A variant of the Light Unicorn, its horn had become sharp and elongated, resembling a drawn sword. Under the starlit sky, it possessed attack power and endurance comparable to top-tier soul beasts—a spirit soul seemingly tailor-made for Ye Xinglan.
Upon seeing the group, the Starry Sky Unicorn raised its head proudly, its golden mane shimmering with a metallic luster under the starlight.
Its eyes, brimming with stars, exuded an air of disdainful superiority. Its slender horn pointed straight toward the sky, its tip gathering a faint glow as if ready to summon falling stars at any moment.
"Is it… looking down on us?"
Xie Xie's lips twitched slightly, wondering if he was seeing things.
"You're not mistaken—some spirit souls are just that arrogant," Gu La said. From what Leng Yaozhu had told him, unless a star-aligned soul master came along, there was no way the Starry Sky Unicorn would acknowledge anyone—it was truly an indomitable spirit soul.
No wonder Spirit Pagoda was willing to use it in a trade. A spirit soul they couldn't utilize, once thoroughly studied, would naturally be sold off promptly.
Ye Xinglan's eyes lit up with delight, and like Yuanen Yehui, she didn't hesitate to declare, "I'll fight it alone. You don't need to help."
"Sister Xinglan."
Xu Lizhi held three steaming buns in his hand, his chubby face filled with worry, but Ye Xinglan didn't turn back.
"Why won't Sister Xinglan take my buns…" he muttered softly, unconsciously kneading the bun's skin with his fingers.
In the center of the arena, Ye Xinglan faced off against the Starry Sky Unicorn.
Ye Xinglan took a deep breath and slowly raised her right hand.
A crystalline longsword materialized in her palm, its body transparent like crystal but containing countless swirling stars within.
The moment the Star God Sword left its sheath, the starlight in the room seemed to converge, forming a faint halo around her.
"Please instruct me," Ye Xinglan said in a soft yet clear voice.
The Starry Sky Unicorn snorted, its front hooves pawing at the ground restlessly. It hadn't expected this human girl's sword to resonate with the starry sky.
Its pride wavered slightly, replaced by a trace of caution.
Ye Xinglan didn't wait for a response. She lightly tapped the ground with her toes and shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, charging straight at the Starry Sky Unicorn.
The Star God Sword carved a graceful arc through the air, its tip trailing fragments of starlight, resembling a cascading galaxy.
"So fast!" Xie Xie involuntarily straightened up. "Even faster than before!"
Surprise flickered in the Starry Sky Unicorn's eyes, but it reacted swiftly. Its slender horn thrust forward sharply, unleashing a brilliant burst of starlight from its tip, colliding head-on with the Star God Sword.
"Boom—"
At the instant the starlight and sword qi collided, the entire room trembled. Shockwaves radiated outward from the point of impact, whipping everyone's robes into a frenzy.
Ye Xinglan was pushed back three steps by the recoil, her sword-holding hand tingling slightly. But her fighting spirit burned even brighter, and a faint smile even appeared on her lips.
"Again!"
The Starry Sky Unicorn also retreated a few steps, its earlier disdain completely gone. It let out a low growl, its fur moving without wind as specks of starlight seeped out from its body, forming a barrier of starlight around it—a miniature star domain.
"It's drawing upon the power of the stars!" Gu La suddenly exclaimed. "Ye Xinglan's Star God Sword is also star-aligned. This battle…"
"Will be very interesting," Tang Wulin finished for him, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Ye Xinglan seemed to sense something. She raised the Star God Sword vertically in front of her chest, her left hand gently stroking the blade.
The stars within the sword began to swirl faster, emitting a pleasant hum. As she moved, the simulated starry sky above responded, with several streams of starlight descending like ribbons, wrapping around the sword.
The Starry Sky Unicorn visibly froze. It hadn't expected this human girl to resonate with the actual starry sky. A flicker of hesitation passed through its eyes, quickly replaced by determination. It threw back its head and let out a clear, piercing neigh, its horn's starlight surging intensely.
The Starry Sky Unicorn lifted its hooves off the ground, running through the air as if treading on nothingness.
Its speed increased rapidly, eventually transforming into a streak of golden light, its horn leading the charge like a drawn sword aimed directly at Ye Xinglan.
Ye Xinglan neither dodged nor retreated. The Star God Sword traced a perfect circle in front of her, with starlight converging at its tip, forming a miniature galactic vortex.
"Sword strike!" she called out softly, thrusting the blade forward.
The golden streak of light and the galactic vortex collided violently.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment. Everyone held their breath, staring intently at the epicenter of the collision without blinking.
First came a blinding explosion of white light, followed by an ear-shattering boom. The intense shockwave swept away all dust in the room, even causing the simulated starry sky to distort briefly.
When the light faded, what everyone saw was—Ye Xinglan kneeling on one knee, the Star God Sword plunged into the ground to support her body.
Her school uniform was torn in multiple places, revealing pale skin marred by tiny wounds. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, dripping onto the floor and blooming into a small red flower.
The Starry Sky Unicorn stood five meters away, its golden fur dimmed slightly, and a noticeable sword mark now etched across its slender horn.
It panted, its earlier arrogance completely gone, replaced by shock—and perhaps… admiration?
"A draw?" Xie Xie asked uncertainly.
Tang Wulin shook his head. "No, it's not over yet."
As if to confirm his words, Ye Xinglan slowly stood up.
Her movements were slow but resolute. She raised the Star God Sword again, its trembling tip unwaveringly pointing at the Starry Sky Unicorn.
"One last strike," she murmured, her voice raspy yet filled with strength.
The Starry Sky Unicorn stared at her, suddenly letting out a short neigh, as if responding to her challenge. The starlight around its body condensed once more, but this time, it formed a protective layer like armor over its frame.
Ye Xinglan closed her eyes, holding the Star God Sword horizontally in front of her chest. A strange phenomenon occurred—all the starlight in the room began to converge toward her, even pulling some from the Starry Sky Unicorn itself. The Star God Sword grew brighter and brighter, eventually resembling a miniature sun.
"What is this…" Gu La's pupils contracted slightly, admiration in his eyes. "She's borrowing the Starry Sky Unicorn's power? Using sword intent prematurely?"
The Starry Sky Unicorn seemed to realize this too, but instead of resisting, it actively released more starlight. For the first time, its eyes softened.
Ye Xinglan's eyes snapped open, stars swirling within them. She stepped forward, delivering the simplest thrust with her Star God Sword.
No flashy techniques, no complex maneuvers—just the purest strike.
The Starry Sky Unicorn charged forward as well, its horn aimed directly at the sword's tip.
"Ding—"
A crisp metallic clang echoed through the room. The sword tip and horn met precisely, and time seemed to freeze once more.
One second, two seconds, three seconds…
"Crack."
A faint shattering sound rang out. A crack appeared at the tip of the Starry Sky Unicorn's horn, spreading rapidly until it covered the entire horn.
Just as everyone thought the horn would break, the Starry Sky Unicorn suddenly pulled back, leaping backward. It lowered its head, gently touching the cracked horn to the ground—a gesture of submission among soul beasts.
Ye Xinglan's sword tip hovered in midair. She breathed heavily, her eyes filled with disbelief.
The Starry Sky Unicorn raised its head, its pride now completely replaced by gentleness. It walked slowly toward Ye Xinglan, lowering its head to touch its cracked horn gently against her Star God Sword.
A strange sight unfolded—the cracks on the horn began to glow, then scattered like stars, transforming into countless points of light that merged into the Star God Sword. The sword's light surged, and the stars within it swirled at an accelerated pace.
"Did it surrender?" Xie Xie's eyes widened.
"No," Gu La said softly. "It acknowledged her."
The Starry Sky Unicorn took a step back and let out a long, clear neigh, tilting its head upward.
Its body began to glow, gradually becoming transparent. Specks of starlight spilled out from within, swirling around Ye Xinglan before finally converging at her chest, forming a miniature holographic image of the Starry Sky Unicorn.
Tears glistened in Ye Xinglan's eyes. She sheathed the Star God Sword and cupped the hologram in her hands. "Thank you for your acknowledgment," she whispered softly.
The hologram let out a cheerful neigh before transforming into a streak of light and merging into her chest.
Ye Xinglan closed her eyes, feeling the process of spirit fusion. She could clearly sense a warm and powerful force flowing through her body, resonating marvelously with her Star God Sword martial soul.
"Amazing! Sister Xinglan!" Xu Lizhi cheered, about to rush forward.
Tang Wulin quickly grabbed him. "Don't disturb her—fusion takes time."
Xie Xie whistled. "Now two of us have been actively acknowledged by spirit souls. Not bad luck, huh? Feeling good? Should we keep going?"
Tang Wulin hesitated. If they continued storming the tower, they'd encounter soul beasts none of them needed, and suitable ones would have to be left behind.
Gu La spoke up at the right moment. "Teacher has prepared a spirit soul for me on the next level. If you're not in a hurry, you can come watch the spectacle—or leave directly."
Tang Wulin glanced around. Ye Xinglan was immersed in the fusion process, and the simulated starry sky seemed much dimmer. "There's nothing to do if we go back anyway. Let's go check it out—I'm quite curious what Heavenly Phoenix Douluo has prepared for you."
"I'm sure it'll surprise you."
Gu La left a cliffhanger and stepped into the light door first.
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