Will anyone really break through only one level at a time?

"Damn!" Ma Hongjun leaped backward to dodge the massive snake falling from above, then smacked his lips. "That was way too brutal."

Looking at the half-dead Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent twitching on the ground, everyone fell speechless. Just how much force had that kick contained? This was a thousand-year soul beast.

Xiao Wu looked at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent with some pity and hid behind Tang San.

Yang Tian clapped his hands and said to Oscar, "This thing suits you."

Oscar had never expected his soul ring to be settled so easily. He immediately said excitedly, "Thank you, Yang Tian." Then he took out a dagger.

"The weak spot is beneath the fleshy crest. Just stab it in there," Tang San said. Oscar followed his instructions, saving himself a great deal of effort.

Very soon, a purple soul ring condensed. Oscar immediately sat cross-legged and began absorbing it.

Just then, a Hoarse Voice rang out. "Wait!"

Oscar's hand, which was guiding the soul ring, paused slightly. Seeing this, Yang Tian said, "This has nothing to do with you. Hurry up and absorb the soul ring."

Because of his strength, Yang Tian's words carried the most authority among them. Oscar nodded, summoned his martial soul, and began absorbing the soul ring.

At that moment, the person who had spoken arrived nearby. Seeing that the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent had already been killed, her aged face immediately darkened.

The newcomers were none other than Serpent Granny Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran.

Serpent Granny had a head full of white hair, yet there were few wrinkles on her face. Her body was slightly stooped, and she held a Serpent Cane in her hand. Six soul rings rose and fell around her body—she was clearly a Soul Emperor.

Naturally, Meng Yiran stood beside Serpent Granny. She looked sixteen or seventeen, with a very pretty face, short hair, and a neat, fitted outfit tightly outlining her already well-developed figure. Her large dark-brown eyes were fixed firmly on the lifeless Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent.

"What is it?" Zhao Wuji stepped forward as soul rings rose beneath his feet, instantly displaying the cultivation of a Soul Sage. Strength was the foundation of all communication, especially in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Serpent Granny's pupils shrank at the sight. Her expression immediately softened considerably. "Honored Soul Sage, I am Serpent Granny Chao Tianxiang. We were actually pursuing this snake. We had already severely wounded it, but now it has been killed by your students. Isn't that somewhat inappropriate?"

Zhao Wuji frowned, then said, "So you are Serpent Granny of the Dragon Serpent. I am Zhao Wuji.

"What unfortunate timing. We did not know this was a soul beast you had surrounded and hunted. But since things have come to this, it would be a waste not to absorb this soul ring."

Zhao Wuji's tone became somewhat more respectful, but he showed no apology whatsoever. What a joke—they had already killed it. What else did she want, for them to bring it back to life?

"This..." Serpent Granny also knew the matter was difficult to resolve. They had already killed it and begun absorbing the ring. Forcibly stopping them would only harm both sides.

At that moment, Meng Yiran suddenly spoke. "Why should the soul beast we worked so hard to hunt be handed to them on a silver platter? I refuse to accept this!"

"What's there not to accept? Just because you injured it means it belongs to you?" Yang Tian curled his lip.

"That's right. We injured it, so it's ours." Meng Yiran looked as though it were only natural.

Yang Tian froze for a moment, then chuckled and said to the fat man, "Fine, then. Fatty, if you injure her, she'll be yours."

Ma Hongjun's eyes immediately lit up. Although Meng Yiran was not as beautiful as the three girls on their side, she was absolutely still a top-tier beauty, especially with that mature charm...

Before Ma Hongjun could react, Meng Yiran shot the fat man a disgusted glare, then glared viciously at Yang Tian. He's so good-looking, yet he's so irritating!

Seeing Meng Yiran avoid him as though she had seen a ghost, Ma Hongjun's face immediately drooped. Aggrieved, he squatted in a corner and drew circles on the ground.

At that moment, Serpent Granny glanced over everyone present, and her eyes lit up. She immediately said, "Since the matter has already been settled, let us leave it at that. But since Yiran is upset, she can spar with one of Ming Wang's students.

"Yiran's Soul Power is at level thirty. Which student is willing to accept her challenge?"

Meng Yiran did not object to Serpent Granny's suggestion. She stepped out directly, pointed at Yang Tian, and said, "I challenge you! You there, let's see if I don't—"

"Sorry, I'm level thirty-three. You picked the wrong person." Before Meng Yiran could finish, Yang Tian interrupted her. Meng Yiran stared at him in disbelief. "How is that possible... How can you be level thirty-three?"

Yang Tian remained silent. He had actually been waiting for the system to issue a mission, but unfortunately, it did not trigger one.

Zhao Wuji also thought this was a good idea and immediately said, "Yang Tian is indeed level thir—level thirty-three? Weren't you level thirty-one?"

Zhao Wuji looked at Yang Tian in astonishment. Hadn't he been level thirty-one when he enrolled? How had he become level thirty-three already? He had broken through? And skipped a level while doing it?

Seeing Zhao Wuji's ghostly expression, Yang Tian immediately put on an equally astonished look. "No way. Don't tell me all of you only break through one level at a time when you cultivate?

"How is that possible? How can anyone stand that toothpaste-squeezing kind of breakthrough, only advancing one level at a time?"

"..."

Zhao Wuji stood there blankly for a moment, then simply ignored Yang Tian and said to Chao Tianxiang, "Sister Chao, three of my students are also level thirty and have yet to obtain their soul rings. Xiao Wu, Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing—which of you three is willing to spar with Young Miss Meng Yiran?"

Since they had nothing else to do, Zhao Wuji was happy to watch the fun. In any case, the chance of his little monsters losing was very low.

Just then, Yang Tian spoke again. "Um, how about me?"

Everyone's faces darkened. You were already a Soul Elder, weren't you? Had you taken a fancy to that beautiful girl?

"Heavenly Brother, that wouldn't be appropriate, would it?" Tang San said.

"Then let me do it," Zhu Zhuqing said to Yang Tian.

However, Meng Yiran said, "Fine, you. I refuse to believe you really are a Soul Elder!"

Yang Tian smiled at her words, then stood where he was. "I won't bully you. I'll stay right here and use only one hand. If you can force me back even half a step or make me use my second hand, you win."

"You... you're arrogant!" Meng Yiran's face flushed with anger. It was the first time she had ever seen someone so arrogant.

Yet Tang San and the others quietly said, "Heavenly Brother is obviously bullying her. If you ask me, one finger would be enough."

"..."

Chao Tianxiang's expression grew darker and darker. What kind of people were these? Were they all this arrogant?

Meng Yiran could no longer endure it. The Serpent Cane in her hand smashed mercilessly toward Yang Tian. In her eyes, even a Soul Elder could not possibly catch this blow with one hand.

However, a scene that shocked both her and Serpent Granny unfolded. The Serpent Cane seemed to have struck immortal gold, while Yang Tian held the tip of the cane in place with a single index finger. "One finger it is. I never bully girls~"

Yang Tian said it with complete seriousness, but Ning Rongrong immediately exposed him. "As if anyone would believe you!"

Meng Yiran took several steps back, her face full of disbelief. Then the soul ring beneath her feet lit up. "First soul skill, Serpent Blade!"

A crescent-shaped blade of light flew from the top of the Serpent Cane, slashing toward Yang Tian.