The girl in the Dragon Core: Mu En helps Ji Feng awaken his martial soul

"Waiting for me? The Dragon God Douluo?"

"That's right. My teacher is waiting for you on the third floor. Let's go up together."

Ji Feng's feet left the ground as Yan Shaozhe carried him into a room on the third floor of the Sea God Pavilion.

The room was small, roughly thirty square meters, with only simple wooden furniture and a bookshelf that covered an entire wall.

An old man sat in the reclining chair at the center of the room. He was none other than the Dragon God Douluo—Mu En.

When he saw Ji Feng, he slowly rose from the chair, though his back remained hunched.

"Old age, old age. I suffered a little injury back then, and now I can only receive guests in my reclining chair. Forgive the sorry sight, young friend."

Ji Feng narrowed his eyes slightly. This kindly old man before him was no harmless soul. A fine girl like Zhang Lexuan had been bound for life by a single marriage contract from him.

This Dragon God Douluo would not be easy to deal with.

He would protect neither your interests nor his own. There was only Shrek in his heart.

"Hello, esteemed Sea God Pavilion Master. Have you eaten?"

"Oh? What a humorous young man. You even care whether an old fellow like me has eaten."

"Of course. Because I haven't. As you know, I'm still growing. I can't go without food."

"Hahahaha! How thoughtless of this old man. Yan Shaozhe, go fetch some good food. This is Ji Feng's first visit to our Shrek Academy. We mustn't neglect him."

Yan Shaozhe cast a glance at Ji Feng, then flew out of the Sea God Pavilion.

Mu En looked at Ji Feng, his expression as kindly as ever. No one could discern his true feelings.

"You shattered eight Heavenly Soul Stones, and you carry a dragon's aura. If Yan Shaozhe hadn't vouched for you, I truly wouldn't have believed you were human."

"It's a fact. Three Titled Douluos examined my body over by Sea God Lake just now. I am indeed human."

Mu En nodded. He liked this young man, who radiated unparalleled confidence from head to toe and showed not the slightest stage fright even before a Limit Douluo like him.

"A human with a dragon's power. I'm growing more and more suspicious that you might carry our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon bloodline."

"Why not test it and find out? You've satisfied so many women, after all. What's so strange about one or two descendants ending up out in the world?"

"You little rascal. What a sharp tongue."

Mu En had lived for over two hundred years and met countless young people, but this was the first time he had encountered someone who spoke to him like Ji Feng did.

The children he had met before looked at him as though they were looking at a god, all but desperate to kneel and worship him.

Yet this boy Ji Feng could actually laugh and joke with him?

What Mu En didn't know was that Ji Feng had grown up on Earth as the sole heir of an Ancient Martial Family. If he hadn't met a thousand experts, he had met at least eight hundred.

The Dragon God Douluo was simply another expert among them. What was there to fear? He would just say whatever needed saying.

Mu En cleared his throat and got to the point. "You came to Shrek to awaken your martial soul, I presume."

"That's right." Ji Feng nodded, looking straight into Mu En's aged face. "If even Shrek's ten thousand years of accumulated knowledge can't solve my martial soul problem, then there really is nothing to be done."

However beastly Shrek Academy might be, its Martial Soul Department was still the best in the world. Even Ji Feng had to admit that.

"Indeed, our academy's Martial Soul Department has a ten-thousand-year legacy. However, in my two hundred-plus years as Sea God Pavilion Master, this is the first time I've encountered a martial soul problem like yours."

Mu En nodded slightly. His gaze suddenly became solemn and reverent, and a golden orb emerged from his chest.

He said slowly, "Since ancient times, the Dragon God was the mightiest being on the Douluo Continent. He ruled over all the continent's soul beasts until his disappearance.

Any soul beast with dragon blood is stronger than others of the same level. If a martial soul carries a dragon's aura, its cultivation will be even more powerful.

Your martial soul can resonate with my Radiant Sacred Dragon martial soul, which proves that your bloodline is extremely pure. I happened to obtain this Dragon Core many years ago. It can be used to stimulate your martial soul, and after all these years of nurturing it, it will no longer harm your body."

Ji Feng looked at the Dragon Core and smiled without realizing it.

Anticipation, longing, and hope rapidly swelled within him, but more than anything, he felt curiosity.

He, too, wanted to know just what martial soul lay hidden inside his body.

"You seem very eager." Noticing the changes in Ji Feng's eyes and expression, Mu En guided the Dragon Core to hover before him.

"The Dragon Core is the condensed essence of that Radiant Sacred Dragon. It paid with its life and all its power to form this core. I will use the pure dragon power it releases to stimulate your body and awaken your sleeping martial soul. There's no need to be nervous. Just relax."

Ji Feng nodded and stepped forward, carefully sensing the Dragon Core's power.

"Save me."

Ji Feng's eyes snapped open. He looked at Mu En, his face full of confusion.

He hadn't misheard it. There was no way he could have.

Just now, a voice had suddenly sounded in his heart, and it had unmistakably been a young girl's voice.

It was soft and weak, trembling with obvious strain.

It was clearly the voice of a pitiful, innocent girl struggling desperately to beg for help!

But there was no one here besides him and Mu En. Even Yan Shaozhe was absent.

Besides, if someone were here, how could a Limit Douluo like Mu En fail to notice?

"Save me."

The ethereal voice came again. This time, Ji Feng was absolutely certain it wasn't his imagination. Someone really was speaking inside his heart.

He steadied his mind and asked inwardly, Who are you?

Sure enough, his thoughts reached the girl, and her answering voice was noticeably more agitated.

"Right in front of you! Save me!"

In front of me?

Ji Feng's pupils abruptly contracted. Apart from Mu En and the furniture, there was only one thing in front of him!

The Dragon Core!!

It was her?! There was only the Dragon Core before him!!

The girl within the Dragon Core was calling to him for help. Mu En had nurtured it for so many years, yet the consciousness inside had not dissipated.

That made no sense. In the original story, Huo Yuhao's spiritual power had already surpassed everyone else's when he obtained the Dragon Core. How could he have failed to detect the consciousness within it?

Could this consciousness be worn away a few years from now? Is there still a trace left now? Ji Feng wondered.

When he saw that Ma Xiaotao had only five soul rings, Ji Feng had known that the story of Peerless Tang Sect had yet to begin.

By then, Ma Xiaotao had already possessed six rings.

Ji Feng felt this might be a fortuitous opportunity, but...

Sorry. I can't help you. The man facing me is a Limit Douluo...

Perhaps the girl's consciousness was already too weak. This time, she did not respond to Ji Feng.

He was a little arrogant, but he wasn't a fool.

To save this girl, he would first have to defeat Mu En. Then he would have to destroy the Dragon Core to release her consciousness.

Neither was something he could accomplish.

If he did it, he would incur the hatred of Shrek, the strongest academy on the continent, and be hunted down!

Besides, even Mu En couldn't detect this girl's consciousness. If he released her and she committed evil, who would be able to stop her?

Without further hesitation, Ji Feng steadied his mind and carefully sensed the Dragon Core before him.

Instantly, a sensation of mingling auras came from above. It felt somewhat similar to the Heavenly Soul Stone.

The difference was that the Heavenly Soul Stone focused on guidance, while the Dragon Core provided intense stimulation.

It would stimulate his unawakened martial soul and draw it out completely!

The instant Ji Feng came into contact with the Dragon Core, its golden radiance spread over his entire body, enveloping him in a layer of golden light.

He felt as though he were soaking in a hot spring, utterly comfortable.