A 0.2-second Domain Expansion

"Not bad." The corners of Lu Ren's mouth lifted. "Really not bad."

Facing two Soul Emperors, it would have been a lie to say he felt no pressure.

But he was not afraid in the slightest.

This was perfect. He wanted to see whether his Cursed Technique could go head-to-head with high-ranking Soul Masters.

"In that case, I'll open my domain too."

Lu Ren slowly raised his hands and formed a hand sign before him, vast amounts of Cursed Energy pouring out of his body.

"Domain Expansion!"

In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, there was a fitting saying: the best way to counter a domain was to expand your own, overwriting or crushing your opponent's barrier.

The Douluo Continent had domains too, but they fell far short by comparison.

They had no guaranteed hit, no guaranteed kill. Even the very best of them would count as half-finished products at most within the Jujutsu system.

After all, Douluo domains offered, at most, an all-attribute boost and increased Soul Skill power. That was all.

His domain, however, was different.

Lu Ren's Cursed Energy spread outward. The air began to tremble, and fine cracks appeared in the ground...

Ji Juechen's gray domain had only just expanded and had yet to take shape when a far more overbearing, brutal force came crushing down on it.

Like a newly erected wall swept away by a flood.

Not only that, but in their eyes, something seemed about to break out of the ground behind Lu Ren... Immediately afterward, countless slashes filling the sky rushed toward Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan.

Yet all these phenomena lasted only 0.2 seconds before vanishing completely, as though nothing had happened.

Even so, cold sweat streamed down Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan, every pore on their bodies opening as though someone had just rescued them from mortal danger.

"What... was that?"

Both were utterly dumbfounded, standing in a daze as they felt the danger from a moment ago and the killing intent Lu Ren had released.

This was because Lu Ren had withdrawn his domain after expanding it for just 0.2 seconds.

But those 0.2 seconds had been enough.

Ji Juechen's domain was forcibly broken. He froze in place, his face pale, the sword in his hand humming and trembling, yet unable to thrust forward even a fraction.

That brief instant alone had already told Lu Ren that if he really had not withdrawn his domain, both people present would likely have been sliced to death by his slashes.

Good thing Electrolux gave me some pointers yesterday. Otherwise, pulling off this 0.2-second Domain Expansion would have been difficult. After all, it took just the right amount of control to break Ji Juechen's domain without hurting them...

Lu Ren marveled inwardly. That series of maneuvers had left him somewhat mentally fatigued.

In just one short year of roaming the Douluo Continent, he had already mastered advanced skills such as Reverse Cursed Technique and a 0.2-second Domain Expansion.

In theory, even if he were in Jujutsu Kaisen, he would be on par with a strong grade 1 sorcerer, right?

That was only Lu Ren's conservative estimate. After all, he had never fought at full strength.

While Lu Ren carefully assessed the power of his 0.2-second domain, Jing Ziyan quickly recovered from her stupor and used her ranged Soul Tool again.

The Soul Cannon shells she fired had already reached Lu Ren.

Three shots in succession sealed off every escape route in a triangular formation.

The next instant, invisible slashes erupted around Lu Ren, precisely cutting every shell in half.

Metal fragments flew past his cheeks, bursting into a string of sparks on the ground behind him.

Jing Ziyan's pupils contracted sharply.

She had not even seen where those slashes came from.

A second later, Lu Ren appeared before her.

His right fist swung out, and dazzling black light erupted.

Black Flash!

Jing Ziyan crossed her arms to block, Soul Power surging madly out to protect her entire body. She even deployed a Level 6 Soul Tool Shield.

But that force was far too overbearing. Not only did the punch shatter the Level 6 Soul Tool Shield, it also slammed into her crossed forearms. As though struck by a charging rhinoceros, she was lifted off her feet and sent flying backward.

She flipped twice in midair before barely steadying herself to land, then staggered back another seven or eight steps before stopping.

The Soul Tool Armguards on her forearms had shattered, their fragments scattered across the ground.

Jing Ziyan hissed several times in pain, then raised her head to look at Lu Ren ahead of her. The corner of her mouth could not help twitching.

They had barely exchanged a few moves... and she had already been defeated.

And he had even held back. Otherwise, that punch would probably have laid her out on the spot.

What kind of physical strength was that?

It was probably already on the level of a Soul Saint using Martial Soul Avatar!

Quite a few nearby spectators sucked in a breath of cold air at the sight.

Meanwhile, Ji Juechen stood where he was. The aftereffects of his domain being broken left him temporarily unable to mobilize his Soul Power, so he could only look helplessly at Lu Ren, his gaze complicated.

Two Soul Emperors... had lost to Lu Ren just like that, without the slightest ability to fight back.

Lu Ren dusted off his hands and walked toward Ji Juechen.

"You've already grasped the combination of spiritual power and Soul Power. Not bad. That thing just now was your domain, wasn't it? What's it called?"

Ji Juechen fell silent for a moment before explaining:

"Loneliness. As in being lonely. It's still incomplete. Otherwise, I wouldn't have needed Ziyan to hold you off first."

He paused, then spoke again:

"You used a domain just now too, didn't you?"

"You expanded it for only 0.2 seconds, and that broke my domain."

"That's right." Lu Ren nodded in acknowledgment.

Ji Juechen fell silent.

A domain maintained for just 0.2 seconds could crush the domain he had only recently comprehended.

The gap was even greater than he had imagined.

He never could have imagined that someone who was merely a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor could utterly trounce him, a Soul Emperor, while seemingly not using his full strength at all-and even holding back.

Moreover, Lu Ren also possessed a domain, one even stronger than his self-created domain.

This made Ji Juechen all the more curious about exactly what level Lu Ren's limits lay at.

His gaze gradually grew fervent.

Noticing Ji Juechen's gaze, Lu Ren raised a hand and patted his shoulder.

"You're strong, but unfortunately, I'm stronger."

"If you want to surpass me, you'll probably have to chase me your whole lives."

With that, he turned and left, his departing figure as casual as someone heading home after a shopping trip.

Ji Juechen stood where he was, his grip on his sword tightening slightly.

Jing Ziyan walked over, rubbing her numb arms. Looking in the direction Lu Ren had disappeared, she murmured:

"That guy... just what kind of monster is he?"

Ji Juechen did not answer.

He merely lowered his head to look at his sword, Sword Intent slowly flowing through his eyes.

Chase him for a lifetime?

Then I'll chase him for a lifetime!

With the battle over, the crowd of spectators gradually dispersed, and the cafeteria entrance returned to its usual peace.

A few students who arrived late craned their necks for a look. Seeing no excitement left to watch, they went their separate ways.

Xiao Hongchen sat on a stone bench beside a flower bed, his face livid. His fingertips dug deep into the edge of the bench, leaving shallow impressions.

He had watched that brief yet overwhelmingly one-sided battle from start to finish.

The sword fanatic Ji Juechen, chief disciple of Illustrious Virtue Hall's Practical Soul Tool Department and a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, could be counted among the strongest of his peers. At least, few Level 6 Soul Engineers were stronger than Ji Juechen, unless one brought in some old-timers.

And Jing Ziyan, the uncrowned queen of Level 6 Soul Engineers and Illustrious Virtue Hall's acknowledged girl genius, ranked among the strongest Level 6 Soul Engineers.

Yet even with these two joining forces, Lu Ren had routed them in the space of a few breaths.

A gap in strength like this was already beyond what hard work alone could bridge.

At the end of the day, was Lu Ren really a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor?

He was so strong it was downright despair-inducing!

"Brother." Meng Hongchen walked over and sat beside him. "Has your body still not recovered? Why do you look so awful?"

Xiao Hongchen drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

"I'm fine."

His voice was low, carrying a suppressed tremor.

"I saw that whole fight just now."

Meng Hongchen was silent for a moment before saying softly:

"Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan... really are strong."

"Not just strong." Xiao Hongchen clenched his fists. "I've spent time in Illustrious Virtue Hall. I know better than anyone just how strong those two monsters are."

"But against Lu Ren, they didn't even have room to fight back."

He raised his head, something almost scorching burning in his eyes.

"So I'm going into seclusion."

"What?" Meng Hongchen froze.

"I have to break through to Soul King within this month." Xiao Hongchen rose to his feet, his tone firm enough to cleave nails and sever iron. "Then I'll challenge him again. If I can't even beat him, what right do I have to lead our team to victory over Shrek in the Continental Tournament?"