Douluo Dalu 3: Legend of the White Fox

Seeing Tang Wulin injured, Na'er's beautiful eyes surged with killing intent.

Last time, when knocking out Luo Guixing, Xia Yi had controlled his strength very well, using just enough force to knock him unconscious. Otherwise, Luo Guixing wouldn't have woken up so quickly.

But this time, Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia suffered terribly.

Xia Yi did not hold back at all. Although he only used his second soul skill, Fox Mind Technique, to control the Creation Hammer to strike them, rather than wielding the hammer himself, the force was still significant.

Even though it wasn't as powerful as if Xia Yi had personally controlled the hammer, the strike was still strong enough to crack open their heads.

Blood nearly covered their entire heads.

"This was just a competition, and my brother is already unable to move—why did you have to go so far?" Na'er glared angrily at Xia Yi, who was still embracing Mu Xi. Before Ya Li could even approve her request, she had already thrust her spear forward.

"I said, that's enough for today." Ya Li waved her hand, and an invisible force landed on Na'er, freezing her in place.

Looking at Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia, her delicate brows furrowed slightly—Xia Yi's last strike had indeed been a bit too harsh.

Luckily, both Yang Nianxia and Tang Wulin were in Martial Soul Possession states—Yang Nianxia's Dark Gold Bear and Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Body had strong enough defenses.

Had it been Luo Guixing instead, his head might have directly burst open.

Ya Li took a deep breath. The Angel of Prayer flew from her shoulder, landing above Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia, and their wounds began healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Then, taking Na'er and Ye Xinglan with her, she disappeared from the Soul Dueling Arena.

"Let's head back to the academy first," said Silver Moon Douluo Cai Yue'er, her expression shifting between light and dark.

She knew that Ya Li was truly angry this time.

She had never seen Ya Li this furious before.

"What exactly is going on?"

Looking at Mu Xi, who was still holding onto Xia Yi, Gu Yue bit her lip and turned to Wu Jin.

Wu Jin shook his head and said, "You're asking why Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia suddenly couldn't move, right? Heh! Fox Mind Technique—if it can control the hammer, it can also control soul masters. It's just that controlling inanimate objects consumes far less soul power than controlling people."

"Fox Mind Technique... You mean his second soul skill? So earlier, he deliberately used it to control the forging hammers to attack Tang Wulin and the others, just to give them the illusion that the technique could only control objects. Then, at a critical moment, he suddenly controlled them, catching them off guard?" Gu Yue said in a serious tone.

"Who knows what he was thinking?" Wu Jin shook his head. Gu Yue's analysis was correct, but he couldn't fully predict Xia Yi's thoughts.

After all, Xia Yi always had an unconventional way of thinking.

"First, he pretended his martial soul was evolving to draw Tang Wulin's attention to it, making them ignore the possibility that Fox Mind Technique could control people. Losing this match was completely justified." Gu Yue nodded, convinced that Xia Yi had planned things this way.

"Maybe your analysis is correct, but that's definitely not all of it." Wu Jin shook his head again. "Even if Tang Wulin and the others had known in advance that Fox Mind Technique could instantly control them and had been prepared for it, they still wouldn't have stood a chance."

"That's true. Whether it's Fox Mind Technique or his third soul skill, both can instantly immobilize an opponent, making him nearly unbeatable." Gu Yue nodded, her brows furrowing. She finally understood why Xia Yi was confident enough to challenge her.

With the abilities he had displayed, even if she went all out, defeating him wouldn't be easy. Even if Xia Yi didn't try to trick her and they fought head-on, she estimated her chances of winning at only sixty percent.

But using all her trump cards just to defeat Xia Yi? That wasn't worth it at all.

After all, they weren't enemies.

"You're wrong. What I really wanted to tell you is that his Fox Mind Technique has a second usage." Wu Jin said seriously.

"A second usage? What kind of usage?" Gu Yue was shocked. The ability to instantly control Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia was already terrifying enough—how could there be another function?

"I don't know the details either. Last time, when I sparred with him, he started to show it but then stopped halfway. He called it True Fox Mind Technique." Wu Jin took a deep breath.

"True Fox Mind Technique? Are you saying the ability to instantly control Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia was fake?" Gu Yue was completely stunned.

If that was fake, she couldn't even imagine how terrifying the True Fox Mind Technique must be.

"I don't know the specifics. Last time, he said he hadn't fully comprehended it yet, so he couldn't use it properly. But judging from his confidence now, he must have mastered it." Wu Jin said.

"Hmph!" Gu Yue snorted coldly. "What kind of friend sells out their friend like this?"

"He wanted us to cooperate. He's not afraid of me telling you this." Wu Jin shook his head and looked at Gu Yue. "To be honest, I also want to see your full power."

"Don't pry into things you shouldn't." Gu Yue huffed, cursing inwardly, True Fox Mind Technique? Damn fox, damn freak! No wonder he dared to challenge me—he just wants to embarrass me, doesn't he?

"I know what you're about to say. Don't worry about what just happened—he'll handle it himself." Gu Yue took a deep breath and turned to leave for Shrek Academy. As she walked away, a hint of killing intent flickered in her eyes.

Whether it was Xia Yi or Shen Yi, they had reacted a fraction of a second too slowly.

Something was definitely off.

Xia Yi must have noticed it too, which was why he struck Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia so harshly during the match.

If no one within Shrek Academy had secretly interfered, the academy would have immediately stepped in to question Xia Yi for his excessive force.

After all the Shrek Academy students left, Xia Yi finally patted Mu Xi gently, comforting her.

"Stop crying. Everyone's gone."

"Shrek City is too dangerous. Why don't we go back to Eastsea City?" Mu Xi wiped her tears and looked at Xia Yi. Thinking back to what had just happened, she still felt terrified.

"If we leave now, we'll regret it forever. Besides, that's not my style. Even if I do leave, I won't sneak away like a coward. You should go back to the Blacksmiths' Association first. I need to visit the Spirit Pagoda." Xia Yi shook his head.

"The Spirit Pagoda? Why are you going there?" Mu Xi asked curiously.

"If I don't find a safe place, I might not make it through the night." Xia Yi snorted coldly.

"You mean…?" Mu Xi quickly covered her mouth, understanding his implication.

Without solid evidence, she couldn't say it outright.

She didn't want to believe that Shrek Academy, the holy land of cultivation in her heart, would do something like this.

If not for the strange circumstances, she wouldn't have believed it at all.

"I won't go back to the Blacksmiths' Association. I don't know anyone there. I want to go to the Spirit Pagoda with you." Mu Xi clung tightly to Xia Yi's arm, refusing to let go.

"…Fine."

Since Mu Xi insisted on coming along to the Spirit Pagoda, so be it. With Leng Yaozhu present, there shouldn't be any issues.

When Xia Yilai came looking for her, a smug smile appeared on Leng Yaozhu's face. "Oh? Finally remembered me, have you?"

She had just watched the live broadcast and already knew why Xia Yilai was looking for her.

"I've just been away too long and started missing you." Xia Yi said with a playful grin.

"Scram! Do you think I'm as easy to fool as your little girlfriend?" Leng Yaozhu snorted coldly, shifting her gaze to Mu Xi.

Golden twin-tailed hair, very cute—aside from her temperament and talent being slightly inferior to Gu Yue's, she was not lacking in any other aspect. In fact, she was even half a head taller than Xia Yilai.

Her height exceeded 1.8 meters.

Mu Xi's delicate face flushed slightly as she respectfully bowed to Leng Yaozhu. "Junior Mu Xi greets Your Eminence, Heavenly Phoenix."

At the same time, Mu Xi was secretly observing this legendary woman, feeling that there was something odd about her relationship with Xia Yilai.

It didn't seem like a typical master-disciple relationship.

More importantly, she hadn't denied the "little girlfriend" remark.

Xia Yilai's mouth twitched slightly as he hurriedly explained, "We're just friends."

He was quite helpless. He had already tactfully rejected Mu Xi last time, yet she still managed to chase him all the way to Shrek City.

Leng Yaozhu ignored Xia Yilai completely and instead looked at Mu Xi with a smile. "If only you had met this disappointing student of mine earlier. If that were the case, I wouldn't have had to empty my coffers to have your master forge a set of four-word battle armor."

Back when Leng Yaozhu had commissioned Zhen Hua to forge her four-word battle armor, the price she had paid was immense.

Even now, thinking about it still left her feeling somewhat resentful.

"Your Eminence jests. My master's fees have always been very fair," Mu Xi replied stiffly.

"Fair? The price I paid for my four-word battle armor was double that of what Amorous and Ruthless Douluo paid?" Leng Yaozhu snorted coldly.

"It was probably because the metal required for Senior's armor was more special," Mu Xi replied, forcing herself to stay calm.

She had no idea why Leng Yaozhu was bringing up these matters with her.

This involved many grievances between the Spirit Pagoda, the Tang Sect, and the Blacksmiths' Association—things she had no place to interfere in.

"In any case, I haven't forgotten." Leng Yaozhu spoke in an indifferent tone.

"Can we at least find a place to stay for the night first?" Xia Yi complained from the side. He knew that Leng Yaozhu didn't want him to be with Mu Xi.

As the Vice Pagoda Master of the Spirit Pagoda, Leng Yaozhu obviously preferred that Xia Yi's partner also came from the Spirit Pagoda or her Leng family.

Xia Yi's talent was growing more and more remarkable. Even though he was still at the Three-Tail level, and even if his martial soul never evolved further—remaining forever a three-ring Soul Elder—his status as a rank-five blacksmith meant that whether he joined the Spirit Pagoda or married into the Leng family, either scenario would greatly benefit both factions.

The Spirit Pagoda had been nurturing its own blacksmiths in recent years, hoping to reduce its reliance on the Blacksmiths' Association, which had close ties to the Tang Sect.

But even now, over 80% of the Spirit Pagoda's rare metals still depended on the Blacksmiths' Association.

Leng Yaozhu could tell that it was Mu Xi who was clinging to Xia Yi, so she deliberately used her authority as Xia Yi's teacher to pressure Mu Xi, hoping she would back down.

…

Shrek Academy, Sea God's Island

Ya Li stared coldly at the gathered individuals. "Speak. What happened?"

"It was my fault. I originally wanted to save Xia Yilai, but at the crucial moment, I suddenly felt dizzy and acted a moment too late. Please punish me, Your Eminence." Shen Yi knelt on one knee before Ya Li.

The challenge match had been broadcast live on many TV stations. If Gu Yue and Wu Jin could tell something was off, then other powerful figures could certainly see it as well.

If this matter wasn't handled properly, it could severely damage Shrek Academy's reputation.

Someone had to take responsibility.

"And you two?" Ya Li turned to look at Tang Wulin and Yang Nianxia.

"Your Eminence, here's what happened. At first, we held nothing back to prevent Xia Yilai from having any hidden tricks, but we were also prepared to withdraw our attacks at any moment. When we saw that Xia Yilai wasn't able to break free from the space lock, we were already preparing to pull back. But for some reason, at the critical moment, we both felt dizzy and couldn't react in time," Yang Nianxia explained.

"You were merely affected by an immensely powerful spiritual force. You're not to blame." Ya Li took a deep breath and continued, "Although this match was held in the lowest-level battle arena, meaning the protective barrier wasn't particularly strong, all second-tier protective barriers have one thing in common—they completely isolate all energy. Unless someone breaks through the second-tier barrier, no external force can interfere with the battle inside—unless a deity descended into this world.

"What I want to know is… who has the ability to influence four people inside the protective barrier simultaneously with spiritual power without breaking it?"