Chapter 49: Shared Victory, Shared Defeat

“Mystic Jade Hand!”

With both support spirits unable to assist, Nian Yun still quietly recovering, Spirit Cat and Enchanting Rabbit under control, and Dai Mubai already unconscious, Tang San found himself utterly isolated. In such dire circumstances, he could rely only on himself.

His palm, shining pure white like jade, became Tang San’s last line of defense.

“Empty hand catching a blade—then let’s give it a try.”

“Sizzle—”

“Bang—”

The jade palm shattered and cracked.

“Drip-drip-drip—”

Tang San’s whole body convulsed as he was thrown backward, his hands stained with fresh blood.

“Whoosh, whoosh.”

The Royal Battle Team’s assault was far from over. Seeing Tang San stagger back, Du Gu Yan’s anger intensified, commanding the Stone Ink and Stone Mill brothers to deliver the final decisive strike.

Two Xuan armor shields flew toward the airborne Tang San.

“Third Soul Skill: Teleportation.”

Relying on the modest soul power recovered from Oscar’s sausage, the supple-boned Enchanting Rabbit teleported in front of Tang San, catching him and leaping skillfully to evade the spinning Xuan shields.

Unexpectedly, as Xiao Wu carried Tang San soaring to avoid the attack, a dark green snake tail suddenly struck down from above, slamming the two to the ground.

“Bang!”

Dust and sand billowed up. Xiao Wu knelt, gazing at the now-unconscious Tang San, memories of happier times flashing through her mind.

A voice echoed in her ears: “Anyone who wants to harm you must first step over my corpse.”

Though surrounded, the onlookers no longer intended to attack. At that moment, Du Gu Yan’s eyes, fixed solely on the gravely injured Yu Tianheng, controlled the Azure-scaled Snake, its serpentine body slithering swiftly toward Xiao Wu.

Yun Nian did not expect Du Gu Yan’s ruthless follow-up attack and shouted to stop him, but Du Gu Yan, consumed by rage, heard nothing.

Qin Ming, watching from the VIP section, wore a face of stunned disbelief.

The three in the ordinary room were at a loss, unable to conceive any solution to the desperate situation, hoping only that a few could survive.

Struggling to lift his head, Tang San saw the snake’s fangs closing in and slowly closed his eyes.

“Drip—”

A single tear stirred ripples in his previously calm heart.

“What is this? Nian Yun’s Lotus God’s Tear—why is it in my heart?”

“Boom—”

Before Xiao Wu could ponder further, a thunderous sound roared nearby. Opening her eyes carefully, she saw a stone pillar rising to shield her.

“Boom! Boom!”

Following the noise, Xiao Wu’s gentle eyes scanned around as one stone pillar after another ascended nearby.

“Nian Yun.”

“The rock is known as the bone of the six realms!”

The sound echoed through the arena, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

A purple soul ring rose beneath Nian Yun’s feet. She clasped her hands as ‘Bell Rock’ in her grasp radiated brilliant light.

“Gather rock!”

With Nian Yun’s fierce shout, fractured stones swiftly rose from the ground.

“Rock rain falls!”

Countless stones crashed down from the sky.

“Converge!”

At Nian Yun’s command, the Royal Battle Team quickly regrouped. The Stone brothers’ soul rings glowed as they hurled their two Xuan shields into the air. Mid-flight, the shields shattered into countless fragments, weaving into a protective shield net that blocked the falling debris.

At the same time, Xiao Wu and the others were drawn back.

“Nian Yun.” Xiao Wu looked at the sweat-drenched Nian Yun, her heart aching.

“Xiao Wu, as long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters.” Nian Yun responded with a faint smile, then turned to her two companions behind her. “Rong Rong, assist me fully; Oscar, Sausage.”

Without hesitation or doubt, both summoned their spirit weapons.

“The Seven Treasures are renowned: one for strength, two for speed.”

Two soul rings appeared at Ning Rongrong’s waist, and three soul rings rose in Oscar’s hands.

“Whoosh—”

After consuming a flying mushroom sausage, Nian Yun quickly ascended halfway, the falling rocks ceased, and the Royal Academy students all focused on her rising figure.

“Myriad Phenomena!”

Nian Yun concentrated all her soul power into her left hand, raised the ‘Bell Rock’ high, and the light she emitted instantly enveloped the entire arena.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Rocks rose again, this time more numerous than before. Under the convergence of ‘Bell Rock,’ a spherical mass of stone slowly expanded.

“Fall!”

Below, seven stood in tight formation, tense and ready. Except for Yun Nian, the others were visibly panicked.

Outside the arena—

“Is this really just a soul battle between Spirit Masters?”

One visual shock after another stirred every spectator’s heart.

The host, Dou Dou, had already realized at the confrontation between Nian Yun and Yun Nian that his commentary could not capture the essence of this battle. Now, at Nian Yun’s command, Dou Dou had already distanced himself from the arena.

“Stone Ink, Stone Mill, send me up.”

The two, mesmerized by the rock-shaped mass, turned simultaneously to look at Yun Nian.

“Now—the moment of annihilation!”

“Whoosh!”

With the support of the two Xuan shields, four soul rings appeared at Yun Nian’s waist. Her ‘Dream of Unity’ radiated purple and rock light in a fierce contest.

“Unthought—”

...

Several days later,

Shrek Academy.

Dai Mubai and Tang San slowly regained consciousness after several days, though their eyes lacked a certain gleam.

Nian Yun’s expression remained relaxed. Since that soul battle, clingy Ning Rongrong had become even more attached than before.

Zhu Zhuqing had also recognized the gap between her strength and Nian Yun’s. Every time she thought about how often she needed Nian Yun, the defensive Spirit Master, to intervene, she felt a pang of unease.

During Tang San’s unconsciousness, Xiao Wu often visited him, but her dependence on him gradually lessened. The light in her eyes subtly shifted, her youthful innocence slowly fading.

“Tap tap tap...”

“Teacher, I can’t go on, ha—ha—” Ma Hongjun panted heavily, his legs weak as he collapsed to the ground.

Clap, clap.

Zhao Wuji, seeing this, irritably grabbed Ma Hongjun and patted his back. “You, that soul battle—you really shouldn’t have been swapped out. If you’d gone in to take a few hits, you’d have calmed down.”

Flashing through his mind was the image of those running ahead. Gritting his teeth, he pressed on.

Flander watched those retreating figures, his heart full of relief yet tinged with regret.

Zhao Wuji approached. “Dean, how is the master?”

“Sigh, what else? Same as always.” Flander shook his head, looking into the distance.

“Though the master took on that soul battle just to temper these kids, and it did benefit them, who’d have thought Xiao Bai and Xiao San would end up like that? It feels like there’s some personal grudge—it’s just not right.”

*Ahem.*

Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

After that soul battle, the arrogance of the participants had largely dissipated. Yun Nian’s standing at Heaven Dou Royal Academy rose to its apex.

In the reception room—

“To earn Yan Yan’s recognition, you really are extraordinary.”

“Senior Du Gu, please don’t flatter me. A mere Soul Lord entering such a battle brings me only shame.”

“Sigh, enough of that. You’re recovering well. The poisoning—are you ready for treatment today?”

“It’s no longer a serious issue. Just waiting for your instructions, senior.”

“Good, come with me. I’ll take you to another place.”