The clearing in the Star Dou Great Forest was filled with a tense, heavy atmosphere.
"Old Zhao!"
When Qin Ming saw the short, sturdy man with a clear face and a fierce expression, delight immediately filled his eyes.
Zhao Wuji was startled at first, then burst into hearty laughter.
"I thought it was someone else. So it really is Qin Ming! How come you've come back? Did you get kicked out of the Demon King's Royal Family's academy?"
Qin Ming laughed too, and exchanged a few words with Flender.
The two of them had a brief reunion, reminiscing about the past. The atmosphere soon became much warmer!
Nearby, Oscar was anxiously scratching his head. He pointed to a shadow that had vanished among the trees and cried, "Old Zhao, that Cockscomb Phoenix Snake we were chasing has disappeared!"
Zhao Wuji spread his hands and told Qin Ming, "I'm afraid we'll have to change our plans. I still have to take this little girl to get her soul ring, so I'll have to go on ahead!"
Just then, Zhu Xian Sword and Mi Ruoxi stopped in their tracks. They turned around in unison and stared at Lin Chen, who was quietly absorbing his soul ring.
"..."
The two of them seemed to have noticed the strange feeling coming from that direction.
Such a coincidence at exactly the same moment could hardly be called a coincidence. Unless—
Their eyes met, and both girls' hearts began to pound.
"..."
"Ruoxi, wait."
In a secluded corner of the forest, Zhu Xian Sword and Mi Ruoxi deliberately fell behind the others.
They had sensed something unusual.
Zhu Xian Sword suddenly grabbed Mi Ruoxi.
At that moment, Oscar was completely focused on chasing the Cockscomb Phoenix Snake and hadn't noticed the two girls lagging behind.
Zhu Xian Sword's clear, cool eyes stayed fixed on Mi Ruoxi as she took a deep breath.
Her eyes were calm, yet there was a hint of hesitation in them, as if she were lowering her voice to ask something important.
"Ruoxi, do you... also have a Diary?"
As the words left Zhu Xian Sword's mouth, her imagination conjured up no mysterious god descending from the heavens. Instead, nothing happened.
A surge of joy rose in her heart.
That meant Mi Ruoxi also had a Diary, and it wouldn't be long before—
"Achoo—!"
Mi Ruoxi shuddered, her face turning pale.
She had expected that revealing the existence of her Diary would bring a horrifying reaction, as if a god were descending from heaven. She had waited for a long time, holding her breath and bracing herself for the worst, only to be met with complete silence.
"Zhu Xian Sword... you have one too?"
Mi Ruoxi clutched her chest and sat down on the ground, as though she'd been struck by a bolt from the blue.
"The Emperor is going to kill me! So it turns out there really is someone else like me... At least I'm not the only one being watched by the Diary anymore..."
Both girls were safe and sound, but they were left speechless.
"If Diary owners can communicate with each other, it seems that might not be forbidden."
Zhu Xian Sword's eyes shone brightly.
"Do you have any idea who that person surrounded by a dark aura was just now?"
"I know who he is..."
Mi Ruoxi spoke softly, her eyes filled with solemnity.
"He's twelve years old, from the Demon King's Royal Family, and his martial soul is a Clear Sky Hammer. He's already absorbed his fourth soul ring... Apart from him, there can't be another person in this world. He's the owner of the Diary!"
Mi Ruoxi swallowed hard. Lin Chen was the owner of the Diary!
Of course, she couldn't simply assume that was true.
"I want to go to Heaven Dou City."
Zhu Xian Sword's voice rang out suddenly, carrying a trace of determination.
"I don't want to go back to Shrek Academy. The Diary's owner! I'll get to meet that little rascal in person, and stay with him. I'm not satisfied—I want to take control of my own fate, and the Diary is my only chance!"
Mi Ruoxi nodded gravely.
"I'm the same. If I stay with Flender, all I'll do is waste time. I'm going to Heaven Dou City too, to join the Demon King's Royal Family's academy!"
The two girls had reached an agreement at that moment.
Shrek Academy was no longer in their plans!
[Congratulations! Zhu Xian Sword has obtained a special Diary reward: Ghost Shadow Spirit Cat martial soul advancement!]
[Congratulations! Mi Ruoxi has obtained a special Diary reward: seven-hundred-year-old spirit ring advancement to a thousand-year-old spirit ring!]
At that moment, the Diaries in both girls' hands began to shine!
A shared resonance between Diary owners!
Their martial souls had actually advanced!
"My... my seven-hundred-year-old spirit ring advanced!"
Mi Ruoxi was overcome with excitement.
Zhu Xian Sword's expression was just as animated. That had confirmed their suspicions: both girls wanted to leave the academy and find the Diary's owner!
"..."
Meanwhile, Tang San was absorbing the thousand-year-old soul ring.
The black thousand-year-old soul ring released a chilling aura. The remnant soul of the Extreme Bone Spirit Leopard roared violently in Tang San's spiritual sea!
"Roar—!"
The remaining spirit shook violently. Its shadow was shattered by the power of someone who dared to challenge it.
"The spirit's remnant soul has been..."
Lin Chen didn't panic. Instead, he instantly activated his first soul skill.
A massive, eternal soul force appeared in an instant, like a golden hand covering the sky. It pressed down on the violent remnant soul, pinning it in place.
At the same time, the Ghost Shadow Spirit Cat martial soul in his spiritual sea slowly advanced, its mysterious power spreading outward.
"Ugh—!"
The powerful thousand-year-old spirit ring's remnant soul finally gave in. It couldn't even make a sound before Zhu Xian Sword's heavy pressure crushed it completely!
Lin Chen absorbed the soul ring at a pace far beyond that of an ordinary person absorbing a thousand-year-old soul ring.
In the blink of an eye, a wisp of black energy finally entered his bones.
Lin Chen relaxed slightly. A faint black flower appeared in the center of his brow, then disappeared into the world of his soul.
And his soul power had broken through to level forty-three!
"Success!"
Lin Chen let out a long breath.
By now, the sky had darkened, and a chilling aura seeped through the forest.
At that moment, a sharp cry suddenly rang out from a distance.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others had returned, but they seemed a little uneasy. Behind them followed a middle-aged woman and a young girl. They were the Snake Granny, Chaotian Xiang, and Meng Yiran.
"Why is this troublesome lot back again..."
Lin Chen muttered to himself.
He'd been about to go over and ask Tang San and the others what they had run into. He stood up and went over to wait for them.
"Hmph! You killed the Cockscomb Phoenix Snake right in front of me. You've got some nerve!"
Chaotian Xiang was furious. Even though she was normally wary of Zhao Wuji, she now stood there confidently, glaring at him.
"Your people really cause trouble wherever they go."
Lin Chen casually glanced at Qin Ming. "Teacher Qin, my soul ring's ready. Let's go."
"All right."
Qin Ming nodded. He had also sensed the hostility in the air.
Chaotian Xiang's identity was no secret, and she clearly wanted to settle the score with Zhao Wuji. She even wanted to teach these kids a lesson.
After all, she was a Soul Douluo.
However, just as Zhao Wuji was about to go over and settle the matter, a furious cry suddenly came from the sky.
"Roar—! Ahhh!"
A massive figure, wrapped in dark red flames, descended from the sky. Its terrifying pressure swept through the area like a collapsing mountain and a surging sea. The creature's imposing presence shook the entire clearing. Its first target was Lin Chen!
"Hmph. Come back with me."
The newcomer was Ling Yuan.
Her slender hand glowed with golden light as she reached straight for Lin Chen's shoulder.
"..."
Lin Chen's pupils contracted, and his Ghost Shadow Spirit Cat martial soul emerged.
But an elderly figure in a blue robe suddenly appeared. With a shield on his back, he blocked her with his body. He was—
Ling Tian, whom Ling Yuan had been looking for, the third Titled Douluo.
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