Na'er

After Ya Li left, only Yun Ming, Leng Yaozhu, and Huo Yuhao remained in the Small House.

Yun Ming and Leng Yaozhu casually exchanged a few more words, maintaining a surface-level peace and courtesy.

As a junior disciple, Huo Yuhao dutifully kept to his place.

Whenever the conversation did not involve him, he sat quietly without uttering a word.

Before long, faint Footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard.

When Ya Li reappeared at the doorway, someone was following beside her.

Huo Yuhao turned to look, and the first thing that caught his eye was a cascade of soft silver hair draped over her shoulders.

Amid those strands, a small face slowly lifted. Her delicate features seemed as though they had been meticulously carved by the most skilled artisan, while her Fair Skin was almost translucent.

Most striking of all were her eyes—silver irises of the same hue as her hair.

Though she was still young, looking only eight or nine years old, anyone could tell that this girl was already a budding beauty.

Huo Yuhao's gaze lingered on her for a moment. Her appearance was indeed eye-catching, but what concerned him more was her cultivation and strength. After all, she would very likely be his opponent next.

Led by Ya Li, Na'er entered the room and obediently called out, "Teacher," to Yun Ming.

Only then did she calmly sit down in the chair beside him.

Yun Ming then introduced her, "This is my Personal Disciple, Na'er."

Leng Yaozhu's gaze fell upon Na'er. After a moment, she withdrew it and looked at Yun Ming.

"To have been accepted by you as a Personal Disciple and taught personally, Na'er must be exceptionally gifted."

Then, changing the subject, she asked, "Judging by Na'er's age, she should be nine as well. I wonder... what is her current cultivation level?"

Before Yun Ming could speak, Ya Li, seated beside him, spoke first. "Na'er is very diligent in her cultivation. She is already a level-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster."

At her age, such cultivation speed was enough to earn her the title of a youthful genius anywhere.

Even at Shrek Academy, which was no stranger to geniuses, possessing such cultivation at this age would absolutely place her among the very best.

The pride Ya Li felt for her own child was unmistakable in her voice.

Upon hearing this, Leng Yaozhu merely lifted her smooth chin slightly, a proud curve appearing on her red lips.

"Oh?" she softly uttered, smiling. "Not bad."

Then her gaze swept over Na'er before finally settling on Yun Ming and Ya Li. "But... if the two children were to spar, I'm afraid our Yuhao would have a slight advantage."

After a pause, she smiled. "Yuhao... is already a level-thirty-three Soul Elder!"

The instant Leng Yaozhu's words fell, the gazes of the three people opposite her abruptly focused on Huo Yuhao. Deep in their eyes, undisguised shock flashed in unison.

Nine years old, with thirty-three levels of soul power!

Even Yun Ming, hailed as the continent's strongest expert and possessed of astonishing talent, had not reached level thirty-three soul power at the age of nine!

Huo Yuhao was perceptive. Even though Leng Yaozhu had not said so, he could tell from his earlier observations that Aunt Leng and Ya Li, this Holy Spirit Douluo, clearly did not get along!

Huo Yuhao did not care about the Holy Spirit Douluo's esteemed reputation across the continent. Naturally, he would stand firmly by Aunt Leng's side.

Thus, beneath the shocked gazes of the three people, Huo Yuhao slowly raised his eyes.

His expression remained calm as he spoke clearly. "If we are to spar, then for the sake of fairness... I can suppress my soul power to level twenty-nine."

Precisely suppressing one's soul power in battle was no easy matter.

It required extraordinary control over one's own soul power to ensure that the suppressed power remained stable and did not affect one's combat performance.

Normally, this was a method used only when high-level soul masters instructed or sparred with lower-level opponents.

Yet for such words to be spoken so casually by a nine-year-old three-ring Soul Elder was somewhat strange.

But Huo Yuhao's expression was serious, his gaze clear and resolute, without the slightest hint of jesting or showing off.

Though Yun Ming, the continent's strongest expert, now appeared gentle and refined, he had also been an unruly figure in his youth.

Therefore, faced with this challenge directed at his disciple, anger rose within him as well.

"I appreciate Young Friend Yuhao's kindness, but in a contest between soul masters, soul power level has never been the sole factor in determining combat strength."

Yun Ming's gaze swept over Na'er, who sat quietly at the side. The silver-haired, silver-eyed girl subtly straightened her back, and a glimmer of confidence flashed through her eyes.

Yun Ming smiled at Na'er, then looked toward Leng Yaozhu and Huo Yuhao before speaking again.

"So there is no need to suppress your soul power. We can simply spar normally."

Hearing this, Leng Yaozhu secretly shook her head. Yun Ming, Yun Ming, your nature is still far too proud.

Yun Ming had confidence in Na'er, but did Leng Yaozhu not have confidence in Huo Yuhao as well?

Since they had rejected "fairness," that suited her perfectly.

"Fine." Leng Yaozhu immediately took over, her tone crisp. "Sparring is meant to verify one another's abilities. With the few of us watching, they can fight without restraint and need not hold back."

Yun Ming nodded. "Exactly. Let's go to the courtyard."

The five of them rose and headed into the tranquil Small Courtyard, lush with greenery.

As the main participants in the spar, Huo Yuhao and Na'er walked to the center of the courtyard and stopped about ten meters apart.

Yun Ming did not say much, merely raising a hand and giving it a casual wave.

A hemispherical transparent barrier formed entirely of pure Soul Power instantly enveloped the area where Huo Yuhao and Na'er stood, ensuring that the aftershocks of their sparring would not harm a single blade of grass in the courtyard.

After setting up the barrier, Yun Ming calmly spoke three words. "Begin."

The moment his words fell, Na'er moved.

Her silver eyes suddenly lit up, and her small, pale hand reached out and clenched the air...

Silver light flashed brilliantly!

A long spear gleaming silver from end to end appeared in her hand out of thin air!

The shaft was slender yet perfectly straight, covered in fine, exquisite Silver Dragon Scale Patterns.

The spearhead took up roughly one-third of the weapon's entire length. It was a perfect pyramid shape, incomparably sharp, its cold gleam biting.

This was Na'er's Martial Soul—the Silver Dragon Spear!

At the same time, two deep purple Soul Rings spiraled up from beneath her feet, hovering and pulsing.

At the sight of that spear and the unique aura of its Martial Soul, even Leng Yaozhu's eyes flashed with genuine surprise.

She turned to glance at Yun Ming. "No wonder you took her as your disciple. This spear Martial Soul... truly is extraordinary."

At her words, a trace of pride surfaced deep in Yun Ming's eyes.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he looked at the silver spear in Na'er's hand and readily admitted, "That's right. In terms of the Martial Soul's strength alone, Na'er's Silver Dragon Spear may... even surpass my Qingtian Spear."

The first Purple Soul Ring beneath Na'er's feet shone brightly, and a gentle force flowed through her entire body.

This was her First Soul Skill, Silver Dragon Power, a comprehensive enhancement-type Soul Skill that boosted her strength, speed, defense, Soul Power recovery, and other attributes.

As the Soul Skill took effect, her aura visibly rose by a level. Her silver hair fluttered without wind, and with her spear in hand, she looked utterly heroic.

However, just as Na'er was about to launch her attack, her movements abruptly froze.

Her adorable little face was instantly filled with gravity!

Because she saw three Soul Rings slowly rise beneath Huo Yuhao's feet.

From their earlier conversation, she already knew that Huo Yuhao was a three-ringed Soul Elder.

Seeing three Soul Rings rise should not have been surprising.

But!

The colors of those three Soul Rings...

They were not the white that represented ten years, not the yellow that represented a hundred years, nor the purple that represented a thousand years...

They were three deep, shadowy rings of black, as though they could swallow every ray of light...!

Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings!