The Legend of the Dragon King Chapter 451-460

Chapter 451 - The Fierce Teacher Wu

Chapter 451 - The Fierce Teacher Wu

Wu Zhangkong’s sober words brought Tang Wulin’s heart into a tremble. Teacher Wu’s not just being hard on us. He’s being hard on himself too! He’s so fierce!

That he had chosen the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy as their last target was starting to foster in him all sorts of regret. The responsibility of winning against them in a match weighed so heavily on his shoulders!

He peered through the window, past their teacher’s elegant and white-clad figure. Farther off into the distance where the city stood in all its gleam and glamour. Bright City was the most advanced city on the continent. It was

situated in the west, the beating heart of the region. A technological marvel filled with sights that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

“I-is that a flying car? A high-altitude flying car?” Xu Xiaoyan cried out as she pointed at the sky.

Xie Xie nodded. “Yeah. Most likely. HAF cars still in the experimental phase though. Bright City is the Federation’s technological hub of the Federation after all! It looks like the project is going well!”

The traffic ahead slowed. They could see a dozen or so mechas forming a line at the highway exit.

 A hint of anxiety filled Xie Xie’s eyes. “That’s not an identification checkpoint, right?”

Their hearts nearly skipped a beat at his words. Naturally, every citizen had been issued a metal identification card at birth, but theirs were confiscated for their exam!

Tang Wulin’s face lit up. It all made sense. “The Academy made Bright

City the final destination, so they had to have known this! This is just a part of the exam! No wonder they took our IDs too.”

“So what do we do?” Xu Lizhi asked.

If they failed to produce their IDs at the checkpoint, they were sure to be interrogated at the very least. Tang Wulin and company were going at this blind, their first time experiencing such an inconvenient situation.

The moment Tang Wulin scanned the highway, he grinned. “Xie Xie, pull over.”

A shrill squeak of tires, and Xie Xie skillfully maneuvered the car toward the side of the highway.

“Are we abandoning the car?” Xie Xie asked. “Do you think Teacher Wu would help us with our IDs? Wasn’t he right beside us just a while ago?” But once Xie Xie looked out the window, the sheer naiveté of his words struck him.

Wu Zhangkong was nowhere to be found.

“Oh forget about it. Pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Shrugging, Tang Wulin turned to Gu Yue. He made sure to hold the rest of his team’s attention before saying, “Alright, so the plan is…”

☀

 The cars trudged forward in a neat line leading to the highway exit, which was manned by inspectors checking everyone’s IDs.

In a flash of silver, Gu Yue disappeared from their car. She reappeared a

second later, tens of meters in the air directly above them. She threw out her hands. A gigantic fireball shot from her widened palms in a reverberating roar. And she once again vanished in a silver flash.

It seemed outrageous that such an enormous thing, which dwarfed even

some fully grown men in height, had come from the hands of a petite girl. The fireball was as radiant as the sun. It grew even larger as it soared high into the air, leaving a trail of flames.

Such a loud sound caught everyone’s attention and the people present turned to find the source. Although several of the stationed mechas powered their thrusters in search of Gu Yue, the majority of them were focused on the fireball.

Xie Xie stealthily pulled over to the side just as the fireball exploded. Sparks scattered through the air like fireworks. Gu Yue had opted to sacrifice attack power for maximal visual impact.

They opened the doors and quietly slipped out of the car. Instead of breaking into a sprint, they blended in with crowd, looking up at the rain of sparks in curiosity.

Tang Wulin swept his gaze through their surroundings before whispering, “Run.”

The six of them jumped over the railing and broke into a mad dash away from the highway. They swiftly took cover behind some nearby buildings.

The alarm finally sounded. Tang Wulin pulled Xu Lizhi along. Ye Xinglan helped Xu Xiaoyan keep up with their pace. With the aid of both Agility Soup Buns and the wind element, they sped through the city like cheetahs on the hunt.

 After running for several kilometers, they boarded a bus heading deeper into Bright City. As a group of young kids, no one took much notice of them.

Right after Tang Wulin paid the bus fare for his group, he spotted a familiar face in the back of the bus. Wu Zhangkong. He was nestled in a corner of the bus, exuding a frosty aura as he peered through the window deep in thought.

Tang Wulin approached him and took a seat beside him.

“Can we visit the Sun Moon Academy right now, Teacher Wu? Can you lead us there so we can save some time from getting lost?”

Wu Zhangkong glanced at him. “Your reactions were pretty good.”

Tang Wulin cracked a mischievous grin. But his smile froze a beat later.

“Aren’t you usually more frugal?”asked Wu Zhangkong, voice as impassive as always. “Doesn’t it hurt to lose two cars already?”

Tang Wulin’s expression soured. Of course it hurts! But I had no other choice! It’s all the Academy’s fault for framing the exam like this!

Wu Zhangkong’s gaze returned to the window, the man uninterested in continuing small talk. Then he closed his eyes and tilted his head back against the headrest.

The Academy is just too ruthless! Tang Wulin grumbled in his heart.

However, now that he had been reunited with Wu Zhangkong, Tang Wulin felt at ease. All they had to do was follow their teacher and they would not get lost. Furthermore, they didn’t have to worry about points anymore. Wu Zhangkong had told them that if they defeat the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy, Shrek Academy would award them with full marks as well as bonus points for their other classmates.

Tang Wulin shuffled closer to the window opposite of Wu Zhangkong’s.

His eyes gleamed as he took in the sights passing before him. Bright City’s

 architecture was a stark difference from Shrek City’s. While Shrek City projected an air of classical culture mixed with the subtle taste of modernity, Bright City was a technological steel forest. Skyscrapers filled the cityscape, each with their own unique flair.

The city was enormous. The streets were congested and it took a full hour before they reached their transfer, which gave them ample time to sight-see.

Wu Zhangkong’s eyes snapped open when the bus stopped. He rose from his seat and rushed out, the six students following closely at heel.

He led them to a different bus station, onto a different bus. They changed busses two more times.

The city was like a neverending metal jungle. Although Bright City didn't actually cover as much area as Shrek City did, due to its numerous

skyscrapers and population density, it was far harder to get from place to place.

“I don’t like this city. It’s too crowded and stuffy.” Xu Xiaoyan pouted. Xie Xie nodded. “Me neither. Everyone’s in such a hurry.”

And then, as they turned a corner in the narrow streets, they stumbled to a stop.

At the very peak of a building before them hung a sign that read ‘Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy’. The building was made entirely of metal, its base gradually sloping outward to join with three other buildings in a giant connected complex.

Is this really the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy? It’s so different from Shrek!

Tang Wulin stared at Wu Zhangkong. His eyes danced with a million questions. Before he could ask his teacher whether they needed to verify their identities before entering, Wu Zhangkong was already walking toward the entrance.

 Once he reached the gates, a megaphone materialized in his hands in a flash of light. He brought it up to his lips.

This odd action caused Tang Wulin to gawked at his teacher.

Before his students could stop him, Wu Zhangkong shouted into the megaphone, “Pay attention students of the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy! The six of us come from Shrek Academy! We’re all fourteen years old and we’re here to challenge your strongest team under the age of twenty! We’re here to show you once again the gap between you and the greatest academy on the continent!”

Chapter 452 - Do You Have to be so Ruthless?

Chapter 452 - Do You Have to be so Ruthless?

Wu Zhangkong’s chilling voice thundered throughout the area, courtesy of the soul megaphone.

Following that, he pressed down a button on the megaphone and pushed it into Tang Wulin’s hands.

“Teacher Wu, do you have to be so ruthless?” Tang Wulin groaned.

Wu Zhangkong looked him right in the eye. “Did you think getting full marks would be that easy?”

Before Tang Wulin could retort, the megaphone sounded again. “Pay

attention students of the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy! The six of us come from Shrek Academy! We’re all fourteen years old and we’re here to challenge your strongest team under the age of twenty! We’re here to show you once again the gap between you and the greatest academy on the continent!”

Shit! This thing even has this kind of functionality…

Wu Zhangkong disappeared in a blur, leaving only a rustle in the air.

Tang Wulin buried his face in his free hand. Teacher Wu, didn’t you say you were going to lead us? We trusted you!

As the megaphone repeated itself for the third time, Xie Xie shot Tang Wulin a fearful look. “We’re trapped.”

 Xu Xiaoyan swallowed down a mixture of saliva and trepidation. “We must have been smoking something if we thought we’d get all those points for the same amount of work! I take it back. This is a crappy idea!”

On the other hand, Ye Xinglan seemed entirely in her natural habitat,

cracking her knuckles with a shrug. “Let’s do it. If you want, I’ll shout too.” Xu Lizhi’s hand shot up straight in the air. “I agree!”

Gu Yue approached Tang Wulin to examine the megaphone. “It’s not like Teacher Wu’s declaration was wrong.”

All Tang Wulin could do was let out a relenting sigh. “Teacher Wu should just be called the ‘Trap King’.” After messing around with the megaphone, he finally found the power button, turning the device off before it could repeat the confrontational announcement a fifth time.

However, it was too late. In the short moment that the megaphone had been on, a giant crowd formed around them. Students and staff of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy, as well as people passing by.

A blonde, middle-aged man walked out of the school building. His

expression clouded over as he approached Tang Wulin, the bearer of the megaphone. “Shrek Academy?” he asked.

Tang Wulin stored the megaphone in his storage ring and stepped forward. “We’re from Shrek Academy’s outer court. The first grade class.”

“If you want to challenge us, then so be it. Follow me,” the man said, sweeping his imposing gaze past them.

Tang Wulin felt like an ant before this man, his sharp aura cutting down any courage he could muster.

“Now everyone else, get moving. If you want to know the outcome of the match, we’ll be broadcasting it live later.” The man’s overpowering aura suddenly retracted, and he turned around to lead them into the academy.

 That easy? Tang Wulin glanced at his companions, a chill running down his spine. That that man was leagues above them in terms of strength rang

clear. He was likely at the same level as Wu Zhangkong. Perhaps even higher.

The Imperial Sun Moon Academy was famed throughout the continent, renowned as being only second to Shrek Academy. Tang Wulin was beginning to understand the extreme difficulty of the task their teacher had instigated. However, they couldn’t retreat now. They had no choice but to gather their courage and advance. The pressure weighed heavily on them. They represented not just themselves, but also Shrek Academy.

At the corner of the street, Wu Zhangkong quietly watched Tang Wulin’s group follow the man into the academy grounds. His expression was still as icy as usual, but the corner of his mouth quirked up. This was the match that would truly temper his students.

The moment Tang Wulin entered the school building, he felt as if he had walked into a high-tech factory. It was a surreal world of metal. A giant metal ball floated in the center of the hall, soul power pulsing through its circuits, powering its core. It produced a gentle light that bathed the entire hall. The reception desk mirrored that of a large conglomerate, not a trace of academia to be found on top of it. It was sparkling white, undulating

waves clear on its surface.

What is that? Tang Wulin wondered. The desk was clearly made from some sort of rare, expensive metal. Unfortunately, it wasn’t forged by hand, otherwise Tang Wulin would have had the urge to re-forge it and purify it.

The man led them along silently. As he approached the reception desk, two receptionists, both pleasing to the eye, stood up and bowed.

There were numerous people of various ages scattered throughout the hall.

Most were students dressed in the impeccable white uniforms of their

academy. They stared at Tang Wulin’s group of six, some with curiosity, others hatefully. Most places would welcome people from Shrek Academy with open arms, but not here. Here they were sworn enemies. Fortunately

 for Tang Wulin’s group, not all of the student body seemed to bear enmity against them.

Tang Wulin silently cursed in his heart as he examined his surroundings. He just hoped that the match would be held with fair rules. If not, the traps such a powerful academy could lay could be deadly.

They entered a large elevator made of the same shining white metal as the rest of the building. It seemed that white was a color of honor here.The

elevator ascended rapidly but smoothly.

The man had been silent the whole way, causing Tang Wulin’s group to

exchange doubtful glances with each other. None dared speak to break the silence.

At the sixteenth floor, the doors to the elevator slid open. The man once again led them, this time to a conference room.

“Sit,” he commanded.

Tang Wulin was fully aware of the situation. They were the ones who came to challenge the Imperial Sun Moon Academy. It would be strange if they were treated politely, especially with the way in which they had declared their challenge. Teacher Wu, you really are the Trap King!

“You’re here to challenge us?” the man asked in confirmation. Tang Wulin nodded. “We want to have a match.”

“That’s possible. I’ll prepare an arena and some opponents for you in a moment. They’ll be opponents of a suitable age for you all.” His piercing gaze fell upon Tang Wulin’s group. His curiosity about their ages went unspoken.

Tang Wulin relaxed a little and let out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t afraid of facing others his age.

“We’re all about fourteen years old,” Tang Wulin said.

 The man narrowed his eyes. “Excellent. The students I had in mind are all fifteen at the oldest. Your ages just about match. There are two things I need to inform you of first though. Number one: the match will be held in front of the entire academy. Number two: the match will be broadcasted to all of Bright City.”

Tang Wulin shuddered. “A private match is fine with us. There’s no need to make it such a big deal,” he said probingly.

“No! It has to be this way. If you win, it wil spur all of our students to work harder. If you lose, then we can trample Shrek Academy’s reputation. Those two requirements are non-negotiable.”

Just how deep is their grudge? He’s so fierce! It was now clear to Tang Wulin why Wu Zhangkong had used such a provocative method to

challenge the Imperial Sun Moon Academy. It seemed that the grudges between the two academies ran far deeper than he had ever thought. But there was no escape now. This was a match they must win.

“Fine!”

“Good. Wait here.” The man stood up and exited the conference room, leaving Tang Wulin’s group behind.

As Gu Yue was about to speak, Tang Wulin raised a hand to stop her. “Prepare yourselves. We’re going into battle soon.”

This was the home turf of their opponents. Whether or not there were hidden cameras or microphones monitoring them, he didn’t know. As such, they had to watch what they spoke. They couldn’t afford to risk the walls having ears.

As Tang Wulin had expected, Gu Yue instantly understood his intentions. The six of them sat cross-legged in their chairs and began to meditate,

adjusting their internal energies to peak condition.

Unknown to them, the entire Imperial Sun Moon Academy had jumped into action to prepare for the match. It only took them one hour to set up the

 arena, opponents, and advertising. They didn’t just advertise in Bright City, but throughout the entire continent. In fact, there wasn’t a person on the

continent that didn’t know of the match.

The Sun Moon television channel broadcasted the match to every city in which they were available. The match was promoted with a slogan: the ‘Battle of the Greatest Soul Masters of the Next Generation’!

On the streets, Wu Zhangkong took in the giant screen attached to the side of a skyscraper. His eyes narrowed as he listened to the repeating

announcement of the match.

Right at that moment, his communicator rang. “What’s going on?” Shen Yi asked frantically.

Wu Zhangkong remained as calm as ever. “Everything is fine. Those kids are challenging the Imperial Sun Moon Academy. I just helped encourage them a bit.”

Chapter 453 - Intimidation

Chapter 453 - Intimidation

“This matter is far bigger than that! Senior Brother, you should have told us ahead of time. We would have done something if you did. Now the Imperial Sun Moon Academy managed to advertise before us. There isn’t a single person in Bright City or the surrounding cities who doesn’t know of the match. In fact, everyone in the Federation knows about it! If we lost this match, the shame would be too great. Did you even consider any of this beforehand?” Shen Yi spoke solemnly.

“I know my disciples,” Wu Zhangkong said. “I wouldn’t have decided to do this if I wasn’t confident in them. I want them to face a difficult challenge, only then will their potential be roused. If they lose, I’ll bear the responsibility and resign. But if they win, I’m certain one day they’ll become the next generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters. I trust them. I’m willing to sacrifice myself to save Shrek’s reputation if needed, but I’m

confident in their victory.”

The line went silent for a moment before Shen Yi spoke again. “Fine. I’ll handle things over here. I’ll give you their answer in a bit.” She hung up.

Five minutes later, Wu Zhangkong’s communicator rang again.

“Elder Cai agreed to allow you to do as you wish. Regardless of if they win or lose, you have to bring those kids back safe and sound. They’re our hope for the future. She also said…”

“What did she say?” Wu Zhangkong asked.

“She said she wants to see Tang Wulin and his team lose this match. That sometimes, losing isn’t a bad thing.”

 Wu Zhangkong immediately replied, “Failure is the key to success, but they can only reach the peak by continuously achieving victories. They will win this match. I’m certain of it.”

“Well then. We’ll arrange everything from over here, so you just watch over them.”

☀

Tang Wulin opened his eyes and glanced at the clock in the conference room. He couldn’t help but knit his brow. Two hours had already passed, yet no one had come to get them yet. Are they doing this on purpose?

After meditating for so long, his body was in peak condition and his mind incredibly focused. Just as Wu Zhangkong had said, Tang Wulin performed best under pressure. There was an unyielding intensity about him at that moment.

One by one, his friends woke up from their meditation after him.

“Still nothing? Should we go see what’s going on?” Xie Xie asked Tang Wulin.

“Let’s wait a bit longer,” Tang Wulin said. “We’re the ones who challenged them, I don’t think they would just leave us here. They’re probably preparing a lot of things, or maybe it’s taking some time to find the right opponents for us. Let’s just wait and see.”

Just as Tang Wulin finished speaking, the door to the conference room opened and the same middle-aged man from before walked in.

“Everything is ready now. The match will be held in our academy’s arena,” the man said. “Do you need more time to prepare?”

“We’re ready,” Tang Wulin said.

“Follow me then.” Even now, the man had yet to introduce himself or ask for their names. Without another word, he turned and walked out the door.

 They followed him into an elevator and headed up, changing elevators once they reached the thirty-sixth floor. This time, they moved horizontally for a while before going downward. Two minutes later, the elevator came to a

stop.

When the doors opened, the previous manufactured world of metal was nowhere to be seen. Before them was a wide and open hall made of stones. These seemingly simple stones released powerful energy fluctuations, making them seem ancient. Tang Wulin’s soul power began to shift restlessly inside of him under their influence, circulating more freely than ever within his body.

The man forged on ahead in silence.

This hall spanned over five hundred square meters, and high up on the ceiling was a mural.

Tang Wulin looked up at it, awed by the sight. A single youth wearing Shrek Academy’s uniform sat in the center of a plaza, surrounded by numerous students fitted in the white uniform of the Sun Moon Academy. Compared to their modern uniform, this design was far simpler, but it was still clearly the Sun Moon Academy uniform..

W-who is that? Tang Wulin couldn’t understand why, but he felt a sense of familiarity as he gazed at the figure of that Shrek Academy student.

At the end of the hall was a pair of giant arched doors standing at fifteen meters tall and thirty meters wide. Mechas could easily pass through them.

“This is the waiting area of the arena. You’ll be sent in momentarily.” The man pointed to a stone bench on the side, indicating for them to sit and wait there.

A waiting area is this huge? Tang Wulin had assumed this was the arena. He could faintly hear clamoring roars beyond the gates.

The pressure of this match was weighing heavier and heavier on his

shoulders. They must have made a lot of preparations in the last two hours.

 The man opened a small door to the side and walked through. Tang Wulin’s group nearly jumped in fright as the loud roars of the crowd suddenly burst into the hall.

They could hear someone yelling, “Shrek Academy has come to challenge us! Are we going to let them trample all over us? No! Students of the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy, we must stand united and cheer for our champions! We have to beat these brats from Shrek Academy and send them back where they came from with their tails between their legs! We will show the continent that we are the greatest academy!”

I-is that coming from the arena?

The crowd roared with approval in response to the provocative speech. Curses against Shrek Academy were thrown about, amidst the shouting.

“Are they trying to show off?” Gu Yue asked, eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, they want to intimidate us. Just relax, everyone,” Tang Wulin said.

Xie Xie rolled his eyes. “What intimidation? How much money does that cost per pound?”

Xu Xiaoyan bubbled with excitement. “It sounds like there’s a lot of people! They’ll all be able to see how awesome my martial soul is now. Do you guys think I have a chance at entering the inner court?”

Ye Xinglan crossed her arms. “My Stargod Sword thirsts for their tears!”

“Pft! ‘Thirsts’? Is that really something a girl should be saying?” Xie Xie smirked.

“Do you want to die?” Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi said in unison. Xu Lizhi threw a pork bun at Xie Xie’s mouth.

Xie Xie dodged and hid behind Tang Wulin, grabbing the bun out of the air as he did so. He pretended to be timid as he said, “Captain, I’m so scared.”

 It was Tang Wulin’s turn to roll his eyes. “Your acting sucks. Xinglan, I don’t know him. If you want to beat him up, I’ll help you hold him down.”

Ye Xinglan snorted. “I’ll remember that. We can discuss it later. Wulin, what’s the battle plan?”

Tang Wulin’s eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he nodded towards Gu Yue. Gu Yue raised her hands, her soul rings rising up from beneath her as she created a dome of ice around them. They were isolated from any

eavesdroppers now.

Ten minutes later, a cold voice said, “The match is about to begin. Please enter the arena.”

The dome of ice melted away from the top and immediately evaporated into the air.

The middle-aged man’s heart trembled at the sight. Their control power is strong!

The giant arched doors slowly pulled open and the crowd grew even louder than before, their excitement thundering throughout the arena.

What lay beyond the doors was far brighter than the stone hall, blinding Tang Wulin’s group. Before their eyes could adjust, the man led them in.

Chapter 454 - Into the Arena

Chapter 454 - Into the Arena

Tang Wulin strode forward with his head held high, his comrades trailing him. They walked with their backs straight and chests puffed out. They weren’t just here to complete their exam. They also had to win glory for Shrek Academy!

Only upon entering the arena did Tang Wulin understand its size. Not even Shrek Academy could boast an arena as large as this. Modeled after

coliseums of old, where champions fought soul beasts to the death for others’ entertainment, the arena spanned long and wide. The spectators’ stands could easily accommodate 150,000 people. To Tang Wulin’s

knowledge, this might even be the largest stadium on the entire continent. It stood in the heart of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy, surrounded by numerous skyscrapers.

The stands were nearly full. It was clear that not all of the spectators were students, as an academy rarely had a student population over ten thousand. Tang Wulin couldn’t fathom where they had all come from.

The moment his team had entered the stadium, the roaring excitement stilled. Over a hundred thousand gazes converged on them at once.

Even as strong-willed as they were, they couldn’t help but falter under the weight of so many hostile stares. Xu Xiaoyan and Xu Lizhi suffered the worst out of them all, their faces paling before the audience.

All of Tang Wulin’s team were affected by the concentrated hostility..

Tang Wulin sucked in a deep breath. It looks like this is going to be harder than I thought.

 He stepped forward and summoned his golden soul ring. It glowed most resplendently, calling forth his blood essence to surge within him. He

straightened his back and stood taller than before, an aura of blood essence flaring around him, spreading to envelop his comrades.

They felt the pressure on their minds easing as it did. The world around them seemed to grow smaller, and themselves bigger. Supported by Tang Wulin’s aura, they were able to stand tall and confident once more.

On the platform, an elderly man knitted his brow. “A golden soul ring?”

“I’ve never seen one before. Is that a million-year soul ring? Impossible!” a middle-aged man exclaimed at the elder man’s side. “Not even the Spirit Pagoda has a million-year soul beast! Million-year soul rings have only

appeared twice in all of history!”

“But both those two times were at Shrek Academy. We have to keep an eye on him,” the elder said.

“Yes!”

Before the regal might of the golden soul ring, the spectators’ gazes no longer seemed so stifling. But such a reprieve didn’t last. Soon after, the stands were filled with crude swearing, all directed toward Tang Wulin’s team.

Head held high, Tang Wulin ignored the jeers and continued his march toward the center of the arena. Six people waited in that space. They wore the white uniforms of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy, faces betraying a youth that rivaled Tang Wulin’s own.

Apart from those six, a man in his forties hovered on the side of the stage, his feet quite far from the ground. He was equipped with battle armor, and from the beauty of it, Tang Wulin estimated it to be of the three-word sort. Is he the referee? Or did they deliberately bring him here to intimidate us?

Entering such a grand stage for a match would frighten most people. But not Tang Wulin. He embraced the challenge and would rise up to overcome

 it. This was so ingrained into his nature that his friends had fallen into the habit of calling him a spring. The harder he was pressed, the greater the force he would bounce back.

A confident smile on his lips, he approached his opponents to greet them. Both teams were lined up side-by-side to face each other. Unlike the Imperial Sun Moon Academy’s team, however, Tang Wulin’s team did not

wear their academy’s uniform. Instead, they were dressed in common, green sportswear. It was the best they could do, seeing that their uniforms had been confiscated upon the exam’s start.

“I will now announce the rules of the match,” the referee said. “What?” Tang Wulin placed a hand to his ear.

“I said, I will now announce the rules of the match!” the referee said, raising his voice.

“What did you say? I couldn’t hear you! It’s too noisy in here,” Tang Wulin said, blinking his large, doe-like eyes.

The man’s expression clouded over. “Are you here to battle or not?”

“Sorry! I didn’t catch that! Can you repeat that again? There ares too many flies buzzing around in here, so I couldn’t hear you. Could you use some bug spray to make these flies quiet down first?” Tang Wulin’s voice rang loud and clear in the stadium. He had poured soul power into his voice to make sure it did, but the broadcast equipment would have picked it up

anyway.

“Raise the barrier,” the referee ordered, his face sour.

A transparent white film burst from the ground, curving toward the top of the arena to form a dome. The barrier was soundproof, cutting them off from the jeers of the crowd. Silence returned to the arena.

“Can you hear me now?” the referee asked, an edge to his voice.

 Tang Wulin nodded, then reached for his ears and removed a pair of ear plugs. He flashed a smile. “It’s finally quiet again.”

The rest of his comrades followed suit, removing their ear plugs in one fluid motion.

The referee felt his cheek twitch. If there weren’t so many witnesses present, he would have beat them to death right there.

It wasn’t only those present in the arena who were watching. The match was being broadcasted to every television station on the continent!

Everyone was watching.

The Imperial Sun Moon Academy had arranged all of this to intimidate the Shrek Academy team. Even if they were strong, they were still young

children. It was extremely unlikely they would possess the maturity to be unaffected by these scare tactics. If it meant that their chance at victory would increase even by the slightest hint, then all of the resources the Imperial Sun Moon Academy had poured into this endeavour would be worth it.

However, they had never expected to encounter someone as audacious as Tang Wulin. His simple action of taking out ear plugs had shocked

everyone present. By the time the spectators had broken out of their surprise and began hurling curses with renewed vigor, the barrier was erected,

soundproof and all. Those watching on their televisions didn’t have much of an opinion on the posturing, except for those affiliated with Shrek

Academy, who were grinning and leaning forward in their seats.

Shrek has raised a real clown this time. The referee sent a heated look at Tang Wulin. “I will now announce the rules.”

“Okay. Go ahead,” Tang Wulin said with an earnest shine to his eyes.

“The main purpose of this match is to learn from one another, but in order for both sides to unleash their full strength, I will only intervene in three

situations: when someone is at risk of receiving a fatal attack, becoming

 handicapped, or dying. The condition of victory is wiping out the opposing team. Understood?”

“So what you’re saying is, apart from killing each other, anything goes?” Tang Wulin asked.

The members of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy team glared daggers at him, but not a word left their lips.

“You could take it like that,” the referee said, contempt flashing in his eyes.

Chapter 455 - I'll Stop Joking Now

Chapter 455 - I'll Stop Joking Now

“Can I say something?” Tang Wulin asked.

“Go ahead,” the referee said. It would be too shameful if they didn’t allow their challengers boast as well.

“Thank you. First of all, I want to say that although we’re students from Shrek Academy, we didn’t come here to offend. We came here to challenge the Imperial Sun Moon Academy because we respect your strength and

wanted to experience it for ourselves. But here’s the thing. We’ve only been part of Shrek for one semester. Not only that, we’re some of the weakest

students in our academy. As such, we can’t be considered actual representatives of Shrek, and will instead only be representing ourselves in this match.”

“What?” The referee’s jaw dropped. Neither he nor the other higher-ups of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy expected Tang Wulin to say such a thing.

In the hours leading up to the match, they had rushed to prepare the stage for this match. It was all for the sake of bolstering their reputation. Better yet if they could stomp on Shrek Academy’s pride while they were at it. Confident in their chances of victory for this match, the higher-ups of the

Imperial Sun Moon Academy were looking forward to the boost in prestige should they defeat Shrek Academy. But what Tang Wulin had done dashed those plans. Now even if the Imperial Sun Moon Academy grasped victory, it would be a victory of lesser worth. And if they lost, the shame would be even greater!

 From his position in the air, the referee stared down upon Tang Wulin’s smile. His mind froze at how harmless it appeared. He slowly descended and landed in front of Tang Wulin.

“Aren’t you guys contradicting yourselves? Back then you said you were challenging us to a match as representatives of Shrek Academy!” the referee sneered.

Tang Wulin sighed. He flipped his hand and a megaphone appeared upon it in a flash of light. He pushed a button and Wu Zhangkong’s icy voice filled the arena. “Pay attention students of the Imperial Sun Moon Soul Engineering Academy! The six of us come from Shrek Academy! We’re all fourteen years old and we’re here to challenge your strongest team under the age of twenty! We’re here to show you once again the gap between you and the greatest academy on the continent!”

“Our challenge never mentioned that we were representatives of Shrek! We only said that we were from Shrek Academy, our age, and the reason for our challenge.”

The referee nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood. We spent so much energy preparing for the match, and now you’re telling us this?

But there’s no mistake that these kids are in their mid teens! How could kids like them be so shameless?

Although the Imperial Sun Moon Academy had clashed countless times with Shrek Academy, they had no doubts about their rival’s strength and

dignity. Without this basic respect for Shrek Academy, they wouldn’t have trusted Tang Wulin’s words so quickly and arranged this match, all while scheming to undermine Shrek Academy’s reputation. They had never

expected to miss their mark so badly.

The referee could barely restrain himself from asking them when Shrek

Academy had become so shameless. However, they would lose more face if he asked! He didn’t dare insult Shrek Academy.

 Tang Wulin blinked a few times. “So, is the match still on? You guys can just admit defeat and we can call this off.”

The referee’s aura flared, his battle armor shining bright and sharp as he

sent a heated glare towardt Tang Wulin. He was a three-word battle armor master, his strength the level of a Titled Douluo! He could crush Tang Wulin’s entire team with a snap of his fingers!

“Woah there! I'll stop joking now,” Tang Wulin said, his innocent

expression hardening up. “We are representatives of Shrek Academy and we’re here to fight for our academy’s glory. Our victory is predetermined!”

Despite being taken aback by Tang Wulin’s sudden change in demeanor, the referee could now relax, letting out a breath of relief. If things had gone on like that any longer, he would have been forced to call off the match! That the great Imperial Sun Moon Academy was being taken so lightly by these kids shocked his very bones.

“Prepare for the match to begin,” he said, rising back into the skies.

But Tang Wulin wasn’t quite finished. “Oh right, I was lying about not being Shrek representatives, but everything else was true. We really are the weakest at Shrek,” Tang Wulin said, deliberately emphasizing the word ‘weakest’.

The referee faltered in the air, nearly dropping to the ground.

A meek smile hanging from his lips, Tang Wulin stepped forward to face his opponents. “My name is Tang Wulin. I’m a student in the first grade.” He took care to omit the fact that he was the class president.

Each and every word that Tang Wulin spoke had been carefully crafted, serving as knives to cut down any pride and satisfaction the Imperial Sun Moon Academy could derive from this match. His words even shook the faith his opponents had in their victory.

The leader of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy team approached Tang Wulin’s group. “I’m Long Chen!” He was tall and handsome, his entire

 being radiating strength. He looked to be about the same age as Tang Wulin, maybe a bit older. He stood as tall as a grown man, as steady as a mountain, the only one on his team unaffected by Tang Wulin’s provocative words.

Tang Wulin examined him. “Whew. You’re huge. Are you sure you’re not over twenty? If you are and you win, then it doesn’t count.”

Long Chen rolled his eyes. “I hope you’re as strong as you are good at talking.”

Gu Yue jumped to Tang Wulin’s side. “Gu Yue of Shrek Academy’s first grade.”

A member of the opposing team maneuvered herself to stand by Long

Chen. “Xue Liushuang!” She was a striking beauty, her figure slender yet curvy. The two of them painted a perfect image of a perfect couple.

Tang Wulin had the edge on Long Chen in terms of looks and build, but he lost in height. Xue Liushuang ignored Gu Yue and focused her gaze on

Tang Wulin instead, eyeing him with interest.

Ye Xinglan was next to step forward. “Ye Xinglan.”

The third member of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy team took his place next to Long Chen. “You Dingqi!” Although he was of average height, his shoulders were bright and his arms thick. The strength contained in his body was obvious.

The remaining members of Shrek Academy’s team introduced themselves at once. Following that, the opposing team did the same.

“Jian Mochen!” He was a boy that could rival Xu Lizhi in fatness. “Kuang Zhantian!” a petite girl yelled.

Tang Wulin was surprised by the disconnect between her delicate

appearance and how fierce her name sounded. He stopped himself just short of saying, ‘You should come to Shrek Academy! With a name like that, you’re definitely a monster!’

 “Weng Daimin!” The final member of the opposing team was a frail girl with short blue hair, not a wrinkle in sight on her uniform.

It was six versus six, but this match wasn’t like their previous ones. Neither side took the initiative to reveal their soul master type.

“Prepare for battle. Both teams fall back to your corners. There must be one hundred meters between you,” the referee said. His blood no longer thumped with held back rage, as he had calmed down during each side’s

self-introductions. No matter what troubling details surrounded the match, as long as his academy’s team won everything would be fine. Even if Tang Wulin’s team denied being representatives of Shrek Academy afterward, it wouldn’t matter. They were still students at Shrek Academy.

Both teams slowly retreated to their starting locations. Tang Wulin’s

carefree smile was wiped from his face. Although their opponents this time were the same age as them, they possessed an aura of undeniable might and had the home-field advantage.

This would be an uphill battle, and he would have to exercise full caution.

Once they reached their starting location, Tang Wulin’s team assumed their usual triangle formation.

The opposing Imperial Sun Moon Academy team took on a similar formation. Long Chen spearheaded their triangle. The burly You Dingqi and rotund Jian Mochen flanked him on either side.

Could they be agility-types? Tang Wulin wondered.

At their rear were Xue Liushuang, Weng Daimin, and Kuang Zhantian, lined up side-by-side in that order.

Judging from their formation, Weng Daimin should be a control-type. I’m not sure about Xue Liushuang and Kuang Zhantian. Tang Wulin glanced between them.

 Situated one hundred meters away from each other, both teams locked gazes, each determined to win victory.

“Let the match begin!”

Chapter 456 - The Battle Begins

Chapter 456 - The Battle Begins

With the referee’s declaration, the ultimate battle between the Imperial Sun Moon Engineering Academy and the Shrek Academy began.

Instead of taking the lead and rushing forward like he usually did, Tang Wulin summoned his martial soul along with his companions. His aura flared as three purple soul rings rose from beneath his feet. Although he only had three, it was impressive for his age.

Their opponents summoned their martial souls as well. Long Chen took a

step forward and he let out a draconic roar. Four purple soul rings appeared around him, his body growing taller by three inches at the same time.

Tang Wulin stared in shock. He has the same amount of soul rings as Wu Siduo! Wait, isn’t there a Long Chen on the Genius Youths Rankings? Yeah, and he was just a few spots below her!

While Wu Siduo had twin martial souls and a self-soul fusion skill, Long Chen only had a single martial soul! The fact that he was only a couple of ranks below her instantly put Tang Wulin on guard. At the same time,

anticipation swelled within him. He should be the strongest student within his age in the Imperial Sun Moon Academy.

At Long Chen’s side, Jian Mochen and You Dingqi called forth their martial souls as well.

You Dingqi’s martial soul was a hammer, the chain attached to the handle wrapping around his arm. It was the Meteor Hammer. Three purple soul rings appeared around him. Although his strength was impressive, Long Chen still overshadowed him.

 Four soul rings sprung up around Jian Mochen, two yellow and two purple. A round shield large enough to hide his bulk manifested in his hands. A tiger’s face was engraved on its front. He was clearly a defense-type!

Of the three girls, Xue Liushuang had four purple soul rings, while both Weng Daimin and Kuang Zhantian had three purple rings.

Uh oh. Three of them are Soul Ancestors! They’re almost as strong as the rankers in our class. Tang Wulin exclaimed in his heart.

Is that it?

The Imperial Sun Moon Engineering Academy’s team was definitely outstanding, but they didn’t hold a candle against Wu Siduo’s team.

Considering the fact that his own team defeated Wu Siduo’s, he didn’t hold any fear at all. Unfortunately for the Imperial Sun Moon Academy, they just didn’t understand what sort of monsters were in Shrek Academy. This year’s first grade class was simply terrifying.

Tang Wulin was unaware of this, but the Imperial Sun Moon Academy did investigate Shrek Academy. They knew of the five rankers in Shrek

Academy’s first grade, but that was it. While they did research Tang Wulin’s group, they didn’t look any deeper when they found out none of them were rankers. With their shallow knowledge of their opponents, they felt assured of victory.

Long Chen stomped the ground and shot forward towards Tang Wulin. His second soul ring lit up and he opened his mouth wide, letting loose Dragon Roar. Light burst from his body, surging out like a wave with the faint form of a dragon.

His martial soul was the Holy Radiant Dragon, and he was the Imperial Sun Moon Academy’s ace of aces! He was the genius most likely to become a four-word battle armor master in his generation within the Imperial Sun

Moon Academy.

When Long Chen saw that the Shrek Academy team didn’t have a single Soul Ancestor, he was beginning to believe that Tang Wulin’s team really

 was the weakest Shrek Academy had to offer.

He knew that this match was being broadcasted to the entire continent. It was the perfect chance to show off his power! If he could stomp these

students from Shrek Academy, then his status among soul masters would be cemented.

Tang Wulin’s mouth curved into a secretive smile. He waved his companions back signalling that he alone was enough.

He copied Long Chen and dashed forward to meet him. Unlike his opponent, his movements were light and relaxed as if he wasn’t worried at all. His purple soul rings disappeared, an intimidating golden one rising to take their place. Golden scales rippled into existence along his right arm.

Long Chen roared as he approached.

One on one! Let’s see who’ll win, your three rings or my four! My martial soul is the Holy Radiant Dragon! Long Chen brimmed with confidence. He was already planning what he would do after eliminating Tang Wulin, the opposing team’s captain.

When they were only meters away from each other, Long Chen finally felt that something was off. His opponent didn’t seem to be affected by his

Dragon Roar at all. In fact, Tang Wulin looked at him with pity in his eyes. Huh? Pity? Why?

Right before they would clash, Tang Wulin jumped into the air. His golden soul ring lit up and his blood essenced flowed in reverse as he used Golden Dragon Body. The wild aura of the Golden Dragon King burst out at that

same moment.

Long Chen jumped up to meet him. He used his first soul skill, Dragon

Claw, and slashed down with both hands! As a genius of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy, he possessed a calm temperament and dignity. He didn’t dare look down on his opponent, no matter who they be. Although he was confident he could suppress Tang Wulin, he wouldn’t risk holding back.

 The instant after he used his first soul skill, his fourth ring lit up as well.

Using two soul skills at the same time was an advanced soul master control technique! His fourth soul skill was Dragon’s Might!

The power of the Holy Radiant Dragon surged through his veins, his dragon claws blossoming with a brilliant light. Tiny scales surfaced on his body.

Although they weren’t mature dragon scales, they were still fledgling ones.

Long Chen wanted to instantly eliminate Tang Wulin to bolster his team’s morale then use the momentum to annihilate the rest of his opponents. By that time, it wouldn’t matter if Tang Wulin’s team was the weakest at Shrek Academy. They were still Shrek Academy students! Such a miserable defeat would be shameful regardless.

But at that moment, Tang Wulin’s draconic aura burst out.

The instant their auras touched, fear rose up inside of Long Chen’s heart so fast he felt like he was drowning in it, his instincts screaming out for mercy.

He couldn’t comprehend what was happening What’s going on? Why do I feel so scared?. His entire body shuddered in despair. Tang Wulin seemed to grow several times larger as he approached while he himself became

smaller and smaller.

The power of his claw plummeted. Gritting his teeth, he pushed on with his attack, doing his best to control his trembling body. But he was helpless before Tang Wulin’s might. Even Dragon’s Might was forcefully pushed down, stripping him of its empowering effects. His bloodline was

completely suppressed. He couldn’t even use a single soul skill. The gap between his Holy Radiant Dragon and Tang Wulin’s Golden Dragon King was like that of heaven and earth.

Chapter 457 - The Stargod Sword Versus the Spectral Sword

Chapter 457 - The Stargod Sword Versus the Spectral Sword

Before Long Chen’s very eyes appeared a golden dragon claw multitudes larger than his own. Each and every one of its scales sparkled with regal might as it smashed down. The instant their claws touched, an intense tremble ran down his spine and his soul power scattered apart.

The entire Imperial Sun Moon Academy was speechless. Their champion, the Holy Radiant Dragon Long Chen who ranked tenth on the Genius Youths Rankings, was smashed into the ground face first!

Tang Wulin landed beside him a moment later. He had stopped short of using his claw’s crushing effect. That would have been overkill. With this, the Holy Radiant Dragon Long Chen was defeated.

The entire arena was silent. Even without the soundproof barrier, it was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop .

No one had expected to witness such a scene. After all, Long Chen was tenth on the Genius Youths Rankings! He was a Soul Ancestor with the

Holy Radiant Dragon martial soul! Yet he had be thoroughly defeated in a single clash!

The entire exchange had happened in the blink of an eye. Long Chen had frozen just before they were about to crash, leaving himself wide open to Tang Wulin’s claw attack.

 It had been a textbook example of restricting movements while mid-air! Except, this was normally something only mechas were capable of.

The Imperial Sun Moon Academy’s team had five people remaining, and they were all gaping at Tang Wulin. The couldn’t comprehend what they just saw. Tang Wulin had swatted down their almighty captain like a fly,

and done it with ease. He hadn’t displayed any sort of overwhelming power when he defeated Long Chen. They couldn’t accept something like this!

You Dingqi snarled. He swung his Meteor Hammer over his head by the chain a few times, then threw it at Tang Wulin like a flail.

Tang Wulin kicked Long Chen’s limp body off the stage to avoid any

collateral damage. Once a soul master lost consciousness, their martial soul would disappear, along with the empowering effects.

Jian Mochen moved at the same time as You Dingqi. He hefted up his round shield and threw it at Tang Wulin.

Kuang Zhantian let out a battle cry as she attacked too, wielding a greataxe that was engraved with a tiger pattern. It was her martial soul.

Tang Wulin faced them and waited. He raised his hands, his left curled into a fist and his right in its claw form.

He punched the Meteor Hammer with his left hand, sending it flying back with a boom without moving back an inch. Then he grabbed the shield flying at him with his claw. The instant he touched it, the tiger emblem

suddenly lit up began vibrating. A tiger burst out of the shield, biting at Tang Wulin’s face.

Is that his spirit soul? So he hid it inside his shield. Tang Wulin was unfazed.

Kuang Zhantian arrived at that instant, descending on Tang Wulin her greataxe raised high above her head. She let out a barbaric cry as she chopped down, the power behind her strike frightening.

 But Tang Wulin ignored her. Focusing on the shield in his hand, he forced his blood essence to surge in reverse and drew forth the power of Golden Dragon Shocks the Heavens!

A draconic roar far mightier than Long Chen’s rumbled through the arena. Before the tiger could reach Tang Wulin, it was struck dumb and retreated back into the shield in fear. Tang Wulin tightened his grip on the shield,

exerting his claw’s crushing effect on it.

Cracks ran through Jian Mochen’s Skytiger Shield. Seeing this, Jian Mochen immediately used his third soul skill. The shield suddenly disappeared from Tang Wulin’s claw and returned to Jian Mochen.

Kuang Zhantian’s greataxe was upon Tang Wulin now.

A metallic clang rang out as Kuang Zhantian’s greataxe was blocked by

something and she was beaten back. Ye Xinglan stood between them. She had stepped in to defend her captain. After all, Tang Wulin wasn’t facing them all alone!

Kuang Zhantian and You Dingqi retreated to regroup with their teammates. None of them made a move, all of their expressions clouded over.

In the opening clash, their team captain was eliminated. They were now at a disadvantage of five versus six. They still couldn’t believe this happened.

Xue Liushuang glanced at her teammates. “I’ll act as the substitute captain. Be careful everyone.”

Tang Wulin regrouped with his comrades as well. Both teams stared each other down.

Xie Xie smirked. “And I thought they were supposed to be strong. They’re all bark and no bite!” he said, deliberately raising his voice so the opposing team could hear.

Xie Xie knew that his captain was the ultimate weapon against dragon-type martial souls. His bloodline could suppress any and all dragons.

 If Long Chen had been prepared for the mental shock of facing Tang Wulin, with his superior cultivation level, he wouldn’t have been so easily defeated. Of course, no one would expect that a peak-level martial soul like the Holy Radiant Dragon could be suppressed. He had been caught

completely off guard, opening himself to be instantly eliminated.

As Tang Wulin stared down his opponents, he couldn’t help but harbor

some approval of their actions. Despite their captain being eliminated, they didn’t rashly attack, instead regrouping and remaining calm. It was an impressive show of discipline. They still had two Soul Ancestors left as

well. The match was far from over.

Jian Mochen still stared at Tang Wulin in disbelief. His martial soul was

special in that it combined both attack and defense into the same thing. His shield also acted as a lethal weapon, and when combined with his spirit soul and Shield Return soul skill, he could easily switch between defense and

attack at a moment’s notice.

Although Tang Wulin had punched back the Meteor Hammer easily, he was still impressed by its strength. It possessed a shock effect and had caused

even his body empowered by Golden Dragon Body to tremble. His left hand ached a bit after receiving that attack. He hadn’t come out completely unscathed.

Tang Wulin turned his eyes to Kuang Zhantian. She’s nothing like a girl,

she’s a berserker! That axe is huge! It’s taller than her! If Ye Xinglan hadn’t intervened, Tang Wulin would have been in a tough spot.

They were lucky to be able to take out Long Chen immediately, but Tang Wulin wasn’t so naive as to think that victory was theirs now. Nothing was certain until everything was over.

Tang Wulin grew taut as a bowstring. Then, as if releasing all that energy at once, he shot ahead!

With Long Chen out of the battle, Tang Wulin could charge straight in. He planned on breaking their formation so that his companions could clean up

 the resulting mess. While they had been regrouping, Xu Lizhi had passed Tang Wulin a bean bun. Tang Wulin was ready to enter bloodthirst mode.

Jian Mochen took up Long Chen’s position as the vanguard with Xue Liushang right beside him.

Xue Liushuang held out her hand. A pure white sword manifested in it, releasing a chilling breeze that blew through the arena and cooled the

surrounding temperature significantly.

Woah. Her martial soul is similar to Teacher Wu’s Skyfrost Sword! Tang Wulin was on alert now.

Xue Liushuang charged forward to meet Tang Wulin.

While Tang Wulin barreled onward like a bulldozer, Xue Liushuang advanced with elegance. Her Glacial Sword danced in the air as she

unleashed a barrage of frost beams at Tang Wulin while they were still a dozen meters apart.

Tang Wulin thrust out his right claw to meet those frost beams. They shattered with a brittle sound upon impact, but a wave of cold frost

followed right behind, seeping into his body and slowing the flow of his blood essence.

Xue Liushuang reached him at that moment. Her figure flickered, then her swords split into three, one stabbing at his head, another at his chest, and the final one to his stomach.

“The Spectral Sword? Your opponent is me.” The three swords were instantly routed, shattered into fragments. Ye Xinglan stood in front of Tang Wulin, staring down Xue Liushuang.

Tang Wulin called forth the might of the Golden Dragon King and dispelled the cold from his body, then continued past Xue Liushuang. She didn’t move to stop him. Her opponent now was Ye Xinglan.

“Stargord Sword Arts!”

 “Spectral Sword Arts!”

Chapter 458 - A Fierce Clash

Chapter 458 - A Fierce Clash

Ye Xinglan pointed her sword at the ground, her eyes flashing with battle lust.

The Stargod Sword Arts and the Spectral Sword Arts were ancient sword arts passed down through their respective clans. Both were worshipped as divine techniques for thousands of years.

In the continent of Douluo’s lengthy history, rarely had these two sword arts surfaced. But now, they clashed. The two girls sought for dominance and fought for curiosity. For pride.

Like its name suggested, the Stargod Sword Arts harnessed the power of the stars. The Spectral Sword Arts, on the other hand, harnessed the cold to

split light into its spectrum. Both were profound sword arts. As such, victory would be decided by cultivation level and sword comprehension.

Upon the activation of her first soul skill, Sword God’s Star, Ye Xinglan’s Stargod Sword pierced through the skies. Thousands of stars manifested, bathing their surroundings in their brilliant glow. They condensed rapidly until they were in the form of a sword. And these stellar swords burst forward

Xue Liushuang flicked her Glacial Sword, tracing an arc in the air to deflect the attack. The clink of metal filled the air.

Their showdown was in full swing.

Meanwhile, Tang Wulin had bypassed Xue Liushuang, charging straight at Jian Mochen.

 Skytiger Shield. A shield-type martial soul special in that its offensive power was as great as its defensive capabilities. It was rated as one of the best martial souls. When Jian Mochen combined it with a tiger type spirit soul, the effect was amazing.

In the short period they had stood in a stand-off, the cracks on his shield faded away. But Jian Mochen was still on alert against Tang Wulin,

especially his golden dragon claw. As Tang Wulin approached, he thrust out his shield in defense.

Purple light flashed around Tang Wulin’s form. In the next moment, spears of bluesilver grass pierced through the ground. Bluesilver Impaling Array!

No one could have imagined that after showing such domineering might, Tang Wulin would unleash a crowd control skill!

In Jian Mochen’s moment of shock, he left himself open to the attack. His body went rigid as the grass impaled him. Then Tang Wulin was upon him, slashing down his claw at the Skytiger Shield.

As long as he could take out Jian Mochen, he believed victory would be theirs.

A pair of roars thundered through the arena. Though stunned, Jian Mochen watched as his two tiger spirit souls jumped out of his shield in his defense. One was shrouded in flames. The other gave off a brilliant radiance. They were fire-attribute and light-attribute spirit souls!

The two tigers pounced on Tang Wulin simultaneously, their flames and light combining to create an effect reminiscent of Yue Zhengyu’s holy aura. Tang Wulin retreated a step, giving Jian Mochen the space needed to break free. He quickly recalled the tigers to his shield to empower it once more.

During the offensive, Jian Mochen was limited to one spirit soul in

empowering his shield. On the defensive, however, he could utilize two. He was like a fortress.

 A gigantic axe burst out from behind Jian Mochen, zooming toward Tang Wulin like a bolt of lightning. Tang Wulin punched it away with his claw.

But what came next hit him with surprise. The axe carried a spiritual attack! A tiger erupted out of the axe, identical in appearance to the light-attribute one from the Skytiger Shield. It opened its maws wide in an attempt to bite off his head.

Man! Their teamwork is great! Tang Wulin grinned, not showing any fear. He dodged the attack at the last second, flying backwards in defiance of gravity.

It was all thanks to Xu Lizhi. He had yanked on the bluesilver grass

connecting him and Tang Wulin, pulling his captain out of harm’s way.

At the same time, a golden array of light flared underneath Jian Mochen. Chains of starlight shot out and bound him. The core of the array burst, changing the axe’s trajectory and sending it flying toward Jian Mochen!

Similarly, the moment the array had shined, Weng Daimin’s ice spears froze in mid-air and headed right back at her!

The Skytiger Axe struck Jian Mochen’s shield. Due to his restraints, his stance instantly broke and he staggered backward.

These were the effects of Xu Xiaoyan’s second soul skill, Starlight Chaos!

Even she was bewildered at the differences between both versions of her starlight soul skills. The more she used them, the more differences she discovered. For instance, her Starwheel Shackles’ absolute control effect had increased from 1 second to 1.5 seconds! Although this improvement seemed small, half a second could turn the tide of battle!

Yet somewhere deep within Xu Xiaoyan, she knew that she wasn’t bringing out the full potential of Starlight Chaos.

Tang Wulin regrouped with the others briefly. He dashed forward once more, reaching Jian Mochen just as he had staggered backward. He

smashed his claw onto the Skytiger Shield, bringing out the full power of its crushing effect.

 Cracks spread through the shield, reminiscent of spider webs. If the shield were any weaker, that would have been the end of it.

Blood sprayed from Jian Mochen’s mouth. He stumbled backward, knees buckling and collapsing beneath him. Which exposed the Imperial Sun Moon Academy’s rearline, You Dingqi, Kuang Zhantian, and Weng

Daimin.

A scorching heat flew past Tang Wulin and toward those three. Three roaring fireballs. They drew magnificent arcs in the air, each with its own target, perfectly timed to exploit the opening.

They were certainly awe-inspiring. An otherworldly shade of blue, a hue that, upon first glance, seemed to ensnare the soul. Those from the stands could sense traces of wind and water elements within them in addition to the obvious fire. Rather than an attack of compartmentalized elements, it was a true fusion of all three! This was Gu Yue’s true strength. She had

been preparing this attack since the very beginning of the match and named it ‘Blazing Blue Fireball’!

Although Xue Liushuang had noticed the fireballs, she didn’t have the leeway to turn her attention to them. While she had the advantage against Ye Xinglan in terms of cultivation level, Ye Xinglan’s understanding of the sword far surpassed hers! It was to be expected, as Ye Xinglan was originally an elite of Shrek Academy’s inner court!

Ye Xinglan’s Stargod Sword Arts were already at their pinnacle. Xue Liushuang couldn’t contend. In fact, she felt as if the mystical power of the sea of stars were wrapping around her tighter and tighter. Breaking free proved to be impossible.

The Imperial Sun Moon Soul Academy had erred. They had thought that victory was assured since they had an advantage in cultivation level, but they had forgotten that their opponents were from Shrek Academy!

Common sense couldn’t be applied to them! Not only that, but cultivation level had never been Shrek Academy’s basis of strength!

 It was obvious that if those blue fireballs struck their targets, the latter would meet a gruesome end. The victors of the match were about to be decided.

Chapter 459 - Another Soul Fusion Skill

Chapter 459 - Another Soul Fusion Skill

Were Long Chen not eliminated in the beginning of the match, the Imperial Sun Moon Academy team might have had a chance to turn things around.

But without their captain, they were stuck on the defensive.

Long Chen finally regained consciousness. Jaw clenched in pain and neck sore, he slowly recovered sight of the arena as he roused. The view before him, that of a spectator looking in, confused him at first. Eventually, he

came to the conclusion he had been defeated, though how in which he had been taken down he could not recall. His face soured.

Through sheer will, Long Chen slowly but surely grasped at the bits of memory floating in his mind. The process of bringing out his full strength, soul power coursing through his veins. The strange sensation that overtook his body right after. His brow furrowed as he remembered his source of power snuffed out like a candle wick. His body had frozen, leaving him open to his opponent’s attacks and an instant knockout.

He was disappointed with himself. He knew how important this match was for his academy, yet he had gotten eliminated and left them at a huge disadvantage. Even so, the match wasn’t over yet. He had faith in his teammates. Although he was the captain, he wasn’t the true ace of their team.

You guys have to win! He clenched his fists.

 “Skytiger!” Jian Mochen shouted, blood streaming down the corner of his mouth.

Kuang Zhantian threw her Skytiger Axe. Not at Tang Wulin or anyone else on the Shrek Academy team, but at Jian Mochen.

In one quick motion, Jian Mochen tossed his shield to meet the axe. The instant the two touched, a blinding light illuminated the arena,

swallowing Jian Mochen and Kuang Zhantian whole. From the light burst a gigantic winged tiger, heading straight for Gu Yue’s blue fireballs.

Upon impact, the dazzling blue explosions shook the arena. Knocked back, the tiger let out a roar of pain as the flames penetrated into its body and dyed it blue.

Is that a soul fusion skill? It’s gotta be! Tang Wulin’s evaluation was correct. Jian Mochen and Kuang Zhantian fused their martial souls to summon a Skytiger.

As powerful as the tiger was, the might of the fireballs had been unquestionable and wasn’t something it could just shrug off. The tiger’s form flickered transparent, brought forth by its great energy consumption to endure the attack.

Tang Wulin straightened his back, a determined light gleaming in his eyes. His blood essence surged in reverse and starlight shrouded his claw, manifesting as a golden gauntlet.

“Battle armor!” the referee blurted out from the air.

I-is that actually a piece of two-word armor? No way. It can’t be. He’s too young to handle such a thing! It must be something else, like a one-word

armor piece made of spirit alloy! Although the referee and the higher-ups of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy held Shrek Academy in contempt, upon

sight of Tang Wulin’s gauntlet they were overcome with shock and disbelief.

 If it had only been something out of the ordinary, they wouldn’t be so bitter. But the sheer impossibility of Tang Wulin’s actions was what drove them up the wall. How strong his body must be to handle such a powerful gauntlet at his age, the higher-ups of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy

couldn’t begin to comprehend. Normally, only blacksmiths of the sixth rank or higher could craft one-word battle armor with spirit alloy, let alone a fifth-rank blacksmith! Generally, academies didn’t allow their students to

enlist outside help and forced them to cooperate with each other. Only then would they be able to truly walk the path of a battle armor master.

There were unwritten rules for battle armor masters. During the creation of a set of two-word battle armor, which included the process of designing, forging, crafting, and tuning, none of those involved could be more than one soul ring level apart. The gap in ages no more than three years. This

way, everyone’s blood essence and aura were similar to one another, enabling the end user of the battle armor to fully fuse with it.

Two-word battle armor was considered a turning point and threshold for ‘true’ battle armor because such armor could fuse with the user and become an extension of their body. During the fusion, every detail mattered,.and the slightest mistake could ruin everything. In comparison, it was far easier to advance from two-word to three-word. At that point, the user could borrow help from not just their peers.

This was why battle armor was so rare and difficult to craft. Many conditions had to be met to successfully create a two-word armor.

Although one-word battle armor didn’t face the same restrictions, what

Tang Wulin had wasn’t ordinary one-word armor! Since it was crafted from spirit alloy, it already had the basic functionality of a two-word armor! It

was practically a prototype two-word gauntlet! He couldn’t replace it

anymore since it had fused with his body, so it had been under the same restrictions as a two-word piece of armor.

From this, the higher-ups of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy deduced that Tang Wulin had personally had a hand in crafting it. Not only that, the people who helped him were within three years of age and one soul ring level from him! Such restrictions were nigh impossible for those his age to

 fulfill. He wasn’t just strong, but he was also backed up by a group of prodigal professionals! That was far more terrifying than his strength.

Despite only possessing a gauntlet at the moment, Tang Wulin had a likely future as a battle armor master from his foundation. It was shocking. No one at the Imperial Sun Moon Academy had ever considered the same path as him, and neither did the teachers. All of them thought it was impossible. They shared the same narrow perspective as the rankers had.

But Tang Wulin and his friends had shattered all expectations, and the evidence was there for all to see.

A mighty draconic roar shook the arena as Tang Wulin drew circles in the air with his arms. Then he punched with his claw, unleashing Golden

Dragon Shocks the Heavens!

A giant golden dragon’s head rushed out of his fist, roaring toward the flickering Skytiger.

The tiger snarled and beat its wings at the incoming phantom dragon head. The two clashed high in the air, a blinding explosion filling the sky followed by a shockwave. Tang Wulin showed no fear. He was completely confident in Golden Dragon Shocks the Heavens.

Other soul masters may have been terrified to face a soul fusion skill, but not Tang Wulin. He had encountered so many already, like the Forest of Ice or Wu Siduo’s Hell White Tiger.

The Skytiger was stronger than Hell White Tiger since it was powered by two people. Still, Tang Wulin had grown far stronger since the time he faced Wu Siduo! His soul power, blood essence, and body had all improved! Furthermore, the Skytiger was already weakened by Gu Yue’s bombardment. He had nothing to be afraid of.

When the dust cleared, the Skytiger was nowhere to be seen. Instead, two people fell from the skies, their robes rippling from freefall..

 From those in the stands to those watching at the comfort of their homes, the millions of spectators could not rein in their shock. Before their very eyes had occurred a match between fourteen and fifteen-year-olds, yet

everything about it screamed otherwise, from the explosive displays of power to the quick-witted teamwork.

He’s able to beat a soul fusion skill with only three soul rings? This question rang loud in everyone’s thoughts.

Everyone knew that Shrek Academy was powerful, but few truly understood the extent of that power. Until now. Tang Wulin had shown them just that. Of what sort of monsters Shrek Academy nurtured. Be it strength or technique, Shrek Academy’s students were perfect.

Captain’s so awesome! Xie Xie descended from the air, heading straight for Weng Daimin and You Dingqi. While everyone’s eyes had been glued to

Tang Wulin, Xie Xie had quietly slipped into the enemy’s rearline. He appeared out of thin air like a wraith and slashed at the two of them.

Dumbstruck by Tang Wulin’s performance, You Dingqi couldn’t react in time to defend himself.

The battle was practically over. After using their soul fusion skill, Kuang Zhantian and Jian Mochen would drastically weaken. Gone was the

suspense. Victory was within Tang Wulin and his team’s grasp, and with that came acing their exam.

All of a sudden, Weng Daimin let out a ear-piercing wail. It erected a wall of ice in front of You Daimin, which then exploded and sent Xie Xie flying backward.

“Liushuang!” Weng Daimin shouted, icy blue light swirling around her. She opened her arms wide toward the air, a fairy ascending to a higher realm.

A blue light enveloped Xue Liushuang as well, the same moment Ye

Xinglan’s Stargod Sword pierced her. But Ye Xinglan felt no resistance, as though she stabbed air. Taking advantage of Ye Xinglan’s confusion, Xue Liushuang leaped into the air and fused with Weng Daimin.

 It was at that moment Tang Wulin landed, his complexion pale after unleashing his strongest attack. His stared at the scene before him wide- eyed. What? They have a second soul fusion skill?

It finally struck him why the Imperial Sun Moon Academy was so

confident in their victory, to the extent that they pushed to have the match broadcasted throughout the continent. They truly were worthy of being one of the greatest academies on the continent. Had Tang Wulin not eliminated Long Chen instantly in the beginning, the Imperial Sun Moon Academy team would have been able to overwhelm them with their two soul fusion skills!

Chapter 460 - Dragon King Vacuum Punch

Chapter 460 - Dragon King Vacuum Punch

Up in the air, the glowing blue figures of Weng Daimin and Xue Liushuang fused. In their place was a two-meter-tall woman wearing a long blue dress. In her hands, an icy blue sword. A circle of light shined behind her head, illuminating her beautiful features, which were a combination of Weng

Daimin and Xue Liushuang’s best physical traits. As soon as she had come to be, the temperature in the arena plummeted.

From her form emanated waves of power far stronger than that of the Skytiger. Their fusion rate was much higher.

Ice Goddess! It was the Imperial Sun Moon Academy’s true trump card.

“Starlight Burst!” Xu Xiaoyan shouted. Starlight converged into a beam that pierced through the Ice Goddess, establishing absolute control.

It dyed the body of the Ice Goddess golden. Left it frozen in the air.

Not a beat later, a brilliant star descended from the sky. It was Ye Xinglan with her third soul skill, Starfall Sword!

Such perfect coordination between Xu Xiaoyan and Ye Xinglan!

A metallic clang. Ye Xinglan bounced off the Ice Goddess, feeling as though she had flown face first into a wall. There was no moving it. At the same time, the Ice Goddess dispelled the golden starlight from her body, returning to her normal icy hue. She floated in the air just as before, not a dent in sight.

 Ye Xinglan bit her lip. Their fusion rate has to be at least eighty percent! They’re at least as strong as that battle armor master we ran into the other day!

The Ice Goddess brandished her sword, sending out three beams of blue light. Spectral Sword Art! However, it had nothing in common with the version Xue Liushuang had used. Each beam possessed an incomparably sharp aura, enough to slice through bone.

The three beams each had their own target: Tang Wulin, Ye Xinglan, and Xu Xiaoyan. The three people who the Imperial Sun Moon Academy team deemed the greatest threats!

Gasps filled the stands as Xie Xie jumped in front of the beam meant for Xu Xiaoyan, shielding her with his body. He disintegrated into a cloud of dust the next second.

This was just a match, not a battle to the death!

But the spectators’ shock was unneeded. Xie Xie reappeared a short distance away, coughing up a mouthful of blood. It had been a clone that was destroyed.

The instant the Ice Goddess had appeared, Tang Wulin stuffed the bean bun he had since been carrying into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. His

strength further amplified, he brought forth the full might of Golden Dragon Shocks the Heavens once more.

The phantom dragon head slammed into the Ice Goddess. A shockwave erupted. But the Ice Goddess was unharmed, a soft blue light glowing

around her. At the same time, the collision sent Tang Wulin flying backward, wounds opening up all over his body and leaving a trail of blood.

Alarmed, Ye Xinglan struck again, her Stargod Sword blazing. Yet, she too was dealt with easily, blood spraying from her mouth.

Xu Lizhi rushed to her side, using his soul power to help stabilize her condition.

 When he was finally satisfied with her status, he glared at the Ice Goddess, eyes bright with fury.. He bellowed and made to charge her, but a hand grabbed his shoulder and held him still. “Leave her to us.”

In a flash of silver, the hand disappeared and Gu Yue appeared at Tang Wulin’s side. “They’re not the only ones with a soul fusion skill.” As she spoke, she wrapped her arms around Tang Wulin’s wounded and freezing body from behind.

A powerful buzzing filled the arena, gradually growing in strength until the entire arena trembled.

Light enveloped Gu Yue. She channeled it into Tang Wulin, dispelling the icy blue of his skin.

Red, blue, yellow, green, gold, silver, and black. Specks of light of these very colors danced around Tang Wulin, entering his body.

The Ice Goddess slashed down, sending a blue sword beam at the two. But the sword beam collapsed the moment it neared the seven-colored lights.

Scales rippled into existence across Tang Wulin’s entire body, dressing him in seven-colored draconic armor. Regal draconic might exploded from him.

Long Chen stood awed before this dragon lord. He couldn’t help but fall to his knees and prostrate himself to Tang Wulin. He shook uncontrollably down to his core.

Tang Wulin’s seven-colored scales quickly grew transparent and thicker. He now held the appearance of a shining dragon knight. An almighty roar ripped from his throat that demanded all to bow before him.

Seven-colored light burst around his body, a gale that originated from such an aura picking up his dark locks in flight. His pupils became reptilian, slit- like in nature, and a seven-colored light shined in their depths. He saw

within his mind a strange scene, akin to a memory, in which countless soul beasts prostrated themselves eagerly, all in worship of him.

 His gauntlet took on a seven-colored hue. He couldn’t comprehend what level of power he had achieved, but if there was one thing he knew, it was this: everyone before him was insignificant.

Once more did the Ice Goddess strike down with her sword, focusing all her strength this time. Tang Wulin’s surroundings froze before her might, the

chill of her attacks absolute.

He thrust his seven-colored claw out, clutching the blade. A metallic clang pierced the air. He exerted his strength and shattered the blade into thousands of shards!

Arching a brow, Tang Wulin balled his claw into a fist and punched toward her. “I’ll go easy on you.”

Before the punch met, the referee descended from the sky into the space between Tang Wulin and the Ice Goddess. His battle armor shined, bright and blinding as he braced himself to take the punch.

A shockwave tore through the arena. Tang Wulin was motionless, his fist still caught by the referee.

The referee’s hand gained a seven-colored light. An instant later, seven

explosions rumbled in succession, each growing in intensity. Each enough to send trembles through his body.

The referee was a three-word battle armor master! Yet he had so much trouble taking Tang Wulin’s punch.

He had never expected that even with his three-word battle armor and his Titled Douluo strength, he would feel fear toward Tang Wulin’s punch.

Moreover, the seven elemental explosions had shook him to the core. This is the soul fusion skill of a pair of three-ringed kids! Just what kind of fusion rate do they have to be this powerful?

As the blue glow receded from the Ice Goddess’s form, her figure faded away, leaving Xue Liushuang and Weng Daimin to fall through the skies.

 Pale and stricken with fear, they came to realize what sort of tyrannical might Tang Wulin possessed once their sword had shattered in their Ice Goddess form. Their instincts screamed danger. If the referee hadn’t intervened, they were certain they would have died.

Just what kind of soul fusion skill is that?

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue descended from the air, and she separated from his back. With her departure settled an emptiness within him, as if a part of him had been removed. The seals of the Golden Dragon King trembled and the fourth loosened as though attacked by some energy.

Xu Xiaoyan dashed to Gu Yue in support, the latter pale and on the verge of collapsing. Xie Xie rushed to Tang Wulin’s aid.

Tang Wulin gritted his teeth and shot his gaze at the referee. “Did we win yet?”

His simple question resounded throughout the entire arena.

All eyes were glued on him. In this match between the titans of the next generation, the victors were now clear. There was no room for doubt.

The Imperial Sun Moon Academy team had the Holy Radiant Dragon, a Skytiger soul fusion skill, and a Ice Goddess fusion skill. Yet they still lost! It was a complete and utter defeat!

“Can you tell us what the name of your soul fusion skill is?” the referee asked.

Tang Wulin stared back at him blankly. Its name? He hadn’t a clue. The first time he had used it, he and Gu Yue lost consciousness for a long time and they didn’t dare try it again. Today was only his second time using the skill. Perhaps it was due to their increase in strength that they hadn’t immediately passed out. After all that was said, he still didn’t have a name for the fusion skill!

 But it turned out he didn’t need to worry. “Dragon God Transformation.” Gu Yue croaked.