Chapter 166: Trials

Zhi Lin brought academy teachers to Xinyue City, and first escorted the students back to the academy.

Yue Yin needed to handle the aftermath in Xinyue City, and signaled Tie Li to return to the Tian Dou Royal Academy first.

Zhi Lin had already heard about the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect from the Imperial House, and his gaze toward Ning Ning changed.

Both major cities had become the blood food of Fallen Soul Masters; the mastermind was Uncle Ning, but saying Ning Fengzhi knew nothing would not be believed by anyone.

The Spirit Hall therefore declared war on the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, and even the Imperial House dared not support the sect for a time.

But if one of the top three sects, the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, were easily annihilated by the Spirit Hall, the impact would be enormous.

The Spirit Hall's standing in the Soul Master World would rise sharply, and with its further machinations, it would create the image of a holy ground for Soul Masters.

That is not what the Two Great Empires wish to see, nor is it what the top SoulMasterForce wishes to see.

Openly they cannot offer aid, so they resort to covert tactics, and the resulting effect forces the Spirit Hall to take it seriously.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Sect paid a heavy price, barely managing to preserve the sect.

Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect was not destroyed, the impact achieved the intended effect.

As soon as they returned to the Tian Dou Royal Academy, Gu Qi and Ning Ning were summoned back to their sect.

After recovering, Tie Li attempted to cultivate the Thunder Dragon Six Tones.

As for that soul bone, it was successfully absorbed on the day he returned to the academy; both legs absorbed the soul bone, the attribute rose sharply, and he can try further self-created soul skill.

He can draw experience from the Chaos Cloak Hammer Method and Thunder Dragon Six Tones cultivation; with the enhancement of two major soul bones, this advantage cannot be ignored.

A month later, after Yue Yin, together with officials sent by the Imperial House, dealt with Xinyue City's affairs, he was unsurprisingly stripped of the city lord's position.

But Yue Yin is a Soul Saint, and the matter cannot be wholly blamed on him; ultimately his resolution was to go to the front lines to atone with deeds.

Before leaving, Yue Yin first went to the Tian Dou Royal Academy.

He applied to the Imperial House for a one‑year grace period, to have Tie Li master the Thunder Dragon Six Tones within that year.

Tie Li thus temporarily left the Imperial House with Yue Yin, seeking a special environment to aid the cultivation of Thunder Dragon Six Tones.

Originally, the Fenglei Sect had a specially crafted simulated environment for cultivating Thunder Dragon Six Tones, but after the Spirit Hall's destruction, that simulated environment became ruins.

During the more than a year alongside Yue Yin, Tie Li's insight also grew; Yue Yin would teach Tie Li some hidden rules of the Soul Master World.

However, in that span it was inevitable to encounter Soul Masters from the Spirit Hall.

A Thunder Dragon Hammer, such a powerful weapon soul, could not go unnoticed.

The gravest incident was an encounter with a Red‑clothed Cardinal of the Spirit Hall, nearly dying at his hands.

Although he ultimately escaped, his identity as a Fenglei Sect heir was exposed.

After mastering Thunder Dragon Six Tones, Yue Yin immediately brought Tie Li back to the Tian Dou Royal Academy.

Only with the Tian Dou Empire behind him could Tie Li be safe.

"Your Thunder Dragon Six Tones still need refinement, but…" Yue Yin began, then stopped; such a battle skill requires a life‑or‑death war to possibly reach the ultimate realm.

But Tie Li is the only heir disciple; letting him refine the skill through a life‑or‑death battle carries a risk of death.

Yue Yin does not want to bear that risk, because he cannot afford it, yet he also wants Tie Li to fully master Thunder Dragon Six Tones, as the spark of the Fenglei Sect, since the technique is the sect's foundation.

This left Yue Yin deeply conflicted.

"Return to the Tian Dou Royal Academy first!"

"Alright." Tie Li nodded.

After more than a year of trials, Yue Yin's expectations of Tie Li rose; his talent in Thunder Dragon Six Tones could rank among the top ten geniuses ever of the Fenglei Sect.

"Wind tears the nine layers, divine wrath shakes the universe!"

Watching Tie Li's back, Yue Yin murmured, truly longing to see that phrase reappear in the Soul Master World.

……

During this year of trials, Tie Li's Soul Power Level jumped from Level 55 to Level 56.

Not long after returning to the academy dormitory, Tie Li received a summons from the Education Committee.

Upon arriving at the Education Committee, Bai Baoshan immediately explained the reason.

"The champion reward for this Soul Master Competition," the Spirit Hall did not conceal, "consists of three soul bones, one of which comes from a 70,000‑year‑old Yinlei Magic Dragon left arm bone."

This soul bone was extracted by the Spirit Hall from the Fenglei Sect sect master; it is a Fenglei Sect heir soul bone, and for any Thunder Attribute Soul Master, it is a priceless treasure.

The Spirit Hall's intention in offering this bone as a reward is obvious.

In Bibi Dong's view, a leftover of the Fenglei Sect is not worth much effort, but neglecting it could become a disaster.

Moreover, Tie Li has been staying at the Tian Dou Royal Academy; could they really send a titled Douluo to attack the academy?

That would be a direct affront to the Tian Dou Imperial House, and for now they cannot completely antagonize it.

Therefore, using the Fenglei Sect heir soul bone to force him to join the Continental Soul Master Elite Competition, so that the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation can kill him on the Soul Battle Platform.

Not only would this eliminate the Fenglei Sect leftover, it would also showcase the Golden Generation's dominance; even disciples cultivated by millennia‑old lineages are merely stepping stones for the Golden Generation.

The Spirit Hall obtained more than one soul bone from the Fenglei Sect, but this left arm bone is the most important.

Yue Yin has repeatedly told himself that, if the chance arises, he must retrieve the Yinlei Magic Dragon left arm bone.

"The Spirit Hall's intention is already clear; the team they sent to the competition includes three exceptionally outstanding geniuses," Zhi Lin added.

"I will retrieve the soul bone."

Tie Li's voice carried an unmistakable resolve; having mastered Thunder Dragon Six Tones, he does not think he will lose to the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.

The Thunder Dragon Hammer is a top‑tier weapon soul, possessing lightning that approaches the Ultimate Attribute.

It belongs to the same tier as the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus and the Haotian Hammer.

The Golden Generation's weapon souls are, comparatively, a hair's breadth behind.

"If you join the First Team, you could…" Zhao Tianhe said, but Tie Li cut him off.

The First Team's strength is clearly superior to the Second Team's; if Tie Li joins the First Team, boosting its overall power, the chance of winning the championship increases.

But Tie Li's view differs; the First Team has already been honing together for a long time, and within the First Team, Yu Tianheng's words are commands.

If I join the First Team, I will inevitably clash with the other members of the First Team.

There are only a few months left until the Soul Master Competition, and there is no time to coordinate with them.

"No, coordinating with the First Team's members takes time; there is no time for that now."

"The rules of the Soul Master Competition are varied; it may not always be a seven‑on‑seven Team Soul Battle. If it's an arena format or a ranking format, you can still participate as a member."

(End of chapter)