The Challenge

Their apprenticeship ceremony was witnessed by the senior elders of Shrek Academy.

Many influential figures whom Yun Qianzhao had once only seen in Federation news, such as Light-Dark Douluo Long Yeyue, were now standing before him.

Yun Ming introduced them to the siblings one by one.

Looking at Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue, Long Yeyue smiled kindly. "As Yun Ming's disciples, the academy is your home! We old bones are all here to back you up! If you ever suffer a grievance, come straight to us!"

Then she lowered her voice and whispered half-jokingly, "If Yun Ming ever treats you badly, come to me anyway!"

Each senior elder had prepared plenty of gifts for the two. Faced with so many rare treasures, Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue accepted them all. But the two never forgot their true goal!

Eat the candy coating, send the cannonballs back.

Yun Ming stood with his hands behind his back and said to the siblings, "As your master, my first requirement is that you rest!"

Rest?

Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue looked at Yun Ming, frowning.

Ya Li explained from the side, "The worst thing in cultivation is impatience. If you push yourselves too hard, you'll only lose more than you gain! So take a few days to rest properly!"

"Yes, Master's wife!" The two nodded.

The way they addressed her put Ya Li in high spirits. If she couldn't be their adoptive mother, being their master's wife would do.

That one "Master's wife" was enough to make Ya Li take the two to heart.

Seeing her reaction, Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue exchanged meaningful smiles. They hadn't expected that a single form of address could excite a Super Douluo at Level 98 so much.

Another month passed, and both had reached Level 10 Soul Power. They needed to acquire Soul Rings before they could continue cultivating.

However, the inherited Soul Spirits possessed by Shrek Academy did not perfectly match the attributes and levels of the siblings' Martial Souls. So Ya Li personally took them to the Spirit Pagoda to obtain Soul Spirits.

Everyone at the Spirit Pagoda took Ya Li and the others' arrival seriously. The staff quickly reported the news to the pagoda master, Qiangu Dongfeng.

As soon as Qiangu Dongfeng heard the news, he had someone invite Yun Qianzhao and the others to the reception room.

"Holy Spirit Douluo, why didn't you let us know you were coming? If word got out, people might think our Spirit Pagoda had deliberately slighted you!" Qiangu Dongfeng smiled as he asked Ya Li about her visit in the meeting room.

"Pagoda Master Qiangu, you're too kind! I'm here to choose Soul Spirits for my juniors."

Ya Li ignored the teasing in Qiangu Dongfeng's words and introduced him to Yun Qianzhao and the others. "Qian Zhao, Qian Yue, this is the current pagoda master of the Spirit Pagoda, Spirit Douluo Qiangu Dongfeng."

Standing behind Ya Li, Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue stared at Qiangu Dongfeng for a while before clasping their hands in greeting.

"No need for formalities! Holy Spirit Douluo, who are these two?"

Qiangu Dongfeng waved a hand. His gaze settled on Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue, curiosity in his eyes. There couldn't be many juniors at Shrek Academy whom Ya Li would personally bring to obtain Soul Spirits.

Besides, he sensed a hint of hostility in the siblings' gazes.

Ya Li knew she couldn't keep their identities secret, so she told Qiangu Dongfeng directly, "They're Yun Ming's disciples."

"Yun Ming's disciples?"

Qiangu Dongfeng raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting as he looked at the siblings.

No wonder they were hostile.

Qiangu Dongfeng suddenly understood. "To catch Sky-Piercing Douluo's eye, they must be extraordinary! Come with me. I'll personally choose Soul Spirits for my two grandnephews and grandnieces."

On the way to the Soul Spirit storage center, Qiangu Dongfeng kept telling Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue about the Spirit Pagoda's greatness and the power of its Artificial Soul Spirit technology.

But with memories of his previous life, Yun Qianzhao knew Qiangu Dongfeng was a scoundrel who worked with the Holy Spirit Cult. So he didn't respond to Qiangu Dongfeng's attempts to win them over.

Seeing the siblings' lukewarm reactions, Qiangu Dongfeng stopped talking.

After they had chosen their Soul Spirits, he returned with a boy who looked only a little older than Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue.

"This is my grandson, Qiangu Zhangting! He wants to have a match with you two grandnephews and grandnieces!"

Qiangu Zhangting bowed to Ya Li. Her brows furrowed as she asked in confusion, "Pagoda Master Qiangu, what do you mean by this?"

Qiangu Dongfeng smiled faintly. "It's just a spar. Holy Spirit Douluo, there's no need to be nervous!"

Ya Li's expression darkened. "Pagoda Master Qiangu, you must be joking. Qian Zhao and Qian Yue haven't broken through yet!"

"Just their luck, then. Zhangting only broke through a little while ago. Their Soul Power levels should be about the same."

As Qiangu Dongfeng said this, his expression suddenly changed. He asked, "Or does Holy Spirit Douluo think my grandson isn't worthy of fighting Sky-Piercing Douluo's disciples?"

His voice rose, drawing the attention of the people nearby.

"Of course not!" Ya Li frowned. He couldn't just say things like that!

Qiangu Dongfeng gestured invitingly and said to Ya Li, "Please! I've already prepared a place for my two grandnephews and grandnieces to absorb their Soul Spirits."

Ya Li looked at Yun Qianzhao with concern. Seeing how calm he and Yun Qianyue were, she nodded in agreement. "All right. Let's go."

In the lounge, Ya Li looked serious as she warned them, "The relationship between the Spirit Pagoda and the academy is complicated. You must be careful! Qian Zhao, protect your younger sister during the match."

"Don't worry, Master's wife!"

Yun Qianzhao nodded. He didn't need her to tell him; he would protect himself, too.

Shrek Academy was unworthy of its reputation, and the Spirit Pagoda was no good either! Since Qiangu Dongfeng wanted to test them, then let him.

The siblings' true trump card would always be their one-soul, twin-life ability!

The two began absorbing their Soul Spirits. Yun Qianzhao chose a Hundred-Year fire-type bird Soul Spirit called the Heavenly Sun Bird, while Yun Qianyue chose an ice-type plant Soul Spirit, Moon Laurel!

Both were excellent Hundred-Year Soul Spirits.

With the siblings' talent, they had no trouble acquiring Hundred-Year Soul Rings.

Behind them, yellow Soul Rings gradually appeared around the outer layer of their Sun-Moon Martial Souls. The rings revolved slowly around the Martial Souls at their centers, like a galaxy.

Qiangu Dongfeng arranged the match in the Spirit Pagoda's Great Soul Fighting Arena.

The entire Great Soul Fighting Arena was packed. Everyone at the Spirit Pagoda who was free had come to claim a spot. After all, one side of the match was the pagoda master's grandson, and the other was Sky-Piercing Douluo's disciple. Either one would be big news.

Qiangu Dongfeng stood smiling before the main platform. Seeing Ya Li approach from the side, he smiled and asked, "Holy Spirit Douluo, who do you think will win this match?"

Ya Li glanced at him, then looked at Qiangu Zhangting, who was eager to fight on the platform. She countered, "What do you think, Pagoda Master Qiangu?"

Hearing Ya Li's question, Qiangu Dongfeng only smiled. No matter whether Qiangu Zhangting won or lost this match, the Spirit Pagoda had nothing to lose.

If they won, then Sky-Piercing Douluo Yun Ming's disciples simply weren't good enough—they could even lose in a two-on-one fight. If they tied or lost, it wouldn't affect anything.