The skull had a strange shape, rugged and imposing. Its surface was covered in mysterious patterns of spatial laws, and it radiated a space-time fluctuation that made one's heart tremble.
[Soul Bone Skill: Void Shuttle. Soul Power can be expended to set a spatial marker at any location. Ignore distance and obstacles to instantly shuttle to the marked point. Current number of markers that can be set: three.]
Besides that, it also had three Soul Skills related to spiritual power.
They covered an area, targeted a single person, and controlled a group.
What a treasure!
A satisfied expression appeared on Chen Xuan's face.
With this Soul Bone, his mobility would make a qualitative leap. Whether he was traveling or saving his own skin, it was a top-tier divine skill.
With a thought, he put away the Void Dragon Skull.
At that moment, Dugu Yan, having finished taking him as her master, had already risen to her feet.
She turned around, and her emerald eyes blazing with fury once more locked onto the few noble students whose faces had gone ashen.
"Now it's your turn."
She cracked her knuckles and walked toward them step by step, a dangerous smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
"How did you insult my teacher just now?"
"Come over here, get on your knees, and apologize to my teacher!"
The few of them were scared out of their wits and hurriedly backed away.
You've got to be kidding!
Dugu Yan had been powerful to begin with. Now that her Martial Soul had evolved, her strength had soared. How could any of them possibly be a match for her?
"Dugu Yan, don't push it!" the ringleader shouted, putting on a brave face.
"Push it?"
Dugu Yan sneered and said no more.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple—four Soul Rings rose abruptly, and a terrifying pressure instantly enveloped them.
They felt as if a mountain had come crashing down on them. Their legs gave way, and with several thumps, they dropped to their knees against their will.
Before absolute strength, all bluster was pale and powerless.
With tearful faces, they kowtowed toward Chen Xuan, their heads bobbing like garlic mashers.
"Teacher Chen Xuan, we were wrong! We were blind! Please be magnanimous and forgive us!"
After apologizing, the few of them fled Blue Silver Academy as if pardoned, scrambling away on hands and feet and never daring to look back.
Dugu Yan withdrew her Martial Soul and surveyed the whole crowd, announcing with great authority:
"From today on, I, Dugu Yan, am a student of Blue Silver Academy, and Teacher Chen Xuan is my mentor!"
"If I hear anyone speak ill of my teacher again, I, Dugu Yan, will show no mercy!"
Her words rang out with the force of iron.
After a brief silence, every student in the crowd, whether old or new, burst into thunderous cheers.
"Senior Dugu is right!"
"Support our senior! We'll defend our teacher's dignity to the death!"
"Long live Blue Silver Academy! Long live Teacher Chen Xuan!"
With the news spreading that Dugu Yan, granddaughter of Poison Douluo, had joined the academy in such a forceful manner and evolved her Martial Soul in front of everyone,
the previously obscure name of Blue Silver Academy set off a huge commotion in Heaven Dou City.
The city's restaurants and teahouses were abuzz with people.
Blue Silver Academy, a name no one had cared about just yesterday, had now become the hottest topic among Soul Masters across the city.
"Have you heard? Dugu Yan, the Poison Douluo's own granddaughter, that heaven-blessed prodigy, has actually joined Blue Silver Academy!"
"She didn't just join! They say her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul evolved the moment she enrolled! Golden light shot into the sky, and its pressure overshadowed everything!"
"Really? Martial Soul Evolution? That's something from legends. How could it be so easy?"
A middle-aged Soul Master who looked quite experienced held his teacup and curled his lip, his face full of disbelief.
"The quality of a Martial Soul is determined at birth. How could it change just because someone said so?
"I think that Blue Silver Academy probably staged some kind of illusion to make a name for itself."
As soon as he finished speaking, a young man at the next table scoffed and retorted:
"An illusion? That's an interesting thing to say."
"Do you know who Dugu Yan is? She's Poison Douluo's granddaughter, proud and haughty. Do you think she could be fooled by an illusion?"
"What's more, I've heard that His Highness the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, became a disciple of Dean Chen Xuan a long time ago!"
"Are you saying His Highness the Crown Prince has poor judgment too?"
At that, the middle-aged Soul Master was struck dumb. His face flushed red, but for a long time he couldn't manage a single word.
It was one thing to question Dugu Yan, but to question the Crown Prince was a grave offense.
Someone nearby immediately leaned in, curious.
"Wait, didn't His Highness the Crown Prince already become a disciple of Sect Master Ning of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Why take another master?"
"Exactly. Sect Master Ning is hailed as the continent's greatest support-type Soul Master. With him teaching the Crown Prince, would His Highness need another teacher?"
For a time, the crowd's conversation drifted away from Blue Silver Academy and quietly shifted to Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
In a corner, someone lowered their voice and spoke with a note of speculation:
"Do you think... maybe Sect Master Ning's abilities actually... aren't as miraculous as the legends say?"
"Otherwise, His Highness the Crown Prince is in the prime of life, yet his Soul Power cultivation has stalled. Why would he seek another renowned teacher?"
As soon as those words were spoken, the air fell quiet.
Then came a burst of barely suppressed snickering.
"Shh... careful, careful!"
"But now that you mention it, it's not entirely unreasonable.
"Whether Dean Chen Xuan has any real ability remains to be seen, but surely Sect Master Ning can't be worse than some unknown youngster, can he?"
"Ha ha, who can say!"
On the second floor of the teahouse, in a private room by the window,
Ning Fengzhi's hand paused slightly as he held his teacup.
He wore a white robe and had the gentle, refined bearing of a man like jade. A warm smile usually rested on his face.
But now, that smile had faded somewhat, and a shadow flickered deep in his eyes.
Across from him sat the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two guardian deities, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
Chen Xin was dressed in white, his aura restrained as he rested with his eyes closed, as if nothing around him had anything to do with him.
But when those murmurs reached his ears, his tightly shut eyes suddenly opened.
"Hmph."
The soft snort made the air in the entire private room freeze.
"A bunch of frogs in a well, and they dare discuss the greatest support-type Soul Master under heaven."
Bone Douluo Gu Rong chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of amusement and murderous intent.
"Fengzhi, want this old bone of mine to go down there and cut out all their tongues?"
"That Blue Silver Academy, and that brat named Chen Xuan—they're courting death, stepping on the name of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to climb to the top."
"He's unworthy." Sword Douluo's words were terse, his tone full of disdainful arrogance.
Ning Fengzhi set down his teacup with a light clink.
He raised a hand, signaling the two Titled Douluos to hold their tempers.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, why get worked up over the gossip of common folk?"
He returned to his usual calm and unruffled manner and smiled. "I don't care about any of this."
Although he said so, his heart was already surging like storm-tossed waves.
Before you continue