The dark gray figure suspended in mid-air slowly lowered its head. Its chaotic and dark-gold eyes locked coldly onto the Charming Fox. A voice, as if composed of countless overlapping sounds and filled with an immense, ethereal majesty, resounded throughout the arena.
"Night Judgment!"
Before the words had even faded, the dark-gold vertical pupil in the figure's right eye suddenly lit up. A beam of dark-gold light, condensed to an extreme point as if it could cleave souls, shot out silently. It moved too fast for the eye to follow. The fused entity of the Charming Fox only felt a chill originating from its very soul, freezing it in place. It wanted to dodge, to block with its Moon Blades, but the dark-gold beam seemed to ignore the distance of space, instantly piercing through the last remnants of the red mist and striking its target.
There was no earth-shattering explosion. Only a shrill, inhuman shriek, as if a soul was being torn apart, burst from the mouth of the Charming Fox.
The red mist instantly dispersed like a popped balloon. Xie Yue and Hu Liena's figures were thrown apart, flying backward like kites with their strings cut. Both of their faces were ashen as they spewed blood from their mouths. The light from Xie Yue's Moon Blades dimmed, their surfaces covered in fine cracks. Hu Liena's eyes were even more unfocused, as if her soul had suffered a severe blow, and she fainted before she even hit the ground.
The Martial Soul Fusion Skill had been broken in a single strike.
The entire Supreme Pontiff Palace plaza fell into a deathly silence. Everyone stood as if they had been turned to stone, staring dumbfounded as the dark gray figure slowly dissipated in the air, revealing Ye Yin and Zhu Zhuqing, still locked in an embrace. An abnormal blush colored Zhu Zhuqing's cold, pretty face, and she panted slightly, leaning heavily against Ye Yin. His face was also a bit pale, but his eyes were still bright, and a faint smile played on the corner of his mouth as he supported her.
He lowered his head, his voice gentle as he looked at the weakened Zhu Zhuqing in his arms. "Are you alright?"
Zhu Zhuqing gently shook her head. Something deep within her cold eyes seemed to have melted. "Mm," she whispered.
Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Oscar stared at the two of them, then at the unconscious Ma Hongjun on the ground, and finally at the severely injured Xie Yue and Hu Liena. For a moment, they were so shocked that they even forgot to cheer.
On the high platform, Bibi Dong's fingers were gripping her scepter so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. For the first time, the composure on her flawless face was shattered, replaced by extreme shock and a hint of unbelievable solemnity. Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan, even exclaimed in a lost voice, "Impossible!"
The silence was absolute. Everyone was utterly stunned by the power of "Night Judgment" and its devastatingly casual blow. The trump card of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, a fusion skill powerful enough to rival a high-level Spirit Saint, had been instantly broken? Xie Yue was severely injured, his spirit weapon shattered. Hu Liena's soul was so damaged that she had fainted. This simply overturned everything they thought they knew about power.
On the stage, Ye Yin gently released Zhu Zhuqing. Her cold face still carried a faint, weak blush, but her eyes were exceptionally bright.
"Referee," Ye Yin's voice echoed clearly across the silent plaza. "Can you announce the result?"
The red-robed bishop awoke as if from a dream. He looked at the defeated members of the Golden Generation, then at the disheveled but still standing members of Shrek Academy, and especially at the unfathomable Ye Yin. He swallowed with difficulty, his voice trembling slightly. "Spirit Hall Academy, Xie Yue and Hu Liena have lost their combat capability! Shrek Academy…"
"Stop!"
A cold female voice suddenly rang out, instantly overpowering the referee. It was Bibi Dong. Her voice was filled with an icy fury.
"What a Shrek Academy. What a Ye Yin," she said, her eyes fixed on him. "You've hidden your strength well. But this battle is not yet decided. Spirit Hall Academy still has members on the field. The match continues!"
Her gaze swept over the four remaining Spirit Hall members, who flinched but were forced to straighten their backs under her immense pressure. Her eyes finally landed on Yan. "Yan! Lead your teammates and defend the honor of Spirit Hall!"
Yan was already a mess of frustration. He had almost wet his pants because of Ye Yin's curse, and his crotch was still smoking. Seeing his two closest friends severely injured and hearing the Supreme Pontiff's thunderous command, the rage and humiliation within him ignited.
"Yes, Supreme Pontiff!" he let out a beast-like roar as dark-red flames surged from his body like a volcanic eruption. His fifth spirit ring shone again, and his body rapidly expanded in the flames, transforming into a five-meter-tall lava giant. The terrifyingly high temperature made the air sizzle. The other four Spirit Hall members, spurred on by the Supreme Pontiff's decree, also roared, their spirit rings fully activated, ready to fight to the death.
On Shrek's side, the expressions of Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, and the others were extremely grim. They were all at the end of their ropes. The situation, which they had thought was won, had suddenly turned against them.
Ye Yin looked at Yan, who was charging forward like a flame demon, his eyes remaining perfectly calm. He sighed softly, as if a little helpless.
"Why bother?" he asked, his voice quiet but clear enough to penetrate the roar of the flames.
Ye Yin's fourth spirit ring lit up once more. It was another Mental Curse, aimed at Yan. An insidious power wormed its way into the lava giant's mind. The curse was designed to feed on his rage; the angrier he became, the stronger an uncontrollable urge to publicly confess his deepest, most embarrassing secrets would grow. If he resisted, his spirit power would backfire.
Yan, who was at the peak of his rage and ready to tear Ye Yin to shreds, suddenly stiffened. He felt an irresistible torrent break through the dam of his rationality. Countless shameful memories he had buried deep in his heart erupted like a volcano. The extreme humiliation of almost wetting himself in public, his crotch being burned by Xie Yue's Moon Blade, and even his secret, unconfessed crush on Hu Liena—everything came rushing to the surface.
He had to confess. He had to tell everyone, right now. Otherwise, his spirit power would explode.
The massive lava giant's body began to tremble violently. The raging flames around him flickered and became unstable, as if they had been doused with a basin of ice water.
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