Guan Sheng's Strength

Outside the Sect Secret Realm.

"Zhuqing, I've told you everything I can. Be careful. If you fail, you fail—don't push yourself too hard. All that matters is that you come back safe." Yang Xiu reached out and stroked Zhu Zhuqing's head.

"I will, Brother Xiu. Don't worry about me," Zhu Zhuqing said softly, giving him a faint smile.

"Then do your best... I'll wait here for you."

Inside the secret realm, Zhu Zhuqing quickly chose three tasks.

So this is the trial Brother Xiu mentioned? It looks pretty hard. For Zhu Zhuqing, none of the tasks were easy. She decided to get a Soul Ring first and began her challenge. In the end, she barely defeated a Thousand-Year Soul Beast and obtained a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Her month of training had paid off: the ring reached 2,600 years and carried the Netherworld Power unique to Netherworld Creatures. Her Soul Power also rose by two levels.

Third Soul Skill: Netherworld Power. Condense Netherworld Power and unleash a lethal strike that deals devastating damage, ignoring ten percent of the target's defense.

With Netherworld Power, obtaining a Thousand-Year Soul Ring Experience Pill became easier. After absorbing it, her Second Soul Ring became a thousand-year ring. Her Soul Power increased somewhat, though she did not gain a level.

For her final task, Zhu Zhuqing defeated her own mirror image and obtained a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone. It was the hardest task for her, and she had won in no small part thanks to luck. After absorbing the Soul Bone, she hurried out. She knew Yang Xiu was waiting.

She soon emerged and walked quickly toward Yang Xiu, who was waiting where she had left him.

"Brother Xiu, I'm level thirty-two now, and I got a Soul Bone too!" Zhu Zhuqing said, unable to resist showing off a little.

Hearing that, Yang Xiu gently pinched her cheek.

"My Zhuqing is the best. You even got a Soul Bone! Come here for your reward." He kissed her forehead.

Zhu Zhuqing blushed, but she did not move away. She stood quietly beside Yang Xiu without another word, her eyes brimming with happiness. Soon, Yang Xiu took her back to the villa.

Three months later, Yang Xiu woke from cultivation. He could feel a breakthrough approaching—half a month at most. He glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, who was cultivating beside him, his eyes full of tenderness.

Before long, Hua Xiong came to see Yang Xiu. Seeing that Hua Xiong was about to speak,

Yang Xiu put a finger to his lips and led him outside the villa.

"What is it? It's rare for you to come looking for me. Didn't you go play with your little buddy today?"

"Sect Master, Guan Sheng is back. That Wuji brat just broke through to Soul Douluo and is consolidating his cultivation. He doesn't want to play with me."

"He broke through? Not bad. Four levels in less than four years. My Elixirs weren't wasted on him."

"But why has Guan Sheng come back? Have Xiao San and the others gone to Shrek?"

"Not yet, but they'll graduate soon."

"Shrek won't start admitting students for another month or so."

"Then did he come back for something else?"

"Guan Sheng has broken through to level ninety."

"Mm. As expected of that man's descendant." As Yang Xiu said this, he glanced at Hua Xiong.

Hua Xiong's face twitched, then returned to normal. After all, he was no longer the man he used to be.

"Sect Master, please stop making fun of me."

"Haha! I never thought you could get embarrassed, Hua Xiong."

"With the Guan family's ancestral technique, I suppose he wants a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. Come on, let's see him."

Yang Xiu and Hua Xiong soon arrived.

Inside the nine-story High Tower,

"Greetings, Sect Master," the group said, bowing to Yang Xiu.

"No need for formalities." Yang Xiu turned his gaze to Guan Sheng.

The burly, red-faced man before him seemed a man of few words. The pride written across his face all but declared: You lot are nothing but heads waiting to be claimed.

"Guan Sheng, I hear you've broken through. It seems you inherited your ancestor's true teachings."

Guan Sheng heard Yang Xiu address him.

He answered respectfully, "Sect Master, please don't say that. Compared with my ancestor, the Martial Sage, I still have a long road ahead."

"Enough. I came to see you because I have a few requests. A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring Experience Pill—those two tasks will be difficult for you, but not impossible. Choose the last one yourself. Of course, just do your best. Don't force it."

"I understand, Sect Master," Guan Sheng replied calmly. If he could not meet Yang Xiu's expectations, he would be too ashamed to face him again. Such was the pride of the Guan family.

Guan Sheng soon entered the secret realm. It was his first time there, but letters from the Sect over the years had mentioned the realm now and then, so he knew a little about it. When a voice sounded in his mind, he was surprised but not shaken. He looked straight at the tasks.

Task 1: Kill a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast. Reward: one Trait. (After absorption, grants a random Trait suited to the user.)

Task 2: Kill four humans of the same level. Reward: one Martial Strength Pill.

Task 3: Defeat a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast. Reward: a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring Experience Pill.

Task 4: Kill a ninety-thousand-year Soul Beast. Reward: a Soul Ring Experience Pill (50,000–99,999 years).

Task 5: Defeat your mirror image. Reward: one Soul Power Pill.

Task 6: Kill a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Reward: one Sect badge.

Task 7: Defeat a Power Attack System Soul Douluo of the same level. Reward: one Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone.

Task 8: Defeat a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast. Reward: a Soul Ring.

Task 9: Kill a Hundred Thousand Year speed-type Soul Beast. Reward: an External Soul Bone suited to you...

There were only nine tasks in the level-ninety trial.

Guan Sheng studied them, and his proud expression turned grave. Defeating a Soul Beast and killing one were two different things. Proud though he was, no Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast was easy prey. Even if his Dragging-Blade Technique gravely wounded one, it could still escape. After thinking it over, he chose the tasks that required victory rather than a kill. In the end, he selected Tasks 2, 3, and 8.

He had to complete Task 2 first. Otherwise, if the other two tasks strengthened him and pushed his Soul Power past level ninety, he would face four Titled Douluo. They would not care whether he had a Soul Ring.

Guan Sheng summoned his Martial Soul and gripped the Azure Dragon Crescent Moon Blade. Then he said softly to the Secret Realm Spirit,

"I accept Task 2." As four level-ninety Soul Douluo began to take shape before him, he did not wait for them to finish forming. He unleashed the Dragging-Blade Technique, and three consecutive slashes dispersed three of them as soon as they appeared. Only the last Soul Douluo remained. Guan Sheng breathed a little easier. He could not use the Dragging-Blade Technique again for the moment, but one-on-one, the pride of the Guan family let him fear no one. An evenly matched battle erupted. Half an hour later, Guan Sheng proved the better fighter, and the Azure Dragon Crescent Moon Blade took his opponent's head.

"A head waiting to be claimed," Guan Sheng declared, striking a grand pose.

The fourth figure faded away, leaving a Martial Strength Pill behind. At the sight of the pill hovering in the air, even Guan Sheng's haughty face broke into a smile. He knew how important strength was. Without hesitation, he sat cross-legged, swallowed the pill, and began absorbing its power.

After the time it took a stick of incense to burn, Guan Sheng opened his eyes. His whole body brimmed with strength. Without obtaining a Soul Ring, though, he could not tell how much Soul Power he had gained.

Guan Sheng did not rush into the next challenge. He sat down to recover. An hour later, he felt that he could use the Dragging-Blade Technique again.

"I accept Tasks 3 and 8."

A colossal beast soon appeared before Guan Sheng. Because the tasks called for him to defeat it, there was a three-second countdown before the fight began. The three seconds slipped by, and Guan Sheng clashed with the Soul Beast. At first, the difference in strength left him on the defensive. His Soul Power had risen above level ninety, but a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast was comparable to a level-ninety-five opponent. As time passed, Guan Sheng gradually mastered his newfound strength. Then he held nothing back and unleashed the Dragging-Blade Technique, gravely wounding the beast before it could react. But a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast possessed formidable vitality, and it soon rose again. Guan Sheng's face turned grim. Just then, the Secret Realm Spirit judged his tasks complete, and the Soul Beast gradually vanished.

Guan Sheng looked at the two rewards floating in the air and let out a long breath. He was glad he had not chosen the task that required him to kill a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast.

Guan Sheng began absorbing the Soul Ring. More than an hour later, he swallowed the Soul Ring Experience Pill. Soon, everything was done, and his journey through the secret realm came to an end.

Yang Xiu had been waiting there all along. Sensing movement, he woke from cultivation.

He used the Detection Technique.

Name: Guan Sheng

Soul Power: Level 95 (yellow, yellow, purple, red, black, black, black, black, red)

Martial Soul: Azure Dragon Crescent Moon Blade

Trait: Dragging-Blade Technique

Yang Xiu stared at Guan Sheng's status panel, stunned by the level ninety-five in particular. When he noticed that the fourth ring was red, his surprise faded somewhat. Even two red rings could not have raised Guan Sheng to level ninety-five on their own. He must have completed a third task.

"What was your third task?" Yang Xiu asked outright.

"I was fortunate enough to obtain a Martial Strength Pill."

At that, Yang Xiu no longer found it strange.

After all, a Martial Strength Pill was an extraordinary thing. It could grant anywhere from one to five levels—who knew how many Guan Sheng had gained?

"Good. The Sect has grown stronger again."

"Now that you're out safely, I need to focus on my own cultivation and break through."

"Oh, and you don't need to go back to Xiao San and the others. His father, the Clear Sky Douluo, is watching over him too. They'll all be going to Shrek in a month or so. Come with me to see them then."

"For now, consolidate your cultivation properly."

After chatting with Guan Sheng a little longer, Yang Xiu returned to his villa.