"It seemed you were quite confident in your own strength. Your master hadn't even spoken yet, and you were already so eager to jump out?"
Jiang Lin glanced at the bald youth's Martial Soul-possessed form with interest, his expression still casual.
"Hmph, courting death!"
Rage immediately flared in the bald youth's eyes. He raised his sharp beast claws and lunged at Jiang Lin at incredible speed like a cheetah.
"That won't be enough to hurt me."
Although the bald youth was a Soul Master, his combat experience clearly fell far short of Xiao Wu's and Tang San's. Jiang Lin merely shifted aside, and the bald youth's attack missed.
Taking advantage of the opening, Jiang Lin immediately grabbed the back of his collar and used the momentum to hurl him backward.
Bang!
The bald youth slammed directly into a wall five or six meters away.
"Cough, cough—"
"How is that possible? You haven't even used your Martial Soul yet. How could this happen?!"
Feeling the intense pain throughout his body, the bald youth's eyes were filled with disbelief.
"It's simple. You're too weak."
Jiang Lin said it indifferently.
"This Jiang Lin does seem to have some skill, but if that's all he has, it's still far from enough."
A trace of surprise appeared in Xiao Chenyu's eyes as he watched, but it quickly faded.
At the same time, everyone else had their own thoughts.
Tang San: This One-Ring Soul Master's strength seems to be nothing special. If the timing were right, a single Bone-Piercing Needle could kill him.
Xiao Wu: He's so weak. I was worried they would gang up on us for nothing.
Wang Sheng and the others: Boss is so strong! He defeated Kus in a single exchange.
"Hmph, don't celebrate too soon!"
Feeling the contempt around him, the bald youth Kus flushed red. No longer caring to conceal his strength, he immediately used his only soul skill.
"First Soul Skill—Shatterbone Claw!"
The next moment, Kus's hands, which had still retained some human appearance, instantly extended forward. Before long, they transformed into two forty-centimeter-long bone claws. Blood veins spread across them, and even from a distance, one could smell the intensely pungent stench of blood.
"So this is a soul skill? It's rather interesting."
Sensing the threat from the bone claws, Jiang Lin did not underestimate his opponent this time. Though he was confident he could dodge, he still summoned the King's Power Sword just in case.
"So this is your High-grade Martial Soul?"
A trace of gravity appeared on Kus's face, but he did not hesitate. He leaped into the air and crossed his claws as he chopped directly at Jiang Lin's head!
With the King's Power Sword in hand, Jiang Lin no longer dodged. When the two bone claws were less than ten centimeters from his head, he directly charged up and slashed!
The next instant, a sword light brimming with unparalleled sharpness swept out. The bone claws carrying all of Kus's hopes barely held for a moment before being severed by the King's Power Sword's edge.
Kus's pupils instantly widened. Before he could react, Jiang Lin swung his sword again in a diagonal slash, and a severed hand sprayed blood into the air.
"Ah!"
A scream rang out as Kus collapsed to the ground in agony.
"My hand! You... you actually dared to cut off my hand!"
"This Jiang Lin truly is ruthless. He didn't hesitate in the slightest."
"Boss is mighty! That's exactly how it should be—teach them a harsh lesson!"
"..."
"Do you have to make such a fuss? I merely gave him a small lesson."
"But if you come out and provoke me again without knowing your place next time, you can forget about keeping your remaining hand too."
Jiang Lin tapped Kus's face with the King's Power Sword, then ignored everyone's gazes and walked straight up to the gloomy-faced Xiao Chenyu.
"Come on. Didn't you want to see it?"
"Since I'm in a good mood right now, I'll let you have a look."
As he spoke, Jiang Lin held the King's Power Sword horizontally before Xiao Chenyu. Kus's blood still clung to the blade.
"Jiang Lin, you're quite capable. But perhaps you've forgotten that even among Soul Masters of the same realm, there are differences in strength. Not to mention Kus's Martial Soul is merely low-grade, and his Soul Ring is only thirteen years old. Someone like him is the weakest of the weak even among Soul Masters."
"You defeated him and now think you can challenge me? Heh, you truly are ignorant and fearless!"
A cold smile appeared on Xiao Chenyu's face. He raised a hand, and a gigantic wolf covered in black scales, with bloodthirsty red light in its eyes, appeared behind him. At the same time, a yellow Soul Ring lit up beneath his feet.
The next instant, a terrifying aura surged out from Xiao Chenyu!
Everyone present immediately changed expression slightly.
Kus: Hmph, Jiang Lin, now that Boss is taking action himself, let's see what tricks you still have!
Wang Sheng: Not good, Boss is in danger! Xiao Chenyu has grown stronger again. How long has it even been? He'll probably soon reach level twenty Soul Power, obtain his second Soul Ring, and advance to Soul Grandmaster!
Tang San: This person is very strong. Even if I used all my trump cards, I'm not confident I could win. Heh, Jiang Lin, let's see how you deal with this now.
"Is this what humans call a genius? Still, if we were at the same cultivation level, defeating him wouldn't be difficult."
A trace of gravity appeared in Xiao Wu's beautiful eyes. Her body tensed slightly as she prepared to intervene at any moment.
"So this is a Mid-grade Martial Soul? It really is far stronger than Kus's One-Eyed Leopard. And with the enhancement of that hundred-year Soul Ring, this kind of setup could fight even an ordinary level-twenty Soul Grandmaster."
"If that's the case, then I can't keep hiding my strength anymore—"
"Royal Authority, Royal Authority, today, let them witness your true edge!"
Jiang Lin murmured softly, his fingertips gliding over the King's Power Sword. The next moment, a faint white glow flowed across its edge.
The King's Power Sword, which had originally looked utterly ordinary, immediately changed. Its silver-white blade was coated in golden light, and golden dragon scales even emerged across its hilt!
Along with it, a terrifying sword intent seeped from the words Royal Authority on the sword guard, instantly enveloping the entire dormitory. It was a sharpness capable of making souls tremble!
For a moment, everyone present aside from Xiao Wu—including Xiao Chenyu and Tang San—turned deathly pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
Tang San: Damn it, Jiang Lin was hiding his strength after all!
Xiao Chenyu: So this is a High-grade Martial Soul? My Night Wolf Martial Soul truly cannot compare. But Jiang Lin hasn't even obtained his first Soul Ring yet. He isn't even a Soul Master. In that case, I may not necessarily lose to him.
"What are they...? I didn't expect Jiang Lin to deliberately avoid affecting me."
Xiao Wu blinked her beautiful eyes, an unusual gleam appearing within them.
"Xiao Chenyu, right? Come on, let me see what gives you the nerve to come looking for trouble with me!"
Jiang Lin held his sword in one hand, its tip aimed directly at Xiao Chenyu's brow.
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