Zhu Zhuqing's Third Soul Ring

Yu Xiaogang's face flushed slightly. He felt unbearably embarrassed, as if his toes wanted to claw through the soles of his shoes and dig a three-bedroom apartment into the ground.

But he was also furious. Those two guards who looked down on people had actually dared to show such disrespect to him, the Grandmaster.

They had truly chosen the path to death.

"What are you still standing around for?! Get lost already! Stop blocking the way!"

Seeing that Yu Xiaogang and his group still had no intention of leaving, the guard barked at them.

"Teacher, why don't we leave first?" Tang San frowned at Yu Xiaogang. He also felt that his teacher was being a little too overbearing.

Hearing even his disciple Tang San say that, Yu Xiaogang's temper immediately flared. His dead-fish eyes rolled, his thick lips curled, and he really did look like a stubborn mule.

"Leave? Leave for what?" Yu Xiaogang looked at the two guards before him and spoke imperiously.

"You two things who look down on people, take a good look at this!"

He reached into his robes and took out an item, nearly shoving it into the face of the guard who had been shouting the loudest.

"You mother—" The guard was about to curse, but the moment he saw the item in Yu Xiaogang's hand, his face turned pale.

It was a token, gleaming with golden light beneath the sun.

"E-Elder!" The guard's voice immediately changed pitch. He hurriedly dropped to one knee, lowered his head, and respectfully called out, "Greetings, Elder!"

Yu Xiaogang was so pleased with himself that he practically wanted to fly into the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun.

He gave a cold snort and kicked the guard from earlier.

The guard did not move, while Yu Xiaogang himself nearly stumbled and fell.

Yu Xiaogang coughed lightly and said,

"Go accept your punishment yourselves. Don't let me see you again."

"Yes, Elder!" The two guards scrambled away, not daring to look back. Fine cold sweat had already beaded across their foreheads.

The people from Shrek Academy behind Yu Xiaogang were nearly dumbfounded. Damn it, if he had an Elder token, he should have taken it out earlier.

Did he really have to show off and slap faces before he felt satisfied?

The group strode straight in and entered Spirit Hall.

When the hall master saw the Elder token, he trembled with fear. Before long, Flender was released.

"Xiaogang!" Seeing that familiar yet unfamiliar face, a delighted smile bloomed across Flender's horse-like face.

"You finally came!"

"Boss Flender, after all these years, you haven't changed at all."

A rare trace of a smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's expressionless face.

The two embraced. Anyone who did not know better might have thought they were lovers.

After separating, Flender looked at the Shrek group. His gaze swept over them, and his expression suddenly stiffened.

"What is it, Headmaster?" Zhao Wuji asked when he saw Flender's strange expression.

"Are all of Shrek's students... here?"

"Of course. Let me tell you, we recruited two excellent prospects this year. One is this Grandmaster's disciple, already a Quasi-Soul Elder at twelve. And this young lady's Martial Soul is the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda, the strongest support-type Martial Soul on the continent!"

Zhao Wuji spoke animatedly, clearly delighted that they had managed to recruit those two talented students this year.

"When they registered, did you see a boy and a girl around twelve or thirteen? The boy was about Mubai's height, with black hair and black eyes. His Martial Soul should have been earth-attributed?"

Flender was growing anxious as he described Shi An's appearance.

"Th-This... you'd have to ask Li Yusong. He was in charge of registration."

Li Yusong thought for a moment, then said, "I didn't see the person you're describing, Headmaster."

Flender froze where he stood, his heart turning ice-cold.

He had originally thought Shi An would register at his Shrek Academy.

He had been happy about it for more than ten days, but now...

That brat had not gone to Shrek Academy.

Pain!

It hurt too much!

A prospect who could very likely become a Title Douluo in the future was gone!

Damn Spirit Hall! If they hadn't locked me up, I could have brought him back!

Seeing Flender's expression as though he had eaten shit, everyone was confused. In the end, Yu Xiaogang was the one who asked.

"Alas..."

Flender sighed and recounted the battle from that day.

Naturally, he altered the story somewhat. He claimed that he had remained in control against Shi An the whole time, though Shi An's strength could already rival that of a Soul King.

He made it clear that he thought highly of Shi An and greatly admired him.

"You're exaggerating, aren't you? How could a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy possibly possess strength comparable to a Soul King?" Yu Xiaogang questioned it instinctively.

His disciple Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls, innate full Soul Power, and the Clear Sky Hammer, the number one tool Martial Soul in the world.

In his eyes, Tang San was already the most gifted among his peers. How could anyone possibly shine brighter than Tang San?

Flender waved his hand, unwilling to continue the topic.

After all, Shi An's strength that day had not merely rivaled a Soul King. He had nearly beaten Flender down completely.

If Flender had not used his Martial Soul Avatar, he might truly have been defeated.

One lie required a hundred more lies to cover it up. The more he said, the more mistakes he would make, so he could only keep silent.

If those old brothers before him learned that he had nearly been defeated by a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy, where would he put his face?

Where would he put the headmaster's dignity?

Star Dou Great Forest.

After driving away a passing flying Soul Beast, Shi An's gaze fell on Zhu Zhuqing.

The bright moon was already high in the sky, but the two yellow and one purple Soul Rings around Zhu Zhuqing emitted a faint glow, illuminating the dark forest.

The process of absorbing the Soul Ring was nearing its end. It should not take much longer.

A few more minutes passed. A wave of Soul Power spread out, Zhu Zhuqing's eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.

A flash of black light flickered in her eyes before sinking back into stillness.

"Level 32." Shi An raised his brows. It was probably the residual Soul Power from the Spirit Bone that had allowed her to break through directly to level 32.

"How do you feel?" Shi An looked at Zhu Zhuqing and asked.

After absorbing the Soul Ring, Zhu Zhuqing had grown a little taller, her figure had become more proportionate, and even those unfairly endowed places seemed to have grown larger.

Feeling her clothes tighten around her, Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head to look and helplessness appeared in her eyes.

Why did they get bigger again?

"I feel... very good." Zhu Zhuqing raised her head, a smile appearing on her face.

Without realizing it, she had begun to smile more often whenever she faced Shi An.

"What about your Soul Skill? How is it?"

Zhu Zhuqing's third Soul Ring lit up beneath her feet. She looked at the large tree beside her and swung her right hand like a blade.

A black slash over three meters long shot from her hand and struck the tree.

The scene of the tree being cut in half did not happen as expected.

The slash sank directly into the tree and vanished.

Shi An blinked, then his pupils contracted slightly.

In his perception, the roots beneath the tree were rapidly withering. Then the bark peeled away, while its branches and leaves shriveled and fell to the ground with rustling sounds.

A tree so thick that one person could barely wrap their arms around it had completely withered in the blink of an eye.