Heaven Dou vs. Shrek (4)

"Ning Rongrong, level twenty-six Support System Soul Grandmaster. Martial Soul: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."

Ning Rongrong stepped forward last, holding a small, crystal-clear seven-colored pagoda in her palm. Two Soul Rings, both yellow, circulated beneath it.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's illusory image slowly revolved above her head, and a faint enhancement halo had already begun to envelop the whole team. Though her level was the lowest, her role was the irreplaceable core of the team.

Once all seven had introduced themselves, the presences of the Shrek team joined as one. Dai Mubai folded his arms and swept his gaze over their opponents, a hint of provocation in his voice. "What's wrong? You people from Heaven Dou Royal Academy don't even dare give your names? What kind of Soul Masters hide things like that?"

Yu Tianheng gave a cold snort and stepped forward.

"Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Yu Tianheng, level thirty-four Power Attack System Soul Elder. Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."

Purple lightning burst and crackled around him. Three Soul Rings rose-yellow, yellow, and purple-and the overbearing presence of lightning washed over them. Even the air filled with the smell of scorching.

He stood with his head held high, the pride of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's young clan master on full display. His gaze met Dai Mubai's directly, his fighting spirit nearly taking tangible form.

"Dugu Yan, level twenty-nine Control System Soul Grandmaster. Martial Soul: Jade Phosphorous Serpent."

Dugu Yan stepped forward next, pale green poisonous mist curling around her fingertips. Her vertical pupils glowed an eerie green as two yellow Soul Rings lit up, and she fixed her gaze on Tuo Mushuo across from her.

"Shi Mo, level twenty-seven Defense System Soul Grandmaster. Martial Soul: Black Tortoise."

"Shi Mo, level twenty-seven Defense System Soul Grandmaster. Martial Soul: Black Tortoise."

The brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo stepped forward together, illusory images of dark gold tortoise shells appearing before them at the same time. Each had two yellow Soul Rings, and their presences were steady and weighty. Standing there, they were like two immovable city walls, shielding their teammates behind them.

"Ye Lingling, level thirty-three Support System Soul Elder. Martial Soul: Nine Heart Begonia."

Ye Lingling stepped forward slowly, her white clothes brighter than snow. A pale pink glow appeared in her palm. Three Soul Rings rose-yellow, yellow, and purple. The outermost purple Soul Ring had a warm, lustrous color, yet carried the profound foundation of three thousand four hundred years.

The illusory image of the Nine Heart Begonia slowly bloomed above her head, spreading a faint healing halo. A thin layer of golden light appeared over everyone on the Heaven Dou team.

"Xiao Wu, level thirty-four Power Attack System Soul Elder. Martial Soul: Soft Bone Rabbit."

Xiao Wu skipped forward, the hem of her pink skirt fluttering and her ruby-like eyes sparkling.

Three Soul Rings-yellow, purple, and purple-floated lightly up and down at her feet, and the illusory image of a Soft Bone Rabbit flashed behind her before vanishing. She looked dainty and charming, but her level thirty-four Power Attack System presence was by no means weak. Her nimble vigor made Zhu Zhuqing tense up at once across from her.

Six people had introduced themselves, but one person in the Heaven Dou formation remained where he stood.

Lin Chen stood at the very center of the team, his hands behind his back and his expression calm. Not a trace of Soul Power leaked from him, as though he had no presence at all.

Dai Mubai froze for a moment, then sneered, his wicked eyes full of disdain. "What's this? Heaven Dou only has these six? What's that kid hiding in the back for, pretending to be all profound? If you've got the guts, let's hear your level and Martial Soul. Don't tell me your level's so low you're embarrassed to speak?"

He simply assumed Lin Chen was a student Heaven Dou had brought to make up the numbers, whose level was too low for him to dare show himself.

Yu Xiaogang stood in the distance, but his gaze suddenly sharpened.

He stared intently at Lin Chen in the center of the team, his fingers clenching slightly. Just how far had the boy who had dared publicly refute his Ten Core Competencies at the age of six come now?

Instinctively, he felt something was wrong. Lin Chen would never be there merely to make up the numbers, but he could not imagine how much a twelve-year-old child could have grown in the space of two months.

At last, Lin Chen moved.

He took a slow step forward, coming to the front of the team and facing Dai Mubai across the distance.

The youth stood tall and straight, his features handsome, his expression as calm as a deep pool. He did not release his Martial Soul immediately. He merely spoke in an even tone, his voice quiet but carrying clearly across the entire rocky shoal:

"Lin Chen, level thirty-six Control System Soul Elder. Martial Soul: Chaos Pearl."

The moment his words fell, Soul Power fluctuations abruptly rose at his feet.

Hum-

The first purple Soul Ring lit up, its color deep and solemn with the foundation of a thousand years.

A second purple Soul Ring followed close behind. The two purple rings shone together, and the pressure surged.

Immediately afterward, a third Soul Ring, black as deep ink, slowly rose from the ground and settled firmly into the outermost position.

Purple, purple, black.

Three Soul Rings floated up and down at his feet. The ancient pressure emanating from the black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring bore down on their opponents as though it were tangible. The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and even the wind stopped.

Dead silence.

The entire rocky shoal fell into deathly silence in an instant.

On Shrek's side, everyone froze in place.

The mockery on Dai Mubai's face froze instantly, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg. He stared at the black Soul Ring and sucked in a cold breath, the hairs all over his body standing on end.

A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?!

His Third Soul Ring is already ten thousand years old?!

He was a level thirty-seven Soul Elder, and his Third Soul Ring was only a little over two thousand years old. Even so, he was already a genius among geniuses. Yet the youth before him, who looked several years younger than him, actually had a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his third?! How was that possible?!

Tang San's eyes flew wide, and his Purple Demon Eye nearly went out of control.

Disbelief spread across his face.

When they had parted at Nuoding Academy, Lin Chen's Soul Power had only just reached level thirty. It had been a little over two months, and he was already level thirty-six?

And... and his Third Soul Ring was ten thousand years old? That cultivation speed was outrageous!

Tang San's heart pounded, and a powerful sense of frustration and fighting spirit surged within him at the same time. Had he fought so hard to catch up, only for the gap to grow even wider?

Yu Xiaogang stood in the distance. With a "hum" in his ears, he felt his blood surge upward.

He staggered half a step, his breathing turning rapid at once. He stared fixedly at the three Soul Rings, his fingers trembling.

Impossible... absolutely impossible! A ten-thousand-year Third Soul Ring? Twelve years old, level thirty-six Soul Power, and a purple, purple, black Soul Ring combination?

This completely overturned the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul he had spent his life researching! The upper age limits of Soul Rings, the speed of level advancement-all those iron laws had been smashed to pieces by this youth.

Yu Xiaogang's chest heaved, and his face burned as though someone had slapped him a dozen times in public. Back then, Lin Chen had said his theory had flaws, and he had dismissed it as arrogance. Now, it was far more than a matter of flaws-he had been like a frog at the bottom of a well, gazing up at the sky!

Zhao Wuji, too, put away his joking manner and sat up straight, his eyes full of shock.

"Good heavens... a Ten Thousand Year Third Soul Ring? How old is this kid? Twelve or thirteen? I've lived my whole life and never seen a genius this outrageous."

He was a level seventy-six Soul Saint and had seen much of the world, but a twelve-year-old with a ten-thousand-year third ring? Never mind seeing one, he had never even heard of it. If this kid was allowed to grow up, what then?