When Long Xiaoyao and Niu Tian finished speaking, they withdrew the Soul Power barrier. Niu Tian turned to Tang Wutong and said:
"Wutong, stay here in Lingdou with Chu Qing for now. I'm going with Dragon Emperor Douluo."
"Don't worry, Big Dad. I'll take good care of my junior brother."
Tang Wutong looked at Chu Qing with a smug expression.
Chu Qing gave her a small bow, looking somewhat helpless.
"Greetings, Senior Sister, Master."
Niu Tian laughed.
"You two get along now."
"Take care, Master."
Niu Tian and Long Xiaoyao left. Watching their figures disappear into the horizon, Chu Qing thought that his parents would just have to suffer a little.
Tang Wutong came over, her hands clasped behind her back and an air of great seniority about her.
"Now that Master's gone, I'm the senior here. Come with me, Junior Brother."
Chu Qing followed her.
"Where are we going?"
"Don't ask so many questions. Just follow your senior sister."
Xue Li watched them leave and frowned slightly.
When they arrived outside the Dou Ling Royal Advanced Soul Master Academy, Chu Qing sensed trouble.
"Why are we here?"
Tang Wutong planted her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks.
"What else would we be here for?"
"Your senior sister's been bullied. As my junior brother, shouldn't you help me hit back?"
"Those wretches actually dared to mock me for having a low cultivation level."
"If I cultivated properly, where would that leave them?"
Chu Qing deliberately rubbed salt in the wound.
"But they weren't wrong. You've still only got one ring, so your cultivation really is low."
Tang Wutong pursed her lips and went inside.
"I don't care. As my junior brother, you have to listen to your senior sister. Go beat them up for me."
Tang Wutong went in looking for trouble, but someone noticed her first and began jeering.
"Well, well, isn't that the little butterfly?"
"She even brought a helper."
Their gazes moved past Tang Wutong and landed on Chu Qing. One by one, their smiles grew a little strange.
Wasn't it Princess Xue Li who had asked them to bully Tang Wutong? Why was Chu Qing here?
Tang Wutong raised her middle finger at the group.
"Well?"
"Weren't you all so impressive?"
"Now my junior brother's here. Will you gang up on him, or will he take on your whole group alone? Take your pick!"
"Huh?"
Chu Qing looked helpless. Was there a difference?
The people opposite them wore wry smiles too. They had heard that Chu Qing was a genius, and none of them wanted to step forward. One after another, they began making excuses.
"Hey, Little Butterfly, how about another day?"
"Our classes are pretty packed today, and we're busy cultivating. Do you think everyone has nothing to do all day like you?"
Tang Wutong felt even more insulted.
"You bunch of cowards!"
"Are you too scared?"
"I'll give it a try."
A voice approached from the side.
Everyone looked over and saw a tall, thin young man with a bony frame and bright, keen eyes.
The others were a little surprised. They hadn't expected Lone Bamboo Sword, who had already been chosen as captain of the main team for this Soul Master Tournament, to come over.
Lone Bamboo Sword studied Chu Qing and said:
"You're Chu Qing, right?"
He came from a commoner background, and his Martial Soul was Purple Emperor Bamboo, a mutation of Lone Bamboo. Though he had heard Chu Qing's name often of late, he had never had a chance to meet him.
Chu Qing nodded.
"That's right. Chu Qing, level 42 Defense System Battle Soul Ancestor."
"I'm pleased to have the chance to spar with you."
Though he was smiling, he had made up his mind not to go out with Tang Wutong next time.
"Lone Bamboo Sword, level 53 Power Attack System Battle Soul King."
Tang Wutong chuckled and retreated to the side.
"Don't worry, Lone Bamboo Sword, you don't have to hold back. My junior brother can take a beating."
Chu Qing looked at her, speechless.
Tang Wutong, however, began cheering as though nothing had happened.
"Go, Junior Brother! I'm rooting for you!"
Chu Qing couldn't help rolling his eyes. He activated Martial Soul Possession, and four Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet: one azure, two purple, and one black.
Many passing students stopped to watch, exclaiming in amazement.
Lone Bamboo Sword saw it too. As it turned out, seeing was better than hearing of him.
He released his own Martial Soul. A length of Purple Emperor Bamboo appeared in his right hand, about a zhang long and lustrous purple from end to end, with faint golden patterns of light running along it. Five Soul Rings-two yellow, two purple, and one black-pulsed slowly around it.
He charged at Chu Qing.
Chu Qing immediately activated his fourth Soul Skill, and black light shone across the plaza.
A Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skill right from the start? Startled and suspicious, Lone Bamboo Sword slowed down, only to discover a serpent crown that granted a beneficial effect had appeared on his head.
An azure serpent crown appeared on Chu Qing's head as well.
This was the fourth Soul Skill he had acquired, Nine-Headed Serpent Crown. Every ten percent of life lost made its healing effect stronger. A single use could assist up to nine people at once, including himself.
He used it on Lone Bamboo Sword and himself because he naturally didn't want to sour relations too much.
He activated his Left Arm Soul Bone, and the Moon-Gazing Armguard materialized.
At the same time, he activated his third Soul Skill, Ouroboros Mutual Generation. A huge azure Ouroboros Formation immediately appeared beneath his feet. Around its outermost edge was the totem of a bull python swallowing its own tail; with every bit the bull python swallowed, the formation shrank accordingly.
After sensing the healing effect of Nine-Headed Serpent Crown, Lone Bamboo Sword relaxed somewhat.
"In that case, I won't hold back," he said.
"Third Soul Skill, Purple Radiant Bamboo Heart."
The instant he activated the enhancement Soul Skill, a thin layer of purple mist swirled around the Purple Emperor Bamboo in his hand, making it tougher and increasing its attack power.
The two charged toward each other. As they closed in, Lone Bamboo Sword's First Soul Ring immediately lit up, flashing yellow.
Purple Bamboo Ten Thousand Thrusts.
Chu Qing's eyes blurred. The instant Lone Bamboo Sword thrust the Purple Emperor Bamboo at him, it turned into countless afterimages.
He raised his armguard to shield himself, but he was still struck a hundred-odd times. The thrusts pierced his skin, leaving him covered in wounds in the blink of an eye.
He compressed a tornado in his right hand and sent it forward, lifting Lone Bamboo Sword off the ground before he could dodge.
Violent lightning gathered into a ball in his hand. He took aim at Lone Bamboo Sword, who had yet to land, and blasted a palm strike at him with the Lightning Burst Ball in his hand. The instant he struck, the Lightning Burst Ball exploded, sending Lone Bamboo Sword flying.
The wounds on Chu Qing's body began to heal slowly.
Lone Bamboo Sword wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Feeling the power of Nine-Headed Serpent Crown flowing slowly above his head, he was pleasantly surprised. It really was a powerful healing Soul Skill; he could fight at full strength now.
His second and fourth Soul Rings lit up in succession.
His second Soul Skill, Bamboo Mourning Purple Emperor Staff, instantly transformed the Purple Emperor Bamboo in his hand. It was no longer a simple length of Purple Emperor Bamboo, but a bamboo staff with a thickened tip, its attack power increased.
His fourth Soul Skill, Purple Radiant Bamboo Explosion, caused every bamboo segment to produce an explosion when he attacked, unleashing astonishing force.
He leaped forward, the Bamboo Mourning Purple Emperor Staff in his hand brimming with terrifying power. As he swung it, space itself trembled and rang.
Chi Hengyu, who had also come to watch, felt his heart jump at the sight. As a Defense System Soul Master with a Vajra Shield, even he couldn't withstand Lone Bamboo Sword's Bamboo Mourning Purple Emperor Staff with so many enhancements. A few blows could smash through his defenses, and when Lone Bamboo Sword combined it with his fifth Soul Skill, he had no answer at all.
He couldn't help casting a sympathetic glance at Lone Bamboo Sword's opponent, but as he looked at him, he suddenly realized something was off. An Azure Soul Ring! A black Soul Ring! Chu Qing!
He too had heard much of Chu Qing and knew he couldn't be judged like an ordinary person. He couldn't help growing curious. Could four-ringed Chu Qing actually defeat five-ringed Lone Bamboo Sword?
Lone Bamboo Sword was the number one student of their academy's current generation!