The top eight teams were finalized, followed by a two-day break.
The quarterfinals would officially begin in two days—giving competitors time to rest and recover.
Unable to sleep, Chen Junting stepped onto the balcony. He threw open the heavy curtains, revealing a sliver of white on the horizon. The entire city of Ming Du lay bathed in the cold, pale light of dawn, on the verge of waking.
Last night, Ning Tian had stayed over at Wu Feng's room.
So now, Chen Junting was alone.
"Suddenly feels… strange," he murmured, glancing at the empty room. With a sigh, he returned to his bed and sat cross-legged.
"Might as well cultivate."
Just as his eyes closed, they snapped open again.
"They're here."
The words had barely left his lips when—thud!—a sound came from outside the door.
Then silence.
He swung off the bed. The moment he opened the door, he saw Di Yao standing there. One glance was enough. "You've broken through to Level 70."
"I came straight to you after breaking through," Di Yao said coolly, striding into the room without invitation.
"You're being careless," Chen Junting sighed, closing the door out of necessity—but not without a warning: "You're a girl. Mind appearances."
"Weren't you the one who wanted to see?" Di Yao shot back, frowning impatiently. Her voice dropped to a whisper, but to Chen Junting's ears, it was as clear as if she'd spoken directly into them.
At that, Chen Junting nearly spat out his tea.
Careful?
First, she was the only mysterious newcomer in Shrek's Inner Court.
Second, she was the most passionate about soul beasts.
Third, she made soul beasts destined to become soul spirits bow to her like emperors.
And fourth—aside from her human form, she'd never bothered to hide her true nature!
Where did you get the confidence to say you were careful?
Chen Junting felt genuinely embarrassed for her.
Shaking off the thought, he asked, "Now that you know your identity's exposed, what's your plan?"
"My plan?" Di Yao arched an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you think I'll return to the Great Star Dou Forest. Don't be ridiculous! I've wandered those lands for countless years—seen every inch. The human world is far more interesting. Why would I leave now?"
For the first time, Di Yao revealed a side beyond her Emperor Beast arrogance—a playful, almost childlike curiosity.
She crossed her legs, posture radiating confidence. "Since Mu En's dead, aside from you, does anyone else in the academy know my secret?"
"Definitely." Chen Junting nodded. "Senior Sister Zhang likely knows the truth."
"I see." Di Yao tilted her head. "Then I won't go back."
She straightened abruptly. "If someone knows my identity, I'm safer. As the Emperor Beast, if anything happens to me, the Great Star Dou Forest will go berserk. And the academy has an agreement with Di Tian—they'd never risk it."
'When did you get so sharp?' Chen Junting wondered inwardly.
Then, her tone shifted—seriousness replacing playfulness. "My journey from the forest wasn't just for fun. My true goal is to find a way to save my kin's future. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
This solemn demeanor finally matched her status as an Emperor Beast.
Though… "fun was just an excuse"?
Yeah, right. Chen Junting didn't believe it for a second.
"Hey! What's that look for?" Di Yao scowled. "You're not forgetting what you told me—that soul spirits can't solve—"
"I remember," Chen Junting cut in, pressing a finger to his brow. A crack split open—his Eye of Fate slowly activating.
Everything would soon be laid bare.
As ambient energy surged, Di Yao's body turned rose-gold. Her six soul rings rose beneath her, orbiting rhythmically. Behind her, a colossal golden phantom took shape—her Golden Dragon martial soul.
'Not the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, but the Golden Dragon…' Chen Junting mused, forming his own conclusions.
'Martial souls stemmed from excavating Golden Dragon bloodline potential. For transformed soul beasts, this meant tracing that lineage to unlock its skills.'
'So my earlier theory was correct.'
Through the Eye of Fate, he saw Di Yao's ritual pose forge a connection to the Golden Dragon bloodline.
Rose-gold deepened to crimson, spreading like blood essence across her body. The red glow intensified, along with the Golden Dragon's aura.
Chen Junting watched intently, missing no detail.
Time passed. Dawn brightened to full daylight.
Within the crimson radiance, a black shimmer emerged—coalescing into star-like specks that formed a soul ring. Yet the Golden Dragon phantom dimmed, as if its bloodline power neared exhaustion.
"No—it's not the bloodline fading," Elder Elias's voice echoed in Chen Junting's mind, correcting his assumption. "The bloodline's inherent patterns have reached their limit. Unless this lineage is elevated again, further progress requires alternative paths."
"I see," Chen Junting murmured, focusing on Di Yao's hand seals—the core of the ritual. Combined with knowledge of divine-bestowed soul rings, he might finally grasp self-condensed soul ring creation.
The black ring settled onto Di Yao. Instantly, a surge of power erupted—Level 71 Soul Saint, her Ultimate Attribute aura undeniable.
Yet because Di Yao hadn't transformed using her Three-Eyed Golden Lion bloodline, even at theoretical adult strength for a hundred-thousand-year beast, she remained a soul beast—not truly human.
In other words: she could shift between human and beast at will.
The moment she opened her eyes, Di Yao's first instinct was to anxiously seek Chen Junting's reaction. "Well? Did observing my self-condensation help you much?"
Chen Junting recalled his thoughts, nodding confidently. "Yes. Immensely."
"As for results…" He smiled faintly. "Just wait."
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