Heaven Dou Royal Academy (II)

"Xiao Wu, stop it!"

"Okay!"

Xiao Wu had been poised to strike. She pushed off with both legs and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, scarcely slower than the Phantom Rabbit King. At that moment, the agility and explosive power granted by her Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul were on full display.

When the Phantom Rabbit King saw her pursuing it, it swerved sharply, trying to shake her off. But Xiao Wu seemed to have anticipated its path. She twisted at the waist and flipped through the air, sweeping her right leg out with a whistle.

Bang!

Her kick struck the Phantom Rabbit King squarely in the flank, sending it flying sideways. It rolled twice on the ground before scrambling to its feet, its scarlet eyes fixed on Xiao Wu as a low growl rumbled in its throat.

It had been enraged.

The next instant, the Phantom Rabbit King vanished from where it stood-not through Teleportation, but by moving so fast that the naked eye could no longer track it.

Xiao Wu's pupils contracted, and she instinctively dodged to the left. A silver-white blur of claws grazed her shoulder, tearing the trees behind her to splinters.

"So fast!" Xiao Wu was startled, but she showed no fear. The instant her feet touched the ground, she thrust with her waist again, spinning like a whirlwind as her right leg swept out with a spiraling force.

Waist Bow-break!

Her kick forced the Phantom Rabbit King back, but it was unharmed. It landed three zhang away, its legs slightly bent and its body taut, ready to attack again at any moment.

Just then, Lin Chen's voice came from above. "Xiao Wu, catch this!"

A ball of gray light descended from the sky and landed in front of Xiao Wu, transforming into a gray shield of light. Chaos Soul Power flowed across the shield, giving off a gentle yet weighty presence.

Xiao Wu understood and reached out to touch the shield. The gray light merged into her body, forming a thin gray film over her skin.

"With this protection, its claws can't hurt you." Lin Chen stood on the branch of a large tree, his left hand resting on the hilt of the Heaven-Slaying Sword, ready to intervene at any moment. "Fight without holding back. I'll cover you."

"Got it!"

Xiao Wu's confidence soared, and she charged at the Phantom Rabbit King. The two began a fierce chase through Shadow Valley. The Phantom Rabbit King was as fast as lightning, its claw strikes vicious and sharp; Xiao Wu countered force with softness, combining Waist Bow with her supple techniques to neutralize its attacks again and again while waiting for a chance to strike back.

The battle continued for nearly the time it took an incense stick to burn.

The Phantom Rabbit King gradually began to show signs of fatigue. It slowed down, and the number of its phantom doubles fell from five to two. Xiao Wu, meanwhile, grew bolder as the fight went on. With the Chaos Shield protecting her, she had no need to worry about defense and could attack with all her strength.

At last, during one exchange, Xiao Wu spotted an opening. She pretended to be distracted by a phantom, but at the last moment she spun around and caught the Phantom Rabbit King's hind leg with precision.

"Got you!"

She put her waist into the motion, swung the Phantom Rabbit King around, and slammed it hard into the ground. The impact left it reeling, and before it could get up, Xiao Wu's Second Soul Ring had already lit up.

"Second Soul Skill-Charm!"

A wave of pink light struck true, and the Phantom Rabbit King's eyes instantly glazed over.

Immediately afterward, Xiao Wu raised her right leg high, charged Waist Bow to its limit, and smashed a powerful whipping kick into the Phantom Rabbit King's skull.

Crack! The sound of bones breaking rang out clearly.

The Phantom Rabbit King's body twitched twice, then went completely still.

A deep purple Soul Ring slowly rose from its body.

A seven-thousand-year Soul Ring.

Xiao Wu panted heavily as she gazed at the purple Soul Ring, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Brother Lin Chen! I did it!"

"Well done." Lin Chen jumped down from the tree and walked over to her. "Now, absorb it."

Xiao Wu sat down cross-legged, took a deep breath, and guided the deep purple Soul Ring slowly toward herself.

The instant the Soul Ring touched her, a surge of violent power rushed into her body. But unlike the harrowing ordeal Lin Chen had faced while absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, her Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul was highly compatible with the Phantom Rabbit's Soul Ring. Though the absorption was painful, it was far less perilous than Lin Chen's.

Two hours later, a formidable presence suddenly erupted from Xiao Wu.

Three Soul Rings rose from beneath her feet-yellow, purple, purple!

A level thirty-three Soul Elder!

Third Soul Skill-Teleportation!

Within five zhang, she could burst into Teleportation without delay, moving at will, wherever her thoughts directed. Combined with her Waist Bow and Charm, her ability to launch close-range surprise attacks had doubled outright. As her level grew, the distance and frequency of her Teleportation would continue to increase.

"Brother Lin Chen! I have Teleportation too!" Xiao Wu excitedly flashed around a few times, her pink figure darting left and right, as nimble as a real rabbit.

Watching how happy she was, Lin Chen felt a smile rise to his lips.

In the original story, Xiao Wu's Third Soul Ring had been just over a thousand years old, and her Teleportation range had been no more than three zhang. In this life, with the boost from a seven-thousand-year Soul Ring, its power was more than a notch stronger.

The two rested in Star Dou for another two days, thoroughly stabilizing their cultivation before setting out.

When they emerged from the Star Dou Great Forest, Lin Chen was twelve years old, a level thirty-five Soul Elder with two purple Soul Rings and one black; Xiao Wu was twelve, a level thirty-three Soul Elder with one yellow and two purple Soul Rings. With such strength, they would have been among the very finest geniuses at any advanced Soul Master Academy.

"Come on, let's go to Heaven Dou City." Lin Chen took Xiao Wu's hand. "Let's show Heaven Dou Royal Academy what treasures they've dug up."

Heaven Dou City was the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire and one of the most prosperous cities on the continent.

Its towering walls stretched for dozens of li. Carriages and horses crowded the gates, and merchants and travelers came and went in an endless stream. Lin Chen and Xiao Wu followed the crowd into the city, then headed north, straight for Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy stood at the foot of Heaven Dou Mountain, north of Heaven Dou City. Built against the mountainside, it occupied a vast expanse of land.

Its vermilion palace gates were towering and imposing. Before them stood two statues of Soul Masters carved from white marble, both bearing an extraordinary air. The guards at the entrance were all dressed as Soul Masters. Their presence was steady, and even the weakest among them was a Soul Grandmaster.

"Who goes there? Present your admission documents." A guard stepped forward, his tone respectful yet authoritative.

Lin Chen handed over the admission token and documents Teacher Sun had given him. The guard checked them and, finding everything in order, immediately stepped aside. "Please come in. The academic affairs office is on the west side of the front hall. Someone will receive you there."

Upon entering the academy, a broad vista opened before them.

Teaching buildings, cultivation grounds, trial grounds, and dormitories lined the wide main road, all built in a grand and elegant palace style. Every student passing by was richly dressed and carried an extraordinary bearing; clearly, most were children of nobility. Occasionally, a Soul Master would release a Martial Soul, revealing Soul Rings that were mostly a mix of yellow and purple, a sign of considerable strength.

"As expected of an imperial academy. It really is on another level." Xiao Wu looked around in every direction, unable to take it all in.

They found the academic affairs office, where a middle-aged teacher surnamed Liu was in charge of receiving them. He wore glasses and had a rigid expression. He accepted their documents and asked without looking up, "Names, ages, Soul Power Levels, and Soul Ring combinations. Tell me."