Trade

Seeing Ma Xiaotao approaching with a violent aura, Lu Chen suddenly clenched his right fist.

A deep black Soul Ring slowly rose beneath his feet.

First Soul Skill, Demonic Ape Transformation!

As the Soul Skill activated, the golden giant phantom behind him grew another size larger.

His muscles bulged like coiling dragons.

His strength and speed nearly doubled in an instant.

A terrifying fist wind, carrying raging air currents, crashed toward Ma Xiaotao.

Ma Xiaotao instinctively sensed a lethal threat. Her red lips parted slightly, and a blazing Phoenix Fire Line shot forth.

Carrying the force to incinerate everything, it met that tyrannical fist wind head-on.

"Boom—!"

A deafening explosion suddenly erupted.

The golden fist wind, wrapped in unmatched power, instantly scattered the Phoenix Fire Line.

Ma Xiaotao's expression changed drastically. Her wings abruptly crossed before her as Soul Power gathered frantically, forming a flaming shield in front of her.

"Bang!"

The terrifying golden fist struck the shield solidly, and the flaming shield shattered on impact.

The remaining force of the punch did not diminish, smashing fiercely into Ma Xiaotao's wings.

She let out a muffled groan and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Her entire body shot backward like an out-of-control cannonball.

"Xiaotao!"

Zhang Lexuan and the others had just caught up from the forest when they saw Ma Xiaotao flying backward, and their faces immediately changed.

They wanted to rescue her, but Ma Xiaotao was moving far too quickly.

She snapped several towering trees in succession before finally crashing heavily into a huge boulder and coming to a complete stop.

Ma Xiaotao's eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.

Most of the black aura surrounding her body also dissipated.

At that moment, Yan Shaozhe flashed over and appeared beside Ma Xiaotao.

His expression was grave as he quickly examined her injuries while stuffing a pill into her mouth.

"Fortunately, her injuries aren't too serious."

At the last moment, he had used Soul Power to offset Ma Xiaotao's impact.

When he discovered that more than half of the Evil Fire inside Ma Xiaotao had dissipated, Yan Shaozhe's eyes flickered sharply.

He had not expected what Lexuan said to be true!

Not only could this brat suppress Xiaotao's Evil Fire, but it seemed he could fundamentally eliminate it as well!

Then Yan Shaozhe frowned again. Lu Chen possessed Ultimate Light, and so did he.

But why could he only suppress the Evil Fire within Xiaotao, while Lu Chen could eradicate it?

Could it be that this brat's attribute possessed some hidden ability beyond Ultimate Light?

"Dean, how is Xiaotao?" Zhang Lexuan hurried forward and asked anxiously.

Yan Shaozhe gathered his thoughts and shook his head. "She's fine. She merely fainted. That brat didn't strike to kill."

He had seen it clearly. Lu Chen had only thrown an ordinary punch just now.

He had not used the explosive combat skill he had used against the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast before.

Otherwise, Xiaotao would have been severely injured even if she survived!

That was precisely why he had not intervened.

Still, this brat was truly terrifying. Even an ordinary punch like that was probably beyond what most Soul Ancestors could withstand.

Yan Shaozhe was secretly shocked. He was still only a Soul Master and already possessed such strength. Once he became a Soul Saint, would he not be able to directly contend with a Titled Douluo?

On the other side, Lu Chen looked at the black Soul Ring beneath his feet and frowned slightly.

Seeing this, Tang Ya hurried over and asked with concern, "Chen, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Lu Chen shook his head, looking helpless. "I'm fine. It's just that this Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring consumes too much Soul Power.

I only tested it casually just now, and it used nearly a tenth of my Soul Power.

With my current reserves, Demonic Ape Transformation can last at most three minutes.

No wonder Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings are usually only absorbed by Soul Kings. The Soul Power consumption is truly frightening."

For amplification-type Soul Skills like Demonic Ape Transformation, duration was directly proportional to Soul Power consumption.

If he wanted prolonged combat, his Soul Power had to keep up.

"It seems that even if Soul Masters obtain high-age Soul Rings early on, it may not necessarily be entirely beneficial.

It might instead limit their sustained combat ability."

A high-age Soul Ring meant greater power, but it also meant more terrifying Soul Power consumption.

I need to fuse my second Soul Ring as soon as possible and raise my Soul Power quickly, Lu Chen thought.

Long Aotian glanced at the angry looks from the Shrek group in the distance, then looked toward Lu Chen.

"Brother Lu, they don't seem convinced. I say we should've just killed that woman."

Lu Chen rolled his eyes. "Do you think that Super Douluo is just for decoration?

If you can hold off their four Soul Ancestors, I can blow her apart with one punch right now."

"Uh..."

Long Aotian was instantly at a loss for words.

He could handle one or two Soul Ancestors, but four at once? Wouldn't that just be serving himself up on a platter...

Yan Shaozhe stood and looked toward Luo Wei, his face carrying a trace of apology.

"Sister Luo, Xiaotao suffered a deviation during cultivation just now. It was my oversight, and I startled you all."

Luo Wei's gaze was indifferent as she snorted. "Dead Phoenix, do you take us for fools? With your strength, you couldn't stop an out-of-control Soul Ancestor?"

Yan Shaozhe coughed lightly and did not respond. Instead, he turned to Lu Chen and spoke sincerely.

"Young brother, are you all right? It was all due to my momentary negligence. On Xiaotao's behalf, I apologize. I hope you won't take it to heart."

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes and sneered inwardly. His words were full of apology, yet his face showed no fluctuation whatsoever.

Could he be any more fake?

Aunt Luo was right. How could a dignified Super Douluo possibly fail to stop an out-of-control Ma Xiaotao?

Given their relationship, he was even less likely to watch Lu Chen injure her without doing anything.

He must have tacitly allowed it.

Was he trying to test something about him?

His strength?

Or his combat skills?

Lu Chen's thoughts raced, and suddenly an idea struck him.

He recalled the flash of delight in Ma Xiaotao's eyes when she had first seen him.

Could this guy have noticed that his attacks carried purification?

Did he want to use that to solve Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire problem?

No matter what the other party wanted, this matter would not end with a single apology.

Gathering his thoughts, Lu Chen looked Yan Shaozhe straight in the eyes. His tone was calm but carried a trace of chill.

"Senior Yan, I don't believe I provoked your Shrek in any way, did I?

Yet just now, a Soul Ancestor expert from your academy tried to kill me, a One-Ring Soul Master, for no reason.

If my strength had not been slightly greater, I would probably be nothing but a corpse by now.

Can such conduct really be settled with a single apology?"

The corner of Yan Shaozhe's mouth twitched slightly at Lu Chen's words.

You call that slightly stronger? Knocking down a four-ring Soul Ancestor with one punch is only slightly stronger?

And he was still pretending to be weak?

Luo Wei nodded to herself. Seeing Yan Shaozhe momentarily stunned, she immediately pressed the advantage and demanded coldly.

"Dead Phoenix, Chen is the young sect master of our Body Sect.

His safety concerns the future of the entire Body Sect.

Your disciple attacked without cause. If you don't give us a reasonable explanation, I'll take it as you trying to provoke a war between the Body Sect and Shrek!"

"Sister Luo, that is too serious."

Yan Shaozhe's words carried helplessness. "Shrek has absolutely no intention of going to war with the Body Sect.

But what happened just now was indeed my oversight.

Young brother, tell me what compensation you want."

Lu Chen raised an eyebrow and said frankly, "Since Senior Yan has said so, then I won't stand on ceremony.

My Soul Power has just broken through rank twenty, and I happen to be lacking suitable Soul Beasts.

As a Super Douluo, you are far faster than I am. How about helping me find two Soul Beasts around thirty thousand years old, with Soul Skills leaning toward amplification?"

As soon as he said this, the expressions of the Shrek group changed in shock.

"Didn't this brat absorb his first Soul Ring only a few days ago? He's already rank twenty?"

"This guy is a monster, isn't he?"

Zhang Lexuan was initially shocked as well, but she quickly understood and said in a deep voice.

"It should be the effect of the Soul Bone.

Even without absorbing Soul Rings, a Soul Master's Soul Power still increases imperceptibly. It simply does not show.

After he absorbed a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, the Soul Bone's amplification and the Soul Power feedback from the Soul Ring directly pushed his Soul Power to rank twenty."

"Damn! That leveling speed is too absurd!"

"Is this what being rich is like? Terrifying!"

Yan Shaozhe, however, frowned in confusion.

"I have no problem helping you find Soul Beasts, but why two? Are you planning to advance directly to Soul Elder?"

At this point, even Yan Shaozhe, who had seen countless geniuses, could not help widening his eyes.

From Soul Scholar to Soul Elder in a week?

That rate of advancement was simply horrifying!

Lu Chen merely looked at him calmly and offered no explanation.

"Dead Phoenix, are you going or not? Give us a straight answer! You're so wishy-washy, it's irritating just looking at you!"

Seeing Yan Shaozhe's conflicted expression, Luo Wei immediately grew impatient.

He had been like this when he was young, and even in old age, he still could not change that dawdling temperament!