"The three committee members." Yu Tianheng nodded slightly when he heard this. Having read the original story, he knew that Heaven Dou Royal Academy was funded by the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family, and its nominal dean was the current emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Emperor Xue Ye.
Below him were the three members of the Education Committee: Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin. All three were Soul Douluo-level experts, exceedingly rare even in the Heaven Dou Empire. Together, they could even contend with a weaker Titled Douluo.
When they reached the Education Committee, the middle-aged teacher pushed the door open and entered. "Committee members, I've brought Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"Let him in." An aged voice reached Yu Tianheng's ears.
Yu Tianheng stepped into the Education Committee's room.
Three chairs stood directly in front of him, with an elderly man seated upright in each.
Meng Shenji sat in the middle, Bai Baoshan on the left, and Zhi Lin on the right.
Yu Tianheng approached the three men and bowed slightly. "This junior, Yu Tianheng, greets the three committee members."
"Yu Tianheng, young master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, you do have a rather extraordinary bearing. But if you wish to join Heaven Dou Royal Academy, background alone isn't enough."
As soon as Meng Shenji finished speaking, he tapped a finger against the armrest of his chair. Soul Power surged around him, and in the next instant, invisible pressure swept toward Yu Tianheng like a surging tide. It carried power accumulated over the years, and a killing chill filled the air, making the temperature around them seem to drop.
Yu Tianheng's expression sharpened. He knew Meng Shenji was testing his strength. In the original story, this wretched old man had also tested the protagonist, Tang San, and had been astonished by his talent afterward, taking a liking to him for it.
Presumably, the old man had heard about his talent and wanted to test him as well, to see whether he lived up to the rumors.
But since you like testing people so much, I'll show you what a true genius is!
Yu Tianheng stood straight with his hands behind his back, apparently inviting Meng Shenji to test him as he pleased.
Meng Shenji continued exerting his Soul Power pressure.
Its level rose steadily from level 20 to level 30.
Throughout it all, Yu Tianheng remained calm and composed, not moving a muscle, as if he felt no pressure whatsoever.
But that was only appearances. Anyone passing by Yu Tianheng would surely have been crushed to the ground by that terrifying Soul Power pressure, unable to move.
At the sight, all three committee members, Meng Shenji included, were shocked.
They knew Yu Tianheng's current Soul Power Level was 31, a level he had only recently reached. Though he looked like a boy of fifteen or sixteen, they also knew his true age was only twelve.
To have reached Soul Power Level 31 at twelve made him a genius rarely seen in the Soul Master World. But Yu Tianheng came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, an ancient Soul Master cultivation clan with a heritage stretching back a thousand years and a deep foundation. It might well have methods for rapidly raising a Soul Master's cultivation level.
But using such methods to raise one's cultivation would surely leave an unstable foundation.
That was why Meng Shenji had decided to test him.
But now that the Soul Power pressure had reached level 30, Yu Tianheng remained completely at ease. They knew then that his current cultivation was the real thing, without a trace of exaggeration.
The discovery filled Meng Shenji with wild delight, and he decided to continue the test. He wanted to see just how many surprises this child could give him.
The Soul Power pressure kept rising.
Level 33!
Level 34!
Level 35!
All the way to level 39!
Yu Tianheng still held his hands behind his back, his expression calm, as if he felt no pressure at all. He did not show even the slightest sign of fatigue.
Truthfully, Yu Tianheng held such a test in utter disdain. He also cultivated the Martial Dao and had currently reached Sinew Refining. Although he had only just stepped into the third realm of the Martial Dao, his physical defense was already comparable to the bodies of Soul King or even Soul Emperor-level experts.
In other words, Yu Tianheng could at least withstand the pressure of a Soul Master-level expert. Without Soul Power above level 50, there was no way to faze him, much less force out his Martial Soul.
"Committee Member Meng Shenji, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul has always been known throughout the Soul Master World for its powerful body. This bit of pressure is no different from a tickle to me. Please continue the test. I can take it!" Yu Tianheng spoke softly, asking Meng Shenji to keep exerting his Soul Power pressure.
Hearing this, Meng Shenji gave a helpless smile. "Very well. Since you've said so, how could I refuse? But if you can't hold on, don't forget to let me know."
Meng Shenji then continued raising the level of his Soul Power pressure.
Level 41!
Level 42!
By level 45, Yu Tianheng's body was trembling, as if he were under immense pressure.
Of course, he was only pretending.
Although he was exceptionally gifted, a cultivation prodigy seen only once in a century in the Soul Master World, there had to be some limit to how gifted he could be. If things became too outrageous, it would inevitably arouse suspicion!
When the Soul Power pressure reached level 48, it happened.
Yu Tianheng's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul instantly possessed him. Dark blue dragon scales gleamed, and an intense dragon might rose around him. Three Soul Rings, two yellow and one purple, appeared beneath his feet. His feet planted firmly on the ground, he stood like a towering mountain, facing Meng Shenji's Soul Power pressure head-on. Dragon might and Soul Power collided with a low rumble, shaking the surrounding tables and chairs slightly.
It even faintly showed signs of suppressing Meng Shenji's Soul Power.
Meng Shenji withdrew his Soul Power pressure, and all three committee members rose to their feet, astonishment on their faces.
"The number one Power Attack System Beast Martial Soul under heaven, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul!"
"Seeing it today, it truly is extraordinary!"
Yu Tianheng released his Martial Soul Possession and chuckled. "You flatter me, committee members. May I ask whether this junior has passed the test and can join Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"
Bai Baoshan waved a hand and smiled. "Of course. If even you couldn't join Heaven Dou Royal Academy, then no one would be qualified to enter."
"Yu Tianheng, your talent is unlike anything I've seen in my life. Even 'exceptionally gifted' is not enough to describe it. It's as if I can already see another Thunder Douluo standing tall on the continent decades from now."
"It would be an honor for the academy to have you join us. If you have any requirements, feel free to state them. As long as we can fulfill them, we will grant every one."
Yu Tianheng's strength and talent had indeed astonished Meng Shenji and the other two. To win him over, they decided to give him special treatment.
Yu Tianheng thought for a moment before replying, "I can join Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but I have three requirements."
"Please, go ahead!"
"My first requirement is that I don't want to be bound by the Heaven Dou imperial family's rules."
"Agreed!" Meng Shenji accepted without hesitation. Geniuses all had their own temperaments; that was understandable. The few students at Heaven Dou Royal Academy with outstanding talent all felt the same way. It was nothing serious.