waste."
To have lived for decades and yet be unable to endure a single hit… they'd be insta-killed.
Most of the audience were ordinary people. They didn't think that deeply.
They only knew one thing: Strong! So strong! Incredibly strong!
The explosion lasted for a full minute.
Only then did the golden spear reverse course and fly back up into the sky, where Jin Qiu'er caught it and slowly descended to the arena.
She looked calm, but Huo Yuhao knew—she had used up 90% of their fusion technique's soul power in that one strike.
Her calmness was just a front.
As Jin Qiu'er landed…
The dust around her seemed almost sentient, drifting away from her body on its own.
Yes, she had used her last bit of soul power for that dramatic effect.
Which also allowed everyone to clearly see the destruction left behind.
The arena hadn't completely collapsed—but most of it was ruined.
At the spot where the golden spear had landed, a crater more than a meter deep had formed, like a meteor strike.
Cracks spread across the arena like dry, brittle earth—ready to shatter at a touch.
But the Ultimate Ice had frozen everything solid, preventing total collapse.
The entire stage was now a shade of icy blue.
Only the area where Huang Jinxu had protected the others remained untouched by ice.
When Huang Jinxu withdrew his soul power barrier, the team members behind him gasped in horror at what they saw.
Jin Qiu'er stood proudly, golden spear in hand, and cast a sidelong glance at Huang Jinxu.
"Announce the results."
Only then did Huang Jinxu snap out of it and declare:
"First match of the semifinals, team battle—Shrek Academy wins!"
March 5, 2024 | Author: A Pitch-Black Drag
"Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!"
"Jin Qiu'er! Jin Qiu'er! Jin Qiu'er!"
"Huo Yuhao! Huo Yuhao! Huo Yuhao!"
The audience went absolutely wild, shouting at the top of their lungs, as if to tear their throats out, unleashing all their support for Shrek Academy, Jin Qiu'er, and Huo Yuhao.
After the battle ended, Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er canceled their martial soul fusion technique.
Jin Qiu'er looked a little pale. She suddenly leaned against Huo Yuhao and whispered in his ear, "Help me back…"
Clearly, Jin Qiu'er was completely drained.
But she didn't want to show it—instead, she kept up appearances, even if it meant letting Huo Yuhao take advantage of the situation.
A typical case of dying for pride and suffering in silence.
Huo Yuhao, while also pretending to be exhausted, was actually in better shape than Jin Qiu'er.
At her request, he raised his arm and wrapped it around her waist, holding her close.
To the onlookers, who didn't know the truth, it looked like the two were putting on a public display of affection.
Plenty of people envied them.
The men envied Huo Yuhao. The women envied Jin Qiu'er.
In most people's eyes, with their unmatched looks and their ability to perform a martial soul fusion technique together, the two of them were a perfect match—like they were made for each other.
After all, unless they were blood relatives, male and female soul masters who could perform a fusion technique nearly always ended up as a couple.
And even if they were relatives, it wasn't unheard of either.
Jealousy, envy—and blessings too.
Some simply chose to ship them. "Let's get behind this couple first!"
Especially Dai Huabin. He couldn't stand the sight of Huo Yuhao "feasting," so he snorted coldly and turned away without a word.
This caused some of the reserve team members and instructors to frown slightly.
A few on the reserve team were immediately displeased.
"What's he acting all high and mighty for? Like he's mad they lost or something. If he's so capable, why didn't he go up there and fight?"
Their seniors had just lost, and had even been in danger. Instead of comforting them, he pulled a sour face and left?
Who was he putting on this act for?
"Watch your mouth!" someone quickly tugged at the speaker, gesturing toward Zhu Lu, who was still nearby.
In truth, the reserve team members of the Star Luo Battle Team—even those in backup roles—were mostly from high-ranking noble families of the Star Luo Empire.
After all, only powerful noble families could pass on strong martial souls, making their descendants more likely to stand out from their peers.
Geniuses from humble origins or with mutated martial souls were extremely rare.
Besides, in this era, not all commoners even had the opportunity or qualification to awaken a martial soul.
As long as their family didn't side with the White Tiger Duke's faction, the noble-born reserve members didn't particularly fear the Duke.
Zhu Lu forced a bitter smile.
She knew exactly why Dai Huabin had stormed off. It wasn't that he had an issue with Xu Jiujiu and the others—he was targeting Huo Yuhao.
Ever since encountering Huo Yuhao, Dai Huabin had gradually become less rational, often making impulsive and foolish decisions.
But at this point, it was useless to explain anything.
They had joined the reserve team halfway through, already causing some rifts. On top of that, they had been politely rejected by Shrek Academy before, earning them subtle side-eyes.
Now, with Dai Huabin acting like this, fully integrating into the team seemed almost impossible.
How were they supposed to lead the team into the next Soul Master Tournament?
If they couldn't even remain in the reserve squad, their standing within their families would become even more precarious.
Still… even if they could participate in the next tournament, they'd still have to face Huo Yuhao.
And the odds of victory then would be even slimmer.
With a long sigh, Zhu Lu stood, humbled herself slightly, and gave the others a small bow before turning to chase after Dai Huabin.
They were tied together, after all—not only as comrades, but also by a marriage engagement. No matter what, she had to keep supporting Dai Huabin.
The others in the reserve team, seeing Zhu Lu bow, let go of their resentment. After all, she had only been dragged into this by Dai Huabin—they couldn't take out their anger on an innocent girl.
The instructor overseeing the Star Luo Battle Team said nothing.
The White Tiger Duke's estate had been embroiled in plenty of trouble lately. Best to avoid trouble—pretend nothing happened.
At that moment, the soul barrier over the arena was deactivated.
The instructor immediately led the reserve team members and healing-type soul masters onto the stage to treat and check on their own teammates.
There was a princess on the main team, after all. It was never a bad idea to be extra attentive to her emotional state.
Fortunately, thanks to Huang Jinxu's timely intervention, no one was actually injured—but Xu Jiujiu and the others had been deeply shaken.
After all, the previous attack had given them a real taste of death.
As Huo Yuhao held Jin Qiu'er and passed by Xu Jiujiu, she couldn't help but glance at Jin Qiu'er—only to meet Jin Qiu'er's eyes.
Jin Qiu'er shot her a scornful look.
Huo Yuhao, on the other hand, gave Xu Jiujiu a helpless smile—like a parent tiredly indulging their naughty child, making it clear he wasn't trying to provoke anything.
Huo Yuhao: Jin Qiu'er's aggro is not something I can split with others…
Soon after, Huo Yuhao carried Jin Qiu'er off the stage, along with the rest of the team.
They didn't stick around to watch the following matches.
Jiang Nannan and the others were amazed and excited by the earlier soul fusion technique. They all wanted to question Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er in detail.
Only Wei Na looked uninterested—almost dazed.
Ma Xiaotao, however, maintained her usual gentle smile.
Ling Luochen seemed like she wanted to say something but held back.
Xu Jiujiu watched Shrek Academy's team walk away, and suddenly smiled.
Because she'd figured something out: Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er had exhausted themselves completely. They had no strength left to fight.
"So it was a full-power burst, huh~" she murmured.
The attack earlier had combined all of Huo Yuhao and Jin Qiu'er's power—not just a casual strike.
The two were powerful to begin with, and when their full strength was fused together in a soul fusion technique, it was naturally overwhelming.
If that attack had been a casual move, then yeah—that would've been enough to break her spirit.
But at least now, she could still see their backs.
They weren't entirely out of reach.
"Maybe Royal Brother was right. Huo Yuhao might be worth recruiting—he is, after all, a Star Luo native."
The collected intelligence had shown that Huo Yuhao was from the Star Luo Empire and had a simple, kind personality.
"Besides, the Heaven Dou Empire's already ahead of us. I can't afford to fall behind…" Xu Jiujiu thought of Wei Na and chuckled softly.
Wei Na was just a little girl—whereas she, Xu Jiujiu, was more mature, more capable, and knew how to play the game!
As for Huo Yuhao's relationship with Jin Qiu'er—that didn't matter. Even if she couldn't recruit him completely, sabotaging their relationship a bit wouldn't be unacceptable either.
Meanwhile, once Huo Yuhao had carried Jin Qiu'er out of sight of the audience and off the battlefield, Jin Qiu'er rolled her eyes back and completely collapsed in his arms—unconscious from exhaustion.
Only then did the others realize she had completely run out of strength, and they all expressed their concern.
"It's okay—just let her rest a bit," Huo Yuhao reassured them.
He then handed her off to Jiang Nannan, asking her to take Jin Qiu'er back.
There wasn't even a hint of impropriety. He behaved like a true gentleman.
Which, in turn, made Jiang Nannan develop quite a bit of goodwill toward Huo Yuhao.
Compared to Xu Sanshi, the difference was like night and day.
Xu Sanshi, who was trailing behind them, silently cursed Huo Yuhao for being a blockhead. What a perfect opportunity, and he didn't even take it—doesn't he realize how serious the situation is?
Then, Huo Yuhao noticed something odd—Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and Wei Na were all staring at him.
Huo Yuhao: "?"
Suddenly, Huo Yuhao felt weightless.
To his astonishment, Ma Xiaotao had scooped him up into her arms.
"Uncle Yuhao," she said with a smile, "since Aunt Qiu'er is already out of strength, you must be running low too, right? Let your niece carry you back."
Huo Yuhao fell silent.
Fine, carry me if you must—but could you not secretly grope my sensitive spots while you're at it?