In the end, Qian Lingyi and Meng Hongchen did fight. Not in the cafeteria, but in the inner court's training arena.
Meng Hongchen could not swallow the humiliation of Qian Lingyi's provocation. So after the meal, she immediately issued a challenge. Qian Lingyi naturally didn't refuse. Having just gained her sixth spirit ring, she hadn't yet tested her new strength—this was the perfect opportunity.
Since both girls were eager, the duel was inevitable.
News that an exchange student from Sun Moon Academy was challenging an inner court disciple spread like wildfire, and soon the arena was packed. Inner court students, Sun Moon Academy visitors, and even several teachers rushed to watch the spectacle.
Zhu Ziyang stood in a corner overlooking the field, watching with a smile. The battle was steeped in rivalry, and everyone knew why.
"Zhu Ziyang, how can you be so calm? I heard those two girls are fighting because of you!" Tang Ya teased as she walked over with Beibei, Xu Sanshi, Xue Weiwei, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao. Her expression was playful. "Nan Nan's not here, and you're already causing trouble? When she comes back, I'm definitely telling her all about this!"
"You're all here too," Zhu Ziyang said, smiling.
"Hehe, we were in the cafeteria earlier," Wang Dong chuckled. "We heard every word between Meng Hongchen and that blonde girl. Senior brother, who is she? She's not from our inner court, right? She seemed awfully close to you."
"Oh, her? That's Qian Lingyi. She joined the inner court not long ago, so it's normal you don't know her yet," Zhu Ziyang explained with a smile.
"Qian Lingyi? That's a strange surname…" Xiao Xiao bit her finger, frowning slightly. "I have a feeling it's not simple."
"Not simple at all," Beibei sighed. "The Qian family name belonged exclusively to the Pope's Clan of the Spirit Hall, ten thousand years ago. Qian Lingyi is one of their descendants."
"What?!" Tang Ya and Xiao Xiao gasped in surprise. Tang Ya then asked curiously, "Wait, Beibei, how do you know that? You sound like you've met her before."
"Uh, haha…" Beibei smiled awkwardly. "Xu Sanshi and I oversaw her inner court entrance exam. Of course I know her."
"Beibei! Speak for yourself, why drag me into this?" Xu Sanshi protested.
"You were the one holding me back that day," Beibei shot back.
"Me? Holding you back?!" Xu Sanshi growled. "Who would've guessed the Dean would make us two fresh Soul Kings test someone already at peak Soul King level? And I didn't expect her attack power to be that overwhelming!"
"So that's it! You and Beibei were defeated by that girl," Xue Weiwei said with a clap, her eyes wide.
"Ugh… Weiwei, have some mercy. Don't just say it out loud like that!" Xu Sanshi groaned, looking pitiful.
"Pfft—" the group burst into laughter.
"Alright, enough. The battle's about to start. Let's watch," Zhu Ziyang said, refocusing them.
On the stage, Qian Lingyi and Meng Hongchen faced each other. Qian Lingyi wore a faint smile, while Meng Hongchen's expression was stormy. Han Ruoruo stepped in as referee, standing between them. She glanced at both girls—neither of whom she knew personally—and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Ready!" both girls answered in unison.
"Good. Each of you, step back ten meters. Remember—this is a sparring match. Stop before things go too far. No harming each other's lives."
Neither responded, but both complied. Han Ruoruo gave a sharp command:
"Begin!"
In a flash, she leapt out of the arena.
Qian Lingyi and Meng Hongchen immediately released their martial souls.
Qian Lingyi's Angel martial soul appeared, causing an uproar among the onlookers. Many inner court students were stunned—this seemingly unfamiliar girl was actually an Angel Spirit user. For them, the Angel's history was far too familiar. Her two yellow, two purple, and two black spirit rings drew less attention in comparison.
Meng Hongchen's transformation was far more striking. Her hair turned snow white, her blue eyes flushed crimson, and her skin gleamed like jade. Behind her appeared the phantom of a white jade toad with eyes like burning suns. Five spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—glowed brilliantly.
This was her martial soul: the Scarlet Ice Jade Toad, a top-tier poison-type ice spirit.
Meng Hongchen, though only a Soul King, attacked first. Her first spirit ring lit up, conjuring a grayish poisonous mist in her hands. With a graceful push-off, she charged forward.
Qian Lingyi smiled faintly. Her angelic wings beat once, lifting her into the air. A radiant sword appeared in her hands. Her first ring shone, and holy light cascaded down from her wings and blade, flooding the arena.
Meng Hongchen hurled her poisonous mist upward. The toxic cloud collided with Qian Lingyi's divine radiance, filling the sky with thick white smoke and crackling sounds. Their first exchange ended in a draw.
But Meng Hongchen wasn't finished. Retreating several steps, she summoned thirteen icy-blue lights that wrapped around her body. A set of gleaming armor materialized, covering her from head to toe. Twin icy blades extended from her hands, while three pairs of mechanical ice-wings unfolded behind her, radiating freezing energy.
"Hmph! Did you think you were the only one who could fly?" she sneered, flapping her wings and rising into the air.
Her sixth-tier soul tool armor stunned not only Qian Lingyi but also the spectators, who for the first time grasped the true power of the Sun Moon Empire's soul tool technology.
"So this is the soul engineering of the Sun Moon Empire?" Zhu Ziyang murmured. "Impressive."
"It looks like Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect still have a long road ahead of them," Tang Ya admitted reluctantly.
Qian Lingyi only smirked. "Borrowing flight from a machine and being born with wings are two very different realms." With a graceful twist in midair, she activated her second ring. Her radiant sword blazed with holy fire, and she dove straight at Meng Hongchen.
Meng Hongchen's aura surged, her second, third, and fourth rings activating at once. The arena filled with icy platforms as frosty light spread beneath her. Her body glowed with azure flame, her aura spiking as she raised her twin swords to block Qian Lingyi's holy strike.
With a cold snort, Meng Hongchen's strength flared. She knocked Qian Lingyi's sword away, forcing the Angel back dozens of meters before she regained her balance.
Eyes wide, Qian Lingyi exclaimed, "I didn't expect you to be so strong with that armor on!"
"Heh! Of course!" Meng Hongchen said smugly. "This is my grandfather's masterpiece—the Ice Blue God Armor, a sixth-tier soul tool set!"
"So it's just a gift from your elders. No wonder," Qian Lingyi said with a mocking smile.
"What of it? My grandfather dotes on me. If your elders gave you treasures, you could use them too!" Meng Hongchen retorted proudly.
"Ugh…" Qian Lingyi, momentarily embarrassed by the counter, hid it with action. Her fifth spirit ring shone brilliantly as she summoned her strongest skill—Holy Sword Descent—and slashed down with full force.
Meng Hongchen grew solemn. Even with her Ice Blue God Armor, she dared not take a Soul Emperor's fifth ability lightly. Her own fifth ring blazed, summoning her ultimate attack. Twin blades intertwined with two violet dragons, spinning violently as they clashed head-on with Qian Lingyi's holy sword.
The collision shook the entire arena.
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