Two-on-Two Collision? Gu Ling vs. Yu Tianheng

"Hm? What do you mean by that?"

Hearing Gu Ling's words, Qin Ming was visibly stunned, his face filled with confusion.

The next moment, beneath his feet—

Amid countless pale bone spikes, a ball of ghostly white light suddenly appeared! Immediately afterward, an illusory bone dragon head several meters wide rose from the ground in an instant!

Qin Ming's expression changed slightly at the sight, and he said incredulously,

"This is..."

Roar—!

A deep, eerie dragon roar suddenly erupted!

Invisible sound waves spread outward instantly from the illusory bone dragon head!

Qin Ming's body stiffened slightly, and his expression completely changed! The instant the dragon roar entered his ears, the soul power that had been flowing normally through his body actually stalled!

Though it lasted only a brief instant.

Qin Ming was far too familiar with that sensation!

Not long ago, he had experienced it once already!

"This is... Demon Sound Roar?!" Qin Ming growled, his pupils abruptly constricting. This feeling was almost identical to when he had been struck by the Earthbone Demon Armor Beast's sound waves earlier!

The circulation of soul power had been forcibly disrupted, preventing soul skills from being unleashed properly for a short period of time!

However—

Before everyone could recover from their shock—

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Beneath Yu Tianheng's feet, beneath Dugu Yan's feet, and even beneath Ye Lingling's feet, the ground changed at the same time. Massive pale bone spikes burst from the earth without warning!

"What?!"

Looking at the bone spikes that had suddenly appeared beneath him, Yu Tianheng's expression shifted slightly. He instinctively tried to dodge, only to find that the spikes had emerged in precisely the positions needed to seal off the surrounding space!

Dugu Yan was in the same situation.

In just a few breaths—

Bone cages made of enormous spikes formed around each of the three of them!

Of course—

Just as with Qin Ming, every spike had precisely avoided their bodies and had not truly launched an attack. Yet everyone's expressions had already completely changed.

"Wait... this isn't a single-target soul skill?" Qin Ming finally realized what was happening. Looking at the spikes that had trapped him and the other three simultaneously, then recalling the dragon roar that had disrupted the circulation of soul power within him, his gaze gradually grew solemn.

"It's a wide-range attack, and it even comes with a sonic attack capable of interfering with soul skills?"

He had originally thought Gu Ling's third soul skill merely used large numbers of bone spikes to alter the terrain and restrict an enemy's movements. Such a soul skill was decent, but when placed on a power-attack-type soul master, its lethality was still somewhat lacking.

But now, it seemed—

He had completely underestimated this soul skill!

First of all, these bone spikes were not merely for trapping people. The only reason they had not injured them was because Gu Ling had deliberately controlled where they emerged.

In a real battle, if these several-meter-long bone spikes suddenly thrust up from beneath an enemy's feet, they would already be an extremely dangerous wide-range power-attack soul skill!

Attack! Control! And that bizarre dragon roar capable of interfering with soul skills...

Qin Ming took a deep breath and said in a low voice,

"If I understand correctly, the true combat method of this soul skill should be to first use the dragon roar to disrupt the enemy's soul power circulation. Then, while they cannot immediately activate their soul skills, you launch a sudden attack with these bone spikes from underground."

"Even if the enemy dodges the first wave of bone spikes, you can continue using the spikes to seal off their movement space and force them where you want them to go."

Gu Ling smiled faintly at that.

"More or less."

Hearing that answer, the admiration in Qin Ming's eyes became even more apparent.

"'More or less,' indeed."

"This is no ordinary Thousand-Year Soul Skill."

He pointed at the surrounding bone spikes.

"In terms of raw killing power, these bone spikes are already enough to qualify as a power-attack-type soul skill. In terms of control, they can alter the terrain over a wide area and restrict an enemy's escape routes."

"And that dragon roar can interfere with the activation of soul skills."

"Most importantly... it isn't a single-target soul skill. It's a group soul skill!"

As soon as those words fell, Yu Tianheng's expression grew even more complicated. As a power-attack-type soul master himself, he naturally understood better than ordinary people what such a soul skill meant.

If the two sides fought head-on, his greatest specialty was forcing his way into close range with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, then relying on a burst of lightning to defeat his opponent.

But against a soul skill like Gu Ling's, bone spikes would suddenly emerge beneath his feet, every retreat path around him would be blocked, and at the same time, that dragon roar would affect his soul power circulation.

Even if it lasted only a single second—

It would be enough for Gu Ling to do many things!

Not to mention... this guy also had that bizarre spatial soul skill!

At that thought, Yu Tianheng suddenly realized that when these three soul skills were combined, they seemed even more terrifying than when considered separately!

Qin Ming had clearly thought of that as well. The way he looked at Gu Ling had completely changed, and a thought suddenly arose in his heart: invite him to join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

"By the way."

"We've talked for so long, but I still don't know your name."

Gu Ling casually dismissed his third soul skill. As his soul power slowly faded, the enormous pale bone spikes around them gradually shattered, eventually turning into specks of ghostly white soul power that dispersed into the air.

"Gu Ling."

"Gu as in ancient, Ling as in fierce."

"Gu Ling..." Qin Ming softly repeated the name, committing it to memory. Then he asked, "How old are you this year? Which advanced soul master academy are you currently studying at?"

"Twelve."

Hearing that answer—

Though Qin Ming had already guessed as much, his eyelid still twitched slightly.

"I haven't joined an advanced soul master academy yet."

"I just graduated from Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy. I came out this time to obtain my third Soul Ring. My original plan was to enroll in an advanced soul master academy after getting it."

At those words, Qin Ming's eyes instantly lit up.

He hadn't joined an academy yet?

He barely hesitated before speaking directly.

"Then would you be interested in coming to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?"

Gu Ling was slightly startled, while Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan were equally surprised.

"With your talent, as long as you enter Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, you'll definitely receive the best cultivation resources. And... if you're willing, I can recommend you for the Imperial Dou Team."

As he spoke, Qin Ming glanced at Yu Tianheng and the others beside him and smiled.

"You're not that far apart in age from Tian Heng and the others."

"You can cultivate together in the future."

Hearing this—

Gu Ling was genuinely tempted.

Although Heaven Dou Imperial Academy had plenty of problems in the original story, in terms of cultivation resources alone, it truly was not something ordinary advanced soul master academies could compare with.

Backed by the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, it possessed mimicry cultivation environments, many outstanding teachers, soul beast records, Soul Ring resources, and all kinds of cultivation conditions far beyond those of ordinary academies.

Besides, Gu Ling truly needed to find an academy to continue cultivating at.

But he quickly thought of another issue.

"Heaven Dou Imperial Academy..."

"Doesn't it only admit nobles?"

Hearing this, Qin Ming was visibly stunned for a moment before smiling and explaining,

"Under normal circumstances, that is indeed the case."

"However..."

At this point, he glanced at the three Soul Rings around Gu Ling.

"Rules depend on the person as well. Twelve years old, soul power above rank thirty, a Thousand-Year Second Soul Ring, a Five-Thousand-Year Third Soul Ring, and a top-tier beast martial soul like the Bone Dragon."

"If talent like yours were kept outside the academy because of noble status, that would be the real joke. Leave this matter to me. I'll personally bring you back to the academy."

"If anyone wants to make an issue of your status, I'll handle it."

Hearing this, Gu Ling considered it briefly.

He had not decided which advanced soul master academy to attend anyway. Shrek Academy was definitely out of the question, while the resources of other ordinary academies might not satisfy his needs.

Heaven Dou Imperial Academy had its noble system, but if Qin Ming could resolve his identity issue for him, it truly would be a good choice.

Besides, he was only twelve now. It was still far too early for him to truly roam the continent alone.

At this stage, having a stable academy environment to continue learning about soul beasts, cultivating soul power, and developing his martial soul was undoubtedly the best option.

With that in mind, Gu Ling did not put on airs. He nodded slightly.

"Alright."

"Since you're willing to help, I'll go take a look at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy."

Qin Ming was immediately overjoyed. He raised a hand and patted Gu Ling on the shoulder, saying excitedly,

"Good!"

"Then it's settled. You'll return to Heaven Dou City with us later."

Watching this from the side, Dugu Yan could not help curling her lips.

"Teacher Qin."

"Are you inviting a student, or what? Why do I feel like you're afraid he'll run away?"

Qin Ming laughed heartily.

"If a student like this gets snatched away by another academy, I'll truly regret it for the rest of my life!"