"Everyone, I have an announcement to make!"
The Shrek Six had just returned to the lounge and were still passionately discussing the match when Flender hurried in, clapping his hands loudly to draw their attention.
His face was flushed with excitement, and behind his golden-rimmed glasses, his eyes gleamed like piles of gold coins.
Dai Mubai chuckled and said to the others, "I bet the teacher's found us another sponsor."
Fatty (Ma Hongjun) immediately groaned, covering his face dramatically. "Don't tell me! Our uniforms are already ugly enough. Where could they possibly add more advertisements?!"
Oscar's eyes flickered toward Ma Hongjun's chest—still one of the few untouched patches of cloth.
"Bah!"
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing both flushed red, spitting in disgust. Ning Rongrong went as far as to scold Oscar relentlessly.
Oscar only scratched his head and laughed foolishly. Yet, when Ning Rongrong's gaze softened as it fell on Tang San, his smile faltered, his expression dimming slightly.
Flender noticed this small detail, sighed inwardly, then clapped again.
"What are you all thinking? You're guessing wrong. This time, it's truly good news!"
"What kind of good news?" they asked eagerly.
Flender grinned, savoring the suspense before proudly announcing:
"The Spirit Hall has just issued a statement—they're increasing the rewards for this year's Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament!"
"What?!"
Everyone's eyes lit up with excitement.
But Tang San's heart sank instantly, a foreboding chill spreading through him.
Flender went on enthusiastically, "Any team that reaches the finals will receive five hundred thousand gold spirit coins! In addition, Spirit Hall will provide lifelong cultivation resources to those teams free of charge!"
He paused dramatically before adding, "And that's not all—every finalist will also have the right to choose further training in Spirit Hall's academy. As for the champions… they will be rewarded with three spirit bones!"
"Whaaaat?!"
Fatty clutched his head and screamed, staring at Flender in disbelief.
"Are you sure you didn't misspeak?! Rewards this outrageous?!"
Oscar and the others were equally stunned, their eyes wide with shock.
For Fatty and Oscar, both from humble origins, the lure of gold and cultivation resources was irresistible. Even Dai Mubai and Ning Rongrong, who came from privileged backgrounds, couldn't remain calm when they heard the words three spirit bones.
Spirit bones—the treasures every soul master dreamed of. Usable by any soul master, granting powerful innate abilities, and often enough to push one beyond their peers.
Tang San drew in a sharp breath, his chest tightening. This is bad…
He swept his gaze over his teammates. Their eyes burned with determination, their spirits blazing as if they were ready to storm back into the arena immediately.
Even if I try to hold back now… with rewards like these, no opponent will go easy on us. If I suppress myself, all that will happen is that I'll get crushed instead.
Tang San gave a bitter smile, sighing inwardly. So be it. Fate has left me no choice. Since things are already like this… I'll fight with everything I have for their sake. I can always find another way to slip away later.
Meanwhile, at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—
Lin Fan sat upon a throne of living flesh within the rapidly expanding hive cluster, his gaze thoughtful as he observed the swarm's progress.
Not far away, upon a crystalline bed of condensed energy, a graceful figure rested in deep slumber.
"Mmm…"
Dugu Yan stirred, slowly opening her mismatched crimson-green eyes. Memories of the previous night surged in her mind, painting her cheeks a delicate shade of red.
She rose, waving her hand. The creep parted, and a pool of translucent energy-water formed at her command. With a fluid grace, she stepped into the spring, her jade-like skin glowing as the liquid lapped against her body, cleansing and soothing her.
Lin Fan, drawn by her movement, descended from his throne. A faint smile curved his lips as he joined her in the spring.
Ripples spread outward, sparkling in the strange light.
Dugu Yan trembled slightly, her face growing hot as she leaned against him. Her soft voice quivered, "My Lord… it's daytime…"
Lin Fan lowered his head, his breath brushing against her neck, and replied with calm certainty.
"Does that matter?"
Her resistance melted away. She relaxed fully, surrendering herself to his guidance.
"Yan'er," Lin Fan said softly, his tone shifting to seriousness, "I haven't yet taught you how to properly cultivate with your new body, have I?"
Dugu Yan blinked in surprise. "Eh?"
A moment later, a surge of warm soul power coursed into her, spreading through her meridians like flowing fire. Realization dawned in her eyes—this was no simple intimacy. This was cultivation, a method to harmonize and control the toxic power that now defined her existence.
Relaxing completely, she allowed him to guide the flow of her energy.
"First, feel out the pathways of your meridians. Keep the power steady, and rotate it slowly, bit by bit," Lin Fan instructed, his hand pressing lightly against her back, directing the current of soul power.
Dugu Yan gasped softly at the pressure, her body shivering. "My Lord… it feels uncomfortable there…"
"Don't worry," Lin Fan reassured, slowing the circulation. "The toxins in your body are fierce. You'll adapt soon."
Gradually, he pushed more of his vast soul power into her meridians. At first she trembled with the strain, but soon her body adjusted, her breathing stabilizing. Closing her eyes, she began following his guidance, her own soul power moving more smoothly.
The spring rippled violently, energy surging like a storm.
Sweat beaded across Dugu Yan's skin as if she were a ripe fruit under summer heat. Yet within that struggle, she felt her soul power soaring, her strength rising rapidly in a way she had never imagined possible.
Even the birds drawn to the valley seemed to sense it, fluttering above as though bearing witness to her rebirth.
****
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