"I do not accept this!"
Beibei's cold voice cut through the air. His gaze locked on Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong as he declared in a low, steely tone:
"I will challenge you for her hand!"
Even though he knew that victory would not win Jiang Qingtong's heart, Beibei seemed trapped in a dead end of his own making. He could not endure yet another failure.
Tang Ya's departure, Mu En's passing — the burdens of both his family and the Academy had fallen upon him. Yet, he had done nothing but fail, again and again. He was unwilling, unresigned. In his heart, he felt unworthy to face Mu En. Under such blows, Beibei's resolve had twisted into stubbornness.
After Beibei spoke, Wu Ming followed with a laugh.
"Rob the bride? Count me in as well."
The inner court's Golden Crow Fire Maiden had no real designs on Jiang Shengyu. She merely wished to test herself against the two — Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong, whose talents stood at the pinnacle of their generation. A clash with them would be no less than a supreme form of tempering.
Wang Dong'er and Ling Luochen exchanged glances, then also stepped forward to join the challenge.
Only Meng Hongchen withdrew. Quietly, she went to stand beside Xiao Hongchen.
Seeing the dejection on his younger sister's face, Xiao Hongchen raised a hand, intending to pat her shoulder — yet midway, his hand faltered, falling back as a sigh escaped him.
"Sis, don't be sad. That Jiang Shengyu isn't all that great anyway."
Meng Hongchen stepped on his foot sharply. "Brother, you talk too much!"
Xiao Hongchen: "..."
Wu Ming then turned to Ning Tian and said,
"Ning Tian, come join us! The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda hasn't appeared on the continent for ten thousand years — let this battle serve as its grand reintroduction ceremony!"
Hearing Wu Ming's invitation, Ning Tian hesitated for a moment. She looked at Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong, her lips pressed tightly together in contemplation. After a long silence, she finally stepped to the challengers' side.
She said softly to Jiang Shengyu, "I'm sorry."
"It's all right," Jiang Qingtong replied, shaking her head gently.
On the deck of the floating ship, Xuanzi observed everything below, his mind already racing.
So Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong are not siblings but lovers?
That meant the plan to use emotional bonds to win their loyalty for the Academy was now completely ruined.
Two prodigies of such caliber — if they returned to the Sun and Moon Empire, the consequences would be disastrous.
"They absolutely must not be allowed to return to the Sun and Moon Empire! Everyone — thoughts?"
After long deliberation, Xuanzi decided to consult the others.
Elder Zhuang stroked his beard with a smile. "Old as I am, I don't think there's cause for such worry. We've all seen Qingtong's conduct and loyalty toward the Academy. She truly stands on our side. And now that she and Shengyu are a pair, won't that make it even easier to draw Shengyu to us?"
At once, Xian Lin'er and the others nodded in agreement.
But Yan Shaozhe shook his head. "I'm afraid it won't be so simple. A relationship like that — it's too fragile. It may not last."
"Yan Shaozhe, you're always suspicious of everything!" Xian Lin'er huffed. "If you keep doubting people like this and end up driving them away, how will you answer to Elder Mu?"
Yan Shaozhe frowned. "I'm merely being reasonably cautious."
Elder Song cut in, his tone firm. "Enough, both of you. Let's wait until the Sea God's Fate Match concludes, then speak with the two of them privately. And if things really take an unexpected turn — do we truly lack the power to keep them here?"
Xuanzi nodded in approval. "Very well, let's follow Elder Song's advice."
Out on Sea God Lake, the two sides were already in position.
Zhang Lexuan stood in the center, announcing the beginning of the Bride Challenge Round.
Without hesitation, Ning Tian released her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. The nine-tiered tower gleamed brilliantly, five soul rings of optimal configuration glowing upon it — light of multiple colors shrouding the allies before her: Beibei, Wu Ming, Wang Dong'er, and Ling Luochen.
A powerful dragon's roar resounded from Beibei's body as his Radiant Holy Dragon martial soul manifested behind him — the divine beast rearing high, its golden scales reflecting dazzling light. Five soul rings pulsed around him, amplifying the overwhelming might of the Holy Dragon.
Beside him, Ling Luochen and Wang Dong'er released their martial souls as well.
The Goddess of Light Butterfly unfurled shimmering, dreamlike wings. Five soul rings — superior in quality to most others present — circled her form. In her right hand, she held a black hammer.
The moment that hammer appeared, the air grew heavier — space itself seemed to thicken.
Wu Ming's body blazed with the Golden Crow True Fire, and with Ning Tian's buffs augmenting her strength, she charged forward first toward Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong.
Behind her, Beibei and the others unleashed their own soul skills. Ling Luochen's Icefield Domain swept outward, a vast wave of frost rushing to engulf the opposing pair.
The clash of fire and ice filled the air with explosive power.
Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong watched the approaching force calmly. Their expressions remained serene.
Together, they stepped lightly backward — their movements perfectly synchronized.
From behind Jiang Shengyu rose a crescent moon that rippled like water. Around him emerged four soul rings — one purple, three black, one red — slowly fusing into the crescent glow.
In Qingtong's palm bloomed a crystalline flower. Petals drifted gracefully from it, encircling the two in gentle flight.
She lifted her hand slightly. The Flower in the Mirror floated upward, merging seamlessly with the Moon in the Water.
A visible ripple spread through the air — a wave of distorted space expanding outward from their joined hands, twisting the world itself.
Heaven and earth seemed to overturn.
"Martial Soul Fusion — Mirror Flower, Water Moon!"
Their voices rose in unison.
A colossal domain descended — vast enough to envelop the entire Sea God Lake. Yet, under their precise control, the members of the Sea God Pavilion on the ship were repelled outside of it.
From their vantage point, they could only see a single heavenly mirror suspended in the sky, reflecting their own images.
Inside the Mirror Flower, Water Moon Domain, both sky and ground had become luminous mirror-surfaces, refracting surreal and prismatic hues.
Amidst that pure white brilliance, a godlike figure stepped forth — the God of Destiny in divine robes, gliding across the mirrored plane. Behind Him, the fused martial souls of Mirror Flower and Water Moon shimmered like celestial wings.
"That is…"
"Their martial soul fusion technique?"
"What immense power…!"
Wu Ming's brow furrowed. She could feel her strength being suppressed by the domain. Immediately, she called out:
"Brothers and sisters — be careful!"
Ning Tian responded by activating her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to dispel the weakening effects upon her teammates.
The God of Destiny extended a hand, summoning a mirror lotus that blossomed in the void.
He plucked a single crystalline petal and cast it forward.
The instant it left His fingers, a phoenix's cry pierced the heavens. The crystal petal turned crimson, igniting into radiant flame.
The Phoenix Heavenly Fire burst forth, a torrent of red-gold inferno sweeping toward Wu Ming and the others. Overhead, clusters of fire gathered into blazing masses that rained down upon the earth.
Against the power of a Level 98 Super Douluo, the challengers were utterly outmatched — the God of Destiny overwhelmed them with effortless grace.
Another mirror lotus bloomed within their formation. From its heart erupted a Soul Shock, centered on the lotus itself, rippling outward to strike every opponent.
Had the God of Destiny not held back, that single wave would have been enough to shatter their minds entirely.
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