Different Paths

The golden greatsword struck the refined man, yet there was no blood. The man was not even injured.

But strangely, his once-lively eyes turned hollow, as though he were a living corpse.

"I got him." Meng Li smiled, feeling the Soul Power in his body increase.

Five soul skills flooded his mind: Thunder Dragon Claw, Thunder's Might, Wrath of Thunder, Thunder Dragon Head, and Dragon Emperor's Evil-Breaking Slash!

A lightning dragon appeared behind the Angel Martial Soul at his back.

The giant dragon glowed blue as lightning continuously crashed down around it.

This was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!

The special effect of his Second Soul Skill was to seize the Martial Soul, soul skills, and physical strength of the person being judged. Those robbed of their power would suffer immense pain, as if struck by a greatsword, and lose consciousness for a period of time! Of course, the target of judgment had to be at the same level, and there was a thirty percent chance of failure.

At this moment, he absolutely possessed the strength to fight a level-sixty Soul Emperor.

"Let me see what you can do!"

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon behind him roared, seemingly unwilling to be controlled!

"Thunder Dragon Head!"

Meng Li condensed his Soul Power into an enormous thunder dragon head and hurled it at the man. Faced with the attack, the man had no ability to resist. The Thunder Dragon Head triggered a wide-range thunder explosion, and the man vanished completely, leaving not even ashes behind.

Defeated opponent. Advanced pass!
Ultimate Assessment, First Round, prepare!

With a flash of light, a man appeared. He was tall, over 1.7 meters, handsome and dashing, with an imposing bearing. His clear eyes seemed capable of reflecting the universe itself.

He carried a heroic, valiant air, along with a touch of otherworldly grace.

A vertical eye stood on his forehead, as though it contained the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. His eyes had double pupils—one rose gold and the other purple-gold—an exceedingly strange sight!

Eight soul rings rose around him: brilliant gold, red, red, red, red, rose gold, red, red!

"Huo Yuhao!" Meng Li froze as snow-white wings spread from his back! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon vanished without a trace!

"The protagonist squad, huh!"

Before Meng Li could finish his flippant remark, he saw ice rain filling the sky and shooting toward him.

"..."

The next second, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin appeared before him.

"Brother Meng, how many rounds did you clear?"

"I reached the first ultimate round!" Meng Li sighed, unable to stop himself from complaining. "Isn't this assessment too bugged? Why is my opponent eight-ring?"

"Eight-ring... Ours were only Two-ring!" Xie Xie cried out.

"What did you do for your opponent to be eight-ring?" Wu Changkong asked. Such a situation had never occurred in Hero Hall before.

At that moment, Gu Yue emerged as well.

"How far did you get?" Wu Changkong asked.

"Two advanced rounds. I lost at the ultimate round," Gu Yue said. "The ultimate round was very difficult."

"Yeah, it really was. I think I defeated someone with a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, then my second opponent was eight-ring Huo Yuhao!" Meng Li recalled.

"Huo Yuhao?" Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, and Xie Xie all wore puzzled expressions.

"Then the ones we faced were also the Shrek Seven Devils."

"That's right. You must all find today's test rather strange.

"In the assessment, every opponent you encountered was at the same level as you.

"What I must tell you is that the opponents you encountered in Hero Hall were all soul masters who truly existed in the past.

"Because they are simulations, they can only display around seventy percent of their true strength. Compared with them, how do you think your own strength measures up?"

Even seventy percent of an eight-ring is no small matter. Isn't this bullying the weak? Once I reach that level, I'll definitely fight him fair and square, Meng Li thought.

"I feel that I'm still far behind." In level, of course, Meng Li added inwardly.

"Mm. There are two reasons I brought you here. First, the practical combat in Hero Hall is more realistic, because the injuries are inflicted directly upon your actual bodies. It is more suitable for you than the Spirit Ascension Platform, which has a limit once you reach a certain level.

"Second, the significance of this assessment is not the final exam. Your final exam was already completed in the riot-period Spirit Ascension Platform, and I have already given you your scores. Passing the assessments here means that you may join this place. If you choose to join, you can accumulate merits in the future and use Hero Hall for training."

"Join this place?" Meng Li smiled. "Teacher Wu, you're with the Tang Sect, aren't you?"

"The Tang Sect?" Tang Wulin and Xie Xie spoke in unison.

"Mm." Wu Changkong's brows furrowed slightly. He did not know how Meng Li had found out.

He organized his words and explained the enormous organization known as the Tang Sect to everyone. In a single sentence, there were Tang Sect members everywhere—whether in the Sun Moon Federation, the Heaven Dou Empire, or the Star Luo Empire. Its influence was enormous.

Hero Hall was a training system developed by the Tang Sect. The people they had just fought were members of the Shrek Seven Devils from Tang Sect history.

"I'll join!" Tang Wulin said impatiently. He had originally hesitated over whether to join Wu Changkong's organization, but the moment he heard it was the Tang Sect, all hesitation vanished. He was filled with longing for the place.

"I'll join too!" After hesitating briefly, Xie Xie spoke as well.

With two people joining, Wu Changkong, Xie Xie, and Tang Wulin turned their gazes toward Meng Li and Gu Yue.

"I can't join." Meng Li wore an apologetic expression.

"Brother Meng, why?" Tang Wulin did not understand. This was the Tang Sect, one of the world's top powers! His heart suddenly felt empty.

"I joined the Spirit Pagoda," Meng Li answered after thinking it over.

"Sorry, Teacher Wu, Wulin, Xie Xie, but I won't be joining either," Gu Yue said calmly. There was no regret in her eyes, as though she were merely stating something utterly ordinary.

"Why?" Wu Changkong asked.

"Meng Li and I joined the Spirit Pagoda together."

Tang Wulin wanted to say more, but Wu Changkong stopped him. "Fine. Everyone has their own aspirations. As long as you have thought it through. Meng Li, Gu Yue, with your talents, you will shine brilliantly wherever you go in the future. I'll make separate arrangements for your practical combat classes."

"Thank you, Teacher Wu." Gu Yue and Meng Li nodded.

Tang Wulin moved close to Meng Li in disbelief and whispered, "Brother Meng, this is the Tang Sect! The Tang Sect has been passed down for twenty thousand years and possesses countless foundations!"

"Sorry." Meng Li looked apologetic.

Wu Changkong comforted Tang Wulin's young heart, then explained some of the Tang Sect's rules to Xie Xie and Tang Wulin.

Meng Li and Gu Yue chose to avoid them.

On the bus ride back, Gu Yue and Meng Li sat in the same row.

"The Tang Sect, just as Tang Wulin said—a group passed down for twenty thousand years. You gave it up just like that?" Confusion appeared on Gu Yue's delicate face.

"The Tang Sect's ideals don't align with mine! They care more about peace for humanity, while I'm more easygoing and act according to my own preferences!"

Meng Li looked out through the window. The bus traveled across a towering bridge, and beside it stretched the boundless Sea, its waves rising and falling with endless sound.

In the distance, a seagull flew past the bus.