After taking the stone that contained the Thunder God Power, Su Ze immediately headed to a secluded forest.
Drawing on his past experience absorbing powers like the Heavenly Tribulation, he tried pouring Soul Power into the stone.
However, it showed no reaction at all.
"Could it be useless?"
In the forest, Su Ze studied the stone in front of him. After carefully sensing it with the Storm Dragon King Martial Soul,
that familiar, yearning feeling came over him again. But he could also clearly sense some kind of obstruction.
"Looks like I'm not strong enough yet."
"I can't draw out the Thunder God Power inside."
Having figured out the reason, Su Ze put the stone into the storage device at his waist.
He had the stone now. All he needed to do was focus on improving his strength.
The Thunder God Power inside would be his sooner or later.
With that thought, Su Ze hurried back to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
He was going to return to his dorm and meditate to grow stronger.
Meanwhile, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect,
after Ning Fengzhi learned from a maid that Su Ze had taken the stone containing Thunder God Blood, a smile immediately appeared on his face.
"Excellent. I've sent him plenty of good things over the past few years, but that Su Ze never accepted any of them."
"He finally accepted something this time."
Watching Ning Fengzhi laugh with delight, Bone Douluo looked at him curiously.
"Fengzhi, I've heard you and Chen Xin mention this Su Ze quite a few times."
"Is he really that talented?"
Bone Douluo hadn't gone with Sword Douluo to meet Su Ze.
So he didn't have any firsthand knowledge of Su Ze's talent.
"Uncle Gu, you'll understand once you meet him."
"Chen Xin judged that this boy has a chance of surpassing him and becoming a legendary Peak Douluo, as long as he survives."
"And I've just learned from my latest inquiries at Heaven Dou Royal Academy that Su Ze is thirteen years old and already has Soul Power at level fifty-five."
Hearing Bone Douluo's question, Ning Fengzhi answered with complete confidence.
After learning about Su Ze's strength, Ning Fengzhi had come to trust Sword Douluo's judgment completely.
Just think about how young Su Ze was.
He was already level fifty-five at thirteen.
In other words, even if he were a pig, he'd be able to break through to Soul Emperor by twenty at the latest.
A thirteen-year-old Soul Emperor!
What astounding talent.
"A thirteen-year-old Soul Emperor? Ning Fengzhi, are you telling the truth?"
Bone Douluo's aged face showed his shock.
He knew exactly what it meant to be a Soul King at thirteen.
Tang Hao, the youngest Soul Emperor in the world today,
had already reached that level in his twenties.
And who was Tang Hao?
The youngest Douluo in the history of the Douluo Continent.
As soon as he broke through, he killed Qian Xunji, the Pope of the Soul Martial Hall, with a single hammer blow.
Then he even escaped from a Limit Douluo.
His talent was truly extraordinary.
Bone Douluo didn't believe he could beat that Clear Sky Douluo in a one-on-one fight.
The most widely recognized genius on the continent hadn't become a Soul Emperor until his twenties.
Now this boy named Su Ze was already a level-fifty-five Soul King at thirteen.
At most, he'd probably break through to Soul Emperor by fifteen.
In other words, compared to Su Ze, even Tang Hao seemed like an ordinary person.
Bone Douluo thought about how he himself hadn't become a Soul Emperor until he was thirty-seven.
For a moment, he felt like a talentless nobody.
Once he'd had that feeling, Bone Douluo understood completely why Ning Fengzhi valued this young man named Su Ze so highly.
"Fengzhi, if we can't win over a young man like that, we should find a chance to kill him."
"If he becomes our enemy, the consequences will be unimaginable. The former Pope of the Soul Martial Hall is a perfect example."
The Soul Martial Hall had failed to eliminate Tang Hao while he was still young, and that had led to the death of their Pope.
At Bone Douluo's words, Ning Fengzhi nodded.
"Don't worry, Uncle Gu. I understand."
"Su Ze and our sect have maintained a good relationship these past few years."
"It's a shame we couldn't bring him into the sect. Otherwise, I might even have considered marrying Rong Rong off to him."
A genius who had become a Soul King at thirteen was certain to become a Titled Douluo one day.
If he could marry Ning Fengzhi's daughter, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might even surpass the Clear Sky Sect in the future.
It could become the greatest sect in the world.
Unfortunately, Poison Douluo and the Ye Family had gotten there first.
Thinking of what he'd heard from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Dugu Bo's granddaughter and the Ye Family's daughter spent almost every day with Su Ze.
Given his daughter's personality, even if she went to him,
she'd probably only humiliate herself.
So Ning Fengzhi gave up on the idea and decided to win Su Ze over with resources instead.
After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had money to spare.
Thinking this, Ning Fengzhi pulled the letter Sword Douluo had given him from his desk.
As soon as he opened the letter, his brow furrowed. The more he read, the graver his expression became.
According to the letter, while secretly protecting Ning Rongrong, Sword Douluo had learned that the Shrek students were all dissatisfied with Su Ze.
Especially that Master.
Thinking this, Ning Fengzhi immediately decided that as soon as his daughter arrived in Heaven Dou City, he would have her withdraw from the academy.
What kind of talent did Su Ze have? He was destined to become a Titled Douluo.
According to Sword Douluo's letter, what were the Shrek Seven Devils, anyway?
One useless Blue Silver Grass, one prince who'd fled to another country, and someone with a Chicken Martial Soul who often bullied commoners.
Just hearing about those Martial Souls made it clear they couldn't compare to Su Ze.
What surprised Ning Fengzhi even more was this:
Su Ze had publicly criticized Yu Xiaogang's theoretical knowledge.
Ning Fengzhi didn't know much about Yu Xiaogang's actual expertise.
He'd only heard people say it was decent.
But when he learned that Su Ze had criticized Yu Xiaogang's theories, Ning Fengzhi immediately changed his mind.
He knew Su Ze's cultivation and talent.
If Su Ze didn't approve of Yu Xiaogang, that had to mean his theoretical knowledge was terrible.
She had to withdraw. Immediately.
Ning Fengzhi had originally wanted Rong Rong to suffer a little at Shrek Academy and toughen up in a harsh environment.
But that wouldn't do now. If she stayed with those people, he worried she might be led astray.
If the people at Shrek Academy corrupted her and she offended Su Ze, where would that leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
As Xue Qinghe's teacher, Ning Fengzhi had heard him lament countless times that he hadn't tried to win Su Ze over sooner.
Then there was also Poison Douluo behind Su Ze.
If Ning Rongrong was led astray by Shrek Academy and offended Su Ze,
the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be facing a peerless genius, a Titled Douluo, and the future emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Thinking of the disreputable backgrounds of those people at Shrek Academy,
Ning Fengzhi shook his head. As Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he simply couldn't accept something like that.
A month after Su Ze obtained the stone,
after constant meditation and research,
Su Ze was finally able to draw on some of the Thunder God Power inside it.
High above Heaven Dou City, at the Misty Sect, Su Ze raised the Thunder God Stone in his hand.
Drawn to the stone soaked in Thunder God Blood, the Dark Clouds began to churn violently.
The thick Lightning Element in the air gathered, forming bolts that struck Su Ze.
Su Ze absorbed all the wild lightning.
This was the new method he'd worked out.
Although he couldn't use the stone containing Thunder God Blood directly,
he could treat it like an antenna,
using it to attract the Lightning Element in the sky.
Originally, it would have taken Su Ze at least half a day to absorb all the Lightning Element within a kilometer of him.
With the Thunder God Stone, it took him only half an hour.
In other words, the Thunder God Stone gave Su Ze the equivalent of a tenfold cultivation boost.
Not long after coming up with this method, Su Ze could already feel himself nearing the threshold of level fifty-six.
By the time the upcoming Global Soul Master Elite Tournament began,
he figured he'd be a Soul Emperor for certain.
As a Soul Emperor, Su Ze was looking forward to meeting Tang San and the other protagonists.
Meanwhile, as Su Ze cultivated, back at Heaven Dou Royal Academy,
Qin Ming and Yu Tianheng were withdrawing from the academy.
Although the three members of the Academic Affairs Committee repeatedly tried to persuade them to stay, Qin Ming and Yu Tianheng had made up their minds.
They were going to join Shrek Academy.
As Yu Tianheng walked out through the gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, excitement showed in his eyes.
He could finally train under his uncle.
With his uncle's abilities, he'd surely be able to wipe away the humiliation of his defeat.
Thinking about how his uncle had told him Su Ze had insulted him,
Yu Tianheng clenched his fists.
In next year's tournament, he would make Su Ze pay.
He would also wash away the humiliation he'd suffered at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
To welcome Qin Ming and Yu Tianheng, the Shrek Group had gathered there to wait.
Aside from Dai Mubai, who was born a prince, the others from Shrek were amazed by the expensive medicinal herbs at the entrance of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Even Flender, the Soul Saint and headmaster, couldn't help feeling greedy as he looked at the precious herbs outside the academy.
"So this is Su Ze's academy. They've got such abundant resources."
Tang San looked away from the few precious herbs.
With resources like these, and with what he'd heard about Su Ze getting close to the Crown Prince and a Titled Douluo, would he still be able to defeat Su Ze a year from now?
Noticing his disciple's lack of confidence,
Yu Xiaogang immediately teased him.
"Now, don't be fooled by the fact that Heaven Dou Royal Academy has the royal family backing it."
"The teachers here are nothing but mediocrities. And since this academy was built by the royal family for the children of nobles, the students are mediocrities too."
"Mediocre teachers teaching mediocre students. Plenty of resources won't change a thing."
"Proof? They can't even find twenty Soul Elders above level thirty in this entire academy."
"Su Ze may have been lucky enough to get in, but surrounded by mediocrities, he hasn't built a solid foundation. He won't achieve much in the future."
Yu Xiaogang had originally wanted to say that Su Ze was weak now, but he'd changed his mind because his nephew had lost to Su Ze.
So instead, he'd said Su Ze had no future.
Hearing his teacher's words, Tang San nodded.
After spending this time with Yu Tianheng, Tang San was confident he could beat him without much difficulty.
Now that he'd confirmed this, and his teacher had said everyone at Heaven Dou Royal Academy was mediocre,
Tang San felt reassured.
How could Su Ze, who'd been enjoying himself at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, compare to him, who'd trained so hard?
On top of that, Su Ze had scolded his teacher at the academy, which proved he didn't respect knowledge.
Disrespecting knowledge and living a comfortable life—
Tang San was confident that the Su Ze of today couldn't beat him.
Seeing his disciple smile confidently again, Yu Xiaogang nodded.
After helping his disciple regain his confidence, Yu Xiaogang turned to Yu Tianheng.
"Tianheng, joining Shrek Monster Academy was the right decision."
"Uncle guarantees that you'll surpass Su Ze one day."
"Let Uncle tell you: Su Ze is nothing but a commoner with good talent. His character is terrible, and he thinks he can get away with anything just because he's talented."
"His achievements in the future will definitely be nothing compared to yours."
As he spoke, Yu Xiaogang wore a smile.
At last, the Shrek Seven Team was complete.
All they had to do was wait a year before making their debut at the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament.
Once he led Shrek Academy to a good result,
he and Little Gang would make those people who'd mocked him eat their words.
Thinking of the time Su Ze had insulted him at the academy, a flash of resentment crossed Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
That detestable Su Ze was blind to his own shortcomings. How dare he look down on him?
When the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament began, he and Little San would defeat Su Ze's team. Then he'd make sure to mock him right back.
Just as Yu Xiaogang was fantasizing about the future, a mocking voice rang out.
"A useless nobody who isn't even a Soul Elder dares mock the strongest person at Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
"Yu Tianheng, that's your uncle, right? No wonder you can't beat Su Ze. You treat a useless uncle like that as if he's a treasure."
"Can he really be anything but useless?"
At the sound of the mockery, the Shrek Group immediately turned to look.
A voluptuous older girl with long green hair slowly emerged, accompanied by a girl wearing a black veil.
"Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling."
Yu Tianheng recognized them at a glance.
Yu Tianheng hadn't even had time to get angry before Tang San, who believed in Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parent, Teacher, flew into a rage.
As a Tang Sect Disciple, Tang San had always regarded Yu Xiaogang as his father.
Now that his father had been insulted, Tang San naturally wouldn't stand by and do nothing.
"I don't care who you two are. Apologize to my teacher right now!"
Tang San stared coldly at the two women before him. In his heart, he had already decided they deserved to die.
"What if I don't apologize?"
Dugu Yan said disdainfully. She'd just arrived at the academy and already heard someone slandering Su Ze.
How could Dugu Yan put up with that?
She was the only one allowed to insult that annoying guy.
At most, Ye Lingling could join her.
Anyone else who dared insult him would have to answer to Dugu Yan's poison.
Behind her, Ye Lingling also glared unhappily at the group in the distance.
Especially the one with the short-cropped hair.
That damn Soul Elder dared insult her junior brother.
Subjected to such open mockery, Yu Xiaogang breathed heavily, his eyes bloodshot.
The taunts reminded him of how Su Ze had mocked him to his face at the academy.
Beside him, Tang San's expression was cold as he stepped forward.
If he didn't stand up for his teacher after such an insult, he would be an unfilial disciple.
"I'm warning you..."
Just as Tang San was about to issue another warning, a voice that often appeared in his dreams rang in his ears.
"Tang San, who are you planning to warn?"
At the sound of that voice, Tang San and Xiao Wu both shuddered.
Then, the two of them instinctively looked up.
In the sky, a figure surrounded by lightning floated in midair, gazing down at Tang San and Xiao Wu.
"Su Ze!"
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