Master of Nine Stars

"If you want a fight, you've got one!" The little loli showed an unprecedented ferocity, speaking words that didn't match her appearance. She took a step sideways, letting the Heaven-piercing Halberd graze past her. This time, she was fully prepared and didn't get injured again!

The wound on her abdomen, neither deep nor shallow, was still gushing blood. A decisive battle? She couldn't wait for it to start!

"WHOOSH!"

Li Zi's body suddenly transformed into a Magma Body. It was as bizarre as it was beautiful.

An almost blinding, bright-red magma emerged. Her already crimson clothes were instantly charred black, and a layer of cracked rock appeared, with streams of magma flowing through the fissures.

At the same time, Li Zi's own skin changed. The bleeding wound on her abdomen transformed into skin of cracked stone and magma, and the gash instantly vanished.

But just because it was unseen didn't mean it was gone.

Li Zi could use this shell to temporarily stop the bleeding, but once she deactivated her Magma Body, the wound would reappear. It would still need to be treated.

"I! AM! NOT! AFRAID! OF! YOU!" Li Zi roared, building her momentum. In her Fire Gathering state, not only was her fighting spirit overflowing, but it felt as if a furious flame was raging in her chest!

Across from her, Gao Lingwei, wearing the Frost Fearful Face, didn't intimidate Li Zi in the slightest. A layer of Shuangxue appeared on Gao Lingwei's body.

Snow Realm Soul Skill, Elite-Tier: Iron Snow Armor!

Gao Lingwei halted, repeatedly throwing the Long Halberd in her hand to desperately stop Li Zi from closing in. Seeing Li Zi stumbling as she dodged, Gao Lingwei's eyes narrowed, and she suddenly stomped her foot.

Snow Realm Soul Skill, Elite-Tier: Snow Wind Charge!

"WHOOSH..."

A gale shot out in a straight line before her, rushing toward the stumbling Li Zi.

"Yaaah~!" Seeing things were going badly, Li Zi stomped her foot forcefully, narrowly avoiding the powerful Snow Wind Charge.

At the same time, taking advantage of her proximity, Li Zi raised her right hand. Magma surged on her charred palm, and a jet of scorching hot magma shot out!

Gao Lingwei's heart tightened and she hurriedly dodged. But at that moment, over ten meters behind her, Rong Taotao's figure, fleeing for his life, whistled past. "Wind and Snow Blade!"

Hearing this, Gao Lingwei's eyes lit up. She quickly made a gripping motion with her right hand. Although she was facing Li Zi, was the hand gripping the hilt of the Wind and Snow Blade also aimed at Li Zi?

'No... something's wrong!'

The experienced Soul Martial spectators immediately had a bad feeling!

Because the Wind and Snow Blade was always swung from back to front.

So, if Gao Lingwei was gripping the hilt while facing Li Zi, the direction of her strike would inevitably be behind her. And dozens of meters behind her, Rong Taotao had just fled past. Behind Rong Taotao was Li Mu, who had been taunted to the brink of madness and infused by Fire Gathering!

On the south side of the field, the Dajiang Soul Martial Coach Team saw things were turning sour and hurriedly shouted, "Li Mu! Watch out for Gao Lingwei! Watch out for Gao Lingwei!!!"

However, Rong Taotao had deliberately chosen to run along the north edge of the field, precisely to stay far away from the coaches' box!

The rules allowed the coaching staff to give instructions, and Rong Taotao couldn't change that, of course. But he could read the match, adapt on his own, and do his best to prevent the Dajiang coaches from warning the two fiery lolis!

"Now's the time!" Rong Taotao shouted as he ran past the centerline, which was covered in Shuangxue—Gao Lingwei's Jade Dragon Gift for him.

Rong Taotao spun around abruptly. Carried by his immense momentum, he bent his knees slightly and began to slide backward across the Shuangxue-covered field. At the same time, he thrust his left hand up!

Li Mu's long hair flew as two fire whips in her hands lashed out viciously. The next moment...

"WHOOSH!"

Before the fire whips could land, a delicate, snow-white hand suddenly shot out from the ground where Li Mu stood, a ground covered in a thin layer of Shuangxue!

It was... the hand of a Snow Charm Demon: long and powerful, incredibly agile, and unbelievably flexible.

Snow Realm Soul Skill, Elite-Tier: Snow Ghost Hand!

"Eh!?" Li Mu's ankle was seized, halting her forward charge. Her momentum, however, sent her tumbling forward.

But the Snow Ghost Hand's arm stretched out, pulling taut for a full two meters, yet its palm remained clamped firmly around Li Mu's ankle, refusing to let go!

And just then, Gao Lingwei spun around, and the hand she had been holding in front of her was now positioned behind her back!

Snow Realm Soul Skill, Elite-Tier: Wind and Snow Blade!

"Sis!" The sight shocked Li Zi, who was under the effects of Qi and Blood Infusion, back to her senses!

Li Zi didn't even think about attacking Gao Lingwei anymore, because the Wind and Snow Blade descending from the sky had already formed!

Scrambling and kicking, Li Zi did everything she could to get closer to her sister, Li Mu, and quickly raised her right hand.

WHOOSH...

A Vortex of flames swept out!

However... the Casting range of the fiery Vortex was a bit short. In her haste, Li Zi didn't manage to envelop her sister's entire body, only covering her upper half.

Neither of the sisters feared fire. They could bathe in flames or even soak in magma without a problem.

But that incredibly sharp Wind and Snow Blade... it was cleaving straight down, about to slice into the spinning fiery Vortex!

And Li Mu, prone on the ground, was still held fast by the Snow Ghost Hand!

She could certainly break free from the Snow Ghost Hand, but time was not on her side. It was too late!

"TWEEET~ TWEET! Stop the attack! Stop!" The referee's whistle was sharp and piercing.

For a moment, Gao Lingwei's hand, which had been chopping down viciously, froze in midair.

Rong Taotao was also a bit stunned...

He had already fought several matches in the national tournament, and this was the first time a referee had been so decisive, blowing the whistle even when the outcome between the two sides was still uncertain.

But the referee was incredibly resolute, announcing directly, "Dajiang Soul Martial, one combatant has been judged injured and unable to fight. Injured combatant, leave the field!"

For a moment, the stadium, filled with tens of thousands of spectators, fell silent.

In that brief moment of shock, the Wind and Snow Blade hovering over Li Mu's head was furiously roasted by the fiery Vortex. It melted rapidly, eventually vanishing without a trace, leaving behind only surging waves of Soul Power that were just as intimidating...

At the edge of the fiery Vortex, Li Mu placed a hand on the wrist of the Snow Ghost Hand, ripped it away, and got to her feet again...

"TWEEET~ TWEET!!!" The referee's whistle blew again and again, desperately trying to get the attention of Li Mu, who, with qi and blood rushing to her head, was burning with rage. "TWEEET!!!"

"Sis!"

Li Mu shook her head hard. After the repeated warnings, she finally sobered up a little.

But the referee's whistle kept blowing, grating on Li Mu's nerves...

"We forfeit! We forfeit!" The Dajiang Soul Martial coaches also ran onto the field, shouting as they headed for the northern sideline.

The referee had done all he could. Facing an inevitable outcome, he had stopped Gao Lingwei's attack in time.

Likewise, Gao Lingwei had also shown great restraint. Even if the Wind and Snow Blade had fallen, it would have been perfectly understandable if she'd claimed she couldn't stop it in time.

So, at this point, none of it was necessary anymore.

The Dajiang Soul Martial Coach Team was utterly convinced of their loss!

The Songjiang Soul Martial Teacher's strategy was too brilliant, striking right at the vital point!

And the Songjiang Soul Martial students' execution was too strong!

Especially Rong Taotao's motormouth—his trash talk was terrifyingly effective, maxing out the taunt meter...

"They forfeited! Dajiang Soul Martial forfeited?" Su Wan said in disbelief, as if she hadn't processed it yet.

"Brilliant! A brilliant match!" Dai Liunian slammed a hand on the table, shouting in excitement. "Perfect strategy, perfect execution, and perfect timing!

"Taunt the enemy, lure them into a trap!

"The Jade Dragon Gift provides the space for the Snow Ghost Hand to exist! The Snow Ghost Hand provides the chopping block and the meat for the Wind and Snow Blade! And the Wind and Snow Blade seals the deal, locking in their victory!

"The sole surviving team from Songjiang Soul Martial has given us a spectacular display of a kiting battle, and even a battle of wits!

"This is a group that fights with their minds!

"For Soul Martial Artists without a full-body defensive Soul Skill, regardless of whether they are countered or not, they only need one chance. They only need one chance!!!"

Su Wan blinked, looking up at Dai Liunian standing beside her. She hesitated for a moment before tentatively saying, "Me, Rong Taotao..."

Dai Liunian threw his hands in the air and bellowed, "Keep eating dumplings!!!"

...