The "Love at First Sight" round continued.
Huo Yuhao, who—like Chen Junting—had chosen only one girl, received nearly identical treatment: all sixteen lamps stayed lit, with only Di Yao's light extinguished.
But Xu Sanshi, who also chose just one person, faced a starkly different fate.
The moment Bei Bei finished announcing his turn, the opposite shore plunged into darkness—leaving only four lamps, matching He Caitou's dismal result.
In fact, it was even worse—his lights went out with a near-instant clunk-clunk, as if the girls didn't even need to think twice. Clearly, his "lecherous playboy" reputation had sealed his fate.
But for Xu Sanshi? It didn't matter.
Because—
"As long as Nannan's light shines, it outshines all sixteen of yours combined in my heart."
Xu Sanshi declared this with theatrical tenderness—so saccharine it made Chen Junting's skin crawl.
"Ew… Senior Brother Xu, you're really something," Chen Junting said dryly.
"Ah, thanks for the compliment!"
That was clearly not a compliment…
Chen Junting's eye twitched, but he kept the thought to himself.
He glanced across the lake—certain that Xu Sanshi's not-so-quiet declaration hadn't gone unnoticed by Jiang Nannan and the others.
The result? Crystal clear.
Jiang Nannan's face flushed crimson under her friends' teasing stares—and she immediately pressed her lamp's off switch.
"XU—SAN—SHI! You've got nothing now!"
Xu Sanshi's relaxed expression shattered. He gaped at her in disbelief—just as Jiang Nannan met his eyes and rewarded him with a mocking, icy smirk.
Her action was a signal.
In the next second, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Wang Dong'er all switched off their lights in rapid succession.
Oh, so Nannan's lamp shining is brighter than ours, is it?
Fine. We won't shine at all.
(And if Nannan's went out first? Well, that's not our problem.)
Xu Sanshi froze—his face draining of all color until he looked like a monochrome ghost. A pitiful wail escaped him:
"Nooooo!"
Hello darkness my old friend…
"Nannan… you're cruel! And seriously—do you have to be that considerate?!" Xu Sanshi turned to Chen Junting, eyes brimming with tragic betrayal.
"Sorry," Chen Junting winced, "it just felt… poetic."
He quickly dismissed the snow conjured by his soul bone.
But the moment the snowflakes vanished, the lily pad beneath Xu Sanshi jolted violently—launching him straight into Sea God Lake.
Xu Sanshi—ELIMINATED!
After Xu Sanshi's self-sabotage, the remaining male students found little reprieve. As the girls grew increasingly ruthless, the next few contestants—though not as disastrous as Xu Sanshi—still saw fewer than one-third of their lamps lit.
Then came Xie Huanyue—universally rejected.
"Fat guys have no rights!" he cried out as the second contestant to suffer a complete blackout.
After that, total blackouts became an epidemic.
By the end of Round Two, only 23 male students remained—over one-third eliminated in a single round.
As Round Three began, the survivors lined up facing the seventeen veiled girls.
Zhang Le Xuan's voice rang out, gentle yet firm:
"After two rounds of interaction, you've gained some understanding of each other. Now, we move to Round Three: 'Second Glance, Lasting Love.'"
"Ladies—pay close attention this time. No more choosing out of pity! From now on, your choice is a commitment. Each gentleman will have one minute for self-introduction…"
After explaining the rules, Bei Bei floated over on a lily pad, holding a box of numbered lots. The boys drew in order from left to right.
Meanwhile, the girls pinned numbered badges to their chests and shuffled their positions.
Chen Junting drew Lot #1.
"Bro… your luck's rough," Chu Qingtian muttered, leaning in. "Going first—no experience to guide you."
"Experience doesn't matter," Chen Junting replied calmly.
"Huh?"
"As long as my story is legendary enough."
Wait… what?!
Before Chu Qingtian could process that, Chen Junting stepped lightly off his lily pad, gliding gracefully onto his summoned Seven Kill Sword.
With every forward motion, his aura intensified. Stars peeled from his blade—transforming into soul rings that rose around him.
"I am Chen Junting. I believe you all know me. Seventeen years old. Ultimate Metal attribute. Rank 76 Power-Type Soul Saint."
At his words, his sixth and seventh soul rings manifested—
Crimson red and radiant orange, making him the undeniable centerpiece of the entire lake.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
That orange ring—what even is it?!
In an instant, Chen Junting's presence sharpened—like a sword unsheathed, piercing the heavens.
"At six, I began sword training and became a soul master. At seven… by twelve, I was captain of Shrek's reserve team, mastering Slaughter Sword Intent and the Seven Kill Domain. At fourteen, I broke through to Soul Emperor with my first 100,000-year soul ring. At sixteen, my domain evolved. At seventeen, I forged the Natural Sword Art, grasped the Sword Intent of Entrapment, and ascended to Soul Saint."
Though spoken softly, each word struck the girls like thunder. Every achievement alone was astonishing—but together? Mythical.
Yet not everyone was satisfied.
"Wait—you created a soul—?"
Wu Ming—Chen Junting's former neighbor and participant in the soul spirit program—knew exactly who'd pioneered the soul spirit technique.
Seeing him omit it, she leaned forward to "helpfully" remind him—
"WU! MING!"
From the ferry boat, Cai Mei'er—her face blacker than a wok—roared, abandoning all traces of her usual grace.
The soul spirit method was classified, known only to a sworn group of Inner Court students. If Wu Ming blurted it out now, the secret would be exposed to all.
The shout nearly sent Wu Ming tumbling off her lily pad—and finally made her realize her mistake.
But her near-revelation had already ignited curiosity.
Under everyone's expectant stares, Chen Junting merely smiled.
"Senior, that part? Hardly worth mentioning."
Hardly worth mentioning?!
Even those in the know—Huo Yuhao, He Caitou, Wu Feng—understood he was deflecting to protect Wu Ming.
But hearing those words, they couldn't help but echo Chen Junting's own phrase:
"So ordinary… painfully ordinary!"
"Ah… it's over," Chu Qingtian groaned, despair in his eyes.
Dai Huabin—the third to present—turned, intrigued.
Chu Qingtian explained his dread:
Chen Junting had raised the bar to heaven, setting an impossible standard for everyone else.
Especially the second speaker—like serving instant noodles right after a gourmet feast.
"I pray for myself," Chu Qingtian muttered.
Under Chen Junting's encouraging gaze, he gritted his teeth and stepped forward when Bei Bei called his name.
Despite the pressure, the "Second Glance" round continued.
Thanks to Chu Qingtian's "humble" opening, the rest regained confidence—showcasing dazzling soul skills and stunning martial souls. Most were between 25–35 years old, primarily Soul Emperors or Soul Saints.
Yet only Huo Yuhao's presentation earned genuine admiration from the girls.
When the last contestant finished, Round Three—"Second Glance, Lasting Love"—came to a close.
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