Chapter 204.1: The Sword Fanatic's Domain: Solitude
I’m going home soon. It’s been two and a half years – eldest senior brother, third senior brother, fourth senior sister, fifth senior sister, are you guys doing fine? And Wang Dong, please wait for me and second senior brother. Shrek’s Seven Monsters will be reunited once again. How nice would it have been if you were still alive, teacher! I haven’t let you down, and I have never slacked for a single second over these two years. I have finally contributed to the academy’s Soul Tool Department. You will see – one day, our mastery of soul tools will surpass the Sun Moon Empire.
Huo Yuhao didn’t hurry for breakfast after he finished cultivating his Purple Demon Eyes, but instead returned to his bed and meditated for another two hours. Continuous deep sleep calmed his spiritual sea too much, and his body needed a certain level of adjustment.
His soul power had improved at an impressive speed over this period of time. However, even a normal soul master’s cultivation speed would slow down after reaching Rank 50, let alone his.
He washed up after two hours and had his breakfast at the canteen. Huo Yuhao was just about to look for Fan Yu and his second senior brother, but he met someone he didn’t want to see.
Jing Ziyan and Ji Juechen seemed a little strange today. They wore grave and solemn expressions on their faces, as if they were about to face something important and substantial. They came up to Huo Yuhao and blocked his path.
Huo Yuhao said exasperatedly, “You two are just too impatient. Why do you look so grave? You just want to fight, right? Name a place. I will definitely give you guys some excitement before I leave.”
Jing Ziyan was normally the one who spoke, but it was Ji Juechen who opened his mouth today. “The Soul Practice Arena. Let’s go!” With that, he turned around with his giant sword and started to walk.
Jing Ziyan glanced deeply at Huo Yuhao and said, “We will be serious today.”
The corner of Huo Yuhao’s mouth twitched, and he replied, “When are you guys not serious? Are you trying to say you’ve been showing me mercy this whole time? Let’s go then, let’s finish the battle as quickly as possible. I still have to pack my things.”
Jing Ziyan nodded and followed behind Ji Juechen.
---
They seemed to have arranged things with the Soul Practice Arena, and the teachers in charge of this place didn’t stop them, and allowed the three of them inside.
“How much?” Huo Yuhao asked Ji Juechen.
Ji Juechen answered, “One hundred gold soul coins for two hours.”
Huo Yuhao chortled and said, “I don’t need two hours against the two of you.”
Ji Juechen’s eyes sparkled, and he said, “Don’t be complacent. The truth is that I didn’t give my all when we battled each other before this. The reason for that was because I didn’t want to take advantage of you because my soul power was stronger. However, that also meant that I wasn’t able to unleash my full potential and abilities. I will give my all today, and if you feel like you can’t take it, you can admit defeat.”
Huo Yuhao was astonished, and said, “We’re fighting for real?” He knew that Ji Juechen had suppressed his soul power when they had fought before this. Jing Ziyan didn’t do so, but she rarely used soul tools at all when they battled. All she used were her soul skills.
Ji Juechen nodded, and Jing Ziyan was already equipping her soul tools on the other side. It was clear that the two of them wanted to have a last practice battle with Huo Yuhao before he left where they gave everything they had.
Huo Yuhao’s eyes also grew serious. “Alright.”
Ji Juechen said, “Do you need to adjust yourself?”
Huo Yuhao shook his head and said, “Have you paid for me?”
“What?” Jie Juechen was momentarily stunned.
Huo Yuhao said, “The entry fee! The one hundred gold soul coins.”
“......”
“Have you paid for me?”
“Yes!” The chill in the Ji Juechen’s voice grew sharper.
“That’s good.” Huo Yuhao seemed to heave a sigh of relief.
Ji Juechen nodded towards Jing Ziyan and said, “You first.”
Huo Yuhao suddenly said, “I don’t think this is exciting enough. Let’s have a bet, and our stakes shall be money. What do you think?
Jing Ziyan snapped, “Are you that broke?”
Huo Yuhao nodded and replied simply, “Yes.”
“How much do you want to bet?” Ji Juechen said angrily. “Are you sure you’re going to win?”
“Of course!”
Ji Juechen grunted coldly. “I’ll lay down everything I have.”
It was Huo Yuhao’s turn to be taken aback. “Are you sure? How much do you have?”
Ji Juechen muttered, “More than you think.”
Huo Yuhao turned towards Jing Ziyan, and Jing Ziyan nodded at him. “How can I sit this one out?”
“I think it isn’t fair for you guys,” Huo Yuhao said a little disapprovingly, “I don’t have much if you guys beat me, but I am taking both of your money if I win.”
Jing Ziyan said, “That’s fine. We don’t care.”
“But I am unwilling to rip you guys off,” Huo Yuhao said seriously. “How about I take the two of you on together? It’s fairer that way.”
Silence!
“Back, back. Don’t you know we have to distance ourselves?” Huo Yuhao waved towards them as he moved back to his own corner.
“You’re being serious?” Ji Juechen muttered coldly.
Huo Yuhao smiled and said, “Aren’t you guys being serious, too? Do you guys think that you’re the only ones who have been holding back?”
Ji Juechen took a deep breath and said, “Alright. Together, Ziyan.”
Jing Ziyan didn’t expect Ji Juechen to agree to Huo Yuhao’s idea of two-versus-one. This was totally unexpected and didn’t match Ji Juechen’s typical arrogance.
“Juechen, you…”
Ji Juechen spoke plainly. “Since the decision has been made, we have to be clear.”
“Alright.” Jing Ziyan’s eyes immediately grew solemn.
Jing Ziyan had a layer of armor on her body at this moment. This armor was light purple in color, but it wasn’t full-body armor, and only protected her chest, shoulders, elbows, and knees.
Ji Juechen still had that cool and ruthless demeanor as he walked up beside Ziyan. His eyes were fixed on Huo Yuhao.
There was a faint smile at the corner of Huo Yuhao’s lips. It felt as if he were looking down on them, and it also felt as if he were completely indifferent as he slowly stepped back.
“I will use soul tools, since you guys are, too. However, we won’t use long-range soul tools. Is that acceptable?”
Jing Ziyan answered, “Yes.”
Huo Yuhao stopped moving backwards, and one soul tool after another quickly appeared on his body. The soul tools on his body looked covert and hidden, and their colors leaned toward gray, and it was hard to determine their shapes and sizes from a distance. They didn’t seem very big.
Jing Ziyan knew that Huo Yuhao typically used soul thrusters when in close-combat battles, but she didn’t know what other soul tools Huo Yuhao would use this time.
“Come!” Huo Yuhao invited them.
Jing Ziyan began to move. Her body exploded with purple fog, which enveloped both Ji Juechen and herself. The purple fog grew denser, and eventually covered the entire area.
Huo Yuhao was familiar with her soul skills, and this was her first one – Illusory Fog.
Huo Yuhao wasn’t hasty to leap into action. Instead, he stared at the purple fog with sparkling eyes. From his perspective, Jing Ziyan’s threat level was nowhere close to Ji Juechen. Jing Ziyan’s offensive abilities were strong, but they wouldn’t be able to immediately determine the outcome of battle even if they hit him. It was different for Ji Juechen, and if his Extraterrestrial Meteoric Sword erupted, a single strike could determine the victor of this battle.
Something happened that astonished Huo Yuhao, and he realized that he had lost his perception and sensation of Ji Juechen.
The typical sharpness of Ji Juechen’s sword intent disappeared, and Ji Juechen himself vanished. It felt as if he had disappeared inside the purple fog. Huo Yuhao’s spiritual power was formidable, but he couldn’t detect Ji Juechen at all – from Ji Juechen’s perspective, Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection had failed.
If this battle had happened before the last school holiday, Huo Yuhao’s fighting strength would have been affected by his astonishment. However, an idea now flashed in his mind.
Huo Yuhao made his move. The four soul thrusters on his back sparkled at the same time, and his entire body curled up faintly above the ground before he launched himself forward like a cannonball, right towards the dense purple Illusory Fog.
A layer of icy armor covered his entire body as he moved : the Ice Empress’ Armor. The crystal ice protecting his body didn’t affect his soul tools under the intricate control of his spiritual power.
A sphere of purple light suddenly appeared before Huo Yuhao. This sphere was only about the size of a fist, and fog surged around and within it, as if the sphere itself was made of fog.
“Fierce! Using your killer move from the get-go.” Huo Yuhao was slightly taken aback. This was Jing Ziyan’s sixth soul skill, Fog Bomb.
Huo Yuhao reached forward with his right hand, grabbing directly for the Fog Bomb. However, the Fog Bomb suddenly withdrew, and the surrounding purple fog became more intense as it barreled towards Huo Yuhao.
Green light exploded, and his Domain of Perpetual Ice was activated. It was the best solution against the fog.
However, a series of explosions and crackling sounds could be heard. The fog that was being frozen began to tremble violently, and an enormous propulsion force then surged towards Huo Yuhao.
She’s detonating her own Fog Bomb, just to maintain the Illusory Fog?
The corner of Huo Yuhao’s mouth curled into a faint smile. Too bad – my Domain of Perpetual Ice can be maintained for much longer than before.
The fog covered everything, but countless snowflakes could now be seen within it, while the temperature began to plummet once more. All of a sudden, all of the purple fog began to explode outwards. The fog became like goose feathers in the process of the explosion before it gradually dissipated, while the original spot where the fog had condensed became as clear as crystal.
The green light on Huo Yuhao’s body was gone, and Jing Ziyan had a look of shock and surprise on her face as she lunged towards him from five meters away. She didn’t understand how Huo Yuhao had broken through the premeditated and combined manipulation of her Illusory Fog and Fog Bomb. She thought that she could lock onto Huo Yuhao in that moment, but... Huo Yuhao wasn’t looking at her at all, his eyes were fixed on the other side.
Ji Juechen was just standing there quietly. His entire body seemed to be covered with a pale-gray layer, and he no longer felt like a person to Huo Yuhao. Instead, the current Ji Juechen was like a statue – a stone statue, and his aura had vanished just like that. However, Huo Yuhao could feel an intense urgency and danger coming from this statue in his spiritual sea.
Impressive, Ji Juechen. Have you evolved again?
Huo Yuhao didn’t advance, but retreated instead. A powerful beam of light erupted from his chest – it was another soul thruster, and it drove his body backwards explosively in an instant.