The wind in the Dense Forest suddenly grew still. Amid the fresh scent of grass and trees, two opposing currents of soul power quietly rose—one gentle and vast, brimming with the utmost Life Force; the other steady and restrained, concealing the tyranny of the Clear Sky Hammer and the tenacity of Blue Silver Grass.
Holding Su Qingyuan's hand, Lin Chen walked slowly onward with Yue Huaxi. His steps were unhurried, his aura calm yet inherently imposing. Not a ripple stirred in his clear eyes, but they had already locked onto the figures growing clearer ahead.
Not far away, a party of six slowly approached, their clothes varied and their temperaments distinct. They were the group from Shrek Academy.
Tang San walked at the far side, dressed in plain cloth garments, his face composed and his gaze deep. Three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—flickered around him. The aura of a rank thirty-three Soul Elder remained steady and restrained, but the instant he looked at Lin Chen, his eyes narrowed sharply, filling with intense wariness and apprehension.
Xiao Wu nestled beside Tang San, her lively eyes sweeping over Lin Chen and his two companions. Her nose twitched as she sensed the taut atmosphere. Beast-spirit energy surged around Dai Mubai, while Zhu Zhuqing kept her figure concealed at the side. Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Ma Hongjun also stopped, staring gravely at Lin Chen. Clearly, all of them had sensed his unfathomable presence.
The two groups faced each other from ten meters apart. The entire Dense Forest instantly sank into deathly silence; even the chirping of insects vanished.
Tang San's gaze fixed firmly on the two dark green soul rings beneath Lin Chen's feet, his pupils contracting slightly.
Three thousand eight hundred years and five thousand years—two soul rings with ages far beyond those of others at his level, paired with the cultivation of a rank twenty-two Soul Grandmaster. Such a soul ring configuration defied the heavens. Even he had never seen anything like it!
What unnerved him even more was the faint Life Domain surrounding Lin Chen. That supremely pure Life Force actually caused the Blue Silver Grass martial soul within him to stir involuntarily with awe and agitation, as though it had encountered an existence of the same origin, yet of a higher order!
"Who are you?" Tang San spoke first. His voice was calm, but carried an almost imperceptible gravity. He quietly slipped his right hand behind his back, the Clear Sky Hammer martial soul already forming in his palm, ready for any sudden turn of events.
A faint smile curved Lin Chen's lips. His gaze swept calmly over Tang San, and his indifferent tone carried a hint of looking down from above. "Lin Chen. So you're Tang San?"
Having his identity exposed in a single sentence startled Tang San even more. His eyes grew increasingly grave. "You know me?"
"A once-in-a-century genius of the continent, an heir to the Clear Sky Sect, and a disciple of Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang. It would be hard not to know you." Lin Chen slowly stepped forward. Life Soul Power flowed almost casually through him, and his Life Domain expanded slightly, its invisible suppressive force quietly enveloping Tang San. "I've long heard of your reputation. Now that we've met, I see it was well deserved."
His seemingly mild words concealed a probe of soul power. Gentle Life Force surged toward Tang San like an undercurrent, seeking to test his true depths.
Tang San's expression shifted slightly. He instantly sensed Lin Chen's probe and mobilized the soul power within him. His Blue Silver Grass martial soul quietly appeared, his two yellow and one purple soul rings lit up, and his soul power circulated at full strength to resist that invisible pressure.
He could clearly feel how strange Lin Chen's Life Force was. Not only was it immense, but it also carried a peculiar suppressive power. The slightest carelessness would leave him overwhelmed.
The two currents of soul power collided silently in midair. There was no earth-shaking roar, yet an invisible wave swept outward. The surrounding grass and trees bent at once, and fallen leaves swirled up from the ground.
Lin Chen stood utterly motionless, his expression composed. Tang San's footing faltered slightly, and only with his soul power churning inside him did he barely steady himself. Towering waves of shock surged through his heart!
In a mere test of soul-power pressure, he had actually fallen behind!
The young man before him, Lin Chen, was clearly a full tier below him in cultivation, yet his strength had reached such a terrifying level!
Every member of Shrek standing nearby underwent a drastic change of expression, watching the scene in utter shock.
They had never seen anyone put Tang San at a disadvantage through soul-power pressure alone. Just where had this Lin Chen come from?
Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi stood close beside Lin Chen, one on either side. Soul power quietly stirred around them as they watched the Shrek group warily. At the slightest suspicious movement, they would act immediately to protect him.
The two stunning beauties possessed different temperaments, yet both trusted Lin Chen wholeheartedly. The soul-power auras they radiated also kept the Shrek group from underestimating them—one Soul Scholar already possessed a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, while one Soul Grandmaster had a four-thousand-year second soul ring. All three were monsters who defied the heavens!
Dai Mubai stepped forward, his uncanny eyes shifting slightly as his soul rings lit up. He demanded in a deep voice, "Who exactly are you? Why are you targeting San?"
Lin Chen glanced at Dai Mubai but ignored him, keeping his eyes on Tang San. His tone remained indifferent. "Tang San and I have certain entanglements of fate. This is our first meeting today. I'm merely saying hello."
Entanglements of fate?
Tang San's brows knitted tightly, his heart filled with confusion. He was certain he had never met Lin Chen, much less had any entanglement with him. Yet Lin Chen's gaze clearly held hostility and a determination to oppose him—as though they were born rivals, destined to stand against each other.
"I don't care what entanglements there are between us, and I don't care where you come from. If you dare lay a hand on my companions, I won't let you get away with it." Tang San's gaze sharpened, and his soul power surged. His Blue Silver Grass soul skill stood ready to unleash, his voice resolute.
He could sense that Lin Chen was the strongest, strangest opponent he had encountered so far. This person's very existence posed an enormous threat to him.
Lin Chen chuckled softly and withdrew his soul-power pressure, reining in his Life Domain. His tone was mild. "Relax. I won't attack today. The time for our contest hasn't come yet."
He knew very well that if they fought now, both sides would inevitably suffer. With the Shrek Seven Devils joining forces, even if he could win, Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi would be hurt. That was something he would never accept.
Besides, his fated showdown with Tang San should not end hastily in this Dense Forest. He would wait until he was stronger, then crush Tang San beneath the eyes of countless spectators and prove who the true powerhouse was.
Tang San stared fixedly at Lin Chen, his vigilance undiminished. He could tell that Lin Chen was not showing weakness; he simply did not consider a clash at this moment worth his attention. That confidence made Tang San all the more wary.
"If a battle between us is inevitable, I'll oblige you whenever you wish," Tang San said solemnly, his voice carrying his own pride.
As an heir to the Clear Sky Sect who possessed twin martial souls, he had never feared any opponent. Even if Lin Chen was powerful, he still had the strength to fight.
Lin Chen gave Tang San a long look without saying anything more. Turning, he took Su Qingyuan's and Yue Huaxi's hands and headed out of the Dense Forest. As they passed each other, he left behind a few indifferent words. "The next time we meet will be the time for our true contest. I hope that by then, you'll be qualified to fight me."
As his words faded, the three figures gradually disappeared into the depths of the Dense Forest, leaving only a gentle yet domineering trace of Life Soul Power that lingered for a long time.
Only after Lin Chen had vanished completely into the distance did Tang San slowly relax his tightly wound soul power. A sheen of cold sweat already covered his back. That brief confrontation had placed him under tremendous pressure.
"San, who was that person? His strength was terrifying! He's only a Soul Grandmaster, yet he actually suppressed you!" Xiao Wu hurried forward to support Tang San, asking with worry written all over her face.
Dai Mubai and the others gathered around as well, their expressions grave as they waited for Tang San's answer.
Tang San shook his head, gazing deeply in the direction Lin Chen had left. His tone was solemn. "I don't know where he comes from, but he's strong—stronger than any opponent I've ever faced. And he bears tremendous hostility toward me. He'll definitely become my greatest rival in the future."
He could clearly sense that the Blue Silver Grass martial soul within Lin Chen was far purer and of a higher order than his own, as though it were the king of Blue Silver Grass. This filled his heart with confusion and unwillingness to concede.
Meanwhile, outside the Dense Forest, Lin Chen walked steadily onward, holding the hands of the two beauties.
"Lin Chen, was that person the Tang San you've always talked about?" Su Qingyuan asked softly, a trace of worry in her voice. She could tell that Tang San was full of hostility toward Lin Chen.
Lin Chen nodded slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "That's right. It was him. Sooner or later, he and I will have a decisive battle."
Yue Huaxi gripped Lin Chen's hand tightly, her cool voice filled with resolve. "No matter when it happens, Qingyuan and I will stay by your side."
Lin Chen turned to look at the two gentle, steadfast beauties beside him. Warmth welled in his heart, and a confident smile rose to his lips. "Don't worry. I won't lose. Come on, let's go to Heaven Dou City. Once our strength advances another step, I'll defeat Tang San utterly the next time we meet!"
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, illuminating the path before the three of them—and the boundless, blade-sharp brilliance in the young man's eyes.
Though their first confrontation had not come to blows, it had already ignited the flames of their fated showdown.
What Lin Chen did not know was that a hidden observer had already witnessed every moment of his first encounter with Tang San.
Atop a large tree deep within the Dense Forest, an old man wearing the Spirit Hall Uniform quietly withdrew his gaze. A sinister smile curved his lips as he turned into a dark blur and swiftly departed. "Heh heh, two heaven-defying geniuses, a fated showdown—how interesting. I must report to His Holiness the Pope. The skies over the Douluo Continent are about to change!"
Before you continue