Yu Xiaogang's earth-shattering accusation was like a ladle of cold water flung into a boiling pot of oil, setting the entire Great Soul Arena in Spirit City ablaze!
Falsifying one's age? That was one of the most serious violations in the Soul Master Tournament!
If the charge was confirmed, not only would the individual be disgraced, but the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team would be disqualified immediately and might even face severe punishment!
Countless gazes instantly fixed on Lin Yi. Some were suspicious, some scrutinizing, some gleeful, and others simply incredulous.
In the VIP seats, Ning Fengzhi furrowed his brow slightly, though his expression remained calm. Sword Douluo Chen Xin's gaze was indifferent, as if the matter had nothing to do with him. Bone Douluo Gu Rong grinned, looking eager to watch the show. Seated in the middle, Pope Bibi Dong's exquisite face was as still as an ancient well. Her deep, phoenix-shaped eyes merely swept over Lin Yi, carrying an ineffable hint of scrutiny.
"Yu Xiaogang, accusing a Soul Master of falsifying his age requires evidence. Do you understand the consequences of slandering a participant without proof?" Bibi Dong's cool, authoritative voice echoed through the silent arena.
Yu Xiaogang drew a deep breath, forcing down his nerves and the inexplicable hatred he felt toward Lin Yi. He bowed and said, "Your Holiness the Pope, this youth, Lin Yi, is said to be Sword Douluo's disciple from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. His strength is unfathomable. Yet judging by his appearance, bearing, and fluctuations in Soul Power, he is far beyond what an ordinary youth could possess! His conduct is seasoned, his thoughts deep; he is nothing like a fifteen-year-old boy! I humbly ask Your Holiness to use the Bone Age Crystal Tablet to test him in public, so the truth may be known and the tournament's fairness upheld!"
The Bone Age Crystal Tablet was one of Spirit Hall's secret treasures. By examining a person's bones and meridians, it could determine a Soul Master's true age with near-perfect accuracy. It was the tournament's ultimate means of verifying participants' ages.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes darting between Bibi Dong and Lin Yi.
Bibi Dong was silent for a moment, then looked at Lin Yi again and slowly asked, "Lin Yi, do you object to Elder Yu's request?"
In an instant, tens of thousands of gazes fell on Lin Yi like spotlights.
Under pressure enough to make an ordinary person crumble, Lin Yi merely bowed slightly, his voice calm and even. "The innocent have nothing to fear. I have no objection and am willing to be tested."
His composure and calm left many wondering if Yu Xiaogang had simply judged him incorrectly.
"In that case..." Bibi Dong gave a small nod and lifted her hand. "Bring the Bone Age Crystal Tablet."
A cardinal respectfully carried in a waist-high crystal tablet, milky white from top to bottom and shimmering with a strange light. He hurried to the center of the stage.
"Lin Yi, place your hand on the tablet and channel a trace of Soul Power into it," the cardinal said.
Lin Yi stepped forward as instructed. Under countless watching eyes, he slowly pressed his right hand against the tablet's cold surface and channeled a trace of pure Snow Lotus Soul Power into it.
Hum—!
The tablet trembled slightly. Its light swiftly flowed and gathered, then two ancient, glowing characters appeared clearly at its center—
Fifteen!
"Fifteen?! How is that possible?!"
"The device must be broken! He looks at least twenty!"
"A fifteen-year-old Soul Emperor? What kind of joke is this?!"
The crowd erupted in an uproar, voices of disbelief rising all around. Yu Xiaogang's face changed, and he cried out, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The tablet must be faulty!"
Bibi Dong narrowed her phoenix eyes. Even she found it hard to believe.
Fifteen, with such composure and Soul Power at least at the Soul Emperor level? It was practically unheard of!
"Silence!" Bibi Dong's cool voice quelled the commotion. "Bring the Age-Measuring Soul Guiding Mirror!"
Soon, another Soul Tool was brought up. It was shaped like a compass, with a strange gem set at its center. It was a different kind of device for testing bone age, operating on a different principle from the Bone Age Crystal Tablet.
Lin Yi placed his hand on it again and channeled his Soul Power.
The gem at the center of the mirror flashed, its indicator spun rapidly, then came to a steady stop on a number—
Fifteen!
The result was unchanged!
The crowd's uproar grew louder, now mingled with cries of astonishment.
Yu Xiaogang's face had gone deathly pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Unwilling to accept the result, he shouted, "There's still the Eye of Life! Use the Eye of Life to test him! I don't believe it!"
The Eye of Life was an exceedingly rare treasure capable of peering into the essence of a living being. It was even more accurate than the other two devices. They said that not even a Titled Douluo could hide his bone age from it.
Bibi Dong gave Yu Xiaogang a long look, then glanced at Lin Yi, who had remained calm throughout. She was already mostly convinced, but to satisfy the crowd, she nodded all the same.
An elder at the Soul Douluo level personally carried a jade box onto the stage. When he opened it, a green, eyeball-shaped treasure lay inside, pulsing faintly like a living thing and radiating a rich aura of life.
For the third time, Lin Yi held his hand above the Eye of Life.
Green light poured from the Eye of Life and enveloped Lin Yi's hand. A strange pulse of life swept over him.
A moment later, the green light receded, and a number slowly appeared above the Eye of Life, formed from pure life energy—
Fifteen!
Three tests, three different top-tier devices, and without a single exception, every result showed the same thing—fifteen years old!
The proof was incontrovertible!
The entire Great Soul Arena fell into deathly silence!
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the youth in blue-green robes on the stage, as if their throats had been seized.
Fifteen!
He really was fifteen!
A... fifteen-year-old... Soul Emperor?
This was no longer a genius. He was a monster, an aberration—an existence that shattered everything the Soul Master World believed it knew!
"Thud!" As if all strength had been drained from him, Yu Xiaogang staggered back a step. His face was pale as paper, his eyes filled with despair and confusion.
All his scheming and accusations had become one enormous joke!
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the other Shrek Academy team members were frozen like clay statues. They stared at Lin Yi with unprecedented shock—and a trace of fear they refused to admit even to themselves.
Was he really fifteen?
A fifteen-year-old Soul Emperor?! How were they supposed to fight that?!
In the VIP seats, Ning Fengzhi wore a smile of relief and amazement. The corner of Sword Douluo Chen Xin's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. Bone Douluo Gu Rong even let out a delighted chuckle.
As Bibi Dong looked at Lin Yi, unconcealable shock and solemnity finally passed through her deep, phoenix-shaped eyes. Such talent was without precedent! If this boy could not be made to serve Spirit Hall...
She suppressed the turmoil in her heart, and her voice regained its authority as it rang through the arena. "The test results are clear. Lin Yi is fifteen years old and meets the tournament's requirements. Shrek Academy's accusation was unfounded. As its original intent was to uphold the tournament's fairness, no further action will be taken. The semifinal will continue!"
The referee snapped out of his daze and quickly announced in a loud voice, "The semifinal: Shrek Academy versus the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team. The match—begins now!"
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