Although Zhu Zhuqing used four soul skills at once, her soul power was extremely dense due to her cultivation of the Nine Yin Manual, and its quality was several times that of soul power cultivated through other meditation methods.
Moreover, it also has the function of continuously regenerating and restoring soul power.
Agility-type Soul Masters, when not assassinating, need to be fast, accurate, and ruthless.
That's why she used her first few soul skills on her opponent as soon as she entered the arena. After finishing a combo, Yu Hairou lost.
The host stood on the stage and announced loudly: "In the first match, Zhu Zhuqing of the Tiandou team won. Please send out the second contestant from the Tianshui team."
As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur arose from the audience.
Everyone could see that Zhu Zhuqing's combo attack had taken a huge toll, but she stood on the stage, breathing steadily and with long, deep breaths, showing no signs of exhaustion.
Tianshui is preparing for the match.
Yu Hairou walked up to Shui Bing'er with her head down, her eyes slightly red: "Sister Bingbing, I lost..." Yu Hairou looked guilty.
She knew she hadn't lost unjustly, but as a member of the Tianshui team, being defeated so overwhelmingly in the first match was inevitably painful.
Shui Bing'er smiled and shook her head, then reached out to support her shoulder.
"It's not your fault, the other party is too strong."
Shui Bing'er's voice was gentle: "Moreover, you should be proud that you were able to force a Soul King to use four Soul Skills."
Yu Hairou raised her head, her eyes filled with emotion.
Shui Bing'er patted her shoulder, then turned around and looked at the competition stage.
"Leave the next match to me." Her tone was calm, but carried an undeniable confidence.
As the core of the Tianshui team, Shui Bing'er's strength is beyond doubt, and her Ice Phoenix Martial Soul is top-tier.
Just as she was about to take a step, a hand reached out from the side and gently pressed down on her arm.
"No, Bingbing, I'll play this one." Her voice was languid and carried a hint of allure.
Shui Bing'er turned her head and saw Zi Ji leaning back in her chair in the preparation area, with a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth and a hint of interest in her eyes.
"I'm quite interested in this person; her attributes are already close to the ultimate darkness."
Zi Ji stood up, her long purple hair cascading down like a waterfall, her posture elegant and composed.
"Although you can win when you're on the court, the third game might be different."
Shui Bing'er looked at Zi Ji and remained silent for a moment.
She understood both Zi Ji's strength and her personality. Since Zi Ji had volunteered for the battle, it meant she was indeed interested in Zhu Zhuqing.
"Okay." Shui Bing'er nodded. "However, if you go on stage, they will definitely send out a Soul Emperor level expert next."
Shui Bing'er's gaze shifted to the Shrek Academy's preparation area, landing on several people.
"Among the Soul Emperor level experts on the other side, Zhu Zhuyun is Zhu Zhuqing's older sister, and she will probably be suppressed by your Yin Water attribute."
She paused, then continued, "Dugu Yan's martial soul is the Azure Dragon Emperor, a dragon-type martial soul. In terms of bloodline, she should also be suppressed by your martial soul."
Shui Bing'er's analysis was clear, logical, and to the point.
"In that case, there's a high chance they've sent... Lin Yuan."
The atmosphere in the Tianshui training area paused slightly when Lin Yuan's name was uttered.
Zi Ji's lips curled slightly, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes.
"Isn't that perfect?"
Her voice carried a hint of anticipation: "Isn't the purpose of this exchange competition to see his strength?"
As she spoke, Zi Ji had already stepped onto the competition stage.
Her steps were unhurried, her long dress swayed gently, and she exuded a natural aura.
Hyotei watched Murasaki's retreating figure from behind and snorted.
"She's overthinking things. What's with all the restraint? Let me have my way with her."
She crossed her arms, looking annoyed, but didn't actually step forward to stop them.
On the competition stage, Zhu Zhuqing was closing her eyes and adjusting her breathing.
The internal energy of the Nine Yin Manual flowed slowly within her body, and her consumed soul power was recovering at an astonishing rate. Although the combo attack just now had consumed a considerable amount of energy, her soul power had now recovered by more than half.
This is what makes the Nine Yin Manual so terrifying—it is endless and inexhaustible.
She opened her eyes and saw Zi Ji walking onto the competition stage. At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes narrowed slightly.
She felt a strong sense of oppression from this woman, not from her soul power level, but from some kind of instinct deep in her bloodline.
The Netherworld Cat's martial spirit trembled slightly within its body, as if it had encountered its natural enemy.
Zi Ji stood opposite Zhu Zhuqing and looked her up and down.
"For a level 55 Soul King to unleash such a burst of power is truly impressive."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it reached Zhu Zhuqing's ears clearly.
"However, I won't give you many more chances from now on."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zi Ji released her soul power.
The aura of a level 62 Soul Emperor suddenly erupted, and deep purple soul power surged out like a tide, enveloping half of the arena.
A gasp of surprise erupted from the audience.
"Level 62! The Tianshui team has such a strong member?"
"That spirit ring configuration... purple-purple-purple-black-black-black? How is that possible!"
"Abyss Dragon Martial Soul? What kind of Martial Soul is that? I've never heard of it before!"
Zhu Zhuqing's expression turned serious.
The internal energy of the Nine Yin Manual was fully activated, and the soul power of the Netherworld Cat was also raised to its limit.
The referee raised his hand, his gaze sweeping over the two players.
"The match begins!"
The moment she finished speaking, Zhu Zhuqing moved. Her figure vanished from the spot like a black lightning bolt.
"First Soul Skill, Netherworld Thrust!"
Zhu Zhuqing appeared to Zi Ji's left, her right hand's sharp claws carrying fierce soul power, aiming straight for Zi Ji's ribs.
This attack was extremely fast and had a tricky angle, making it the surprise attack style that the Netherworld Cat excels at.
Zi Ji didn't even move her feet; she simply turned slightly to the side and casually waved her right hand.
"Third Soul Skill, Undercurrents."
A black wave surged from Zi Ji's palm, wrapping around Zhu Zhuqing's arm as if it were alive.
The water ripples appeared slow, but in reality they were incredibly fast, and they carried an extremely cold and eerie aura.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately changed her move, her figure flashing once more.
"Second Soul Skill, Netherworld Hundred Claws!"
Countless claw shadows bloomed in the air, each carrying sharp soul power, enveloping Zi Ji from all directions.
This move has an extremely wide coverage area and is extremely fast, giving the opponent almost no room to dodge.
Murasaki then raised her right hand, her five fingers slightly spread, and a black water ball condensed in her palm before exploding instantly.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Abyss Veil!"
A black water curtain unfolded around Zi Ji, blocking all the claw shadows. The sharp soul power attacks stirred up ripples on the water curtain, but could not penetrate it even slightly.
Moreover, the Yin water attribute attached to the water curtain began to backfire, and a cold aura was transmitted along Zhu Zhuqing's soul power.
Zhu Zhuqing frowned and quickly retreated.
The internal energy of the Nine Yin Manual was circulated, quickly dispelling the cold, invading aura.
But alarm bells were already ringing in her mind. This opponent's soul power was of extremely high quality, and the attribute suppression was very obvious.
She paused, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Your speed is indeed very fast, but unfortunately, my Yin Water attribute perfectly suppresses your Netherworld attribute."
Zhu Zhuqing did not respond, but a glint of light flashed in her eyes as her soul power condensed once more.
"Third Soul Skill, Netherworld Shadow!"
Black light emanated from Zhu Zhuqing, making her figure even more ethereal.
This soul skill can greatly increase attack power and speed, and is the core enhancement skill of the Netherworld Cat.
Zhu Zhuqing's aura instantly surged to a higher level, and her figure vanished from the spot once again, moving at a speed so fast that it was almost impossible for the naked eye to detect.
Zi Ji narrowed her eyes slightly, fully activating her spiritual perception. Zhu Zhuqing appeared behind Zi Ji, her right claw lashing down with a sharp gust of wind.
Zi Ji dodged to the side, but Zhu Zhuqing's speed was nearly 50% faster than before.
One claw missed, and the second claw followed closely behind.
Zi Ji dodged repeatedly, but found that she couldn't keep up with Zhu Zhuqing's speed.
"A decent increase," Zi Ji said softly.
Instead of dodging, she waved her right hand, and a black wall of water condensed in front of her.
Zhu Zhuqing's sharp claws gripped the water wall, splashing up a large amount of water, but the water wall only trembled slightly and was not torn apart.
Zhu Zhuqing knew that speed alone would not be enough to break through Zi Ji's defenses; she needed a stronger ability to penetrate them.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Netherworld Bone-Corroding Spike!"
A layer of black light condensed on Zhu Zhuqing's right claw, and that light emitted a strange corrosive aura.
This soul skill can greatly enhance the ability to break through defenses, and it also has the effect of ghostly corrosion and penetration.
Once hit, the soul power will directly erode the opponent's body, causing continuous damage.
Zhu Zhuqing's figure was like a black meteor, heading straight for Zi Ji.
Murasaki felt the threat of this attack and stopped being careless. She crossed her hands in front of her and a black water shield condensed.
"Bang!"
Zhu Zhuqing's Bone-Eating Spikes struck the water shield. The black corrosive power collided violently with the water shield, leaving a small dent. The corrosive power was slowly seeping in.
A hint of surprise flashed in Zi Ji's eyes.
"This soul skill can break through my defense?"
Her soul power surged, and a powerful counterforce erupted from the water shield.
Zhu Zhuqing was knocked back several steps, but there was no sign of discouragement on her face. That attack had already proven that her attack could pose a threat to Zi Ji.
Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, and her figure flashed again.
"Shadow of the Underworld!"
Her third soul skill was activated again, and her speed and attack power increased once more. Then, she used her fourth soul skill again.
"Netherworld Bone-Corroding Thorn!"
This time, her attack angle was even more cunning, heading straight for Murasaki's throat.
Instead of taking the hit head-on, Murasaki shifted her body to the side and swung her right hand.
"Yin Water Whip!"
A black water whip materialized, drawing an arc in the air as it lashed out at Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing turned around and dodged the water whip, but the rhythm of her attack was disrupted.
Zi Ji seized the opportunity and conjured a water whip in her left hand.
"Double Whips of Yin Water!"
The two water whips, like two black venomous snakes, intertwined in the air to form a large net. Zhu Zhuqing's figure weaved through the shadows of the whips, narrowly avoiding each attack.
But Murasaki's attacks were relentless, giving her no chance to catch her breath.
Zhu Zhuqing knew that if things continued like this, she would be worn down to death.
She had to break the deadlock, and disregarding the threat of the water whip, she charged straight at Murasaki.
The black light on his right claw condensed to its maximum, and he thrust it out with an indomitable momentum.
Zi Ji raised an eyebrow, not expecting Zhu Zhuqing to fight so desperately. She withdrew her water whip and formed hand seals in front of her.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Abyss Dragon's Roar!"
A deep dragon roar came from Zi Ji's mouth. The sound was not loud, but it carried a soul-stirring power.
The dragon's roar spread out as if it were a tangible sound, and Zhu Zhuqing's body stiffened slightly, causing the attack of the Bone-Eating Thorn to slow down by three points.
But Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and used the internal force of the Nine Yin Manual to forcefully dispel the influence of the dragon's roar.
Her attack continued forward, striking Murasaki's shoulder hard.
"puff!"
The corrosive power of the Bone-Eating Thorn instantly invaded Zi Ji's body.
Zi Ji groaned and circulated her soul power to dispel the corrosive force, but a shallow wound was already left on her shoulder.
"You hurt me." Zi Ji's tone carried a hint of surprise.
A gasp of surprise erupted from the audience.
"Zhu Zhuqing has hurt Zi Ji!"
"A level 55 injury turned into a level 62 injury, that's incredible!"
Zi Ji looked at Zhu Zhuqing, her admiration deepening.
"You are indeed very strong. You are the first Soul King of level 55 to be able to hurt me."
Her tone became serious: "However, I won't give you another chance from now on."
Zi Ji raised her hands, and the soul power within her body surged out like a volcanic eruption.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Abyss Domain!"
Black vapor emanated from Zi Ji, quickly enveloping the entire arena.
The moisture carried an extreme chill and was highly corrosive. Within this area, Zi Ji's perception was greatly enhanced.
Zhu Zhuqing felt her movements become sluggish and her soul power circulation was suppressed.
She knew she had to make a decision as soon as possible.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Netherworld Concealment!"
Zhu Zhuqing's figure instantly became illusory and then completely disappeared into the air. This was not an ordinary invisibility, but a stealth skill with the Netherworld attribute.
Not only can it conceal its form, but it can also hide its aura, and even perfectly conceal its soul power fluctuations.
Zi Ji was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She closed her eyes and released her mental energy to perceive the surrounding space.
But Zhu Zhuqing seemed to have completely disappeared, leaving no trace whatsoever.
This is the power of the Netherworld Concealment.
While in stealth mode, Zhu Zhuqing's attributes will be enhanced, and her first attack will be significantly more powerful.
Zi Ji smiled slightly and said softly, "Interesting."
She didn't search for Zhu Zhuqing's whereabouts; instead, she unleashed her full soul power.
"Abyss Domain, fully activated!"
The power of the Abyss Domain was raised to its peak, and the entire arena was shrouded in black mist. Zi Ji's perception reached its zenith within this domain.
Finally, she caught a very subtle fluctuation.
"Found it."
Zi Ji's figure vanished from her spot in an instant, and the next moment she appeared beside Zhu Zhuqing.
...