As the referee loudly announced the start of the match, Wang Dong released her Martial Soul.
"Bzz—"
Brilliant blue-gold light surged skyward from behind her, and a pair of enormous, gorgeous butterfly wings suddenly unfurled.
Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul Possession!
As she spread her wings, a streak of pink-blue light appeared without warning on her right arm. It quickly took shape, forming a mysterious, beautiful armguard.
The armguard perfectly enclosed her entire arm, from palm to shoulder. Light flowed across it, and it shone in harmony with the butterfly wings on her back.
This sudden turn of events left the entire audience, including the bigwigs in the VIP seats and the Sun Moon Academy team, dumbfounded.
Everyone was intensely curious about the armguard that had appeared out of nowhere.
"What is that? A Soul Tool?"
"It must be a Soul Tool, but... I've never seen one like it!"
"The way it appeared was so bizarre, like it grew right out of her body. And look, you can't even identify what the armguard is made of, let alone tell what level of Soul Tool it is!"
Even the professional Soul Engineers couldn't see through the armguard on Wang Dong's right arm.
It had surpassed everyone's understanding of Soul Tools in the current era, shrouded in the unknown and mystery.
When the referee announced the start of the individual elimination round, no one had expected this fateful showdown to begin with such a one-sided battle.
The Level 4 Soul Engineer sent out by Sun Moon Academy, the Power Attack System Soul Ancestor who followed, and the Agility Attack System Soul Ancestor who came after him had all seemed utterly powerless before her.
Even the level-49 top Soul Ancestor whom Sun Moon Academy sent out last, pinning all their hopes on him, couldn't turn the tide.
His strongest attack had done no more than stir a shimmer of light across the armguard before a far more violent force instantly crushed him.
Four in a row!
The battle had ended cleanly and swiftly, almost anticlimactically.
When Wang Dong stepped down from the arena, the entire venue fell silent.
After a brief hush came a volcanic eruption of chatter!
"What just happened? What kind of Soul Tool was that?!"
"Level 7? Level 8? No... it feels completely different!"
"How many more secrets is Shrek Academy hiding?"
The audience seats were in an uproar, and the bigwigs in the VIP seats wore even graver expressions.
But no one reacted more intensely than the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's waiting area.
Elder Ma's face was ashen. He gripped the armrests so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.
"Impossible... absolutely impossible... This isn't how Soul Tools work... It completely overturns existing theory! That's not a Soul Tool... It's... What kind of monster is that?!"
An armor that looked like a Soul Tool and could provide a tremendous boost had come from somewhere other than the Sun Moon Empire.
He found it impossible to accept.
The students of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, including Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, were all dumbstruck.
The absolute confidence and pride they had built up in Soul Tools since childhood had suffered its first blow in the face of Wang Dong's mysterious armguard.
Meanwhile, in the Shrek Academy rest area.
When Wang Dong returned, everyone stared at her as if she were a monster.
"Wang Dong... you..."
Dai Yueheng opened his mouth, but for a long moment, he couldn't manage to say a complete sentence.
The boost that armguard had displayed had left even him shaken to the core.
"What exactly is that thing?"
Ma Xiaotao's eyes were full of curiosity.
Everyone's gaze settled on Wang Dong, but she shook her head and looked past them toward Ji Jing.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Ji Jing spoke slowly:
"This is only the tip of the iceberg. It's nothing special."
Ji Jing's voice rang clearly in everyone's ears.
"The tip of the iceberg?"
Everyone stared at him blankly.
Ji Jing stood and walked unhurriedly over to Wang Dong.
"Traditional Soul Tools are tools. But this..."
Ji Jing's gaze swept across their shocked faces.
"Its design philosophy is to become part of the body. An armor that can grow alongside a Soul Master."
"I call it—Battle Armor."
At those words, the entire Shrek waiting area fell silent.
Everyone's breathing hitched. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck them on the crown, sending colossal waves surging through their minds.
The shock this theory brought was beyond compare.
Everyone returned to the hotel. As soon as the meeting room door closed, the atmosphere inside changed completely.
Xuan Zi took the seat at the head of the table, set his wine gourd down, and stared intently at Wang Dong's right arm, his eyes burning.
Wang Yan sat beside him and pulled out a pen. His excitement was plain to see; even his breathing was a little faster than usual.
The others found seats of their own. Though the mood seemed calm on the surface, anyone could feel that the tension in the room was ready to snap.
Once everyone had settled, Xuan Zi skipped the pleasantries and spoke directly:
"Wang Dong, show this old man that armguard again."
Wang Dong instinctively glanced sideways at Ji Jing.
Ji Jing gave a slight nod.
With his permission, Wang Dong nodded.
In the next instant, the armguard appeared. Its gleaming metal enclosed her entire arm, fitting snugly against it.
Of everyone present, Xuan Zi watched most intently, and kept the quietest.
He had seen countless treasures in his life. He knew better than anyone what kind of aura each rank of treasure gave off.
Yet this thing before him had left him speechless.
For a moment, he couldn't find a suitable word to describe the armguard.
"Gasp..."
Xuan Zi lifted a hand and stroked his beard, very slowly. His expression grew even more serious.
Wang Dong dismissed the armguard. The metal settled obediently against her arm again, its radiance fading as it returned to stillness.
The room fell silent for a moment.
Ji Jing picked up the tea on the table and took an unhurried sip. He set the cup down and began:
"Elder Xuan, I'll start with the basics. Have a listen."
Xuan Zi lifted his eyelids slightly, giving him the floor.
"What Wang Dong is wearing now is an individual piece of First-Word Battle Armor."
Ji Jing's tone was calm and measured, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.
"A complete set of First-Word Battle Armor can let a Soul King stand shoulder to shoulder with a Soul Saint who hasn't used their Martial Soul Avatar."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Xuan Zi's hand abruptly stilled.
"Second-Word Battle Armor,"
Ji Jing continued,
"can let a Soul Emperor stand shoulder to shoulder with a Soul Douluo who hasn't used their Martial Soul Avatar."
"Third-Word Battle Armor can let a Soul Saint stand shoulder to shoulder with an ordinary Titled Douluo."
"Fourth-Word Battle Armor can let a Titled Douluo stand shoulder to shoulder with an Ultimate Douluo."
His words fell.
The room went completely silent.
Everyone held their breath at once.
Xuan Zi was the first to move.
He sprang out of his chair. It was as if he had suddenly grown ten years younger. His cloudy eyes were wide as saucers, fixed on Ji Jing, and his voice rose several pitches:
"Wait! Say that again! You said that a complete set of that First-Word Battle Armor could let a Soul King stand shoulder to shoulder with a Soul Saint?!"
"A Soul Saint who hasn't used their Martial Soul Avatar,"
Ji Jing corrected him.
"Is that true?!"
Before you continue