Northern Abyss Awakening, Black Tortoise Abyssal Descent

An elderly man stood beside the spectator stands, his hands clasped behind his back.

He was short and stout, dressed in a dark black robe.

Nine stars on his chest marked his identity.

"Hall Master."

The moment Lin Jiayi saw the old man, he hurried over and stood respectfully at his side.

Jing Hongchen waved a hand and smiled as he looked at someone on the field. "Everything as usual. I'm only here to watch my grandson."

"Yes."

Today's matches were all being refereed by Lin Jiayi, the grade director.

Though he was slightly older than Xuan Ziwen, he was also a veteran Level 8 Soul Engineer.

After half an hour of rest, the next match began.

"Next, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen will face Xu Tinglan and Jiang Nannan."

Both sides entered the arena.

Xu Tinglan still stood at the front, ink-colored Soul Power emanating from his body. He held the Brook Moon Sword in his right hand and the Mysterious Underworld Shield in his left.

Jiang Nannan stood at his side, ready as well.

Xu Tinglan activated the Propulsion Soul Tool behind him and charged straight toward Xiao Hongchen without hesitation.

Ink-colored Soul Power wrapped around the Brook Moon Sword, carrying an unstoppable momentum.

Crimson Gold light flared from Xiao Hongchen's body. His legs were covered in Soul Guidance Direction-Changing Armor, further enhancing his jumping ability.

First Soul Skill, Control of Gold.

Eight Soul Guidance Cannons appeared on his shoulders and at his waist. As they fired forward, he leaped backward.

Bang—

Facing the incoming Beam Cannons,

Xu Tinglan raised the Mysterious Underworld Shield in his hand, and his first Soul Ring lit up.

Mysterious Underworld Canglang Domain.

Ink Soul Power surged from his body like a tidal wave.

Like ink dropped into water, it swiftly spread and swept outward.

In the blink of an eye, it had spread a hundred meters around him, carrying the hazy texture of ink wash as it rolled like ocean waves.

The air stagnated, and the light dimmed.

The young man's figure flickered in and out of sight.

Within the waves, Xu Tinglan rode the tide, his speed surging once more.

The Beam Cannons were instantly swallowed clean by the reverse-flowing Canglang.

Knowing that her brother was weak in close combat, Meng Hongchen immediately produced a Soul Guidance Ice Sword. Gritting her silver teeth, she charged into the waves.

Icy blue poisonous light shimmered across the blade.

The silver-haired girl said brightly,

"Careful, this is my First Soul Skill. It comes with a potent poison."

Xiao Hongchen's face twitched at her words.

The moment she entered the ink-wash waves, Meng Hongchen sensed that something was wrong.

It felt as though her body had been wrapped in flowing water, reducing her speed by more than thirty percent.

Her speed and offensive power weakened accordingly.

After a moment of hesitation, she released the Ice Toad Poison into the water.

The ice sword radiated an eerie blue glow.

Xu Tinglan did not want to come into excessive contact with the poison.

Occupying the favorable position within the Canglang, he rode the tide toward Xiao Hongchen.

The silver-haired boy's expression changed drastically when he saw the poisonous tide rushing toward him.

"Meng, stop poisoning things! You'll poison your own brother unconscious too!"

The Competition Platform was only so large, and there was limited room to retreat.

Very soon,

Xiao Hongchen was forced into a corner.

A golden light lit up behind him, shaped like wings as it blasted backward.

He used the Soul Tool to fly into the air.

Seeing that one opponent was difficult to handle, he immediately redirected his firepower toward the other.

Jiang Nannan moved with extraordinary agility, leaping continuously across the arena and dodging the Beam Cannons.

The Soul Propulsion Tool on her back was like wings to a tiger, while the Soft Bone Rabbit granted the girl exceptional bodily coordination.

Her second Soul Ring had long since lit up.

A field appeared around her.

Her own gravity was reduced by thirty percent, and the explosive force of every jump far exceeded the limits of a Soul Grandmaster.

Meanwhile, the field around Xiao Hongchen increased gravity by thirty percent.

The silver-haired boy's eyes widened. His ability to change direction in midair was already poor, and under the effects of gravity, he had completely become a living target.

Jiang Nannan's Soul Guidance Beam Cannon blasted him into a frantic scramble from side to side.

Defensive light occasionally flashed across his Soul Guidance Shield.

"Holy crap, both of you have such disgusting Soul Skills."

Xiao Hongchen's chest heaved violently.

He could not take it anymore.

"Meng, stall them for half a minute!"

His Soul Rings lit up one after another.

Third Soul Skill, Gold Solidification!

This purple Soul Ring was undoubtedly a thousand-year Soul Skill.

A vast expanse of Crimson Gold light rose into the air, twisting into dozens of golden rings.

The silver-haired girl cursed, "You're making me stand in front again!"

Xu Tinglan sensed the fluctuations in the air and knew that Xiao Hongchen had truly been pushed to the brink.

If he remembered correctly, the Three-Legged Golden Toad's Second Soul Skill enhanced status effects, and Xiao Hongchen would likely use it as well.

"Nannan, come behind me."

She did not hesitate in the slightest and rushed into the Ink Wash Canglang.

"Mm, Brother Lan."

Xu Tinglan did not intend to hold back either. Since he wanted to win, he certainly could not come out looking disheveled.

Besides, going all out was the greatest respect for both sides!

His third Soul Ring lit up as well.

A thousand-year Soul Skill.

Northern Abyss Awakening · Black Tortoise Abyssal Descent.

Bang!

Within the Mysterious Underworld Canglang Domain, a beastly shadow suddenly appeared.

It coiled across the Competition Platform, its body as massive as a mountain. Ink-wash scales covered its entire form, while its back rose like a mountain ridge, sharp spines wreathed around it.

It remained coiled there, utterly still.

Yet it shrouded the entire arena in a suffocating pressure.

The surrounding students instinctively raised their hands in front of themselves.

The students were terrified. What Martial Soul was this, to radiate such a powerful aura?

Jing Hongchen's eyes widened as he sensed the ancient aura on the field.

It was even denser than the Divine Beast aura on his grandson.

"This..."

Jing Hongchen was certain.

These two young people could not possibly be spies from the Douluo Three Kingdoms. How could anyone send descendants with Divine Beast Bloodlines to Sun Moon as spies?

That would be far too conspicuous.

What if they were brainwashed? Wouldn't that mean losing a descendant outright?

Jing Hongchen decided that he had to make Xu Tinglan feel how much Sun Moon Academy valued its students.

On the Competition Platform.

The Mysterious Underworld Shield in Xu Tinglan's hand had changed in appearance.

It carried several more degrees of majesty than before.

Most eye-catching was its front, where the Black Tortoise beast was manifested, its image lifelike.

Both the turtle's and serpent's eyes were dark gold.

Light and shadows flowed over them, as though they contained signs of life.

The shield hovered before Xu Tinglan's arm, steady as a mountain.

The Mysterious Underworld Canglang Domain grew even more turbulent. Empowered by Black Tortoise Abyssal Descent, it expanded to cover the entire Competition Platform.

The silver-haired girl's two Soul Rings lit up one after the other.

The Ice Toad Poison carried by the icy blue rings spread in all directions.

But beneath the countercurrent,

The spread of the Ice Poison Ring was quickly suppressed.

The young man's voice sounded from within the Canglang. "My poison resistance isn't as low as you think."

Xiao Hongchen panted heavily.

Even his eyes had turned golden.

While in the state of Gold Solidification, he resolutely activated Golden Boiling.

His Soul Power immediately began boiling and burning, greatly increasing the power of his Soul Skills, accelerating their activation, and strengthening his control over metal.

He could also absorb and utilize the gold element in the air, reducing the Soul Power consumption of using Soul Tools.

Xiao Hongchen stood in the air with a blank expression and swept out one hand!

"Gold of heaven and earth, heed my command!"

Thirty-six Beam Cannons lit up almost simultaneously.