Sea God Tang San Was Born Ten Thousand Years Before Me-Did Kings Never Meet, or Was He Avoiding My Edge? Angel vs. Lone Bamboo (4K)

"Big brother!?"

Seeing Xiao Hongchen storm into the testing area, Meng Hongchen's first instinct was to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it, like a girl caught by her older brother after sneaking out on a date.

A second later, she suddenly came to her senses. Miss Meng had always conducted herself openly and honorably-why should anyone tell her what to do? Her feet promptly took root as she waited for Little Xiao to bow and pay his respects.

However, plagued by anxiety over his looks, Xiao Hongchen was no longer in the mood to meddle in his sister's love life. He silently cursed Ai Xiao as a bunch of useless good-for-nothings.

They couldn't even gather accurate information. All they did was feed him nonsense!

"Xiao, you've come at just the right time!"

Lin Jiayi hurriedly called Xiao Hongchen over, his eagerness plain to see.

Someone had brought him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy. Xiao Hongchen also possessed a metal-attribute martial soul, and his divine beast bloodline had awakened in childhood. His Three-Legged Golden Toad could be considered the martial soul closest to ultimate metal in the entire Sun Moon Empire.

If the machine element could suppress the Three-Legged Golden Toad through superior rank, that would settle the matter once and for all: it truly was ultimate metal.

"Xiao, the academy has a monstrous new student. His martial soul is mutated ultimate metal. Would you..."

After explaining Lin Qing's situation and how he had instantly disrupted a Class 6 soul tool, Lin Jiayi took the opportunity to ask Xiao Hongchen to serve as Lin Qing's opponent in his higher-level assessment.

Upon hearing that the boy who had caught his sister's eye actually possessed a legendary ultimate martial soul, Xiao Hongchen quietly sank into thought. Under Lin Jiayi's expectant gaze, he slowly but firmly shook his head.

"There would be no honor in such a victory. I, Xiao Hongchen, disdain it!"

"Scared?"

Meng Hongchen opened her mouth and drove a knife straight into her brother's sore spot.

"Only three ultimate Soul Masters have ever appeared on the continent, and all of them emerged in the Douluo Three Kingdoms.

"Over four thousand years ago, the two continents collided with a thunderous crash. The empire launched a Holy War against Douluo, and we had already gained an overwhelming advantage. The hidden weapons Douluo relied on were like the stone spears of primitive tribes before our soul tools-until Shrek's headmaster, who possessed an ultimate fire martial soul, took command of all three armies.

"The history books record raging flames scorching the heavens and boiling the seas. The searing heat melted soul tools into pool after pool of molten iron... That was the first time the empire experienced the ultimate individual might of a Soul Master...

"If ultimate fire could do that, what about the machine element, which is ultimate metal-the pinnacle of every metal attribute in existence? An almost insurmountable gulf still separates the Three-Legged Golden Toad from the ultimate.

"Just admit it, my cowardly brother. You're scared! You're afraid Ai Xiao will see you suffer the humiliation of having Lin Qing stomp all over you!"

"What utter nonsense! When has the word 'scared' ever appeared in my dictionary?"

Xiao Hongchen sneered. "Times have changed. Four thousand years have turned seas into mulberry fields, and soul tool technology has constantly evolved. They'll never again be so easily melted by ultimate fire.

"I have never denied the strength of ultimate metal. But the pride of a divine beast flows through the Three-Legged Golden Toad's flesh and blood. My cannons are hardly weak-why should ultimate metal have nothing to fear from me?

"I'm refusing today because this is merely a little entrance assessment!

"A battle between the kings of ultimate metal and a divine beast bloodline should take place in the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's largest testing area, Area Zero! Grandfather should personally preside as referee, and before ten thousand teachers and students, the two of us should unleash our full firepower, holding nothing back and fighting to our hearts' content!"

"Big brother, I think I underestimated you a little before..."

Little Meng raised a hand to shield her eyes. The brilliance radiating from Xiao Hongchen was so dazzling that an ice-attribute Soul Master dared not look directly at him!

"Meng, always remember this: Xiao Hongchen is invincible among his peers!"

Xiao Hongchen pointed one hand at the sky and declaimed, "Sea God Tang San was born ten thousand years before me. Was it because kings never meet, or because he was avoiding my edge?

"Tang San became a Soul Ancestor at fourteen and a Soul Emperor at nineteen. Your big brother is already approaching Five-Ring Soul King, and my goal is Seven-Ring Soul Sage at nineteen!

"What I'm going to overthrow is the boundless heavens!"

Every word landed with ringing force. The Sun Moon Empire's greatest genius positively overflowed with kingly swagger!

Time ticked by, and Lin Qing maintained his steady rhythm as he carved the radiant fine gold.

The soul tool's casing slowly took shape. Its gleaming golden blade was roughly three feet long. Unlike the Nether Emperor Sword's vast, restrained presence, this sword's design was opulent and radiant, engraved with intricate, exquisite patterns whose lines wound and branched like tributaries of a river.

Ye Guyi had voluntarily given up her share of the Gale Twin-Headed Wolf bandits' soul bones and asked Lin Qing to custom-make a soul tool sword for her. As a true MAN, Lin Qing kept his word.

A hundred varieties of rare metal lay on the metal workbench, half of them treasures rarely found on the market. Lin Qing made full use of these free materials, shamelessly helping himself before he had even enrolled.

With the casing finished, it was time for the most important component of a soul tool: its core arrays.

Blazing sun spirit crystal, a metal with both light and fire attributes, was one of the most expensive varieties of rare metal. Even the wealthy Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy provided each new student with only one piece.

The carving knife descended, sending reddish-gold shavings flying like sparks. The blazing sun spirit crystal was divided into seven pieces, each neatly shaped and uniformly sized, arranged in a straight line like seven brilliant reddish-gold stars.

The knife tip carved out soul tool circuitry, line by line. Lin Qing planned to give the soul tool sword seven core arrays.

Master Qing's movements were both exceedingly steady and swift. His fingers seemed to have become one with the carving knife. Without hesitation, every stroke landed with perfect precision, the lines forming complex geometric patterns: an energy-gathering array, an explosive array, a cutting array, a lightfall array...

The knife tip descended, successfully completing the final balance array. All seven pieces of blazing sun spirit crystal had taken shape.

Whoom-

In the next instant, a silver torrent of elements suddenly descended, like the celestial river pouring down from the highest heavens.

Within the entrance assessment's testing area, the concentration of gold element surged wildly at an unbelievable speed!

Xiao Hongchen stood at the edge of the area, his expression changing drastically. The pressure brought by the machine element rolled over him in a vast tide. The Three-Legged Golden Toad, hailed as the master of metal, shrieked piercingly. Its divine beast bloodline seemed to shrink back in fear, instantly losing its control over the metal attribute!

"Superior-rank suppression..."

Xiao Hongchen's mouth twitched. You really are ultimate metal!

This is bad. The other side's got a god-tier carry!

The machine element enveloped everything. Sensing the supreme summons, the metals shook and trembled with excitement, emitting ever more intense light. All hundred varieties resonated together, performing a symphony of metal!

Lin Qing stood at the center of the elemental torrent. Bathed in silver light, his handsome face resembled a relief carved from fine jade as he listened to the metals' exuberant cheers around him.

Ultimate talent: Metal Sublimation.

The machine element transformed the rare metals. Ultimate metal poured into gaps within them invisible to others, helping his loyal subjects undergo a transformation at the very source of their existence!

The seven core arrays floated in midair, slowly revolving around the gleaming golden blade. Reddish-gold streams intertwined with brilliant golden light. The circuitry within the core arrays suddenly lit up, and then the arrays became seven stars embedded in the sword.

A peak Class 4 soul tool: the Aurora Sword.

Like a receding tide, the machine element silently dispersed. The silvery-white radiance dimmed, the metals' resonance subsided, and everything returned to stillness.

Sunlight spilled gently over the Aurora Sword, enhancing its magnificent glow. At the crossguard, wing-shaped radiant fine gold folded together to form an exquisite, ornate handguard, every golden feather clearly defined.

At the neighboring metal workbench, Ye Guyi had also completed her creation. Without consulting each other, both had chosen to make soul tool swords.

Comparison was what people feared most.

After looking at the Aurora Sword, which deserved every word of praise imaginable, she lowered her gaze to the lump she had racked her brains to make. A melancholy born of reality's cruel blow flashed across her beautiful, holy face...

"This is simply art!"

Lin Jiayi could not help applauding.

Judged by the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's stringent standards, Soul Engineers from the Douluo Three Kingdoms automatically dropped half a level. Ye Guyi could only be considered to have barely crossed the threshold of a Level 4 Soul Engineer, whereas Lin Qing was unquestionably a Level 4 Soul Engineer!

No, he was no ordinary Level 4 Soul Engineer. He had reached the absolute pinnacle of Level 4, standing half a step into Level 5!

Director Lin was a seasoned Level 8 Soul Engineer. He did not need to examine it personally. Merely watching the crafting process and that world-creating Metal Sublimation was enough for him to thump his chest and declare that the Aurora Sword possessed the power of a Class 6 soul tool sword!

Ultimate metal was actually this terrifying!

An ultimate attribute, cultivation through devouring metal energy, sublimation of metals' fundamental essence, an innate sacred physique for soul engineering... Every dazzling title drew the eye like the sun rising in the east.

Even if everyone at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy were a bunch of pigheaded fools, they would understand perfectly at this moment: they had to keep this outrageously incredible young man!

"Soul tool construction is complete. The practical combat assessment will now begin."

Suppressing his wild delight, Lin Jiayi continued presiding over the higher-level assessment. Lin Qing had already given him an enormous surprise, leaving him exceptionally eager to see ultimate metal's performance in battle!

"Guyi will go first."

Saving the main course for last, the director of studies decided to sample the appetizer first.

Lin Qing put away the Aurora Sword and turned his silver-gray eyes toward the three figures in the spectator area. Meng Hongchen was waving happily, while fighting spirit blazed in the white-haired boy with one blue eye and one green eye.

There can only be one king at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Sooner or later, we'll fight.

This was the unspoken understanding between two fierce beasts.

Based on Ye Guyi's Soul Ancestor cultivation, the referees selected a suitable student. A hundred meters away, her opponent slowly entered the arena.

Seeing the angelic young woman wreathed in holy light, a trace of awe appeared in the otherwise unremarkable-looking young man's eyes. He cupped his hands. "Tang Gang, fifth-year student of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Please enlighten me."

"Ye Guyi. Please enlighten me."

As her words fell, Ye Guyi shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. Her sword rang clear, its radiance trailing a dazzling golden afterimage. Her powerful physique gave her unbelievable speed, and her clothes snapped in the rushing wind.

Struck by the Holy Angel's beauty, Tang Gang had been a little slow to react. He had also completely failed to anticipate Ye Guyi's incredible speed.

Normally, a battle between Soul Engineers involved both sides taking up positions, probing and wearing each other down, searching for weaknesses, and finally entering the decisive stage.

But Ye Guyi refused to follow the script. Regardless of which soul tools Tang Gang specialized in, she charged straight at him, allowing him no extra time to react.

The golden afterimage rapidly grew larger. Almost instinctively, Tang Gang activated his Class 4 Soul Tool Shield.

Crack-

A deep-purple barrier expanded, enclosing Tang Gang like an enormous overturned bowl.

A piercing screech erupted as sword met shield. The Soul Tool Shield shook violently, cracks spreading outward in a dense spiderweb, but ultimately it did not shatter.

Tang Gang's nerves settled. The Soul Tool Shield had blocked the blow, successfully buying him a moment to breathe. He was a ranged Soul Engineer; he had to find a way to distance himself from Ye Guyi before he could fire back without worry.

Humm-

Four soul rings rose-yellow, yellow, purple, purple. Tang Gang held a length of emerald-green bamboo, its slender stalk tough and resilient. It was not a close-combat soul tool, but his awakened martial soul!

Martial soul: Lone Bamboo!

Just before the Soul Tool Shield shattered, Tang Gang kicked off the ground and braced his Lone Bamboo against it. Like a nimble ape, he vaulted into the air, dodging Ye Guyi's horizontal slash!

Lone Bamboo Pole Vault!

"Incredible..."

Lin Qing leaned back. The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy really was brimming with talent!

On the battlefield, Ye Guyi froze for a moment. Sun Moon Soul Engineers truly were unusual, skillfully using their martial souls' characteristics in combat!

"Little Gang's Lone Bamboo is all about catching people off guard."

Lin Jiayi laughed heartily.

This was the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's educational philosophy in recent years: develop both soul engineering and Soul Master skills, and make both strong!

The results were quite impressive. To varying degrees, the students all studied their martial souls and developed unusual tactics. The Lone Bamboo Pole Vault often allowed Tang Gang to slip free like a cicada shedding its shell and reorganize his attack!

"Tch..."

An inexplicable fire rose in Ye Guyi's heart. It was like a fifty-eight-meter giant having a little dwarf jump up and punch her knee-not much damage, but an enormous insult.

Propelled by the Lone Bamboo's resilient strength, Tang Gang traced an elegant parabola and deployed his Flying Soul Tool in midair.

Putting aside all complacency, Tang Gang's arms began to change. Twelve cannon barrels extended along their outer sides, aiming down at Ye Guyi from high above.

Boom, boom, boom!

Twelve soul power rays blasted out. Multicolored light converged into a web of firepower that blotted out the sky and poured down upon the earth.

A Soul Engineer's instantaneous burst was terrifying. The dense barrage left virtually no blind spots, and even a Five-Ring Soul King would be reluctant to take that baptism of cannon fire head-on.

The practical combat assessment only permitted the use of soul tools made on-site. Ye Guyi's sword energy could not threaten him as he soared through the sky. Unable to fly, she could only stare helplessly. Tang Gang gave a crooked grin. Victory was assured!

Shhk-

A pair of pure-white wings burst from her back, carrying Ye Guyi high into the air!

Martial soul disguise: Bright Swan!

With a gentle beat of her wings, Ye Guyi's speed soared to an astonishing level. Her brilliant golden figure left a string of dazzling afterimages, appearing in more than a dozen places in the blink of an eye. Each held a longsword, making it impossible to distinguish the real one from the false.

The soul guidance rays passed through the afterimages, blasting up shattered stone and clouds of dust, but the real Ye Guyi had already broken through the web of firepower.

Her swan wings spread and folded, making exquisitely precise adjustments to her flight. The dense soul guidance rays narrowly slipped past her, yet not a single one struck her.

Tang Gang's smile suddenly froze.

She was even charging in a straight line!

Angels were invincible in aerial combat.

Although her disguised martial soul prevented Ye Guyi from using the Holy Angel's four great soul skills, aerial combat was an instinct etched into an angel's genes. So long as she had a pair of wings, Ye Guyi would show her opponent what it meant to be the ruler of the skies!

At this sight, Tang Gang's expression shifted from smugness to shock, then from shock to helpless panic. Powerless, he watched that ball of golden light ride the wind and cleave the waves, forcing its way straight through his web of firepower!

Sword light flashed, and metal fragments flew in all directions!

"Junior sister, go easy! Not the face... Aaaah!"

His screams rang through the sky. Ye Guyi said nothing, every stroke of her sword a critical hit!

That's for your crooked Dragon King grin! That's for your Lone Bamboo! That's for your pole vault!