On the stands, Qian Duoduo frowned and muttered under his breath:
"No way, could this be a Martial Soul Fusion Skill? Has this generation of the Dai and Zhu clans actually produced a pair whose martial souls are compatible?"
Two spirit masters whose martial souls complemented each other and formed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill was rare, but in Shrek Academy—where geniuses from across the continent gathered—it wasn't unthinkable.
After all, in this very freshman assessment, a Martial Soul Fusion Skill had already appeared once.
Besides, the close relationship between the White Tiger Duke's lineage and the Zhu clan, one of the top aristocratic families of the Star Luo Empire, was practically an open secret in the spirit master world.
So to Qian Duoduo, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu displaying a Martial Soul Fusion Skill wasn't as shocking as Xu Zihuang crushing Dai Huabin in close combat earlier.
Yan Shaozhe only smiled, his eyes fixed on Xu Zihuang.
What will you do next?
The other teachers in the stands didn't have the insight or cultivation of Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo, who were Titled Douluo-level experts. But when Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu touched, they too realized what was happening.
"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill?!"
In the center of the arena, Dai Huabin let out a thunderous tiger's roar. As the roar resounded, his entire body expanded again, white fur mixed with black tiger stripes erupting wildly from within.
Zhu Lu bit her lip, her body shrouded in a faint black glow, becoming hazy, almost transparent. She threw herself into Dai Huabin's arms.
In that moment, their eyes held only each other. Dai Huabin's pupils fused into one, his cold gaze unchanged. Zhu Lu's, however, softened, melting with tenderness.
The aura of the White Tiger and the Netherworld Civet fully merged. It was an uncanny sensation, as though the white tiger was devouring the black cat. A torrent of spirit power erupted like a geyser from their fused bodies. Black and white light merged completely into the spreading golden radiance, a sense of transcendence filling the air.
A Martial Soul Fusion Skill wasn't one plus one equals two. Even two identical martial souls might not form one, since it required complementarity and perfect resonance. When one was born, its power exceeded mere cultivation level—it became something beyond.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's bodies vanished at the moment of fusion. Left in the assessment field was only a massive white tiger, its entire body translucent, white fur with black stripes, twin violet eyes coldly staring at Xu Zihuang.
The White Tiger Duke's lineage's true martial soul was the Evil-Eyed White Tiger, marked by its twin pupils. And its compatibility with the Zhu clan's Netherworld Civet gave high probability for a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
From ancient times, the White Tiger Duke's line had maintained close ties with the Zhu clan. When the White Tiger Dukes were still part of the Star Luo imperial family, the Zhu clan served as hereditary prime ministers. Though neither family was as glorious as before, their vast influence still held weight in the empire. Generations of intermarriage had forged strong bonds between them.
Evil-Eyed White Tiger plus Netherworld Civet produced the beast now looming over the arena—over eight meters long and two meters tall.
The Netherworld White Tiger.
On the stands, the teachers held their breath. The referee was the most tense, ready to intervene at any moment.
A Martial Soul Fusion Skill was a technique that could transform a spirit master's strength. The Netherworld White Tiger, born of a three-ring Spirit Elder and a two-ring Spirit Grandmaster, possessed the might of at least a peak Spirit Ancestor.
Though Xu Zihuang had crushed Dai Huabin in close combat, even he might not withstand such a fusion skill.
On the other side of the arena, Tuoba Yu and Cui Yajie tacitly halted their fight, knowing the outcome hinged on Xu Zihuang's battle.
At the field's edge, the Ning Tian team and the Xie Huanyue team—all six freshmen—stared at the center with mounting awe.
Is this really just a freshman-level assessment?
Xie Huanyue, with his massive body like a fleshy mountain, forced his tiny eyes wide, the fat on his face trembling.
Even as a three-ring Spirit Elder himself, even with his Ironhide Elephant martial soul's defense, he knew he couldn't last three seconds before the Netherworld White Tiger.
But while its aura was overwhelming, Ning Tian believed firmly that Xu Zihuang would win.
Part of it was instinct, an inexplicable blind faith in Xu Zihuang's strength. Another part was her pride—she couldn't bear to see his image, towering above all peers, collapse in her heart.
As the heir groomed to inherit the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, her pride was no less than Dai Huabin's.
Only someone like Xu Zihuang was worthy of her lowering all defenses.
Her clear, water-blue eyes shimmered, reflecting the dense spirit light at the center of the field.
Wu Feng's thoughts were the opposite. She had only one desire: that Xu Zihuang lose to Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's fusion skill—lose miserably, so that perhaps Ning Tian might turn back to her.
Ya Lu's thoughts were simple—she hoped Xu Zihuang would win.
The massive white tiger seemed semi-transparent, almost unreal, while Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's figures had vanished without a trace. The beast crouched slightly, then sprang forward, leaving a rippling distortion in the air as it lunged at Xu Zihuang with terrifying speed.
The tiger lifted its head arrogantly as it pounced, exuding sovereign dominance, embodying the king of beasts.
Everyone's gaze froze.
Just as its colossal claws were about to smash Xu Zihuang's head, intricate golden patterns spread outward from him, radiant and mysterious.
The golden aura twisted the surrounding space.
The Netherworld White Tiger halted midair, frozen as if time itself had stopped.
Xu Zihuang stood still, his three rings pulsing rapidly. His third ring, deep violet tinged with black, gleamed with unfathomable light.
Slowly raising his head, his golden eyes showed no emotion as they locked with the beast's.
At the same time, his second purple ring lit again.
Above the Netherworld White Tiger, ten enormous dark red crystal lances, each more than ten meters long, materialized in an instant. Their sharp tips gleamed brilliantly.
With a gesture of his right hand, the lances pierced downward at unnatural speed, skewering the white tiger's body.
The mighty Netherworld White Tiger's illusory form shattered. Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu crashed to the ground, too weak even to stand.
Face pressed to the floor, Dai Huabin forced his head up, glaring at Xu Zihuang with twisted features and bitter unwillingness.
He had lost—completely.
Yet he couldn't accept it.
No longer blinded by rage, he had to admit Yu Tianhuang truly was stronger.
"You only rely on the advantage of your soul skill. Once my cultivation improves, this gap will shrink. Next time, I will never lose again!"
His words weren't wrong in theory. As cultivation advanced, especially beyond Titled Douluo level, unless one had a hundred-thousand-year ring, victory was decided more by martial soul quality, foundation, and rank.
But Xu Zihuang was not someone bound by common sense.
He didn't even spare Dai Huabin a glance, stepping past his defeated form.
"Those defeated by me will never again be considered opponents. I'll give you time to catch up—until you can no longer even see my shadow."
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