Four Symbols, Five Elements: Central Earth Apricot Yellow Qi

The next day, at dawn.

Before the sky had even brightened, a carriage headed toward Spirit Hall.

Inside the carriage were Zhou Chen, Tang San, and Old Jack.

Notting City's Spirit Hall stood at the center of the city. It was an enormous domed structure, with its front alone spanning over a hundred meters and rising twenty meters high.

The entire building was brown, and the emblem above its main entrance bore only a single longsword. This indicated that Notting City's Spirit Hall was the lowest-ranking Spirit Hall Branch.

By then, the plaza outside Spirit Hall was already packed with people, making Old Jack and Tang San admire Zhou Chen's foresight all the more.

After getting out of the carriage, Old Jack led the two of them over.

"Stop. Get in line. Can't you see the plaza is full of people?"

The two guards at the entrance crossed their halberds, blocking the way.

Unhurried, Old Jack took a badge from his robes. A large character for "Su" was engraved on it.

Upon seeing the badge, one of the older guards' pupils contracted. He hurriedly said, "So it's... Please, please go in."

"Thank you."

Old Jack politely replied, then led the two into the main hall.

Next, Old Jack expertly found a Secret Chamber and knocked on the door. It seemed the steward he had arranged to meet yesterday was inside.

"Come in."

A faint voice sounded from within the Secret Chamber. Old Jack pushed open the door and entered with Zhou Chen and Tang San.

Inside stood a young man in his twenties, with sword-like brows and bright eyes. Though he was not even half as handsome as Zhou Chen, he was still quite dashing.

He wore fitted white clothes and a black cloak. The character for "Spirit" was emblazoned at the center of his chest, while a badge rested over his left breast. Three crossed longswords were depicted on it, representing the third rank of Spirit Masters: Great Spirit Master.

The longer Zhou Chen looked at the man, the more familiar he seemed. Recalling the badge Old Jack had displayed earlier with the character "Su" on it, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Damn, what a coincidence?

"Hello, esteemed Battle Spirit Master. I'll have to trouble you this time."

Old Jack bowed respectfully to the young man, who wore a faintly proud expression between his brows. He gave a slight, indifferent bow in return.

"Sir, please step outside first. The ceremony cannot be disturbed." The young man gestured toward the door.

"Alright."

Old Jack nodded. He knew the rules. He immediately left the Secret Chamber and shut the door behind him.

"Children, let's begin."

The young man's gaze fell on Zhou Chen and Tang San as he spoke gently.

"Wait."

Zhou Chen suddenly spoke.

"What is it?"

The young man looked at Zhou Chen and frowned.

"I have a question."

A teasing look gradually appeared in Zhou Chen's eyes. "Su Yuntao, Level 26 Battle Soul Master, martial spirit Lone Wolf?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

Su Yuntao was instantly dumbfounded. Looking down at Zhou Chen, he suddenly found the child rather strange.

"Because Master Su is famous far and wide."

Zhou Chen sincerely "flattered" him, while inwardly he could not help but burst into laughter.

The legendary number one jinx of Douluo Continent, Spirit Hall's gravedigger Su Yuntao—this young master had finally met you today!

"Famous far and wide? You flatter me, you flatter me."

Hearing Zhou Chen's "flattery," Su Yuntao actually believed it.

Feigning humility, he waved his hand. "It's only a little fame, hardly worth mentioning. Enough of that. Let's awaken your martial spirits first."

As he spoke, Su Yuntao lifted the dust cloth covering the floor, revealing a hexagonal formation inset with six jet-black round stones. He then took out a blue crystal ball used to test Soul Power.

"You go first."

Su Yuntao pointed to the more obedient Tang San, signaling him to enter the hexagonal stone formation.

"Don't be afraid."

As he spoke, Su Yuntao shouted, "Lone Wolf, possess!"

In an instant, green light flashed. His body abruptly expanded, gray fur sprouted across his limbs, and ten wolf claws extended from his hands. One white and one yellow soul ring slowly rose from beneath his feet.

Seeing Su Yuntao transform into something neither human nor dog, Tang San was startled but did not show it. Zhou Chen, meanwhile, remained utterly calm.

Soon enough, just like in the original story, Tang San awakened the Blue Silver Grass martial spirit, and his Soul Power level was astonishingly Innate Full Spirit Power!

"Ah, what a pity Blue Silver Grass is a useless martial spirit."

Su Yuntao muttered regretfully as he took the crystal ball from Tang San's hands and passed it to Zhou Chen.

"Your turn, little friend. Since it's convenient, let's test your Soul Power first."

"Mm."

Zhou Chen nodded and extended his hand. He also wanted to see how the mysterious energy produced by the Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic within his body differed from the Soul Power of Douluo Continent.

"Bzzz!"

The moment his palm touched the crystal ball, Zhou Chen felt a powerful suction force wildly draw the energy within his body into it!

At the same time, the crystal ball lit up. Its dazzling blue glow became incomparably brilliant in the blink of an eye, filling the entire Secret Chamber and turning everyone's faces blue!

"He's also Innate Full Spirit Power!"

Su Yuntao was utterly shocked. He desperately wanted to know how Innate Full Spirit Power, something rarely seen in a century, could appear in clusters like cabbages.

Yet the next second, he had no time to think.

Because the dazzling blue light inside the crystal ball was gradually changing into another color—gold!

At first, only the part of the crystal ball touching Zhou Chen's palm turned gold. But gradually, the golden light spread continuously, filling the entire crystal ball and beginning to spill outward!

"Boom!!"

When the golden light within the crystal ball reached its peak brilliance, rings of visible golden shockwaves surged outward with Zhou Chen at their center. A pressure as immense as a mountain also enveloped the entire Secret Chamber!

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

In an instant, cracking sounds rang out nonstop. Dense, spiderweb-like fractures began appearing across the surface of the sturdy crystal ball!

At that moment, Su Yuntao and Tang San saw nothing but a world of gold. Ring after ring of golden shockwaves washed over their bodies, making them feel as though they were carrying a mountain on their backs!

This was Soul Power Pressure!

In an instant, Tang San was knocked to the ground by the Soul Power Pressure. Only Su Yuntao, whose Soul Power level was the highest, was still struggling to endure.

"Stop! Quickly... quickly take your hand off the crystal!"

Su Yuntao hunched over and forced himself closer, trying to reach out and pull Zhou Chen away from the crystal ball.

Yet the closer he got to Zhou Chen, the greater the Soul Power Pressure he endured. Even his own bones creaked under the strain. By the time he touched the corner of Zhou Chen's clothes, he had already been pressed flat to the ground!

Zhou Chen, meanwhile, was suffering unspeakably.

The mysterious energy within his body had completely slipped beyond his control. It surged recklessly toward the crystal ball like a raging river, and he had lost all ability to move!

At this rate, he would be drained dry!

"Ding... The Four Symbols and Five Elements' Central Earth Apricot Yellow Qi has been activated and is adapting to the Soul Power rules..."

"What the hell are you doing, System? Stop it now!" Zhou Chen screamed inwardly.

"Ding... The energy within the host's body is the Four Symbols and Five Elements' Central Earth Apricot Yellow Qi, born at the dawn of primordial chaos! This qi clashes fiercely with Douluo Star's Soul Power rules, so it must adapt to the Soul Power rules. Otherwise, the host will explode and die!

Hearing this, Zhou Chen was instantly terrified.

Cherishing his life—or rather, fearing death—he began to calm himself and cooperate with the System, doing his utmost to control the wildly surging energy within his body.