Martial Soul Ranking: Second Place

And this was only the beginning.

His Soul Power solidified threefold, his Soul Ring Age surged by tens of thousands of years, a three-hundred-thousand-year Head Soul Bone and a four-hundred-thousand-year Torso Soul Bone fused into him.

Two Innate Domains—the Dionysus Domain and the Green Lotus Sword Domain—were born.

And a fragment related to the Sword God Inheritance entered his brow...

Under the combined effects of these inconceivable rewards, Li Bai's strength underwent a qualitative leap!

"Buzz—!"

An indescribably vast pressure spread out from Li Bai in an instant, like an ancient divine mountain awakening from slumber.

In that instant alone, Li Bai had already restrained every trace of his aura.

"This aura..."

"It's so suffocating!"

Yet in that brief instant, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Dugu Yan felt as though invisible hands had seized their hearts.

Their breathing stopped, and even their souls trembled!

It was absolute suppression at the level of Life Level. It was as if they were no longer facing a mortal, but a Deity suspended high above the nine heavens.

They had no doubt.

Before that aura, they would be reduced to dust before they could even form the slightest thought of resistance.

"So strong!"

Even Lu Bu and Sikong Zhen, powerful as they were, instinctively tensed beneath that fleeting pressure.

The vast Soul Power within their bodies circulated on its own to resist it, while extreme solemnity and amazement flashed through their eyes.

"Hahaha! Good! Li Bai."

"You have not disappointed me. Once you stabilize your realm, I must have a satisfying battle with you!"

Lu Bu was the first to react. Not only was he unafraid, he laughed excitedly.

His Sky Halberd pointed at Li Bai from afar, his fighting intent soaring into the heavens.

The lightning around Sikong Zhen receded as he said in a deep voice, "Congratulations."

His words were brief, but his gaze upon Li Bai had already placed him on equal footing—or even as someone he needed to look up to slightly.

Ning Rongrong patted her newly budding chest, her little face still somewhat pale.

Still shaken by lingering fear, she whispered to Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan, "Teacher Li Bai is terrifying!"

"Teacher Li Bai... In that instant just now, I felt he was even more terrifying than when Teacher Lu Bu unleashed his full strength!"

Zhu Zhuqing silently nodded, her cool eyes filled with yearning for powerful strength.

Dugu Yan smiled bitterly. "Now I finally understand why Teacher Li Bai has never deigned to 'train' with us. I'm afraid we aren't even qualified to make him use one percent—no, one-thousandth—of his strength."

The three girls' gazes fell in unison upon the white-clad figure in the distance, who had already restrained all his aura and was leisurely drinking wine. Their eyes were full of curiosity.

They desperately wanted to know.

After receiving such heaven-shaking rewards, just how terrifying had Teacher Li Bai's Soul Ring Configuration become?

Would it be like Teacher Lu Bu's Seven Black Two Red?

Or something even more terrifying... Five Black Four Red?

However, Li Bai seemed to have no intention whatsoever of displaying his Soul Rings.

Having accepted the rewards, his aura returned to ordinary, as though he were merely a handsome, otherworldly poet drinking wine.

Though Ning Rongrong and the others were itching with curiosity, they knew their limits and did not dare approach to ask.

After all, Teacher Li Bai appeared easygoing, but they could clearly sense the pride and detachment deep in his bones.

Not far away, Lu Xiao slightly opened one eye.

Glanced at Li Bai, whose aura had become entirely different and reached a state of returning to simplicity, the corners of his lips lifted into an imperceptible curve.

"Mm, Level 99... not bad."

His heart remained utterly calm.

As the overpowered Dean with the Sign-in System, when he had drawn Li Bai's card and summoned him to the academy, Li Bai had already possessed Level 96 strength from the start.

After more than two years of accumulation and personal cultivation, Li Bai's breakthrough to Level 98 not long ago had been well within his expectations.

Now, this Sky Screen Reward had helped him enter the realm of a Level 99 Limit Douluo in one stroke.

Combined with that absurd increase in Soul Ring Age, along with the two Domains and the Sword God Inheritance fragment...

Lu Xiao silently estimated, Li Bai as he is now should have no problem fighting Qian Daoliu, Bo Saixi, and Tang Chen, those three veteran Limit Douluos, one against three. He might even crush them.

Martial Souls produced by the system, combined with the Sky Screen Reward's boost—this is simply not leaving the natives any way to survive.

He closed his eyes again. So what if the Heavenly Ranking continued to announce its results?

The Top Three would definitely still be his people.

Perhaps... they might even be the same person.

He thought lazily, having already lost most of his interest in the ranking about to be revealed.

Meanwhile, every major faction across the continent was still immersed in the enormous shock brought by "Li Bai's Twin Martial Souls occupying fourth and fifth place," as well as their fear of the unfathomable Big Dipper Academy.

They waited anxiously and uneasily for the final Top Three to be announced.

Just as the entire Douluo Continent was thrown into immense shock and speculation over the Top Three Martial Souls.

The golden scroll in the sky underwent another unprecedented change!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The previously unfurled scroll suddenly contracted, and all the Golden Light gathered toward its center like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea.

In the end, it condensed into three dazzling Golden Light Spheres, each as radiant as the sun!

The spheres slowly rotated, releasing a terrifying pressure more magnificent, solemn, and soul-shaking than anything before!

At this moment.

Whether it was Qian Daoliu of Spirit Hall, Bo Saixi gazing at the sky from Sea God Island,

or Tang Chen struggling in the City of Slaughter, along with every powerful Soul Master, all abruptly raised their heads.

They focused all their attention upon those three light spheres that represented the ultimate glory of the Martial Soul Ranking!

The Top Three!

They were finally about to be revealed!

What kind of Martial Souls could stand above the unimaginable Immortal Wine Gourd and the invincible sharpness of the Green Lotus Divine Sword?

Under countless watching eyes, the slightly smaller Golden Light Sphere on the far right changed first.

Its radiance gradually receded, transforming into a line of large green characters filled with boundless life aura, branded upon the Sky Screen:

[Martial Soul Ranking, Third Place: Life Ancient Tree]

[Holder: Lu Xiao (Big Dipper Academy)]

[Rating: Special-type Martial Soul (possessing ultimate life, support, defense, and domain traits). It contains the world's purest and most ultimate Life Origin. With a single thought, it can revive all things and create vitality. When cultivated to its supreme state, it can nurture Life Divine Patterns, connect heaven and earth, and transform all things. It is the manifestation of the Life Law. Current development level: ???]

[Reward: Life Ancient Tree Seed x1]

"Life Ancient Tree? Big Dipper Academy again!"

"A special-type Martial Soul? It has life, support, defense, and domain traits... What type of Martial Soul is that supposed to be?"

"The manifestation of the Life Law? It sounds incredibly lofty!"

"The development level is a question mark? What does that mean?"

"The reward is only one seed? This... this is Third Place! How can the reward be so limited?"

The entire continent erupted into an uproar of confusion.

The name Life Ancient Tree carried an ancient and sacred air.

Yet its specific abilities seemed rather abstract, especially the description of it as the "manifestation of the Life Law," which exceeded the understanding of most Soul Masters.

What puzzled them even more was that, as the lofty Third Place, its reward was only a single seed?

This stood in sharp contrast to the previous generous rewards, which had raised Soul Power Levels and Soul Ring Ages, bestowed Soul Bones and Divine Skills.

Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Fengzhi frowned deeply. "A life-attribute Martial Soul would certainly possess heaven-defying support abilities, but this rating is far too comprehensive. And this reward..."

"When something is abnormal, there must be a reason. This seed is likely more valuable than ten two-hundred-thousand-year Soul Bones combined!"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin stared at the words "manifestation of the Life Law" on the Sky Screen, and even the sharp Sword Intent around him paused slightly.

He said in a deep voice, "Fengzhi, you are right. This Life Ancient Tree Martial Soul likely cannot be judged by common sense. Such a comprehensive rating means it has reached the ultimate in every aspect, without a single weakness."

"As for that seed, it is likely even more mysterious!"

Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath, his gaze seeming to pierce through the Void and see the mysterious Big Dipper Academy.

"With such a Martial Soul, it is no wonder Lu Xiao can nurture so many extraordinarily talented Soul Masters. This Big Dipper Academy is likely even more unfathomable than we imagined."

"Rongrong being there may truly be the greatest opportunity of her life."

Beneath Lake of Life in the Core Area of Star Dou Great Forest.

A massive Silver Dragon King slowly raised her head, her amethyst-like dragon eyes gazing at the Ranking List in the sky.

When she saw "Life Ancient Tree," surprise and reminiscence flashed through her eyes.

"The Life Ancient Tree contains the purest power of Life Origin. To think it has reappeared in this world in the form of a Martial Soul..."

Gu Yuena murmured softly, "That human named Lu Xiao, perhaps..."

The other Beasts around her also sensed the life aura emanating from the Ranking List, one that made even their souls tremble in comfort. They let out low growls, expressing reverence and longing.

Spirit Hall.

Bibi Dong's gaze was sharp as blades as she stared fixedly at the name "Lu Xiao" and that sole reward.

The unease in her heart grew ever stronger.

"Life Ancient Tree, manifestation of the Law... Has he touched upon the domain of gods?"

She did not dare think any further.

However, before anyone could recover from the impact of this bizarre Third Place.

The larger Golden Light Sphere in the center suddenly burst into bloom!