Tian Chen smiled faintly, a trace of resolve shining in his eyes.
As he entered his combat stance, his hands shifted slightly, and faint ripples of energy spread around him.
"Senior Wu Ming, please!"
"All right, then I won't hold back." As she spoke, Wu Ming slowly raised her hands. Faint golden light flickered in her palms, and in an instant, a massive Golden Crow appeared behind her.
"Wu Ming, Golden Crow martial soul, level 69 Power Attack System Battle Soul Emperor. Junior, you'd better be careful!"
"Tian Chen, Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade martial soul, level 50 Power Attack System four-ring Battle Soul Ancestor. Please!"
Tian Chen smiled faintly and announced his level as well.
"What? You're level 50? A Battle Soul Ancestor?" Wu Ming raised her eyebrows slightly, disbelief coloring her voice. "How old are you?"
"Eleven." Tian Chen smiled faintly. His tone was calm, but confidence shone in his eyes. "Senior, I may be young, but I've been working hard."
With that, he released his soul power fluctuations.
The people around them looked astonished and broke into a flurry of discussion.
"Wow, level 50 at eleven? That talent is incredible-no, it defies the heavens!"
"Exactly. I heard Senior Wu Ming was a genius too, but this junior's strength is simply unbelievable."
"Maybe he'll be the inner court's next top disciple!"
"Eleven... a level 50 four-ring Battle Soul Ancestor?" Shock spread across Wu Ming's face, impossible to conceal, and a hint of complicated emotion flashed in her eyes.
As one of the inner court's top disciples, she knew all too well how difficult cultivation was. Tian Chen's strength at his age simply exceeded her imagination.
"I only broke through recently and haven't obtained a soul ring yet, so I'm not a Soul King. I hope I won't disappoint you, Senior Wu Ming!"
Standing in the spectator stands, Ma Xiaotao also looked surprised. As far as she knew, Tian Chen had only just broken through to level 40 two months ago. Now he had surged all the way to level 50. His rate of progress was staggering.
Of course, she would not suspect Tian Chen of using some evil cultivation method. After all, Shrek Academy had a whole host of Titled Douluo. It was almost impossible for an Evil Soul Master to hide there.
Besides, Tian Chen had recently displayed ultimate light, an attribute that was an exceptionally powerful counter to Evil Soul Masters!
She therefore leaned toward the possibility that Tian Chen had absorbed a soul bone or taken some spirit medicine.
She could not help feeling pleased, and happy for Tian Chen as well.
"All right, then let's see just how strong you are!"
Wu Ming gave a sharp cry and raised her hands again. The golden light in her palms instantly became searing hot. The massive Golden Crow behind her let out a clear cry.
"Golden Crow Flame!" The Golden Crow beat its wings sharply and spat out a mouthful of golden fire.
At the sight, Tian Chen pointed forward, and blood demon heart-devouring thunder shot out in an instant.
Boom! Golden flames and blood-red lightning collided violently in midair with a deafening roar.
When the smoke and dust cleared, Wu Ming and Tian Chen stood facing each other.
Wu Ming's gaze sharpened. Although her golden crow true fire was not ultimate fire, it was nothing to be underestimated.
Yet Tian Chen's blood lightning had actually met it head-on, raising her opinion of him further.
"Not bad. You really do have some strength." Wu Ming nodded slightly, a hint of admiration in her voice.
"But I'm not that easy to deal with. Now I'm going to get serious!" Wu Ming's gaze sharpened, and six soul rings-two yellow, two purple, and two black-instantly appeared around her.
"Blood demon heart-devouring thunder was only my appetizer. Now I'm going to get serious too." Tian Chen smiled faintly, confidence in his voice.
"Hmph, then let me see your true strength!" Wu Ming snorted and swept her hands out again. The Golden Crow beat its wings sharply, and golden flames surged like crashing waves.
"Third soul skill, Golden Crow True Fire Burst!" Golden flames surged like crashing waves, shooting toward Tian Chen at tremendous speed.
These flames carried scorching heat and tremendous explosive power, as though every single one could tear space apart.
Although these flames' explosive power falls far short of the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan's Ice Explosion, they're still nothing to underestimate. Tian Chen understood that he absolutely could not take this strike head-on.
"Three Thousand Thunder Movement!" Tian Chen gave a sharp cry. His body instantly transformed into streaks of blood-red lightning, darting through the air at incredible speed as he continually evaded the golden crow true fire.
"Thunder Flash!" Tian Chen cried again. His body vanished from where he stood, and in the next instant, he appeared behind Wu Ming.
Seizing that opening, Tian Chen condensed blood demon heart-devouring thunder in his hand and thrust his palm toward Wu Ming with the crushing force of snapping deadwood and sweeping away rotten timber.
Wu Ming's gaze sharpened. She had not expected Tian Chen to be so fast, or his attack to be so fierce.
She reacted swiftly and roared, "Fifth soul skill, Golden Crow Sacred Body!"
In an instant, golden firelight enveloped Wu Ming's entire body. Golden Crow Sacred Body was her fifth soul skill, capable of instantly enhancing her defense and attack.
Wu Ming spun around swiftly and met Tian Chen's palm with her own.
A layer of scorching golden flame wrapped her palm, colliding with Tian Chen's blood demon heart-devouring thunder.
Boom! A deafening roar rang out, and the powerful surge of energy instantly ignited the surrounding air.
The powerful energy surge forced both Tian Chen and Wu Ming back slightly.
Wu Ming's sleeve was instantly burned away by the powerful impact. Clearly, she had gained no advantage in that exchange.
"What incredible speed. No wonder Xiaotao took a liking to you!" Wu Ming said with a hint of admiration.
"You flatter me, Senior Wu Ming. That was only a warm-up. The real contest starts now." With that, Tian Chen reached into empty space, and a blood-red saber radiating a terrifying aura appeared out of thin air.
"Finally bringing out your martial soul?" Wu Ming raised her eyebrows slightly, interest flashing in her eyes.
"That's right, Senior. Next, I'll use a set of self-created soul skills. Since I developed it, no one has ever managed to withstand the entire sequence. Do you dare give it a try, Senior Wu Ming?"
The corners of Wu Ming's mouth lifted into an excited smile. "Oh? That confident? Then let's see just how powerful these self-created soul skills of yours are!"
Seeing this from the spectator stands, Ma Xiaotao's gaze sharpened. Is this little fellow going to use that move again?
Back then, she had been just like Wu Ming, brimming with confidence as she challenged Tian Chen's set of self-created soul skills. In the end, he had left her in a sorry state. Even with her phoenix evil fire, she had only barely made it through the fifth form.
She smiled faintly, anticipation stirring within her. I hope Sister Wu Ming can withstand it. Otherwise, this will be far too embarrassing.
"Then rather than stand on ceremony, I'll oblige. Blood Demon Saber Technique!" Tian Chen smiled faintly, and the Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade in his hand instantly radiated an even more dazzling blood-red light.
"First form, Bloodflash Unleashed!" Tian Chen gave a sharp cry, and the Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade instantly unleashed a blood-red blade ray.
The blade ray carried a bloody aura, as though it could tear through anything in its path.
At the sight, a trace of solemnity flashed in Wu Ming's eyes.
"Fourth soul skill, Golden Crow Flame Shield!" Wu Ming gave a sharp cry. The Golden Crow behind her let out a clear call, and a golden barrier instantly enveloped her.
Boom! The blood-red blade ray slammed head-on into the golden barrier with a deafening crash.
Wu Ming stumbled back slightly, surprise flashing in her eyes. "What a powerful blade ray! With power like that, forget withstanding it-anyone below Soul King would probably be severely injured just by brushing against it!"
She took a deep breath and steadied herself, unable to help reassessing Tian Chen's strength.
She had originally thought she could handle him with ease, but she had never expected Tian Chen's Blood Demon Saber Technique to be so powerful. Even its first form had such force.
"It's not over yet! Second form, Blood Shadow Entanglement!" The Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade in Tian Chen's hand swung again, tracing blood-red afterimages through the air. Countless blood shadows danced through the air like phantoms, sealing off every route Wu Ming could use to evade.
Seeing every escape route blocked, Wu Ming had no choice but to take the attack head-on. "Golden Crow Flame Shield, protect me!"
The blood shadows collided head-on with the Golden Crow Flame Shield, producing a series of sizzling sounds.
The Golden Crow Flame Shield's light began to dim. Blood shadows surged like a tide, instantly piercing its defenses.
Not good! Wu Ming's heart jolted. She knew her defense had collapsed. At that instant, the blood shadows sliced across her wings like sharp blades. Blood gushed out, leaving a wound behind.
Her body shuddered violently as searing pain spread through her. She crashed heavily to the ground with a dull thud.
"A perfect opening. Third form, Blood Sea Raging Waves!" Tian Chen plunged the Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade into the ground.
In an instant, blood-red ripples spread outward from where the blade had pierced the ground, as though the entire surface had been dyed red and transformed into ocean waves.
Caught amid it all, Wu Ming swayed unsteadily on the ground, unable to bring any strength to bear.
"Fourth form, Blood Rain and Gales!" With his movements, the Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade seemed to come alive. Blood-red blade rays began condensing around its edge, finally converging into a whirling storm.
"Go!" Tian Chen roared, and the storm of blood-red blades instantly swept toward Wu Ming.
At the sight, Wu Ming shouted, and dazzling golden light erupted around her body. The light burned as fiercely as the sun.
"Sixth soul skill, Golden Crow Sacred Flame Break!" At her cry, a massive Golden Crow emerged from the pillar of light and charged straight toward Tian Chen's blood-red storm.
The instant the Golden Crow plunged into the storm, the storm's centrifugal force enveloped it.
The powerful force battered the Golden Crow's body, making it tremble slightly, but it stubbornly continued charging forward.
Its wings beat ceaselessly, and golden flames intertwined with blood-red blade rays, producing sizzling sounds.
But as time passed, the storm's centrifugal force grew stronger, dragging the Golden Crow's body into the swirling tempest.
Seeing this, Tian Chen slammed the storm directly into the ground, sending up clouds of dust.
When the dust cleared, Wu Ming was kneeling on the ground, clutching her chest.
But Tian Chen did not stop. He slowly raised the Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade, and its blade once again radiated dazzling blood-red light.
With a shout, he swung the Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade again, sending a massive blade ray cleaving toward Wu Ming.
Boom! A tremendous crash rang out. The blade ray did not strike Wu Ming. Instead, Tian Chen deliberately diverted it, sending it into the ground in the distance.
Carrying tremendous power, the blade ray instantly carved a deep fissure into the distant ground. Dust flew everywhere, and even the surrounding spectator stands trembled slightly.
Looking at the fissure in the ground, Wu Ming could not help swallowing. If that strike had hit her just now...
She was just about to get up when a blood-red blade suddenly pressed against her neck.
Tian Chen smiled faintly. "Senior Wu Ming, you've lost!"
Before you continue