Seeing everyone settled, Zhang Lexuan beamed with warmth.
"Now that you're all ready, we begin Round One: Mutual Recognition. Starting from the first row on the left, each male student may showcase his abilities as he wishes."
She added with a playful warning:
"But remember—don't go too far! If you anger any of the ladies, you'll have only yourself to blame."
Bei Bei glanced at Chen Junting and gave him an encouraging nod.
"Ready, Junting?"
In that moment, all eyes turned to Chen Junting—his presence serene yet commanding. After all, he'd claimed first place with such effortless grace; no one doubted his strength. The real question was: just how high had this young man's cultivation reached?
"Hey, Junior Junting," a senior beside Xu Sanshi teased, winking suggestively, "why not go all out and lift all the ladies' veils for us? Save us the trouble!"
Chen Junting smiled faintly. "Senior Ye Liu, offending our seniors and juniors isn't my style. As the saying goes—'Amidst three thousand rivers, I seek only one dip.'"
As he spoke, he extended his right foot—stepping onto the tranquil lake surface.
Before everyone's eyes, he began walking—suspended just above the water, calm and unhurried.
With every step, ripples spread outward.
Layer upon layer of concentric waves shimmered under the interplay of golden and white light, creating a scene of quiet, poetic beauty.
For a moment, the entire lake fell silent.
Then—
"Junior Junting's a Soul Saint?!"
Senior Ye Liu's voice shattered the stillness, shock written all over his face. He pointed at Chen Junting, then at himself—nearly twice the boy's age, yet their cultivation levels were nearly equal. He felt as if he'd wasted his life.
Xu Sanshi patted his shoulder, eyes full of "he's a monster" resignation. "Don't be too stunned, Senior."
Chen Junting's pace was neither fast nor slow—yet in mere breaths, he'd crossed a hundred meters. Each footfall struck like a drumbeat against the girls' hearts. And his path led unwaveringly toward the thirteenth girl from the left among the seventeen.
His gaze never wavered.
His confidence left no doubt—he'd already chosen.
When he stood before the "Sea God's fairy," he gently reached up and lifted her bamboo hat.
Then, soft as a summer breeze, his voice floated across the water:
"I knew it was you at first glance."
Ten years of knowing each other had long forged their bond.
What was a veil against hearts already intertwined?
The gauze brushed past her cheek—revealing flowing golden hair spilling over her shoulders. Though clad in simple white, Ning Tian radiated the pure, fresh grace of a lotus blooming from clear water. Her eyes, shimmering like starlit pools, met Chen Junting's—silent, deep, understanding.
It was a moment of quiet romance—gentle, yet profoundly moving.
The other girls watched from behind their veils, eyes filled with longing and envy.
All except two.
From the line, two white-clad figures stuck out their heads, whistling playfully at the couple—disrupting both formation and solemnity.
Clearly, they weren't your average refined young ladies.
Though their teasing was quiet and distant, Ning Tian's gentle smile still froze on her lips.
Chen Junting's eyes flickered sideways.
Perfect. Now I know exactly who to avoid later.
He shot them a subtle glare, then sent a sharp soul-force message:
"Both of you—behave yourselves!"
Watching from afar, Xu Sanshi stroked his chin, impressed. "Wow… Junting's really got style. Never knew he was this romantic. That move? Absolutely heart-stealing."
Then, turning, he pointed at the two troublemakers and said to Huo Yuhao—who'd ended up in a modest spot without competing aggressively—
"Yuhao, bet you anything those two poking their heads out are Dong'er and Wu Feng."
Huo Yuhao's lips twitched.
Did he believe it?
Of course he did.
That was just their nature. As Brother Junting once put it: "Having Dong'er and Wu Feng in a crowd is like mixing two Huskies into a wolf pack—utterly conspicuous."
And it wasn't just friends who could spot them. Anyone who knew them—even slightly—could pick them out instantly, even fully veiled, just by the way they watched the chaos like it was a show.
Don't believe it? Look—
"Those must be Wang Dong'er and Wu Feng," said Xie Huanyue, standing to Huo Yuhao's left. He scratched his head. "If that's the case, I won't lift their veils. And Yuhao—don't worry, I'm not stealing Dong'er from you."
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao caught an odd implication and asked, puzzled:
"Huh? You won't lift Senior Sister Feng's veil either?"
"Wu Feng?" Xie Huanyue shuddered involuntarily, recalling the times he'd been used as a punching bag since joining the Inner Court. He shook his head frantically. "No, no… I couldn't possibly handle that. Truly, beyond my capacity…"
Huo Yuhao stared, utterly confused.
"Beyond his capacity"?
Does he think he's too fat for Senior Feng?
He considered it—and surprisingly found it… made sense.
Once Chen Junting returned to his lily pad, Xu Sanshi gave him a huge thumbs-up. "Impressive."
Chen Junting smiled and gestured. "Your turn, Senior Xu."
"Watch and learn."
Xu Sanshi summoned his tortoise soul spirit as a boat, his shield as a prow.
Quickly locking onto Jiang Nannan's position, he glided to her side.
With their past misunderstandings long resolved—and Jiang Nannan having already accepted him—this went extremely smoothly.
He lifted her veil without the slightest resistance.
Inspired by Chen Junting and Xu Sanshi's successes, the next contestant—Senior Ye Liu—suddenly felt a surge of reckless courage.
He flapped his wings violently, whipping up a towering wave that crashed straight toward the line of female students!
"This guy's got some nerve!" Xu Sanshi gaped in disbelief. Doesn't he know the Inner Court's "three active volcanoes" are right there in that lineup?!
Chen Junting, too, felt a pang of pity.
"No Zuo, no die."
"What's that mean?"
"If you don't seek death, death won't find you."
The words had barely left his mouth when—
"Ye Liu, YOU LITTLE PERVERT—ARE YOU ADDICTED TO HARASSMENT?!"
Two furious female voices roared in perfect unison!
Phoenix Flame! Golden Crow True Fire!
In an instant, phoenix and golden crow erupted—transforming the lake into a sea of fire. The inferno vaporized Ye Liu's wave and kept blazing straight toward him!
And that wasn't all.
ROAR—! ROAR—!
Two dragon cries shook the heavens. A Golden Dragon and a Crimson Dragon lunged from the fire, jaws snapping. Behind them, a streak of golden light—like a celestial dragon—ripped through the sky!
Ye Liu was utterly paralyzed.
Two Soul Douluos. One Soul Saint. Two Soul Emperors. And one of those Emperors… wielded an Ultimate Attribute!
He didn't need anyone to tell him—he'd just declared war on the entire female contingent.
He tried to flee—but it was too late.
A Shimmering Gold Rope lashed out, binding him tighter than a dumpling.
All he could do was watch in horror as the four-pronged dragon maw of fire descended—ready to consume him whole.
"I'M SORRY! I'M TRULY SORRY!"
"SENIOR SISTER—SAVE ME!"
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