You've Got Some Nerve

Deep in the Star Dou Great Forest, within this remote stretch of woodland where few people ever ventured, the light of heaven and earth was gathering around Jiang Che with frenzied intensity.

Pure golden light enveloped him, as though he were clad in sacred radiance. Within his silver-blue eyes, a brilliant thread of gold now shimmered. The chill of Ultimate Ice and the warmth of Ultimate Light coexisted perfectly within him. The two Ultimate Attribute Soul Powers blended and complemented each other; far from clashing, they made his Soul Power foundation even more profound. The restless aura that had come with his recent breakthrough to Titled Douluo was completely washed away by their currents, leaving his cultivation more stable than ever.

Jiang Che gently ran a hand along the blade of the Holy Sword of Light. Sacred light flowed over his fingertips, warm yet carrying an undeniable majesty. He could clearly sense that this sword was no ordinary weapon-type Martial Soul. It was a top-tier Martial Soul containing the Ultimate Light Attribute, naturally able to suppress and overwhelm dark and wicked forces. It was practically the natural nemesis of the Evil Soul Masters of the Holy Spirit Cult, who would one day run rampant across the continent.

"Dual Ultimate Martial Souls. Even throughout the entire history of the Douluo Continent, they must be as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns." Jiang Che murmured, a satisfied smile curling his lips.

As a devoted reader of Douluo novels in his previous life, he knew how terrifying Ultimate Martial Souls were. A single Ultimate Martial Soul was enough to dominate the continent. Now he possessed two: Ultimate Ice and Ultimate Light. Though he was only a level 90 Titled Douluo and had yet to obtain his ninth Soul Ring, he could still fight a level 94 Titled Douluo. With the right ninth Soul Ring, he might even stand a chance against a Super Douluo above level 95.

Jiang Che lowered the sword and stood still as the light around him gradually faded. The depths of the Star Dou Great Forest sank back into darkness. Only a few golden motes lingering in the air bore witness to what had just happened.

He lowered his gaze to his right hand. In his left, silver-blue light glimmered with the power of Ultimate Ice; on his right, the golden radiance of the Holy Sword of Light had yet to fully dissipate. The two Ultimate Martial Souls occupied separate sides within him, yet remained connected through some subtle means, as if they had been made for each other.

"No wonder the system gave me this reward..." Jiang Che mused.

Even when he had been reading novels in his previous life, he had understood that while Ultimate Ice was powerful, it lacked the suppressive edge needed against the strange, vicious Soul Skills of Evil Soul Masters. The Ultimate Light Attribute of the Holy Sword of Light, on the other hand, was the natural nemesis of all dark and wicked forces. The two complemented each other. Not only did their differing attributes not weaken him, they raised the quality of his Soul Power to a whole new level.

Jiang Che tried channeling both Soul Powers at once. Ice formed into a blade in his left hand, while light became a sword in his right. The air within a hundred meters abruptly turned oppressive. The bark of several ancient trees first became coated in a thin layer of ice, then was pierced by golden light, and finally shattered into drifting ice crystals.

"The power's at least thirty percent greater than either Ultimate Attribute on its own." Jiang Che nodded in satisfaction, then withdrew his Martial Souls and suppressed his aura to that of an ordinary Soul Master.

"Time to head back." Jiang Che set off, his steps light and soundless. As he passed through the territories of several Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, they didn't even notice him.

That was the power of a Titled Douluo: control over one's aura had become second nature.

As he emerged from the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest, Jiang Che suddenly stopped and glanced southeast. Faint ripples of colliding Soul Power drifted from that direction, along with a few youthful cries. It sounded like someone was fighting.

"That direction leads to the hunting grounds on the forest's outskirts. At this time of year, anyone hunting Soul Beasts is probably a new student or lower-year student from Shrek." Jiang Che furrowed his brow. He had planned to leave at once, but then thought better of it. He might be affiliated with the Shrek Inner Court, but he couldn't just stand by while younger schoolmates were in danger.

He flashed forward, streaking toward the source of the disturbance.

In a sparsely wooded clearing, three youths in Shrek Outer Court uniforms stood back to back, faces pale as they watched a pack of Soul Beasts slowly closing in around them.

At their head was a thousand-year Shadow Leopard, its body black as ink and its eyes gleaming with a cold, ghostly green light. Faint dark elements swirled around it as it circled the three with elegant, dangerous steps. Seven or eight Wind Wolves, each a ten-year or Hundred-Year Soul Beast, followed behind it, snarling and baring their teeth.

"W-what... what do we do? That Shadow Leopard must be at least fifteen hundred years old. We... we can't beat it!" a round-faced girl cried. Her Martial Soul was a long, verdant vine, trembling slightly in her hands. She had clearly pushed it to its limit.

"I've already sent a distress signal, but it'll take the teacher at least the time it takes to burn a stick of incense to get here!" another, tall and thin boy gritted out. The veins bulged on his forehead. His Martial Soul was an iron shield, and several deep claw marks already gouged its surface.

The strongest of the three was a girl with a ponytail, around twelve or thirteen years old. Her Soul Power was at the Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster level, and two Yellow Soul Rings revolved around her.

Her Martial Soul was a silver-white spear. Its tip gleamed with cold light as she kept her eyes fixed on the Shadow Leopard's movements, though cold sweat had already beaded on her brow.

"Don't panic. We just have to hold on until the teacher gets here," the ponytailed girl said gravely, though her voice trembled almost imperceptibly. She knew full well that Shadow Leopards were incredibly fast Soul Beasts, masters of ambush. If one of them attacked, the three wouldn't last more than a few breaths.

The Shadow Leopard seemed to sense its prey's fear. A glint of mockery passed through its ghostly green eyes as it lowered its forepaws, taking aim to pounce.

"It's coming!" the ponytailed girl shouted. She raised her spear across her body, and her second Soul Ring lit up as a sharp burst of Soul Power gathered at its tip.

Just as the Shadow Leopard was about to leap,

a figure appeared out of nowhere beside it. No one even saw how he had arrived.

Jiang Che extended one hand and lightly tapped the Shadow Leopard's forehead with his fingertip, as casually as if he were poking a bubble.

"Freeze."

A wave of Ultimate Ice surged from his fingertip, instantly freezing the Shadow Leopard into a statue of ice. Crystals spread from its head to its entire body, trapping even the ferocious gleam in its eyes within the ice.

Before this Titled Douluo, the thousand-year Shadow Leopard didn't even have the chance to struggle.

The remaining seven or eight Wind Wolves yelped in terror and fled. In the blink of an eye, they had vanished into the forest.

The three youths stood rooted to the spot, their mouths hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.

"You... you..." The round-faced girl pointed at Jiang Che, unable to get the words out.

Jiang Che lowered his hand and turned to face them, a genial smile in his silver-blue eyes. "New students at Shrek? You've got some nerve. You've barely enrolled and you're already in the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest hunting thousand-year Soul Beasts. Got a death wish?"