Establishing Authority

A twelve-year-old Soul Elder?

Including Yu Tianheng, the seven members of the Imperial Dou Team wore expressions of disbelief.

"Teacher, you must be joking! A Soul Elder at twelve? How is that possible?" Dugu Yan waved her delicate hand and pressed for an answer.

Except for Ye Lingling, the other five members of the Imperial Dou Team also furrowed their brows tightly.

Geniuses always have their own pride. Although they were all Soul Elders with soul power above level thirty-five, everyone except Ye Lingling was already nearing twenty years of age. Now, seeing a twelve-year-old Soul Elder standing before them, they felt their pride shattered in an instant.

Taking in the expressions of the Imperial Dou members, Qin Ming smiled faintly without offering much explanation. He turned to look at Lan Si, nodded, and said with a smile, "Lan Si, release your martial soul and show them."

This was the effect he wanted. He knew his students were arrogant and conceited; relying on the strength of their martial souls, they had never tasted defeat in the team battles at the Soul Arena, acting as if they were the masters of the world. He knew that pride comes before a fall.

Lan Si nodded. He raised his right hand, and a cyan-white light emanated from his body. A cyan lotus, wreathed in eerie white flames, materialized out of thin air in the palm of his hand.

Two yellow and one purple soul rings rose from beneath his feet, their brilliant, dazzling light swirling around his body—a distinct characteristic belonging only to a Soul Elder.

"Lan Si, martial soul: Cyan Fire Lotus, level thirty-two," Lan Si mused slightly, "Let's go with Control-type Battle Soul Elder."

Seeing this, the rest of the Imperial Dou Team, save for Ye Lingling, couldn't help but gulp. Ye Lingling, however, watched Lan Si's martial soul with a thoughtful gaze, her eyes occasionally sweeping toward the bracer on his left wrist as she fell into deep contemplation. No one knew what she was thinking.

Just then, Dugu Yan's voice rang out again, "Teacher, I admit his talent is outstanding, but to join our Imperial Dou Team, talent alone isn't enough. He must have the strength to back it up."

"That makes sense." Qin Ming also knew that Lan Si couldn't convince his students without showing some real skill. After all, in two years, they were to represent the Heaven Dou Empire in the Soul Master Tournament. He turned his gaze to Lan Si and asked, "Lan Si, what do you think?"

"I have no objections." Lan Si shrugged slightly.

Qin Ming said, "Very well. Osler, you shall spar with Lan Si. Remember, keep it friendly. Osler's soul power is level thirty-five, three levels higher than Lan Si's. As long as Lan Si can hold his own against Osler for the duration of one incense stick without falling behind, he will officially become a member of our Imperial Dou Team. Does anyone have any objections?"

"No objections." The Imperial Dou members were full of confidence. Although Osler was the weakest battle soul master in the team, that was only relative; his actual strength was definitely not weak.

With no objections from either side, the soul duel officially began, with the plaza next to the pavilion chosen as the venue.

Soul duels were often highly attractive to soul masters, especially those between geniuses.

Some students passing by the pavilion heard that Osler of the Imperial Dou Team was going to duel the newcomer Lan Si, who had beaten Prince Xue Beng, and they flocked over. In no time, the area around the plaza was packed.

The two stood in the center of the plaza, thirty paces apart.

"Osler, martial soul: Ghost Leopard, level thirty-five Agility-type Battle Soul Master. Please advise."

Facing Lan Si, Osler did not underestimate him. He took a stance and immediately summoned his martial soul. Two yellow and one purple soul rings rose from his feet, emitting a brilliant, dazzling glow.

"Lan Si, martial soul: Cyan Lotus, level thirty-two Control-type Battle Soul Master. Please advise."

Lan Si also summoned his martial soul, feeling a spark of interest in this fight. Setting aside those useless lackeys of Xue Beng, this was his first proper fight against a Soul Elder—and an Agility-type one at that. He wanted to see how his fourth-level Supreme Universe Art compared to the speed of a Douluo Continent Agility-type Soul Elder.

"This is a friendly spar, keep it controlled. Remember, no lethal blows. I now declare the duel started." Qin Ming gave a warning, signaled Yu Feng to light an incense stick, and stepped back to watch.

The moment Qin Ming finished speaking, Osler chose to strike first. His first soul ring lit up, and his figure turned into a black shadow, moving in an S-pattern as he dashed toward Lan Si. It was common knowledge in the Douluo Continent that Control-types naturally countered Agility-types. Although his soul power was higher than Lan Si's, the gap was limited. If he wanted to end the fight quickly, he had to take him down before the opponent could unleash his control-type soul skills, otherwise, he risked falling into a stalemate.

Perhaps because he had fought the Soul-Eater Demon Spider and witnessed its transcendent speed, Lan Si felt deeply disappointed when looking at the Agility-type soul master Osler. He couldn't help but think to himself: "Is this it?"

His speed didn't seem much better than the little cat who was only level twenty-seven; at most, he was slightly faster due to the eight-level difference in soul power.

Cyan-white flames rose in Lan Si's eyes. Relying on his superior dynamic vision, he casually sidestepped Osler's attack, raised his right fist, and struck toward Osler's cheek in a leisurely manner.

Osler couldn't react in time. By the time he noticed, he found a fist already waiting for him.

Amidst the stunned expressions of the crowd, it looked as if Osler had delivered his own face onto Lan Si's fist.

With a loud "bang," Osler's body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the ground.

He was left dizzy and seeing stars. The entire plaza fell into a deathly, stunned silence.

Osler had been defeated too quickly. Was Lan Si too strong, or was Osler too weak?

"Haha, Leopard, did you go easy on him? Even if you're looking after a new student, you don't have to offer your face to his fist like that!" Seeing Osler humiliated, Yu Feng, who had been teased earlier, immediately gloated.

Hearing Yu Feng's mockery, Osler felt his face burn, but he had no way to retort. Rubbing his already swollen left cheek, his second soul ring lit up, and a mass of black energy surged around his body as he attacked Lan Si again.

Lan Si raised his hand, and his first soul ring lit up. The Cyan Lotus in his hand transformed into eight sharp blades, lining up in front of him before striking toward Osler.

These blades fanned out with Osler as the center. Under the control of the Supreme Universe Art, they moved with such speed that Osler, in his normal state, couldn't dodge them. Helpless, Osler had to unleash his prepared second soul skill, spinning his body in mid-air to strike the incoming blades and deflect them, taking the opportunity to close the distance to Lan Si once more. He raised his claws to strike.

The result was, without a doubt, the same as before: it was as if his face had actively sought out the blow, and he was sent flying by a punch from Lan Si.

However, last time it was his left cheek, and this time it was his right. Perfectly symmetrical. In an instant, Osler went from a handsome man to a swollen-faced fatty.