Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
******
It was only upon the unveiling of Su Wen's fifth soul skill that his true methods began to take their definitive shape. At this moment, his Book Martial Soul could finally be considered "fully matured" under his meticulous cultivation.
As the "World Within the Book" domain expanded, every one of the thousands of book pages fluttering across the arena became an extension of Su Wen's will—they were his tools, his weapons, and the very embodiment of his power.
The four elements of earth, fire, water, and wind were no longer merely concentrated within individual pages; they were now woven together in intricate combinations. The entire stage seemed to be carved into countless fractured spaces, partitioned by Su Wen's control. In one corner, heaven-scorching flames roared; in another, relentless floods surged. Here, tempests howled without end; there, heavy mountain ranges loomed in silent majesty.
Rumble!
Pages drifted down from the sky. Though they appeared as light as feathers, they carried the crushing weight of Great Mountains. Every time a page landed, the entire arena shuddered under the impact. Meanwhile, the domain itself was greedily and frantically absorbing the surrounding Heaven and Earth essence. Hovering above Su Wen's head, the Heavenly Book served as the core of this microcosm, constantly converting external energy to fuel the domain's insatiable appetite.
Two of the four Soul Ancestors from Spirit Hall were struck by the surging pages. The impact was so great that it felt as if every bone in their bodies had been shattered. They were sent flying, spraying arcs of fresh blood into the air, and remained pinned to the ground, unable to rise again.
Before the referee could even rush to their side, Su Wen's pages descended first, releasing a soft glow that stabilized their injuries. Su Wen had no intention of being disqualified for accidentally crippling or killing his opponents in the heat of battle.
Watching this from the sidelines, Yu Xiaogang's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
It really was a healing light.
"To think that even a healing light could be developed to such a formidable degree by Su Wen..." He took a deep breath, forcing his racing heart to steady.
Even if the Shrek Team faced defeat today, Yu Xiaogang could have accepted it. After all, the Shrek Seven Devils were still very young; they had every opportunity to compete in the next tournament. His disciple, Tang San, was even young enough to potentially participate in the one after that. Ten years would bring a qualitative transformation for someone like Tang San.
However, Su Wen's performance had completely shattered the peace of mind Yu Xiaogang tried to maintain. After all, Su Wen himself was only sixteen years old.
"Absorbing soul rings beyond the age limit... this Su Wen must definitely possess a specific method for it!" Yu Xiaogang's gaze grew fervent, his eyes burning with an intense interest in this secret.
"To absorb a soul ring beyond the limit, one must have techniques to specifically strengthen the physical body. I must obtain it! Even without Bibi Dong's specialized absorption techniques, just to survive the raw strain of forced absorption requires a legendary level of physical constitution. If I can get my hands on Su Wen's secret, Little San won't have to worry about the first three rings of his second Martial Soul."
On the stage, Xie Yue and Hu Liena moved toward each other, their bodies beginning to blur as a brilliant light erupted from their embrace.
"Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Fiend!"
A dense, crimson mist instantly billowed outward, blanketing the arena. The "Fiend" form specialized in control, and this mist was its primary weapon. Within its range, a Spirit Master's five senses would be dulled by fifty percent, their spirit power suppressed by fifty percent, and all their movements slowed by fifty percent.
Beyond these three debilitating debuffs, the red mist acted as a total sensory shroud. Only Xie Yue and Hu Liena, in their fused state, could see within it. Even a Title Douluo standing outside the mist could not claim to see the internal details with absolute clarity.
However, for Su Wen, the red mist was far from terrifying.
His mental strength was immense; even if his physical sight was blocked, his spiritual perception could easily take its place. Furthermore, his Phantom Spirit Eyes possessed a "Dispelling Illusion" effect. The red mist's visual interference and any secondary illusions were utterly useless against him.
Within the swirling crimson haze, a figure with long, flowing hair and an androgynous appearance—neither strictly male nor female—slowly advanced. The figure's voice was perfectly neutral, a blend of both genders.
"You can actually see through my red mist?" The voice expressed a flicker of surprise before quickly regaining its composure. "However, even so, within my domain, you are destined to fall."
In terms of soul ring configuration, Su Wen was no weaker than a Soul Emperor, especially with his various domain buffs. Logically, he had the power to clash with a Soul Emperor head-on. Yet, the fusion of two Soul Kings resulted in a power that also reached the Soul Emperor level—and a particularly high tier of Soul Emperor at that.
"Since I was a child, I have always been the best among my peers. I never imagined a day would come when I would be overshadowed by someone else, let alone feel such suffocating pressure."
"Su Wen, you are strong. I truly admire you."
"But this is a competition. Nana and I have a mission: to defeat you and claim victory for this tournament. Although it might seem presumptuous to mention a self-created soul skill in front of a genius like you, my 'Full Moon' is different from ordinary techniques."
The "Fiend" persona was currently dominated by Xie Yue's consciousness. As he spoke, two curved moon blades began to coalesce in his hands. The blades merged together, forming a shimmering, brilliant white disc that resembled a full moon.
"Before I broke through to Level 50, I used this move to defeat a Level 68 Soul Emperor teacher. Now that Nana and I have both increased our rank and obtained our fifth soul skills, I have refined the 'Full Moon' even further."
The Fiend spoke at length, but the exchange happened in a mere heartbeat, as if Xie Yue's words were folded into a psychic transmission that reached Su Wen's mind instantly.
The white Full Moon was now fully formed in the Fiend's grip.
Whoosh!
Faced with this ultimate strike, Su Wen did not hold back.
He channeled the energy of the World Within the Book, condensing a massive amount of power. Countless pages manifested and stacked in the palm of his hand, transforming into the weight of towering peaks, merging into a single, grand square seal.
The Mountain-Flipping Seal.
But he didn't stop there. More pages fluttered, manifesting the imagery of great rivers and vast oceans. Wave after wave of ethereal blue energy stacked atop one another.
The Sea-Treading Seal!
Su Wen fused the two marks together. As the two great seals overlapped, an artistic conception of immense weight combined with the relentless, crashing rhythm of the endless sea emerged.
Boom!
The Full Moon collided with the Great Seal. It felt as if ten thousand waves, carrying the crushing momentum of a mountain range, slammed into the moon blades simultaneously.
Crash!
The Full Moon shattered into fragments. The Great Seal remained unscathed.
The Fiend's pupils constricted in shock. "How is this possible?!"
This was the first time he had ever encountered such a result. Within the Spirit Hall Academy, his self-created soul skill was highly regarded by instructors and Title Douluos alike. Because of its sheer destructive power, it had been dubbed the "Flawless Self-Created Skill." He never dreamed that in a clash against someone of the same rank, his Full Moon would lose.
And yet, here he was, defeated while in his fused state by Su Wen's own self-created technique.
"You still don't understand the essence of self-created soul skills," Su Wen said, shaking his head. He didn't press the attack against the now-disoriented Fiend. He simply stood quietly within the red mist, waiting for Xie Yue to regain his senses.
Outside the mist, the thousands of book pages had been operating on their own, evolving their attacks to systematically eliminate every other remaining member of the Spirit Hall team.
Every eye in the audience was now fixed on the crimson fog. The final outcome of this tournament rested entirely on the battle happening within that shroud. Unfortunately for the spectators, they could not see through it.
"The essence of self-created soul skills?" the Fiend murmured, his voice laced with confusion. He looked up at Su Wen, who was patiently waiting for him to process the loss. "Su Wen, you are an enemy worthy of respect."
"I... we lose."
He did not attempt another attack, nor did he try to use illusions or other tricks.
"If you are interested, you can visit my Academy later. It might be helpful for your future cultivation," Su Wen said calmly.
The red mist began to dissipate.
The figures of Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Su Wen emerged. The three of them stood still, none of them showing any visible wounds. While the crowd was still buzzing with confusion, Xie Yue slowly raised his hand.
"In this battle... Su Wen wins."
Hu Liena remained silent throughout the announcement. She was the true leader of the team, but during the fusion, she had realized just how thoroughly Su Wen countered her charm and illusion abilities. Thus, she had relinquished control to Xie Yue the moment he prepared his final strike. Since Xie Yue lost, the team lost.
Defeated...
The three members of Spirit Hall's "Golden Generation," who had never known the taste of failure, felt a complex mix of emotions swirling in their hearts.
"The champion of this Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament is... the Heaven Dou Imperial Second Team!"
Bibi Dong announced the winner. She stepped forward and presented the three soul bones that had originally been intended for the Golden Generation. Su Wen accepted them all, sweeping them into his storage soul tool.
The five "nobles" on the Imperial Second Team watched the bones with burning desire, but none of them dared to open their mouths to ask for a share. They knew they had done nothing but provide Su Wen with the numbers required to enter the tournament; they had no right to the spoils. As for Ning Rongrong, Su Wen would decide how to distribute her portion in private.
"Since the rewards have been distributed, this tournament is now—"
"Wait a moment, Your Holiness. I still have something to say!" Su Wen interrupted Bibi Dong. His voice, amplified by spirit power, rang out clearly across the entire square.
(End of Chapter)