"Begin!" the referee's voice boomed.
Tang Wulin dashed forward instantly, right hand flashing a crisp signal behind his back—his signature opening move.
He sprinted straight for Wang Dongqi, Hailu's captain.
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi read his gesture perfectly, flanking left and right:
Zhang Yangzi vanished toward Zhou Hanyou, Wang Jinxi locked onto Zhou Tian'er.
Three minds, one rhythm—flawless coordination.
Then—soul rings erupted beneath Hailu's trio:
- Zhou Hanyou: two yellow, one purple
- Wang Dongqi: three yellow
- Zhou Tian'er: two yellow.
Solid configurations—but Donghai answered in kind:
- Tang Wulin: one yellow, two purple
- Zhang Yangzi: purple, yellow, purple, purple—three thousand-year rings!
- Wang Jinxi: purple, yellow, yellow.
In Box 1, Long Huantian and Zhang Zhenpeng gasped.
"Level 40 Soul Ancestor… at TEN?!" Long Huantian whispered.
Zhang Zhenpeng's face paled—his confidence shattered.
On the arena, Wang Dongqi gaped at Zhang Yangzi's rings, pupils shrinking.
But she steadied her voice: "Don't panic! We have our trump card!"
The Zhou sisters locked eyes, swiftly repositioning.
Against such foes—they'd hold nothing back!
Tang Wulin's lips curled, battle-lust igniting in his eyes.
Blue Silver Grass snaked from his palm, lashing toward Wang Dongqi.
Zhang Yangzi melted into shadows, haunting Zhou Hanyou with phantoms.
Wang Jinxi activated Bone Dragon King, skeletal armor sheathing his body as he charged Zhou Tian'er.
Then—
Zhou Hanyou gripped her sister's hand.
Zhou Tian'er clasped back.
Their auras fused:
Hanyou's back blazed with blue light, Tian'er's glowed emerald green—two phantoms embraced, merging into one.
Their forms turned crystalline, radiance bursting like winter spirits awakened.
Martial Soul Fusion Skill: "Forest of Ice and Snow!"
-50°C (-58°F) cold flooded the arena—glacial spikes erupted, trapping Wang Jinxi in a frozen labyrinth!
"ZHANG YANGZI! WANG JINXI!" Tang Wulin roared.
"Leave it to us!"
Wang Jinxi bellowed, black energy swirling.
Zhang Yangzi leapt onto his back, arms locking around his waist.
DRAGON ROAR! EAGLE SCREECH!
Their bodies turned pitch-black, melting into one entity.
Zhang Yangzi's wings fused to Wang Jinxi's back, Wang Jinxi's frame swelled—bone claws sprouting, a draconic tail lashing out—
Martial Soul Fusion Skill: "Dark Eagle Dragon!"
A tide of darkness swallowed half the arena—chilling, suffocating.
Arena split:
Left: Ice HellRight: Shadow Abyss.
Shen Yi glanced at Wu Zhangkong, intrigued:
"Zhangkong—your students wield Martial Soul Fusion too?"
"I trust them," he replied—simple, absolute.
CRASH!
Ice met Shadow—and ice shattered.
Zhou sisters crashed to the ground, faces ashen, gasping. Their fusion had drained them dry.
Zhang and Wang separated, exhausted but standing tall.
"My turn," Tang Wulin murmured.
His blood boiled from the fusion clash—deep blue light flared in his eyes—his third purple ring blazed!
Third Soul Skill: "Blue Silver Prison!"
Thousand-year Blue Silver vines exploded from the earth, weaving a cage of blue-gold light around Wang Dongqi.
She snarled, second yellow ring flashing—her Flash Thunder Sword blazing silver-blue with crackling lightning.
Second Soul Skill: "Myriad Thunderclaps!"
A silver bolt sundered toward the vines—
—but the vines shivered—unbroken!
"Impossible?!" Wang Dongqi stared in disbelief.
Her lightning— failed against mere plants?!
"Now."
Tang Wulin activated his first ring.
First Soul Skill: "Blue Silver Bind!"
Vines coiled her limbs—inescapable.
She thrashed, but resistance tightened the bonds.
Defeated, she sighed: "We surrender."
"Hailu Academy concedes! Donghai Academy wins!" the referee declared.
THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE shook the stadium.
The crowd rose—awed by the fusion duel, stunned by Tang Wulin's might.
In Box 1, Zhang Zhenpeng stammered: "Fusion Skills… clashing head-on?!"
Wu Zhangkong watched on—expression unreadable, pride burning silent.
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