Now, Ma Rulong, having regained his senses, broke out in a cold sweat, his heart pounding.

He hurriedly took a black helmet from his storage ring and put it on.

At the same time, he released his martial soul—the Bigheaded Spirit Ape.

With its release, his head visibly enlarged, giving him a strange appearance.

Most of Ma Rulong's soul skills enhance his soul power and soul tools.

He quickly used his soul skill to boost the helmet-shaped soul tool.

The red gem on the helmet flashed, and a dark-red beam shot out, transforming into a small monkey that charged at Jinhsi.

Ma Rulong's reaction was quick, but Jinhsi was faster.

Her soul skills were nearly instant; her first soul skill—Floating Light, Clear Cold—activated as her soul ring flashed.

Four golden sword lights sliced through the air.

The little dark-red monkey was struck by two blades, growing dim and weak.

Ma Rulong himself was also hit by the other two.

The powerful strikes shattered his soul tool armor, sending fragments flying.

Ma Rulong was flung away like a broken kite, crashing heavily to the ground.

Firefly appeared behind him, punching hard. Ma Rulong hurriedly activated his invincible shield.

Mi Jia, Xiao Hongchen, Xiao Xiafeng, Chen Fei, and others were all shocked.

The battle's pace was too fast. They'd only just reacted, and had no time to continue bombarding with soul tool cannons, scrambling to rescue Ma Rulong instead.

Boom!

A ghostly purple light burst out, enveloping Xiao Hongchen and the others.

They felt a bone-chilling cold, sudden weakness, and their movements grew sluggish.

Castorice approached carrying her Scythe, her second soul ring shining with a purple glow.

She had just used her second soul skill—Nether Domain, a powerful area effect.

Within its range, everyone suffers deathly corruption, drastically lowering all attributes.

If they stay too long, they may even die outright.

Boom!

Flames erupted again, engulfing Ma Rulong.

Even with his invincible shield, the heat melted and deformed his soul tool armor.

Finally, Firefly punched him into the arena floor, leaving a deep pit.

"It's over!"

In the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's rest room, Elder Ma could only clutch his forehead in bitter resignation.

He knew that with the generally fragile bodies of soul engineers, facing such a ferocious duo as Jinhsi and Firefly was nearly impossible.

Xiao Hongchen's veins bulged in anger.

He released his martial soul—the Three-Legged Golden Toad—his first four soul rings shining.

He quickly used four soul skills: Metal Control, Gold Boiling, Gold Shaping, Gold Sacrifice.

His soul power boiled and burned.

Countless golden lights appeared, arming him into a terrifying soul tool turret—over a hundred cannons, a shocking sight.

For reference, fifth-level soul engineers like Mi Jia could only control a dozen soul tool cannons, but Xiao Hongchen controlled ten times that amount.

Clearly, he had reason to be proud.

Xiao Hongchen roared and fired wildly, venting his frustration as countless golden energy balls bombarded Firefly, Jinhsi, and Castorice.

Mi Jia and Xiao Xiafeng followed suit.

Ma Rulong's invincible shield only lasted three seconds—he couldn't rely on it.

Chen Fei, a melee soul engineer, charged at Jinhsi with dual daggers.

They no longer bothered with formation, each fighting alone to salvage the situation.

Explosions rang out again, as if the arena was hosting a grand fireworks show.

The audience was thrilled, cheering in waves, pushing the atmosphere to a climax.

Clang!

Lu Jingming calmly deflected a sudden ice attack from behind.

Meng Hongchen emerged from the ice—her third soul skill: Ice Refraction allowed her to move within ice and attack unexpectedly.

She looked heavy and confused, glancing anxiously at Xiao Hongchen and the others.

"Wondering why your ice poison didn't work?"

Lu Jingming saw through her confusion, smiling faintly.

With Jinhsi, Firefly, and Castorice on his side, he had everything under control and chatted with Meng Hongchen.

"You know?" Meng Hongchen was shocked.

She'd never appeared in earlier matches, keeping her abilities secret, yet Lu Jingming seemed to know everything about her.

"Of course. Your martial soul is rare, but not unrecognizable."

He glanced calmly at the snow-white, red-eyed frog on her shoulder.

He had recognized her martial soul, and even if he hadn't, he still knew what it was—from past life memories and information from the Simulation Universe.

"It looks cute. Hard to imagine it's the dangerous Rey-Eyed Ice Toad."

Hearing him say "cute," Meng Hongchen blushed, her mind spinning on those words.

For some reason, although he was talking about the toad, she subconsciously projected it onto herself.

Lu Jingming noticed, thinking if he attacked her now, she wouldn't even know how she died.

But then he realized Meng Hongchen was only fourteen, and this continent is full of lovebrains, so he let it go.

As for her ice poison, it had no effect on him.

His Black Abyss's decomposition, and White Flower's cellular-level healing, let him ignore most poisons.

Few toxins could actually affect him.

"I know it'll be hard for us to turn this around, but I still want to try."

Meng Hongchen's gaze turned clear and determined as she spoke seriously.

She had hoped her ice poison would work, but since it didn't, she could only go all out for one last try.

"Okay, go ahead." Lu Jingming nodded, calm and confident.

He knew she still had a trump card, so he'd let her give her all, so she'd accept defeat willingly.

Meng Hongchen glanced at Xiao Hongchen—most of the Sun Moon team had already fallen, most with burns, showing Firefly was again the main damage dealer.

She took a deep breath, calming herself.

Her fifth soul ring glowed black, as ice and fire elements swirled around her.

She jumped into the air, her twin swords combining as ice and fire spun into a huge red-blue tornado, enveloping her.

"Fifth Soul Skill, Ice-Fire Poison Dragon Drill!" she shouted, and the vortex, like a roaring dragon, swept at Lu Jingming.

Hearing the skill's name, Lu Jingming's expression grew odd as strange thoughts flashed through his mind, but his hands didn't slow.

He activated the Thunder Stigma—lightning surged, his spear wrapped in dazzling electricity, transforming into a giant thunder spear.

Boom!

Lightning split the sky, piercing the red-blue vortex, leaving a hundred-meter-long mark in the sky.

As the lightning penetrated, the vortex faded, and Meng Hongchen, exhausted, began to fall from the sky.

She was about to activate her invincible shield to cushion her fall, but strong arms caught her.

Stunned, she realized she was being carried princess-style by Lu Jingming.

"Are you alright? I'll put you down," he said, feeling the position too intimate.

"No, I've been paralyzed by your lightning, I can't move. This is fine," Meng Hongchen quickly hugged his neck, refusing to let go.

Lu Jingming looked at her arms around his neck, speechless. "You call this paralyzed?"