High above the arena, Qian Lingyi's holy sword clashed violently against Meng Hongchen's twin blades. Blinding light collided with icy brilliance, releasing a storm of energy that rippled outward from the two girls at the center. The turbulent shockwaves distorted the very air, sweeping across the training ground.
Both were thrown back—one upward, one downward. Qian Lingyi flipped several times before stabilizing herself in midair, her face solemn yet tinged with surprise as she looked at her opponent below. Meng Hongchen crashed down to the ground, retreating ten steps before she finally managed to disperse the crushing force bearing down on her body.
"You're strong. I like you," Qian Lingyi said suddenly. Her lips curved into a smile. "That's why—you'll have the honor of witnessing my sixth soul skill!"
As soon as her words fell, her sixth soul ring lit up and rose into the air, dazzling with divine radiance. Behind her appeared a towering, graceful figure—an ethereal woman with six shining wings unfurled. At that very moment, the clouds parted and a beam of warm sunlight streamed down, merging with the angelic phantom. The six-winged Angel Spirit began to dance in the sky.
Sixth Soul Skill: Angel God's Dance!
As the angelic phantom swayed, Qian Lingyi herself transformed. Her two white wings split into six, her entire body blazing with golden light. A fierce aura radiated outward, overwhelming Meng Hongchen instantly. Golden flames covered her figure, and her presence surged to a level that crushed the air itself.
"This… this is the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul? So strong!" Qian Lingyi whispered, her voice trembling with excitement. She clenched her fists, a wild smile spreading across her face.
Then, with her eyes sharp as lightning, she gazed at Meng Hongchen below. Her six angel wings beat once, and she shot forward like a golden meteor. The radiant blade in her hands had become a true Holy Sword.
Meng Hongchen, however, had been preparing since the moment Qian Lingyi released her sixth ring. She gathered her spiritual power to its peak. When Qian Lingyi dove, Meng Hongchen didn't dodge, nor did she shrink back. As expected of her fiery temperament—she met the strike head-on.
Her icy-blue longsword clashed once more against the holy blade. This time, the sword failed her—Qian Lingyi's sacred strike cleaved straight through it!
The snap of breaking steel echoed in the arena. Meng Hongchen's eyes widened in shock, frozen in disbelief. But Qian Lingyi didn't hesitate for even an instant. She sheathed her sword mid-motion, swung her leg, and slammed a kick squarely into Meng Hongchen's stomach, sending her flying.
Before Meng Hongchen could recover, Qian Lingyi rushed her again. Her fist wrapped around her sword hilt, she swung it sideways in a brutal strike aimed for Meng Hongchen's chest. Snapping back to her senses, Meng Hongchen crossed her arms before her chest to block, narrowly absorbing the blow.
But from the moment her sword had shattered, the duel was effectively over. Qian Lingyi now held complete advantage. Unless Meng Hongchen revealed a hidden trump card capable of reversing the entire battle, defeat was only a matter of time.
Did Meng Hongchen have such a trump card? Yes. But… was it worth exposing it for the sake of a sparring match?
She hesitated. Outside the field, Xiao Hongchen frantically shook his head, signaling for her not to act recklessly.
In the end, Meng Hongchen decided not to use her ace. Though bold, she wasn't reckless.
Thus, the spar ended with Qian Lingyi's victory. Yet the match itself left the deepest impression—not only Qian Lingyi's Angel Martial Soul and her sixth-ring transformation into a Six-Winged Angel, but also Meng Hongchen's flying, defensive, and offensive soul tool armor. Shrek Academy would surely devote great effort to studying both.
"Ahh…" Tang Ya sighed heavily after the duel, her face filled with worry. "We're all around sixteen or seventeen years old. Why is the gap between us so huge?"
"Exactly!" Xue Weiwei agreed with a solemn nod.
Both of them were currently at the forty-seventh or forty-eighth level. Though not yet Soul Kings, becoming one before twenty was still realistic.
"Actually, Meng Hongchen's strength isn't as fearsome as it looks," Beibei analyzed. "Much of it comes from her sixth-tier soul tool armor. Her own ability is only average.
"But Qian Lingyi is different. Her personal power is extremely strong. Especially after using her sixth ring—her martial soul even manifested six wings. She's definitely a terrifying opponent."
"Heh, Beibei, don't be so quick to dismiss Meng Hongchen," Zhu Ziyang interjected with a smile. "Her martial soul isn't as simple as it looks."
"Oh? What do you mean?" Beibei asked curiously, not offended in the least.
"Her martial soul is called the Scarlet Ice Jade Toad. It doesn't just wield ice—it also contains powerful poison." Zhu Ziyang explained, "Remember her eyes? Red, like burning coals? That's the toad's peculiarity—eyes infused with fire."
"Fire… eyes?" everyone echoed in surprise.
"Yes. The Scarlet Ice Jade Toad's poison comes from those dual-element eyes—an interweaving of ice and fire. That unique fusion produces a terrifying toxin, one both chillingly cold and blisteringly hot. Without special methods, it's nearly impossible to resist. Among us, only Tang Ya and Sanshi might barely withstand it."
"Incredible! To think such a martial soul exists…" everyone murmured in awe, but soon worry clouded their expressions again. "If we ever face her, how do we fight back?"
"Keep your distance. Unless you have a way to neutralize poison, don't fight her in close combat," Zhu Ziyang advised. "And if it's raining or snowing, run. Her toxins can merge with rain and snow. Even in the Extreme North, Scarlet Ice Jade Toads are considered overlords."
"Understood," everyone nodded seriously.
"Ah! That big-sister Qian Lingyi is coming this way!" Xiao Xiao suddenly exclaimed.
All eyes turned. Indeed, Qian Lingyi was walking gracefully toward them.
"Ziyang, what are you all discussing?" she asked sweetly, smiling as she stepped up right beside Zhu Ziyang without hesitation.
"We were just talking about Meng Hongchen's martial soul," Zhu Ziyang replied with an easy smile. Glancing back, he noticed Meng Hongchen had already left with her Sun Moon Academy peers. He then gestured toward his companions. "These are my close friends and junior brothers and sisters."
"I know Beibei and Xu Sanshi," Qian Lingyi said with a warm smile, greeting them directly.
"Heh… congratulations," Beibei and Xu Sanshi forced polite smiles. "We haven't seen you in a few days, and already you're a Soul Emperor!"
"Eh, nothing special," Qian Lingyi said modestly, though her grin betrayed her pride.
"Hello, I'm Tang Ya!" Tang Ya's eyes flickered mischievously. After introducing herself, she leaned in and said, "You seem very familiar with Zhu Ziyang. But you do know he already has a girlfriend, right? And she's his childhood sweetheart!"
"Of course I know—Jiang Nannan, right?" Qian Lingyi answered with a carefree smile, utterly unfazed. "But so what if they're childhood sweethearts? Personally, I believe in fated love!"
"You…" Tang Ya was momentarily speechless. Qian Lingyi had declared her intentions outright—she was here for Zhu Ziyang. It wasn't Tang Ya's place to interfere. That was Jiang Nannan's battle. So she threw up her hands. "Ziyang, you deal with this yourself!"
"Hehe…" Zhu Ziyang only chuckled, offering no reply.
After staying at the Academy for three or four days, Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi set out again. This time, Zhu Ziyang had gathered intelligence on three evil soul masters—perfect targets for his Fourth Trial of the God of Death.
Together, the two hunted swiftly. Fortune smiled on them: the first target they encountered bore heavy sins and matched the trial's requirements perfectly. Zhu Ziyang's fourth trial was successfully completed.
His heart soared with excitement. Brimming with joy, the two found a nearby town and booked an inn. There, Zhu Ziyang prepared to claim his reward for completing the Fourth Trial—and to step into the Fifth.
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