Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue!

Faced with a challenge like that, Hei Ranbai would have made a fool of himself if he did nothing.

He looked at Wang Sheng, whose War Tiger Martial Soul had already possessed him, and formed a dog-shaped hand sign.

"Divine Dogs!"

Two large dogs, one black and one white, emerged from the shadows.

Wang Sheng looked baffled. What kind of move was that?

Hadn't this kid said his Martial Soul was a shadow? How had he summoned two Detached Martial Souls?

Before Wang Sheng could recover, the two Divine Dogs pounced.

Hei Ranbai began making his bed. By the time he finished, Wang Sheng was sprawled on the floor with all hope drained from his face, while the two dogs stood nearby, tongues lolling at Hei Ranbai.

"Well done, Bruce," Hei Ranbai praised.

"You're our boss from now on." Wang Sheng climbed to his feet, his expression solemn.

"Not interested. Someone from my village is pretty strong too. He'll be here soon. Make him your boss." Hei Ranbai flopped onto his bed, speaking casually as he petted a dog.

Gangzi had finally managed to coax Tang San into enrolling. The moment Tang San entered the dormitory, he found a crowd calling him their boss.

"Ranbai, what's going on?" After piecing together what had happened from the others, Tang San approached Hei Ranbai, puzzled.

Deep down, he did resent Hei Ranbai a little. Either become his disciple with me or stop me when I'm about to do it. Instead, you refuse and run off afterward. Doesn't that make me look like a clown?

But Tang San knew he couldn't blame Hei Ranbai for any of it, so he kept up their friendly relationship.

"I don't want to be boss. You're strong. You do it." Hei Ranbai's answer was simple.

"But..." Tang San hesitated.

"No buts. If another work-study student shows up, just lose to them on purpose." Hei Ranbai waved a hand.

Tang San had a forty-year-old soul and no interest whatsoever in leading a bunch of children. For now, though, he could only agree helplessly. "All right."

Hei Ranbai had been lying on his bed for a while when he heard the door open.

He glanced up and saw a girl with a long braid, dressed in neat, plain robes. Her pretty little face was fair with a rosy tint.

"Is this Dorm Seven? Hello, I'm Xiao Wu. Wu as in dancing."

After chatting with everyone, Xiao Wu learned she could compete for the position of boss, and her eyes lit up. Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, even Da Ming and Er Ming had played the role of her little brothers. Now that she was at an Academy in the human world, she had no intention of answering to anyone.

Xiao Wu was already a One-Ring Soul Master. Tang San had underestimated her and failed to dodge, so of course he lost. Hei Ranbai watched the whole thing without intervening. He only stepped forward to help Tang San up after he hit the floor.

While events on Hei Ranbai's end followed their usual course, Bai Ranmo at Spirit Hall had already obtained his First Soul Ring.

Qian Daoliu's subordinates had proved their worth. After several days of searching, they found a dragon-like Soul Beast that could manipulate gravity to a limited degree. It was around 550 years old—just right.

They beat the Soul Beast half to death, brought it back to Spirit Hall, and let Bai Ranmo finish it off himself.

Absorbing the Soul Ring went more smoothly than Bai Ranmo had expected. With his experience from the Li Bai Clone, he found it easy enough.

Bai Ranmo's First Soul Skill let him generate a gravitational pull in his palm that attracted any object.

He called it "Universal Pull." Its effect was remarkably similar to the move Pain used in Fire Shadow—practically identical, in fact.

His Soul Power Level rose smoothly to level 13. Then, under Qian Daoliu's guidance, he absorbed the Spirit Condensation Wisdom Skull, sending his Soul Power Level soaring to level 18.

Spirit Hall's resources really were staggering. No other faction would give a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone to a genius who had only just awakened Innate Full Soul Power.

Bai Ranmo already had an idea for his Second Soul Ring.

Ideally, it would have something to do with barriers or domains.

He wanted it to deepen his mastery of Barrier Ninjutsu and lay the groundwork for his eventual Domain Expansion.

That day, after finishing his morning Soul Power meditation, Bai Ranmo practiced Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue as usual in the afternoon.

"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue!"

At Bai Ranmo's command, a blue sphere appeared in his hand.

It worked! Bai Ranmo was delighted.

The small blue sphere of gravity responded to his thoughts, drawing in everything in the training ground like a hole that could never be filled.

The hard ground, the seats and railings in the distant stands, even the walls began to tremble.

"Ranmo." Qian Daoliu had come to check on his disciple, only to find a scene that made his mouth twitch.

His disciple was... tearing the place apart?!

"Master." Bai Ranmo raised an eyebrow, then broke into a grin. "Perfect timing! Maximum output!"

As he poured in more Soul Power, the huge blue sphere seemed ready to swallow everything around it.

Blue was like a black hole. Put simply, it created a pit in the world, and gravity drove everything toward it to fill the void.

The blue sphere hurtled toward Qian Daoliu. He did not move a muscle. He stood his ground, coated his body in Soul Power, and took the full force of Blue head-on.

"Not bad." When the dust settled, not even a speck had landed on Qian Daoliu. His expression remained solemn. "If that was your Blue at maximum output, Ranmo, it's already powerful enough to threaten a Soul Elder's life."

"Of course. I'm the strongest!" Bai Ranmo showed no trace of modesty.

Qian Daoliu walked over with a pleased expression, apparently intending to pat Bai Ranmo on the head.

Bai Ranmo obligingly deactivated Limitless. Then—

"Ow! Old man, what was that for?" Bai Ranmo clutched his head where Qian Daoliu had rapped it and hurriedly activated Limitless again.

"You little brat. Don't think I don't know you understood how much damage Blue could cause. You chose to test it in the Worship Hall's training ground anyway. You did that on purpose! And then you attacked me without permission. Such disrespect!"

A touching display of master-disciple affection.

"Big Brother, what happened?" Just then, several figures appeared in the training room.

At the sight of his old companions, Qian Daoliu straightened unconsciously and put on a helpless expression.

"Ah, it's nothing. Sorry to have alarmed you all. Ranmo finally developed that Self-Created Soul Skill he's been so set on. He got a little carried away and damaged the training ground."

The Consecrated Douluo fell silent.

They glanced at Bai Ranmo, who was whistling, then at Qian Daoliu, whose angry expression did nothing to hide the grin threatening to split his face. Every one of them looked speechless.