Beyond-Level Soul Battle

Shi An paused, noticing the curious looks from the others before slowly speaking:

"My martial soul is called Earth Soul. It can also be called the Soul of the Earth."

"I can naturally communicate with the earth itself, using it for defense and offense. As for Soul Rings and soul skills, they are not even as versatile as my own abilities."

"I never use my martial soul, because Soul Ring skills are fixed. But no one can guess what kind of soul skill I will use by manipulating the earth in my next move."

"This is my greatest advantage. You only need to know that I can defend my teammates when they are in danger and attack when we encounter enemies."

Chen Kui gave him a long look, but did not press the matter further.

Qian Renxue had already told him when she sent him here to probe as much as possible without drawing too much attention or causing anything unusual.

The afternoon was for cultivation.

The others all went to the mimicry cultivation grounds, but Shi An had no need for them.

All he had to do was sit on the ground, and he had a natural mimicry cultivation ground.

By evening, the group arrived at the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena once more.

As students of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, they naturally did not have to suffer through lining up to register or sitting in cramped waiting areas.

Inside the private room, Chen Kui looked at them with a teasing smile on his face and said:

"Tonight's training task is very simple. I have already spoken to the manager here."

"When your names are called later, just go straight onto the stage and fight."

No one thought much of it. After all, among those of the same rank, their strength truly placed them among the very best. They did not care in the slightest who their opponents would be.

Seeing their unconcerned expressions, Chen Kui's smile grew even brighter, and there was even a hint of malicious amusement in his eyes.

The Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena was packed with people, with cheers and shouts rising without end.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Chen Kui's voice was rough as he said, "Come in."

The Great Soul Arena's manager entered, a fawning smile on his face when he saw the group.

"Instructor Chen, everything has been arranged. The next match will be a soul battle between Tuofu and the Soul Ancestor Thunderburst Bear."

Shi An raised his brows. A Soul Ancestor?

Now he understood the schadenfreude on that old bastard's face.

So they were being made to fight Soul Ancestors.

He did not particularly care, but Zhu Zhuqing...

He wondered whether she could win.

Hearing the manager's words, the others began to lose their composure as well.

They had originally assumed it would merely be a Soul Elder battle against opponents of the same rank.

But now they were suddenly being made to challenge Soul Ancestors across ranks.

Are you kidding us?

"Instructor, we are all still Soul Elders. Is it not a little unfair to have us directly fight Soul Ancestors across ranks?"

Yu Feng stood and spoke.

Chen Kui glanced at him and said flatly, "On the battlefield, will your enemies talk about fairness and send someone at your rank to fight you one-on-one?"

Yu Feng was left speechless. He closed his mouth resentfully and sat back down.

Chen Kui did not care what they thought. He grinned, revealing a mouthful of bright white teeth, and said to the manager, "Good. I understand."

He then turned around and looked at Shi An, who was seated beside Zhu Zhuqing. "Shi An, get onstage. You are up next."

Shi An shrugged and nodded indifferently before rising and leaving the private room.

As he stood, he patted Zhu Zhuqing's lower back and quietly said, "Do not worry. Fighting across ranks is better for tempering yourself, and no accidents can happen on the soul battle stage."

Zhu Zhuqing's ears twitched slightly and reddened. She nodded gently, her eyes rippling like water.

As a Soul Saint, Chen Kui had sharp eyes and ears. Naturally, he heard every word Shi An said clearly.

The way he looked at Shi An gained a trace of approval.

On the soul battle stage below.

Shi An stood facing a burly middle-aged man built like a brown bear.

When the middle-aged man saw Shi An's face, he immediately snorted coldly.

"Tuofu, should I call you fearless, or should I call you ignorant of your own limits?"

Shi An raised his brows. Why was this man so hostile?

But he was not some useless fool who would take a beating without striking back or endure insults without responding. He immediately smiled and said, "Well, it cannot be helped. I am just too strong and too young."

"Unlike you. Half your body is already in the grave, yet you are still only a Soul Ancestor."

The middle-aged man's face reddened, then turned from red to green. The natives of Douluo Continent had never heard such sarcastic, backhanded remarks before, and he had no idea how to retort.

After holding it in for a long while, he finally managed to say:

"You have a sharp tongue. Let me see whether you are really as strong as the rumors claim!"

"When I beat you later, just do not cry and scream for your mother." Shi An shrugged indifferently, feeling that even insulting the man was not satisfying.

The host was already accustomed to such scenes of people paying to trade trash talk. Seeing that neither of them spoke further, he immediately announced the start of the soul battle.

Unable to outtalk Shi An, the man wanted to regain his dignity through strength. The instant the host's voice fell, he released his martial soul.

"Roar!!!"

He let out a roar, and his already imposing body grew even larger. His muscles bulged, tearing apart his shirt and exposing his thick, powerful frame.

Arcs of purple lightning flickered as the phantom of a giant purple bear appeared behind him, mirroring his roar with the same motion.

Shi An still did not release his martial soul, and his expression did not change in the slightest even when he saw the four Soul Rings beneath the man's feet in their optimal configuration.

It was as though this ferocious man before him was no more than a hopping ant.

Seeing that Shi An truly had not released his martial soul, a savage expression appeared on the man's face.

He felt looked down upon, and he was incomparably enraged.

"Brat! Let me show you what happens when you underestimate me!"

"Third Soul Skill: Thunder Charge!"

Crackle!!!

Purple lightning burst forth as the man's massive body charged at Shi An with astonishing speed.

With every step he took, the entire soul battle stage seemed to tremble faintly, producing dull, heavy thuds.

Shi An brought together the index and middle fingers of his right hand, then flicked them lightly upward.

Thud, thud, thud!!!

Stone walls rose from the ground one after another, and a trace of disdain appeared on the middle-aged man's face.

"You think a few dirt walls can stop me? How naive!"

Boom!!!

The first stone wall collapsed with a crash, sending shattered rocks flying everywhere.

Without losing momentum, the man charged into the second wall.

Boom! Boom!!!

Two more stone walls collapsed. He continued charging, but when the third wall fell, the sight behind it made his expression change abruptly.

Before him was Shi An's smiling face, but the ground in front of him was not the flat soul battle stage.

It was a massive pit filled with constantly churning rocks. Falling into it would not kill him, but broken bones and torn tendons were guaranteed. Spending several months bedridden would be no joke.

PS: That was all for today. I will adjust my condition tomorrow and see whether I can manage three updates. My head hurts.