This had happened three months after they enrolled in the Pre-Education Academy.
At that moment, in the small courtyard of their class.
Li Changsheng and the Seven Absolute Zither Master faced each other from a distance. Soul Power surged around them as a battle-ready aura slowly settled over their bodies.
The weather was beautiful that day. Layers of white clouds were piled across the deep blue sky, and the sunlight filtering through fell just right on the little courtyard.
"Although I only have one Soul Ring, don't think that means I'll lose."
Li Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing levelly at the Seven Absolute Zither Master not far away.
The Seven Absolute Zither Master chuckled. Her voice was crisp, her words brisk. "Have you ever beaten me?"
Li Changsheng stamped his foot.
Zi Buyu sat beneath the pavilion nearby, turning the pages of a book. She yawned in boredom, without a trace of a senior's bearing. "Sparring is a waste of time. With the time you spend at it, you'd be better off reading a few more books."
With no missions to complete, Li Changsheng and the Seven Absolute Zither Master spent every day reading and doing little else. They'd practically neglected everything beyond their books—and they found reading quite pleasant.
With Zi Buyu's Book Fragrance Domain boosting him, Li Changsheng had officially reached Soul Power Level 19 over these three months. He was only a hair's breadth away from Level 20, when he could obtain his Second Soul Ring.
And it had only been three months.
The Seven Absolute Zither Master's Soul Power hadn't increased slowly either. She was now at Level 24, gaining roughly one level a month.
So, apart from their daily reading, after finishing their reading assignments, Li Changsheng and the Seven Absolute Zither Master would spar.
The rules were simple: they'd stop before anyone was hurt, use no lethal weapons or Soul Skills, and spar under Zi Buyu's watchful eye.
Over these three months, Li Changsheng and the Seven Absolute Zither Master had sparred more than ten times.
Every time, Li Changsheng had come up a little short.
It wasn't that he lacked strength. He was simply focused on honing his ability to contain Soul Power. Over these three months, the First Soul Ring of his Second Martial Soul, the Immortal Execution Painting, had reached a cultivation age of five hundred years. That meant Li Changsheng's physique had improved considerably—a very impressive gain.
"Don't worry. Today, you'll taste defeat."
Li Changsheng wasn't wearing his mask. His confident smile was plain to see; he looked one finger-curl away from taunting the Seven Absolute Zither Master.
The Seven Absolute Zither Master snorted. "I'll beat you until you're running around with your head in your hands."
As soon as she finished speaking, she lightly rose onto her toes and leaped backward, all in the space of half a breath.
In a sense, both Li Changsheng and the Seven Absolute Zither Master were control-type Soul Masters, and their Soul Skills were quite similar. So, when they sparred, they usually clashed Soul Skill against Soul Skill.
The Seven Absolute Zither Master swept her jade-white hand through the air. A Seven Absolute Zither rode the surging waves of Soul Power toward her like a swaying little boat, hovering before her as one yellow and one purple Soul Ring revolved around her.
The sound of the zither took shape as her fingers plucked its strings.
Great ice spikes, each over half a meter long, formed one after another. At a glance, there were more than ten of them. Brimming with terrifying Soul Power, they came crashing straight toward Li Changsheng.
"Haha, still going to trade Soul Skills? Today, I'll show you what a control-type Soul Master with an attacker's bite can do!"
Li Changsheng didn't so much as flinch at the oncoming ice spikes.
His Martial Soul appeared in an instant.
The ancient Genesis Book rustled open, and Soul Power burst forth.
He immediately called out, "Spear!"
As the word fell, a long spear formed from Soul Power, its entire length gleaming white, and dropped straight into his hand.
Gripping the spear, Li Changsheng surged forward with erratic footwork, something like Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track but not quite the same. He flickered through several afterimages and vanished from where he stood, leaving only the dust kicked up by the crashing ice spikes.
Ever since that day, when a mysterious Titled Douluo had invaded his mind and questioned him about Li Zishuo, Li Changsheng had gradually stopped openly using the skills from the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record. But with his own modifications and a few suggestions from the God of Wisdom, he'd gradually reworked some of the skills he used most, like Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and Purple Demon Eye. They still worked, though they weren't as powerful as before—and now they suited Li Changsheng better.
Watching Li Changsheng vanish and hearing his excited words, the Seven Absolute Zither Master gave a cold snort. The melody beneath her fingers changed at once, its new notes clear as day.
During this time, the Seven Absolute Zither Master had spent more of her time studying musical scores than books.
Especially after Teacher Zi Buyu gave her a score from the reclusive Clear Sky Sect. She memorized it, then played it through her own Martial Soul. The resulting scenes of musical attacks made anyone who witnessed them shudder and break out in goosebumps.
"Sea God Plays Zither and Dances with Shadow!"
The Seven Absolute Zither Master cried out. The melody that had seemed to pause suddenly transformed into visible sound waves.
A grand scene took shape: a blurry, long-haired man sat playing a horizontal zither. Each time his fingers plucked the strings, the tranquil notes quivered. At the same time, a golden-haired woman danced gracefully through the air.
The instant the first note rang out,
Li Changsheng's vanished figure suddenly appeared on the ground.
His expression was vacant, a smile still lingering on his face. He held the Soul Power spear aloft, clearly poised to attack.
In the next instant,
Li Changsheng suddenly shuddered from head to toe.
What had just happened?
The zither music still rang in his ears, but the Seven Absolute Zither Master, who had been some distance away, was now standing right in front of him, her hand raised high.
"If I had a knife, you'd be dead already."
Pointing her index finger at Li Changsheng's neck, the Seven Absolute Zither Master lifted her little chin and spoke haughtily.
Li Changsheng froze, then asked in surprise, "What just happened? Wasn't I supposed to raise my spear and attack you? Why did I suddenly lose consciousness when I heard your zither?"
Li Changsheng was right. He'd had the advantage just moments ago. Using his modified Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to conceal himself and leading with his spear, he'd needed only a single breath to defeat the Seven Absolute Zither Master.
The Seven Absolute Zither Master lowered her hand. "I have to thank Teacher for giving me that score. You like reading history, so do you know that in the era of our ancestor Tang San, he had an aunt named Tang Yuehua?"
"Tang Yuehua? I've read a few accounts." Li Changsheng was puzzled. What did Tang Yuehua have to do with this? Wait...
Before he could finish the thought, the Seven Absolute Zither Master continued, "What I manifested with my zither just now was a score composed by Tang Yuehua: the Sea God Calming Heart Melody. Legend has it that Tang Yuehua was moved by the scene of the Sea God finally washing away all worldly adornments and performing, and later composed this piece in response. When I play it, anyone harboring hostile intentions toward me is automatically stunned for one second. So you lost."
At the end, the Seven Absolute Zither Master spoke solemnly, as if delivering a formal verdict.
Li Changsheng was stunned. You could do that?
He thought it over, then pursed his lips. "Having more Soul Power really is great."
Before you continue