The dense cloud of golden-yellow light motes surged toward Xiao Wu's protective red-golden aura—
and to the astonishment of both fighters, the moment those motes touched the light, they vanished like moths diving into flame.
Not only did they fail to harm her in the slightest, they actually intensified the light around her body.
The faint glow that had been barely three inches thick expanded to nearly a foot in width, its radiance blazing even brighter.
In a single instant, all the incoming attacks were completely annihilated.
At the same time, an unfamiliar and awe-inspiring aura burst from Xiao Wu's body.
The crimson-gold light swelled outward—its intensity fading as it expanded, but still easily enough to envelop her opponent.
The referee, standing inside the arena, was also bathed in the glow.
He felt nothing unusual.
But Xiao Wu's opponent wasn't so lucky.
The moment the light touched him, he felt as though he were standing before a Titled Douluo.
His entire body went rigid, his soul power froze, and the sunflower in his hands withered to dust in the radiance.
Xiao Wu stood dumbfounded.
She hadn't even attacked.
As her opponent's Martial Soul disintegrated, the warmth within her slowly faded, and the resplendent crimson-gold light dimmed—vanishing entirely within moments.
The match had begun normally,
but ended… bizarrely.
Compared with the fierce spectacle of her first battle, this one left the audience utterly stunned.
A Spirit Ancestor defeating two opponents of the same rank—without effort, without injury, with such ease—
the shock rippled through the entire arena.
---
While Xiao Wu still stood there in confusion, Li Chang'an's calm voice sounded softly in her ear through a sound transmission:
"No matter who asks, don't explain the red-golden light. Say nothing—let mystery speak for itself. I'll handle the rest."
In truth, there was nothing for him to handle.
Two of the three judges seated in the VIP box—Ning Fengzhi and Platinum Bishop Salas—were both on his side.
Even if they didn't know the truth, they would certainly cover for him.
And sure enough, murmurs arose among the spectators in the grandstand.
Emperor Xue Ye turned in surprise toward Ning Fengzhi, who merely shook his head slightly, indicating he had no idea what that crimson-golden light was.
Of course, even if he guessed the truth,
how could he possibly betray his future son-in-law?
Then Salas spoke up with a solemn, authoritative tone:
"Unexpected. It seems Crimson Rose Academy still had a hidden trump card, that young lady must possess a soul bone. This must be one of its abilities."
"soul bone?" Emperor Xue Ye echoed, eyes lighting with sudden understanding.
Ning Fengzhi nodded as well, a faint approving smile curving his lips.
To the three of them, that was the most reasonable explanation.
Xiao Wu hadn't drawn on any soul device, and that shimmering aura was clearly beyond what any artifact could produce.
A soul bone ability was the perfect answer.
Emperor Xue Ye took a deep breath.
"Still, that soul bone's ability is far too powerful—able to make a Martial Soul wither in an instant. The Balak student's soul injury seems even worse than the last one."
Ning Fengzhi chuckled gently.
"Your Majesty may not know—if I'm not mistaken, the ability likely has specific targeting. It wouldn't affect all Martial Souls equally."
"Perhaps," he added smoothly,
"it only restrains plant-type souls—and even then, within a limited range."
As the master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—the greatest support-type Spirit Master alive—Ning Fengzhi's knowledge was vast.
If Xiao Wu's red-golden light could suppress all Martial Souls without exception,
she would practically be invincible.
Salas, for once, didn't argue. He nodded stiffly.
"I agree with Sect Master Ning. It's likely a rather ordinary soul bone—its power just happened to be effective in this case. Nothing more."
Inwardly, though, Salas was exhausted.
With a sigh, he reached into his robe, pulled out a fast-acting heart pill, and swallowed it like candy.
These days, popping those pills had become routine.
Without them, he couldn't even sleep.
Cleaning up after this "Saint Son" was giving him heart attacks on a weekly basis.
---
Down on the field, the referee approached Xiao Wu, still puzzled by the mysterious light.
When he asked, she merely smiled and said nothing—just as instructed.
Helpless, the referee referred the final judgment to the VIP judges.
By then, Emperor Xue Ye and the others had already reached a consensus.
To them, Xiao Wu's silence was perfectly natural.
After all, who would willingly admit to possessing a soul bone in public?
And since both Ning Fengzhi and Salas clearly weren't about to contradict the story,
the decision was unanimous:
Victory to Crimson Rose Academy.
Xiao Wu—two consecutive wins!
---
The match continued.
To the girls' mild embarrassment, Balak Academy's remaining fighters were far weaker—most only three-ring Spirit Elders.
Xiao Wu easily defeated three more in succession before her soul power finally ran dry and she gracefully stepped down.
No more rank-forty opponents appeared afterward.
Her five straight victories completely overshadowed the previous two matches of the day,
pushing her to the top of the current individual rankings and stunning every academy in attendance.
When Xiao Wu descended from the stage, Meng Yiran stepped up next.
But the brief relief the Balak team had felt vanished the instant her Martial Soul ignited.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple!
Four soul rings—another Spirit Ancestor.
Her soul power radiated thick and stable, easily stronger than her opponents.
Seeing that, Balak Academy surrendered before she even raised a hand.
They knew the score—and their supervising teacher didn't want to lose any more fighters before tomorrow's matches.
---
Crimson Rose Academy had once again ended a match with just two fighters—
and from the audience's perspective, their performance even surpassed Blazing Academy's earlier display.
Among those watching, Huo Wu's sharp eyes lingered on Li Chang'an, her expression growing ever more serious.
With Mu Xi's subtle support, Xiao Wu's spirit power recovered steadily.
Unable to contain her curiosity, she quickly pulled Li Chang'an aside as he returned.
"Brother," she asked softly, "what was that light just now? You knew, didn't you?"
If he hadn't known, how could he have warned her in advance?
Li Chang'an smiled and nodded, whispering the explanation in her ear.
At once, realization dawned.
She reached into her robe and found the Lovesick Heartbreak Red nestled there—the very flower he'd slipped to her earlier.
So that's where that warmth had come from.
Blushing, Xiao Wu smiled shyly, hugged Mu Xi's neck affectionately, and returned the flower to its rightful owner—sisterly bond reaffirmed.
---
For Crimson Rose Academy, the first day of the advancement tournament was a flawless victory.
Only one member had truly revealed her power,
but that was enough to claim the entire match.
Aside from the Four Element Academies and Shrek Academy,
the other foreign academies had learned little—only that Crimson Rose had at least two Spirit Ancestors in its ranks.
As the day went on, the other four Heaven Dou teams also secured their own victories.
With all six of the Empire's academies undefeated,
Emperor Xue Ye was ecstatic.
On the spot, he declared that all victorious teams would receive 1,000 gold soul coins,
while even the losing teams would be awarded 500 as encouragement.
When the day's battles concluded, the academy deans drew lots for tomorrow's matchups.
Crimson Rose Academy's luck was… middling.
Their next opponent—
would be none other than the Blazing Academy,
the team that had dominated the opening match.