Mad Saber Douluo!

"What's your name?"

After Yu Ying left, Wu Feng, who had kept silent the entire time, immediately strode up to Qin Ze, looking aggressive.

Some of the direct-admission students who knew Wu Feng wore expressions of eager anticipation as they watched Qin Ze. Although Wu Feng was cute and beautiful, her personality was truly intimidating. Other than being gentle with Young Master Ning Tian, she treated everyone else the same.

"Take a guess," Qin Ze replied casually.

"Guess?" Wu Feng raised a brow. She suddenly realized that her question had been a little rash and quickly softened her tone. "My name is Wu Feng. What's yours?"

Qin Ze paused, not expecting Wu Feng to change her attitude so quickly. "Qin Ze!"

"I'll remember you!" Wu Feng glanced at Qin Ze, then turned and left.

The people standing by the door hurriedly made way for her, not daring to provoke this little tyrant.

"Brother, Little Fire Dragon has remembered you. You're in trouble now," one of the direct-admission students warned him.

Qin Ze smiled. "Got it!"

With that, Qin Ze also left the cultivation room and headed for the cafeteria. Today, he planned to eat enough for ten people.

Inside the cultivation room, a group of people watched Qin Ze's departing back with sympathetic expressions.

Poor kid.

"That pretty girl is that scary?" one of the Promotion Tournament students asked in confusion.

"Of course she is. Come on, let me tell you about her..."

Yu Ying had not expected that Wu Feng would be the reason the two groups of previously unfamiliar students became acquainted.

"Don't leave yet. Come with me!"

Just as Qin Ze walked downstairs, Yu Ying, who had supposedly left long ago, appeared and called out to him.

"Is something wrong, Instructor?" Qin Ze asked, puzzled.

Yu Ying smiled. "Of course. A senior wants to meet you."

Qin Ze paused. Then he recalled a few things and quietly followed Yu Ying.

Yu Ying led Qin Ze onward. After about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived at a secluded, tranquil courtyard. Flame Jade Bamboo grew all around it, and from a distance, it looked like flames swaying in the wind, carrying an air of strangeness.

In the courtyard, an Elder sat in a chair, sipping tea. Thin white mist drifted from the teapot.

"Elder Xiao, I've brought him to you!" Yu Ying said respectfully to the Elder.

Elder Xiao nodded. "Thank you. I'll just have a chat with this student."

"Understood. This subordinate will take her leave!" Yu Ying gave a slight bow before departing.

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent. Qin Ze did not speak either and simply watched the Elder brew tea.

A faint, elegant fragrance lingered in the air. Qin Ze subconsciously inhaled it and suddenly felt his thoughts become much clearer.

"This is top-grade Wood-Water Spirit Tea. One jin costs 3000 Gold Soul Coin. Would you like to try some?" Elder Xiao poured a cup and placed it before Qin Ze.

Qin Ze did not refuse and directly took the teacup. Looking down, he saw that the tea resembled liquid amber, gleaming with a lush green hue. A rich aura wafted from within the cup.

"This old man is Xiao Kuangdao." The Elder turned back, poured himself a cup of tea, and spoke.

Qin Ze's hand around the teacup paused. Mad Saber... that name sounded familiar. And he was an Elder. Wasn't he one of the sect-protecting elders, Mad Saber Douluo?

"It seems you know this old man." Xiao Kuangdao smiled as he looked at Qin Ze's trembling hand.

"This junior has heard of your great name." Qin Ze's tone became respectful. This was a Titled Douluo—a true powerhouse.

"Do you know why I had someone bring you here?" Xiao Kuangdao took a sip of tea.

"This junior does not know." Qin Ze shook his head.

"Anyone valued by Du Busi is worth meeting in person," Xiao Kuangdao said calmly.

Whoosh!

Qin Ze's expression changed drastically, and his heart tensed. That wasn't right. When Du Busi had brought him here, no one had discovered them.

"Don't be nervous. After Du Busi brought you to Nine Treasures City, he came to see me, so that's how I learned of you." Seeing Qin Ze's tension, Xiao Kuangdao explained.

"May I ask what this senior wishes to ask this junior?" Qin Ze asked. His heart settled somewhat.

Xiao Kuangdao smiled. "We can discuss the specifics later. Show this old man your Martial Soul and Soul Ring first."

Qin Ze froze at that, but seeing how serious the other man looked, he did not dare overthink it. If Xiao Kuangdao wanted to kill him, he would not be able to escape anyway.

Qin Ze held out his right hand horizontally. Water-blue Soul Power surged in his palm as a sword blade condensed into shape. Beneath his feet, with the emergence of Soul Power Fluctuation, a yellow ring slowly rose.

"Du Busi said your Martial Soul was Demon Armor, yet what you summoned was a sword blade." Xiao Kuangdao studied Qin Ze.

Qin Ze felt somewhat embarrassed. He did not know why he could not directly summon Demon Armor either.

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Kuangdao said, "There are two possibilities why your Martial Soul cannot be summoned directly. One is that the quality of your Soul Power is insufficient to support its manifestation. The second is that your Demon Armor Martial Soul needs to be unlocked layer by layer."

"There's such a thing as that when summoning a Martial Soul?" Qin Ze asked in astonishment.

"Of course," Xiao Kuangdao said. "This old man has lived for one hundred and seventy years. Though I have not seen either of these situations often, I have encountered them several times."

"However, your situation resembles the second possibility more. Your Martial Soul may need to be unlocked layer by layer. This old man's Martial Soul is somewhat similar."

"What?" Qin Ze stared blankly for two seconds.

Whoosh!

Xiao Kuangdao offered no further explanation and directly summoned his Martial Soul.

In an instant, a Blood-Red Great Saber over two meters long condensed before them. It resembled a massive horse-chopping saber, with dense currents of Soul Power hovering around it. Nine connected lines ran across the blade's surface, and at each connection point was a small hole containing a gemstone of a different color.

Apparently knowing that summoning his Martial Soul would release a powerful aura and alarm others, Xiao Kuangdao immediately used his Soul Power to form a restrictive field, suppressing the aura that had nearly spread outward.

Xiao Kuangdao said, "This old man's Martial Soul was originally just an ordinary chopping knife. However, it mutated upon awakening, transforming from an ordinary blade into the Mad Soul Blade. The reason I say it is somewhat like unlocking layer by layer is that every time this old man hunts a soul beast, its attribute must be different."

"For this old man's first Soul Ring, I hunted a soul beast called a Flame Tiger. Yet for my second Soul Ring, I hunted a Water Demon Giant Crocodile. One was fire-attributed and the other water-attributed—completely opposing each other—yet they strangely fused within me. Beyond that, I also possess lightning, ice, wind, earth, and other attributes."

"What does that have to do with unlocking?" Qin Ze was amazed by the Elder's extraordinary Martial Soul, yet a trace of doubt arose within him.

"The connection lies here. Do you see the gemstones on the blade?" Xiao Kuangdao asked.

"Mm."

"Only when a Soul Power gemstone automatically forms on the blade can I obtain my next Soul Ring, and it must be a Soul Ring of the designated attribute." Xiao Kuangdao displayed his Martial Soul before Qin Ze.

Faint light flickered from the gemstones. The closer Qin Ze got, the more clearly he sensed several different attributes.

These nine gemstones contained nine different attributes.

Thanks to King of Gold—Gilgamesh—for the monthly ticket.

Thanks to Angel Boss for the second monthly ticket.