Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
******
Brown soul-light wrapped around Tai Long's entire body as his bones crackled and popped. Within moments his frame swelled even larger.
The burly figure that had once stood at a meter ninety instantly warped into a two-meter-fifty Giant Strength Gorilla King.
While Tai Long underwent Martial Soul Possession, Ye Lan opened the Eightfold Exquisite Mind, pondering his next move.
Of course, he wasn't thinking about how to fight Tai Long—he was considering how to perform without rousing Tang San's jealousy.
To keep Tang San from chickening out mid-fight like a craven lizard, he had to suppress his strength.
A moment later, Ye Lan settled on a plan.
He would cap his burst beneath the Soul King realm, rely as much as possible on Blue Silver Grass, and then pretend his soul skills consumed a tremendous amount of energy.
That way, Tang San—who fancied himself on par with a Soul King—wouldn't turn tail.
After completing Martial Soul Possession, Tai Long didn't take the initiative to attack Ye Lan.
Instead, he stood in place, fists clasped before his chest, and waited for Ye Lan to make the first move.
Clearly, he didn't expect to defeat Ye Lan; he only hoped to drain Ye Lan's soul power.
Seeing Tai Long's posture, Ye Lan thought, Perfect.
I'll act with you.
Golden soul-light flared over Ye Lan's body as his soul power rose by fifty percent. In the next instant, he sprinted straight at Tai Long.
Right now, the golden aura around Ye Lan shone blindingly; no one could tell he was holding back.
Facing Ye Lan's blistering speed, Tai Long's expression tightened, his massive bulging muscles tensing.
When Ye Lan closed in, he swept a whip kick toward the "Gorilla King," and with that speed boost the arc of his leg carved a golden crescent in the air.
Bang!!
The golden crescent struck true. The Gorilla King was blasted back several meters, his huge body tumbling again and again across the stage.
Feeling the numbness and pain rippling through his arms, Tai Long clenched his teeth and forced himself on with a hoarse cheer:
"I can hold on!"
The Gorilla King's first soul ring lit with yellow light as he roared:
"Stone Aegis!!"
His whole body surged; muscles turned ashen gray, and his defense instantly doubled!
Seeing Tai Long activate a soul skill, Ye Lan funneled soul power into his calves, stamping the floor at a rapid-fire cadence. He stockpiled the rebound in his thighs.
Bang!!
"Blink"—activated!
A golden flash appeared right in the Gorilla King's eyes.
Borrowing Blink's burst of speed, Ye Lan twisted waist and shoulders, snapped his arm through, and smashed a fist into the Gorilla King's chest. The crushing force detonated against Tai Long's heart and ribs.
The Gorilla King grunted, clearly injured by Ye Lan's blow.
Even so, with his defense doubled—and with Ye Lan pulling his punches—
Tai Long thought he could weather the storm. He bellowed, his two fist-hammers—each as big as a head—whirled like flails, raining down madly at Ye Lan.
Faced with the storm of fists and wind, crimson blood-qi shimmered over Ye Lan's forearms.
"Blood Aegis"—on. With blood racing at extreme speed, his muscle density spiked and his defense soared.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Gorilla King's wild barrage crashed over the golden-haired figure like a sudden squall.
Watching Ye Lan seemingly getting pounded, Xiao Wu whooped:
"Nice hit!! I didn't expect Tai Long to be this good!!"
Tang San's lips curled. "The Gorilla King is the continent's number one strength-type Martial Soul. Purely on offense, it's terrifying. Besides defense, Ye Lan isn't that special!"
Ma Hongjun glanced down, lost in thought. Was Ye Lan's strength really only this much?
Soaking in the Gorilla King's "massage" of wild punches, Ye Lan mused: This feels more like a rubdown—actually kind of comfy.
He couldn't keep enjoying it!
Boom!
Sound Shift triggered; Ye Lan flickered ten meters back.
Then, golden soul-light flared over him again. From his body—and from the stage itself—countless strands of Blue Silver Grass erupted.
Those Golden Galaxy Vines surged as one toward the Gorilla King.
Facing the onrushing gold-threaded Galaxy Vines, Tai Long's scalp tingled. There were too many of them!
And Ye Lan's Blue Silver Grass was far thicker than Tang San's.
If Tang San's were finger-thick, Ye Lan's were the girth of a thigh!
The second soul ring on Tai Long's body flashed yellow.
"Explosive Might!!"
The Gorilla King's eyes turned lava-red; his ashen body darkened into black-red. Muscles ballooned again, heat-shimmer steaming from his jet skin.
For a short time, his strength soared by one hundred and fifty percent!
The black-red giant ape windmilled its arms, and any Blue Silver Grass struck by those fists exploded into green shards.
Where the wild barrage swept, no grass remained!!!
"Good, Tai Long!!!" Tang San shouted, ecstatic.
Keep this up and Ye Lan's soul power will bleed away fast!!
Ma Hongjun frowned. "Why did Ye Lan's Blue Silver Grass suddenly get brittle?"
Yu Xiaogang said with smug confidence, "It didn't get brittle. The Gorilla King's full-skill release amped its strength to terrifying levels. The Gorilla King walks the extreme path as a power-type assault soul master."
"With Explosive Might open, Tai Long's attack absolutely reaches Soul King caliber. Ye Lan's Blue Silver Grass failing to block a Soul King's blows is perfectly normal."
Tang San nodded. "Got that, Ma Hongjun? Most people could never learn Teacher's theory."
"Got it. The Master's knowledge is truly encyclopedic," Ma Hongjun flattered.
Hearing Shrek's sideline chatter mid-fight, Ye Lan chuckled inwardly. Looks like my acting's decent. Vines formed with only thirty percent soul power won't stop a power-specialized Gorilla King—and that's exactly the effect I want.
For a time, countless vines kept surging; Tai Long kept swatting.
Within a few meters of the Gorilla King, the Blue Silver Grass was shredded like weeds before a mower.
The crowd grew restless.
"Is the Gorilla King really this strong?"
"Yeah! Lord Ye's Blue Silver Grass can't do a thing to that ape!!"
"Don't tell me Lord Ye can't take him down?!"
"No way. Have some faith!!"
After a few dozen seconds, Ye Lan felt the performance was about right. His second soul ring blazed purple.
"Blue God Oracle!!"
Six Blue Silver Priests erupted skyward—towering over thirty meters. The instant they appeared, the entire arena gasped.
"It's here!! Lord Ye's sky-piercing vines!!"
"See? He wasn't going all out before!!"
Tai Long craned his neck at the colossal Priests; sweat beaded thickly across his brow.
"Well done, Tai Long! Your task is complete!!! Just hold on! That soul skill must be burning through Ye Lan's soul power!!" Tang San hollered.
Spurred by Tang San's cheer, Tai Long snapped to.
Right—his mission was done. Every extra ounce of Ye Lan's soul power he could drain was pure profit!
"Demonic Ape Golden Body!!"
His third soul ring flared; golden light surged. The black-red Gorilla King turned radiant gold, and his defense doubled again!
"Come on, Ye Lan!" Tai Long roared. "Show me what you've got!!"
Ye Lan watched him with interest. Playing weak really did pump his confidence. Imagine forgetting he'd been one-shotted two years ago.
Tai Long's taunts didn't stir a ripple in Ye Lan's heart.
He followed the plan, and the Blue Silver Priests aligned with their master's will.
Confronted with this gilded little monkey, the Priests were intrigued—and decided to kick the golden ball.
Five immense Priests swept down together. Feeling the crushing pressure, Tai Long realized he was in trouble. He folded his arms over his head, bracing for the blow.
BOOM!!!
But the Priests did not strike the golden monkey. Instead, they slammed in unison into the stage around him.
The marble platform shattered, six massive fissures spidering out.
The backlash hurled the Gorilla King ten meters into the air.
Weightless, Tai Long flailed his hands and feet in panic. With no purchase, he was nothing but a golden ball.
One Priest was already coiled back, bow-arched to the limit. Its "Tree Whip" snapped out, all that stored power unleashing in an instant.
Bang!!
A sonic crack detonated; shockwaves hammered the Gorilla King.
In midair, with nowhere to pivot, Tai Long could only watch the colossal Tree Whip lash into him.
"Aaah!!!"
His body felt like it had been shattered; he shot toward the stands.
He hadn't flown more than a dozen meters when nearby Blue Silver Grass—its thinner tips—snared him.
With nothing but a lazy twist, the Priest flung the Gorilla King the other way, sending the golden ball sailing toward another Priest.
Tai Long's head spun; as the world wheeled, another crushing force exploded across his back.
"Aaaah!!!"
He screamed again as a Priest paddled him through the air.
Tens of thousands of spectators thrilled to the sight—the towering Blue God Oracle treating the Gorilla King like a ball—and roared their approval.
"爽——!!!"
"A soul-fighting match with a free soccer show!!"
"That 'Gorilla King' is the famous young master of Heaven Dou City's strength clan. Their whole family bullies the weak, fears the strong, and blindly covers for their own!"
"So that's it!! The Shrek brats are all bad seeds!!"
Ma Hongjun gaped as Tai Long got volleyed back and forth. "Tang San, aren't you going to admit defeat yet?!"
Tang San remained confident. "What's the rush? Look how fiercely Ye Lan's golden aura is blazing—that soul skill is obviously devouring huge amounts of soul power."
"And didn't you hear Tai Long screaming? If he can scream, he's fine!"
Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Little San is right. Think of the bigger picture. If Tai Long can't hold on, we'll concede then. And if he can't hold on, he'll concede himself!"
"I'll listen to Third Brother!!" Xiao Wu cooed, hugging Tang San's arm.
Sensing the Priests were having a bit too much fun, Ye Lan dimmed his golden aura slightly.
As the wielder of an Ultimate Light Martial Soul, tweaking the brilliance of his soul-light was trivial.
One had to admit Tang San was ruthless. His teammate was getting thrashed like this and he still wouldn't surrender?
When Ye Lan's aura dimmed, Tang San's grin finally broke loose.
As expected, a skill that strong must guzzle soul power!
Tai Long, just a little longer!
Under Ye Lan's subtle guidance, the Blue Silver Priests refrained from a finishing blow. Instead, they kept lashing out with Sonic Tree Whips at a Soul Elder's intensity.
"Ah!!"
"Ah!!"
"Ah!!"
After dozens of screams, Tai Long's third soul skill finally wore off. His massive body faded from gold back to black.
Just as Tang San opened his mouth to surrender—
Ye Lan was faster. He had the Priests self-dissipate in an instant.
The thick Priests unraveled into a dozen combat-grade Blue Silver Grass units that cocooned Tai Long completely.
The vines only needed the slightest squeeze. Blood geysered from the blue-silver cage.
"We surrender!!"
Only then did Tang San's voice ring out.
"Oh." Ye Lan's reply was flat.
He flung a lump of gore—what used to be Tai Long—back toward Shrek.
Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu looked away, unable to bear the sight.
Jiang Zhu snapped, trembling, "Tang San, didn't you say Tai Long would be fine!!!"
"I…" Tang San opened and closed his mouth, at a loss.
Yu Xiaogang hurried to cover for him. "Jiang Zhu!! Treating Tai Long is what matters most right now—use your soul skill, quickly!"
"And Little San did nothing wrong—Ye Lan is the heartless one here."
"What's important is that Little San's plan is working. Ye Lan's soul power must be low! His aura has dimmed a lot." After Yu Xiaogang's explanation, Shrek's team swallowed their fury and began treating Tai Long's wounds.
Xiao Wu asked curiously, "Third Brother, who goes next? Can I go?"
Tang San shook his head helplessly. He had no idea how much soul power Ye Lan had left, but he couldn't bear to send his beloved Xiao Wu up to be toyed with.
"Next, Huang Yuan," Tang San ordered.
"Me?" Huang Yuan pointed at himself, jaw dropping.
"That's right. Ye Lan's soul power is nearly spent. You're our only agility-attack soul master. If you use your speed to keep him kited, you might defeat him," Tang San explained.
"Xiao Wu is agility-attack too. Why not send her?" After seeing Tai Long's miserable state, Huang Yuan balked and tried to pass the buck.
"Oh? Are you questioning my decision?" Tang San slanted a look at him.
A rising killing intent seeped from Tang San's body, making Huang Yuan's skin pebble with gooseflesh.
"No, no—I was just asking," Huang Yuan said quickly.
"Xiao Wu isn't agility-attack. She's always been power-attack," Tang San said.
Huang Yuan only dared to grumble inwardly:
Oh. If you say so, then so it is.
"Remember—stall Ye Lan and your task is complete," Tang San reminded.
"Alright, I'll do my best!" Huang Yuan nodded, stepping toward the stage one halting step at a time, as if walking into an abyss.
"Shrek's next fighter is Huang Yuan!! Martial Soul: Lone Wolf. Level 35 agility-attack Soul Elder!!"
"Does this challenger have a chance against the Azure Emperor, Ye Lan?!"
"Azure Emperor for the win!!"
"Azure Emperor for the win!!"
Hearing the chants for Ye Lan, the corners of Tang San's mouth twitched upward.
Go on, shout. Shout louder!!
Today I'll end Ye Lan's legend for good!!
Huang Yuan stood far at the ring's edge, trying to keep as much distance from Ye Lan as possible.
Even if Tang San claimed Ye Lan was nearly dry on soul power, Tai Long's wretched state was still vivid; Huang Yuan wasn't about to put blind faith in Tang San.
"The Heaven Dou Empire Ranking Match—Shrek Academy's Huang Yuan versus Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Ye Lan—begins now!!"
At the referee's signal, gray light rippled over Huang Yuan.
"Lone Wolf Possession!!"
His bones clicked and snapped; in moments, Huang Yuan had turned into a wolf-man clad in gray fur.
Ye Lan watched with interest. Lone Wolf Possession—much like Uncle Tao's—he nodded slightly, wondering how Uncle Tao was doing now.
Once possessed, Huang Yuan's third soul ring flared purple.
"Heavenly Wolf Transformation!!"
"Awooo!!"
Some of his gray fur darkened to blue-black; the talons at his ten fingertips sharpened, cold gleams dancing at their tips.
With Heavenly Wolf Transformation active, the Lone Wolf's speed and attack both rose by fifty percent.
Feeling the surge of power, Huang Yuan found a sliver of confidence and lunged at Ye Lan.
A gray afterimage streaked toward Ye Lan at extreme speed.
Golden soul-light gathered in Ye Lan's pupils—Golden Gaze—open.
In his eyes, the swift Huang Yuan slowed to a crawl.
Stifling the urge to one-shot the Lone Wolf, Ye Lan deliberately dialed his soul-power infusion down to forty percent, projecting the feel of a man on the verge of exhaustion.
When the Lone Wolf closed, claws raking for Ye Lan's torso—
Ye Lan merely slipped his body aside and punched toward Huang Yuan's waist.
Huang Yuan's feet hammered the marble slabs; his body skittered backward several meters.
It wasn't that his speed exceeded Ye Lan's; he'd planned to retreat the instant he struck. Ye Lan's pressure was simply too much!
By chance—and thanks to Ye Lan's holding back—he evaded the counter.
When Tang San saw Ye Lan's speed dip further, even missing Huang Yuan altogether, he cried out in delight.
"Good!! Beautifully done, Huang Yuan!!"
Ye Lan's first strike whiffed; he lifted a leg and sprinted after Huang Yuan's retreat line.
Under his fine control, he stayed just a hair slower than Huang Yuan with skill active.
As an agility-attack soul master, Huang Yuan was hypersensitive to speed—he immediately noticed Ye Lan was slower!
Even if Ye Lan's base speed matched his, that discovery bolstered Huang Yuan's confidence.
Which meant: with Heavenly Wolf Transformation active, he didn't have to fear being run down and one-shot!
When Ye Lan closed again, he snapped a whip kick at the Lone Wolf's waist. The kick flashed into a golden moon blade. Seeing that arc, Huang Yuan's face lit up.
His first soul ring flared yellow.
"Swift Wolf Flash!!"
The Lone Wolf blurred into a gray bolt. He slipped past Ye Lan's moon blade on a lightning track and appeared at Ye Lan's flank.
Huang Yuan threw everything he had into a haymaker!
Blood-qi steamed over Ye Lan's skin—Blood Aegis—up!
Bang!!
Ye Lan skidded back several meters. As he landed, countless Blue Silver strands shot up from the ring to catch him.
After knocking Ye Lan back, Huang Yuan's confidence ballooned.
Maybe he could defeat Ye Lan today and make his name at last!!
The audience gaped. It was the first time they'd seen Ye Lan knocked away.
Countless of Ye Lan's fans erupted, chanting for the Azure Emperor.
As if buoyed by their cheers, Ye Lan's golden aura flared again; his speed ticked up another notch.
So fast!!
Huang Yuan gasped as a golden meteor appeared before him.
He'd already used Swift Wolf Flash and couldn't trigger a soul skill again so soon.
He could only cross his forearms in an X to block.
Boom!!
Huang Yuan was blasted a good ten-plus meters. The fur and skin on his forearms flushed and swelled where Ye Lan's strike had landed, pain spiking like fire.
Grinding his teeth, the Lone Wolf rolled to his feet and charged again.
He clung to the belief that Ye Lan's soul power was almost empty—what he'd seen was only a last gleam before darkness.
Gray and gold afterimages collided again and again!
With every clash, flecks of blood flicked from Huang Yuan's hide.
Each time, Ye Lan pre-raised Blood Aegis to meet the blow and took virtually no damage.
As Huang Yuan's wounds mounted, his speed sagged.
Ye Lan instantly downshifted to match him, and the duel became a brutal, visceral slugfest.
Many soul masters and commonfolk who'd been unable to track the earlier exchanges could now revel in clear, frame-by-frame violence.
The crowd's cheers surged—most of them for Ye Lan.
Noticing Ye Lan slowing, Tang San's heart grew ever more elated.
Eight years!! For eight whole years, he'd lived beneath Ye Lan's shadow.
Today, he finally had the chance to trample Ye Lan underfoot!!
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Dou Royal Academy lounge—
Oslo blurted, "There's no way the Captain is this slow. He wasn't like this when he was pummeling me!!"
"Right? Captain's only seventeen—nearly eighteen—how's he moving like a granny?" Yu Feng bobbed his head furiously.
Xue—whose soul power was the highest and who had even fused Martial Souls with Ye Lan—knew him best.
She laughed, "He's holding back to pull a stunt. His acting's this good? If I didn't know him inside out, I'd have been fooled!"
Ning Rongrong nodded like mad. "Teacher must be afraid of scaring Shrek into surrender if he goes too hard—so he's hamming it up!!"
Dugu Yan chimed in, "Idol is working so hard—putting on this whole act just to help Heaven Dou Team Two get their revenge. The real show's about to start!"
Zhu Zhuqing never took her eyes off Ye Lan, staring without blinking, worried he might get hurt from overacting.
Ye Lingling patted Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder. "Zhuqing, don't worry. I'm here. Even if Ye Lan gets hurt, I'll heal him!"
"Mm!! It's so good to have Sister Lingling!!" Zhu Zhuqing nodded hard.
(End of Chapter)