"Is… is that really true..."
Wang Ye's eyes were blank, Jiang Jue's words still thundered in his ears like explosions. His once indomitable heart... was actually beginning to waver.
"Referee! Otto Academy concedes!"
The Otto team captain, seeing Wang Ye in this state, immediately shouted out. As the protective light screen over the arena fell, he rushed to Wang Ye's side and helped him up.
Wang Ye was one of Otto Academy's only two Soul Kings. The team's performance in future matches would rely heavily on him—they couldn't afford to let him fall here.
"Tsss—!"
As the Otto captain's palm touched Wang Ye's chest, an intense chill pierced his hand. The icy energy still lingering in Wang Ye's body was violent and unrelenting.
"Wang Ye! Wake up!"
Even after being supported to his feet, Wang Ye remained dazed. A trace of struggle flickered in his eyes, and after the captain injected a stream of soul power into him, his body finally began to recover.
"Referee, Otto Academy will concede all subsequent matches against the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy."
After saying this, the Otto captain hurriedly dragged Wang Ye offstage—headed straight for their healing-type soul masters. The ice attribute in Wang Ye's body was still expanding!
Jiang Jue watched Wang Ye being helped away with a calm gaze.
He knew very well—if Wang Ye could overcome this mental hurdle, his future achievements would be immense. But if he couldn't...
Then he had no future at all.
"I declare the winner of the first round of the round-robin tournament: Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy!"
The referee's voice rang out.
In the next instant, the previously silent arena erupted like a tidal wave. Cheers surged from every direction. Countless spectators shouted with fanatical excitement, their eyes locked on the young man at the center of the arena.
"Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy!""Jiang Jue! Jiang Jue! Jiang Jue!!"
Among the crowd were many citizens of the Sun Moon Empire, flushed with excitement, their necks stretched as they shouted at the top of their lungs.
Jiang Jue looked around calmly, nodded slightly, and began walking down the stage.
Each step he took down the steps made the cheers even louder. All eyes in the stadium followed him with burning intensity.
Atop the walls of Star Luo City, Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze flickering with thought.
"Extreme attribute… Body Martial Soul… What a Jiang Jue. What a genius youth. But why—why must he belong to the Sun Moon Empire, and not my Star Luo Empire?"
He let out a long sigh of regret, but his final words carried a trace of icy menace.
He waved his hand. A red-robed elder approached, bowed low, and after receiving a few whispered instructions, quietly left the scene.
"Genius… Only the living are called geniuses."
Behind Xu Jiawei stood a burly man, staring at Jiang Jue with an inexplicable glint of greed in his eyes.
"Little brat, you're getting more and more interesting. Let's see what surprises you bring next."
Back in the spectator stands, Lang Ya's heart was racing with excitement.
The stronger Jiang Jue's talent appeared, the brighter the future of the Body Sect became.
"Damn, Jiang Jue, you sure know how to act cool!"
"That line you said—I'm claiming it for myself from now on. You're not allowed to say it again!"
As soon as Jiang Jue returned to the waiting area of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Xiao Hongchen ran up excitedly, declaring ownership of Jiang Jue's dramatic parting line.
"You've worked hard—are you tired?"
Meng Hongchen gently pushed her older brother aside and looked softly at Jiang Jue. Her ice-blue eyes were pure and clear, without a hint of impurity.
Her first concern wasn't Jiang Jue's second martial soul, but whether or not he was tired.
Jiang Jue was touched. He instinctively took Meng Hongchen's delicate white hand, leaned close to her ear, and whispered:
"I'll tell you about it tonight."
Meng Hongchen blushed slightly and gave a small nod.
"Jiang Jue, you've really made a contribution this time."
Elder Ma said with genuine admiration. The others looked at Jiang Jue with newfound respect. During their training, they had known he was strong—but not this strong.
And now, to top it off—he had a second martial soul?
It was absolutely outrageous.
Just as Jiang Jue was about to sit down to rest, he suddenly sensed something and turned to glance in a certain direction. A green light flickered in his eyes, but he quickly returned to normal and sat down as if nothing happened.
Meanwhile, atop the Star Emperor Grand Hotel...
"Ah!"
A startled cry rang out.
Huo Yuhao stumbled back two steps, dropping the soul tool telescope in his hand. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he gasped for breath.
Xu Sanshi, standing behind him, reacted swiftly and caught him before he fell.
"What happened, Yuhao?"
The rest of the Shrek Academy group on the rooftop rushed over when they sensed the spirit link vanish and heard Yuhao's exclamation.
Due to Wang Yan's "deceive both enemies and allies" strategy, they had all returned to the hotel after their first match, leaving only Wang Yan to spectate in the arena.
But Beibei and the others weren't easily fooled—they had snuck up to the rooftop to observe the battles. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had later joined them.
"So oppressive…"
Huo Yuhao finally caught his breath and replied in a slightly stunned voice.
When Jiang Jue released the green glow from his right arm, Yuhao had felt a strange sense of familiarity. As Jiang Jue stepped off the stage, Yuhao had amplified his spiritual power to investigate further—only to have Jiang Jue glance back at him.
In that single glance, Yuhao felt his spiritual power pierced by countless needles, and his second martial soul began to tremble uncontrollably.
It was as if a grandson had just encountered his ancestral patriarch.
A crushing bloodline suppression.
And yet, his second martial soul was the Ice Jade Scorpion, the pinnacle of the extreme ice attribute among soul beasts—a top-tier existence.
What could possibly cause such overwhelming fear and submission?
"Don't worry, Yuhao. We're here with you."
"Maybe it's just Nan Nan…"
Xu Sanshi tried to lighten the mood, winking toward Jiang Nannan.
"Shut up."
Jiang Nannan replied coldly, not even sparing him a glance.
Xu Sanshi laughed awkwardly and didn't say more. Beibei stepped forward and clapped Yuhao on the shoulder.
"Yuhao, whatever happens, we've got your back."
Beibei assumed Yuhao was simply rattled by Jiang Jue's overwhelming power, and was offering comfort.
Yuhao shook his head and didn't elaborate. Even if he explained, none of them would believe it.
His Ice Jade Scorpion had already reached the extreme limit of ice—how could it possibly feel fear and suppression?
Yet at that moment, the Skydream Iceworm, still recovering from the loss of its spiritual origin during the last incident, was deep asleep and unaware.
"Beibei, you're the only one who understands me.""Get lost."
Xu Sanshi leaned close to Beibei with a weird expression, placing his hand on Beibei's shoulder.
This intimate move made Beibei's face go dark.
He was not into guys, okay?
His teacher Tang Ya was still waiting for him.
(End of Chapter)