Double Champion

On the day of the team competition finals, the Great Soul Arena was packed to the rafters.

The roar of tens of thousands of spectators surged through the circular building like boiling water. The betting booths were open: Shrek Academy was at 1:1.5, and Nuoding Team 13 at 1:2.3. Most people had bet on Shrek to win. After all, Dai Mubai's strength at level thirty-seven was plain to see—a full seventeen levels higher than Lin Mo's.

Grandmaster sat in the competitors' lounge, his expression calm, but the knuckles of the hand holding his notebook had gone white.

"Have you memorized the tactics?" he asked.

"Take out Oscar right at the start." Lin Mo rolled his wrists. "Tang San will control Zhu Zhuqing, I'll keep Dai Mubai occupied, and Xiao Wu will look for a chance to support us."

"Dai Mubai's White Tiger Martial Soul has a ranged Soul Skill," Grandmaster added. "White Tiger Intense Light Wave could smash rocks even at level twenty. You're not even level thirty yet. Taking a direct hit would either kill you or leave you badly injured. So—"

He looked at Lin Mo. "Don't give him the chance to use a ranged Soul Skill. Stick close, fight hand to hand, and use your combat skills to suppress him. Dai Mubai may be a higher level, but he grew up in a noble academy. His real combat experience is nowhere near yours."

Lin Mo nodded. Grandmaster had read the situation well. Dai Mubai's strength was built on overwhelming his opponents with his level; he might not have much experience in a true fight to the death. But the instincts Lin Mo had honed on battlefields in his previous life were carved into his bones.

"One more thing." Grandmaster lowered his voice. "If things go wrong, surrender. It's only an exhibition match. It's not worth risking your life."

Lin Mo said nothing. He had never once considered the word surrender.

In the lounge on the other side, Dai Mubai leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets, looking languid.

"Boss, that Lin Mo on the other team seems pretty impressive," Oscar said, filing his nails. "Individual competition champion, with two Thousand-Year Soul Rings."

"Thousand-Year Soul Rings?" Zhu Zhuqing said coolly. "To withstand two Thousand-Year Soul Rings at six years old, his Martial Soul must be extraordinary."

Dai Mubai opened his eyes. A glimmer of interest flashed in his mismatched eyes. "Chaos Dragon Mastiff. Never heard of that Martial Soul. I watched the individual competition finals. His fighting skills are impressive. He had a power-type fighter like Zhao Wuji dancing in the palm of his hand."

"So how do you plan to fight him?" Oscar asked.

"Stick to the plan." Dai Mubai stood upright. "You fall back and support us at the start. Zhuqing, circle around the flank. I'll pressure him from the front. His Dragon Might suppresses Beast Martial Souls, but I'm level thirty-seven. He can't suppress me. If I force him into a head-on clash, we'll know the winner in three moves."

He left the lounge, and when he passed Lin Mo, he paused.

"See you in the finals."

Lin Mo looked up at him. "See you."

Their gazes met, and sparks seemed to flicker in the air between them.

The referee stepped onto the platform and raised both arms. "The Soto Great Soul Arena exhibition match—the team competition finals! The competitors are: Shrek Academy's team! Nuoding Academy Team 13!"

The whole arena erupted in cheers.

"Rules: three versus three, no restrictions. The match ends when one side surrenders or loses the ability to fight. Now—begin!"

As soon as the referee finished speaking, Oscar immediately retreated and waved his right hand. "I've got a Mushroom Sausage!"

A golden sausage flew toward Dai Mubai. It was Oscar's Soul Skill, Mushroom Sausage. Eating it temporarily increased movement speed by 30%.

Dai Mubai caught the sausage and swallowed it in one gulp. His speed surged! Two yellow Soul Rings lit up beneath his feet, and the phantom of a White Tiger took shape behind him. Claws shot out, aimed straight at Lin Mo!

At the same time, Zhu Zhuqing vanished from where she stood—the Hell Spirit Cat's stealth ability had activated, leaving only a faint afterimage in the air.

Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground around Tang San, surging toward Zhu Zhuqing's path like a swarm of snakes. His Purple Demon Eye was activated, allowing him to see Zhu Zhuqing's position: three meters to the left, moving at high speed!

"Xiao Wu, front left!"

Xiao Wu sprang forward, sweeping out a long leg and forcing Zhu Zhuqing to appear and block. A metallic clang rang out as the two tangled in combat.

Meanwhile, at the front—

Dai Mubai's claws were already at Lin Mo's face!

Lin Mo didn't retreat. He knew he couldn't—retreating would give Dai Mubai room to use a ranged Soul Skill. He ducked, and the claws skimmed over his scalp, cutting off a few strands of hair. At the same time, he drove his right fist toward Dai Mubai's ribs.

Dai Mubai reacted swiftly, dropping his left arm to block. Fist met forearm with a bang, and both of them took a step back.

"Not bad." Dai Mubai's eyes lit up. "But not enough!"

He activated his second Soul Skill—White Tiger Intense Light Wave! But instead of releasing it at range, he gathered the energy in his claws, forming a pair of blades of light. This was his real fighting style: using a ranged Soul Skill in close combat to double its explosive power!

His claws crossed and slashed down!

Lin Mo crossed his arms to block, scales appearing over them. Scale Armor Protection: damage reduction of 30% activated! But Dai Mubai's attack was too powerful. The blades of light struck the scales, sending sparks flying. Lin Mo was knocked back three steps, his arms numb, deep gashes left in the scales.

A system notification flashed:

[Strong attack received. Scale Armor Protection reduced damage by 30%. Remaining durability: 70%]

The difference was too great.

Level thirty-seven against level twenty—a gap of seventeen levels in Soul Power. Even with the bonuses from Lin Mo's Martial Soul quality and talent, he was still at a disadvantage in a direct clash.

Dai Mubai gave him no time to catch his breath and lunged again. His claws slashed one after another, moving so fast they were almost impossible to follow with the naked eye. Lin Mo barely managed to block them on instinct, but each blow sent him a step farther back. He was driven backward, step by step.

In the stands, Grandmaster's brows knitted tightly.

"Lin Mo is being suppressed." The teacher beside him shook his head. "The level difference is too great. No matter how good his fighting skills are, they can't make up for it."

Grandmaster said nothing, his eyes fixed on the platform.

He was waiting—for the instant Lin Mo turned the fight around.

On the platform, Lin Mo was driven to the edge.

Dai Mubai raised both claws, gathering the White Tiger Light Blades to their full strength. "Surrender. You can't beat me."

Lin Mo's lips curved. "Is that so?"

[Dragon Mastiff Fury] activated!

All attributes surged by 80%! A dark golden shockwave erupted from within him, and his Dragon Might surged to full force—the talent that increased his suppressive power over Beast Martial Souls by 200% reached its peak in that instant!

Dai Mubai's body stiffened.

The White Tiger Martial Soul trembled inside him, as if it had encountered its natural enemy. He had never felt anything like it. His Soul Power was seventeen levels higher than his opponent's, yet his Martial Soul was afraid!

This was suppression at the bloodline level. The Chaos Dragon Mastiff suppressed all Beast Martial Souls—not by level, but by bloodline. And in the presence of the Primordial Dragon Beast, the White Tiger's bloodline was nothing.

Lin Mo seized those fractions of a second when Dai Mubai was frozen and thrust out his right claw—

[Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter!]

Five dark golden claw marks shot toward Dai Mubai's chest!

At the last moment, Dai Mubai broke free of the suppression and raised his arms to block. The claw marks struck the White Tiger Light Blades with a boom, and both of them were sent flying backward.

Dai Mubai looked down. Five slashes had torn through the front of his shirt, leaving shallow bloody marks on his skin. He hadn't been badly injured, but—

He had been hurt.

Hurt by a six-year-old child at level twenty.

Dai Mubai's gaze changed. Gone was his earlier contempt and curiosity. Now he was serious—truly serious.

"You're strong," he said. "Stronger than any Soul Master your level I've ever met. But—"

The phantom White Tiger roared, and the two yellow Soul Rings spun wildly. Dai Mubai's Soul Power erupted. His clothes fluttered in the wind, and his hair stood on end.

"I won't lose."

The ground cracked beneath his feet as the pressure of his White Tiger Martial Soul crashed down like a mountain. He released all the Soul Power he possessed at level thirty-seven, and the entire platform trembled.

The ordinary spectators in the stands could no longer bear it. Some clapped their hands over their ears and screamed; others fainted outright. Even the referee at the edge of the platform had gone pale and retreated several steps.

Tang San and Xiao Wu were caught in the pressure as well. Zhu Zhuqing took the opportunity to break free and retreated to Dai Mubai's side. Oscar tossed over two sausages—one to restore stamina and one to heal wounds.

The three members of Shrek regrouped.

Lin Mo retreated to Tang San and Xiao Wu's side.

"Can you still fight?" Tang San asked.

Lin Mo panted. There were eight breaths remaining before Dragon Mastiff Fury wore off. After that, he would enter a period of weakness lasting thirty breaths.

"Eight breaths," he said. "We have to end the fight within eight breaths."

"How do we do it?" Xiao Wu wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

Lin Mo quickly surveyed the field. Dai Mubai was the main attacker, Zhu Zhuqing worked the flank, and Oscar supported from the rear. A standard combination of a power attacker, an assassin, and a support fighter.

"Tang San, can you control both Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing at the same time?"

Tang San activated his Purple Demon Eye and calculated. "If I only restrain them and don't try to hurt them, three seconds."

"That's enough," Lin Mo said. "Xiao Wu, Oscar is yours. Take him out within three seconds."

"No problem!" Xiao Wu clenched her fist.

"Three seconds later, whether Xiao Wu succeeds or not, Tang San, release them immediately and retreat to a safe distance. The rest—"

Lin Mo looked at Dai Mubai.

"Leave it to me."

[Dragon Mastiff Fury] remaining duration: six breaths.

"Go!"

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass erupted with all its strength! The Hundred-Year Mandala Snake Soul Ring glowed at full intensity. Blue Silver Grass surged toward Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing from the ground, from the air, from every direction. This wasn't ordinary Entanglement. It was an enhanced restraint formed when Tang San infused his Mysterious Heaven Skill into the Blue Silver Grass—every blade was tough as steel wire!

Dai Mubai slashed through a swath of Blue Silver Grass with his claws. But Tang San's control was too dense. As soon as he cut through one batch, another came, endless as the tide.

Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Zhu Zhuqing's ankles, halting her movement.

Now!

Xiao Wu sprang forward, aiming for Oscar!

Food-type Soul Masters had no combat ability whatsoever. When Oscar saw Xiao Wu charging toward him, his face turned pale and he instinctively backed away. But how could he possibly outrun Xiao Wu? Xiao Wu flipped in midair and kicked Oscar in the chest, sending him flying off the platform.

"Oscar is out!" the referee announced.

[Dragon Mastiff Fury] remaining duration: four breaths.

Tang San released his control, and the Blue Silver Grass instantly withdrew. Dai Mubai broke free of the restraints. When he saw that Oscar had been eliminated, his expression darkened.

"You—"

Before he could finish, Lin Mo was already in front of him.

It wasn't a charge—it was a flash. Lin Mo unleashed all the speed granted by Dragon Mastiff Fury in that instant, shooting toward Dai Mubai like a bullet.

Right claw, left fist, knee, elbow—the attacks poured down like a violent storm! Every move targeted a vital spot, every strike thrown with all his strength. Dai Mubai was forced to block, but Lin Mo was too fast, and his blows too powerful. Dai Mubai's defense was crumbling.

[Dragon Mastiff Fury] remaining duration: two breaths.

Dai Mubai was forced to the edge of the platform. With a roar, he unleashed the full power of his White Tiger Martial Soul and slammed both claws toward Lin Mo's chest—a move that would take them both down!

Lin Mo didn't dodge.

He took the hit head-on!

The White Tiger Light Blades slashed into his chest. His scales shattered, and blood sprayed through the air. Pain tore a muffled groan from Lin Mo, but he gritted his teeth, grabbed Dai Mubai's wrist with his right hand, and clamped his left hand onto Dai Mubai's shoulder.

"You—"

Dai Mubai's pupils contracted.

Lin Mo pressed his forehead against Dai Mubai's, blood running from the corner of his mouth. "You've lost."

[Dragon Mastiff Fury] remaining duration: zero.

The thirty-breath period of weakness began.

But it was no longer necessary.

At some point, Xiao Wu had circled behind Dai Mubai. She locked her legs around his neck and exerted force through her waist and abdomen—Waist Bow!

Dai Mubai's body was twisted up into the air. Lin Mo used the momentum to shove him off the platform.

Dai Mubai twisted in midair and managed to land, but both feet had touched down outside the platform.

Dead silence.

The entire arena was hushed.

Then—

Cheers exploded like a bomb!

"Nuoding Team 13 won!"

"They beat Shrek!"

"What kind of monster is that kid in black?"

The referee stared blankly for several seconds before raising his arm. "Team competition champions—Nuoding Academy Team 13!"

Lin Mo knelt on one knee on the platform, gasping for breath. The wound in his chest burned fiercely, and the period of weakness made him feel as if every last bit of strength had been drained from his body. But he smiled.

They'd won.

Tang San walked over and handed him a bottle of medicine. "Stop the bleeding first."

Xiao Wu bounced over, drenched in sweat but beaming. "We won! We really won!"

Dai Mubai stood below the platform, watching Lin Mo. He was silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

"Interesting." He turned to leave, but after a few steps he glanced back. "Next time we meet, I won't lose again."

Lin Mo looked up. "Anytime."

[Team competition championship achieved. Rewards issued: Evolution Points ×300, random Soul Bone fragment ×1]

[Additional double-champion reward: unlocked specific location hint for the third Soul Ring]

[Generating third Soul Ring hunting target...]

[Target: Thunder Dragon Python · Sub-dragon species · 2,200 to 2,500 years]

[Location: Outer edge of the core area of Star Dou Forest, Thunder Marsh]

[Dragon blood concentration: 71%]

[Recommendation: Reach level twenty-five or higher before going]

[Current Evolution Points: 840]

[Drawing Soul Bone fragment...]

[Congratulations! Obtained: Millennium Earth-Fire Dragon King Right Leg Bone fragment (2/5)]

[Collect all five fragments to form a complete Soul Bone]

[Soul Bone fragment effect: inactive (unlocks upon collecting all fragments)]

Lin Mo looked over the Soul Bone fragment's description. It took five pieces to activate, and he only had one so far. He still had a long way to go.

But he now knew the target for his third Soul Ring: a Thunder Dragon Python, between 2,200 and 2,500 years old, in Star Dou Forest.

"I'm still five levels short," Lin Mo murmured. "I'll have to speed up my cultivation."

The awards ceremony was held that evening.

The Great Soul Arena's manager personally presented the medals and prize money: five hundred Gold Soul Coins for the individual competition and five hundred for the team competition, one thousand in total. For an ordinary family, it was a fortune.

Lin Mo gave three hundred each to Tang San and Xiao Wu, keeping four hundred for himself. Tang San tried to refuse, but Xiao Wu shoved the coins into his pocket. "What are you being so formal for? We still have to fight together in the future!"

Grandmaster watched from the side, and for once, he smiled.

"Grandmaster." Lin Mo walked over. "I want to speed up my cultivation. I'm aiming to break through to level twenty-five within two months."

Grandmaster's smile faded. He looked at Lin Mo seriously. "You want to hunt that Thunder Dragon Python?"

"Mm."

"A sub-dragon species over two thousand years old is in a completely different league from the Earth Fire Dragon King." Grandmaster pondered. "And the Thunder Dragon Python's lightning attacks cover a wide area and pack a powerful burst. Your close-combat style will be at a disadvantage."

"So we need greater strength," Lin Mo said. "Level twenty-five is only the baseline. I want to reach level thirty before I go."

Grandmaster nodded. "At level thirty, your odds will be much better. But do you understand what it means to go from level twenty to level thirty in two months? An ordinary Soul Master would need two years."

"I'm not an ordinary Soul Master."

Grandmaster was silent for a long time. At last, he sighed. "All right. I'll draw up a training plan for you. But there's one condition—"

He looked Lin Mo in the eyes. "If anything goes wrong with your body, stop immediately. A growing Martial Soul needs a stable foundation. Pulling up seedlings to help them grow will only destroy it."

"Okay."

That night, Lin Mo checked the system panel in his room at the inn.

[Host: Lin Mo]

[Martial Soul: Chaos Dragon Mastiff · Earth-Fire Scale Form]

[Soul Power Level: Level 20]

[Soul Rings: Purple (450 years), Purple (1,400 years)]

[Soul Skills: Dragon Mastiff Fury, Earth Fire Dragon Breath, Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter]

[Talents: Scale Armor Protection (30% damage reduction), Earth Fire Protection (counterattack), Dragon Might (suppression)]

[Evolution Progress: 45%]

[Evolution Points: 840]

[Skill Enhancement Stone ×1]

[Millennium Earth-Fire Dragon King Right Leg Bone Fragment (1/5)]

He took out the Skill Enhancement Stone and considered which skill to enhance.

[Dragon Mastiff Fury] had already been enhanced once, and another upgrade would bring diminishing returns. Of the remaining options, [Earth Fire Dragon Breath] was an area attack, while [Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter] was a powerful single-target attack.

After weighing it over, Lin Mo chose [Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter].

It was his core damage-dealing skill, and it had played a crucial role against both the Earth-Fire Dragon King and Dai Mubai. If he could enhance it further, he'd have better odds against stronger opponents.

[Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter enhancing...]

[Enhancement successful!]

[Dragon Claw: Sky Splitter → Dragon Claw: Void Breaker]

[Effect: Five claw marks converge into one; power increased by 100%; armor-piercing effect enhanced (ignores most defenses)]

[Cost: Soul Power consumption increased by 50%]

Its power had doubled.

Lin Mo nodded with satisfaction. His Soul Power consumption had increased, but as a trump card, power came first.

The next day, the three of them returned to Nuoding Academy with Grandmaster.

In the carriage, Grandmaster took out a new training plan. "For the next two months, we'll double the intensity. Forty kilometers of cross-country running with weights every day, four hours of Soul Power control training, and six hours of sparring. Also—"

He looked at Tang San. "Your Blue Silver Grass needs finer control. Starting today, you'll weave ten different shapes with it every day—animals, weapons, armor, anything you like. The goal is to train your precision in manipulating your Martial Soul."

Tang San nodded.

"Xiao Wu, your Soft Technique is already very strong, but you lack explosive power," Grandmaster said. "The focus of your training from now on will be strength: five hundred weighted squats and three hundred pull-ups every day. Two months from now, I want to see you punch through a rock."

Xiao Wu grimaced. "Five hundred? I'll die..."

"You won't die. You'll just lose a layer of skin," Grandmaster said impassively. "If you don't want to train, you can quit."

"I'll train, I'll train!" Xiao Wu said hurriedly.

Lin Mo looked at his own training plan. It was twice as demanding as Tang San and Xiao Wu's combined. Grandmaster really was training him like a monster.

By the time they returned to Nuoding Academy, it was already evening.

As soon as they entered the school gates, they saw a middle-aged man in a black robe standing in front of the teaching building. A Spirit Hall badge was pinned to his chest: two crossed swords beneath a crown.

Someone from Spirit Hall.

Grandmaster's expression shifted, and he stepped in front of Lin Mo.

The black-robed man turned around, wearing a professionally polished smile. "Hello. I'm Zhao Wuji, the new deacon of Spirit Hall's Nuoding branch. I'm not the Zhao Wuji you know—we just happen to share a name."

He looked at Lin Mo behind Grandmaster. "You must be Lin Mo. Innate Full Soul Power, a Chaos Dragon Mastiff Martial Soul, and two Thousand-Year Soul Rings. Six years old, Nuoding Academy's champion in the freshman combat assessment, and a double champion in the exchange tournament at the Soto Great Soul Arena."

With every detail he recited, his smile deepened.

"Spirit Hall is very interested in you. Lin Mo, would you be interested in joining Spirit Hall Academy? We'd cover all your expenses, and a Titled Douluo would personally guide you."

Here it came.

Lin Mo had been prepared for this. Spirit Hall had a tradition of recruiting geniuses: if they couldn't be made to serve you, they could be made to serve someone else. And the fate of those who served someone else was never pleasant.

"Thank you for the offer," Lin Mo said, "but I have no plans to leave Nuoding Academy for now."

Zhao Wuji's smile didn't change. "There's no hurry. Take your time. Spirit Hall's doors will always be open to you."

He turned to leave, then looked back after a few steps. "Oh, right. In three days, Spirit Hall will send someone to conduct a detailed Martial Soul appraisal. It's a routine procedure; every child with Innate Full Soul Power has to undergo one. When the time comes—"

He glanced at Grandmaster. "I hope you'll cooperate."

The man left.

Grandmaster looked grim. "A Martial Soul appraisal... They want to learn the details of your Martial Soul."

"Can I refuse?" Lin Mo asked.

"No." Grandmaster shook his head. "Spirit Hall has that authority. Unless you join another major power and have a Titled Douluo backing you, there's nothing you can do. We don't have that."

Lin Mo fell silent.

Tang Hao was a Titled Douluo, but he couldn't reveal his identity publicly. If he did, Spirit Hall wouldn't try to recruit him. They'd hunt him down.

"In three days..." Grandmaster mused. "Reveal as little as possible. You can show them your Martial Soul's form, but keep its evolution ability hidden. Two Thousand-Year Soul Rings are already astonishing enough. If they learn your Martial Soul can evolve as well..."

He left the rest unsaid, but the meaning was clear: Spirit Hall would do anything to get Lin Mo. Either they'd win him over, or they'd destroy him.

That night, Lin Mo cultivated in his dormitory until late.

Soul Power flowed through his meridians, growing slowly but steadily. Grandmaster's training plan was brutal, but the results were obvious. At this rate, breaking through to level thirty within two months wouldn't be a problem.

The system suddenly displayed a notification:

[External threat detected: Spirit Hall has begun monitoring the host]

[Hidden quest triggered: Undercurrent]

[Requirements: Conceal the Martial Soul's evolution ability during the Spirit Hall appraisal without being discovered]

[Reward: Evolution Points ×200, Counter-Surveillance Skill ×1 (can conceal Soul Power readings)]

[Failure: Spirit Hall will learn the secret of the Martial Soul's evolution, triggering the "Hunt" event]

[Accept?]

"Accept."

The Counter-Surveillance Skill... This was crucial. If it could conceal his Soul Power readings, he'd have another layer of protection against Spirit Hall.

The Martial Soul appraisal in three days had to go perfectly.

Lin Mo closed his eyes and continued cultivating.

Under the moonlight outside, Tang Hao leaned against a tree, a wine bottle in his hand.

He looked at the window of Lin Mo's dormitory and murmured, "Ah Yin, you were right... This child's fate is heavier than I thought."

He tipped the bottle back for a swig, then disappeared into the night.