Chapter 100: The Snow Empress's Question; The Only Person Youheng Truly Cares AboutWhat appeared this time was not the brilliant Golden Path, but a power that was even more overbearing and extreme.The Ultimate Ice of the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion and the overbearing nature of the Clear Sky Hammer, the World's Number One Tool Spirit, achieved a perfect Fusion!The blazing heat within the extreme cold—Hammer of the Heavenly Emperor!A massive phantom hammer, seemingly carved from Ten Thousand Years of Profound Ice yet Binding with Destructive Lightning, appeared out of thin air and smashed fiercely toward the Star Protection, which was already covered in cracks from Dai Youheng's slash!Huo Yuhao's gaze pierced the battlefield, looking at the struggling Xu Jiujiu, and he spoke with determination, "This is not just a contest of Spirit Abilities, but a confrontation of willpower! I have known since childhood that to achieve success, one must put in ten or even a hundred times more effort than others! A belief like this, the conviction to persevere no matter what, is something a Xu Jiujiu like you, who has been pampered since childhood and can easily obtain anything she desires, would never understand!"Dai Youheng's mouth twitched slightly as he listened from the side, speechless inwardly. "This Huo Yuhao speaks so righteously—but frankly, aren't we both cheating?"After all, a person who relies on normal effort wouldn't stumble upon a Million-Year spirit ring the moment they step out, nor have the Snow Empress sacrifice herself for them instantly."Boom!!!"The ultimate physical destructive power of the Hammer of the Heavenly Emperor, combined with the Annihilation Saber Intent contained within the Tyrant Tiger Annihilation Slash, finally fully overlaid, exceeding the limits the Star Protection could bear!That tenacious Starlight Barrier exploded with a loud bang, like shattering colored glass!A terrifying shockwave swept toward the Star Luo Team!Just then, a gray figure appeared like Gui Mei in front of Xu Jiujiu.Heavenly Fiend Great Enforcer Huang Jinxu made his move. With a flick of his sleeve, a lonely yet powerful Star Power barrier easily blocked the residual impact force.However, his intervention meant that the victory had been decided."The match is over." Tiansha Douluo Huang Jinxu's cold voice echoed across the venue. "The victor is Shrek Academy!"The entire venue was first enveloped in deathly silence, followed by an explosion of unbelievable gasps!Shrek Academy, against all odds, managed a shocking reversal, defeating the powerful host and advancing first to the finals.In the VIP Section, Star Luo Emperor Emperor Xu Jiawei maintained a calm expression, but the slight tapping of his fingertips on the armrest betrayed his inner turmoil.His gaze passed over the stadium, settling deeply on Dai Youheng, who stood with his saber sheathed and his Qi steady. This Illegitimate Son of the Dai Family was even more outstanding than he had imagined.Jiu Jiu's strategy and the Nine Revolutions Soul Transformation Ritual were practically sure-kill moves, yet they still failed against his absolute strength and Shrek's on-the-spot adaptability."We won!" On the Shrek side, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and the others burst into cheers, supporting each other, their faces filled with the joy of surviving a calamity and the excitement of victory.Ma Xiaotao also broke free from the Absolute Defense. Her face was ashen, stemming from dissatisfaction at being controlled, relief at the team's victory, but mostly a sense of frustration. In this crucial victory, she, the Captain and strongest combatant, had essentially slacked off the entire time.Zhou Yi quickly stepped forward, arranging for everyone to leave the stage to rest, treat their injuries, and recover their spirit power. Her gaze toward Youheng was full of praise and amazement. "Youheng, well done! Go back and rest properly, we still need you for the finals."On the field, Xu Jiujiu slightly gasped for breath. Her brilliant Star Crown Spirit slowly retracted. Her eyes, bright as stars, did not dim due to the defeat; instead, they fixed intensely on the youth standing opposite her, his saber sheathed.He stood there, his figure straight and tall. The Evil Qi of the tyrant tiger soul refining saber in his hand had not yet dissipated. His entire being exuded a stability and sharpness refined by blood and fire, making him completely different from the image of the timid, obedient simp who used to revolve around her in Xu Jiujiu's memory.A complex, hard-to-read emotion flashed in Xu Jiujiu's eyes—unwillingness, scrutiny, but mostly, an unprecedented admiration. This kind of gaze was something the previous Dai Youheng could never have earned, even after years of infatuated devotion.As the crowd began to disperse, Xu Jiujiu did not leave with her team. She walked straight through the crowd and approached Dai Youheng, who was talking with the Shrek team members. Her action immediately drew countless eyes."Youheng." Xu Jiujiu's voice was crisp and calm, yet carried undeniable weight. "Congratulations on the victory. Do you have time later to come to the Xu Jiujiu's Mansion for a talk?"She did not lower her voice; she even intentionally made sure everyone nearby could hear clearly. Instantly, a strange silence rapidly spread, centered around Dai Youheng and Xu Jiujiu, followed by an explosion of irrepressible whispers."Did I hear that right? Xu Jiujiu Jiu Jiu actually invited Dai Youheng personally?""Has the sun risen in the west? Did that simp—ah, no, Young Master Dai finally come out on top?""I knew Young Master Dai's strength had recently soared and that he had changed! Sure enough, even Your Highness the Xu Jiujiu looks at him with new eyes!"On the Shrek side, everyone's expressions varied. Xu Sanshi was first stunned, then an uncontrollable look of delight appeared on his face. The abacus in his mind was clicking loudly.If this fellow Youheng truly got together with Xu Jiujiu? Wouldn't he no longer have the time or reason to pester his Nannan? Excellent!Although Dai Youheng had no intention of competing with him, even the previous simp wasn't actually interested in Jiang Nannan; he just wanted to get closer to the Protagonist Group.Jiang Nannan frowned slightly, feeling that Xu Sanshi's reaction was rather impolite, but her gaze toward Dai Youheng also held a measure of friendly blessing. After all, Dai Youheng had helped her mother during a difficult time.Huo Yuhao was genuinely happy for Dai Youheng. He stepped forward, his smile sincere. "Brother, congratulations!You endured the clouds and now see the bright moon!"In his understanding, it was certainly a cause for celebration that his Older Brother, who had provided him with sporadic warmth in the Dukes Mansion since childhood, could finally realize his wish.Wang Dong curled his lips and snorted, but said nothing sarcastic. He merely glanced back and forth between Dai Youheng and Xu Jiujiu, with a hint of watching a good show. Xiao Xiao, meanwhile, offered her congratulations with a smile.One could only say that the image of the 'simp' created by the previous Dai Youheng was so deeply ingrained and successful that everyone subconsciously viewed this as the Perfection of his years of infatuation, and no one doubted its authenticity.Dai Youheng maintained a perfectly calibrated, slightly flattered smile on his face, responding to his companions' "blessings," but his heart remained calm and undisturbed.Deep within his consciousness, the Snow Empress's cold voice rang out with undisguised mockery. "Tsk, I really don't know how that guy before you managed it. This impression of infatuation is truly deeply rooted. Why does it feel like the whole World believes you must be with Xu Jiujiu?""Who cares," Dai Youheng replied lazily within his consciousness, the smile on his lips unchanging. "Anyway, them thinking I like Xu Jiujiu doesn't hurt me. I can just use this 'liking' to achieve my own goals.""To use your own feelings as a bargaining chip, your Heart-Nature is colder and harder than my Ultimate Ice!" The Snow Empress's tone was neither clearly praising nor criticizing."But I am very curious," she changed the subject, a hint of inquiry in her voice. "Besides yourself, is there really no person or thing you genuinely care about? Not even the slightest bit?"Dai Youheng's steps paused almost imperceptibly. At this moment, he had bid farewell to his teammates and was walking alone toward the direction of the Imperial Palace. The setting sun stretched his shadow long."Of course, there is." He replied, his voice exceptionally clear in the Space of Consciousness.The Snow Empress seemed slightly interested. "Oh? Then tell me, who is it? Who could possibly move someone who prioritizes self-interest like you?""Of course, it's you." Dai Youheng's tone was matter-of-fact, even carrying an undeniable certainty. "In this World, besides you, who shares one body and shares my weal and woe, who else could truly matter to me?"There was a brief moment of silence in the Sea of Consciousness.Immediately, the Snow Empress's usually calm and undisturbed voice seemed tinged with an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible fluctuation. "Hmph, you glib little brat, do you think I'm as easy to fool as the people outside? I won't believe a single word spoken by a guy who can calmly calculate even his own emotions."However, if someone could peer into the scene within Dai Youheng's Spiritual Sea, they might notice that the Ultimate Ice Crystal, which formed the image of the Snow Empress, seemed to flash with a faint crimson hue.Dai Youheng smiled silently. He knew the Snow Empress could feel it. He hadn't lied, at least not entirely.In this World, the only one whose fate was completely bound to his, sharing all secrets and life-and-death crises, was indeed the Snow Empress.When he was human, they were the most special unique beings to each other. This connection surpassed ordinary emotion, being more complex and even more unbreakable. If he became a god, she would be his Accompanying Divine Beast; if he fell, she would also dissipate with him. This kind of relationship inherently leaves no room for falsehood."Snow Empress!" His thought was transmitted, carrying a rare, unadulterated certainty. "I am telling the truth."This time, the Sea of Consciousness fell completely silent. The Snow Empress seemed to have instantly submerged into the deepest part of the Spiritual Sea, not leaving behind even a single ripple.The King of the Far North, with 700,000 years of cultivation, seemed momentarily flustered by a straightforward declaration, forced to choose to "hide" temporarily.She truly felt that Dai Youheng's words just now seemed to be the truth. This realization caused an unfamiliar ripple to surface in her mood, one she had never experienced before, making it even harder to deal with than facing a Heavenly Tribulation.>
