Last Place and First Place

"Are you sure it was because of that masked boy?"

"It was definitely him, absolutely!"

Yu Tianheng sat in his seat, observing Chi Xiu from afar amid the crowd, while the male student beside him continued reporting.

"The girl beside him is Ning Rongrong, the young miss of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. A few of us got into an argument with the two of them. That boy controlled Xiao Ye, and just as we were about to rush over and save Xiao Ye, Tianliu suddenly collapsed unconscious, foaming at the mouth."

Yu Tianheng narrowed his eyes. "That definitely wasn't a soul skill of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Did that boy show anything unusual at the time?"

The male student recalled for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead. "Yes! Yes! His eyes suddenly turned into vertical pupils—vertical pupils that looked far more imposing than yours, Boss!"

"Vertical pupils?!"

Yu Tianheng realized something was wrong.

Could it have been a Dragon Clan martial soul?

After considering it for a moment, he quickly thought of the bloodline suppression commonly found among Dragon Clan martial souls.

But even if it was suppression, could it really suppress someone to the point of unconsciousness and foaming at the mouth?

If so, just how pure did that boy's dragon bloodline have to be?

Like Xue Qinghe, Yu Tianheng had not sensed any aura from Chi Xiu. The boy was as unremarkable as a grain of sand.

"Tianheng, it's almost time for the test."

Dugu Yan walked over to Yu Tianheng. Like him, she was one of the outstanding young talents of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and her grandfather was none other than the renowned Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.

"Who are you looking at?"

Dugu Yan followed Yu Tianheng's gaze and found only an ordinary-looking boy wearing a strange mask.

"Don't tell me you're afraid he'll outdo you?"

Dugu Yan could not help covering her mouth and laughing.

"Of course not. If I can't beat him, you might as well call him Boss instead."

A cold gleam appeared in Yu Tianheng's eyes. Anyone with a Dragon Clan martial soul was someone the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family would closely watch. What was more, this guy had most likely done something to his cousin Yu Tianliu. Once the tests were over, he had to find an opportunity to probe this fellow's true capabilities.

"The first test begins now—age!"

The first to be tested was Heaven Dou Royal Academy. These soul masters' basic data would be recorded in their files one item at a time, and even their ages would be ranked on the spot.

Once one academy was finished, the next would follow. Soon, it was Purple Star Academy's turn.

"Hold out your hand."

Chi Xiu did as instructed and extended his arm to the old man before him.

He could sense that the old man's cultivation was above rank eighty. He was a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse.

As expected, the royal academy's foundation was simply different.

A second later, surprise and uncertainty appeared on the old man's face.

"Wait, young man. Give me your arm again. I may have misjudged it."

Five seconds later, the old man recorded a number with extreme astonishment.

Six years old.

Second-floor observation area.

Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe turned their heads at the same time as an administrator ran over with a long ranking sheet.

"What's so interesting about an age ranking?"

With an unreadable smile, Ning Fengzhi handed the ranking sheet to Xue Qinghe without a word.

Xue Qinghe gave it a cursory glance and spotted Yu Tianheng's name near the upper ranks: fifteen years old. She had not intended to look for Chi Xiu at all, but as she placed the sheet on the table, the very last position abruptly caught her eye.

"Chi Xiu, six years old?!"

Xue Qinghe's eyes widened.

Ning Fengzhi chuckled at her words, took a sip of tea, and continued carefully observing the scene below.

"Next test—strength!"

"If your martial soul grants a strength boost, you may release it, but you may not use soul skills."

Heaven Dou Royal Academy was again the first to undergo testing.

"This is so unfair. There should be a test for martial soul toxicity."

Looking at the tiny strength figure before her, Dugu Yan could not help voicing her displeasure.

Yu Tianheng smiled as he walked past her and came to stand before the testing device.

It was a circular panel. One only needed to strike it with full force to obtain a strength reading, measured in kilograms.

Yu Tianheng let out a breath. Standing with his legs apart, he smoothly twisted his waist with practiced movements. Irregular blue scales emerged over his right arm, his muscles bulged, and threads of blue-violet electricity flickered into existence.

Bang!

"1,231 kilograms!"

The old man in charge of recording could not help giving Yu Tianheng a thumbs-up. This was already his third year recording Yu Tianheng's strength. The kid's strength had increased every year, and his progress was astonishingly fast.

At the same time, Yu Tianheng's strength ranking shot straight to first place, with his strength figure displayed beside his name.

The rankings were calculated in real time. Once Heaven Dou Royal Academy finished testing, a ranking sheet was delivered to the second-floor observation area.

Xue Qinghe looked at the number beside Yu Tianheng's name with satisfaction and praised him repeatedly.

Ning Fengzhi's attention, meanwhile, had remained on Chi Xiu from beginning to end.

"Purple Star Academy!"

The massive Sun Dabao stepped before the testing device, released his Rock Bear martial soul, and threw a punch accompanied by a bear's roar.

"242 kilograms!"

The recording old man gave Sun Dabao an approving look. For a new student from an ordinary academy, this level of strength was already quite good.

One student after another finished their tests, and soon it was Chi Xiu's turn.

The recording old man was drawn to the mask on Chi Xiu's face and could not help looking at it a few extra times before losing interest.

At that moment, two people quietly came over to watch. They were Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan.

"Boss, don't tell me you're really afraid this guy's strength will surpass yours?"

Yu Tianheng frowned. "I'm not afraid. I'm just curious what his martial soul is actually like."

Chi Xiu did not notice what was happening beside him. He stared intently at the circular panel before him and shook out his right hand.

He vaguely remembered that in Douluo Continent 3, Tang Wulin, who possessed the Golden Dragon King bloodline, had thrown a punch with nearly four thousand kilograms of force, shocking everyone.

To be honest, Chi Xiu was rather curious about how much strength his Dragon God Bloodline could grant him.

He closed his eyes. Seven-colored scales covered the skin on the back of his hand, sharp claws grew from his fingertips, and an ancient power that seemed to have accumulated for tens of thousands of years flowed through his wrist. He quietly sensed it, only to be interrupted by a startled cry.

"Boss! Tianheng! What's wrong?!"

Chi Xiu turned his head and saw a beautiful young woman supporting a youth with a panicked expression.

Veins bulged on the youth's forehead, sweat covered his face, and his legs were so weak that he could not stand straight.

What was going on?

"Do your test. Don't mind what's happening outside."

The recording old man spoke impatiently.

"Oh."

Chi Xiu answered, drew back his right fist, then launched it forward.

Boom!

A deafening sound echoed through the first-floor hall, drawing everyone's attention.

The recording old man's pen fell to the ground.

Because he saw Chi Xiu's claws pierce through the testing panel...

Second floor, observation area.

"The strength ranking is here!"

An excited administrator ran upstairs with the list in hand.

Ning Fengzhi gave him a strange look and accepted the paper. Xue Qinghe also curiously leaned over.

Above the more than one hundred students of Heaven Dou Royal Academy appeared an unfamiliar academy: Purple Star Academy.

First place: Purple Star Academy, Chi Xiu, 10,475 kilograms.

(End of Chapter)