"How… how can they be this strong?" Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu—who had fused into the Netherworld White Tiger—were utterly shocked.
The power of their opponents' Soul Fusion Skill far exceeded expectations. This was not strength that should belong to a mere Soul Grandmaster and Soul Master.
Not only the two of them, but also the surrounding students and teachers were left in disbelief.
The teachers, however, understood the most. They recognized just how extraordinary the Soul Fusion Skill displayed by Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong truly was.
"The compatibility between those two is even higher than that of the Netherworld White Tiger," one teacher concluded firmly.
The strength of any Soul Fusion Skill depended not only on the cultivation of its users, but also on the compatibility between their Martial Souls.High cultivation made a skill naturally stronger. Yet, when compatibility was perfect—even weak Soul Masters could unleash astonishing power.
In this case, the terrifying might of the Golden Road was due almost entirely to that compatibility.
Shi Yu, watching from the side, did not rush in. His Naruto's Instant Transmission technique allowed him to appear at will, but charging straight at the blazing Golden Road was too dangerous.
Huo Yuhao's Spirit Detection and Spirit Sharing meant they could react instantly to any sudden move. If Shi Yu teleported recklessly into their range, it would be like walking straight into a trap.
The simplest way to deal with such overwhelming power… was to avoid it. If the enemy couldn't land a hit, even the strongest Soul Fusion Skill was useless.
On the other side, Xiao Xiao's focus remained locked on Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, anxiously watching the clash between the two Soul Fusion Skills.
Suddenly—Shi Yu appeared behind her!
Thanks to Spirit Sharing, Xiao Xiao reacted at once, unleashing the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron. The great black cauldron hurtled toward Shi Yu.
But Shi Yu met it head-on. With a single palm strike, he deflected the cauldron violently backward. The impact forced him to retreat half a step, and then—he vanished again.
Xiao Xiao barely managed to stabilize her cauldron before a chill ran down her spine. Shi Yu was already behind her again.
This time, space itself twisted into a giant hand that clamped down on her body, locking her movements.
Xiao Xiao was not physically strong. For her, that crushing hand of space was an inescapable cage.
Shi Yu struck her back with a merciless palm, slamming her into the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron. Pain flickered across her delicate face.
"You… you're too despicable!" Xiao Xiao cried out angrily, forcing her Soul Power to erupt and break free from the restraint. She drove the cauldron forward with full force.
But Shi Yu's teleportation rendered it useless. No matter how she attacked, he slipped away in an instant. Her skills crashed against empty air, while his spatial assaults pressed her further and further back.
Before long, Xiao Xiao could endure no more. Shi Yu's relentless strikes forced her out of the match.
"Boom!"
The duel of Soul Fusion Skills also reached its conclusion.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's Netherworld White Tiger had been pushed beyond its limits. Their fusion disintegrated violently, sending both of them flying. Blood sprayed from their lips as they crashed down, gravely wounded.
The radiant Golden Road continued to expand, threatening to engulf them completely.
Referee Du Weilun acted instantly, whisking the two away to prevent further harm—or even death.
But removal meant defeat. For Dai Huabin, pride shattered. His chest tightened with regret and humiliation. Why did I insist on clashing head-on? Such foolish arrogance…
"Shi Yu… it's up to you now!" he shouted weakly, placing his last hope on his teammate.
Shi Yu only nodded, though inwardly displeased. Blindly meeting force with force had been reckless. Confidence was admirable, but there was a fine line between confidence and foolishness.
The Golden Road faded, and with it, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's radiant power dissipated.
Both were pale, gasping for breath. Supporting each other just to stand, they looked exhausted—less than thirty percent of their Soul Power remained. Their bodies trembled with weakness.
Even so, their gazes fixed firmly on Shi Yu.
He returned their look with a faint smile—before vanishing once again.
"Be careful!" Wang Dong warned, the two immediately standing back-to-back, wary of his sudden reappearance.
Shi Yu materialized before Huo Yuhao, palm already raised. Before it even landed, the oppressive force of space struck.
The impact blasted Huo Yuhao backward, pain twisting his face. If not for Wang Dong catching him, he would have flown off the stage. His chest burned as though his bones might shatter.
"Go to hell!" Wang Dong roared, fury ignited by Huo Yuhao's suffering. She leapt high, her radiant butterfly wings unfurling as she unleashed her Thousand-Year Soul Skill.
The Butterfly God's Light blazed out, beams of searing radiance crisscrossing the arena in a deadly net.
It was her strongest attack—yet also slow to cast. Over two seconds of buildup was more than enough for Shi Yu.
He vanished the moment before the beams descended. The Butterfly God's Light tore into the ground, exploding with dazzling force, but Shi Yu was untouched.
He reappeared behind Wang Dong mid-air, palm descending toward her back.
But with Spirit Detection guiding her, Wang Dong spun around with lightning reflexes, meeting him palm-to-palm.
"Boom!"
Space and light collided violently, the shockwave forcing both of them to recoil backward through the air.