[PS: Martial Soul hypnosis... an unorthodox path of evil cultivation. Later, when all nine spirit rings turn white, he'll unlock the ability to stop time... You know how it goes.]
Outside Suotuo City, the sun blazed overhead.
The entrance to Shrek Academy was packed with young Soul Masters who had come to apply.
They all dreamed of getting into a top academy, but none of them knew that today's ordinary admissions test would completely upend the established course of Douluo Continent.
Amid the crowd, Qin Chuan slowly opened his eyes. A deep, icy glint flashed through them.
"I've been in Douluo Continent for over ten years, and I've finally waited for this day. I have the Mutated Martial Soul [Illusion Bell], a Soul Power Level of 29, and I've also obtained a [Heavenly Dao System]."
As Qin Chuan was thinking this over, he saw two familiar faces approaching—Tang San and Xiao Wu.
"Mm, here they come. The target has appeared. The first task the [Heavenly Dao System] gave me is to steal Xiao Wu away from Tang San!"
With that thought, Qin Chuan quietly used his First Spirit Ability, Shadow Hypnosis, on Xiao Wu!
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Wu was dragged into another dimension.
Inside the space.
Peach blossoms drifted through the air. Xiao Wu and Qin Chuan stood facing each other in a peach grove. Pale pink petals settled on her scorpion braid, while several red carrots hung from the branches overhead.
"Xiao Wu, tell me: who do you love most?"
"It's... Tang San." Xiao Wu answered mechanically.
"Good. From now on, forget him. I'm the person you love most."
"No, don't... I don't want to forget Third Brother." Xiao Wu trembled with agitation. Then, an intense resistance surged from deep within her mind, breaking free of the hypnosis.
Qin Chuan curled his lips into a faint smile. It seemed he'd have to wait for another perfect opportunity before trying again.
"Third Brother... Look at that student. His smile is so warm, and he's pretty handsome too." Xiao Wu had no idea what had just happened.
Qin Chuan chuckled to himself. It seemed the hypnosis had still stirred Xiao Wu's heart.
Ten minutes later, Qin Chuan easily passed the Soul Power test, and Dai Mubai led him to the practical test site.
The test site.
Tang San and Xiao Wu had already arrived. The two of them sat on a long bench at the edge of the grounds.
Dai Mubai turned to Qin Chuan. "Wait here a moment. I'll go fetch the others."
Qin Chuan nodded.
After Dai Mubai left, Xiao Wu said quietly, "Third Brother, look. That handsome big brother's here too."
"Xiao Wu, could you stop bringing him up?"
At that moment, Xiao Wu inexplicably felt a trace of resentment toward Tang San.
A few minutes later, Dai Mubai brought Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong to the practical test site.
At the same time, the bearded, broad-shouldered Teacher Zhao Wuji appeared.
Dai Mubai reported, "Teacher Zhao, these five—Tang San, Xiao Wu, Qin Chuan, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong—all have Soul Power above level 25. They've come to take the practical test."
"Mm, not bad. We've got quite a few little monsters this year." He then introduced himself. "Hello, everyone. My name is Zhao Wuji, and I'm in charge of the final assessment. If you can make it through my trial, you can join Shrek Academy. But this test is out of the ordinary. The assessment is straightforward: a practical fight. All of you will face me together. If you can hold out for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, you'll pass."
As Zhao Wuji spoke, a smug smile spread across his face.
"You have one minute to discuss your strategy. The moment time's up, the fight begins. No objections."
"Come on, hurry! Let's take advantage of the time and work out a plan," Tang San called.
They quickly exchanged names and Soul Power levels, then immediately got ready for battle.
The minute passed in a flash, and the test began.
Two Spirit Rings shone around Ning Rongrong as she was the first to light up the battlefield. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda shines bright! First: Strength! Second: Speed!"
As soon as Ning Rongrong finished speaking, Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu felt light as swallows. Their Soul Power surged, and they moved like the wind. They charged forward as the vanguard, launching the first attack with swift, powerful strikes and setting the whole battle in motion.
On the other side, Tang San drove his Blue Silver Grass straight toward Zhao Wuji to bind him.
Facing their surprise attack, Zhao Wuji smiled calmly and clicked his tongue in admiration. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—interesting. And Blue Silver Grass? What the heck is that?"
Before he finished speaking, he swept a hand through the air, knocking all the incoming Blue Silver Grass to the ground.
Then he bent his knees slightly and shot into the air with a thunderous roar.
Second Spirit Skill, Great Strength Vajra Palm!
Zhao Wuji leaped with all his might, gathering a torrent of Soul Power in his enormous palm before slamming it toward Xiao Wu on the left flank.
Bam!
The muffled sound of Soul Power colliding rang out.
Even though Zhao Wuji had held back, Xiao Wu was still sent flying by the tremendous force.
At that moment, Tang San was focused on building up power to drive his Blue Silver Grass. He never would have expected Teacher Zhao to show no mercy to a young girl.
At this critical moment, Qin Chuan sprang forward and caught Xiao Wu as she flew toward him. Suspended in midair, her soft body fell into his arms.
A faint, sweet fragrance drifted into Qin Chuan's nose.
Tang San could only watch helplessly as Xiao Wu, who should have belonged in his arms, lay in someone else's. Bitterness and frustration filled his heart.
Qin Chuan landed steadily, an almost imperceptible smile appearing on his face. It's my turn to put on a show.
A thread of pale golden light flowed from his Martial Soul, Illusion Bell, and seeped into Xiao Wu's body.
This was the Heavenly Dao Power innate to his Martial Soul, with healing as its natural ability.
Xiao Wu's body gave a slight shudder as the tiny wounds on her skin rapidly healed before their eyes.
My chance! Shadow Hypnosis! Qin Chuan quietly activated his Spirit Skill again.
Xiao Wu fell into the other dimension for a second time.
Inside the other dimension.
Peach blossoms drifted through the air. Xiao Wu and Qin Chuan stood facing each other in a peach grove. Pale pink petals settled on her scorpion braid, while several red carrots hung from the branches overhead.
"Listen. Imagine that there's a vase in your mind." Qin Chuan's voice was soft, yet it carried a strange power to pierce through.
This was a passive effect of the Illusion Bell. In a mental dreamscape, the target's subconscious would treat every word the caster said as an instruction to follow.
With the first hypnosis laying the groundwork, Xiao Wu couldn't resist the second.
"There's a vase in my mind." Xiao Wu's eyes were vacant.
"That vase represents your love for Tang San."
"The vase... Tang San... love..."
"How big is the vase?"
"Very... very big."
It seemed Xiao Wu's feelings for Tang San ran deep. But it didn't matter. No matter how big the vase was, it was still only a vase—and a vase was made to be smashed.
"Now, lift it with both hands," Qin Chuan instructed.
"Lift it with both hands."
Qin Chuan suddenly clapped his hands hard. "Smash! You've shattered the vase, and your love for Tang San has vanished with it."
Xiao Wu stared at the vase shattered across the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Her years of feelings for Tang San had vanished all at once. The sudden loss sent a powerful shock through her mind.
Several minutes later, once Xiao Wu had completely calmed down, Qin Chuan asked gently, "Do you like Tang San?"
"No."
"Good. From now on, the person you like most is Qin Chuan."
"The person I like most is... Qin Chuan..."
Heh heh heh, I've successfully stolen her away!
At the same time, the [Heavenly Dao System]'s prompt sounded right on cue:
Congratulations, host. You successfully stole Xiao Wu away from Tang San. Heavenly Dao Power +2. Current Heavenly Dao Power: 2/10 (at maximum, you can obtain the Six Paths Reincarnation Eye). Next task unlocked: steal Ning Rongrong away from Tang San.
This was the [Heavenly Dao System] Qin Chuan had bound himself to. He didn't know exactly what the [Six Paths Reincarnation Eye] could do, but just from the name, he could tell it was an utterly heaven-defying divine skill.
His thoughts returned to the battlefield.
"For now, stay by Tang San's side and tell me everything he does."
"Okay."
Xiao Wu returned completely to normal. Everything that had just happened seemed to take a long time, but in reality, it had all happened in the blink of an eye.
At that moment, Qin Chuan's First Martial Soul, Illusion Bell, quietly appeared.
Zhao Wuji was locked in combat with Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of it and murmured in surprise, "What? Is that a Mutated Martial Soul?"
Xiao Wu's cheeks flushed. She gazed at Qin Chuan with shy affection and softly called, "Brother Qin Chuan."
Qin Chuan gently stroked her cheek. There's half a stick of incense left. You have to hold on.
As his words fell, two Spirit Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet—white, white.
Looking at those two decade-old white rings, a powerful sense of unease suddenly rose in Zhao Wuji's heart. Impossible. This kind of evil art shouldn't exist in this world!
"Second Spirit Skill, Sinful Haze!"
Zhao Wuji's cultivation far surpassed theirs, so Qin Chuan's First Spirit Ability, Shadow Hypnosis, had no effect on him.
But his Second Spirit Ability wasn't affected by the difference in Soul Power levels.