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The soul communicator rang, drawing Bai Xu's attention.
"Hello?" He answered the call—it was Gu Yuena.
"Bai Xu!?" The voice on the other end carried a mix of joy and surprise, but something about her tone immediately alerted Bai Xu.
"Gu Yue?"
"It's me."
"You're back? Is something the matter?" Bai Xu asked.
"...Nothing much. I'll be returning in a few days and wanted to see you. It seems you and Gu Yuena have been getting along quite well—so well that you've probably almost forgotten about me and Na'er." Gu Yue teased, her words laced with playful mockery.
The dangerous implication of her words made Bai Xu break out in a cold sweat. It seemed Gu Yue had inherited the memories of his intimate moments with Gu Yuena and had come to confront him about it.
"No, how could I forget? When are you coming back? I can pick you up," Bai Xu deflected, trying to change the subject.
Gu Yue sat in the master seat, studying her flawless reflection in the mirror. Her appearance bore traces of both Gu Yue and Na'er, as if she were a fusion of the two, embodying the characteristics of both. She chuckled softly. "If it's not too much trouble… could you take another leave and come to the Spirit Pagoda in the Fire Basin?"
Bai Xu was taken aback. "You want me to go there? No, I won't."
If Gu Yue had any ulterior motives and set up another trap like last time, Bai Xu would be walking right into her hands again.
"Heh, just joking. I promised Gu Yuena I wouldn't let you lay a finger on me, so I won't do anything. You can rest assured," Gu Yue explained.
"Good. That's the way it should be—otherwise, things between us would get too complicated." Bai Xu believed her. After all, he had also promised Gu Yuena not to make any advances toward Gu Yue or Na'er.
"I'll be back in three days. See you then."
"Mm."
After hanging up, Gu Yue's violet eyes gleamed with a cold light. Despite her words, she had no intention of keeping that promise. Why should Gu Yuena get to have him while we don't?
Moreover, when it came to Bai Xu, she had been the first to meet him. Yet Gu Yuena had taken the lead.
As for their relationship—compared to Gu Yuena and Na'er—Gu Yue had once experienced human life and considered things more thoroughly. After learning about human customs and Bai Xu's thoughts, she had long since made up her mind. Though it was somewhat embarrassing to admit, in a way, the three of them were ultimately one and the same.
---
Star Dou Battle Network – Federation-Wide Championship Finals
Soul Master Division – Finals
Golden Dragon King vs. Silver Dragon Princess
This match had been highly anticipated. Both the Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon had swept through the competition undefeated, carving their way to the finals. By sheer luck, the two prodigies had not faced each other in the elimination rounds, reserving this historic showdown for the final battle.
Even Bai Xu had logged into the Star Dou Battle Network to watch the duel between Gu Yue and Tang Wulin.
On the Arena.
"It's about time. Even though I've only familiarized myself with it for two days… it'll be enough," Gu Yue murmured to herself before turning her gaze to the Golden Dragon King across from her.
"Na'er…" Tang Wulin's face was full of surprise. He never expected to encounter his younger sister here. After Na'er had left, even when Shrek Academy was destroyed and its members scattered, she had never reached out—not even to check on him.
"I am not your Na'er. Right now, I am not Gu Yuena either. My name is Gu Yue."
"Gu Yue!" Tang Wulin's eyes widened. Hadn't she called herself Gu Yuena not long ago? Why the change again? But he quickly realized something. "Does that mean Gu Yuena is both Gu Yue and Na'er?"
"Correct. But at this moment, I am not Na'er—I am not your sister."
"What about Bai Xu? Why didn't he participate?" Tang Wulin asked. Now brimming with confidence, he had already broken through to the Soul Emperor rank, even defeating a Titled Douluo. His achievements surpassed even Bai Xu's at his age.
As Instructor Wu had said, his growth was nothing short of astonishing—so much so that even he found it hard to believe.
"He wasn't interested. Right now, he's watching." Gu Yue's voice was soft. "Though we were once classmates, our ties were never deep… I wish to end everything here today. The bond between us began because of me, and now it shall end by my hand."
Tang Wulin understood her meaning and nodded. "Looking back now, when we first met at East Sea Academy, your attitude toward me that semester was always strange. It was as if you had an innate possessiveness over me, a natural affinity. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it at the time."
Gu Yue agreed. "Indeed. Your instincts back then weren't wrong. Perhaps we truly could have had a martial soul fusion technique—the union of the Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon bloodlines might have birthed the Dragon God's power. But now, there's not a trace of that connection left between us."
Tang Wulin nodded. "We've both grown. I don't know what Bai Xu said to you that changed you so much, but I have always been Tang Wulin. I've never changed! And I won't let myself be swayed so easily by the words of others!"
"Heh, you're still so naive. Perhaps everyone else on this continent will eventually bow to reality and compromise, but you never will. From the very beginning, we were never the same."
Tang Wulin's grip on the Golden Dragon Spear trembled slightly. "Must you really sever all ties between us? Can't we even remain friends?"
"Yes. You'll understand someday."
Even now, Gu Yue found it hard to suppress her emotions. 'Your father, the God King, planted a mental imprint in my mind—he wanted to turn me into a puppet!' That kind of suffering was something Tang Wulin could never comprehend.
The Golden Dragon Spear and Silver Dragon Spear pointed at each other from afar. The Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon were no longer the youths they once were. With a sharp electronic tone, their battle began.
A blinding spear light, carrying the power to pierce through all things, shot forth. Tang Wulin, clad in his two-word battle armor, held nothing back.
Gu Yue's silver battle skirt shimmered, its surface swirling with five-colored light. The Silver Dragon Spear took on the unparalleled sharpness of metal, meeting his strike head-on.
BOOM!
The very first clash caused the center of the arena to cave inward. The two were far beyond their peers—even a Titled Douluo might not gain an advantage against them.
Gu Yue let out a soft laugh, thinking to herself, 'Here, Tang San can't help you.'
"Seven Elements—Great Fission!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A series of explosions riddled the arena with holes. Tang Wulin, recognizing the unstable fusion of seven elements, quickly retreated, activating the Nine Styles of the Golden Dragon to withstand the blast with his formidable physical strength and bloodline power.
After what felt like an eternity, the aftershocks gradually subsided. The arena was still saturated with lingering elemental energy. Against the Silver Dragon, the worst mistake was letting her seize the initiative.
"Seven Elements—Annihilation Thunder!"
The scattered elements instantly gathered once more. From Gu Yue's body surged an endless tide of elemental tribulation lightning—a direct manifestation of elemental law.
Facing the colossal thunderbolt hurtling toward him, Tang Wulin didn't dare hesitate. "Path of the King! All or Nothing!" This was the perfect fusion of spirit, energy, and will—the culmination of all his abilities.
"ROAR—!"
A dragon's roar infused with the Golden Dragon's majesty erupted as Tang Wulin hurled the Golden Dragon Spear, clashing head-on with the elemental thunder.
Another shockwave engulfed the arena. When Tang Wulin reappeared, he bore visible injuries—his Path of the King had failed to completely neutralize the attack. Vast amounts of elemental energy still lingered in the air, saturating the entire battlefield. If Gu Yue struck again, he would have nowhere to hide.
"Seven Elements—Spear of the Firmament!"
Order itself condensed into a spear, rising with the Silver Dragon Spear before hurtling toward Tang Wulin. It pierced through his battle armor, pinning him to the ground. His eyes burned with unwillingness—after all his efforts, he still couldn't defeat Gu Yue.
He had hoped to one day defeat Bai Xu and reclaim the pride lost during their youth.
As his avatar began to dissipate, Tang Wulin stared at Gu Yue—Gu Yuena, Gu Yue, Na'er. She was an enigma, burdened with responsibilities that weighed heavily on her.
From East Sea Academy to Shrek, and now here… it seemed he had never truly understood her.
Not in this life.
Nor the last.
*****
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