"Roar~"
A clear, resonant dragon's roar echoed from the Silver Dragon Spear.
The next moment, under An Zhen's astonished gaze, the illusory giant dragon circling the ice pillar flashed with an ice-blue spiritual light in its eyes, as if it had come alive. Its ice-blue dragon wings stirred up snow, and an illusory frost giant dragon leaped directly from the ice pillar.
Instantly, An Zhen's spirit power plummeted.
Should he say, as expected of the Silver Dragon King?
Ling Luochen glanced at Gu Yuena with some surprise, amazed by her powerful ice element control ability.
In the World of ice and snow, a point of crimson light suddenly shot out.
It was a blood-colored rapier. Five spirit rings did not appear around the Spirit Master but hung on the rapier, like a crimson rainbow, breaking through the ice and snow, as if tearing a bloody gash in space, shooting directly towards An Zhen.
"Sword Control in Mid-Air, huh."
An Zhen exclaimed.
A look of solemnity flashed in Ling Luochen's eyes. She knew the opponent's strength, and ice walls rose from the ground. Facing this situation, the spirit rings on the Chasing Soul Sword lit up in succession—Sharpness, Break. The already sharp blade's destructive power increased further. Even a wall of Pole Ice was forcibly broken through, but Pole Ice was ultimately Pole Ice, and the Chasing Soul Sword was stuck in another ice wall.
On the other side, the Ice Dragon had already rushed into the ice mist, extending its dragon claws to grab Gongyang Mo and Chen Zifeng, who was remotely controlling the Chasing Soul Sword. Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, significantly weakened, forcefully fought with it. The Ice Dragon, enjoying the Domain's amplification, was momentarily locked in a fierce battle with the two weakened Spirit Emperors. The power of the Ice Snow Palace continuously poured into its body, and for a time, the Ice Dragon controlled by Gu Yuena subtly suppressed the two.
"Boom!"
The Ice Dragon claw and the Fire Dragon claw clashed.
Huo Yutong's current spirit power was insufficient to fully support her innate Domain. If she were to fully activate her Spirit Bone Domain, An Zhen, with ample spirit power, could completely resist Huo Yutong with the extreme ice power of his Domain. Ultimately, it would still be a battle of spirit power. For Huo Yutong, the best choice now was to assist Ma Xiaotao and the two Spirit Emperors in neutralizing the influence of Pole Ice on them. However, a fiery figure had already rushed over.
In terms of raw strength, although she had no Spirit Ability, relying on the power of Pole Ice and the Ice Dragon King Spirit Bone, Wu Feng was naturally no match for Huo Yutong. After repelling Wu Feng with a palm, Huo Yutong immediately clenched her dragon claw into a fist and smashed it towards the large cauldron falling from the sky. To Huo Yutong's side, a point of light lit up, and golden light rained down like a storm of spears and bullets. Huo Yutong, having no defensive means, had no choice but to avoid its sharpness.
A thousand-year spirit ring lit up. Ling Luochen raised her ice staff, and an ice prison trapped Xixi, who had revealed herself due to the extreme cold and snow, and Yao Haoxuan, who was attempting to get close. Another ice wall rose high, blocking the Chasing Soul Sword attempting to break through. Ice and snow silently appeared on the Chasing Soul Sword. Although the abilities of the three were weakened due to the Domain's influence, controlling the agile Xixi and the Chasing Soul Sword was already very taxing for Ling Luochen.
"Things are looking a bit grim, aren't they?"
An Zhen blinked. Currently, there were two main battle zones: the two Spirit Emperors against the Ice Dragon, and Xixi's trio against Ling Luochen. A victory on either side would be enough to break the current stalemate.
"I can handle them."
Ling Luochen pursed her lips, speaking earnestly as if making a promise, and the blue spiritual light on her ice staff grew even more dazzling.
"Don't put pressure on yourself."
First Spirit Ability, Reflection, Spirit Eye Spirit, Light Goddess Butterfly Spirit.
A dreamlike butterfly burned with blue flames, plunging into the giant illusory Spirit Eye, as if a sleeping god had opened its eyes. Three-colored light shot out, leaving a brilliant Golden Road. Xixi and Yao Haoxuan, who were controlled, were directly immobilized, and the dazzling light continued to shoot forward, leaving behind two golden sculptures.
Good opportunity.
Ling Luochen raised her ice staff, and ice spikes shot towards Yao Haoxuan and Xixi, whose Spirits were sealed, but they missed. Yan Shaozhe took the two out of the arena.
"Continue."
In front of An Zhen, the Spirit Eye, burning with blue dreamlike flames, reappeared. Three-colored light shot out, catching the White Tiger Spirit Emperor off guard and hitting him directly. The Ice Dragon slapped its claw, and Dai Yueheng's figure flew backward. Ma Xiaotao's pressure surged. Chen Zifeng's Chasing Soul Sword could not return to assist because it had to interfere with Ling Luochen, otherwise, they would face even greater pressure.
"One more shot."
"Again?!"
Seeing the dreamlike flames light up again, Ma Xiaotao couldn't take it anymore.
What kind of ability is this?!
Distracted for a moment, Ma Xiaotao, who was already at a disadvantage, was taken out by a single claw from the Ice Dragon, eliminated from the match. Chen Zifeng, without any protection, was exposed in front of the Ice Dragon. The Chasing Soul Sword couldn't return to defend in time and was directly sent flying by a tail whip.
"We lost."
Gongyang Mo, flying in mid-air, conceded. Only Huo Yutong, who was being chased by Wang Dong's trio, remained among his teammates, but the opposing side hadn't eliminated anyone.
He surrendered so quickly.
An Zhen glanced at the Golden Road that had already condensed. But he couldn't just cancel this move, could he?
A dazzling three-colored light shot into the sky.
The Ice Snow Grand Hall dispersed, and An Zhen released Ling Luochen's hand.
The cool senior sister seemed a bit reluctant and nostalgic, not for the skin contact, but for the experience of the Pole Ice attribute.
"Junior Uncle, what was that move you just used?" Ma Xiaotao asked An Zhen curiously.
"It's the Wu Hun Fusion Skill between me and Wang Dong, 'Withering in Brilliance, Golden Road'," Huo Yutong on the side proactively explained.
Wu Hun Fusion Skill?
A look of surprise flashed in the Inner Courtyard disciples' eyes.
Unbelievable, in this day and age, someone could use a Wu Hun Fusion Skill as a regular Spirit Ability at the Fourth Ring, and it was even someone else's Wu Hun Fusion Skill.
"By the way, Huo Yutong, wasn't the move Junior Uncle used to severely injure Dai Yueheng earlier your ability?" Ma Xiaotao was referring to Soul Impact.
"An Zhen Gege's soul power is stronger than mine. His use of this move is more powerful, enough to instantly kill you, Senior Sister. An Zhen Gege didn't use it, so naturally, I didn't either," Huo Yutong explained, adding that they actually got an advantage.
Ma Xiaotao felt very stifled.
She had been completely suppressed in both battles, especially the second one, where she was suppressed by Ling Luochen right from the start.
"Take a break," Yan Shaozhe said. "There are still a few more matches later. You need to get familiar with each other's abilities. An Zhen is suspended."
The Junior Brother's presence directly created a World of ice elements, leaving no opportunity for others to showcase their abilities, as the purpose was for the team members to familiarize themselves with their future teammates' abilities.
Ma Xiaotao rejoiced; she could finally perform.
"Ling Luochen and Huo Yutong are a fixed team." Otherwise, Ling Luochen would be completely useless.
Ma Xiaotao: ?
An Zhen was happy to be idle.
Under the shocked gaze of the Inner Courtyard disciples, An Zhen walked onto the viewing platform, then rested his head on Zhang Lexuan's lap, enjoying the knee pillow of the goddess in the hearts of almost all male Inner Courtyard disciples while watching the battle below.
"Le Xuan, are you going to the competition?"
"Does An Zhen want me to go?" The gentle senior sister softly stroked An Zhen's cheek.
"Yes."
"Then I'll go."
After two more battles, Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng each led a team.
Aside from some more intense battle methods not used by some Inner Courtyard disciples, such as compressed Spirit Abilities, the reserve team and the official team had gained a certain understanding of each other's strengths.
"Alright, everyone, head back. Tomorrow morning, we'll gather at the academy gate and depart for Star Luo City to compete."
The next day.
Rarely an early riser, Gu Yuena yawned, the beautiful young girl still sleepy-eyed. Her jade arms wrapped around An Zhen's neck, her two beautiful legs in her pants dangling in the air as she lay on his back. Last night was Gu Yuena's night. Ning Tian and the other two, unaware of An Zhen and Gu Yuena's progress, simply assumed Gu Yuena was very clingy to An Zhen.
Some things, once indulged in, make it too easy to forget oneself.
Boys and girls in casual clothes gathered at the gate of Shrek Academy. Besides the two teams, Zhang Lexuan, and the team leader Yan Shaozhe, there was also Wang Yan, Huo Yutong's class teacher. Although his cultivation was not high, in terms of Spirit research, Wang Yan only lacked experience; otherwise, he would have long been teaching in the Inner Courtyard. With him present, it was equivalent to having a Spirit encyclopedia, and it also added a glorious chapter to his resume.
"Everyone is here."
"Before we depart, I need to convey one last point to the reserve team, which is also related to one of our missions on this trip."
"The Inner Courtyard also has another name: the Shrek Supervisory Group."
Next, Dean Yan delivered an important and passionate speech about the purpose, achievements, and significance of the Shrek Supervisory Group.
An Zhen and Gu Yuena only clearly understood one thing: the Shrek Supervisory Group possessed the power of supervision and enforcement over the Douluo Continent.
An emperor emeritus capable of exercising the emperor's power.
It was only because Shrek's strength and influence were too great; otherwise, what emperor would be willing to have such a figure Pressure on his head?
For example, Dai Yueheng, among the twenty-eight missions he completed, had killed corrupt officials who disregarded human lives. As the legitimate son of a duke, he certainly couldn't do such a thing; even if a corrupt official made mistakes, it would be a provocation to the emperor's dignity and should be judged by the emperor. But as an Inner Courtyard student, he could kill, and the emperor would even praise him for doing well, expressing support.
Finally, this mission involved a den of bandits calling themselves Death God Emissaries in a mountain range bordering the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
"Do we need to be carried?"
Ma Xiaotao looked at the reserve team, only to see that apart from Wang Dong and An Zhen, the other four had taken out small, exquisite flying spirit tools, and uniformly wore pacifier-shaped pendants slightly larger than an adult thumb around their necks.
The former were more refined and perfectly performing Level 3 and Level 4 flying spirit tools produced in the Sun Moon Empire. The latter were Level 5 spirit tool pacifiers storing the total spirit power of a Spirit King.
This was sponsored by the wealthy Ning Tian.
These had been prepared long ago. Last night, An Zhen had the girls practice using them in the Virtual World. Except for Wang Dong, the girls were very reluctant to use them. Storage spirit tools were the most they could accept.
"An Zhen, I still feel repulsed."
Wang Dong said, feeling a bit down. She understood what An Zhen meant about technology making life convenient, but she just had some inexplicable resistance to these things.
"It's okay, if you don't like it, don't use it." An Zhen lovingly stroked Wang Dong'er's head, forcefully feeding a dose of public display of affection to the Inner Courtyard crowd.
An Zhen knew the reason: because of a certain something. Damn you, if you don't like spirit tools, don't influence my Dong'er. What kind of father is this, putting a chastity lock on his daughter and forcefully influencing her with his own ideas?
"Le Xuan, you take Dong'er."
"Okay."