Inside the Scripture Repository at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Antique bookshelves stretched across several floors, filled with manuals on all manner of soul skills and insights into soul master cultivation. A faint scent of books mingled with the aura of soul power in the air. This was the sacred ground that the academy's soul masters dreamed of entering. Only Core Disciples could venture above the third floor to consult the finest secret soul skill manuals.
Lin Chen stood before a bookshelf, his fingertips brushing lightly over yellowed covers as he carefully selected soul skills suited to his life blue silver grass. After stabilizing his cultivation as a Soul Elder, his soul skills still consisted only of basic Entanglement, suppression, and a cage. Though his domain and heaven-defying soul rings gave them considerable power, he lacked powerful skills for wide-area attacks, survival, and breaking out of encirclements. Against stronger enemies, his options remained limited.
Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi quietly stayed beside him, occasionally helping him sift through the manuals. After their recent cultivation, their soul power had grown increasingly robust, leaving them only a step away from the Soul Elder realm. Nourished by Lin Chen's life soul power, they cultivated far faster than ordinary people, and their foundations were exceptionally solid.
"Found it."
Lin Chen's eyes lit up as he pulled out a manual with a dark green cover. The title page bore the words "Myriad Spirit Vine Sea." It was a top-tier, control-type area soul skill. At full mastery, it could draw upon life spiritual energy within a hundred-mile radius, condensing countless strands of blue silver grass into a sea of vines. It could immobilize enemies over a vast area while devouring their soul power and converting it into vitality for the user. Its compatibility with his life blue silver grass martial soul was practically perfect.
Just as he was about to open the manual and immerse himself in cultivation, an utterly chilling aura of soul power, so powerful it was suffocating, abruptly descended from the sky and enveloped the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy!
That soul power was as vast as the sea, its pressure far surpassing that of every Soul Ancestor they had encountered before. The buildings throughout the academy trembled faintly, and its flowers, grasses, and trees instantly wilted. Students and instructors turned deathly pale, their soul power stagnating until even standing became difficult. One after another, they looked toward the sky in terror.
"What overwhelming pressure... this has to be an expert at least at the Soul Emperor level!"
Inside the Scripture Repository, Lin Chen's expression changed sharply. The soul power around him instantly tensed, and his gaze became utterly grave.
Soul Emperors were soul masters above level sixty, far beyond Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors. Whether in reserves of soul power or the might of their soul skills, the difference was as great as that between heaven and earth. They were not opponents on the same scale at all!
There was no need to think about it. This had to be an expert sent by Spirit Hall's headquarters!
"Qingyuan, Xi'er, stay close behind me. Don't leave the domain!" Lin Chen warned sharply, pulling both women behind him. His life blue silver grass martial soul instantly manifested, and three deep green soul rings surged upward as he prepared to fight with everything he had.
Before his words had faded, a black-robed figure streaked through the sky and landed directly atop the Scripture Repository. Looking down from above, he locked onto Lin Chen with icy killing intent that seemed almost tangible.
The man had a withered face and eyes as vicious as a venomous snake. Six soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—slowly revolved around him. Their dazzling radiance proclaimed his terrifying status as a level sixty-two control-type Soul Emperor. Waves of soul power swept in every direction, pressing down on the entire Scripture Repository until it teetered on the verge of collapse.
"Lin Chen, you little wretch. Were you the one who repeatedly slaughtered members of Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City and defied our authority?"
The black-robed Soul Emperor spoke in a harsh, grating voice, carrying the overbearing coldness unique to an expert of his rank. "I am Ghost Hand, a Soul Emperor and trusted subordinate of Ghost Leopard Douluo. By order of Spirit Hall's bishop, I have come to take your worthless life!"
He did not take Lin Chen seriously at all. A level thirty-one Soul Elder who had only just broken through was no different from an ant before a Soul Emperor like him. He could crush him with a casual flick of his hand.
When the news reached Spirit Hall's headquarters, its higher-ups had flown into a rage. Out of consideration for the standing of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, sending a Douluo expert was inconvenient. Instead, they had dispatched this ruthless Soul Emperor to kill Lin Chen as a warning to others!
"Spirit Hall really won't give up. They've actually sent a Soul Emperor." Lin Chen's eyes were cold, and his heart sank slightly.
A Soul Elder and a Soul Emperor were separated by three entire major realms, with a gulf between their soul power. This was the most perilous, most desperate battle he had faced since transmigrating. One careless move would mean his death and the end of his cultivation path, and Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi beside him would be dragged down with him.
"Die, you little wretch!"
Ghost Hand gave Lin Chen no time to react. With a cold snort, he unleashed his third soul skill!
"Third soul skill—Ghost Hand Strangulation!"
Pitch-black soul power condensed into an enormous Ghost Claw, its tips gleaming coldly. With the might to tear heaven and earth apart, it lashed down from the sky toward the Scripture Repository, intent on crushing Lin Chen, the two women, and the entire building into dust!
A Soul Emperor's attack was several times more powerful than a Soul Ancestor's. Its terrifying soul power pressure made even the surrounding space warp faintly.
"Azure Lotus Protection, full power!"
Su Qingyuan acted first, her beautiful face grave. Driving her third soul skill to its limit, she sent an enormous azure lotus shield rising into the air. Layer upon layer of petals protected the three of them. This was her strongest defensive soul skill, capable of withstanding even a Soul Ancestor's attack, yet it seemed terribly fragile before a Soul Emperor's assault.
"Moonlight Tracelessness, Moonlight Amplification!"
Yue Huaxi also poured out all her soul power, activating two great soul skills at once. Silver mist spread to obstruct Ghost Hand's vision, while she bestowed the power of moonlight upon Lin Chen, increasing his speed and defense.
"Life domain, maximum suppression!"
Lin Chen roared, driving his life domain to its utmost limit. The pale green halo expanded as far as it could, and he poured every ounce of his soul power into triggering its strongest suppression effect!
[Life domain triggered: enemy soul power suppressed by 50%, martial soul power weakened by 45%, defense increased by 100%!]
Even so, against a Soul Emperor's attack, it was still like trying to quench a burning cartload of firewood with a cup of water.
Bang!
The enormous Ghost Claw slammed into the azure lotus shield. A sharp cracking sound rang out instantly as fractures spread across the pure white lotus shield. In a single moment, it shattered completely. Su Qingyuan turned pale, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth as the soul power backlash injured her.
Lin Chen's pupils contracted sharply. Without hesitation, he struck with all his strength!
"Third soul skill—Life Prison Cage!"
"Second soul skill—Life Suppression!"
Both soul skills erupted at once. Vast life soul power condensed into an enormous cage and surged up to meet the Ghost Claw. Blue silver grass grew wildly, attempting to entangle the lethal attack.
Boom!
The deafening crash of colliding soul power sent shock waves sweeping in every direction. The Scripture Repository's doors and windows shattered instantly, its bookshelves toppled with a thunderous crash, and countless manuals scattered across the floor.
The tremendous impact hurled Lin Chen and the two women backward, slamming them heavily into the wall. Agony tore through Lin Chen's chest. A metallic sweetness rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His soul power churned chaotically, his arms went numb, and his soul skills were utterly crushed!
After just one exchange, Lin Chen and the two female leads had fallen completely onto the back foot, even with their combined strength. The gap was plain to see!
"You can't withstand a single blow!" Ghost Hand sneered, his gaze growing even crueler. "Since the little beauties beside you dare to interfere, they can die along with you!"
Fourth soul skill—Ghost Prison Cage!
Pitch-black soul power erupted again, transforming into cages that filled the air and completely surrounded the three of them. An eerie ghostly aura ceaselessly eroded their soul power and flesh. The moonlight mist dispersed in an instant, leaving them trapped in utter desperation!
Outside, instructors and students rushed over. At the sight of Ghost Hand, a Soul Emperor, despair appeared on every face. None dared approach.
On a raised platform, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe and the academy's dean wore livid expressions. The dean, a level seventy Soul Saint, immediately moved to intervene.
"You want to save them? You'll have to get past me first!"
Two dark figures suddenly appeared, blocking the dean. They were two Soul Ancestors who had accompanied Spirit Hall's forces. They risked their lives to hold the dean back, buying Ghost Hand time to kill Lin Chen.
"Lin Chen, we're with you. We won't back down!"
Enduring their injuries, Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi stood beside Lin Chen. Even before a Soul Emperor, there was not a trace of fear in their eyes as they tightly clasped his hands.
Lin Chen wiped the blood from his mouth. Looking at the two women who refused to abandon him, his killing intent and fighting spirit instantly soared to their peak.
He could not lose, much less let those beside him die because of him!
"If you want to kill us, you'll pay the price!"
Lin Chen threw back his head and let out a long roar. The life origin between his brows blazed with light as he burned a portion of his own vital essence, forcibly unleashing the potential of his life blue silver grass martial soul. His soul power surged wildly, his three soul rings shone with unparalleled brilliance, and his life domain evolved once more!
"Myriad Spirit Vine Sea, manifest!"
Lin Chen forcibly activated the Myriad Spirit Vine Sea soul skill he had only just found, drawing upon all the life spiritual energy between heaven and earth. Countless emerald strands of life blue silver grass burst wildly from the ground, the walls, and the air. Hundreds of millions of strands wove together into a boundless green sea of vines, instantly breaking through the Ghost Prison Cage and sweeping toward Ghost Hand!
This was his strongest strike, a desperate gamble with his life. Even if he could not win, he would make this Soul Emperor pay a grievous price!
The green sea of vines blotted out the sky and sun. Bearing life force pushed to its utmost limit, it collided with Ghost Hand's soul power, making the entire Heaven Dou Imperial Academy shake violently.
The disdain on Ghost Hand's face finally vanished, replaced by a trace of shock. "A mere Soul Elder can unleash such fighting power? A pity. Before absolute strength, all of it is futile!"
Fifth soul skill—Ghost Hand Soul Annihilation!
Ghost Hand held nothing back now. His strongest soul skill erupted, and an enormous pitch-black claw, bearing the power to annihilate souls, savagely tore apart the vine sea and reached for the souls of Lin Chen and the two women!
Life and death hung by a thread. Their darkest moment had arrived!
Lin Chen closed his eyes tightly, drawing upon his last shred of soul power as he prepared to meet the fatal blow. Just then, a dazzling beam of golden light abruptly tore through the air from afar, heading straight for Ghost Hand!
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