"Clear Sky Sect..."
Li Changsheng trembled again when he heard those three words.
What a familiar name!
"The son of the Clear Sky Sect's leader? A Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul? No wonder the people from the Pre-Education Academy are so eager. It's the world's strongest Power Attack-type tool Martial Soul."
The Clear Sky Sect was much the same as it had been ten thousand years ago: reclusive and indifferent to worldly affairs. No one even knew where its sect was located. For thousands of years, no one in the outside world had heard of a Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul Master appearing.
The people from the Pre-Education Academy still couldn't compare with Shrek Academy.
They would actively recruit talented people, and you wouldn't want to refuse.
Soul Beasts of the highest age limit!
Precious Soul Bones!
You could have all of these, as long as you had talent and joined Shrek Pre-Academy.
In the blink of an eye, the vast purple glow in his starry eyes faded, and Li Changsheng returned to himself.
The waitress's consciousness returned as well. She raised her slender hand and gently pressed her index finger against her temple, then stared dazedly at Li Changsheng as he turned around.
She seemed to think she'd said something she shouldn't have and made a fool of herself, but she couldn't remember exactly what.
"All right, you may leave." Though Li Changsheng was small, he carried an air of authority. Using the lingering control over her consciousness, he sent the waitress out of the room.
That was right.
What Li Changsheng had just used was the Purple Demon Eye!
Only, it hadn't been him using it. It had been the God of Wisdom. Its Purple Demon Eye had surpassed its limits, and calling it the Purple Vast Demon Eye wouldn't have been an exaggeration.
Its most straightforward ability was control: controlling a person's consciousness.
Of course, Li Changsheng's body was frail and he didn't have a Martial Soul. Even the God of Wisdom could only control ordinary Soul Masters at most.
But if Li Changsheng had Soul Power and his body could withstand the strain, then this kind of control would be terrifying.
Unconditional obedience.
"The Purple Demon Eye really is powerful when developed to its absolute limit."
Li Changsheng had only wanted to fish for information, but he hadn't expected the God of Wisdom to tell him it could directly control other people for a short time. He hadn't thought twice before using it.
And so, that scene had just taken place.
"How long do I need to cultivate before I can reach that level?"
Turning back, Li Changsheng looked down at the central arena and asked casually.
<Answer. This depends on your specific opportunities. With cultivation alone, it would take a thousand years. With an opportunity, you could make great progress.>
The God of Wisdom gave Li Changsheng a vague answer.
"It's starting."
Li Changsheng felt bored. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the Level 8 Soul Tool arena at the center of the Spirit Soul Soul Fighting Arena.
At that moment,
dozens of Soul Emperor powerhouses stood ready, then filed into the lower level of the arena.
As they entered, Soul Power erupted like a crashing waterfall, exploding in every direction.
All kinds of Soul Rings dazzled everyone's eyes.
At the same time,
the Soul Tool arena, which had looked like a stretch of black earth, suddenly burst into blinding light that shot toward the heavens. As it lit up the entire night sky, two clear beast cries rang out.
Li Changsheng's gaze followed them upward, his eyes fixed on the firmament.
Under the pull of the Level 8 Soul Tool, the surging Soul Power of dozens of Soul Emperors rushed into the sky, transforming into a golden dragon and a fiery phoenix!
The two powerful phantom beings raised their heads to the heavens and unleashed two astonishing beams of light.
The golden dragon shook the world; the fiery phoenix set the wilds ablaze.
After unleashing their ferocious attacks, the two apparitions turned into glowing orbs that shone in tandem.
One gold and one red, they settled at opposite ends and covered the entire Level 8 Soul Tool arena.
Everyone present was stunned. Their heads remained tilted back until the host's voice rang out below, and only then did they slowly lower them.
Even after coming back to their senses, they couldn't stop wondering:
What was that?
A dragon? A phoenix?
Why had they appeared?
Li Changsheng had looked away as soon as the dragon and phoenix descended. The others might not know what they were, but he did.
This Level 8 Soul Tool arena was also called the Sun Moon Annual Ring Platform. It was a high-level defensive Soul Tool made by the Bright Mirror Hall of the Sun Moon Empire. Aside from its basic structure, it had the spirit essences of two Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts' Soul Bones attached inside.
A sixty-thousand-year-old Golden Earth-Armored Dragon!
A fifty-thousand-year-old Prairie Fire Phoenix!
When in use, it required more than ten Soul Emperors to activate the attached spirit essences of the Soul Bones together. This would turn the Earth Armor Dragon and the Prairie Fire Phoenix into two barriers—one for defense and one for absorption—to achieve perfect defense.
The first simply defended against Soul Power attacks.
The second absorbed the Soul Power that leaked out.
These were the two Soul Beasts' innate traits.
"Putting on airs and suffering for it." Li Changsheng spoke with some disdain.
He couldn't help it. That was simply how things were.
The spirit essences of the Soul Bones inside this Soul Tool could only be activated a limited number of times.
Once they were activated too many times, the two embedded Soul Bones would shatter and vanish completely.
How absurd would it be if they could be activated without limit? Even Level 9 Soul Tools probably couldn't manage something like that.
Li Changsheng didn't dwell on it. He turned his attention to the host, who was standing on a Flying Soul Tool.
"Ladies and gentlemen, and all the chosen youths of Spirit Soul City who are about to awaken their Martial Souls! Today, our Spirit Soul Grand Soul Fighting Arena is honored to welcome the talented students from Shrek's Pre-Education Class, who will be competing here!"
"Their opponents will be an all-Soul Elder team trained by our Spirit Soul Soul Fighting Arena, with Gold Soul Fighting rank combat strength!"
"And as far as I know, the students from Shrek Pre-Academy are all eleven years old, with Soul Power at..."
At this point, the host, who was riding a Soul Tool through the air, glanced around. Then he raised his hand and pointed toward the Soul Power screen in the sky:
Boom, boom, boom...
Fireworks scattered chaotically, as if celebrating, and pushed the atmosphere in the entire arena to its peak.
Li Changsheng looked with keen interest at the information displayed on the Soul Power screen.
Nearly ten thousand people sat in the stands. Amid their gasps, Li Changsheng's pupils suddenly contracted.
Shrek Pre-Academy.
Captain: Centrifugal Killing Mirror—Level 28 Agility Attack-type Tool Soul Grandmaster. Age: eleven.
Team Member: Tearing Terror Claw—Level 26 Power Attack-type Combat Soul Grandmaster. Age: twelve.
Team Member: Exquisite Dice—Level 25 Support-type Tool Soul Grandmaster. Age: ten.
Team Member: Iron Armor Linked Shield—Level 26 Defense-type Combat Soul Grandmaster. Age: twelve.
Team Member: Seven Absolute Zither Master—Level 21 Control-type Combat Soul Grandmaster. Age: seven.
"Seven years old? Level 21? Are you kidding me? That can't be real, can it?"
Li Changsheng pressed his dislocated jaw back into place and checked again.
There was no mistake. The Soul Power projection showed she was seven years old, with Level 21 Soul Power—a Control-type Soul Grandmaster!
"This girl... Damn, is she the main character? Am I, the one with a system, actually just a supporting character?"
Li Changsheng couldn't help grumbling again, and again, and again.
Seven years old and Level 21—where had this little monster come from?
The other Soul Masters watching were just as stunned and full of disbelief.
It was simply too outrageous. Seven years old meant she had awakened her Martial Soul only a year ago. Even with Innate Full Soul Power at Level 10, could she have cultivated ten more levels of Soul Power in a single year?
Li Changsheng stroked his chin. Suddenly, he thought of another possibility: Innate Soul Power at Level 20!
Hadn't there been someone like that ten thousand years ago?
"Qian Renxue... She had a Radiant Angel Martial Soul. No, wait. Judging by the title she gave herself, Seven Absolute Zither Master, her Martial Soul must be powerful enough to match a Radiant Angel. That's too outrageous. Another monster has appeared in this era?"
Li Changsheng stared intently at the arena below.
He'd stopped paying attention to the host's excited commentary. His eyes were fixed on the arena; he wanted to see what kind of monster this Seven Absolute Zither Master was.
Soon, after the host's enthusiastic introduction, the five members of Shrek Pre-Academy were the first to enter.
"Why are they wearing masks? Damn, are they too ugly to show their faces?"
<Answer. According to the information found about Shrek Pre-Academy's rules, every student must wear a mask and go by a code name. They may only remove their masks after graduation.>
As soon as he saw them, Li Changsheng leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window and started cursing.
But the God of Wisdom answered his question at once, leaving him stunned.
They had to wear masks for six whole years? That was some twisted psychology.
The five students entering the arena all wore masks to conceal their faces.
Still, their order of entry made it possible to tell that the one walking at the very back was Seven Absolute Zither Master.
All Li Changsheng could see was that she was a woman, wearing a long black robe that trailed along the ground. Her silver-white hair fell over her shoulders, and she was a little taller than Li Changsheng. He couldn't see anything else.
"God of Wisdom, can the Purple Demon Eye see through things... Never mind..."
Li Changsheng felt a little on edge. Perhaps it was because he'd seen an absolute genius and started doubting himself?
But then he thought about it again. He was a transmigrator! He was a transmigrator who'd lived for ten thousand years, and he had a system to boot. What did he have to fear?
I, Li Changsheng, could sweep the Night-Startling Spear across the field and make you all vanish in the blink of an eye!
Li Changsheng slapped his face and cursed himself for losing his composure and grumbling.
At the same time, he turned his attention to the five Pre-Academy students' opponents.
There were seven of them.
That was right. The five Pre-Academy students were up against a seven-person team sent by the Soul Fighting Arena, probably the most perfectly balanced Soul Master team.
But the five students from the Pre-Academy were also perfectly balanced.
Agility Attack, Power Attack, Support, Control, Defense.
The five of them had all the necessary components of a perfect team.
Soon, under the host's guidance, the two sides exchanged only a few words before releasing their Martial Souls. The battle began.
From beginning to end, Li Changsheng's calm gaze remained fixed on Seven Absolute Zither Master, standing in the center.
The five Pre-Academy students had taken a two-one-two formation.
The Power Attack and Defense types stood at the front. Seven Absolute Zither Master, the Control type, stood in the middle. The Agility Attack and Support types stood at the rear.
Soon, both sides released their Martial Souls.
Seven Absolute Zither Master's silver-white hair fluttered as two Soul Rings appeared around her: one yellow and one purple!
One hundred-year Soul Ring and one thousand-year Soul Ring!
Li Changsheng wasn't surprised, but the audience was stunned. Wave after wave of cheers rolled through the stands, and the whole place was buzzing.
Then Seven Absolute Zither Master swept one hand to the side. A seven-string zither instantly took shape before her and floated in front of her, as Soul Power surged outward with a roar.
At the same time, the other four Pre-Academy students released their Martial Souls as well.
But their Soul Ring configurations were merely the standard top-tier setup: two yellow Soul Rings each.
First was their captain, Centrifugal Killing Mirror. His Martial Soul was a small mirror, held up in his hand.
Next was Tearing Terror Claw. His was a Beast Martial Soul, some kind of bear? Li Changsheng only saw his hands grow very, very large, with sharp claws.
Then came Exquisite Dice. She was a girl with long, fluttering hair. A crystal-clear die that glimmered with five-colored light hovered at her fingertips, its uppermost face showing one.
Last was Iron Armor Linked Shield. His Martial Soul was a shield, nothing flashy.
Compared with the five from the Pre-Academy, their opponents were even less impressive.
One of the enemy Soul Masters even had a white ten-year Soul Ring as his First Soul Ring. Still, all seven of them were three-ring Soul Elders.
The moment the host announced the start of the Soul Fight, the first to react wasn't the Pre-Academy captain, the Agility Attack-type Soul Grandmaster.
It was Seven Absolute Zither Master in the center.
She gently plucked the first string of her seven-string zither, and the First Soul Ring around her lit up.
Her voice rang out, airy and ethereal: "First piece, second movement, Thousand Mountains and Ravines Across the Four Directions."
As her words fell, gigantic phantom mountains instantly crashed down on the seven opponents. They slammed into their Martial Souls and pressed down on them, which creaked and groaned beneath the weight.
The bizarre scene unfolded in an instant. Seeing that their opponents could still move,
the other four Pre-Academy students still did nothing. All their gazes fell, as if by unspoken agreement, on Seven Absolute Zither Master in the center.
"Exquisite Dice, give her a two-point blessing," the captain said to the Support-type Soul Master beside her.
But before the Support-type Soul Master could assist Seven Absolute Zither Master, she moved again.
It was still her First Soul Ring. Everyone thought she was about to send those phantom mountains crashing down on her opponents again, but then an astonishing scene unfolded.
"First piece, second movement, Birds Startle, People Perish, Frozen Three Feet."
Wind rose across the arena. No, it was a raging blizzard. Icicles transformed into ice birds and shot toward the opponents. At the same time, water flooded their formation, rising to their knees before instantly freezing solid. They still hadn't managed to break free of the phantom mountains when the ice trapped them too. Then, as the seven stood bewildered, the ice birds swept them off the arena in unison.
Li Changsheng: "..."
Audience: "..."
Host: "..."
The higher-ups of the Spirit Soul Grand Soul Fighting Arena: "..."
A complete victory—one person's complete victory.
This wasn't just a Control-type Soul Master controlling the battlefield. It was one-sided slaughter by a Control-type Soul Master.
"Did she use one Soul Skill or two?"
Li Changsheng had watched closely. She'd made two moves from start to finish, releasing Soul Skills twice. Both were control effects, but they had different results, and both times her First Soul Ring had lit up.
<Answer. Her Martial Soul is unusual. No matter how many Soul Rings she gains, she probably only has one Soul Skill.>
"What Soul Skill?" Li Changsheng asked without thinking.
Answer. Zither Sound Manifestation. the God of Wisdom replied.
"Zither Sound Manifestation? What does that mean? Is it like how the Night-Startling Spear's spear aura takes physical form?"
<Answer. Simply put, she can turn the artistic conception of the music she plays into reality. Just now, she spoke of mountains and ice, and played music evoking mountains and ice, so the mountains pressed down and the ice imprisoned them. But this only works with music for the seven-string zither.> <Additional information. Your Martial Soul is very similar to hers.>
"What do you mean?"
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