"You're too powerful. I think even big brother isn't your rival anymore," a voice of praise sounded in the air. A crack seemed to open up in the sky all of a sudden. Then, a figure dropped silently beside her.

The one who was practicing her punches was a young lady. She had average looks and a tall physique. She wore a metallic grey, military uniform and had two bars and three stars on her shoulders. Although her appearance was not outstanding, she appeared gallant in her military uniform.

The person who landed beside her was a young man. Similarly, he wore a military uniform, but the ranks on his shoulders were two bars and two stars. His appearance was also run-of-the-mill. He had a faint smile on his face. Although he stood there, he gave the feeling that he was not really there, as if it was his projection standing there.

"Do you not have any confidence in him? The next time he calls, why don't you tell that to his face?" said the female military officer drily.

The young man said with a helpless expression, "Dear, we're a family, you know. Don't put me in a bad light! Your improvement is truly great. If you keep this up, I don't know when I'll be able to marry you." He recalled what the lady before him had once said, that she would only marry him if he could defeat her. He could not help but feel slightly depressed.

She had been working pretty hard. Not long after joining the army, with her understanding of the Tang Sect's secret technique, the Capturing Crane Controlling Dragon and her observation of the changes the gale brought to the clouds in the mountains, she had created her own soul skill, the Cloud Vortex Divine Punch. This led to her enlightenment on merging with nature. Her cultivation base instantly achieved a breakthrough and she immediately attained rank-70. If she had a spirit soul, she would have been a Soul Saint already.

Ever since she created the Cloud Vortex Divine Punch, her strength had increased exponentially. She finally found the path that she had been looking for all this time. The fist was her final weapon. Her initial giant hammers were discarded.

Indeed, she was the one who possessed two great super martial souls, the Titan Giant Ape and the Fallen Angel. She was none other than Yuanen Yehui.

The person who stood beside her, at the moment, was a disguised Xie Xie.

It had been a few months since they came to the Northern Army Corps. Yuanen was given the rank of a colonel after her cultivation base had broken through to seven rings. The personal strength she displayed had shocked the entire army. The martial soul she declared was the Titan Ape, the same martial soul possessed by the Blood God Army's Ma Shan, the same army which Tang Wulin was in.

The Titan Ape's appearance was similar to the Titan Giant Ape. Those who were not particularly familiar to these two martial souls would not be able to differentiate them.

Xie Xie's strength had also improved tremendously. However, compared to Yuanen Yehui, he still lagged behind. However, he had found his own path, too.

He was certain of it after joining the Northern Army Corps' reconnaissance battalion. He was currently the reconnaissance battalion's deputy battalion commander whereas Yuanen Yehui was the chief of the combat unit. At the same time, she was also the commander of the army corps' security battalion.

The Northern Army Corps guarded the northern border and was stationed at the periphery of Thule. Thule was an uninhabitable place. In addition, it was completely covered by a thick layer of ice. The land could not be developed for fear of triggering a catastrophic disaster caused by increasing global temperatures and rising sea levels.

Douluo Continent was already the northernmost continent among the three continents. Besides, Thule was also a mysterious place.

According to legend, powerful soul beasts still roamed Thule. These soul beasts would not leave Thule readily. To avoid unnecessary trouble and to prepare for a possible soul beast attack, the Federation had an army stationed in Thule.

Thule was a harsh place. Most people were unwilling to come here. However, the Northern Army Corps was known for its tenacity. It was also one of the eight great federal armies. Although they had the smallest number of troops among the eight great armies, nobody dared question the combat strength of this army. The Northern Army was especially known for their mecha troops which were formidable.

A land covered in ice and snow was the perfect place to develop a person's will. It was the reason for the Northern Army Corps' well-known tenacity.

"Who's your family? You'd better work hard yourself," said Yuanen Yehui pointedly.

"Does this mean that your Cloud Vortex Divine Punch still isn't good enough to defeat big brother?" Xie Xie moved closer to Yuanen and took her hand with a blushing face.

Yuanen Yehui did not shake him off. She only rolled her eyes at him. She had gotten used to the brazen demeanor of this fellow.

Xie Xie pulled on her hand and said with flattery, "Wow, it's hard to imagine that this beautiful little hand is able to throw such a powerful punch."

Yuanen Yehui pulled her hand back. "Don't be so corny. I've got goosebumps all over." Despite her response, her gaze betrayed the inkling of a smile.

"By the way, I heard that you've made it to the final rounds of the Federal Star Dou Battle Network Challenge. I wonder what the results of the draw are. It'd be better not to face big brother in the earlier matches, right?" said Xie Xie.

Yuanen Yehui said, "Didn't you say that he might not even be a match for me?"

Xie Xie was bashful in replying, "It's just a figure of speech. Big brother is known for his ability to create miracles. Besides, what if both of you are injured during the match?"

"Silly, that's a Battle Network competition. There's no real damage done to our actual bodies! How dumb can you get?"

"Er alright. But, I'm also looking forward to seeing what kind of exciting event will happen when your Cloud Vortex Divine Punch meets big brother's Golden Dragon bloodline. Oh yes, Zhengyu wasn't able to make it to the finals this time. He's so depressed. Hahaha."

"You're talking as if you've made it to the finals yourself."

""

"Stop being depressed. You were so close. Luck played its part, too. You can't blame yourself for losing!" Xu Xiaoyan shook Yue Zhengyu's arms lightly.

Yue Zhengyu looked defeated. "Luck is also a part of one's strength. The heavens are truly working against me! Why didn't I notice a shattered battle armor piece on the floor? If I did, I wouldn't have lost control over my body. It's my spiritual powers that aren't powerful enough. I couldn't get a hold of the terrain at the crucial moment. This might've been taken into account by my opponent. A loss is a loss. I'm not saying it's unfair. I'm only disappointed that I can't meet up with big brother and the others in the finals. I intended to see just how far everyone has grown during the finals."

Their shoulders were adorned with the ranks of a lieutenant colonel. They wore smart, yellow military uniforms. From their official duties, Xu Xiaoyan might even be a rank above Yue Zhengyu. A battle soul master was easy to find, but a super powerful control system soul master was rare. In terms of controlling abilities, Xu Xiaoyan's star staff's absolute control had made her almost fairy-like when she joined the Southern Army Corps. She was soon promoted.

The reason they chose the Southern Army Corps was because the Southern Army Corps' commanding officer was a member of the Holy Angel Clan. In other words, it was the reserve of Yue Zhengyu's family. They did not have to fear exposing their identities here. What exacerbated Yue Zhengyu's depression was Xu Xiaoyan's promotion which was purely due to her personal efforts, whereas his promotion was partially motivated by the fact that he was from the Holy Angel Clan.

He had intended to display his own strength through the Federal Star Dou Battle Network Challenge as a justification that he deserved the rank. However, no one expected his opponent to turn the tide of the battle when he had already gained the upper hand.

Xu Xiaoyan covered her mouth and giggled. "Could it be that you have the confidence to defeat big brother? Don't forget that he had once defeated you and Xie Xie at the same time!"

Yue Zhengyu coughed. "Can we not bring up the past? I was just saying. After completing my clan's Holy Baptism, my soul power is refined. I'll soon be able to form my soul core. Once my soul core is completed, I'll surely break through to rank-70. Then, I'll fuse with the hundred-thousand-year plant-type soul beast and obtain a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. I'd be able to stand a chance against big brother then."