Chapter 361: The True "Ornament" Zhu Zhuyun
On Arena One, Hu Liena and Zhu Zhuyun stood ready, silently waiting for the referee's announcement. As fellow students of White Cloud Academy and finalists in the competition, their strength was undeniable, and neither dared to underestimate the other.
The referee's voice rang out. "Contestants, take your positions! The match is about to begin!"
That familiar, commanding voice descended from above as if from the heavens. Of course, this wasn't because the referee possessed godly power it was merely an effect created by the broadcasting system.
"Ready..."
"...Begin!!"
As soon as the match started, a faint smile appeared on Hu Liena's lips. As her martial soul was released, her beauty seemed to intensify, and a fluffy tail sprouted from behind her. A soft crimson glow radiated from her body as she locked eyes with Zhu Zhuyun. Her charm was not limited to the opposite sex this was a form of spiritual illusion that worked on anyone, regardless of gender.
Anyone who made eye contact with her would fall into an illusion.
But to Hu Liena's surprise, Zhu Zhuyun, despite having only three soul rings two purple and one black remained completely unaffected. In fact, she didn't even attempt to avoid her gaze and met it head on!
"Impossible! Could her spiritual power be stronger than mine?" Hu Liena was stunned.
What she didn't realize was that Zhu Zhuyun's resistance had nothing to do with her own strength. Instead, it was entirely thanks to the three headed dog at her feet.
Zhu Zhuyun herself wasn't particularly powerful, but her contract soul beast was!
Hu Liena's six tailed white fox was undoubtedly an exceptional soul beast, but compared to a three headed dog especially a mutated three headed dog it was on a completely different level.
The disparity was so vast that it was almost laughable.
In truth, Zhu Zhuyun's presence in the finals had little to do with her own abilities. She had relied entirely on her soul beast to carry her through every round.
But this was a Contract Soul Master competition, where relying on one's soul beast wasn't shameful it was expected. Zhu Zhuyun accepted this without hesitation, carrying herself with confidence.
"Surprised?"
Seeing the astonishment in Hu Liena's eyes, Zhu Zhuyun smirked and said casually, "If this shocks you, just wait. There's more to come. Xiaosan, show her your true power!"
The three headed white furred dog, named Xiaosan, let out a low howl. A silent, invisible ripple spread through the air.
Suddenly, Hu Liena's world shifted.
An instant later, she was no longer on the arena.
Instead, she found herself standing in a vast, snowy landscape.
Endless white stretched as far as the eye could see. Snow blanketed the ground, and flurries continued to fall from the sky. An icy chill seeped into her bones, biting through her thin clothing.
A gust of cold wind blew past, making her shiver. She reached out, catching a snowflake in her palm, feeling its icy texture.
Hu Liena's eyes widened in shock. "An illusion?! You're capable of creating something this realistic? That's impossible! Does this mean your spiritual power is truly that strong?"
Zhu Zhuyun chuckled, kneeling down to affectionately scratch Xiaosan behind the ears. "The strong one isn't me it's Xiaosan."
She spoke with an air of nonchalance, but in truth, she was incredibly proud of her soul beast. With her own limited talent, she would never have made it this far in the competition on her own.
If it weren't for her younger sister Zhu Zhuqing pulling strings for her, the three headed dog clan would never have allowed such a powerful beast to form a contract with her. Connections truly made life easier.
"This little one?"
Hu Liena glanced at the seemingly harmless three headed dog that was enjoying Zhu Zhuyun's affection. She found it hard to believe. "I thought your three headed dog had an ice attribute. How can it trap me in an illusion?"
"I never said Xiaosan was only an ice type soul beast."
Zhu Zhuyun smirked, thoroughly enjoying the moment. Showing off in front of one of the academy's top students felt amazing like drinking a cold beverage on a scorching summer day.
"Does that mean, like my white fox, Xiaosan also has both ice and spiritual attributes?" Hu Liena speculated as she studied the creature's snowy white fur and blue markings.
"You can guess all you want." Zhu Zhuyun grinned, refusing to confirm or deny anything.
Hu Liena clenched her jaw. "So smug! You wouldn't even have this soul beast if not for your connections!"
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down. She was trapped in an illusion, but that didn't mean she would accept defeat.
As a fox type soul master, she was an expert in illusions. There was no way she would let herself be outdone by a dog in this domain!
"Xiaobai, let's go!"
Hu Liena channeled her soul power to its peak. A pair of fluffy fox ears sprouted atop her head alongside her tail.
"Awoo!"
Her six tailed white fox let out a cry before merging into her body.
This was the Fusion State, a technique Contract Soul Masters naturally unlocked when their synchronization with their soul beast reached a certain level.
In this form, the soul master could fully utilize their soul beast's abilities and inherit their physical attributes. In some cases, when the soul master and soul beast were highly compatible, their fusion could produce a power that exceeded the sum of its parts.
For Hu Liena, whose martial soul was also a fox, the compatibility with her six tailed white fox was incredibly high.
As a result, their fusion was not just surface level it was a true enhancement, making her significantly stronger than before.
"Crack!"
A visible crack appeared in the snowy illusion world.
Zhu Zhuyun's eyes widened slightly in admiration. "She's already starting to break free from the illusion? Impressive."
But then her expression shifted, turning calm.
"Unfortunately..."
"You're too late."
Reality
"Bang!"
Zhu Zhuyun's hand struck Hu Liena's neck in a precise, clean chop.
Just like that, Hu Liena collapsed unconscious.
Ironically, she had been defeated by the very same move she had used to eliminate her previous opponents.
(End of Chapter)
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