Chapter 374: Silver Lining
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Not everyone was able to release the pure form of energy which Li Ruoer had just sensed. Wang Tong didn’t do it on purpose. Instead, it was the soul energy of Rosy that had triggered it.
Seeing the perplexed expression on Li Ruoer’s face, Wang Tong cracked a smile. He knew that this day would come sooner or later.
Despite Li Ruoer’s efforts in gathering herself, her mind raced, and so did her heartbeat. The existence of such power had been a well-kept secret inside House of Li, since it was the loss of such power that had contributed to their decline.
“It’s impossible! It must be an illusion.” Li Ruoer told herself. Li Ruoer’s heart sank, as the thought of Wang Tong’s power unnerved her. But, she paused her train of thoughts; she still had to fight to the finish. As she cranked up her soul energy, she channeled her GN force into “Rosy.”
Wang Tong watched as the Enchantress started her tactics. He was surprised to find out that the tactics of the Enchantress were not nearly as powerful as the Tactics of the Blade. He marveled at General Li Feng’s foresight. If Li Feng had left the more powerful tactics to his offspring, House of Li would have already become the tyrant on the Earth.
Although it was common knowledge that all young generation fighters were level five or below, Li Ruoer’s soul energy kept on increasing, and didn’t seem to be slowing down.
The event host shrieked as he read out Li Ruoer’s sol reading. “Four hundred and ninety! She is very close to advancing to level six!”
“Can she do it? Will she level up?”
“Komm!”
There and then, this year’s first level six-fight fighter appeared on the stage. Some members of the audience stood up in shock, as they also realized how powerful the other final eight contestants were.
Li Ruoer had proven that even as a member of the Great Houses, she did not forget about her training, like other members of the Great Houses.
Seeing that Li Ruoer had leveled up, Lie Jian’s eyes glinted as he became more determined in pursuing the Enchantress.
The audience poured waves after waves of cheers and applause for Li Ruoer. Some of them were convinced that Li Ruoer would become the first female Einherjar in hundreds of years.
Li Ruoer enjoyed the empowering cheers from the crowd; it made her feel that she belonged to this stage. She threw a sidelong glance at Wang Tong, and noticed that even he seemed to be impressed by her display of strength.
The development had unnerved Ma Xiaoru, and she started to worry about Wang Tong. Although she was happy for her close friend’s advancement of cultivation, she also felt despair for her own condition. As an Enchantress, Ma Xiaoru knew that once Li Ruoer had advanced to level six, she would finally be able to release the full power of “Rosy.”
Ma Xiaoru had never thought that Li Ruoer could make such leaps and bounds in her cultivation. All the while, a sense of inferiority rose inside her.
Wu Xin patted her daughter’s head and said, “Don’t worry! It is already an accomplishment for Wang Tong to come this far. If you really like him, you should like him for who he is, not because he is the champion.”
Wu Xin had been a very stubborn girl, who always knew what she wanted. When she fell in love with Ma Dutian, she didn’t do it because of the fame of House of Ma. Instead, it was love that connected the two even till this day. Ever since the two first started dating, Wu Xin had never changed her heart, despite the vicious rumors and doubts around her. It was Wu Xin’s personality that had convinced her to not interfere with her daughter’s affair. Plus, after days of observation, she had also started to like Wang Tong for his sense of responsibility and his incredible mettle.
Meanwhile, on the stage, Li Ruoer slowly pointed the tip of Rosy at Wang Tong, as if she wanted to pop the bubble that she saw Wang Tong had been living in.
Although Ma Xiaoru had always complained about problems in her cultivation with Li Ruoer, the latter felt that she was the luckiest girl in the world; she had the most caring parents in the world.
Unlike Ma Xiaoru’s parents, Li Zhedao had never looked at his daughter in her eyes, because he felt Li Ruoer was too weak. Instead of seeing the people around him as family and friends, Li Zhedao categorized them as either the strong or the weak. Ma Xiaoru had no idea of the isolation and hopelessness Li Ruoer had endured ever since she was a kid. However, it was that very sense of loneliness and helplessness that had lent Li Ruoer the strength to train harder each day.
Li Ruoer was no more talented than Ma Xiaoru. She had become stronger simply because she was still in the gym training while Ma Xiaoru had already gone home, spending time wither her lovely family.
By then, no one thought that Wang Tong would win the fight, as there was no way that Wang Tong was able to defeat a level six fighter.
A cold silence fell inside of the Dream Café. Although the owner was not sure what was going on, the forlorn atmosphere told him that his Lucky Charm was doomed.
Wang Tong pumped his fists together with a smile, and then cranked up his soul energy. Truth be told, he was very impressed by Li Ruoer’s improvement. He had never thought that a girl would be able to possess such endurance and talent. Through strict self-discipline and training, she had become a real fighter. Despite her other faults, Wang Tong acknowledged her as a worthy opponent.
Wang Tong’s soul energy kept on increasing, and it reached four hundred and ninety quickly. Everyone’s breath was caught in their throats as they watched Wang Tong getting closer to advancing to level six.
Karl grabbed onto Hu Yangxuan’s arm in excitement. He could not believe his eyes. Hu Yangxuan was also shocked by the turn of events, so much so that he didn’t even feel the pain in his arm under Karl’s iron grip.
Zhou Sisi’s eyes lit up with admiration and glee. She had gone through so much hardship together with Wang Tong that it was impossible for her to not fall for him.
“Kom!”
Wang Tong’s soul energy finally reached level six.
There he was, this year’s second level six fighter, and a previously no account from an A-Class Academy, standing on the stage and reaching out his arms to embrace the cheers.
Even as the heir of the House of Li, Li Ruoer’s advancement was seen as impressive, much less that of Wang Tong.
Lie Jian’s eyes lit up at the sight of Wang Tong’s sol reading, as realization suddenly down on him that Wang Tong was the fighter he had been looking for.
Patroclus had been watching the fight quietly in his house. Seeing Wang Tong’s advancement, he simply smiled faintly.
Li Shiming could no longer sit still and watch the fight. It was not Wang Tong’s power, but something else that had deeply disturbed him.
Wu Xin was shocked by the turn of events too as she pondered the possibility of Ayrlarng unprecedentedly cranking out a level six fighter.
“I told you so, mom!” Ma Xiaoru said with pride, but she, too, was surprised. Although Ma Xiaoru knew that Wang Tong was a powerful fighter, she didn’t think that he could reach level six so fast.
On the stage, the two fighters started the fight again.
As the two fighters advanced their soul level, so did the intensity of the fight. With Rosy in her hand, Li Ruoer looked just like the War Maiden, Valkyrie. She had to win this battle. Otherwise, she would never have a chance again.
“Kom! Kom!”
Wang Tong blocked the sword with both fists. So powerful was the legendary weapon that Wang Tong was not able to execute his “Layered Fist of Tong” whatsoever.
Wang Tong took a few steps back while Li Ruoer slowly landed on her feet. She had learned from her last encounter with Wang Tong, and used as little soul energy in her attack as possible. The majority of the damage in her attack was physical, coming from the legendary “Rosy.”
Wang Tong felt a gust of wind as he saw Rosy turn into a beam of light. The beam of light was already sending rays of light made out of Blade Aura at him.
“Phoenix’s Dance!”
The audiences watched as thousands of Blade-Aura rays flew towards Wang Tong from all directions, and worried if Wang Tong were able to fend off so many attacks at once.
“Kom!”
Wang Tong crossed his arms and shouted, then a giant ice shield suddenly appeared around him, blocking the Blade Aura.
Under the powerful attacks, the ice shield didn’t last long. However, even as the ice shield cracked open, Wang Tong stormed out from his cover and punched at Li Ruoer.
Li Ruoer’s face suddenly paled as she hurried back, hoping to cushion the blow. However, the fist had reached further than she had thought, as Wang Tong’s strike hit home.
No one had expected such a turn of events. A student from Ayrlarng had not only reached level six, but also landed a solid blow on the heir of House of Li.
