Lu Jingming's expression remained calm and collected. Even seeing Zhang Lexuan directly hit by Ma Xiaotao's "Phoenix Roar Heavenly Strike," there wasn't a hint of worry on his face.
After all, he knew everything about Zhang Lexuan, fully aware of the power of her fourth soul skill, "Phases of the Moon." This soul skill could not only quickly restore her injuries and soul power but also form an incredibly sturdy soul power shield at critical moments, effectively blocking various powerful attacks.
It was a combination of recovery and defense, making it Zhang Lexuan's trump card in battle.
"Your speed is decent, but what about this?" Zhang Lexuan's expression was serene, as if the fierce attack just now had no effect on her.
She ignored the high-temperature flames still burning around her, and her third soul ring suddenly glowed with purple light.
"Third Soul Skill, Moonfall Sword Domain!" With a clear cry from Zhang Lexuan, countless sword auras, condensed from moonlight, burst forth, covering everything.
These sword auras crisscrossed, shooting in all directions like dense raindrops, forming a wide-ranging, indiscriminate attack zone. For a moment, the entire beach was enveloped in silver sword energy, as if entering a dreamlike silver world. But beneath this beautiful facade lay deadly danger.
Having been constantly suppressed by Zhang Lexuan and having consecutively unleashed multiple soul skills, even her strongest fourth soul skill at this stage, Ma Xiaotao's soul power was greatly depleted, and her body was exhausted.
Faced with this overwhelming, inescapable sword energy attack, she was now powerless and couldn't make any effective evasive movements.
Helpless, she could only quickly bring her wings together, tightly wrapping herself within them, transforming into a giant fireball, attempting to withstand the storm-like sword energy attack.
"Puff, puff, puff—" A series of muffled sounds rang out, the sound of sword energy piercing through the flame shield. Each sound seemed to strike Ma Xiaotao's heart, making it sink lower and lower.
When all the moonlight sword auras gradually dissipated, and the flames Ma Xiaotao used for protection were completely eroded, she could no longer hold on. Her body, like a kite with a broken string, heavily crashed onto the beach.
"It's over." Seeing this, Lu Jingming and Keqing almost simultaneously realized that this spectacular soul duel had reached its conclusion. Zhang Lexuan stood in place, her robes fluttering, spotless, maintaining her elegant and composed demeanor, as cool as a celestial maiden descended from the heavens, as if she had never experienced this fierce battle.
In contrast, Ma Xiaotao lay sprawled on the beach, her clothes torn and tattered, with countless marks from sword slashes. She gasped heavily, large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.
Her entire body was so weak that she couldn't move a single finger. Her once neat clothes were now disheveled, large areas of her skin exposed, hinting at an alluring view.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, how miserable!" Lu Jingming walked forward with a mischievous grin. Seeing Ma Xiaotao's disheveled state, he deliberately put on an exaggerated expression of astonishment.
Ma Xiaotao glared furiously at Lu Jingming, her silver teeth grinding. She felt a mix of shame and indignation. She was not only frustrated by the crushing defeat in the battle but also by her disheveled state, with her skin exposed, being fully seen by Lu Jingming.
If only Zhang Lexuan and Keqing were present, as fellow girls, she wouldn't have cared too much. But Lu Jingming was different; he was a boy, and the very boy who had once infuriated her.
The thought of being seen in such a pathetic state by Lu Jingming made her feel dizzy, as if she might faint from sheer humiliation and anger at any moment.
"Xiao Ming, don't bully girls!" Zhang Lexuan, seeing this, gave Lu Jingming a chiding glare and gently covered his eyes with her hand.
Keqing sighed helplessly. She quickly walked forward, helped the limp Ma Xiaotao up, and then took out a clean set of clothes from her storage soul tool, gently draping it over Ma Xiaotao to cover her exposed skin.
However, the torn black stockings on Ma Xiaotao's legs remained conspicuous, the subtly revealed skin inadvertently giving off an extreme allure that made one's imagination run wild.
"(ˉ▽￣～) Hmph~~ Just a little girl, nothing to see." Lu Jingming, with his eyes covered by Zhang Lexuan, still didn't forget to talk back. He leaned his head against Zhang Lexuan's soft body, speaking with feigned disdain.
Although he said this, he actually knew that Ma Xiaotao was only thirteen years old and her body had not yet reached its peak development. Her overall charm naturally couldn't compare to Zhang Lexuan, who was in the prime of her youth.
According to his memories, the future Ma Xiaotao was famously curvaceous, and surpassing the current Zhang Lexuan was only a matter of time. But this didn't stop him from provoking Ma Xiaotao.
After all, watching her embarrassed and flustered, wanting to eat him but helpless, was quite amusing.
Hearing Lu Jingming's slightly teasing remark, a surge of anger "whooshed" into Ma Xiaotao's heart.
This anger was so fierce that she suddenly felt her vision darken, her head spun, and her eyes uncontrollably closed. Her body went limp, falling into Keqing's arms, and she fainted.
Zhang Lexuan helplessly lowered the hand that had been covering Lu Jingming's eyes, then reached out a finger and gently pinched Lu Jingming's cheek.
Her movement was gentle but carried a hint of reproach, and she softly said, "She's older than you, yet you call her a little girl."
Lu Jingming regained his vision and immediately saw Ma Xiaotao, unconscious in Keqing's arms.
He tilted his head slightly, a half-smile on his face, and remarked, "Young people have such good bodies, they can just collapse and sleep."
A sharp glint flashed in Keqing's purple eyes as she glared fiercely at Lu Jingming, saying exasperatedly, "You should say less. Look how much you've angered the poor girl."
Seeing that Keqing was genuinely a bit angry, Lu Jingming quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his face beaming with smiles as he ingratiatingly said, "Alright, alright, anything you say, Miss Keqing. I spoke out of turn, isn't that enough?"
Zhang Lexuan shook her head helplessly. She was quite at a loss for Lu Jingming's occasional tendency to stir up trouble.
Then, she turned her gaze back to the unconscious Ma Xiaotao, her expression becoming serious. She gravely said, "Let's take her to rest first. No matter what, she's our guest.
Although I held back in the fight just now, her soul power consumption was immense, and her body definitely can't take it."
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