One Purple, Three Black

"Who is that?" Gu Qingshan asked, turning his head toward Hu Liena, who stood at the edge of the field.

Hu Liena followed his gaze, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

"Gui Yuan, Ghost Leopard Douluo's grandson. A forty-second-level Soul Ancestor. His Martial Soul is Ghost Leopard." Her tone was calm as she recited Gui Yuan's information.

"He's nineteen this year, and the strongest person under twenty in Spirit Hall. They say his grandfather has high hopes for him and has been using all sorts of rare treasures to build up his foundation since he was little. His Soul Ring Configuration is top-tier, too. He's incredibly fast—so fast that people at the same level can't even make out his movements."

She paused, then added, "But he's seven years older than me."

Gu Qingshan gave a quiet "Oh" and looked away from Gui Yuan.

Nineteen and only forty-two. He wasn't a true prodigy.

Bibi Dong stood on the viewing stand overlooking the training field, looking down at the scene below.

Behind her stood three healing Soul Masters dressed in white robes.

Gu Qingshan hadn't even had time to remind her to call for the healers before she had already arranged everything.

These young people were the descendants of the various elders. Every one of them was arrogant and had never suffered a setback.

It was time to turn up the pressure on them and let them learn that there was always a sky beyond the sky, and a person beyond every person.

Gu Qingshan was the perfect one to do it.

He seemed to sense her gaze and looked up at her, giving a slight nod.

By now, the young people seemed to have settled on the order in which they would challenge him.

Gui Yuan strode forward and stopped in front of Gu Qingshan.

"My name is Gui Yuan. I'm a forty-second-level Soul Ancestor, and my Martial Soul is Ghost Leopard."

Gu Qingshan looked at him and nodded, silently lowering his damage-reflection ratio to the minimum: ten percent.

His health bar was at twenty thousand. The slightest miscalculation could reflect enough damage to kill someone.

"Gu Qingshan. Forty-third-level Soul Ancestor."

A low murmur spread through the crowd. Forty-three against forty-two—a one-level difference, practically negligible.

But Gu Qingshan wasn't even seven yet. How much real combat experience could he have?

Gui Yuan's eyes lit up, battle flames burning in his amber pupils.

"I'm claiming the Holy Son's position."

Gu Qingshan met his eyes, then smiled.

"Let's get one thing straight first. Fists and feet have no eyes. Don't go whining afterward if you get hurt."

The training field fell silent for a moment.

Then the challengers erupted.

"That brat's way too arrogant!"

"Gui Yuan, teach him a lesson!"

"He's six years old, but he sure talks big!"

"Show him there's always someone better!"

Gui Yuan's expression darkened. "Don't worry. I won't hold back."

"Then come on."

The three healing Soul Masters were already in position. Pale-green Soul Rings turned slowly beneath their feet, and they were ready to act at any moment.

The other challengers sensibly retreated to the edge of the training field, leaving plenty of room for the two in the center.

At the center of the field, Gu Qingshan and Gui Yuan faced each other, about twenty paces apart.

Gui Yuan released his Martial Soul first. Four Soul Rings—two yellow and two purple—rose from beneath his feet and revolved slowly around him.

His body lowered slightly, his center of gravity sinking. He looked like a real leopard poised to pounce.

He was the fastest person under twenty in Spirit Hall. No exceptions.

Gu Qingshan shifted the Blue Silver Leaf to the other side of his mouth, gently clamped it between his teeth, then raised his left hand.

The Thorn Shield Martial Soul appeared.

A massive, dark-gold shield materialized in front of his left arm. The thorn patterns on its surface glimmered dark red in the morning light.

Four Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet: purple, black, black, black.

One purple, three black.

A collective gasp rose from around the training field.

The challengers stared at the four Soul Rings, frozen in shock.

"His First Soul Ring... is purple?" someone murmured, their voice wavering.

"The second ring is ten-thousand-year... and the third and fourth are both ten-thousand-year, too." Another person counted them, then fell silent.

Gui Yuan's gaze settled on the four Soul Rings, and his pupils contracted slightly.

But he didn't back down. His friends were watching him, and his grandfather was waiting at home for news. He couldn't retreat, and he wouldn't.

"First Soul Skill: Ghost Shadow Step."

His body became a black blur and vanished from where he stood.

He really was fast—so fast that most of the people present couldn't make out his path.

They saw only a streak of black flash across the training field, like a bolt of black lightning. It cut in from Gu Qingshan's left and circled around behind him.

Gui Yuan's strategy was clear. Gu Qingshan's Martial Soul was a shield, a defensive type. It would be difficult to break through with a frontal attack.

But attacking from behind was different. Shields usually offered directional defense, leaving the back as their weakest point.

He darted behind Gu Qingshan, Soul Power surging through the claws of his right hand as he lunged straight for Gu Qingshan's back.

"Second Soul Skill: Ghost Leopard Heart-Gouging!"

His claws tore through the air with a sharp whistle.

Gu Qingshan didn't turn around.

He didn't even move.

Gui Yuan's claws struck Gu Qingshan squarely in the back.

Then Gui Yuan went flying.

The instant his claws touched Gu Qingshan, an immense force rebounded from that small body. It traveled up his arm, through his shoulder, across his chest, and through his entire body.

The force was like a spring compressed to its limit, suddenly released with a devastating impact.

Gui Yuan's body flew backward like a cannonball, moving far faster than when he had charged in.

Through a man-shaped hole in the wall, Gui Yuan could be seen sprawled on the ground, covered in blood and looking quite peaceful.

A moment later, Gui Yuan struggled into a sitting position. He glanced at his right hand, shattered with multiple fractures, and his caved-in chest, then looked up at Gu Qingshan in the distance, who still stood exactly where he had been without so much as a change in posture. Gui Yuan's cheek twitched.

He had lost—utterly and completely, without the slightest suspense!

The young spectators stared wide-eyed, horror written across their faces. Everyone instinctively took half a step back.

Terrifying!

Gu Qingshan stepped forward. "Who's next?"

The young people all took a step back, then scattered in every direction.

In fewer than five breaths, the training field was left with only Gu Qingshan, Bibi Dong, the three healing Soul Masters, the three members of Hu Liena's group, and Gui Yuan, who was still sitting on the ground receiving treatment.

Gui Yuan watched his companions run off faster than rabbits, and his mouth twitched.

Suddenly, he felt that getting knocked flying hadn't been quite so embarrassing after all.

From her seat on the viewing stand, Bibi Dong watched the young people scatter like startled birds. A trace of amusement flashed through her violet eyes.

This was exactly the effect she had wanted.

After that day, no one ever challenged Gu Qingshan again.

Gui Yuan was the strongest person under twenty in Spirit Hall: a forty-second-level Soul Ancestor, so fast that people at the same level couldn't even make out his movements.

With Gui Yuan defeated in a single blow, no one else had any desire to lay claim to the Holy Son's position.