Chapter 42: Fusion Power
The morning sun cast warm light over the Shrek Academy training grounds. Chen Sheng stood in the courtyard, going through his routine exercises—controlled movements that looked simple but required perfect body control and spirit power circulation.
His muscles moved with fluid precision, each motion flowing into the next as he practiced the foundational exercises that kept his overwhelming power perfectly controlled.
"Brother Sheng."
Chen Sheng turned to see Zhu Zhuqing approaching, her usual cool expression showing a hint of determination.
Her black hair was tied back practically, and she wore her tight clothes.
"Zhuqing," Chen Sheng acknowledged, finishing his current sequence. "What's on your mind?"
"I made progress in the movement technique," Zhu Zhuqing said directly, her dark eyes meeting his.
"I want you to see my improvement. Yesterday during practice, I had some insights. I feel if you give me instructions, my movements will definitely become much faster."
Chen Sheng nodded approvingly. "Good. Show me what you've learned first."
Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath and activated her spirit power, shadows gathered around her feet, and her aura shifted into something predatory.
Then she moved.
Her figure blurred, creating multiple afterimages as she crossed the ground.
The technique Chen Sheng had taught her was now executed with near-perfect efficiency—her movements were smooth, her spirit power flow optimized, her footwork precise.
She appeared in different positions around the training ground, each afterimage lasting just long enough to confuse observers enemies before fading. Her control over her body had improved dramatically, allowing her to blend the movement technique with her martial soul's natural abilities.
Finally, she came to a stop in front of Chen Sheng, barely breathing hard despite the intensive display.
"Well?"
Zhu Zhuqing asked, a faint note of pride in her usually cool voice.
Chen Sheng smiled. "Excellent. Your efficiency is close to perfection—about ninety percent mastery. The way you're integrating your shadow attribute with the footwork shows real understanding, not just mechanical copying."
Zhu Zhuqing's expression brightened slightly—for her, that was equivalent to beaming with joy.
"If you continue practicing every day like this, you'll perfect it within a month or maybe even less," Chen Sheng continued. "Your progress speed is impressive."
[DETECTED! Zhu Zhuqing Emotion (Pride, Happiness, Affection) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated, then looked at Chen Sheng with unusual intensity. A very faint blush colored her normally pale cheeks—so subtle that most people wouldn't notice it.
"I want... to try something else," she said quietly.
"What is it?"
Chen Sheng asked curiously.
"I want to attempt Martial Soul Fusion with you." The words came out in a rush, as if she'd been gathering courage to say them.
Chen Sheng's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Martial Soul Fusion?"
"Yes." Zhu Zhuqing's blush deepened slightly, but her eyes remained steady. "My Nether Hell Cat and your Ancient White Tiger—they're both feline martial souls. And the way our spirit power resonates when we train together... I think we might be compatible."
[DETECTED! Zhu Zhuqing Emotion (Pride, Happiness, Affection) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
Interesting, Chen Sheng thought.
In the original timeline, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing could perform the Hell White Tiger fusion. But my Ancient White Tiger is far superior to Dai Mubai's Evil Eyes White Tiger, and Zhuqing's martial soul has evolved to Nether Hell Cat...
"The compatibility might be even higher than the original," he mused aloud.
"Original?" Zhu Zhuqing looked confused.
"Nothing," Chen Sheng said quickly. "I was just thinking out loud. You're right—the potential is definitely there. Are you sure you want to try? Martial Soul Fusion can be dangerous if it fails."
"I'm sure." Zhu Zhuqing's determination was absolute.
Chen Sheng studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. We'll test it. But we do this carefully—at the first sign of spirit power rejection, we stop immediately."
"Understood."
"Extend your palms and look at me," Chen Sheng instructed, stepping closer.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't hesitate. She extended both palms, her luminous dark eyes locking onto Chen Sheng's gaze. This close, he could see the barely controlled nervousness beneath her cool exterior.
Chen Sheng placed his palms against hers, feeling the warmth of her skin. "Infuse your soul power into my body slowly. I'll do the same. Let our energies flow naturally—don't force anything."
"Okay," Zhu Zhuqing breathed.
She began channeling her soul power through their connected palms.
Chen Sheng felt the cool tinged energy of her Nether Hell Cat flowing into him—it carried the essence of darkness, stealth, and lethal grace.
Simultaneously, he sent his own spirit power flowing into her body. His Ancient White Tiger's energy was powerful, carrying lightning.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM!
A burst of dark golden light erupted from where Chen Sheng and Zhu Zhuqing stood, dazzling and brilliant. The light completely enveloped both their figures, growing brighter and more intense with each passing second.
Shadows and lightning intertwined within the radiance, creating mesmerizing patterns.
"It's...!" Zhu Zhuqing gasped, feeling her martial soul resonating with Chen Sheng's in perfect harmony.
The light grew so bright that they disappeared from view entirely. Then, from within that brilliance—
"ROOOAAAARRRR!"
A mighty roar shook the entire Shrek Academy grounds. Birds scattered from trees, windows rattled, and everyone within a kilometer felt an instinctive pressure that made them look up in alarm.
From within the golden light, a massive figure emerged.
It was a giant tiger—approximately ten meters long and three to four meters high. Its body was covered in dark blue fur with golden lightning patterns running along its flanks. On its forehead blazed a golden thunder symbol that crackled with divine energy.
Most striking of all were the long, powerful wings extending from its shoulders—feathered wings that seemed to be made of condensed shadow and lightning.
The Nether Ancient Divine Tiger stood on the training ground, radiating overwhelming power. Its eyes glowed with golden light, and small arcs of purple-black lightning danced across its fur.
Inside the fused form, Chen Sheng's consciousness was dominant, but he could feel Zhu Zhuqing's presence beside him, their spirits intertwined.
"My guess was correct," Chen Sheng's voice emerged from the tiger, filled with delight. "We can perform Martial Soul Fusion!"
"This is... incredible," Zhu Zhuqing's consciousness responded, awestruck. "I can feel your power flowing through me. And this form—it's magnificent!"
"The Nether Ancient Divine Tiger," Chen Sheng named it. "The fusion of thunder and shadow, divine authority and netherworldly stealth. This is our combined martial soul."
"But I notice you're completely in control," Zhu Zhuqing observed. "I can sense everything, but you're leading."
"My Ancient White Tiger is much higher grade than your Nether Hell Cat," Chen Sheng explained. "And my soul power is far stronger. If you tried to lead this fusion, your spiritual power simply couldn't withstand the burden. This is normal for Martial Soul Fusion when there's a large power gap."
Before they could explore further, Chen Sheng sensed multiple powerful auras rapidly approaching.
"Everyone heard the roar," he said. "We should release the fusion before they arrive in panic."
---
The roar had indeed startled everyone at Shrek Academy.
In the main building, Flender and Yu Xiaogang had been in the middle of an important discussion about the academy's future.
"As I was saying, Qin Ming's proposal has merit," Flender said, leaning back in his chair. "The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy has resources we simply can't match—spirit, better environments, extensive libraries, connections to powerful—"
"ROOOAAAARRRR!"
The building shook. Both men's expressions changed instantly.
"What was that?!" Yu Xiaogang shot to his feet.
"A spirit beast? Inside the city?" Flender's martial soul manifested immediately—his Four-Eyed Owl Spirit appeared, and he grabbed Grandmaster. "Hold on!"
They shot out the window, Flender's flight ability carrying them both toward the source of the sound at maximum speed.
Zhao Wuji wasn't far behind, his massive Vigorous Vajra Bear spirit manifested as he ran through the academy grounds with earth-shaking steps.
The students also rushed toward the training courtyard—Tang San, Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar all converging from different directions.
Flender and Yu Xiaogang arrived first, landing on the edge of the training courtyard.
What they saw made them freeze in shock.
An enormous tiger—dark blue with golden patterns, divine wings, thunder crackling across its body—stood in the center of the courtyard. Its presence radiated overwhelming power, easily equivalent to a Spirit King or higher.
"What is this creature?!" Flender's voice was tense, ready to fight if necessary.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes narrowed as he studied the tiger carefully. The martial soul's aura was familiar somehow...
Zhao Wuji arrived moments later, his Spirit Saint-level power ready to deploy. "Is that a spirit beast? How did it get—wait."
He paused, squinting at the tiger.
"This is Chen Sheng's martial soul, the Ancient White Tiger," Zhao Wuji said slowly. "But it's different—those wings, the coloring, the shadow energy mixed with the lightning..."
[DETECTED! Flender, Yu Xiaogang and Zhou Wuji's Emotion (Shock, Envy, Surprise) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chests acquired!(×3)]
Yu Xiaogang's eyes suddenly lit up with realization. "This isn't just Chen Sheng's martial soul. This is a Martial Soul Fusion!"
He raised his voice, calling out to the giant tiger: "Am I right, Xiao Sheng? Zhuqing? This is a fusion of the Ancient White Tiger and Nether Hell Cat!"
The massive tiger's head turned toward them, and when it spoke, Chen Sheng's voice emerged, resonating with power:
"Grandmaster is indeed perceptive. Yes, this is Zhuqing's and my Martial Soul Fusion Skill—the Nether Ancient Divine Tiger."
At that moment, Tang San and the others arrived, staring at the massive beast in shock.
"It's actually a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?!" Tang San's eyes were wide. He'd heard Grandmaster lecture about Martial Soul Fusion before—it was one of the rarest and most powerful phenomena in the spirit master world.
Dai Mubai stood frozen, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. Chen Sheng and Zhuqing can perform Martial Soul Fusion...
That meant their martial souls had perfect compatibility. That meant their connection was on a level he could never hope to match.
I've completely lost any chance, he realized with bitter acceptance. Not that I had one to begin with. Chen Sheng is stronger, smarter, and now this...
[DETECTED! Dai Mubai Emotion (Jealousy, Resignation, Bitter Acceptance) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
[DETECTED! Tang San Emotion (Shock, Envy) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
Golden light bloomed around the Nether Ancient Divine Tiger, and the massive form dissolved. When the light faded, Chen Sheng and Zhu Zhuqing stood where the tiger had been.
Zhu Zhuqing swayed slightly, her spirit power clearly depleted. Chen Sheng immediately steadied her, his arm around her waist to keep her upright.
"That giant tiger just now was Zhuqing's and my Martial Soul Fusion Skill," Chen Sheng explained to everyone. "The Nether Ancient Divine Tiger."
"Brother Sheng and Sister Zhuqing can actually perform Martial Soul Fusion?" Xiao Wu said, her voice mixing surprise with slight jealousy. She quickly moved closer to Chen Sheng's other side.
[DETECTED! Xiao Wu's Emotion (Shock) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
Oscar immediately ran forward, chanting his spirit incantations: "I have a big sausage!"
Several Big Recovery Sausages appeared, and he handed them to Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng took one and gently fed it to Zhu Zhuqing. Her pale complexion improved immediately as the spirit power restoration took effect. Within moments, she could stand on her own, though she didn't move away from Chen Sheng's supporting arm.
"Xiao Sheng, that fusion was led by you, wasn't it?" Yu Xiaogang asked, his analytical mind already working through the implications.
"Yes," Chen Sheng confirmed.
"With you leading, your soul power consumption should be much faster than Zhuqing's," Grandmaster continued.
"Yet Zhuqing's spirit power was exhausted first, while you still seem relatively fine. This means your total spirit power reserves must be significantly greater than hers—probably several times larger."
"That's correct," Chen Sheng nodded. "The power gap between us is substantial."
"Once Zhuqing's rank increases, the duration of maintaining the Nether Ancient Divine Tiger should extend significantly," Yu Xiaogang analyzed.
"Actually, there's something else," Zhu Zhuqing spoke up, her voice carrying a note of confusion. "I feel... stronger. My spirit power increased."
"What do you mean?" Ning Rongrong asked.
"Check your rank," Chen Sheng suggested, already suspecting what had happened.
Zhu Zhuqing closed her eyes, sensing her internal spirit power. When she opened them again, shock was clearly visible on her normally composed face.
"I'm at rank thirty-eight," she said, disbelief in her voice.
"What?!" Multiple people exclaimed simultaneously.
Everyone present knew Zhu Zhuqing's previous rank. She'd been at Level 32, broken through to Level 33 during training, and might have recently reached Level 34 at most.
Jumping to Level 38 in an instant was impossible!
Chen Sheng placed his fingers on Zhu Zhuqing's wrist, sending a thread of spirit power into her body to verify. She was indeed at Level 38 without any doubts.
"How is this possible?" Flender asked, completely baffled.
"Could it be due to the Martial Soul Fusion?" Yu Xiaogang frowned, his theoretical knowledge being challenged by this unprecedented situation.
"Although there aren't many people who can perform Martial Soul Fusion, there are quite a few throughout history," Grandmaster said slowly. "But I've never heard of anyone's soul power rank directly increasing after performing a Martial Soul Fusion. This is completely new."
"When we performed the fusion just now," Zhu Zhuqing said quietly, "I seemed to absorb some of Chen Sheng's soul power. A large amount of it. That's what pushed me through the bottlenecks."
Everyone turned to look at Chen Sheng with concern.
"Xiao Sheng, has your soul power decreased?" Yu Xiaogang asked urgently.
"Not by much," Chen Sheng replied calmly. He'd sensed the soul power transfer during the fusion, but it was truly negligible compared to his vast reserves. "Maybe one percent of my total reserves at most."
Actually closer to 0.1~0.2 percent, he thought privately, but no need to reveal just how deep my power goes.
[DETECTED! Yu Xiaogang's Emotion (Shock) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
"One percent..." Yu Xiaogang calculated quickly. "If your total spirit power is several times greater than Zhuqing's, then one percent from you could equal five to ten percent of her reserves. That much sudden energy could indeed push through multiple levels."
Tang San spoke up, his analytical mind working: "Master, could it be that this situation only occurs because the difference in spirit power between Chen Sheng and Zhuqing is too great? The fusion tried to balance their energies, causing the transfer?"
"That's a reasonable explanation," Yu Xiaogang nodded. "If true, then every time Xiao Sheng and Zhuqing use the Martial Soul Fusion Skill in the future, Zhuqing might continue absorbing his soul power until the difference between them narrows to a more balanced point."
"If that's the case, I could quickly raise Zhuqing's strength to Soul King or even Soul Emperor level in a short time," Chen Sheng said thoughtfully. "Though I estimate only the first fusion will have such a dramatic effect. Subsequent fusions might transfer much less."
"I don't want your soul power," Zhu Zhuqing said firmly, looking at Chen Sheng with concern. "Even if it makes me stronger, I won't steal your cultivation. That's not right."
Chen Sheng smiled gently at her. "The little bit you absorbed is not even a drop in the ocean for me, Zhuqing. Don't worry about it."
"But—"
"Whether this situation will occur again, we'll test it in the future," Yu Xiaogang interrupted diplomatically. "How to proceed will be up to the two of you to decide together. For now, Zhuqing, congratulations—you're now Level 38, making you the fourth strongest in the team by rank, after Chen Sheng, Tang San and Dai Mubai."
Zhu Zhuqing processed this, then nodded slowly. "Thank you... everyone."
Ning Rongrong looked between Chen Sheng and Zhu Zhuqing with complicated feelings—happy for her friend's advancement, but also aware that this Martial Soul Fusion represented a special connection she couldn't share.
Xiao Wu simply moved closer to Chen Sheng, silently asserting her presence.
[DETECTED! Xiao Wu Emotion (Slightly Possessiveness, Competitive Spirit) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
[DETECTED! Ning Rongrong Emotion (Slight Envy, Determination) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
"Well," Flender said, breaking the moment, "this is certainly an unexpected development. A Martial Soul Fusion Skill will be incredibly valuable in the tournament and beyond."
"Indeed," Yu Xiaogang agreed, though his expression showed he was still processing the implications. "We should incorporate this into our battle strategies moving forward."
---
Over the following month, the Shrek team continued their dominance in the Great Spirit Arena. Match after match, victory after victory—their reputation grew to legendary proportions.
Chen Sheng, in particular, became a phenomenon.
Fighting under the name "White Tiger God," he maintained an absolutely perfect record. Every opponent fell before him, usually within the first minute. His tactical genius and overwhelming power made him the arena's biggest draw—whenever he fought, attendance tripled.
Finally, one evening, the team gathered at the arena's administrative office to tally their final points for the month.
Manager Ao greeted them personally, his expression a mixture of professional courtesy and genuine awe.
"Congratulations," he said, pulling out official records. "Your performance this month has been... unprecedented."
He read through the statistics:
"Chen Sheng—battle record of 30 wins and 0 losses in individual fights, 29 wins and 0 losses in 2-versus-2 fights, and 28 wins and 0 losses in team fights. Total points: 5,658."
Manager Ao presented Chen Sheng with a golden badge that gleamed in the light—the Gold Fighter Spirit Badge, the highest honor the arena could bestow.
"You're the youngest person in Soto City's history to achieve Gold rank," Manager Ao said with respect. "Your name will be recorded in our hall of fame."
Chen Sheng accepted the badge calmly, as if such achievement was expected.
"Tang San," Manager Ao continued, "battle record of 28 wins and 0 losses in individual fights, 27 wins and 0 losses in 2-versus-2, and 28 wins and 0 losses in team fights. Total points: 5,342. Also Gold rank."
Tang San received his golden badge with a complicated expression. He'd worked incredibly hard, pushed himself to the limit in every match—yet Chen Sheng's record was still better. Always one step ahead.
[DETECTED! Tang San Emotion (Frustration, Competitive Resentment) Congratulations to Host! Treasure Chest acquired!]
"The rest of the team," Manager Ao announced, "have all achieved Silver rank—an impressive accomplishment for such young Spirit Masters."
Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar all received their silver badges with varying degrees of satisfaction.
"Thank you, Manager Ao," Flender said, beaming with pride and mentally calculating how much reputation this would bring to Shrek Academy. "Our students have worked very hard."
As they left the arena that evening, the golden badges in Chen Sheng's and Tang San's hands caught the lamplight, marking them as elite fighters.
But everyone present knew the truth—only one of them had truly dominated every challenge without ever showing his full strength.
---
That night, back at the hotel, Flender called a team meeting.
"Everyone, we have an important announcement," he began. "We've received an offer from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy—a student exchange that would give you access to far better training facilities and resources."
He explained Qin Ming's proposal in detail, watching the students' reactions carefully.
"We'll be leaving for Heaven Dou City the day after tomorrow, if everyone agrees," Yu Xiaogang added. "This is an opportunity that could significantly improve your chances in the Continental Tournament."
The students looked at each other, then at Chen Sheng.
"What do you think, Brother Sheng?" Xiao Wu asked, voicing what everyone was wondering.
Chen Sheng was quiet for a moment, considering. Heaven Dou Imperial Academy... in the original timeline, this is where things started getting complicated. Prince Xue Xing's interference, Dugu Bo, ice and fire garden, meeting with the Qian Renxue...
"I think we should accept," Chen Sheng said finally. "The facilities at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy will help all of you advance faster. And there may be... opportunities there that we can't find in Soto City."
With Chen Sheng's endorsement, the others quickly agreed.
"Then it's decided," Flender announced, satisfaction clear in his voice. "We depart for Heaven Dou City in two days. Pack your belongings and prepare yourselves."
---