’I... haven’t lost...’

Yu Bao’s attempt to get up again failed. He only managed to prop himself up for a moment before collapsing to the ground.

"Seven, six..."

This time, it was as if Yu Bao had lost all his strength. He couldn’t get up again.

Even thinking had become an exhausting task.

"Five... four..."

Yu Bao turned his face toward the side of the Sword Prison where he remembered Su Zhi standing. But all that met his eyes were cold swords and the void.

As blood and stamina drained away, Yu Bao’s vision began to blur.

’I’ve been down for so long. The referee outside must have started the countdown, right? Maybe it’s already over...’

’So tired. I just want to sleep.’

’When I wake up, the match will be over, won’t it...?’

"Three."

"Two."

...

Yu Bao had clearly closed his eyes. But on some strange impulse, he opened them again for a split second.

What he saw this time was different.

The swords and the void that filled his vision seemed to vanish. The arena was just an arena again. Su Zhi stood not far away, his fists clenched, watching him with an agonized expression.

Yu Bao’s eyes shot wide open.

’I’m not supposed to be able to communicate with the outside world in here.’

’There’s only one possibility. Su Zhi is trying to use Pet Synchronization to command me, just like how Liu Yuhang directs Xue Li, by interacting with me mentally through the Beast Taming Space.’

’Of course, this kind of communication should have been blocked too. This means the blocking effect of the Extreme Sword Prison isn’t absolute...’

’And thanks to the points I’ve allocated, my Perception is relatively high.’

’Maybe that’s why I was able to sense Su Zhi in that instant!’

Yu Bao gritted his teeth.

’Su Zhi hasn’t given up!’

’So I can’t either!!’

’I have to show everyone that the path Su Zhi and I have chosen is not wrong!!!’

After that brief moment, his vision returned to the void and the endless swords.

"AROOO!!"

The little earth dog shot to his feet, letting out an enraged roar within the silent, empty Extreme Sword Prison.

looked back in utter astonishment, seeing the fallen Yu Bao stumbling toward her once again.

In truth, Yu Bao could feel a special Law at work within the Extreme Sword Prison.

All of 004’s Skills possessed unprecedented power, while the power of his own Skills was severely diminished. The balance of combat power was completely skewed.

From the moment he was engulfed by this domain, his fate of defeat seemed to have been sealed...

But so what?

’It’s only fate. Draw your sword!’

Inside the Sword Prison woven from despair, Yu Bao charged toward his invincible foe.

In that moment, his fiercely surging conviction seemed to shatter something within him.

An unknown energy awakened and erupted inside his body, reforming Yu Bao’s Thick Earth Armor.

The Yellow Earth Wall rose like continuous mountains and deep valleys, a Great Wall holding back the unstoppable blades!

The Sand Shadow Guards stood in strict formation, an unbreakable iron army!

The thick, steady Quicksand Shield bore the assault of the White Flame, deflecting it completely!

The roaring Furious Sand Blade was like a knight’s Riding Lance, thrusting at the heart of fate itself!

Countless days and nights of sweat and the points added to his Constitution now bore fruit. Yu Bao’s Core Skill—Thick Earth Blessing—had begun to awaken.

Never anxious, never wavering, never giving up, never retreating.

As long as he stood in the arena for even a moment longer, he would face his opponent in his strongest state.

This was the ultimate meaning of the Thick Earth Blessing!

The dust was no longer just humble dust. Coated in a brilliant Golden Light, every speck seemed like a divine weapon!

was shocked to find that she couldn’t parry Yu Bao’s counterattack.

Her opponent was still the same little earth dog—covered in wounds, caked in dirt, and utterly wretched.

Only his eyes were different, churning with intense conviction and light.

It was as if they were saying—

’You want to burn my blood dry? You want to rip my flesh apart? You want to crush my bones? You want to pull out my marrow?’

’Go ahead. I’ll still fight you with my teeth!’

The audience was in an uproar. Even the Bright-eyed Eagle serving as the referee showed a look of surprise.

In the broadcast room, Selena’s eyes went wide, her frosty demeanor completely gone. "How is this possible?"

On the arena platform, Su Zhi, who had been holding back for so long, felt the powerful surge of Yu Bao’s emotions through their Pet Synchronization.

He pointed at Fang Yuan in the opposing command position, no longer holding back—

"Fang Yuan! I told you, I will never let you win!"

The Beast Tamer’s voice was exceptionally clear, piercing through the blockade of void and swords to reach Yu Bao’s ears.

In reality, the moment the White Flame Soldier’s Blades were shattered one by one, the moment 004’s fighting spirit wavered, this Sword Prison built on a foundation of despair had already begun to loosen!

Surprise filled 004’s eyes, followed by shock, and finally, it hardened into ruthlessness.

"BOOM!"

Just as Yu Bao had gained the upper hand, all the White Flame Soldier’s Blades making up the Sword Prison suddenly exploded, turning into a burning white inferno.

quickly floated up high through the opening above.

The Fire Prison closed in, and the raging White Flame completely surrounded Yu Bao.

White Flame Battle Spirit Core Skill Variant—Flame Punishment Hall - Purgatory Fire Prison!

Yu Bao struggled to resist the onslaught of the flames and the intense heat.

It seemed despair had not been defeated, but had merely returned with a vengeance in a new form.

The unbearably painful heat assailed Yu Bao’s body and will. The shimmering Golden Light of his Earth Armor slowly dimmed under the corrosive flames, piece by piece turning to dust.

The Yellow Earth Wall that blocked the assault became damaged.

The endless stream of Sand Shadow Guards was utterly routed.

The steady and powerful Quicksand Shield disintegrated.

The Furious Sand Blade that pierced fate had been blunted.

Only his battle intent and determination remained unshaken, growing even stronger.

Against the raging White Flame, Yu Bao looked up at his opponent high above, a Golden Light flickering in his eyes.

’Of course you’re powerful, but we have something even more indestructible. It’s not attribute points, not experience, and not Skills.’

’It might be impossible to express in words, but it truly exists.’

’It connects me and Su Zhi, allowing us to walk this path with unwavering resolve.’

’Can you take this next blow?’

’It will extinguish all your fire and let the sand fly to even farther places. This is what Su Zhi and I—’

’—have chosen!’

"BOOM!"

Sand and earth flew, gathering and forging within the siege of White Flame, instantly erupting with a dazzling golden brilliance.

A furious sandstorm swept through, and the seemingly invincible Fire Prison collapsed in an instant. Flame and dust merged, scattering and dancing like a mythical rain of fire.

Amidst the falling streams of flame, like a fireworks display, an immense, golden-glowing Furious Sand Blade shot up from the ground, piercing straight toward the heavens!

The fire on the Furious Sand Blade was no longer the silent White Flame, but a vivid, flickering crimson blaze!

The essence of Thick Earth Blessing was to activate the Earth Element within the body, thereby enhancing physical strength and resistance to other Attributes.

But at this moment, Yu Bao applied it to the Earth Element outside his body—the Furious Sand Blade itself—making it sharper, more powerful, and even more unstoppable.

The Furious Sand Blade shouldn’t have been able to become so massive—but Yu Bao used his own body as the core Earth Element, becoming part of the blade itself!

hurriedly unleashed Refusing Flame Blessing to defend herself. All ten layers of the blessing were activated, yet a massive crack still appeared when it met the Furious Sand Blade.

In that moment, she finally remembered a truth she had learned deep in her memory when she was weak:

No matter how ferocious the fire, it can never destroy the earth.

"CRACK!"

Blade met shield, unleashing a powerful wave of energy. A blinding fissure appeared on the bright Energy Light Array, followed by a web of fine cracks spreading across it.

Within the raging inferno, the Golden Light of the Furious Sand Blade did not diminish. Instead, it shone even more brightly.

Yu Bao’s gaze swept over his surroundings.

He saw Xiaoyue, Shao Ya, Xue Li, and Liu Yuhang.

He also seemed to see Wanzi, Liu Junpo, Teacher Zhou, his mom and dad... and all the other friends who had helped him but weren’t present.

And the most important person, who seemed so far away in the command position, was also right here beside him, helping him support this all-destroying blade.

"Yu Bao, let’s go!"

Su Zhi’s voice, gentle yet firm, came from the Beast Taming Space.

Yu Bao said no more. His eyes saw only the blade and his opponent.

"BANG—"

Dust and sand churned as White Flame shot out in all directions.

The Furious Sand Blade shattered all ten layers of the Refusing Flame Blessing, and 004 was sent flying out of the arena, crashing to the ground.

[Assignable Attribute Points... 0.47]

The Golden Light faded, and Yu Bao landed steadily. The arena timer stopped at the same moment—2:04:12.13.

The finals of the Municipal League High School Division were over. The winners—

(Independent Entry) Su Zhi/Yu Bao!

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