Are Soul Devices Still Weak?

His clumsy attempt at provocation naturally failed to fool anyone present. He pretended not to notice the disdain in everyone's eyes.

It would be great if Elder Zu didn't use any spirit skills later, Yan Shaozhe thought. That was precisely why he had said that—he wanted to limit his opponent somewhat.

He had even considered asking his teacher to seal Elder Zu's cultivation to a level below his own.

Weren't they always saying that Soul Devices were powerful?

Then wouldn't it be fair to weaken him first before having him fight a traditional spirit master like himself?

Naturally, that wish was destined to remain unfulfilled.

"Hahahaha! This old man has truly never seen anyone so shameless." Elder Zu pointed at Yan Shaozhe and laughed.

"Fifth Soul Skill, Phoenix Song!"

Temporarily boosting his combat strength, the phoenix's cry shattered the silence like a melodious song.

Yan Shaozhe had already decided to win through a surprise attack. He had humiliated himself enough today—he could not lose again!

"Seventh Spirit Skill, Light Phoenix True Body!"

"Ring Fusion Secret Method! Eighth and Ninth Spirit Skills—Nine-Turn Divine Phoenix Light!"

The phoenix true body he had transformed into swelled dramatically in an instant, its wingspan reaching a hundred meters. Intense phoenix flames rained down upon the ground, and every cluster of fire took the form of a Bright Phoenix, carrying earth-shattering power.

As the dean of the Spirit Master Department, Yan Shaozhe was naturally proficient in the inner court's spirit skill secret arts.

Watching the flock of Bright Phoenixes dive toward him from the sky, Elder Zu had no intention of holding back either. Although the combat power Yan Shaozhe had unleashed had not yet reached Level 97,

the phoenix flock formed by the fusion of light and fire attributes was already approaching the peak strike of a Level 96 Title Douluo!

Elder Zu wore an approving expression.

"You are quite good. If you can let go of your desire for power, then ten years from now, you will surely have a place among the traditional spirit masters who become Titled Experts."

Yet those words of praise only made Yan Shaozhe even angrier.

"Traditional spirit masters are the strongest on the continent! We do not need recognition from Soul Tool Masters like you, who rely on pills to raise your levels!"

His arrogant words made several Soul Tool Department students clench their fists unconsciously.

"Are we really that worthless in the eyes of those from the Spirit Master Department?" Some students lowered their heads in insecurity.

Seeing this, He Caitou hurriedly comforted them.

"No. The Sun Moon Empire has even more powerful Soul Devices—some can even easily destroy an entire great city!"

He practically gritted his teeth as he said the words "Sun Moon."

"He Caitou is right. The strong among Soul Tool Masters are no weaker than spirit masters."

Fan Yu did not want the Soul Device Department students to develop such an inferiority complex. Inwardly, he had already cursed Yan Shaozhe a hundred times.

It was fine for him to praise the Spirit Master Department, but why did he have to belittle the Soul Device Department without any consideration for whether so many students could bear it?

In the air, Elder Zu slowly took out a Soul Tool glove of his own creation and put it on. Yan Shaozhe was not worthy of making him use his Destiny Soul Device.

Level 9 Soul Tool: "Origin Magnetic Gauntlet"!

Only a Titled Douluo with a mental attribute could wield it. Though its power was inferior to a Level 10 Soul Tool, it was still a masterpiece among Level 9 Soul Tools.

The moment the metallic glove appeared, even Mu En, a Pseudo-God, wanted to explore its mysteries.

Although that Soul Tool could not threaten him, the violent magnetic field generated after Elder Zu put on the glove had a chance of trapping a Limit Douluo for several seconds.

He knew the power of the Sun Moon Empire's Fixed Soul Cannon Shells. If one were trapped and then bombarded by a Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shell, even a Limit Douluo would suffer severe injuries.

Elder Zu spread his palm outward, and a violent magnetic pulse wave instantly roared forth, smashing viciously into the flock of phoenixes in the air.

"Boom!"

The massive shockwave of the attack struck the barrier at once. In the students' eyes, if not for the barrier, they might have been shaken to death by the aftermath!

"No, impossible! How could a Soul Tool Master block my attack without setting up Soul Devices in advance?!"

Yan Shaozhe said in disbelief.

In his panic, he narrowly evaded that magnetic pulse through his past combat experience, then immediately regained his composure.

After stacking himself with spirit skill buffs, Yan Shaozhe rapidly closed the distance to Elder Zu. He intended to exploit the weakness of Soul Engineers in close combat.

"King's Descent Upon the World!"

As Mu En's disciple, he naturally knew this Self-Created Soul Skill.

A spiritual attack that made all things bow their heads swiftly surged toward Elder Zu's Sea of Consciousness.

The immense spiritual blow formed by the Bright Phoenix sought to make everything in the world submit beneath its feet.

"You seem to have forgotten that this old man is not only a Soul Tool Master, but also a Titled Douluo who specializes in Spiritual Power."

"Suppress!"

Before that enormous phoenix could affect Elder Zu, it was suppressed by the counterattack from within his Sea of Consciousness.

"Pfft!"

Yan Shaozhe felt as though his head were splitting apart. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his head in agony. If an attack on a spirit master's Sea of Consciousness failed, it would result in terrifying spiritual backlash.

"Hahahaha, look at how pathetic he is!"

"I'm dying of laughter! Didn't he say the Spirit Master Department was the strongest in the world? Why is he being beaten by a Soul Tool Master like some kind of..."

The surrounding barrier had already dissipated. Seeing Yan Shaozhe's miserable state, the Soul Device Department students felt utterly delighted.

Even some teachers struggled to suppress their smiles. Qian Duoduo laughed the loudest, pointing at him with one hand while collapsing to the ground clutching his stomach with the other.

Who knew how much he had suffered at Yan Shaozhe's hands over the years? Today, karma had finally caught up with him. Yet he failed to notice the fleeting concern in his wife Xian Lin'er's eyes.

Seeing his disciple rolling around in pain, Mu En could not bear it.

He had no good solution for spiritual backlash either. The Sea of Consciousness was one of the most important parts of the human body. If this had been a life-and-death battle, Yan Shaozhe would already have become a vegetable.

The trace of the Law of Light comprehended by a Pseudo-God could not heal injuries caused by Spiritual Power backlash, even if he possessed divine power.

Only upon reaching the Demigod Realm and cultivating Divine Sense could he save the boy.

"No need to worry. This old man showed mercy just now. His head will only hurt for one month."

Elder Zu patted his robe, which did not have a speck of dust on it. Qian Duoduo hurriedly pulled Fan Yu over, his eyes filled with respect.

"Dean, now that you have come, the sky has finally brightened for our Soul Device Department. From now on, we no longer have to worry about certain people deducting our department's resources at every turn for the sake of a little benefit."

Watching Cai Mei'er drag away Yan Shaozhe, whose head was in such pain that it seemed ready to split, Qian Duoduo felt immensely satisfied.

"From now on, this old man will personally decide the distribution of Soul Tool Department resources. If the Spirit Master Department dares to reach its hand over here, Yan Shaozhe's fate will be their future."

Without giving any face to the Spirit Master Department teachers and students, who were already on the verge of fury, Elder Zu was more than happy to see this. Only through struggle could people improve.

He had now awakened the sleeping ambition of the Soul Tool Department. When the Soul Tool Department students saw their Spirit Master Department classmates glaring at them, they boldly glared back.

This was also within Xu Xiao's expectations. To change Schlke Academy, it would not be enough to act against the teachers; he also had to create conflict between the students. Being too united would not benefit his rule.