Dragon Might Revealed

The day the notice for the Soto Great Soul Arena exchange competition was posted, Nuoding Academy was in an uproar.

"Soto City? That's a border city. I heard their Great Soul Arena is ten times bigger than ours in Nuoding!"

"There's prize money for the top three in the exchange competition, five hundred Gold Soul Coins for first place!"

"The key is that we can see elite students from other academies, and I heard there are monsters from Shrek Academy..."

Lin Mo stood before the notice board, scanning the competition rules—it was divided into individual and team matches, with an age limit of twelve years old and a Soul Power Level cap of thirty. Nuoding Academy would send three teams, and Lin Mo was listed for the individual competition, while also teaming up with Tang San and Xiao Wu for the team event.

"Shrek Academy will also be coming," Grandmaster said from behind him, his tone calm. "There's a student there named Dai Mubai who defeated a level twenty opponent when he was only level fifteen. If you encounter him, don't underestimate him."

Dai Mubai.

Lin Mo remembered the name—Evil Eye White Tiger, White Tiger Martial Soul, the leader of the Shrek Seven Devils. In the original work, he was an arrogant but loyal character. He should be twelve years old now, with a Soul Power Level around thirty-seven?

No, the timeline is a bit messy. Lin Mo recalled the original plot—Tang San enrolled in Nuoding at six and only went to Shrek at twelve. He was six now, so Dai Mubai should also be six? But Grandmaster said "defeated a level twenty when level fifteen," which was later.

Forget it, no matter how the timeline changes, strength is the ultimate principle.

"Grandmaster, when does the exchange competition start?"

"In half a month. I will increase the training intensity during this half month." Grandmaster flipped open his notebook. "Starting tomorrow, you will spar with Tang San for four hours every day. No rules, no holds barred, until one of you is incapacitated."

Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue from the side, "Playing this rough?"

"No one will play by the rules on the battlefield," Grandmaster said expressionlessly. "Lin Mo's second spirit ring is a thousand-year Earth Fire Dragon King, causing his Soul Power to surge, but his control hasn't caught up. Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill can help him hone his control. Conversely, Lin Mo's combat experience can help Tang San compensate for his lack of decisiveness."

Tang San nodded, "I have no problem."

Lin Mo also nodded. Through their interactions during this period, he and Tang San had developed a certain tacit understanding—they didn't need many words; a glance was enough to understand each other's intentions. This kind of synergy was a deadly weapon in team combat.

The next half month was hellish in terms of training intensity.

Waking up at four in the morning every day, followed by a thirty-kilometer cross-country run with weights—ten kilometers more than before. After the run was Soul Power control training. Grandmaster drew ten circles on the ground, requiring Lin Mo to maintain ten Soul Power shields simultaneously, each with a different strength, ranging from 10% to 100%.

"Your Soul Power is explosive, making it harder to control," Grandmaster said. "But precisely because of this, you must be stronger in control than others. Otherwise, you'll suffer greatly in battles requiring fine manipulation."

Lin Mo gritted his teeth and trained. The patience of a sniper from his past life came in handy—he could stand still for two hours just to adjust the precision of his Soul Power output. By the tenth day, he could maintain eight shields of different strengths simultaneously, and Grandmaster gave a rare nod.

The afternoons were for combat practice.

Tang San stood in the center of the training ground, his white spirit ring spinning beneath his feet, Blue Silver Grass spreading from the ground.

"Be careful," he said.

The Blue Silver Grass surged towards Lin Mo like a nest of snakes—seemingly soft, yet tough. Tang San's hundred-year Mandala Snake spirit ring imbued the Blue Silver Grass with paralyzing toxins; touching it would be troublesome.

Lin Mo didn't activate his martial soul, relying purely on his movement techniques to dodge. He was like a falling leaf, weaving through the gaps in the Blue Silver Grass, each movement precisely avoiding entanglement. Tang San's Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon was exquisite, but Lin Mo's combat instincts were even more terrifying—he could predict the direction of the Blue Silver Grass and react before the attack took shape.

"Are you just going to dodge?" Tang San provoked him.

Lin Mo's lips curled into a smile, and he suddenly accelerated!

He leaped off the stems of the Blue Silver Grass, flipped in mid-air, and swept a leg towards Tang San's face. Tang San blocked with both arms, his Mysterious Jade Hand hardening, taking the kick head-on—Bang! A wave of air exploded, and Tang San was forced back three steps.

"Your strength has increased again," Tang San said, shaking his numb arm.

"I haven't even used my full power yet," Lin Mo landed, pushing off the ground and charging again.

The two clashed. Lin Mo's close-quarters combat was fierce and direct, each move aimed at vital points; Tang San's techniques were intricate and varied, with Mysterious Jade Hand combined with Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, making his offense and defense seamless. The airwaves from their clashing fists and feet cracked the training ground's floor.

Xiao Wu sat watching from the side, occasionally commenting, "Tang San's move has a tricky angle... Lin Mo's reaction is too fast, he dodged that too..."

Grandmaster recorded data from the side, his brow furrowing tighter.

It wasn't dissatisfaction, but rather the speed of their progress was too fast, requiring him to constantly adjust his training plan.

"Stop," Grandmaster called after an hour. "Tang San, your Mysterious Jade Hand is becoming more proficient, but you rely too much on defense and lack offense. Lin Mo, your close-quarters combat is well-developed, but you rely too much on physical fitness; you'll be at a disadvantage against opponents with superior physical conditioning. Both need improvement."

The two panted and nodded.

Grandmaster glanced at the sky. "That's all for today. We'll continue tomorrow."

That evening, Lin Mo studied his system panel in the dormitory.

[Evolution Points: 190]

[1 level of Soul Power away from level twenty]

[Tang Hao Observation Progress: 75% (45 days remaining)]

[Suggestion: Break through level twenty as soon as possible to unlock the third spirit ring cap]

Still one level away.

At the normal cultivation speed, it would take at least two to three months to go from level nineteen to level twenty. But Grandmaster's training plan compressed this period to less than a month—high-intensity combat and Soul Power control training, pushing his limits every day.

The system suddenly popped up a new notification:

[Detected Host's Soul Power approaching breakthrough, triggering temporary mission: Extreme Breakthrough]

[Requirement: Break through level twenty within three days through high-intensity combat]

[Reward: Evolution Points × 150, unlock one additional skill slot]

[Failure: No penalty]

Three days?

Lin Mo frowned. By his normal pace, he still needed at least a week. But the system would not act without a reason—there must be some kind of opportunity.

During training the next day, Grandmaster brought some news.

"The exchange tournament has been moved up. It starts in five days, and Nuoding Academy leaves tomorrow." He paused. "Also, there is bad news—people from Martial Soul Hall have arrived."

Lin Mo's heart tightened. "Martial Soul Hall?"

"A routine inspection. Every child who awakens a martial soul must be registered." Grandmaster glanced at Lin Mo. "But your situation is special. The Chaos Dragon Mastiff is not in any martial soul compendium, and you have Innate Full Soul Power plus two thousand-year soul rings... Martial Soul Hall will definitely take notice of you."

"What happens if they take notice?"

"If it's mild interest, they will send you an invitation to join Martial Soul Hall Academy. If it's heavy interest..." Grandmaster didn't continue, but the implication was clear—Martial Soul Hall's attitude toward geniuses was always, "If they cannot be used by me, they cannot be used by anyone else."

Lin Mo was silent for a moment. "When do they arrive?"

"The day after tomorrow. That's why we are leaving tomorrow to avoid them." Grandmaster pulled three passes from his robe. "I have already handled the invitations for the Soto Great Soul Arena exchange tournament for you. We leave early tomorrow morning."

Tang San frowned. "Avoiding Martial Soul Hall? That isn't a long-term solution."

"I know," Grandmaster said. "But Lin Mo isn't strong enough yet. It won't be too late to face Martial Soul Hall once he breaks through to level 30 and has the power to protect himself. If we clash head-on now, we will be the ones to suffer."

Lin Mo nodded to show he understood. He was currently level 19 with two thousand-year soul rings, which made him untouchable at Nuoding Academy. But in front of Martial Soul Hall, this strength was no better than an ant.

He had to get stronger, and he had to do it faster.

That evening, Lin Mo went to the training grounds alone.

Under the moonlight, he summoned his Chaos Dragon Mastiff martial soul. Dark gold and crimson flames ignited beneath his feet, and two purple soul rings rotated slowly. A five-meter-tall phantom condensed behind him, and as the Dragon Might permeated the air, the chirping of insects around the training ground vanished instantly.

Wrath of the Dragon Mastiff activated—all attributes increased by 50%!

Earth Fire Protection activated automatically—dark red flames covered his entire body!

He took a deep breath and began to circulate his soul power frantically. It wasn't the method Grandmaster taught, but a more violent, direct way—like pushing his body to the limit on the battlefield in his past life, driving his soul power to the extreme, letting it rampage through his meridians and strike every blocked node!

Pain.

It felt like molten iron flowing through his veins, his meridians stretching to the point of tearing. Lin Mo gritted his teeth until his gums bled, but the speed of his soul power circulation only increased.

The Chaos Dragon Mastiff martial soul felt its master's will and let out a silent roar. Dark golden flames shot into the sky, illuminating half the training ground!

His soul power surged through his meridians like a flood breaking through a dam—

Boom!

A barrier within his body was shattered.

Soul power gushed out like a tide, forming a layer of dark golden light film over his skin. Crimson patterns flowed across the film like molten lava.

[Congratulations to the host for breaking through to level 20!]

[Soul Power Level: 20]

[Limit breakthrough mission completed, rewards issued: Evolution Points ×150, Skill Slot +1]

[Current Evolution Points: 340]

[Tang Hao observation progress: 80% (40 days remaining)]

He had broken through.

Lin Mo knelt on one knee, gasping for air. His entire body was soaked in sweat, but the power surging within him was at least twice as strong as before. The two purple soul rings rotated in the moonlight, their colors deeper than before—especially the second soul ring, which was so purple it looked black, nearing the two-thousand-year limit.

"Not bad."

The voice came from the edge of the training ground.

Lin Mo looked up and saw Tang Hao leaning against a tree, holding a wine bottle. In the moonlight, the sloppy blacksmith's eyes were as sharp as blades.

"Level 20, two thousand-year soul rings." Tang Hao took a swig of wine. "Faster than I thought."

Lin Mo stood up without retracting his martial soul. "You've been watching me."

"Mm." Tang Hao walked over, each step carrying a sense of oppression. It wasn't the pressure of soul power, but aura—the aura of a Titled Douluo, which was enough to make ordinary soul masters' legs go weak even when deliberately restrained.

But Lin Mo stood his ground. He hadn't retreated when facing a hail of bullets in his past life, let alone a Titled Douluo.

Tang Hao stopped in front of him, looking down at the six-year-old child.

"Your martial soul is not a common mutation," he said. "Chaos Dragon Mastiff—do you know what that name implies?"

Lin Mo shook his head.

"Legend has it that in the ancient era, before the Dragon God split into the Golden Dragon King and the Silver Dragon King, there was once a mount. That thing was neither dragon nor beast; it was a fusion of both, possessing the strength of a dragon and the wildness of a beast." Tang Hao's eyes became profound. "After the Dragon God fell, that mount also vanished from history. Some say it died, others say it transformed into a martial soul, lurking within human bloodlines."

He looked at Lin Mo. "Your Chaos Dragon Mastiff might be a descendant of that very creature."

Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat.

The system popped up a notification he had never seen before:

[High-level information input detected, hidden background unlocked]

[Origin of Chaos Dragon Mastiff: Bloodline remnant of the Dragon God's mount, the Primordial Dragon Beast; possesses the potential to evolve to god-level]

[Current awakening level: 15%]

[Requirement for full awakening: Unknown]

God-tier potential.

Lin Mo took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

"Why tell me this?" he asked.

Tang Hao remained silent for a long time.

So long that Lin Mo thought he wouldn't answer.

"Because..." Tang Hao's voice was as raspy as sandpaper rubbing against wood, "I owe Ah Yin a promise. She said, if one day, someone who could change fate appeared on this continent, I should help him."

He turned, walked a few steps, and then stopped.

"That child, Tang San, I leave him to you from now on." The voice was very soft, almost inaudible, "As his father... I can give him nothing."

His figure vanished into the night.

Lin Mo stood where he was, watching the direction Tang Hao had left.

So, Tang Hao had been observing him not just because of his unique martial soul, but also because of Ah Yin's promise. The Blue Silver Emperor, Ah Yin—Tang San's mother, a hundred-thousand-year soul beast who had taken human form. Her dying wish had been for Tang Hao to keep an eye on every genius capable of changing fate.

The system popped up a new notification:

[Triggered Hidden Quest: Tang Hao's Entrustment]

[Requirement: Protect Tang San, help him grow to level fifty]

[Reward: Evolution Points ×500, unlock clues for the fourth stage evolution of the Chaos Dragon Mastiff]

[Current Progress: 0%]

[Note: This is a long-term quest; failure will permanently close the god-tier evolution path for the Chaos Dragon Mastiff]

Lin Mo retracted his martial soul and walked back to the dormitory.

Tang San was already asleep, his breathing steady. Moonlight shone on his face; the youth's features were still tender, but there was already a sense of resolve between his brows.

When reading the novel in his past life, Lin Mo had felt that Tang San was a protagonist pushed along by fate—revenge, becoming a god, saving the world; every step seemed predestined. But now, looking at this six-year-old child, he thought of something else.

Tang Hao said he "could give him nothing."

A Title Douluo, one of the strongest existences on the continent, yet he couldn't even give his own son a normal childhood. Because the identity of the Clear Sky Douluo was too sensitive, because the pursuit by the Martial Soul Hall was too insane, because the hatred surrounding a hundred-thousand-year soul ring was too heavy.

And so, Tang Hao could only hide in Holy Soul Village, forging iron, watching his son get bullied, watching his son awaken the trash martial soul Blue Silver Grass, and watching his son walk a path destined to be filled with thorns.

"I will watch over him," Lin Mo said to himself, "not for the sake of the quest, but because... he is worth it."

The next morning, the three of them set off with the Grandmaster for Suotuo City.

The journey from Nuoding City to Suotuo City was three hundred miles, taking two days by carriage. The Grandmaster rented a spacious carriage and did not relax their training on the road—he made the three of them practice soul power control inside the bumpy carriage, doubling the difficulty.

"The Soto Great Soul Arena is the largest fighting venue on the border," the Grandmaster explained to them on the way. "It's not just for student exchange matches; there are real life-and-death battles there. Soul masters fight with their lives for money, fame, and cultivation resources. You are participating in the student exchange matches this time, which are relatively safe, but one cannot rule out the possibility of someone playing dirty."

"Playing dirty?" Xiao Wu widened her eyes.

"The Great Soul Arena has rules against killing, but maiming or crippling an opponent is not against the rules," the Grandmaster said expressionlessly. "Some students are raised as fighting machines from a young age and don't know how to hold back. You must be careful."

Lin Mo wasn't worried. In his mercenary life in his past life, he had seen too many "fighting machines"—those people were indeed strong, but they lacked flexibility; once their patterns were grasped, they were sitting ducks.

"The rules for the team competition are three-person squads, no-holds-barred fighting," the Grandmaster continued. "Lin Mo is the main attacker, Tang San is the controller, and Xiao Wu is the harasser. Your coordination is already well-practiced, but there is one thing to note—do not expose your full strength too early."

He looked at Lin Mo: "Especially you. Once those two thousand-year soul rings are revealed, everyone will target you. So, try to conserve your strength in the early matches, using basic combat to finish off opponents. Only go all out when you reach the finals."

Lin Mo nodded. He understood this logic—hide your strength, deliver a fatal blow at the critical moment. An old mercenary trick.

The carriage arrived in Suotuo City on the evening of the second day.

This city was more than three times the size of Nuoding City, with towering walls, wide streets, and taverns and shops everywhere. The streets were packed with pedestrians, and soul masters in all sorts of strange attire could be seen everywhere. The air was filled with the scents of roasted meat, ale, and cheap perfume.

The Great Soul Arena was located in the center of the city, a massive circular building that could hold tens of thousands of people. The outer walls were built of giant white stones, carved with reliefs of various soul beasts and soul masters, creating an imposing atmosphere.

"Wow..." Xiao Wu looked up at the building, her eyes shining, "So big!"

The Grandmaster took them to handle the registration procedures. The Martial Soul Hall deacon at the registration desk glanced at Lin Mo's registration information, and his expression changed: "Two thousand-year soul rings? Six years old?"

"Is there a problem?" Lin Mo asked.

"No, no." The deacon swallowed hard and quickly finished the paperwork, "Contestant number 2077, the first round of the individual tournament is the day after tomorrow morning. Team competition number, Team 13, the first round is the day after tomorrow afternoon."

The three of them received their contestant badges and checked into a hotel next to the Great Soul Arena.

That night, Lin Mo studied the schedule in his room.

There were sixty-four contestants in the individual tournament, a knockout format; win three matches to enter the top eight. The team competition had thirty-two teams, also in a knockout format.

The system popped up a new quest:

[Soto Great Soul Arena Exchange Tournament]

[Individual Tournament Goal: Win the championship]

[Team Competition Goal: Win the championship]

[Reward: Individual championship—Evolution Points ×200, Skill Enhancement Stone ×1]

[Team championship—Evolution Points ×300, Random Soul Bone Fragment ×1]

[Double Championship Bonus: Unlock specific location hint for the third soul ring]

Two crowns.

Lin Mo stared at the mission panel, a smile curling his lips.

Then I'll take two first places.

The second day was free activity time. Grandmaster took them to the Great Soul Arena to watch the matches, familiarizing them with the venue and opponents.

The first individual match was between two eleven-year-old students, one with level eighteen spirit power, the other with level nineteen. They fought conventionally—activating their martial souls, displaying their spirit rings, and exchanging spirit skills, much like a stage performance. In the end, the level eighteen student ran out of stamina and lost.

"At this level, you could take them down with one punch," Xiao Wu commented.

Tang San shook his head, "They're hiding their strength. They haven't revealed their true killing moves."

Grandmaster nodded, "Tang San is right. The Great Soul Arena isn't for academy sparring; everyone holds something back. You need to observe not just their martial souls and spirit skills, but also their habits, psychology, and weaknesses."

The second match was more interesting.

A black-haired youth walked onto the stage. He looked about eleven or twelve, tall and slender, with a stern expression. His opponent was a burly man of level twenty, whose martial soul was the Iron-Back Bear, with two yellow spirit rings.

As soon as the referee called start, the burly man roared and charged, activating his first spirit skill. His bear paw expanded threefold and swung towards the black-haired youth with a whoosh!

The black-haired youth didn't activate his martial soul.

He simply sidestepped, lifted a leg, and delivered a whip kick to the burly man's ribs.

Crack.

The sound of breaking ribs was clear. The burly man screamed and flew off the stage, crashing into the audience, causing a wave of shrieks.

The entire arena fell silent.

The black-haired youth retracted his leg and walked off the stage expressionlessly. As he passed by Lin Mo's group, his gaze swept over them—stopping on Lin Mo for half a second.

It was a scrutinizing look.

"Dai Mubai," Grandmaster whispered, "from Shrek Academy. Level thirty-seven, a Battle Soul Master, martial soul White Tiger. He didn't hold back on that kick just now. If it had landed squarely, that burly man would have broken at least three ribs."

Level thirty-seven.

Lin Mo had a grasp of the situation. Seventeen levels higher than him, a significant gap in raw power. But actual combat wasn't just about levels—in his past life, he'd seen too many high-level individuals who were useless in a fight. The key was the martial soul, spirit skills, combat experience, and mental fortitude.

After Dai Mubai walked away, Xiao Wu breathed a sigh of relief, "That guy's aura is so strong."

"His White Tiger martial soul follows a direct assault path, focusing on frontal confrontation," Lin Mo said. "But if we can suppress his speed, preventing him from leveraging his strength advantage, there's a chance."

Grandmaster glanced at Lin Mo, "Do you have a plan?"

"Several options. Which one to use will depend on the actual combat situation."

Grandmaster didn't ask further, but his eyes held a hint of admiration.

In the afternoon's team match preview, Lin Mo saw more opponents. One team caught his attention—three twelve-year-old students, whose martial souls were Wind Wolf, Shadow Cat, and Dark Night Bat. All were agile attackers, coordinating seamlessly, moving swiftly like assassins striking and retreating.

"They're simulating assassination tactics," Tang San said. "Opening with the Dark Night Bat to create darkness, the Shadow Cat for stealthy ambushes, and the Wind Wolf for long-range harassment. Once the opponent is disoriented, they'll finish them off collectively."

"Is there a way to counter it?" Xiao Wu asked.

Tang San pondered, "If I can use my Blue Silver Grass to block their movement paths..."

"No," Lin Mo interrupted. "It will take you time to block their paths, and they won't give you that time. Let me handle the opening—full Dragon Might, suppressing their speed and reactions. Then Xiao Wu will engage the Shadow Cat up close, Tang San will control the Dark Night Bat, and I'll take down the Wind Wolf instantly."

Grandmaster nodded, "This tactic is feasible. Dragon Might has a suppressive effect on beast martial souls, and agile attackers fear attribute suppression the most."

That evening, Lin Mo used a Skill Enhancement Stone in his room.

[Skill Enhancement Stone used successfully. Please select target for enhancement.]

[Options: Wrath of the Dragon Mastiff, Earth Fire Dragon Breath, Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter]

Lin Mo thought for a moment and chose [Wrath of the Dragon Mastiff].

This was his core skill. The 50% boost to all attributes was crucial in combat. If it could be further enhanced, the benefits would be maximized.

[Enhancing Wrath of the Dragon Mastiff...]

[Enhancement successful!]

[Wrath of the Dragon Mastiff → Dragon Mastiff Fury]

[Effect: All attributes increased by 80%, duration fifteen breaths, with enhanced deterrence effect (suppression power against spirit beasts/beast martial souls increased by 200%)]

[Side Effect: Weakness duration after skill ends extended to thirty breaths.]

An 80% increase in all attributes!

Lin Mo felt the change in his skill and nodded with satisfaction. Although the weakness duration had increased, as long as he could finish the fight within fifteen breaths, the weakness wouldn't be an issue.

The next day, the exchange competition officially began.

Lin Mo's first round of the individual competition was at nine in the morning. His opponent was a ten-year-old student with level eighteen spirit power, martial soul Iron Sword.

The two stood on the stage. As soon as the referee called start, his opponent revealed his martial soul—a black iron sword hovered in front of him, and two yellow spirit rings lit up. His first spirit skill activated, and the iron sword transformed into three sword shadows, stabbing towards Lin Mo's throat, heart, and abdomen!

Lin Mo didn't move.

When the sword shadows were half a meter away, he raised his hand and caught the frontal sword shadow between two fingers.

Clang!

A crisp metallic sound rang out. The sword's shadow trembled between his fingers, like a snake gripped by its seven-inch mark.

The opponent's face changed drastically: "How is this possible?!"

Lin Mo exerted force with his fingers, and crack—a notch appeared in the Iron Sword.

"Admit defeat," he said. "Your sword cannot hurt me."

The opponent gritted his teeth and activated his second soul skill! The Iron Sword erupted with blinding white light, vibrating violently until it broke free from Lin Mo's grip, transforming into a rain of swords that poured down from the sky!

Lin Mo sighed.

Dragon Might released!

A dark golden pressure erupted from within his body, slamming into his opponent like an invisible giant hammer. The Iron Sword martial soul shuddered violently, and the rain of swords dissipated instantly. The opponent's legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees, his face deathly pale.

"I, I admit defeat..."

The referee announced: "Number 2077, winner!"

The applause from the audience was sparse—the match had ended so quickly that the spectators hadn't even reacted yet.

His second-round opponent was an eleven-year-old agility-type soul master with a Wind Falcon martial soul. The moment the match started, he flew into the air, hoping to use his aerial advantage to kite Lin Mo.

Lin Mo looked up at him: "Are you sure you aren't coming down?"

"If you've got the guts, come up here!" the student said smugly.

Lin Mo pushed off the ground and leaped ten meters into the air—Earth Fire Dragon Breath released mid-air!

Crimson flames erupted from his palm in a five-meter radius, perfectly covering the Wind Falcon's flight path. The student shrieked as his wings caught fire, spiraling down to the ground. As Lin Mo landed, he caught the boy with one hand and set him down.

"You lost."

The student looked at his scorched wings, wanting to cry but unable to shed tears: "You, you're cheating! How can you use a soul skill like that?!"

"The rules didn't say I couldn't jump up to use it." Lin Mo clapped his hands and walked off the arena.

Two consecutive wins, advancing to the final eight.

In the afternoon team competition, Team 13—consisting of Lin Mo, Tang San, and Xiao Wu—faced a team with an average soul power of level 17 in the first round.

Three seconds after the start, the battle was over.

Lin Mo unleashed his full Dragon Might, and the martial souls of all three opponents withered simultaneously. Xiao Wu rushed forward, using a waist-throw to toss one away, while Tang San's Blue Silver Grass entangled the other two. Lin Mo didn't even activate his martial soul, finishing them off with one punch each.

The entire audience was stunned.

"Is, is this a student exchange tournament? Are you sure these aren't professional soul masters bullying novices?"

"What kind of monster is that kid in black? Once he opened his Dragon Might, the other side just knelt?"

"Team 13... remember this number, they are definitely favorites to win the championship!"

The second round was also taken easily. Lin Mo didn't even use his full strength; it was all a performance by Tang San and Xiao Wu.

The final eight were decided.

Among the final eight in the individual tournament, Lin Mo noted a few opponents worthy of attention: a girl named Jing Ling, with a Jade Phosphorous Serpent martial soul, control-type, level 21 soul power; a burly man named Zhao Wuji—not the Zhao Wuji from Shrek, just a namesake—with an Iron Arm Ape martial soul, power-attack type, level 23 soul power; and Dai Mubai, level 37, the top seed of the individual tournament.

In the team tournament's final eight, the Shrek Academy team was also present. Led by Dai Mubai, the other two members were the level 12 Zhu Zhuqing and the level 13 Oscar.

Zhu Zhuqing, Hell Spirit Cat, agility-type. Oscar, food-type, martial soul Sausage—though it could provide various buff effects.

"That Shrek team won't be easy to fight," Grandmaster analyzed. "Dai Mubai leads with frontal power attacks, Zhu Zhuqing strikes from the flanks, and Oscar provides support. Although their coordination isn't as seamless as yours, their individual strength is too high. Especially Dai Mubai; level 37 is a dimensional strike against you."

"There's a way," Lin Mo said. "Oscar is the weak link—food-type soul masters have no combat power; we take him out at the start. Then it's two-on-two: Tang San controls Zhu Zhuqing, and I take on Dai Mubai."

"Are you confident you can handle Dai Mubai?" Grandmaster frowned. "There's a seventeen-level gap."

"I definitely can't win in a head-on clash," Lin Mo said. "But if I can just stall him until Tang San finishes off Zhu Zhuqing, then it's two-on-one, and we'll have a chance."

Grandmaster pondered for a moment: "Theoretically feasible. But Dai Mubai's White Tiger martial soul has explosive power; can you hold him off?"

Lin Mo revealed his right claw—blue-black scales covered his arm up to the elbow, and the sharp claws at his fingertips glinted with a cold light.

"Even if I can't hold him, I have to."

The semi-finals were held three days after the previous day's conclusion.

In the individual semi-finals, Lin Mo faced Jing Ling.

Jade Phosphorous Serpent martial soul, control-type, level 21. Jing Ling was a thin, small girl, but her eyes were cold and sinister, like a snake's.

After the start, she didn't rush to attack, instead releasing the Jade Phosphorous Serpent's poison mist, shrouding the entire arena in green vapor.

"My poison mist can corrode soul power," Jing Ling's voice drifted out from the mist, elusive and erratic. "No matter how strong your Dragon Might is, it can't suppress poison."

Lin Mo held his breath and closed his eyes.

He activated his soul power perception—locating Jing Ling within the mist. She was moving, very fast, but her trajectory followed a pattern: left, right, left, forward...

On the third move to the left, Lin Mo lunged.

Dragon Mastiff Fury activated!

All attributes surged by 80%, and a dark golden shockwave exploded, blowing the poison mist away! Lin Mo charged out like a cannonball, his right claw tearing through the air—

Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter!

Five dark golden claw marks slashed through the air. Jing Ling's expression shifted drastically as she unleashed her Jade Phosphorous Serpent soul skill to its full extent, forming a serpentine barrier before her. However, the power of Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter far exceeded her imagination—the barrier was torn apart like paper, and the claw marks headed straight for her face!

"I concede!"

Jing Ling shrieked and ducked, the claw marks grazing over her head and slicing off a few strands of hair.

Lin Mo forcibly retracted his strength mid-air and landed before her, his right claw stopping three inches from her throat.

"I accept your concession."

Jing Ling's face was deathly pale, her legs too weak to stand.

The referee announced, "Number 2077 wins! Advancing to the finals!"

His opponent in the finals was Zhao Wuji—the one with the Iron Arm Ape.

The burly man stood on the arena stage, his two-meter-tall frame resembling an iron tower. Two yellow soul rings rotated around him, emitting a powerful surge of soul power.

"Kid, your Dragon Might is useless against me," Zhao Wuji grinned. "The trait of the Iron Arm Ape martial soul is pressure resistance. The stronger the pressure, the more excited I get!"

Lin Mo didn't speak; he simply started the fight.

Zhao Wuji's tactic was simple: frontal crushing. The Iron Arm Ape's first soul skill, Iron Wall, hardened his arms like steel, while his second soul skill, Earthquake, could create a wide-range shockwave. He charged while smashing the ground, leaving the arena floor covered in cracks.

Lin Mo didn't take the hits head-on. He wove through the gaps in Zhao Wuji's attacks like a loach, sliding away every time he was about to be struck.

"Is that all you can do, just dodge?!" Zhao Wuji roared, his punch missing and blasting a large crater into the ground.

Lin Mo's eyes lit up.

In the split second after Zhao Wuji threw a punch, his center of gravity shifted forward, leaving his nape exposed. This was experience he had gathered on the battlefield in his past life—the more strength-oriented an opponent was, the larger the opening after an attack.

Zhao Wuji threw another punch!

Lin Mo didn't dodge.

He ducked into Zhao Wuji's guard, his left elbow bracing against the man's chest as his right claw shot out—

Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter!

Five claw marks struck Zhao Wuji's nape directly!

The Iron Arm Ape's defense was indeed formidable; Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter only left five bloody gashes on his neck without causing a critical injury. However, the impact of the soul skill left Zhao Wuji's brain momentarily blank, his body stiffening for half a second.

Half a second was enough.

Lin Mo flipped onto Zhao Wuji's shoulders, clamped his legs around the man's head, erupted with all his soul power, and twisted violently!

Zhao Wuji's two-meter-tall body was twisted and thrown sideways, crashing onto the arena floor with a boom that kicked up a cloud of dust.

"Concede," Lin Mo said, jumping off him. "If we keep fighting, your cervical spine will snap."

Zhao Wuji lay on the ground, touching the bloody marks on his neck, his expression shifting repeatedly. Finally, he gritted his teeth: "I concede."

The referee announced, "Number 2077, individual tournament champion!"

The entire arena erupted in cheers.

Lin Mo stood on the stage and raised his right hand. A system prompt popped up:

[Individual tournament victory achieved. Rewards issued: Evolution Points ×200, Skill Enhancement Stone ×1]

[Current Evolution Points: 540]

Tomorrow, the team tournament finals.

The opponent—Shrek Academy.