Without hesitation, she acted.
A vast surge of demonic energy erupted, her aura skyrocketing, causing the surrounding molten lava to bubble and churn violently.
"Hoo—"
Tang Sui's pupils abruptly turned pitch black. She raised her hand, condensing the formidable power into a blade. With intense focus, she eyed the energy core. As her power reached its critical threshold, she swiftly and precisely cleaved the colossal energy core in half from the center.
"Rumble—!!!"
The very ground of the Slaughter City began to tremble.
The inhabitants within the capital looked down in alarm at the ceaselessly shaking ground, as if the earth itself were splitting. Fissures snaked across the surface, and some poorly constructed buildings, erected on solid rock, crumbled and fell amidst the tremors.
Several enforcement knights from the Law Enforcement Team felt the ground shake with confusion, exchanging bewildered glances.
"Is this... someone fighting that one?"
As a titled Douluo-level soul master, the captain did not believe anyone would dare to go on a rampage within the Slaughter City, where, aside from their own people, no one could use soul skills.
Such a colossal disturbance could only mean that the aforementioned person was engaged in combat.
As the captain pondered, a series of chirping bat sounds echoed.
The envoy, who had since pledged allegiance to a new master, transformed from several small black bats into human form, his pale, beautiful face as always concealed by a black veil.
"Envoy, what is this commotion?"
The captain asked, and the other enforcement knights looked toward the envoy with earnest expectation.
The envoy, recalling the message he had just received, took a deep breath. A flicker of envy flashed in his eyes. "The King said that another distinguished elder is undergoing a breakthrough."
"A breakthrough?!"
As the captain who led hundreds of soul douluo-level enforcement knights, he had spent an immeasurable amount of time in the Slaughter City and, naturally, knew far more.
"I see. This is indeed an astonishing commotion."
The captain, who had been stuck at level 95 for a long time, also showed a hint of envy and sighed.
The fox-faced one, who had hidden his achievements and fame, was not proud. He was currently serving as a sycophant, helping his young master to steal the heavens and change the sun.
Beneath the magma of the Hell Road, a black and red demonic energy barrier enveloped the surroundings tightly, preventing even the slightest leakage of the dense and potent power.
"Crackling!"
The massive energy core split into two under the terrifying blade condensed by Tang Sui, its cross-section perfectly even.
Tang Sui acted as a conduit, using her demonic energy to connect separately to the Ten-Headed Sun-Burning Serpent and one half of the divided energy core, madly converting and channeling power to the serpent.
For a full five days, Tang Sui continuously supplied vast amounts of demonic energy. As soon as the cooldown for her second soul skill elapsed, she would immediately apply it to herself, her depleted soul power replenished. However, it quickly withered to less than twenty percent under Tang Sui's high-intensity energy conversion.
Tang Sui's timing was precise, her power output closely matching the cooldown period of her soul skill.
Five days and five nights, without interruption.
After the halved energy core was completely converted, Tang Sui continued to supply demonic energy for another two days with great effort. Slowly, a blood-like membrane began to solidify on the colossal and elongated body of the Ten-Headed Sun-Burning Serpent, layering and wrapping around it like a cocoon. Seeing this, Tang Sui's heart finally relaxed.
The dangerous period of advancement was over. Uncle Snake had transformed into a cocoon, and only awaited complete absorption of the cocoon's energy to break free...
Her thoughts faltered. She pursed her dry lips and said in a hoarse voice, "Uncle Snake is now a fully formed demon. After this advancement, when Uncle Snake awakens again, will he become... a Great Demon?"
The system immediately denied: [No. According to my detection, the possibility of the Ten-Headed Sun-Burning Serpent breaking through to become a Great Demon after forming a cocoon is zero.]
Tang Sui was stunned. "Why?"
[…I don't know. You will have to investigate the reason yourself.] The system replied vaguely. [However, after its advancement, it is very likely to evolve in the direction of transforming into a dragon.]
"Transforming into a dragon?" Tang Sui suddenly recalled the myths and unofficial histories of China, where snake demons who successfully underwent tribulations might eventually become dragon-kind.
"Speaking of which, do soul beasts on the Douluo Continent, upon reaching the critical point of a million years, also face the choice of 'dragon transformation'?"
A flash of inspiration struck her mind.
The System: [Approximately. But this 'dragon transformation' for the Ten-Headed Sun-Burning Serpent is a literal transformation into a dragon.]
It was a different concept from the 'dragon transformation' of million-year soul beasts in the Douluo Continent, which was equivalent to a human's level 99 Peerless Douluo, a demigod realm.
Understanding the system's meaning, Tang Sui let out a breath. Her legs felt weak as she floated in mid-air, her posture resembling a collapse. Gazing at the cocooned Ten-Headed Sun-Burning Serpent, a glimmer of anticipation arose in her heart.
What would Uncle Snake look like after transforming into a dragon?
Would the branches of snake demons... mutate into the species of the Yamata no Orochi?
Instantly aware of Tang Sui's thoughts, the System: […What are you fantasizing about? The Yamata no Orochi is not a species name, but a unique evil god.]
Oh, so Uncle Snake wouldn't become "Uncle Snake" then.
What a pity. She had thought Uncle Snake was the reincarnation of the Yamata no Orochi.
Tang Sui's face instantly showed regret.
...
After arranging for the "disaster-affected residents," Tang Sui issued her orders and, leaving Fox Face behind as usual, departed the Slaughter City.
Since the Ten-Headed Sun-Burning Serpent had entered its cocoon stage, it meant it was in a stable period, and its success was merely a matter of time. She didn't need to guard it twenty-four hours a day; leaving Fox Face was sufficient.
Fox Face would inform her in her spiritual space of any disturbances.
It was still most reliable to have her own mask keep watch.
Tang Sui, sighing internally, ignored the sarcastic remarks of Ape Face and headed towards Heavenly Dou with full motivation.
However, upon returning to Shrek Academy, Tang Sui was surprised to find many new faces, as well as some familiar ones. Among the latter were two people standing shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, in front of her – one in blue and one in red.
Tang Sui looked at Huo Wu, whose appearance had not changed much, her fiery red hair and beautiful features as striking as ever. A puzzled expression appeared on her face. "You are... Huo Wu?"
Huo Wu, standing beside Feng Xiaotian, who was wearing the uniform of the Sky Wind Academy and whom she hadn't seen for over five years, was startled when she saw Tang Sui. She scrolled through various faces in her mind, finally overlapping it with a more childlike one. She withdrew the hand that had been linked with Feng Xiaotian's arm, and her expression shifted from confusion to a complex one. "Tang Sui? You're still alive..."
Tang Sui: "......Of course, I'm alive."
She felt like retorting, but Huo Wu's expression did not convey regret that she hadn't died. Instead, it held a sense of "That's great, you're still alive." This made her suppress the urge to retort and say, "Why are you guys here?"
Feng Xiaotian spread his hands. "Because we are now members of Shrek Academy as well."
Tang Sui: 0v0
She looked at Huo Wu, who seemed somewhat uncomfortable. Huo Wu's gaze drifted. "During the time you were away, our Four Element Academies were officially merged into Shrek Academy. So... we are now classmates."
"So that's how it is," Tang Sui said, feigning sudden understanding.
"Then congratulations."
She uttered the words with exaggerated formality, then turned and began to walk away.
"Tang Sui."
Huo Wu called out.
Tang Sui's steps paused, and she turned her head slightly. "Is there anything else?"
Her voice was very flat, so flat that Huo Wu's heart inexplicably felt unbalanced. Then, with an unnatural, somewhat hesitant demeanor, she said:
"I... it's good that you're safe and sound."
Tang Sui was slightly taken aback, her gaze shifted, and her tone softened. "Thank you."
---Aside---
After every exam, there's a peculiar, Zen-like state. *Hugs hands jpg*