Right now, there was still some time before classes ended at Shrek Academy's outer court, and the lakeside path was completely deserted. Ning Tian leaned against Xu Zihuang's shoulder, gazing at the rippling, crystal-clear surface of the Sea God Lake, immersed in this serene moment.
Early spring was approaching, and all things were reviving. The trees and flowers along the Sea God Lake's shore had sprouted tender buds, the air was fresh and pleasant, and the chill had already faded.
Xu Zihuang gently took Ning Tian's jade hand, which had been resting quietly on his flat abdomen, and placed it on his thigh. With a warm smile, he said, "What's wrong? Are you a little concerned about Wang Qiu'er?"
Ning Tian looked at Xu Zihuang with a slightly stunned expression.
Wang Qiu'er appeared very cold toward everyone else, yet she showed a different side only when facing Yu Tianhuang. Thanks to a woman's intuition, she had keenly noticed this earlier.
Although Xu Zihuang seemed to have no other feelings toward Wang Qiu'er and maintained his usual calm and indifferent attitude with no changes, it would be impossible for Ning Tian to say she had absolutely no thoughts about it.
"Yes, I am concerned. Wang Qiu'er is so beautiful and so strong, isn't that exactly the type of girl male soul masters like the most?" Ning Tian pouted slightly in mock complaint, her cherry-red lips looking especially alluring.
"And her figure is much better than mine."
"That's actually true." Xu Zihuang smoothly followed her words and nodded seriously, as if in complete agreement.
Ning Tian never expected Xu Zihuang to respond this way and immediately widened her eyes. But noticing the amusement deep in his gaze, she felt both shy and annoyed. She leaned close to his ear and lightly gritted her silver teeth.
"How come you never complained all those times before?"
Only in front of Xu Zihuang would the dignified and elegant Ning Tian reveal this side of herself.
But right after saying it, Ning Tian regretted it. Even in private moments between the two of them, she rarely spoke such explicit words.
Sure enough, Xu Zihuang's gaze instinctively shifted downward a little.
"I think sometimes size isn't the primary standard for judging quality."
Two blushes instantly bloomed on Ning Tian's delicate face, but she did not attempt to cover up. She sat up straight, openly displaying her graceful curves, and looked at Xu Zihuang with complete frankness.
"Tianhuang, I admit I'm a little jealous, but I trust you more. I believe you will never betray my trust."
Xu Zihuang was silent for a moment before smiling again, without giving a direct response. But Ning Tian's goal had actually already been achieved.
She had played him.
"Hehe, this is your reward."
Ning Tian smiled knowingly, her face beaming as she leaned toward Xu Zihuang's.
...
After this personal elimination sparring match, everyone's subsequent academy life returned to normal once more.
To prepare for the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, both the Shrek representative team and the Tang Sect representative team were grinding their teamwork and cultivating mutual understanding.
Shrek Academy had only one Soul Fighting Arena. Normally, aside from being used by the Shrek representative team, it was also needed to support teaching tasks for the Martial Soul Department's outer court.
As a result, the Tang Sect representative team had no choice but to find a venue outside Shrek City for their own training. The two teams were thus separated.
Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian only occasionally exchanged ideas with Beibei, Tang Ya, and the others in the evenings after training ended.
Worth mentioning was that Wang Qiu'er appeared punctually in the Soul Fighting Arena the very next day. After suffering a crushing defeat at Xu Zihuang's hands, she seemed to have calmed down considerably and no longer challenged him.
However, her attitude toward others remained unchanged, still just as cold.
Dai Huabin, in particular, was brutally beaten by Wang Qiu'er several times during regular training. Fortunately, Shrek Academy had the best healing-type soul master team to provide timely treatment. Otherwise, Dai Huabin might have had to spend the time leading up to the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament lying in bed.
This further ignited Dai Huabin's competitive spirit.
In short, the Shrek team's integration was progressing in a positive direction.
Having lost Beibei, Xu Sanshi, and He Caitou, the three Soul Emperor-level powerhouses, the Shrek team's overall strength had undoubtedly weakened. But with Xu Zihuang holding the fort, the absence of those three didn't make much difference.
Moreover, this new Shrek representative team was truly overflowing with talent.
They not only had Wang Qiu'er, whose combat power surpassed the Soul Emperor level, but also Ning Tian, the soul master of the auxiliary system of the Nine Glazed Treasures Pagoda, and Nanmen Yun'er, who possessed a flying-type beast martial soul with a top-level attack system.
Wang Qiu'er and Ning Tian were undoubtedly outstanding in their respective specialized fields, while Nanmen Yun'er was also one of the most exceptional combat masters of the attack system at the same level. With the formidable power of his martial soul, Emerald Demon Bird, only in speed and lethal power, he could even rival ordinary attack system combat soul emperors.
Dai Huabin, Xie Huanyue, Wu Feng, and Xiao Xiao were all outstanding five-ring Soul Kings carefully nurtured by Shrek Academy. Combined with Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's martial soul fusion skill Netherworld White Tiger, as well as Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo sisters' martial soul fusion skill Heavenly Net Earth Web, their tactical options were quite diverse.
Even Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan's martial soul abilities were quite good. Although their soul power cultivation was weaker, if properly arranged, they might still play unexpected roles.
Xu Zihuang could not personally participate in every match; many times, the others needed to fulfill their respective roles.
His main purpose in coming to Mingdu was always only one: to cooperate with the Body Sect and the Star Luo Empire imperial family to assassinate Xu Tianran.
But before that, he had to break through to level seventy. Once he obtained the seventh soul ring for his Golden Eyes and fully mastered his martial soul true body abilities, he would be able to handle any situation with ease.
At that point, even if the assassination of Xu Tianran failed, he could rely on the void ability of his Golden Eyes martial soul true body to take everyone and escape far away, truly coming and going freely.
Back then, even a top-tier powerhouse like the Demon Empress couldn't stop him. He didn't believe the Sun Moon Empire imperial family or the Holy Spirit Cult had such a capability.
As for Kong Deming, it was still uncertain whether he had successfully created that tenth-level soul tool at this stage.
On the other side, Ye Guyi's deep meditation this time was still ongoing, so Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian could only continue waiting.
...
South City of Shrek City.
Tonight the moon was bright, and the stars were sparse. The cold moonlight enveloped the entire Shrek City. The silver moon hung high in the sky, shifting until it appeared outside the crystal floor-to-ceiling window on the other side of the top-floor hall of the Nine Treasure Pavilion.
After a period of bitter cultivation, Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian finally indulged themselves for once. Not long ago, the two had wrapped themselves in a blanket and fallen asleep in each other's arms.
The lingering flush on Ning Tian's face had not yet completely faded. Her platinum-white hair was scattered messily across Xu Zihuang's chest. Under the moonlight, her fair skin took on an even more lustrous and delicate sheen.
Suddenly, Xu Zihuang jolted awake and sat up. Realizing something, he immediately sank his consciousness into his spiritual sea.
The figure formed by his spiritual power and will quietly appeared, hovering above the spiritual sea.
The moment his figure manifested, the originally calm spiritual sea suddenly boiled. Purple-golden light shone from deep within the spiritual sea, and a purple-golden light cocoon rose from it, appearing opposite Xu Zihuang.
At the same time, specks of golden light gathered, revealing a chubby figure not far from him. It was Tian Meng.
As for the Silver-scaled White Whale, it was sleeping in Xu Zihuang's second sea of consciousness. Since that second sea of consciousness was close to the external soul bone dragon scale at his brow, the Silver-scaled White Whale seemed to prefer staying there.
His second sea of consciousness was also where the Gold of Life resided, where the life aura was denser and more conducive to the recovery of the Silver-scaled White Whale's spiritual sense.
"It seems she has already stabilized her spiritual origin. As expected of a top-tier plant-type soul beast like the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, only just broken through to a hundred thousand years, and already possesses such ability." Tian Meng's voice was full of envy. If its own bloodline had been noble enough, there would never have been any room for the Beast God Di Tian.
But it could only think such thoughts.
While sighing, Tian Meng wriggled its plump body over to Xu Zihuang. A human-like face condensed on its head, showing a personalized, helpless, and aggrieved expression.
"Zihuang, when will you finally break through to level seventy and let big bro become your soul spirit too?"
It was so envious! It had clearly come first, okay! Yet now others had beaten it to the punch and become Xu Zihuang's soul spirits ahead of time.
Moreover, once it formed a contract with Xu Zihuang and became a soul spirit, it could stay outside for long periods.
"Don't worry, Tian Meng. It should happen within the next few months." Xu Zihuang shook his head with a wry smile.
To be honest, he was even more eager than Tian Meng to fuse that million-year seventh soul ring. However, to lay a solid foundation, cultivation could not be rushed.
Because he had continuously fused the hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone of the pure-mental-type Evil Eye Tyrant, plus condensed a soul core, his cultivation speed at the Soul Emperor level had already been fast enough. Breaking through from level sixty-nine to seventy was best done without external assistance, through proper comprehension, letting it happen naturally.
While they spoke, the light on the purple-golden cocoon began to dim. Then a graceful young girl emerged from the cocoon.
The cocoon shattered, turning into countless specks of light that merged into the girl's body. Immediately afterward, a luxurious purple-golden dress appeared on her figure. The hem was embroidered with magnificent golden patterns resembling bamboo joints.
The girl appeared to be one or two years older than Xu Zihuang. She had purple hair and golden eyes, a tall and slender figure, and clear, beautiful features.
Compared to the few strands of purple in Xu Zihuang's black hair, the girl's hair color was even deeper. Her long hair fell to her waist, with slightly curled ends. Her jade legs were slender and long, firm and rounded. Unlike Ma Xiaotao's voluptuous sensuality, the girl exuded a wild beauty.
Her golden eyes carried pride and unruliness in every glance.
It was none other than the Thunder Hell Prison Vine in human form.
When she looked up and saw Xu Zihuang before her, the pride and unruliness in her eyes instantly vanished. She bowed respectfully and joyfully.
"Master!"
"Wow—" Tian Meng's eyes practically glazed over. Another shy yet fawning smile formed on its head.
"Um, beautiful lady, hello. Do you remember me? When you fused with Zihuang earlier, I contributed quite a bit too."
"Oh, I remember you. You're that big bug?" The Thunder Hell Prison Vine's gaze fell on Tian Meng. Her innate arrogance returned, as if she disregarded everything—until she recalled the part of her memory where Tian Meng had helped stabilize her spiritual origin. Only then did her expression soften slightly.
Tian Meng's mouth twitched slightly. It grumbled unhappily.
"What big bug? Big bro has a name, Tian Meng!"
"Yan Yu, your human form..."
On the other side, Xu Zihuang frowned slightly and interrupted Tian Meng and the Thunder Hell Prison Vine's conversation.
Though their temperaments were completely different, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine's appearance bore a five- or six-tenths resemblance to his mother, Yu Qing'er.
Having formed a contract and become a soul spirit, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine shared thoughts with Xu Zihuang. Naturally understanding what he was thinking, she lowered her head again and said apologetically.
"I'm sorry, Master. Before taking human form, I had already completed the fusion with you. Because I saw your memories, it seems I was subtly influenced during the transformation process."
Tian Meng also realized this. It looked at Xu Zihuang, then at the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, and noticed the similarities in their appearances. Understanding the situation, it fell silent.
Xu Zihuang took a deep breath, burying that trace of emotion in his heart. He stepped forward and gently lifted the Thunder Hell Prison Vine's slender jade arms.
"In that case, there's no need to dwell on it too much. But since you've seen my memories, you should know why Tian Meng chose me willingly. I believe you will never regret following me in the future."
Reaching the god level?
Meeting Xu Zihuang's deep purple eyes, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine was deeply moved, her inner excitement overflowing.
From Xu Zihuang, she truly saw that hope.
"Master, Yan Yu also believes that such a day will surely come in the future!"
In the Douluo Continent, the concepts of destiny and fate did exist. As a plant-type soul beast, she was even more sensitive to such things than animal-type soul beasts. Xu Zihuang's past experiences all indicated that he was the child of destiny born in this era.
Xu Zihuang smiled faintly, then withdrew the smile from his face. He spoke seriously.
"Then let's get to the main point. Yan Yu, I can feel that your origin power still has some remaining. Can you continue attaching soul rings to my second martial soul now?"
The Thunder Hell Prison Vine hesitated for a moment, then shook her head in shame.
"Our Thunder Hell Prison Vine clan has a profound heritage and originally should have been able to continue providing soul rings for the Master. Unfortunately, when I broke through to the hundred-thousand-year level, I consumed too much of my origin power."
"That's simple!" Tian Meng suddenly shouted, then smugly chuckled.
"Big bro still has four mental origin seals left, each containing energy equivalent to a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. You just need to provide the framework for a soul ring for Zihuang, and big bro will supply the energy needed. With your Thunder Hell Prison Vine clan's abilities, that should be possible, right? Big bro saw how smoothly you absorbed my mental origin power earlier."
The Thunder Hell Prison Vine was stunned at first, then reacted and said proudly, "Of course I can do that."
"No time to waste, let's start now. Tian Meng, Yan Yu."
Xu Zihuang's eyes burned as he gave a light laugh. The terrifying thunder power compressed by the Thunder Hell Prison Vine had already given birth to a trace of destructive force, perfectly matching his second martial soul, Purple Radiance Hell Dragon, in attributes.
It was simply ideal. Using the soul rings provided by the Thunder Hell Prison Vine to imprint the Dragon Emperor's Evil-Breaking Slash and Dragon Emperor's Shock Domain that Mu En had taught him was perfect.
"Then big bro will release the seal first." Tian Meng's tone became more serious as it guided one of the golden light orbs hovering above Xu Zihuang's spiritual sea.
The orb shone like a golden sun. Under Tian Meng's guidance, it floated toward the Thunder Hell Prison Vine.
Moments later, in the top-floor hall of the Nine Treasure Pavilion, a blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul ring quietly appeared around Xu Zihuang. Its eerie glow illuminated his face.
After this soul ring rose, another identical red hundred-thousand-year soul ring slowly ascended.
"Big bug, release another seal." The Thunder Hell Prison Vine's voice rang out again, heroic yet filled with unbridled arrogance.
"Big bro is called Tian Meng!" Tian Meng emphasized helplessly, but its actions were not slow. It released another golden light orb's seal.
With this, only two of the ten golden light orbs left by Tian Meng remained.
At the same time, Xu Zihuang opened his eyes. Purple light filled his pupils, with faint flashes of thunder. The soul rings around him finally settled at three, three blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul rings!
"Xu Tianran, soon I will deliver this surprise to you."
A subtle arc curved at the corner of Xu Zihuang's mouth, but his expression was exceptionally cold. The three blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul rings retracted at the same moment.
Though he tried his best to restrain his soul power, Ning Tian was still startled awake by the aura of the three hundred-thousand-year soul rings.
Ning Tian sat up drowsily and looked toward Xu Zihuang beside her. The soft blanket made from Three-eyed demon fox fur slipped from her fragrant shoulder.
"Tianhuang, what's wrong?"
Once he imprinted the two additional soul rings provided by the Thunder Hell Prison Vine with Dragon Emperor's Evil-Breaking Slash and Dragon Emperor's Shock Domain, his strength would surely leap forward dramatically once more. Combined with Tian Meng's million-year seventh soul ring, an ordinary Titled Douluo would no longer even qualify to fight him.
The moment of his revenge was no longer far away.
Even with Xu Zihuang's temperament, after suppressing it for so long, he felt an excitement that made him tremble.
He did not answer Ning Tian's question. Instead, he responded with action.
Held tightly in Xu Zihuang's arms, feeling his tenderness and affection, the initially bewildered Ning Tian soon became lost in his gaze. Her arms wrapped around his waist and back as she entered the mood.
This night was destined to be sleepless.
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