Long Yeyue's Slap

All things withered, and ice and snow descended upon the world.

The moisture in the air instantly condensed into tiny snow crystals, drifting down in a fluttering shower.

A thin layer of white frost instantly covered the ground.

At that moment, everything around Cao Xin...

Seemed to be veiled in silvery white.

It became a scene of snow-covered splendor.

Even the bright sunlight was obscured by the wind and snow.

The dappled rays that had originally filtered through the gaps in the canopy vanished completely.

The entire area seemed to have been isolated into a world of winter.

With one thrust of his sword, autumn turned to winter, and all things withered!

The power of this strike...

Far surpassed mere Late Autumn Sword Intent.

The decay of autumn and the deathly stillness of winter overlapped, producing an effect far greater than one plus one.

It was the resolve of decline advancing toward its end, the final curtain call of life going from withered yellow to utter destruction.

The longsword pierced through the bear's paw.

Its momentum did not diminish.

After piercing the paw, it continued onward, plunging straight into the giant bear's chest. Half the blade protruded from its back.

A single strike killed it.

The Earth Armored Bear's massive body suddenly stiffened.

It let out a brief, muffled roar, then its entire body seemed to lose all support as it toppled forward and crashed heavily onto the ground.

Dirt and shattered leaves scattered in every direction.

The instant the bear's body hit the ground, it rapidly turned transparent, transforming into a warm, pale-yellow halo that floated about a foot above the ground.

Cao Xin then stepped forward.

He pressed his palm over the halo.

The halo flowed into his body through his palm, and a heavy surge of energy poured into his Soul Rings...

Making their color just slightly richer.

He closed his eyes and sensed it.

The age of his Soul Rings had increased by thirty years.

According to the ten-to-one calculation used in the Spirit Ascension Platform, this Earth Armored Bear should have been three hundred years old.

Cao Xin withdrew his hand, feeling the slight enhancement to his Soul Rings, and confidence settled in his heart.

He started walking again, continuing deeper into the forest.

Outside.

Qian Gu Dongfeng's gaze remained fixed on the screen, taking in that sword strike from beginning to end.

His brows had still carried a trace of reserve from his earlier warning.

But now, they lifted slightly despite himself, and genuine surprise flashed through his eyes.

"This..."

His voice paused.

"He killed a three-hundred-year Earth Armored Bear with one sword strike..."

"He didn't even need a second strike."

He turned to look at Zang Xin.

"This child is only six years old this year, right?"

He had not expected the boy to kill an Earth Armored Bear with three hundred years of cultivation in a single strike.

Though an Earth Armored Bear's bloodline was inferior to those top-tier Soul Beasts.

It was still a bear-type Soul Beast renowned for its defenses. Even three-ringed Soul Elders often had to form teams and wear one down in turns before they could defeat it.

Yet Cao Xin had slain an Earth Armored Bear, one capable of rivaling an ordinary thousand-year Soul Beast, with only one strike.

Such talent was truly terrifying.

Not to mention that this boy already possessed two thousand-year Soul Rings at the age when he had just awakened his martial soul, along with such sharp and decisive combat instincts.

If the students of Shrek Academy saw that sword strike, their jaws would probably drop.

But judging by this...

The Tang Sect would continue to prosper for several more centuries.

He silently reached that conclusion, then shook his head, an indifferent smile rising on his lips.

After all, the one he was targeting was Shrek Academy...

It had nothing to do with the Tang Sect.

As for why he targeted Shrek Academy.

That went back to the past.

At the time...

His father had still been the master of the Spirit Pagoda.

As the head of the Qian Gu Family and the highest authority of the Spirit Pagoda.

Qian Gu Dieting had been a renowned figure throughout the continent. Even his every word and action could affect the nerves of countless factions.

Then one day...

His close friend's wife, Long Yeyue, came to see him. That close friend was Old Bei, the Sea God Pavilion Master.

Then, for no apparent reason, she slapped him.

That slap came without warning, crisp and decisive, leaving no room for any response.

That slap shattered the ten-thousand-year alliance between Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda.

It also shattered the friendship between Qian Gu Dieting and Old Bei.

The intimate cooperative relationship between the continent's two greatest powers, which had lasted for ten thousand years...

Had cracked from that moment onward.

But Qian Gu Dongfeng felt...

It was better that this so-called friendship was gone.

A cold glint flashed through his eyes.

Since Old Bei had chosen to side with his wife...

He should also bear the consequences he deserved.

Of course, even now.

He still did not understand...

Why Long Yeyue had slapped his father.

That mystery had troubled two generations of the Qian Gu Family...

Yet no one had ever given an answer.

Even he himself had reconstructed the scene and motives countless times...

But every time, he failed to make sense of it...

As though...

Long Yeyue had slapped him simply for the sake of slapping him.

At that moment...

Zang Xin's voice interrupted his wandering thoughts.

At that moment, the pride in Zang Xin's eyes was nearly overflowing.

Yet when he spoke, his tone was deliberately subdued.

It carried the calm nonchalance of as it should be.

"Normal performance. Not worth mentioning."

But Qian Gu Dongfeng still heard the pride in Zang Xin's words.

Every word seemed to radiate the boastful air of my kid is just that amazing.

Qian Gu Dongfeng's expression immediately turned strange.

He glanced at Zang Xin's profile, which was pretending to be calm, and could not help muttering inwardly.

Well, damn.

That smug?

That did not seem like Zang Xin at all.

In his impression...

Zang Xin had always been gentle and steady, humble and courteous. Even in public, he never showed off, much less revealed such barely concealed pride.

This rare display of emotion today...

Let him see an entirely different Tang Sect Vice Sect Master.

Inside the Junior Spirit Ascension Platform.

By then, Cao Xin had already ventured deep into the primeval forest for three hours.

The Soul Beasts along the way ranged from weak to strong.

From just over a hundred years old to a thousand years old.

There had been dozens of Soul Beasts, large and small...

But none could withstand a single exchange beneath his Ruthless Sword.

In the end, every one of them was pierced by a single strike, transformed into halos, and completely absorbed by him.

According to his calculations, the average age of his two Soul Rings had now reached around three thousand years.

This nearly exceeded the maximum limit that an ordinary Soul Master could endure.

But Cao Xin did not appear to be struggling.

Aside from possessing two top-tier martial souls...

He was also the Young Sect Master of Tang Sect.

From childhood, he had enjoyed the resources of the entire Tang Sect.

The Tang Sect's ten-thousand-year accumulation of resources—whether heavenly treasures, cultivation methods, or guidance from powerful experts—had already paved his path during the six years before his awakening.

The resources ordinary Soul Masters had to risk their lives to fight over...

For him...

Had been within reach from the moment he was born.