Can You Even Handle This, You Scrawny Weakling?

At Meng Shenji's words, quite a few of the Shrek group wore expressions much like Flender's.

They even turned their heads instinctively to look at Qin Xiao.

How could they not hear that Meng Shenji wanted to test Shrek's students?

The others were one thing, but would His Holiness the Thunder Emperor really do them this favor?

They were all looking forward to finding out, too.

"Could this student be Shrek's greatest genius?"

"Perhaps they're encouraging this young man to step forward on his own."

Puzzled, Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin looked over as well.

They silently speculated, finding that possibility quite likely.

"Don't be afraid, young man. Treat this place just like your Shrek Academy."

Meng Shenji immediately beckoned Qin Xiao over, his gaze and words brimming with encouragement.

Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the others, on the other hand, were dumbfounded.

Qin Xiao's identity was rather special, so Flender had not told Heaven Dou Royal Academy who he was.

Who would have thought Meng Shenji would court death by picking Qin Xiao...

"Huh?"

Feeling the care being lavished on him, Qin Xiao was stunned.

After all, he was here to wait for the Poison Douluo to show up.

He hadn't come to let these three doddering old men test him.

He immediately intended to reveal some of his strength so the three would recognize the difficulty and back off.

But then the system notification he hadn't heard in so long rang out:

[Ding! Quest issued.]

[Rookie, to become a powerful Soul Master, you must first have a strong heart. This is especially important! Even if your cultivation falls far short of Meng Shenji's, you must not be afraid. Charge in and take him on!

Quest requirement: withstand Meng Shenji's soul power pressure at level 50 or higher.

Quest reward: for each level of soul power pressure endured, the age of your second Soul Ring increases by 100 years. (Calculated from level 50 upward. Exceeding the requirement grants additional rewards.)

Remember, remember: stay within your limits!]

If I remember correctly, Meng Shenji is a level 88 Soul Douluo. If he unleashes his full pressure on me, wouldn't that increase my second Soul Ring's age by 8,800 years?

Exceeding the requirement... I wonder if adding Zhi Lin and Bai Baoshan would count? One is level 83 and the other is level 85. If they count toward the Soul Ring's age too, that's a full 16,800 years...

Refining the Titan Giant Ape's Soul Ring and Soul Bone last time already brought my soul power to the verge of a breakthrough. If my second Soul Ring gains another twenty thousand years or more, the soul power it feeds back will be enough to make me a level 93 Titled Douluo.

Qin Xiao felt that these three tools-Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin-were quite valuable after all.

Of course, he had also considered revealing his cultivation outright, then having all three exert pressure on him together. But once they knew his cultivation, would they still dare make a move against him?

Just then, Flender looked toward Qin Xiao and was about to say something, but Qin Xiao stopped him.

"Dean Flender, it's my honor that Senior Meng is willing to guide me."

He can guide you? What qualifications could he possibly have? Flender froze at his words.

By then, however, Qin Xiao had already stepped out from the group.

"Humble and courteous. Much better than those little brats at our academy!"

Seeing Qin Xiao's remarkable bearing, Meng Shenji was generous with his praise.

"Excellent, truly excellent. To maintain such composure before a Soul Douluo is rare indeed."

Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin exchanged a glance and couldn't help praising him as well.

Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the others, meanwhile, were rather speechless.

For a moment, they couldn't decide whether to laugh-or laugh.

Did a powerhouse among Titled Douluos need to fear a Soul Douluo?

"Rongrong, what's wrong?"

Zhu Zhuqing frowned as she looked at Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong was clutching her stomach, her little face all scrunched up.

She was desperately holding back her laughter.

"Nothing..."

"My stomach hurts a little."

Ning Rongrong waved a hand at Zhu Zhuqing.

"Be careful!"

Meng Shenji spoke quietly, and the air around his body suddenly warped ever so slightly.

Qin Xiao's expression immediately shifted a little. He distinctly sensed a faint trace of soul power settling over him.

This soul power pressure is only around level 40?

He silently assessed it.

"Ah, that was indeed an oversight on my part. At this age, Shrek's students should at least be around level 40, shouldn't they? Using only level 40 pressure really is too little."

"Then let's use level 50."

Meng Shenji came to a sudden realization and immediately applied level 50 soul power pressure.

Whoosh...

The powerful soul power even stirred up a fierce gust through the room.

Even Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and the others were affected to varying degrees, retreating several steps.

Qin Xiao, by contrast, remained unmoved.

"This boy is even more extraordinary than we imagined."

"Chairman, put a little more into it. Let's see where his limit lies."

By now, Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin were continually sizing Qin Xiao up.

"I think this boy might well withstand level 60 pressure!"

Meng Shenji responded privately.

"Then you can't rush it, boss. Take it a little at a time."

"Exactly. Don't rush, and don't push too hard. Increase it gradually."

Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin offered Meng Shenji advice in private.

"Rest assured. I know what I'm doing."

Meng Shenji replied privately and slowly increased the strength of his soul power pressure.

Level 51, level 52, level 53, level 54...

Yet Qin Xiao's expression did not change in the slightest.

Perhaps he's even stronger than I predicted!

Meng Shenji gritted his teeth and abruptly raised his soul power pressure to level 60.

Tap, tap...

Among Shrek Academy's students, Dai Mubai, Ning Rongrong, and the others could no longer keep themselves from retreating.

There was no helping it.

They were normal people. They simply couldn't compare with someone whose cultivation was as freakish as Qin Xiao's.

"Hiss..."

"Just what is this boy's cultivation? He's under level 60 soul power pressure and still looks as though nothing's happening!"

Bai Baoshan's tiny eyes widened into perfect circles.

At that moment, he actually looked rather comical.

"By my analysis, this boy most likely possesses an extremely rare spirit-type martial soul. Otherwise, he couldn't possibly withstand such powerful pressure!"

Unlike Bai Baoshan, Zhi Lin's eyes gleamed with calm.

"In theory, a Soul King should be able to withstand this pressure too..."

Bai Baoshan clearly disagreed with Zhi Lin.

"Heh, how old is he? And you think he's already a Soul King? Do you think people like the Spirit Hall Golden Generation can spring up anywhere?"

"Rather than believe he's a Soul King, I'd sooner believe he's a Soul Ancestor with powerful mental power and a spirit martial soul!"

Zhi Lin kept sneering.

"Well..."

Bai Baoshan was at a loss for words. After thinking it over carefully, he felt Zhi Lin had a point.

After all, geniuses were common, but geniuses like the Spirit Hall Golden Generation were rare.

Although Qin Xiao was extraordinary, Bai Baoshan still believed he couldn't possibly compare with Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.

"Enough, stop arguing. I'll simply increase the pressure again."

"I have a feeling level 65 should be his limit."

Once Meng Shenji finished speaking, the three stopped communicating.

But wave after wave of even stronger soul power pressure erupted again.

Level 61, level 62...

Already level 65?

A short while later, Qin Xiao sensed the level of the soul power pressure and finally made a movement.

He frowned and shook his head.

Yet-

To Meng Shenji, that very movement felt like an invisible hand had slapped him hard across the face.

It was as though Qin Xiao's voice rang beside his ear:

"Can you even handle this?"

"You scrawny weakling!"

Although I've never asked for monthly votes or tips, many dear readers have still tipped me and voted for me.

A man takes pride in those who appreciate him. I'm deeply touched.

To be honest, reading many of the comments left me feeling discouraged.

Of course, it wasn't the various insults that discouraged me. It was the people who came to bash the book without even understanding it.

For example, plenty of people haven't even grasped the setting, yet tell me things like a Titled Douluo is equivalent to a Soul Grandmaster... I'm honestly speechless.

And then there's the stuff about being a babysitter or sucking up to Tang San... That makes me laugh even harder. Anyone who'd read twenty chapters wouldn't say that.

Forget it.

I won't take up space in the free chapters explaining any more.

Just consider this my little rant for today. As I've said before, if you don't like it, remove it from your bookshelf. I'm not begging anyone to read my book.