Tang Chen Faces a Titled Douluo! Terrifying Talent!

The royal academy students beside them did not answer.

Everyone stared at the three black Soul Rings, forgetting to look away.

Prince Xue Xing's expression changed as well.

He could tell that Dugu Bo had indeed restrained his Soul Power just now.

Yet the force of that palm strike still far exceeded the Soul Ancestor level.

Even a Soul King would have suffered severe injuries if they took it head-on.

Not only had Tang Chen blocked it, he had not even moved from his original spot.

Dugu Bo lowered his head and glanced at his right hand.

"Interesting."

He looked at Tang Chen again.

"That defensive power just now did not belong to any of your three soul skills."

"You have a Soul Bone as well?"

Tang Chen did not answer.

He moved his right arm slightly.

Most of the impact from the palm print had been blocked by Origin Return World Suppression.

After the remaining force entered his body, it was quickly neutralized by the Two-Pole Black Tortoise Right Arm Bone and the Life Ancient Tree.

A Titled Douluo's attack was indeed powerful.

But Dugu Bo had not used his Martial Soul, nor had he used any real killing moves.

An attack like this was not enough to make Tang Chen admit defeat.

Xue Beng quickly walked over to Sun Lin.

"How much time has passed?"

Sun Lin took out the Timekeeping Soul Tool.

"Just half a minute."

Xue Beng looked at Dugu Bo.

"Your Excellency Dugu, there is no need to hold back against him."

"Since he has a Soul Bone, he can definitely withstand stronger attacks."

Zhu Zhuqing immediately turned her head.

"Xue Beng."

"If Tang Chen gets hurt, I will not let you off."

Xue Beng looked at her.

Her black fitted outfit made Zhu Zhuqing's figure appear sharp and slender.

She stood at the edge of the hall, her legs slightly apart, already prepared to make a move.

The currents of Soul Power stirred her jet-black hair.

A few strands fell against the side of her fair face.

Her usual coldness had completely turned into vigilance.

Xue Beng remembered the slap he had received earlier, and his expression darkened again.

"This was his own choice."

"If you want to stop it, make him admit defeat."

Zhu Zhuqing ignored Xue Beng.

She looked back at Tang Chen.

"There are still more than four minutes left."

"Do not get hurt."

Tang Chen nodded.

"Alright."

Dugu Bo raised his left hand.

Jade-green Soul Power flowed between his fingers.

"That palm strike was merely a test."

"Boy, it will not be so easy from here on."

The old man flicked his fingers.

Five jade-green streaks of light shot out in succession.

Each streak condensed into a long, thin poison needle.

The poison needles crossed the hall, leaving five green trails through the air.

Tang Chen stepped to the side with his right foot.

The Shadow Demon Spirit Left Leg Bone released a black glow.

His body vanished in an instant.

The first poison needle passed through the afterimage left where he had stood.

The second poison needle followed immediately after.

Tang Chen changed positions again, his white figure appearing repeatedly throughout the hall.

All five poison needles missed.

Five tiny holes appeared in the wall.

The stone around the holes quickly turned green, then crumbled into powder carrying poisonous fumes.

Dugu Bo raised his palm.

The scattered poisonous fumes immediately changed direction.

The jade-green mist converged toward Tang Chen's location.

Tang Chen stopped moving.

The phantom of the Life Ancient Tree flashed behind him.

Jade-green life radiance entered his body.

The poisonous fumes approaching him were purified by the power of life, rapidly dispersing into ordinary Soul Power.

Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes.

"So you truly can neutralize this old man's poison."

"Your Martial Soul is not merely the Destruction Scepter."

Tang Chen did not explain.

He had hidden the Life Ancient Tree not because he feared exposing his Twin Martial Souls.

He simply did not want to reveal all his trump cards during the entrance test.

Since Dugu Bo had already noticed, there was no point in continuing to hide it.

The green-haired old man raised his right hand.

More poisonous mist poured from his palm.

A vast expanse of jade-green mist rapidly covered the testing hall.

The pillars, walls, and floor were all stained with poison.

Tang Chen stood in the middle of the poisonous mist.

Life power continuously circulated through his body.

Any poison that approached him would be completely purified within a few breaths.

Time passed little by little.

Dugu Bo's attacks grew faster and faster.

Palm prints.

Poison needles.

Serpentine Soul Power.

Every attack had reached at least the Soul King level.

Tang Chen did not leave the testing area.

Origin Return World Suppression blocked the frontal attacks.

The Shadow Demon Spirit Left Leg Bone allowed him to evade poisons he could not take head-on.

Even the occasional Soul Power that entered his body was quickly neutralized by the Life Ancient Tree.

Boom!

Another jade-green palm print descended.

Tang Chen raised the Destruction Scepter, and a purple-black beam shot out to meet it head-on.

The two forces shattered at the same time.

The shockwave of Soul Power pushed him back three steps.

This was the first time Tang Chen had retreated since the battle began.

Several tears had appeared in his long white robe.

The black hair at his forehead was wet with sweat as well.

Waves of numb soreness spread across the surface of his right arm.

Continuously using Origin Return World Suppression consumed an enormous amount of Soul Power.

Tang Chen was only level forty.

Even though the Soul Power granted by three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings far surpassed that of an ordinary Soul Ancestor, it could not compare to a Titled Douluo's.

Sun Lin had been staring at the Timekeeping Soul Tool.

"One minute remaining."

As soon as those words spread, the watching students immediately began discussing it.

"He really held on for four minutes."

"His Excellency Dugu has already launched so many attacks."

"Yet Tang Chen is still standing."

"Only the last minute remains. He might truly pass the test."

Listening to the conversation around him, Xue Beng's expression grew increasingly ugly.

He had originally wanted to use Dugu Bo to drive Tang Chen straight out of the academy.

But the situation had developed completely beyond his expectations.

Every time Tang Chen blocked an attack, the looks in the surrounding students' eyes changed.

If Tang Chen truly held on for five minutes, then Xue Beng would be the one humiliated today.

"Your Excellency Dugu."

"Only one minute remains."

Dugu Bo did not respond to Xue Beng.

The old man looked at Tang Chen standing opposite him, his expression now completely serious.

He had seen many geniuses.

Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.

The heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The young disciples of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Clear Sky Sect.

All of them could be called outstanding among Soul Masters their age.

But compared to Tang Chen, both their Soul Ring configurations and combat abilities fell short.

A fourteen-year-old level-forty Soul Master.

Three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings.

A Soul Bone.

A Destruction Scepter capable of breaking down Soul Power.

And a second Martial Soul capable of purifying the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison.

Dugu Bo was no longer prepared to keep using ordinary attacks.

Nine Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor appeared behind the old man.

Its enormous body coiled outside the hall, its green scales glimmering with a dark sheen.

A pair of serpent eyes locked onto Tang Chen.

For the first time, a Titled Douluo's true pressure descended in full.

Bang!

All the remaining tables and chairs in the hall exploded.

The Soul Power barrier Sun Lin had erected shook violently.

The watching students all retreated several steps at once.

Zhu Zhuqing's face turned pale.

She immediately summoned her Nether Civet Martial Soul.

Three Soul Rings rose beneath her feet.

Yellow, yellow, purple.

She no longer cared about the academy test.

The moment Tang Chen was in danger, she would rush over immediately.

Dugu Bo's third Soul Ring lit up beneath his feet.

A vast amount of jade-green radiance gathered in the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's mouth.

The Serpent Emperor opened its massive jaws, and an azure serpent formed entirely from poison and Soul Power flew out.

The azure serpent was more than ten meters long.

Dense scales covered its entire body.

Two venomous fangs protruded from its mouth.

As soon as the azure serpent appeared, the surrounding ground was rapidly corroded by poison.

Sun Lin's expression changed drastically.

"His Excellency Dugu has used a soul skill!"

"Tang Chen, surrender immediately!"

Zhu Zhuqing rushed forward a step.

"Tang Chen!"

Tang Chen did not retreat.

He watched the azure serpent rushing toward him and tightened his grip on the Destruction Scepter in his right hand.

The second black Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up.

Purple-black Soul Power surged endlessly from his body.

The crystal at the tip of the Destruction Scepter released an intense radiance, and a black sphere rapidly condensed before Tang Chen.

The sphere was only the size of a fist.

Yet the devouring force within it continuously twisted the surrounding space.

Rubble in the hall was drawn toward the sphere one after another.

The moment the fragments drew close, they were broken down by the power of destruction.

Tang Chen raised his right hand.

"Second soul skill."

"Myriad Annihilation Return to Void."

The black sphere shot forward.

The azure serpent opened its jaws and swallowed the sphere whole.

The next instant.

A vast purple-black radiance appeared within the serpent's belly.

The azure serpent continued flying forward.

But the black sphere was constantly devouring the Soul Power that formed its body.

The two forces collided in the center of the hall.

The azure serpent's scales shattered one after another.

Myriad Annihilation Return to Void also fluctuated violently under the corrosion of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison.

Boom!

Black and jade-green light exploded at the same time.

The entire testing hall was completely overturned by the aftermath of Soul Power.

The roof was blasted upward.

Several stone pillars snapped in half.

Prince Xue Xing immediately circulated his Soul Power to shield himself.

Sun Lin led the surrounding students farther back.

Zhu Zhuqing did not leave.

She stood closest to Tang Chen.

Her long black hair flew wildly in the aftermath of Soul Power.

Her slender legs retreated repeatedly across the ground, leaving two shallow marks beneath her shoes.

Her gaze remained fixed on the center of the explosion.

Purple-black and jade-green light obscured everything.

Several breaths later.

The two colors gradually faded.

Tang Chen's figure reappeared.

He stood in the center of the ruined hall.

He still held the Destruction Scepter in his right hand, while his three black Soul Rings had already dimmed.

Several tears had been ripped into his white robes by Soul Power.

His chest rose and fell continuously, and his breathing had become ragged.

A streak of blood slowly ran from the corner of his mouth.

Yet Tang Chen's legs did not bend.

He remained standing.

The azure serpent condensed by the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor had completely disappeared.

Dugu Bo did not attack again.

The old man withdrew his hand, his gaze fixed on Tang Chen.

Prince Xue Xing looked at the Timekeeping Soul Tool beside him.

The final trace of light on the Timekeeping Soul Tool went out at that very moment.

Five minutes.

Had ended.

Zhu Zhuqing immediately came to Tang Chen's side.

She reached out and supported his arm.

"You're hurt."

Tang Chen raised a hand and wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth.

The power of the Life Ancient Tree had already begun repairing the meridians within his body.

He looked toward Xue Beng.

Xue Beng stood outside the collapsed hall, completely motionless.

The surrounding students were equally silent.

Tang Chen put away the Destruction Scepter.

His three black Soul Rings merged back into his body one by one.

"Time's up."

"I succeeded."

"Five minutes are over."

Tang Chen put away the Destruction Scepter.

His three black Soul Rings slowly merged back into his body.

No one in the ruined hall immediately came back to their senses.

Dugu Bo stood where he was, the phantom of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor still coiled behind him.

The azure serpent over ten meters long had already vanished.

For that final strike, he had used his third soul skill.

Even with his cultivation suppressed, the power contained in that attack was enough to severely wound a Soul King.

Yet Tang Chen had blocked it head-on.

Though he had suffered some injuries, he had never fallen.

More importantly, five minutes had already passed.

Dugu Bo looked at Tang Chen, and the scrutiny in his eyes turned grave.

Fourteen years old.

Forty levels of Soul Power.

Three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings.

To withstand the continuous attacks of a Titled Douluo until the very end.

Such talent could no longer be described as mere genius.

Prince Xue Xing remained silent as well.

He looked at the collapsed hall, then at Tang Chen standing amid the ruins, and for the first time, regret rose in his heart.

When Xue Beng proposed this test, he had not stopped him.

To him, it had merely been a prank that could be ended at any time.

If Tang Chen agreed, he would be severely injured under Dugu Bo's attacks.

If Tang Chen refused, Xue Beng could use that opportunity to drive him out of the academy.

But now, matters had already slipped beyond their control.

The students watching from afar stood at a distance.

They looked at the rubble covering the ground, then at Tang Chen's damaged white robes.

Though the hall had been destroyed, Tang Chen had passed the test.

There was no longer any room to dispute the condition Xue Beng had proposed earlier.

"Your Highness Xue Beng."

Tang Chen wiped away the remaining blood at the corner of his mouth and turned to Xue Beng.

"Can I enroll now?"

Xue Beng's body stiffened.

His expression changed several times.

The gazes of the surrounding students made him feel deeply humiliated.

He had proposed the test.

He had also invited Dugu Bo.

Now that Tang Chen had endured for five minutes, he could no longer find a reasonable excuse.

Xue Beng raised his head.

"Who said you passed?"

Tang Chen looked at him.

"You said earlier that as long as I could withstand five minutes of attacks from His Excellency Dugu, you would acknowledge that I passed the test."

"This prince merely said I would acknowledge your strength."

Xue Beng immediately seized on his words.

"That has nothing to do with whether you can join the academy."

Sun Lin's expression changed.

"Your Highness, you clearly said that Tang Chen could enroll as long as he endured for five minutes."

Xue Beng turned to look at him.

"Does this prince need you to tell me how to conduct my affairs?"

Sun Lin opened his mouth, but ultimately did not continue arguing.

He merely looked at Tang Chen, apology in his eyes.

The other two teachers responsible for recording lowered their heads.

They could tell that Xue Beng had already decided to go back on his word.

But he was a prince, and they were not qualified to criticize him in public.

The surrounding students also remained silent.

Quite a few already felt contempt for Xue Beng's actions.

But Prince Xue Xing was standing nearby.

Dugu Bo was also in the center of the hall.

No one was willing to step forward at a time like this.

Zhu Zhuqing came to Tang Chen's side.

She raised her eyes toward Xue Beng, her slender hand gently clutching Tang Chen's sleeve.

"Everyone heard the condition he proposed."

Xue Beng swept a glance over her.

"Since when was it your turn to interrupt when this prince speaks?"

Zhu Zhuqing did not answer.

She merely moved half a step closer to Tang Chen.

Tang Chen felt the force on his sleeve. His gaze shifted away from Xue Beng and fell on her face.

"Don't worry."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded gently.

Xue Beng watched their interaction, and his expression darkened further.

He raised a hand and pointed at Tang Chen.

"No matter what, this prince will never allow you to join Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

"Haven't I already passed the test?"

"Many people pass the test."

Xue Beng sneered. "Whether the academy accepts you still depends on the royal family's decision."

"You have no family title and no noble status."

"Even if you possess three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, it does not change the fact that you are a commoner."

Prince Xue Xing finally spoke.

"Tang Chen, you assaulted a prince in the academy hall and damaged academy property."

"Leave now, and both sides can still retain some dignity."