Wang Chen was not the kind of man who would hold back just because his opponent was a woman. In his eyes, men and women were equal—he would hit them all the same.
Wang Mengting: Σ_(」∠)
At that moment, she only felt sharp pain in her abdomen. A mouthful of blood spurted out, and the next instant, she collapsed to the ground, curling up like a shrimp, trembling uncontrollably.
With a single casual strike, Wang Chen defeated Wang Mengting, and his aura grew even more overpowering.
"Who else is not convinced!"
The young Wang clan disciples around the martial arena watched as the two most gifted and powerful of their generation—Wang Teng and Wang Mengting—had both been easily defeated by Wang Chen.
How could they possibly dare to step forward now? Their strength couldn't compare even to Wang Mengting's, let alone Wang Teng's. If they challenged Wang Chen, they would only be beaten down.
One by one, they hurriedly shook their heads, not daring to respond.
Chief judge Wang Yuan looked down at Wang Chen, who stood there radiating brilliance, suppressing all his peers by himself, and couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Descending from the air, Wang Yuan took Wang Chen by the hand and announced to all the watching clansmen,
"The first place of this family tournament is already beyond any doubt—it belongs to Wang Chen!!"
As soon as Elder Wang Yuan's words fell, the audience erupted into thunderous applause and joyous cheers.
Wang Chen's talent and strength were obvious to all. With such a genius in their ranks, the Wang family was certain to grow even more prosperous and powerful in the future.
On the stands, Wang Chen's father and mother were so moved that tears welled up in their eyes.
Their son had exceeded all expectations. They had thought that if he could take second or third place, it would already be an outstanding achievement—but he had actually defeated Wang Teng, a Soul Elder, and taken first place.
With Wang Chen's victory, the family's recognition of his parents rose as well. The clansmen around them immediately began to flatter and befriend them.
Given Wang Chen's display of talent and strength, his achievements ten or twenty years from now were unimaginable. If they didn't curry favor now, when would they?
If they waited until later, they might not even get the chance!
Just as Wang Chen claimed first place in the family competition, greatly elevating his position within the clan, something within him stirred.
Deep in his soul, the broken black book began to repair itself at a faster rate.
At the same time, on the sidelines, Wang Teng—who had just been healed by a healing-type Soul Master and awakened from unconsciousness—looked at the now-celebrated Wang Chen. The pride that had once filled his face had completely vanished.
In front of so many people, he, a three-ring Soul Elder, had been defeated by Wang Chen, a two-ring Great Soul Master. The humiliation was unbearable. He had no face left to show.
Wang Teng's eyes were red, clearly from crying. Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, he stared at the dazzling Wang Chen, who stood at the center of attention, and silently vowed to himself:
"Wang Chen, don't get too proud. The river flows east for thirty years, then west for thirty more. One day, I'll take back everything I lost to you!"
While Wang Teng was swearing in his heart to train hard and surpass Wang Chen someday—
In the center of the martial arena, Wang Yuan was still holding Wang Chen's hand and spoke kindly:
"Chen'er, I never expected our Wang family to produce such a genius in this generation. You don't need to continue with the rest of the competition. Come with me."
After speaking, Wang Yuan led Wang Chen toward the Wang family's treasure vault.
Before leaving, the chief judge turned to the other referees and instructed,
"Keep an eye on the rest of the matches between the other family members. When they're done, record the final rankings and bring them to me."
"Yes, Elder Wang Yuan!"
While the other young members of the Wang family continued their matches—
Outside the entrance to the Wang family's treasure vault—
Wang Chen looked at the forbidden place that ordinary clansmen were never allowed to approach and asked, "Elder Wang Yuan, this is…?"
Wang Yuan smiled. "Chen'er, as the most outstanding genius of our family's younger generation, the clan has prepared a special reward for you."
With that, he led Wang Chen into the treasure vault.
The moment Wang Chen stepped through the door, he felt a chill down his spine. A powerful sense of danger made his muscles tense.
Clearly, the family's treasure vault was filled with traps and defensive soul tools.
Wang Yuan lightly tapped a certain floor tile, which split open to reveal a hidden code input device beneath it.
After entering the password, Wang Yuan deactivated the mechanism, and Wang Chen immediately felt the sense of danger disappear.
Wang Yuan explained, "The treasure vault contains treasures accumulated by our Wang family over many generations. Because of that, its protection is extremely strict—not only are there various traps, but also a Soul Saint-level expert guarding it."
It was clear that after Wang Chen had proven himself by suppressing all of the younger generation and becoming the family's number one genius, his status had risen greatly. Things that had once been far beyond his reach were now being revealed to him.
The Wang family's treasure vault was a three-story structure.
As they climbed upward, Wang Yuan explained:
"The first floor holds valuable medicinal herbs.
The second floor stores rare metals.
And the third floor… contains the true treasures."
At the same time, it was also where the family's Soul Saint-level guardian resided.
When they reached the third floor, they saw an elderly man with white hair and somewhat cloudy eyes sitting and reading a book.
Seeing him, Wang Yuan stepped forward respectfully and bowed. "Uncle Hall Master, I'm here to claim the reward for the family competition."
The old man said, "My memory hasn't failed me yet. The patriarch mentioned it a few days ago—I haven't forgotten."
Then he turned his gaze to Wang Chen, his expression puzzled. "Eh? So it wasn't that young fellow Wang Teng?"
Wang Yuan smiled, patted Wang Chen's shoulder, and said, "Wang Teng was defeated by this young one, Wang Chen."
As a Soul Saint, the old man could naturally sense Wang Chen's cultivation level. His face showed genuine astonishment. "To defeat a Soul Elder with the strength of a Great Soul Master—remarkable, truly remarkable."
After speaking, the old man entered a nearby room. A moment later, he returned holding a finely crafted soul tool box.
He handed the box to Wang Chen and said solemnly, "This item is extremely precious. Keep it hidden. Do not tell anyone about it—not even your parents."
That afternoon, back at Wang Chen's home—
He sat on his bed and curiously opened the reward box given by the family.
The moment the lid was lifted, a jade-like leg bone hovered before him, emanating an alluring energy fluctuation.
"This… this is a soul bone!" Wang Chen's pupils contracted sharply, his face filled with shock.
After living in the Douluo Continent for so many years, he deeply understood just how valuable a soul bone was—especially in the Sun Moon Empire, where soul beasts were scarce, making them all the more precious.
But before he could study it further, the black book deep within his soul suddenly began to stir…