Zhao Wuji looked at Snake Grandma and asked sternly, "Might you be Snake Grandma of the Peerless Dragon-Snake Couple?"
"Oh? You know this old woman?"
Zhao Wuji cupped his hands. "Who in the world of soul masters doesn't know the Peerless Dragon-Snake Couple?"
Since the other party recognized her, Chao Tianxiang felt rather pleased with herself. After all, the Peerless Dragon-Snake Couple's name resounded throughout the Soul Master World. She strode confidently toward Zhao Wuji.
Zhao Wuji frowned. If Snake Grandma were alone, he wouldn't have given her a second thought. But it was said that Dragon Duke and Snake Grandma were never apart. If Dragon Duke was nearby, this could be troublesome. He introduced himself as well: "I am Zhao Wuji."
After hearing Zhao Wuji's name, Snake Grandma showed some surprise. An ordinary Soul Saint would be one thing, but Zhao Wuji's reputation was considerable. She said, "No wonder I happened upon such a young Soul Saint. So you're the famous Immovable Wisdom King!"
Zhao Wuji replied, "It's only an infamous name. Earlier, you said your granddaughter really needed this Soul Ring. By rights, I should yield it to you, but I can only apologize-I can't give you this snake."
"You-this snake was ours to begin with." Meng Yiran was immediately displeased. "I know you're a Soul Saint, but my grandfather is nearby."
At Meng Yiran's words, the Shrek Academy group all looked troubled. The Peerless Dragon-Snake Couple's Martial Soul Fusion Skill could rival a Titled Douluo. They wouldn't be easy to deal with.
Still, they all prepared for battle.
Snake Grandma asked grimly, "So you don't intend to return this snake to the two of us?"
Zhao Wuji let out a cold laugh. "That's an odd way to put it. All the Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest belong to no one. How can you speak of 'returning' it? Perhaps you found this snake, but we captured it. You say it suits your granddaughter, but it suits my student just as well."
Hearing this, Snake Grandma looked at the Shrek group in surprise. "Immovable Wisdom King, are you saying one of your students has reached level 30?"
"That's right." At her question, Zhao Wuji answered with some pride. "Oscar, Zhao Zilong, come over here."
Snake Grandma looked at the two of them. Oscar seemed all right, but Zhao Zilong looked only twelve or thirteen. She asked, "Children, how old are you?"
Oscar replied, "I'm fourteen, senior."
"I'm twelve."
"What?" Snake Grandma and Meng Yiran were both startled by Zhao Zilong's age. They stared at him in disbelief.
Meng Yiran had always been a genius girl at Beast Academy, but even she had only reached level 30 at fifteen. Hearing that Zhao Zilong had reached level 30 at only twelve, she ran over in disbelief. "That's impossible! How could anyone reach level 30 at twelve?"
Zhao Zilong looked at Meng Yiran and curled his lips into a playful smile. "If you don't believe me, you can test me."
"Fine. Let's test you." Meng Yiran said, about to fight Zhao Zilong.
"Wait..." Zhao Zilong said.
Meng Yiran looked rather proud. "What, are you scared?"
"What the hell would I be scared of?" Zhao Zilong rolled his eyes, then turned to Snake Grandma. "Senior, that snake was poisoned by me. If we don't kill it soon, my poison will kill it. And I don't need this snake's Soul Ring, so I have a proposal. This young lady and I will have a match. If I'm lucky enough to win, please let us handle the snake. Otherwise, it's yours."
Hearing Zhao Zilong call her "young lady," Meng Yiran felt rather favorably toward him. Before Snake Grandma could speak, Meng Yiran agreed. "All right, it's settled."
Just as Meng Yiran was about to make her move, Snake Grandma suddenly called out, "Wait..."
"Grandma..." Meng Yiran said in a coquettish tone.
Snake Grandma looked at Zhao Zilong. If he really had level 30 Soul Power, might he have some powerful background? It would be best not to hurt him, so she asked, "Young man, which sect are you from?"
Zhao Zilong cupped his hands. "Well, my teacher won't let me reveal his name. Please forgive me, senior."
Of course, Zhao Zilong wouldn't tell them he belonged to no sect. If he did, he'd be a soft target for anyone to bully.
Hearing Zhao Zilong's answer, the Shrek Academy group all looked rather serious. His words had revealed one thing: he had a teacher.
Seeing that Zhao Zilong wasn't willing to say, Snake Grandma furrowed her brow. She didn't think he was lying. Without a powerful teacher guiding him, it would be difficult to have such Soul Power at such a young age.
Snake Grandma continued, "This is the Star Dou Great Forest. If your match draws Soul Beasts here, it won't benefit anyone. Since you say you're level 30, I take it you won't refuse a contest of Soul Power?"
Hearing this, Zhao Zilong almost laughed. Though he had only two Soul Rings, his Soul Power had already reached level 315. Would he really be afraid of a straight contest of Soul Power?
"Fine. Let's have a contest of Soul Power," Zhao Zilong said with a confident smile.
Then Meng Yiran and Zhao Zilong stepped forward. Meng Yiran introduced herself. "Meng Yiran, Martial Soul: Serpent Cane, level 30, Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster."
"Zhao Zilong, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass, level 30, Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster."
Meng Yiran let out a giggle of contempt. "Blue Silver Grass, that kind of Trash Martial Soul."
Zhao Zilong curled his lips into a smile. "A Trash Martial Soul? Perhaps. But we're competing in Soul Power, not Martial Souls. Would you like to change the rules and try fighting instead?"
"Hmph, no need," Meng Yiran said confidently.
Zhao Zilong first held out his left hand, then placed it behind his back and raised only his right hand. "Please."
"You jerk, you're facing me with just one hand?" Meng Yiran flew into a rage and struck at Zhao Zilong with her palm.
Zhao Zilong met her palm with his own. Their palms collided, and Soul Power poured forth continuously. Meng Yiran stood her ground as two different colors of Soul Power, purple and blue, clashed between their joined hands.
Seeing Zhao Zilong handle her with one hand, Meng Yiran grew even angrier. She pressed her other palm against the back of her hand, increasing the force of her Soul Power with both hands. Zhao Zilong felt her Soul Power grow stronger and struggled slightly, but he could still handle her one-handed, firmly blocking her assault.
A contest of Soul Power was purely a matter of expending it. After just two or three minutes, Meng Yiran felt that she had used up quite a bit of Soul Power, but Zhao Zilong remained completely motionless. Fragrant sweat streamed down Meng Yiran's forehead as she gritted her teeth. "Damn it! I can't lose..."
On the Shrek side, everyone watched Zhao Zilong face Meng Yiran's two hands with just one from beginning to end, looking so dashing and handsome that their confidence soared. Snake Grandma saw that Meng Yiran was already struggling while Zhao Zilong was still clearly at ease. Realizing the victor was already decided, she said, "Enough, stop. Yiran, we've lost."
Zhao Zilong looked at Meng Yiran, who was already struggling, and said, "Then I'll count to three, and we'll both withdraw our Soul Power together, all right?"
"Fine."
Then, after counting to three, they both withdrew their Soul Power. But the remaining force sent them apart, and Zhao Wuji and Snake Grandma each caught one of them.
"Ugh, pfft..." Meng Yiran, flung backward by the shock, spat out a mouthful of blood. Her body went limp. She looked at Zhao Zilong across from her, who seemed not to have suffered any backlash from her Soul Power at all, and her pride took an even harder blow.
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