Thunder Web, Sword of Breaking the Deadlock

That afternoon, at Shrek Academy's central assessment platform.

The area was already packed with people. Nearly all the students from the Outer Court and Inner Court had arrived. They all wanted to see for themselves what the monster personally brought back by the Dragon God Douluo—and the one who had "defeated" Vice Dean Yan Shaozhe in a single move—was really like.

When Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan stepped onto the assessment platform, whispers rose from below.

"Is that Ji Juechen? He looks... so ordinary."

"A Four-Ring Soul Sect can really pass the assessment? I heard his opponent is Senior Beibei!"

"Senior Beibei is a legend of the Outer Court, the leader of the Seven Monsters of Shrek, a Five-Ring Soul King! How is he supposed to fight that?"

Amid everyone's attention, a tall youth with gentle, handsome features slowly stepped onto the other side of the assessment platform. He was Beibei, captain of Shrek's Outer Court.

Smiling, he extended a hand toward Ji Juechen. "Hello, I'm Beibei. Welcome to Shrek."

Ji Juechen glanced at him without taking his hand. He merely nodded and held his sword horizontally before him.

Beibei was not embarrassed. He naturally withdrew his hand, his smile unchanged. "Since this is an assessment, then please enlighten me, junior."

As soon as he finished speaking, the soul rings around him lit up with a boom!

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black!

The pressure of five soul rings enveloped the entire assessment platform as though it were tangible. Unlike Yan Shaozhe's restrained and profound presence, Beibei's pressure was violent, domineering, and filled with the destructive aura of lightning.

"Senior Beibei is getting serious!" someone below cried out.

Beibei showed no hint of underestimating his opponent. He knew Yan Shaozhe's strength well. An opponent capable of making Yan Shaozhe "lose" could not possibly be simple.

First Soul Skill: Thunder Dragon Claw!

With a dragon's roar, Beibei's right hand was instantly wrapped in blue-violet lightning, transforming into a ferocious dragon claw. It tore through the air and lunged at Ji Juechen with a piercing shriek. The strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless, carrying a powerful numbing effect. Once hit, one's body would instantly lose control.

Faced with this swift attack, Ji Juechen's response was simple to the extreme.

He stepped back half a pace, flicked his wrist, and raised the sword tip from below, precisely striking the weakest joint of the dragon claw's wrist.

Clang!

Lightning scattered in every direction. Beibei felt his wrist go numb as the Thunder Dragon Claw instantly lost cohesion, and his attack came to an abrupt halt.

What precise judgment! What a fast sword!

Beibei's heart tightened, but his assault did not stop. He flipped his wrist, and lightning gathered once more.

Second Soul Skill: Thunderous Might!

This time, he did not choose a single-target attack. Countless electric serpents erupted from his body, rapidly intertwining in midair into a massive web of lightning that descended upon Ji Juechen from all directions!

This move sealed off every possible route of movement. It was a classic area-control and attack skill.

"It's over! Ji Juechen has been trapped by the lightning web!"

Cries of alarm rang out below. Under such dense lightning coverage, even if he was not struck directly, he would be paralyzed and unable to move.

Yet Ji Juechen remained where he was, completely unmoved.

Just as the lightning web was about to reach him, he moved.

First Soul Skill: Clear Sword Heart!

In his eyes, the violent lightning web was instantly broken down into countless trajectories of flowing energy. Within that web, he found a single "node."

His sword moved.

There was no dazzling Sword Light, only an afterimage so fast it reached the extreme.

Edge Break!

The sword tip stabbed that "node" with incomparable precision.

Bzzzz—!

Like a punctured balloon, the seemingly impenetrable web of lightning instantly lost its energy support and collapsed with a boom, turning into sparks of electricity that vanished into nothingness.

"How... is that possible?!" Beibei's smile disappeared completely, replaced by an unprecedented gravity.

His attacks had been broken in succession by the simplest, most direct, and most incomprehensible methods. His opponent did not seem to be fighting at all, but solving a mathematical problem, every step flawlessly precise.

"Senior, your lightning web has a flaw," Ji Juechen said calmly.

Those words shook Beibei more than any mockery could have. Because he was stating the truth! Although Thunderous Might was powerful, there was indeed a momentary period of instability at the core node where the energies converged, necessary to maintain the entire formation. And that flaw was incredibly slight; only someone with an ultimate understanding of soul skills and terrifying perception could discover it.

This four-ring youth had done it!

"Good! What a 'flaw'!" Beibei took a deep breath, his Fighting Spirit soaring in his eyes. "Then take this!"

Third Soul Skill: Wrath of Thunder!

Beibei's aura surged wildly. The blue-violet lightning became even more violent, even taking on a faint golden gleam. All his attributes rose—this was his strongest enhancement soul skill!

Fourth Soul Skill: Thunder Dragon Head!

After the enhancement, he pressed his hands together. A gigantic lightning dragon head, ten times larger than the previous dragon claw, condensed above his head! The dragon head was lifelike, and as its eyes opened and closed, it seemed as though a true ancient beast had awakened!

Roar—!

The Thunder Dragon Head roared as it crashed toward Ji Juechen with world-destroying force!

At that moment, everyone held their breath. This was one of Senior Beibei's strongest attacks, enough to flatten a small mountain!

Facing this unavoidable strike, Ji Juechen finally revealed his fourth soul ring.

That deep purple soul ring stood in stark contrast to the plainness of his other three soul rings.

Fourth Soul Skill: Light and Darkness Intertwined!

One half of his blade shone as brightly as day, while the other half was as dark as an abyss.

He did not choose to meet it head-on. Instead, he made a movement that no one had expected.

He stepped forward, facing the Thunder Dragon Head without dodging. His sword rose diagonally upward at an incredibly tricky angle.

This strike did not clash head-on with the Thunder Dragon Head's energy. Instead, it precisely slashed at the point where the dragon head connected to its lower jaw!

That was the weakest point in the entire soul skill's structure!

Crack!

A crisp sound like shattering glass rang out clearly amid the enormous rumble.

The invincible Thunder Dragon Head suddenly froze in midair. Then, beginning at its lower jaw, black cracks appeared one after another. The cracks rapidly spread across the entire dragon head.

Boom—!

Less than half a meter from Ji Juechen, the enormous Thunder Dragon Head exploded apart, turning into brilliant sparks of electricity that resembled a magnificent golden firework display.

The entire venue fell into Deathly Silence.

Everyone stared dumbfoundedly at the sword-wielding youth standing on the platform.

He had actually... used a sword to dismantle a soul skill that even a four-ring soul skill could not contend against!

Beibei stood frozen in place, still holding his attacking stance, his face filled with disbelief. He had lost—lost utterly and completely.

Ji Juechen sheathed his sword and looked at the dazed Beibei. He said calmly:

"Senior's soul skills are strong, but your combat techniques do not match your talent."

"You rely too heavily on the power of your soul skills and neglect the structure of the soul skills themselves. Every powerful soul skill has its own 'skeleton.' Find that skeleton, cut it apart, and the soul skill will break on its own."

"Your fighting should be purer."

Those words were like a Heavy Hammer striking Beibei's heart.

He had always been proud of his talent and soul skills, yet he had never considered that, from another perspective, his soul skills could be so "fragile."

At that moment, when he looked at Ji Juechen, there was no longer any Fighting Spirit in his eyes—only deep gratitude and admiration.

"Thank you... for your guidance, junior." Beibei bowed deeply, thoroughly convinced.

This battle not only earned Ji Juechen the respect of everyone in Shrek, but also laid the first and most solid foundation for his path as an Ultimate Soldier.