CHAPTER 26 — "THE SPIRIT WORLD AWAKENS & A DIVINE ASCENSION"
The Spirit Pool glowed beneath them like liquid stars. The five prodigies stepped near the water's edge—shirtless for the boys, tight inner garments for the girls.
Chen Wulian flexed dramatically, muscles bulging like mountain stones.
"HEY! You two—!" he shouted at Ling Yifan and Long Hao, pointing at the girls. "Quit staring! THIS—" he slapped his chest, "—is what a REAL man's body looks like!"
Ling Yifan didn't even flinch.
"I don't swing that way."
Chen froze.
The silence lasted exactly one second—
Then Long Hao, Ling Yifan, Chen, AND Bai Qianlan all burst out laughing.Even Ouyang Xue'er cracked a smile before quickly pretending not to.
But the moment Long Hao turned to his right—
His breath hitched.
Because Ouyang Xue'er—The Divine Frost Princess—Was wearing a pink bunny-style spirit-outfit.
Pink ribbons.Pink ears.Pink gloves.
100% cute.100% not expected from someone who froze an entire arena in 5 seconds.
Long Hao smirked.
"…I didn't know the Frost Princess had a bunny side."
Ouyang Xue'er's face turned fire-red.
"D-DON'T YOU SAY A WORD—!!"
"So it's true."
"LONG HAO!!!"She stomped on his foot—hard.
Chen Wulian fell into the pool from laughing.Ling Yifan covered his mouth in dignified silence.Even Bai Qianlan's lips curved slightly, the tiniest hint of amusement.
Once inside the pool, however, the atmosphere changed.
Spirit energy surged.The water turned into glowing, swirling mist.A wave of pressure struck them.
Chen Wulian roared, punching the water.
Ling Yifan spun his spear aura, slicing energy waves.Bai Qianlan summoned illusion petals around her body.Ouyang Xue'er released frost that coated the pool's surface.Long Hao quietly circulated his Eclipse System's hidden pathways.
They were not competing—
But five geniuses fighting the pool itself felt like five titans stirring the sea.
Suddenly—
BOOOOM!!!
The water below them opened like a swirling vortex.
Runes spiraled upward.
A celestial gate materialized.
Their bodies were sucked downward—
And in the next instant—
They stood inside a glowing white realm.
Clouds drifting.Stars floating.A ground made of shimmering spiritual tiles.
"The Spirit World…" Bai Qianlan whispered.
Even Long Hao was slightly impressed.
"Not bad."
Ouyang Xue'er held her bunny hood down."Stop staring at my outfit!!"
"I wasn't."
"YOU WERE!!"
Once they separated into their own positions, the phenomenon began.
The spirit world responded to their talent. Their bodies glowed based on their natural affinities. Their surroundings warped according to their inner potential.
A crack.A thunderclap.A spear of pure starlight descended from the heavens.
Ling Yifan's eyes snapped open.
His Mystic-tier spirit exploded outward like a meteor storm—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM—!!!
The sky shattered.The tiles cracked.The space around him collapsed into a void tornado.
Long Hao stepped back slightly.
"…He's breaking through?"
Bai Qianlan's eyes widened."That's not a breakthrough… that's evolution!"
Ouyang Xue'er covered her eyes from the light.
Chen Wulian shielded himself with his arms.
Suddenly—
A golden script appeared above Ling Yifan:
[TALENT EVOLUTION: MYSTIC HIGH → DIVINE LOW]
The Spirit World ROARED.
Dragons cried in the air.Stars bent toward him.Light exploded outward like a second sun.
Ling Yifan rose into the sky, arms spread.
A divine spear materialized behind him.
Everyone stared silently.
Then Chen Wulian whispered:
"…That guy… is a monster."
Long Hao smirked.
"Good. He should be strong."
Next came Bai Qianlan's turn.
Moonlight gathered around her.
Thousands of illusion butterflies formed.
Her aura sharpened—Her physique strengthened—Her spirit mirror evolved.
[ILLUSION ROOT STRENGTH +40%][SPIRIT CONTROL +50%]
She opened her eyes—
And reality distorted behind her for a moment.
Chen swallowed.
"…Remind me never to piss her off."
Chen Wulian arched his back as golden veins surged through him.
His muscles hardened.
Spirit plates formed over his skin like armor.
[HEAVEN-FORGED DEFENSE LAYER: UNLOCKED]
He roared proudly.
"HAAAAAAAAA!!I'M INDESTRUCTIBLE NOW!"
Long Hao:"You weren't destructible before."
"BROTHER, I LIKE YOU!!"
"…No."
Ouyang Xue'er sat quietly in a lotus position.
Her divine frost aura spread…
Then stabilized.
Then stopped.
No breakthrough.No new technique.No upgrade.
She opened her eyes slowly.
"I… didn't change."
Her voice trembled.
Bai Qianlan frowned slightly.Chen Wulian scratched his head.Ling Yifan looked confused.
Long Hao walked toward her.
She looked up.
"…Am I falling behind?"
He placed a hand on her head gently.
"You're already too strong," he said softly."At Divine rank, breakthroughs don't show up easily.You're stable. That's all."
She blinked."You think so?"
"You froze an entire arena in five seconds," Long Hao replied."You're terrifying."
She blushed again.
"…Okay…"
Long Hao walked back toward his position.
Everyone expected him to have a massive breakthrough…
But of course—
He couldn't reveal anything.
So he whispered:
"Shadow Veil — Activate."
His Eclipse System flickered.
A fake glow burst around him.
His fake sigil appeared above him:
[GOLD TALENT — LOW TIER]
Then—
BOOOOM—
He forced it higher.
[GOLD TALENT — MID TIER][GOLD TALENT — HIGH TIER][GOLD TALENT — PEAK TIER]
Crowd-worthy.Believable.Safe.
Chen Wulian shouted,"LONG HAO UPGRADED HIS TALENT TOO!"
Ouyang Xue'er clapped happily."I knew you'd grow!"
Bai Qianlan observed quietly.
Ling Yifan nodded."Gold Peak fits you."
Long Hao smiled faintly.
"Just a small improvement."
Inside him, the Eclipse System whispered:
[Host deception level: Perfect.][All observers misled.]
Perfect.
The sky cracked open.
The Spirit World began collapsing gently.
The five prodigies floated back into the pool.
One by one, they reappeared inside the real world—
Stronger.Sharper.More monstrous.
Vice-Dean Rui Jin was waiting with arms crossed.
"Good. You five didn't die."
Chen Wulian laughed."Haha! We came close!"
"No, you didn't," Rui Jin said. "But it's cute that you think so."
He gestured for them to follow.
"The Dean is waiting."
Ouyang Xue'er gasped."We meet him now?"
"Yes," Rui Jin said."And he does NOT enjoy waiting."
Long Hao cracked his neck.
"Let's go."
The five prodigies walked forward—
Toward the Dean.Toward destiny.Toward the future of the continent.
[CHAPTER ENDS]