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"I can't drag this out!" A ruthless glint flashed in Liu Erlong's eyes, and her sixth spirit ring—the second black ten-thousand-year ring—lit up! She planned to use stronger power to end the battle quickly; otherwise, if she were forced to a draw by a Soul Ancestor, where would Liu Erlong put her face?
"Sixth Spirit Skill: Flaming Dragon Sky-Burning Strike!"
The flames around her condensed instantly, all gathering onto her right fist. That fist seemed to transform into a small sun, radiating a terrifying fluctuation that made one's heart tremble! This strike was enough to heavily injure an ordinary Soul Emperor!
However, at the very moment Liu Erlong's skill condensed to its peak and was about to be launched, a purple-black eerie light flashed in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. She activated the passive effect Mo Bai had deeply modified for her—originating from the same source as "Charming Bone" and "Spring Stream" but manifesting differently— "Shadow Taming" (weakened effect on males, but extremely effective on targets with violent emotional fluctuations).
This was not an attack skill, but a mental-level, extremely subtle interference and induction. It was like the finest shadow, quietly penetrating through the gaps in Liu Erlong's emotions, which were fluctuating violently due to the battle and the use of a powerful spirit skill.
Liu Erlong suddenly felt a heart palpitation, and her condensed spirit power showed an extremely minute stagnation. The cold, determined gaze of Zhu Zhuqing in front of her seemed to overlap for an instant with a cold, indifferent figure buried deep in her memory—one that made her suffer yet left her obsessed.
"Xiao Gang..." a name flashed uncontrollably in her heart.
That single instant of distraction and spirit power stagnation was enough for an Agility Attack spirit master like Zhu Zhuqing!
Her figure moved like a ghost, getting close. She didn't attack; instead, she did something everyone found unexpected—she reached out both hands and lightly pressed them onto Liu Erlong's right wrist, which was condensing the terrifying Flaming Dragon power.
The touch was icy cold.
Immediately after, the spirit power within Zhu Zhuqing that had been modified by Mo Bai—originating from the same source as the "Spirit Casting Brand"—drilled into the gaps in Liu Erlong's meridians, which were slightly open due to her emotional turmoil and skill release, like the most cunning poisonous snake!
"Hmm?!" Liu Erlong's whole body shook violently! That external spirit power was not strong, but it carried an indescribable, cold, and deep sense of control, as if it were directly touching the restless part of her martial soul's origin! What horrified her even more was that this spirit power actually triggered the "heart-fire" within her, which had been produced by years of pent-up, unrequited love, creating an eerie resonance with her berserk Fire Dragon martial soul!
"Ugh, ah—!"
Liu Erlong let out a painful muffled groan, and the terrifying Flaming Dragon power condensed on her right fist instantly lost control and dissipated! She felt the spirit power within her body go wild like a runaway horse! Especially in her heart and lower abdomen, waves of scorching heat and emptiness intermingled, bringing sharp pain as if something were about to burst out!
"Not good! Martial soul backlash?!" Liu Erlong understood instantly. Because of her emotional fluctuation and the induction of Zhu Zhuqing's eerie spirit power, the "inner demon" conflict with her martial soul—which she had long suppressed due to heartbreak—had been triggered prematurely!
The spirit rings beneath her feet flickered violently, and the fire dragon phantom let out a painful roar, its body now condensing and now dispersing. Her skin began to turn red, her body temperature rose rapidly, her eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, and her rationality was being swiftly swallowed by berserk spirit power and surging inner demons.
"Stop!" Meng Shenji shouted in shock, about to intervene.
But Mo Bai was faster than him.
At the instant Liu Erlong's spirit power went wild and was about to go completely out of control, Mo Bai's figure appeared between the two of them as if teleporting. He didn't look at the painfully struggling Liu Erlong first; instead, he reached out and lightly pressed his hand on Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder, a wave of gentle spirit power flowing in to calm her breathing, which was slightly disordered from that risky strike.
"Well done, Zhuqing," Mo Bai's voice was calm and full of praise.
Zhu Zhuqing panted slightly, a flush that was almost invisible appearing on her cold face as she lowered her head and retreated behind him.
Only then did Mo Bai turn toward Liu Erlong, who was already half-kneeling on the ground, her whole body trembling, a low beast-like growl coming from her throat.
Liu Erlong's state was currently extremely dangerous. Deep-red spirit power burned and jumped on her skin like fire; her eyes were crimson, her rationality drowned in berserk power and pain, and the gaze she directed at Mo Bai was full of chaotic aggression. The fire dragon phantom behind her had completely lost control, baring its fangs and claws, radiating an aura of destruction.
"Principal Liu's inner demon has erupted, causing a martial soul backlash," Mo Bai's voice clearly reached everyone's ears. "Ordinary means are difficult to suppress, and forced suppression might damage her origin. Principal Meng, please activate the protective array to isolate this area to avoid affecting the academy."
Meng Shenji understood immediately. Working with Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin, they quickly activated the strongest spirit tool protective barrier around the training ground, a semi-transparent light film rising to isolate the inside from the outside.
Within the barrier, only Mo Bai, the painfully struggling Liu Erlong, and the four girls behind Mo Bai—Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, Dugu Yan, and Ning Rongrong—remained. Ye Lingling, having just recovered, was not present.
"You girls fall back," Mo Bai instructed.
The four followed orders and retreated to the edge of the field, but their eyes were fixed on the center.