Zhu Zhuyun: Little Sister, You Want Me Dead

Sure enough, a Soul Sage was still a Soul Sage. Even without using Soul Skills, he was not so easy to deal with.

Jiang Li inwardly sensed that things were going badly. He hurriedly withdrew his attack and was about to move away from Zhao Wuji.

"Now!"

A sharp glint flashed through Zhao Wuji's eyes. He had no intention of letting Jiang Li go.

His hand movements shifted, and while Jiang Li was caught off guard, he reached out to grab him.

After some probing, Zhao Wuji had already determined that although Jiang Li's Martial Soul possessed top-tier speed and stronger attack power than most Soul Masters of the same rank with high-level Martial Souls—

Compared to that, his strength and defense were far inferior.

And that just so happened to be Zhao Wuji's specialty. The word "Mighty" in his Mighty Vajra Bear Martial Soul made that clear enough.

Therefore, as long as he could grab Jiang Li, he was one hundred percent certain that he could put an early end to this match.

Just then, Jiang Li shouted in a low voice, "Explode!!"

As Jiang Li's words fell, an extremely cold sensation spread across Zhao Wuji's hands.

"What?!"

Zhao Wuji's expression changed, and he immediately looked down at his hands.

At some point, his hands had become covered in black Soul Power flames—the same color as the flames surrounding Jiang Li after his Spirit Avatar.

Zhao Wuji hurriedly swung his arms, trying to shake off the black flames.

Yet the black flames clung to him like maggots to the bone, impossible to shake off.

Zhao Wuji cried out in alarm, "What the hell is this thing?"

Hearing Zhao Wuji's cry, Jiang Li, who was still retreating, looked up at him. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, revealing a barely noticeable smile.

This was precisely the Martial Soul trait Zhu Zhuqing had gained after her Netherworld Civet evolved into an Earthly Origin Civet: black Soul Power with immense corrosive and adhesive properties.

When attacking an enemy, it could attach Soul Power to their body without immediately triggering it, then erupt all at once once enough had accumulated.

It was somewhat like stacking damage buffs in a game.

Thus, Jiang Li's string of attacks just now had looked like they were merely scratching an itch, completely meaningless.

In truth, he had been continuously stacking damage buffs on Zhao Wuji, merely waiting for them to reach their limit before detonating them all at once.

He simply had not expected Zhao Wuji to suddenly pull something like this. If he did not trigger the Soul Power attached to Zhao Wuji during his earlier attacks, Jiang Li would lose.

At this point, Zhao Wuji could no longer care about the agreement he had made with Jiang Li not to use Soul Skills.

"Roar!"

"First Soul Skill, Immovable Bright King Body!"

A furious roar suddenly rang out. A cold gleam burst from Zhao Wuji's eyes as he clenched his fists. Of the seven Soul Rings beneath his feet, the century-old Soul Ring belonging to his First Soul Skill lit up.

Intense golden light instantly erupted from Zhao Wuji's body.

The black flames that had been spreading across his hands were directly knocked away.

This was the effect of his First Soul Skill, Immovable Bright King Body. It could repel all attacks within three meters of him.

Although it was only a century-old First Soul Skill, it could achieve remarkable results in most situations.

It was also the source of Zhao Wuji's title, the Immovable Bright King.

"If I remember correctly, you said just now that you would not use Soul Skills, didn't you?" Jiang Li asked with a smile after steadying himself.

"Brat!"

Zhao Wuji looked at Jiang Li, secretly shocked.

It would have been one thing if he had merely defeated Dai Mubai, but he had actually forced a Soul Sage like Zhao Wuji to use a Soul Skill.

Even if it was only the weakest First Soul Skill he possessed, this little fellow had enough to be proud of.

And there was also this strange Martial Soul effect. Even a level-fifty Soul King could fall victim to it through carelessness.

It seemed that even among top-tier Martial Souls, Jiang Li's Martial Soul stood at the very peak.

With such a monstrous little fellow before him, there was even less chance Zhao Wuji would let him go.

Zhao Wuji rubbed his forehead and feigned confusion. "Did I? Why don't I remember?"

Jiang Li was not surprised by those words. He merely looked at Zhao Wuji with a smile and said, "So, you intend to go back on your word?"

"If people learned that the famous Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji, a Soul Sage, bullied a Soul Venerable below level forty and even used a Soul Skill, do you think they would laugh at you?"

Seeing the smile on Jiang Li's face, Zhao Wuji immediately felt unable to save face and cursed inwardly.

Damn it, Flender. I've thrown away my dignity this time just to strengthen our Shrek Academy. If that old bastard doesn't compensate me after I get back, I'll curse him to death.

On the surface, however, Zhao Wuji acted as though nothing had happened. He lightly tapped his head and said as if suddenly remembering, "Oh, look at my memory. I really did say that just now."

"Since that's the case, I won't pursue the matter of you injuring my student. Let this matter be over."

Hearing that, surprise appeared on Jiang Li's face. That was not right—could Zhao Wuji really be this easy to talk to?

Under Jiang Li's surprised gaze, Zhao Wuji continued, "But..."

Sure enough, upon hearing that "but," Jiang Li immediately felt at ease. He had nearly mistaken Shrek Academy for a place with something worthwhile.

"Dai Mubai's matter is over, but now it's time to settle the matter between you and me." Zhao Wuji waved a hand. "You don't need to apologize to Dai Mubai. You only need to join our Shrek Academy."

Jiang Li calmly asked, "What if I say no?"

Join Shrek Academy? What kind of joke was that?

What could a ragtag vocational school like Shrek Academy possibly have to attract him?

It had no money if he wanted money, and no resources if he wanted resources.

Other than a few teachers in their sixties who were Soul Emperors, along with Zhao Wuji and Flender, two level-seventy Soul Sages, what else did it have?

Then there were Shrek Academy's admission requirements: candidates under thirteen had to possess Soul Power above level twenty-five.

What kind of concept was that?

Ning Rongrong was the foremost genius of her generation in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and possessed innate level-nine Soul Power.

Even so, at twelve years old, Ning Rongrong's Soul Power was only level twenty-six, barely meeting Shrek Academy's admission requirements.

Yes, support-type Soul Masters advanced slowly, but what about Zhu Zhuqing?

She possessed innate level-seven Soul Power, and at twelve in the original story, she had only reached level twenty-seven. Consider her background as well—the heir of the Zhu Clan of the Star Luo Empire.

Imagine it: for an ordinary Soul Master with no excellent teacher and left to grow untamed, reaching level twenty-five before turning thirteen would require at least innate level-six Soul Power, wouldn't it?

And wherever a Soul Master with innate level-six Soul Power went, they would be carefully nurtured as a genius.

But what about Shrek Academy? In its twenty years of operation, it had admitted over sixty students, and only fourteen had graduated.

As for the rest?

That was right. They had all died.

And among those fourteen graduates, only one had truly made a name for himself: Qin Ming, who taught at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Therefore, Shrek Academy could be called the Douluo Continent version of a garbage vocational school that did not treat its students as human beings.

If it had not ridden Tang San's coattails in the original story, the best outcome would have been for Shrek Academy to close down and go bankrupt at some point.

There was no way he would join a school like that unless water had gotten into his brain.

"You can try!" Earth-yellow Soul Power light coiled around Zhao Wuji's hands.

Meanwhile, not far away—

"Big Sister." Zhu Zhuqing watched the two men, who were at each other's throats, then suddenly turned and called out to Zhu Zhuyun.

"Hm?" Zhu Zhuyun looked at Zhu Zhuqing in surprise. She had not expected her to call her Big Sister.

Ever since Zhu Zhuqing awakened her Martial Soul, the relationship between them had gradually worsened.

Later, they had reached the point where they seemed destined never to interact again, much less have Zhu Zhuqing call her Big Sister.

Zhu Zhuqing grabbed Zhu Zhuyun's hand and anxiously said, "Let's use our Soul Bone Fusion Skill together and help Jiang Li, okay?"

Indeed, if it were not for Jiang Li, Zhu Zhuqing might never have called Zhu Zhuyun Big Sister for the rest of her life.

However, if she did not use their Soul Bone Fusion Skill together with Zhu Zhuyun, then with only level-twenty-four Soul Power, she was nothing before a Soul Sage like Zhao Wuji.

To help Jiang Li, she was willing to lower her head before the woman she hated most.

At those words, Zhu Zhuyun's eyelid twitched furiously, and she rolled her eyes at Zhu Zhuqing.

Yes, Zhu Zhuqing, I'm very happy that you're willing to call me Big Sister.

But you want me to join you in fighting a Soul Sage-level Zhao Wuji?

What are you thinking?!

A Soul Bone Fusion Skill was not a simple arithmetic problem where one plus one equaled two. Besides, even if it were—

Level twenty-four plus level thirty-nine was only level sixty-three. He was a Soul Sage, little sister!

A level-seventy-six Soul Sage!

How was this helping your man?!

You clearly wanted me dead!!!