So Embarrassing...

After Cui Yongqin had briefly explained soul ring attachment to Li Chang'an, she brought up the main matter of the day. "All right. Release that Pangu Axe martial soul of yours. I need to specifically test the quality and power of your martial soul."

Although there had long been rumors that Li Chang'an's martial soul was extraordinary, exactly how extraordinary it was required a concrete standard of evaluation.

Cui Yongqin's task today was to specifically test the power of Li Chang'an's two martial souls, record the results, and ultimately classify them within Spirit Hall's confidential archives.

Li Chang'an rose from the grass and spread open his right hand. A pitch-black axe slowly appeared. Though axes were usually crude weapons, Li Chang'an's Pangu Axe was different.

The lines of Li Chang'an's Pangu Axe were exceptionally pleasing, giving off a sense of seamless natural unity. It also exuded an ancient simplicity, with a domineering sort of beauty.

Luxurious without being ostentatious, sharp without being showy—this was the impression the Pangu Axe gave Cui Yongqin.

As Li Chang'an's martial soul appeared, the nearby Elite Class students could not help but feel a heavy pressure, as though a stone were pressing against their chests and making them feel stifled.

Yet several students had their eyes full of fighting spirit, such as Yan and Xie Yue.

They were all the cream of the Elite Class, and they were three or four years older than Li Chang'an. At that age, they feared no challenge. The stronger Li Chang'an was, the more it stirred their fighting spirit.

Looking at Li Chang'an's Pangu Axe, Cui Yongqin silently nodded. The Pope truly had a keen eye. Such a martial soul was indeed worthy of becoming the Pope's disciple.

"Now, attack me with your Pangu Axe. Go all out. Don't hold back!"

Cui Yongqin rose from the ground as well, one hand behind her back as she spoke calmly.

She was already a Soul Emperor-level powerhouse. No matter how powerful Li Chang'an's martial soul was, it still had no soul rings attached. Naturally, Cui Yongqin had no need to summon her martial soul to defend herself.

"Please guide me, Teacher!" Li Chang'an said solemnly, pressing his palms together and tightly gripping the axe handle.

The Pangu Axe was still quite large. At least, it looked somewhat awkward in Li Chang'an's hands at his current age. Even so, his earnestness made Cui Yongqin look at him in a new light.

After all, it was rare for someone Li Chang'an's age to possess such a temperament.

"Hah!"

Li Chang'an explosively pushed off the ground with both feet. His small figure rushed toward Cui Yongqin with the Pangu Axe in hand, raising it with both hands and bringing it down in a chopping motion.

There was no helping it. Li Chang'an did not know any axe techniques, nor did he understand how to borrow force. He could only chop at her stupidly like this...

Cui Yongqin did not retreat. She was here to test Li Chang'an's martial soul in the first place, and Li Chang'an was not capable of hurting her.

Faint white Soul Power ripples flickered around Cui Yongqin. Then, a circular barrier condensed from Soul Power slowly appeared, blocking the space directly before her.

This was merely a casually erected Soul Power barrier by Cui Yongqin. It was not particularly dense and could at most block a Soul Master around level twenty. But in Cui Yongqin's view, it was more than enough to block Li Chang'an's attack.

At this point, the other teachers and students of the Elite Class had temporarily set aside what they were doing and turned their attention toward Li Chang'an, to varying degrees.

Hu Liena's gaze was filled with curiosity, while Yan and the other boys looked eager to have a go. Qian Renxue merely spat in her heart, Womanizer!

"Bzz!"

The blade of the Pangu Axe struck the white Soul Power shield, sending ripples through it as a buzzing sound rang through the air.

Cui Yongqin still had one hand behind her back while controlling the Soul Power shield with the other, looking entirely calm and composed.

Meanwhile, Li Chang'an stood to one side, gripping the Pangu Axe with both hands and gasping for breath. When he attacked just now, he had instinctively poured his Soul Power into the Pangu Axe—and the Pangu Axe had drained every last bit of Soul Power from his body in an instant!

That was right, all of it. Not even a trace remained. Li Chang'an had been completely drained by that strike from the Pangu Axe, leaving his entire body feeling weak.

Even so, Li Chang'an saw that Cui Yongqin's Soul Power shield had not budged in the slightest, without the faintest sign of cracking. He could not help but feel immense admiration. Teacher was indeed Teacher. He was still far too inexperienced.

But just then, the system notification sounded.

"Ding. You showed off in front of Cui Yongqin. Points +13..."

Li Chang'an: ???

Although Li Chang'an was confused, what he did not notice was that the hand behind Cui Yongqin's back had been trembling slightly all along. At that instant, Cui Yongqin had poured another huge surge of Soul Power into the shield to keep it from shattering and avoid losing face.

But Cui Yongqin was certain of one thing: after Li Chang'an poured all his Soul Power into the Pangu Axe, the power of that strike had been anything but ordinary. At the very least, it could already break through the defenses of a level-twenty Soul Master.

In the end, she had been too overconfident!

"Cough, cough. Very good, Chang'an. Rest for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, then summon your Eastern Emperor Bell and test your defense," Cui Yongqin said with a cough, concealing her embarrassment and pulling Li Chang'an out of his bewilderment.

Li Chang'an put away the Pangu Axe and sat cross-legged on the ground, beginning to diligently recover his Soul Power.

He would have to be more careful when using the Pangu Axe in the future. This thing was a bottomless pit that could never be filled. He should save more energy to feed the fish in his sea instead.

The time it took to burn an incense stick passed quickly. When Li Chang'an woke from meditation, he saw that Xie Yue was already standing across from him.

"This time, Xie Yue will test the defense of your Eastern Emperor Bell. Xie Yue advanced to Soul Grandmaster a few days ago, so he is more than sufficient for the test," Cui Yongqin said from the side.

Xie Yue nodded at Li Chang'an as well. "Don't be nervous. I'll hold back some of my strength."

Thinking of the Pangu Axe's power, Cui Yongqin very much wanted to tell Xie Yue to go all out instead. But considering Xie Yue's pride, she ultimately said nothing.

Li Chang'an did not have a bad impression of this future brother-in-law. After all, this was Hu Liena's biological older brother. They simply took their respective father's and mother's surnames.

"Thank you, Senior. I'm ready."

Li Chang'an nodded gently, spread open his left hand, and the ancient yet perfect Eastern Emperor Bell appeared in his palm. Once it left his hand, the Eastern Emperor Bell rapidly enlarged and became somewhat ethereal.

Very soon, the semi-transparent Eastern Emperor Bell steadily enveloped Li Chang'an, perfectly protecting his entire body. Yet because the Eastern Emperor Bell was now transparent, Li Chang'an did not appear to be inside a bell. Instead, it looked as though he had an additional bell-shaped transparent shield around him.

Seeing this, Xie Yue summoned his two crescent-blade-like Moon Blades. Two yellow soul rings revolved around him in a steady rhythm.

"Watch out!"

Xie Yue leaped halfway into the air. His two Moon Blades flashed through a series of afterimages before striking Li Chang'an's Eastern Emperor Bell directly.

Huh? Nothing happened. Fine, full Soul Power output!

Seeing that there was no reaction at all, Xie Yue responded quickly. For the sake of his pride, he instantly went all out!

"Bzz..."

The Eastern Emperor Bell buzzed once, and then... there was no then.

Xie Yue: This is so embarrassing...