The Second Youngest Soul Emperor on the Continent

After the soul power test, Sun Buyu took Tang San and Xiao Wu to the student dormitories, while Lin Mu headed alone to the Education Committee.

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Education Committee was located at the center of the main campus. It was the largest building in the entire area and extremely conspicuous, so there was no need to worry about getting lost.

However, Lin Mu had not expected to run into Xue Qinghe, who seemed to have been waiting for him for quite some time, the moment he arrived at the entrance to the Education Committee.

"Brother Lin, long time no see."

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, didn't we meet just yesterday?"

Lin Mu said with a straight face.

Seeing how utterly unromantic he was, Xue Qinghe nearly spat blood. This guy was either doing it on purpose or had a screw loose.

Just then, three elderly men emerged as well. They were the three members of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Education Committee.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, is this the young Soul Sage you mentioned?"

Chief Meng Shenji and the other two carefully examined the young man before them. Even though Xue Qinghe had prepared them beforehand, they were still utterly shocked.

He was far too young!

The three exchanged glances, each seeing disbelief in the others' eyes.

When they had been barely over twenty, they had still been Soul Ancestors. Yet this young man before them had already reached the rank of Soul Sage!

No wonder His Highness the Crown Prince had made such a grand affair of this and had even come personally.

This person truly was an unprecedented peerless genius.

"I am Lin Mu. Greetings, three members of the Education Committee."

"No need for such formality. It is our honor that you are willing to take up a position at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Meng Shenji repeatedly waved his hands. There was not a trace of an elder's arrogance in him; his eyes were full of admiration.

A Soul Sage at Lin Mu's age would surely become a Titled Douluo in the future. Even becoming a Super Douluo would not be particularly difficult for him.

At Xue Qinghe's signal, Chief Meng Shenji took a deep breath and looked at Lin Mu with burning eyes. "For Your Excellency to become a Soul Sage at such a young age is truly a rarity seen only once in a hundred years. Might I ask if you could reveal your exact rank?"

Meng Shenji had tried to probe Lin Mu's soul power, but he could only sense his approximate cultivation. His exact level remained impossible to determine.

At that moment, a nearly imperceptible glint flashed through Xue Qinghe's eyes.

In order to test Lin Mu's true strength, she had specifically asked the three members of the Education Committee to inquire about his cultivation on her behalf.

"My apologies, Education Committee Member Meng Shenji, but I cannot disclose that."

Lin Mu refused without a moment's thought.

The three Education Committee members froze, apparently not expecting Lin Mu to reject the request.

Just then, Xue Qinghe broke the awkward silence with a faint smile. "Since Brother Lin is unwilling to display his soul power, how about having a practical spar instead?"

At those words, Lin Mu's gaze immediately fell on the three Education Committee members.

All three were Soul Douluo powerhouses. If he could spar with them, he would gain a clearer understanding of his own strength.

After a brief consideration, Lin Mu nodded slightly. "Since Your Highness the Crown Prince is in the mood for it, then let us give it a try."

Seeing Lin Mu agree to the spar, the corners of Xue Qinghe's lips curved upward slightly, a trace of delight hidden deep in her eyes.

She then turned aside and quickly gave the three Education Committee members a meaningful look.

At Xue Qinghe's signal, the three discussed it briefly.

Then Meng Shenji called out, "Teacher Qin Ming, you shall seek some guidance from Lord Lin Mu."

As his words fell, a young man who appeared to be nearly thirty stepped forward. He was handsome, with a steady aura, sharp eyes, and an extraordinary bearing. He truly deserved his reputation as the second youngest Soul Emperor on the continent.

"I am Qin Ming, a level sixty-two Assault System Battle Soul Emperor. My martial soul is the Blazing Flame Azure Wolf. Please enlighten me, Your Excellency!"

Walking up to Lin Mu, Qin Ming immediately cupped his fists in salute, his eyes carrying the respect of one strong person toward another.

The young man before him looked much younger than he did, yet he was already a Soul Sage. It made Qin Ming feel somewhat ashamed of himself, but it also stirred an even stronger fighting spirit within him.

A strange look flashed through Lin Mu's eyes as he watched the battle-hungry Qin Ming. He had assumed one of the three Education Committee members would make a move.

Who would have thought they would send out merely a little Soul Emperor?

Back when he had been level seventy, he had already been able to beat Zhao Wuji, a Soul Sage, senseless. Now that he had absorbed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, he possessed the strength to contend with a Titled Douluo.

And they were actually asking him to bully a little Soul Emperor? Wasn't that a joke?

"Three members of the Education Committee, are you sure this isn't a mistake?"

"Please rest assured, Your Excellency. Although Qin Ming is only a Soul Emperor, his strength is by no means weak. Moreover, your ages are not too far apart, making you more suitable opponents for sparring and learning."

Meng Shenji explained with a smile.

As long as the Martial Soul Avatar was not used, the gap between a Soul Sage and a Soul Emperor was not that great. It was only a spar, after all; there was no need to make things too serious.

Hearing that answer, Lin Mu was left completely speechless and could only reluctantly agree.

Not long afterward, the group moved to a training ground within the academy specially designated for sparring.

In the arena, Qin Ming did not lower his guard in the slightest and immediately released his martial soul.

A low wolf howl rang out as blazing flames surged from his body. His frame grew taller, his muscles swelled, and his eyes transformed into wolf pupils.

Six soul rings—two yellow, three purple, and one black—rose and revolved around him as a powerful aura spread outward.

Seeing Qin Ming's thousand-year fifth soul ring, Lin Mu inwardly sighed at the waste.

Qin Ming's talent was certainly not lacking. After all, he had managed to graduate from that damned Shrek Academy. But a thousand-year fifth soul skill was truly far too weak.

There was no helping it. Civilian soul masters had it that hard. Without elders to help them hunt soul rings, they simply could not handle Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts.

After Martial Soul Possession, Qin Ming did not rush to attack. Instead, he stood where he was and waited for Lin Mu to use his martial soul.

Yet Lin Mu remained standing still, showing no intention of releasing his martial soul. He raised a hand. "Teacher Qin, please make your move."

Qin Ming frowned, feeling that his opponent was being rather overconfident. But remembering that Lin Mu was, after all, a Soul Sage, he stopped holding back.

He pushed off the ground, his body shooting forward like a flaming meteor. In the blink of an eye, he reached Lin Mu, his flame-wreathed wolf claw tearing through the air with a shriek as it viciously slashed forward!

Though he had not used a soul skill, this attack was not to be underestimated.

Lin Mu merely shifted slightly to the side, then thrust out his left hand at incredible speed, precisely meeting the burning wolf claw.

"Has he gone mad? He's taking Qin Ming's attack barehanded?"

Committee Member Bai Baoshan exclaimed in astonishment.

A Soul Sage's body might be much stronger than a Soul Emperor's, but that advantage was limited. Compared to the enhancement granted by Martial Soul Possession, such a difference was hardly worth mentioning.

Yet the scene of Lin Mu being forced back never appeared.

Before the stunned eyes of the others, Lin Mu not only easily caught Qin Ming's charged attack, but also drew the flames from his wolf claw into his palm.

Not only did they fail to harm him, but Lin Mu's aura became slightly more solid.

Ever since absorbing the Titan Giant Ape's soul ring and soul bone, Lin Mu's strength had greatly increased, and he had also gained the Kirin Fire, which excelled at both offense and defense.

Now, even without using his martial soul, he could devour the flames of other soul masters.