Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Heaven Dou Grade core dormitory district.
Everyone who lived here was a true scion of the Heaven Dou Empire's powerful elite, and had to possess at least twenty levels of Soul Power to qualify as a Soul Grandmaster.
At that moment, two or three dozen elite Heaven Dou Grade students in gold-trimmed uniforms had gathered outside Villa No. 1.
They stared at the six-year-old boy, their eyes filled with undisguised scrutiny, jealousy, and resentment.
Each of them had endured brutal examinations to finally earn a place in the Heaven Dou Grade, a symbol of the highest honor. Yet this little brat, who hadn't even grown a hair on his chin, had not only been dropped straight into the Heaven Dou Grade, but had also been assigned Villa No. 1—the place with the richest spiritual energy in the entire academy, where only the top student had ever been allowed to live!
"Stop."
When Xue Yao was still ten paces from the villa entrance, a towering upperclassman, built like half an iron pagoda, stepped into the middle of the path, his face cold.
"Balo, don't be rude! This is Viscount Xue Yao of the Farack Kingdom!" Meng Shenji's brows furrowed as he reprimanded him sternly.
"Esteemed Commissioner."
Though Balo held the Soul Douluo-level commissioner in awe, the defiance in his bones kept him from backing down. "At Heaven Dou Royal Academy, we've always respected the strong! Only the strongest student of each class gets to live in Villa No. 1. What right does a six-year-old brat have to stay here? Is our Heaven Dou Grade going to turn into a royal nursery?"
The moment he said this, the noble students around them chimed in.
"Exactly! This isn't fair!"
"So people with connections can just ignore the academy's rules?"
As he listened to the commotion around him, Xue Yao showed no anger or nervousness.
He merely yawned lazily and reached out to stroke Little Griffin, circling above his shoulder.
"Esteemed Commissioner." Xue Yao's voice rang out, crisp and childish, yet cold. "Do the academy's rules allow private duels?"
Meng Shenji paused briefly, then replied, "To encourage competition, the Heaven Dou Grade allows students to challenge each other to spar. As long as... no one is killed or crippled, instructors generally won't interfere."
"Got it."
Xue Yao nodded, then did something that took everyone present completely by surprise.
He simply stood where he was, making no attempt to assume a fighting stance. He didn't even seem inclined to use Martial Soul Possession.
"If you think I'm unworthy, then go ahead and attack. If you can make me take even half a step back, this villa is yours." Xue Yao's tone was as casual as if he were granting a favor.
Arrogant!
Outrageously arrogant!
A six-year-old brat facing a Soul Grandmaster over level twenty wasn't using Martial Soul Possession, and even claimed he'd lose if he took half a step back?!
"Kid, you're way too cocky! Your senior's going to teach you that there's always someone stronger!"
Xue Yao's contemptuous attitude had infuriated Balo completely.
"Martial Soul Possession! Iron-Armored Black Rhino!"
With a furious roar, Balo's already massive body swelled another size. A layer of armor-like, black steel skin appeared across his surface, and a sharp black horn sprouted from the bridge of his nose.
Two yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet. The powerful Soul Power of a level-twenty-six Soul Grandmaster swept out like a gale!
"Little guy, play with him."
"Shriek!"
At his master's command, Little Griffin spread his wings and shot several meters higher into the air.
There was no flash of Soul Power, no extra buildup.
Little Griffin gracefully flicked his right wing.
"Whoosh!"
First strike.
A pale blue Wind Blade, about half a meter long, formed instantly and drifted toward Balo's chest.
"That's it? You can't even scratch my skin!"
Balo sneered. He didn't even use a Soul Skill, simply raising his iron-armored arm to take the Wind Blade head-on.
With a muffled thud, the Wind Blade shattered, leaving only a faint white mark on Balo's arm.
The students around them burst into laughter.
"We thought he was some peerless genius. Turns out that's all he's got?"
"An attack like that couldn't even tickle Senior Balo!"
Meng Shenji, standing to one side, narrowed his eyes slightly.
He had keenly sensed that just after the Wind Blade was released, the wind element around Little Griffin had suddenly turned restless!
Divine Passive Skill, [Wind-Riding Combo], first layer, triggered!
A hint of anthropomorphic amusement flashed in Little Griffin's eyes. Then he whipped his left wing.
Second strike!
"Shhk—!"
Two Wind Blades formed in quick succession, at a speed that was simply unbelievable!
So fast!
Balo's smug grin froze on his face. The sudden doubling in speed left him no time to prepare a defense. All he could do was hastily cross his arms in front of him.
"Clang!"
Two shrill metallic scrapes rang out together!
Balo felt an immense cutting force sweep over him. A crack an inch deep had been carved right through the Iron Armor he'd always been so proud of, and the impact staggered him backward a step.
"What?!"
The laughter around them died away.
Without using a Soul Skill, just an instinctive attack from his Martial Soul, the second strike had been so much stronger than the first?!
But this was only the beginning.
Divine Passive Skill, [Wind-Riding Combo], second layer, triggered!
"Shriek!"
Little Griffin let out a piercing cry to the sky, crossed both wings before his chest, and slashed down!
Third strike!!
The air seemed to be sucked away in that instant.
Three solid-looking, deep-blue cross-shaped Wind Blades tore through the sky! Their edges radiated a destructive aura that made everyone's scalp crawl!
This time, Balo finally sensed the threat of death.
"First Soul Skill! Iron Armor Shield!"
Balo roared as his first Hundred-Year Soul Ring blazed. A heavy black Soul Power shield instantly formed in front of him.
However...
"Crack—!"
The deep-blue cross-shaped Wind Blades instantly sliced through the Iron Armor Shield and slammed into Balo's chest!
"Argh—!"
The layer of Black Rhino Iron Armor over Balo's chest shattered at once, and his entire body was lifted off the ground!
Divine Passive Skill, [Wind-Riding Combo], third layer, triggered!
"One last strike. Let's finish this." Xue Yao yawned.
In midair, Little Griffin drew his wings in, then flung them open with a force like a volcano erupting!
Fourth strike!!!
"Boom—!!!"
Four terrifying tornadoes of Wind Blades, each two zhang long and tinged with a hint of dark gold, instantly swallowed Balo, who was still airborne!
Where the Wind Blades passed, they plowed a deep furrow through the hard flagstones. The century-old trees around them shook violently, their leaves shredded to pieces!
"Thud!"
Balo's hulking body was blasted away by the violent pressure of the wind, slamming into the courtyard wall thirty meters away!
He spat out a mouthful of blood. His Martial Soul Possession instantly vanished, and he passed out on the spot.
Silence.
The entire area outside Villa No. 1 fell into a silence that lasted a full half-minute.
Only the soft rustle of fallen leaves stirred in the breeze.
The upperclassmen who had just mocked Xue Yao now stood as if petrified, faces pale as they stared at Balo, crumpled by the wall and showing no signs of life!
Four strikes!
Just four strikes—ten ordinary Wind Blades!
He hadn't used a single Soul Skill! He hadn't even used Martial Soul Possession himself!
A six-year-old One-Ring Soul Master had so casually beaten a level-twenty-six Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster into the ground?!
That ever more terrifying attack speed! That destructive power, multiplying with every strike! What kind of absurd, unreasonable ability was this?!
"He... he didn't even move his feet..." one genius student muttered, swallowing hard. His voice trembled and cracked.
Meng Shenji took a deep breath, forcing down the storm raging in his heart. The look he gave Xue Yao was no longer merely one of respect; it now carried a trace of awe.
This child was a true monster. A monster capable of overturning everything the Soul Master World believed in!
"Too weak."
Xue Yao ignored the way everyone was staring at him like he was a monster. He beckoned, and Little Griffin obediently flew back to his shoulder.
He turned, pushed open the luxurious doors of Villa No. 1, and left them with one casually spoken remark:
"Not even good enough to warm me up. The Heaven Dou Grade... that's it?"
Thud.
The doors closed.
That battle not only nailed the unlucky Balo to a pillar of shame, but also fixed the crown of "Heaven Dou Empire's Number One Genius" firmly on the head of this six-year-old boy!
Flatten anyone who dares defy me!
That was the Royal Griffin. That was absolute dimensional suppression!
Before you continue