Sparring with Chrysanthemum Douluo

After absorbing the second soul ring, Lu Chen carefully sensed the changes in his soul power.

Absorbing two soul rings in succession this time had provided him with a significant boost.

Although the first soul ring was a thousand-year one, the increase in soul power it brought far exceeded that of an ordinary soul master.

The second soul ring was a ten-thousand-year one, and even though most of its power had been used to stabilize the ring and strengthen his body, the remaining increase in soul power was still very apparent.

Lu Chen closed his eyes to sense for a moment, then opened them.

"Teacher, I am at level twenty-six now."

He paused, then added, "I shouldn't be far from level twenty-seven; I'm only a tiny bit away."

And this was achieved despite the exceptionally high quality of Lu Chen's soul power.

Hearing this level, Yue Guan was not particularly surprised.

After all, the first soul ring Lu Chen absorbed was a thousand-year one, and the second was a ten-thousand-year one.

If his soul power level had remained at twenty-one or twenty-two under such circumstances, that would truly be strange.

However, thinking about how Lu Chen had just obtained his second soul ring and was already at level twenty-six, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

For an ordinary soul master, the time required to cultivate from level twenty to level twenty-six was by no means short.

Yet Lu Chen had just become a Great Soul Master and had already reached level twenty-six, just one step away from level twenty-seven.

Gui Mei also glanced at Lu Chen, his eyes filled with a bit of contemplation.

With Lu Chen's current soul power level, combined with those two soul rings—one purple and one black—his actual combat strength would surely far exceed that of an ordinary Great Soul Master.

But as to what extent he could reach, only a real fight could determine that.

Bibi Dong was clearly thinking the same thing.

She looked at Lu Chen and said, "Since you have finished absorbing the soul ring, let's test your current combat strength."

Lu Chen was slightly stunned.

Bibi Dong turned her gaze to Yue Guan and said, "Yue Guan, you go and spar with him."

Upon hearing this, Yue Guan's eyes lit up immediately.

He had been very curious about Lu Chen's current strength.

Lu Chen's successful absorption of a ten-thousand-year soul ring had already shocked him once, and now that he could personally test Lu Chen's combat strength, he naturally wouldn't refuse.

"Very well."

Yue Guan agreed with a smile, his tone filled with interest: "I, too, want to see just how strong Xiao Chen is now."

Lu Chen had no objections to this.

In fact, he also wanted to test his current combat strength.

When he was absorbing the soul ring earlier, he was mostly focused on sensing the changes in his martial soul and soul skills; as for how these changes would translate into actual combat, he didn't have an accurate judgment yet.

If he were to spar with an average soul master, it might not force out his true level.

But Yue Guan was different.

With Yue Guan, he didn't have to worry about striking too hard, nor did he have to worry about the opponent being unable to withstand it.

With the strength of a Titled Douluo, Yue Guan could perfectly control the rhythm of the battle, allowing him to display his current abilities to the fullest.

Thus, the group soon left the place where the Hell Demon Dragon had died and arrived at a nearby clearing suitable for combat.

The terrain here was relatively open, with no obstructions around to hinder them from using their soul skills.

Bibi Dong and Gui Mei stepped aside, leaving the space to Lu Chen and Yue Guan.

Lu Chen stood in the center of the field, his gaze fixed on Yue Guan opposite him.

Yue Guan did not release his martial soul immediately; he just looked at him with a smile and said, "Xiao Chen, feel free to attack."

He added, "I will be careful to hold back. If you truly cannot dodge, use your first soul skill; don't force it."

Lu Chen nodded and replied earnestly, "Understood, Grandpa Chrysanthemum, I will be careful."

Hearing this form of address, the smile on Yue Guan's face became even more pronounced.

However, despite his relaxed attitude, he did not truly underestimate Lu Chen.

A child who had reached the ten-thousand-year level by his second soul ring, even if his soul power was only at level twenty-six, could never be viewed by the standards of an ordinary Great Soul Master.

Lu Chen took a deep breath and did not delay any further.

The next moment, he was the first to release his martial soul.

Leugocyte martial soul possessed.

As the possession completed, Lu Chen's aura changed instantly.

A formidable power surged from within his body, causing his physical state to improve rapidly.

One purple and one black soul ring rotated slowly around him, and the pressure emitted by the black soul ring was striking even in Yue Guan's eyes.

He moved his feet and charged directly toward Yue Guan.

Since this was a test of combat power, there was no need to hold back from the start.

He also wanted to know exactly how much his base strength had increased while in his Martial Soul Avatar state.

Lu Chen moved with extreme speed, arriving before Yue Guan in the blink of an eye.

Without using any soul skills, he relied solely on the physical strength granted by his Martial Soul Avatar to launch a direct, fierce assault on Yue Guan.

Yue Guan raised a hand, blocking Lu Chen's attack.

At the moment of impact, Yue Guan's arm trembled slightly, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

The power behind Lu Chen's strike was even greater than he had anticipated.

While such strength was naturally nothing to a Title Douluo, it was an entirely different concept when coming from a level 26 Great Soul Master.

Even if an ordinary Great Soul Master were to unleash their full power, they could never strike with such force.

Yue Guan took this opportunity to carefully gauge the impact.

He then praised, "Good lad, this strike already possesses the power of a Power Attack System Soul King."

Hearing this, Lu Chen felt a slight stir in his heart.

The power of a Power Attack System Soul King.

This already far exceeded the scope of a Great Soul Master.

However, Yue Guan soon chuckled again, "But, it is still not enough."

As his voice fell, Yue Guan sent a pulse of soul power through his palm.

Lu Chen felt a gentle yet irresistible force surge from ahead, and his entire body was instantly knocked backward.

Yue Guan had no intention of hurting him; he merely pushed him away to create distance between them.

Lu Chen steadied himself, his gaze becoming even more focused.

At the same time, Yue Guan finally released his Martial Soul.

Nine soul rings emerged from beneath his feet in succession, and the formidable aura of a Title Douluo instantly permeated the air.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—the nine soul rings pulsed rhythmically around Yue Guan. The pressure belonging to a Title Douluo, even when intentionally restrained, remained impossible to ignore.

The Celestial Chrysanthemum appeared in Yue Guan's hand.

The flower radiated a unique fluctuation of soul power; it did not look fierce, yet it gave off a feeling that could not be taken lightly.

Watching the nine soul rings on Yue Guan, Lu Chen grew inwardly vigilant.

This was naturally not a life-or-death battle in the true sense, and Yue Guan could not possibly use his full strength against him.

But even so, the power casually displayed by a Title Douluo was not something he could easily handle at his current level.

Yue Guan flicked the Celestial Chrysanthemum in his hand, and his first and second soul rings lit up in succession.

"First Soul Skill, Chrysanthemum Blade."

"Second Soul Skill, Solitary Fragrance."

As Yue Guan spoke, sharp petals instantly condensed upon the Celestial Chrysanthemum.

Those petals appeared light, yet their edges carried an intense cutting sensation.

At the same time, the amplification from his second soul skill settled upon Yue Guan himself, further enhancing his aura to a certain degree.

The next moment, the petals shot forth, hurtling toward Lu Chen.

Lu Chen chose not to dodge; he wanted to test just how much he could withstand relying solely on the physical durability of his Martial Soul Avatar.