As they walked back toward the teaching building, Chen Junting broke the conversation between Ning Tian and Xiao Xiao with a question that had been on his mind.
"Xiao Xiao, this might be a bit forward, but I have to ask — how did you manage to use both of your martial spirits at the same time?"
Ning Tian's eyes widened in surprise.
"Using twin martial spirits simultaneously!?"
Her voice shot up. Twin martial spirits alone were rare enough — but to wield them at the same time?
She'd never even heard of it.
"You didn't tell me that," Ning Tian huffed, shooting Chen Junting a playful glare before turning to Xiao Xiao, her curiosity burning. "That's huge! Way bigger than just having twin martial spirits."
Caught off guard, Xiao Xiao hesitated. She hadn't expected this question.
Chen Junting quickly added, "No pressure. If it's inconvenient to explain, you don't have to."
Ning Tian nodded in agreement, giving Xiao Xiao room to decide.
"It's not inconvenient," Xiao Xiao answered, lifting her gaze to the sky with a thoughtful expression. "Honestly... I don't really know how."
She paused, searching her memory.
"I never thought about it. It just... happened. When I play the Nine Phoenixes Flute, I focus my mind to control the Three Lives Soul-Suppressing Cauldron at the same time. It drains a lot of soul power, but somehow, I can do it."
"No conflict between the two?" Chen Junting pressed.
"None."
Chen Junting's eyes sharpened. Her answer fit his theory perfectly.
"That makes sense," he said. "Your two spirits must have a natural harmony — either their attributes don't clash, or there's some deeper connection between them. And with your high control, you can wield both together."
A glimmer flashed in his eyes.
"Xiao Xiao, have you ever considered attempting a self-spirit fusion skill?"
Ning Tian blinked. "Wait — what?"
She frowned. "Fusion skills require two people, don't they? How could one person..."
Her words trailed off.
She thought back to what she knew of fusion skills. Her mind raced, piecing it together. Maybe they'd all been thinking too narrowly.
Chen Junting smiled slightly. "You thought of it too, didn't you?"
Their years of training together meant they often landed on the same ideas.
"I remember what Teacher Mu Jin said," Chen Junting continued. "The essence of the spirit fusion skill is compatibility. If there's enough resonance between two martial spirits, they can complement each other and merge."
Ning Tian nodded, seeing it now.
It made sense.
But Xiao Xiao still looked lost.
Chen Junting explained, "Take the example of Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo from the Spirit Hall, ten thousand years ago. On the surface, their martial spirits had nothing in common — yet they fused their skills perfectly through shared understanding and the balance of yin and yang."
His gaze met Xiao Xiao's.
"You're in a similar position."
"You mean..." Xiao Xiao's voice was cautious, uncertain.
"It sounds unbelievable," Ning Tian admitted, "but it's worth a try."
"You have twin martial spirits. You already use them together naturally. There's no conflict, and you control them both."
"And," Chen Junting added, "the coordination between two spirits inside one person is even more seamless than between two people. If anyone can achieve a self-fusion skill, it's you."
"Self-fusion skill..." Xiao Xiao whispered the words, her heart stirring.
The idea ignited something deep inside her.
Before they could say more, Wu Feng came rushing in, her voice urgent.
"Ning Tian!"
She caught her breath, then delivered the message.
"Teacher Mu Jin asked us to bring Xiao Xiao to Director Du's office!"
—
"Don't worry. The academy will handle this."
Director Du Weilun forced a stiff smile, though his heart ached as he looked at Xiao Xiao — now a member of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect.
A genius with twin martial spirits had slipped right through their fingers.
Once Xiao Xiao left the office, Du Weilun's forced calm cracked. His self-restraint evaporated in an instant.
"Zhou Yi! You deserve to be expelled!"
His furious roar shook the office walls.
Years of Zhou Yi's reckless behavior had built up like dry tinder. Fan Yu's presence had protected her, forcing Du Weilun to swallow his frustration again and again. But this time, she had gone too far.
Expelling a student with twin martial spirits — regardless of her motives, she had crossed an unforgivable line.
This was the spark that lit the fire.
Chen Junting and the others didn't witness what followed, but behind closed doors, Du Weilun stormed into Dean Yan Shaozhe's office, report in hand, and laid out every charge.
Yan Shaozhe's expression darkened as he listened.
He wasn't angry about the student loss alone — though losing a twin martial spirit genius to the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect was a brutal blow. He was furious at the failure of discipline, the carelessness that had cost them so dearly.
Shrek Academy wasn't just a school. It was a power. Talents like Xiao Xiao were supposed to become the academy's future, its pillars.
Now she was gone.
But worse, this wasn't an isolated mistake.
Yan Shaozhe flipped through the thick dossier Du Weilun had compiled. It wasn't just one offense. Years of complaints, reports, and overlooked incidents piled up page after page.
One or two issues could have been brushed aside. But this?
This was negligence on a scale that endangered the academy's reputation and future.
No matter who Zhou Yi's husband was, this had to be dealt with.
Yan Shaozhe wasted no time. He summoned the leaders of both the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department. Together, they reviewed Zhou Yi's long-standing misconduct and its consequences.
Even Fan Yu, long known for his integrity, couldn't defend her. Deep down, he'd always known Zhou Yi crossed the line too often. He had turned a blind eye for too long.
But now? Now it was too late.
The verdict was clear.
The academy moved swiftly: Zhou Yi's positions were stripped, and an independent investigation team was formed. If the findings confirmed the accusations, she would be expelled permanently and banned from even setting foot in Shrek City.
Wang Yan, a seasoned teacher, would take over her classes to keep the freshmen on track.
Just like that, the matter was settled.
Zhou Yi's reign at Shrek Academy had ended.
—
(End of Chapter)
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throw me some stone man,it will refresh in 24h so don't let your stone go to waste ~