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Seeing Gu Yue's eager expression, it was clear that Leng Jiuming's purpose in coming here was to witness a showdown between Bai Xu and Gu Yue.
Thus, he proposed, "I request a mid-match break. The final battle should be exceptionally thrilling, so let my student recover to his peak condition before facing her. What do you say?"
He knew that the personal disciple of the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo would undoubtedly be a tough opponent. It was better to let Bai Xu rest and face her at his best. Even if he lost, there would be no regrets.
"Agreed."
Wu Zhangkong looked at Tang Wulin, who had just returned. Aside from excessive soul power consumption, he was unharmed—a short rest would suffice.
"I lost. He had too many trump cards. It's up to you now, Gu Yue!" Tang Wulin was somewhat dejected, but his words were more of an encouragement for Gu Yue.
Gu Yue replied, "I've met him once before. His first soul skill from the Heavenly Eye martial soul is Mental Enhancement, and the second is Illusionary Gaze, which falls under the category of mental attacks. Our spiritual power is nearly equal, so mental attacks won't be very effective. As long as I keep him at a distance, there's nothing to fear."
Wu Zhangkong was surprised. How did Gu Yue know these details? Bai Xu was from the Spirit Pagoda Academy. If she had met him before, did that mean…?
"Now that you mention it, he never used his Heavenly Eye martial soul or any mental attacks during the fight!" Xie Xie interjected.
Tang Wulin added, puzzled, "In any case, Gu Yue, be careful."
"Understood."
While they were discussing, Bai Xu caught a spiritual fruit tossed by Leng Jiuming and devoured it in a few bites before sitting cross-legged to recover.
Leng Jiuming chuckled. "See? I told you this trip wouldn't be wasted. They can still give you some pressure."
"Yeah, that Tang Wulin was indeed strong," Bai Xu agreed.
Leng Jiuming glanced at him and smiled. "Honestly, wins and losses in youthful sparring don't matter much. A single defeat doesn't define a person's life—what matters is how you grow afterward. If not for your secret manual, I would've pushed your growth potential to its absolute limit—tempering your soul power, life-and-death battles, optimizing your soul rings, choosing the right battle armor, and seizing opportunities within the Spirit Pagoda… When I studied the histories of past Sea God Pavilion masters from Shrek Academy, each of them had heaven-defying luck—rare immortal herbs, academy rewards, tournament experiences, and so on. Only by combining all these could they reach the pinnacle of a 99th-rank Title Douluo. But your growth potential surpasses theirs. With your body's continuous development supplemented by spiritual treasures, you might truly ascend to godhood."
Bai Xu sighed helplessly. Ever since he had shared some knowledge about the human body with Leng Jiuming, the latter had held high expectations for him. "Teacher, if you keep praising me like this, I might get arrogant."
"Then be arrogant! What's the harm? Those so-called 'geniuses' from Shrek Academy walk around with their noses in the air. You're nowhere near that level yet."
Bai Xu: "…"
---
"Break's over. The match begins!"
Bai Xu saw Gu Yue already weaving hand seals to launch an attack. His figure blurred as he dashed toward her at incredible speed.
Dozens of ice spikes hovered around Gu Yue. Just as Bai Xu observed them, a blinding flash of light erupted, sealing off his vision. The sudden change forced him to halt momentarily.
The next moment, he was engulfed by the ice spikes, and a thick mist of frost rose from the spot.
Golden light flickered within the mist—Bai Xu was swinging his golden sword, relying on his senses to slash through the ice spikes. However, Gu Yue's assault grew fiercer. Wind blades, fireballs, and other elemental attacks immune to slashing strikes followed relentlessly, forcing Bai Xu to constantly reposition.
The ability to control multiple elements was incredibly troublesome. An ordinary person wouldn't stand a chance of closing the distance. Combined with Gu Yue's masterful control, her defense seemed flawless.
"Is that all? End this!" Gu Yue coldly commanded as a barrage of elemental attacks surged toward Bai Xu.
But as the aftereffects of the blinding light faded, Bai Xu abruptly opened his eyes, now filled with a mysterious yellow aura. A wisp of spiritual energy drifted out—he had finally resorted to a mental attack.
Gu Yue naturally sensed this spiritual wisp, but she inwardly scoffed. Given her immense spiritual power, a mental attack against her was nothing short of suicidal.
The moment the wisp touched her forehead, she expected Bai Xu to suffer a backlash.
Instead, an excruciating pain pierced her mind, shattering her composure. Her face twisted in shock as she clutched her head, reeling in disbelief.
Impossible! How can a mere Great Soul Master's mental attack harm me?!
The incoming elemental attacks faltered before dissipating mid-air. Bai Xu seized the opportunity, charging forward with his golden sword. Yet, Gu Yue managed to stand, and space rippled around her as she vanished, reappearing a hundred meters away on the opposite side of the arena.
She stood warily, her brows furrowed with caution and confusion.
Bai Xu, however, was thrilled. His experimental mental attack had worked—somehow bypassing any backlash. Encouraged, he formed another hand seal, releasing dozens of spiritual wisps from his brow.
Gu Yue's eyes widened. These wisps were impervious to physical attacks and invisible to the naked eye—only those with sufficiently strong spiritual power could perceive them.
Now, Bai Xu was unleashing them recklessly, as if he had no regard for the consequences.
Logically, a Great Soul Master's mental attack shouldn't harm me, let alone inflict such pain. Yet, that moment felt like an iron nail piercing deep into my soul, bypassing all spiritual defenses. There must be something hidden here… If I want to understand, I'll have to test it again!
Gritting her teeth, Gu Yue endured another strike before swiftly retreating, using spatial elements to relocate despite the agony.
When she reappeared, she staggered, clutching her forehead as she glared at Bai Xu before declaring, "I concede!"
"Hah! Looks like my student is the stronger one. Brother Wu, this match is over. Next time you visit the Spirit Pagoda, let me know—I'll give you a discount on purchases!"
Leng Jiuming cheerfully scooped up Bai Xu and flew off the arena, blatantly disregarding Eastsea City's no-fly ordinance as he soared back to the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda.
Wu Zhangkong said nothing. Watching Gu Yue return, he asked, "The mental attack was painful?"
"Yes. His control over spiritual power is exceptional. The strike felt like being stabbed, freezing my body and halting my soul power flow." Gu Yue massaged her temples, answering with difficulty.
"Go rest. All of you, reflect on this battle and summarize your lessons. Report to me tomorrow."
"Understood!"
---
In the dormitory, Gu Yue sat by the window, deep in thought.
How is this possible? His spiritual power isn't vast, but its quality seems incredibly high—higher even than divine sense? Has it undergone a qualitative transformation? How could such a thing happen? But when he used the mental attack, there was soul power fluctuation—was it his Mental Enhancement soul skill? Could it be that Mental Enhancement doesn't amplify spiritual power but elevates the soul's quality? Even so, surpassing divine sense is unthinkable… I'll need to keep an eye on this Bai Xu from now on.
---
Spirit Pagoda Academy Dormitory.
Bai Xu was also reflecting.
My mental attack hurt the Silver Dragon King. To avoid backlash, I split it into wisps, yet Gu Yue seemed wary of them… In the end, she deliberately took one hit before using spatial teleportation to evade the rest. Then she conceded. There must be something she's hiding—or perhaps she sensed something. Looks like I need to learn escape techniques first.
With that thought, he immediately pulled out his secret manual and began studying Earth Escape and Metal Escape techniques.
After a night of meditation, Bai Xu reached the 30th rank. Unfortunately, his Holy Illusion Demon Ape spirit soul couldn't provide a third soul ring.
Thus, Bai Xu requested Leng Jiuming's permission to purchase another spirit soul. Since his spiritual power remained at the initial stage of the Spirit Sea realm, a mid-level thousand-year spirit soul would be the safest choice.
---
The next afternoon, Bai Xu engaged in his usual sparring session with Leng Jiuming.
"Teacher, I've reached the 30th rank," Bai Xu announced.
"Your spirit soul can't supply another ring?" Leng Jiuming wasn't surprised.
"No."
"Then we'll pause today's training. Let's secure you a soul ring first. Any preferences for your second spirit soul?"
"Not yet. I haven't had time to research. Last night, after consuming the Golden Spirit Grass, my Metal Element essence reached completion, significantly boosting my physical attributes."
Mentioning the Five Elements theory reignited Leng Jiuming's interest. His eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Any new techniques to show me?"
"Yes!" Bai Xu took a deep breath, his chest expanding before exhaling sharply. The expelled air transformed into over a dozen golden swords, growing in size mid-flight—razor-sharp and lethal. The swords pierced through the classroom walls, flying fifty meters before dissipating.
Leng Jiuming applauded. "Impressive! The power is remarkable—a perfect surprise attack. But keep your Five Elements abilities hidden for now. At most, you can claim a secondary Metal Element martial soul. The other four elements must remain secret. Understood?"
"Understood."
"Good. Now, let's get you that spirit soul!"
Leng Jiuming led Bai Xu with pride, his demeanor radiating satisfaction. Bai Xu was, without a doubt, his most outstanding disciple.
---
Spirit Pagoda Spirit Soul Sales Division.
Leng Jiuming pointed at the spirit soul catalog. "The Puppet Mistress—a five-thousand-year spirit soul specializing in mental control. It should grant you some psychic manipulation skills. How about it?"
"Sounds good."
Beep!
A swipe of the black card later, a purple orb representing the thousand-year spirit soul descended.
Leng Jiuming patted Bai Xu's shoulder solemnly. "Absorb it properly. In ten days, I'll take you somewhere. I think it's time you witnessed what evil soul masters are like."
"Evil soul masters?" Bai Xu was puzzled.
"Yes. Recently, I received a report—a boy on an island off Eastsea City's coast awakened an evil martial soul and has already killed several people. The area is now under Spirit Master control, awaiting final judgment. I want you to see it firsthand."
"I'm ready."
"Oh, and here's a ticket to the Spirit Ascension Platform. It's nearing its riot period. When it starts, go wild—kill as many as you can. No pressure."
Leng Jiuming had meticulously arranged Bai Xu's training and experiences, ensuring his growth was well-supported.
The Spirit Ascension Platform had two riot periods annually. Initially caused by unstable energy fluctuations during its construction, technological advancements later turned these periods into controlled events. During riots, the platform's spirit beasts became highly aggressive, and their numbers surged, drastically increasing the danger. Each of the eighteen pillars granted only 300 entry slots per riot period.
Thus, Bai Xu's ticket was incredibly valuable—especially since he could enter multiple times. Clearly, Leng Jiuming had gone to great lengths to secure these resources.
From that day onward, Bai Xu spent days inside the Spirit Ascension Platform during each visit, honing his skills and strengthening his spirit soul.
---
Spirit Pagoda Observation Room.
The staff had grown familiar with this prodigy, even exchanging greetings now. Seeing him slay thousand-year spirit beasts had become routine.
However, his teacher's instructions were peculiar—all recordings of Bai Xu's platform sessions were to be deleted, with no backups permitted.
The staff didn't question it. When a Soul Sage gave orders, they obeyed without hesitation.
On the ninth day, the Spirit Ascension Platform's riot period finally arrived.
Bai Xu lurked in the shadows of the dense forest. During riots, spirit beasts not only multiplied but grew ferocious, attacking humans on sight. Battles would attract entire hordes, making prolonged fights a death sentence.
But Bai Xu wanted exactly that.
Spotting a hundred-year Bone-Spike Boar beneath a tree, he leaped down, his fist smashing squarely into its skull—bypassing its defensive spines for an instant kill.
The next moment, several piglets burst from the bushes, squealing as they charged.
Bai Xu dispatched them with single punches, sending them flying.
The commotion drew attention. Rustling sounds surrounded him as countless eyes gleamed red in the darkness.
Sprinting to an open clearing, Bai Xu finally saw his pursuers clearly.
A thousand-year Centipede King, its body fifteen meters long, with a pair of newly sprouted wings and a gleaming exoskeleton. Its hundreds of legs skittered across the grass, emitting an eerie scraping sound.
Screech!
Its wings buzzed as it glided forward, its body straightening like a javelin mid-air, hurtling toward Bai Xu.
Bai Xu pivoted sharply, dodging to the right while summoning a golden sword to counter.
Facing such a massive creature was unnerving—the primal fear of a colossal predator was hard to suppress.
The Centipede King's soul power surged as its legs transformed into blades, unleashing a storm of a hundred sword qi slashes!
Bai Xu conjured a second sword, crossing them to form a defensive flurry, barely weathering the onslaught.
But the Centipede King wasn't done. It lunged again, its serrated mandibles aiming to bisect Bai Xu.
Clang!
Bai Xu blocked with his sword, but the impact sent him crashing into a cliffside, carving a crater into the rock.
This was his first encounter with a spirit beast that matched him in speed and strength—even surpassing him in some aspects.
But beasts lacked intelligence.
As the Centipede King pressed its mandibles harder, its grotesque face mere meters away, Bai Xu's chest expanded. Without any soul power fluctuations, the beast failed to anticipate the attack.
A barrage of golden swords erupted from his mouth, shredding the Centipede King's head by a dozen centimeters.
The four-thousand-year Centipede King was dead.
Bai Xu struggled free from the cliff, tasting blood before spitting out a mouthful—the collision had injured him internally.
Yet, with the forest overlord slain, the woods turned eerily silent. Countless pairs of crimson eyes glowed from the shadows, fixated on Bai Xu.
Tap. Tap.
Massive figures emerged from the darkness, no longer hiding.
The death of a ruler always sparked a war for succession.