Chapter 42: Youth Genius List: Taiji Zhao Xuanzhen, Ten-Thousand-Year Underground Demon

The black wings of the Heavenfire Phoenix spread wide, slicing through the sky like a meteor, leaving a brilliant, enduring trail of crimson flame behind it.

Leng Yaoju activated the autopilot mode, glancing back at Zhao Xuanzhen, a alluring curve forming at her crimson lips.

Two months! Do you have any idea how she endured these two months!

During Zhao Xuanzhen’s absence, Leng Yaoju found life unbearably dull, losing interest in everything, each day hoping he would message: Teacher, we’re back.

Though Zhao Xuanzhen had not truly returned to the Spirit Core Tower but instead enrolled at Shrek Academy as an exchange student, the academy lay adjacent to the Spirit Core Tower’s headquarters, allowing Leng Yaoju to see him anytime—this feeling of attending university right outside her door had already satisfied her.

On the sofa, Na’er rested her small head against Zhao Xuanzhen, scrolling through news on the soul tool communicator, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall, bare feet planted on the Flame Lion King rug, warm energy rising from the soles to soothe her body.

Zhao Xuanzhen served as Na’er’s human pillow, tilting his head slightly, his vision catching a massive jet-black mech adorned with ink-green patterns.

It was the Black-class mech used by the Shrek group for transport; after resolving the lingering issues from the exhibition match, Saint Spirit Douluo Yali led them back to the academy.

“Zhao Xuanzhen, look quick!”

Na’er tugged lightly on Zhao Xuanzhen’s arm, then held the soul tool communicator before his eyes—a news headline in blazing red, bold and capped with the words “Explosive!”

Explosive: Geniuses Replaced! Heroes Emerge Among the Youth!

“The Youth Genius List has been updated!” Na’er beamed. “We made the list! Ten years old—that must be a record!”

The Youth Genius List was established by the Spirit Core Tower to promote the development of the soul master world and encourage young soul masters to strive relentlessly.

Eligibility required applicants to be under eighteen, evaluated across combat power, talent, secondary professions, and more. Only thirty slots existed; those on the list were deemed the most formidable young heroes across the entire Douluo Continent, their futures radiant with promise.

Zhao Xuanzhen took Na’er’s soul tool communicator and checked the current Youth Genius List rankings, quickly spotting his own name.

Youth Genius List, Rank Five: Taiji Zhao Xuanzhen.

“I dropped straight to fifth? Yu Yuanheng slipped to sixth?”

Seeing Yu Yuanheng of the Blue Lightning Clan immediately after him, Zhao Xuanzhen chuckled.

Though the Youth Genius List assessed multiple factors, combat power carried the highest weight—after all, every soul master’s cultivation aimed to enhance combat ability.

Direct confrontation was the decisive factor; Zhao Xuanzhen had utterly dominated Yu Yuanheng—even with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile’s enhancement—and thus the list placed him above Yu Yuanheng.

He wasn’t ranked higher because the list considered his young age; they doubted he could yet defeat or surpass the top four, so they temporarily placed him at fifth.

“Silver Dragon Na’er, Rank Twenty-One.”

Scrolling down, Zhao Xuanzhen found Na’er’s name.

“I protest! Why are you fifth and I twenty-first? Am I not strong? Did I just coast? Didn’t I crush Ye Xinglan?”

Na’er’s triple death question burned so fiercely she might have reached through the soul tool communicator to grab the list’s staff and demand: Why is the Silver Dragon Queen only twenty-first?!

Zhao Xuanzhen quickly soothed her. “Don’t take the Youth Genius List too seriously—it distorts our efforts.”

Everyone’s an MVP. No one coasted. Even Xu Xiaoyan played a vital role in aesthetics!

“One thing at a time—I can’t stand being so far behind you,” Na’er muttered. “Most of the list is from Shrek Academy. I’ll challenge them one by one. I won’t let you outpace me!”

Hearing this, Zhao Xuanzhen smiled faintly. The creator of the Youth Genius List was truly brilliant—it ignited youthful competitiveness. Looking at the names above him, even he found them irritating, let alone Na’er.

“Heh, Gu Yue, twenty-second, codename: Element!”

Surpassing Gu Yue, Na’er instantly switched from anger to delight—especially upon seeing “Silver Dragon Na’er” and “Element Gu Yue”—she laughed so hard the Heavenfire Phoenix echoed with bell-like mirth.

Gu Yue had spent a lifetime as the Silver Dragon King, yet her codename was Element; Na’er, meanwhile, had become Silver Dragon Na’er!

“Next time we meet, I’ll mock her mercilessly…”

Na’er filed it away in her memory.

Besides the Spirit Core Tower’s trident, Jiutian and Tang Wulin also made the list—Jiutian at twenty-ninth, Tang Wulin at thirtieth as the last entry. Their exhibition match ended in a draw; their order likely reflected the outcome of the forging finals.

Shrek Academy’s first defeat in twenty thousand years sent shockwaves through the continent, instantly launching five young geniuses onto the Youth Genius List—like a whalefall nourishing myriad lives.

Na’er studied the list closely, then gasped: “The top four are all from Shrek Academy! The first is about to turn eighteen—next month they’ll automatically drop off. That means we’ll both move up one spot…”

“Mm.”

Zhao Xuanzhen stared at the portraits of the top four, memorizing their faces and martial souls, quietly formulating plans.

…

At dusk, two Black-class mechs entered Shrek City.

It was Shrek Academy’s triennial enrollment season; the entire city buzzed with activity. The blow to its reputation had not significantly impacted enrollment—everywhere, young soul masters, accompanied by mentors, thronged the streets, eager to study at the continent’s top academy.

The strong remained strong; Shrek Academy’s resources spoke for themselves. Powerful soul master factions paid no mind to fleeting reputations. As always, they sent their disciples and juniors, instructing them to cultivate, study, and forge friendships with fellow prodigies—more friends meant more paths.

Both Black-class mechs were designed as transport vehicles, capable of metallic transformation—descending from the sky, they shifted into soul-powered automobiles, continuing toward Shrek’s inner city.

The inner and outer cities were like two worlds: while the outer city teemed with noise and crowds, the inner city was eerily serene. Broad streets paved in blue bricks exuded ancient charm; shops lined both sides, preserving wooden architectural styles from ten thousand years ago.

“Squeak—”

Before Shrek Academy’s ancient signboard, the soul-powered cars halted. Saint Spirit Douluo Yali stepped down gracefully, turning to Heavenly Phoenix Douluo Leng Yaoju with a gentle tone:

“Yaoju, come in for a while?”

“Next time,” Leng Yaoju declined. “Take care of Xuanzhen and Na’er. Warn Cai Yue’er—don’t cause trouble for yourself or Shrek Academy.

If they’re mistreated here, I’ll come personally to demand an explanation.”

Saint Spirit Douluo Yali, revered as the kindest woman on the Douluo Continent, had once exhausted her body saving plague-stricken civilians, losing her ability to bear children. Having known her for years, Leng Yaoju trusted Yali’s character. As for Silver Moon Douluo Cai Yue’er…

That woman was self-willed and eccentric; in her youth, she had thrown the soul master world into chaos. Only under immense pressure did Shrek Academy send senior figures to bring her back.

They were contemporaries. Yali understood why Leng Yaoju repeatedly named her. She sighed, nodding, resolved to prevent Cai Yue’er from acting recklessly.

Silver Moon Douluo might be unruly, but Heavenly Phoenix Douluo was no soft target.

The Phoenix sisters stirred storms across the world: Dark Phoenix Leng Yulai defied all norms by joining the Saint Spirit Cult, rising to become one of the Four Dark Kings.

Leng Yaoju herself carried the same wild blood—she had once abandoned everything to become a hidden woman, later becoming Deputy Head of the Spirit Core Tower, using her authority to shield her fallen sister Leng Yulai from harm.

Thus, although Leng Yaoju appeared radiant and rational, the elder soul master masters called her a hidden madwoman—those who crossed her bottom line were met with madness even greater than Leng Yulai’s! [97] The attack came silently. Spikes erupted from the sand, their tips gleaming with cold, crystalline yellow light. Sand trickled down grooves; translucent sticky threads trailed behind, weaving into a tightening strangling net.

Yali could imagine: if Cai Yue’er acted like a clown targeting them, Zhao Xuanzhen would make one call—and Leng Yaoju would storm over and kill her.

Shen Yi and the seven members of the Shrek team stepped out, gazing at Zhao Xuanzhen and Na’er nearby, their expressions complex beyond words.

On the way back to Shrek City, Yali announced the punishment issued by the Ocean God Pavilion.

Yu Yuanheng and Ye Xinglan had sparked the duel. Out of respect for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Star Saint Sword Clan, Shrek did not expel them but placed them on probation—future admission to the Inner Academy would be far harder.

Shrek Academy’s Inner Academy admission rule: attain Soul Master level fifty by age twenty-five, and become a One-Character Doukai Master. They now had five years reduced—achieve this by age twenty, and they may apply for Inner Academy admission.

Xu Li’s and Ning Qian’s public defeat severely damaged Shrek Academy’s prestige. Future final exams will be harder; any failure will result in denial of the Outer Academy graduation certificate.

Shrek’s crushing defeat placed full blame on their instructor, Shen Yi. Normally, she would be dismissed outright. Yet, Crimson Dragon Douluo Zhuo Shi fiercely defended his disciple; the Ocean God Pavilion ultimately decided to reassign her—to teach a special class, redeeming herself through service.

After Leng Yaoju departed, Yali regarded the Shrek group with calm eyes: “You’ve had a rough few days. Go rest. Keep your spirits up.

The punishment is temporary. The academy hasn’t abandoned you. We hope each of you learns to grow from failure.”

“Yes, Saint Spirit Immortal.”

They bowed in unison, then dispersed.

Yu Yuanheng hung his head, face filled with resentment and hatred. Zhao Xuanzhen had earned the continent’s acclaim, while he, a mere stepping stone, had become the greatest joke in the soul master world. But Zhao Xuanzhen was a glitch—Yu Yuanheng knew well—he could never match that terrifying power…

For now, retreat. Endure.

Yu Yuanheng would return!

Ye Xinglan ignored Xu Li’s anxious inquiries behind her, her gaze fixed intensely on Zhao Xuanzhen and Na’er. She was a fierce, competitive girl—this single defeat could not shatter her resolve; it only made her stronger.

Silver Moon Douluo Cai Yue’er was the chief examiner for new student assessments. Given Leng Yaoju’s prior warning, Saint Spirit Douluo Yali decided to personally escort the two through their enrollment trials.

Walking along broad avenues, Zhao Xuanzhen and Na’er admired Shrek Academy’s scenery—the Golden Trees radiated life energy, nourishing all vegetation. Flora flourished everywhere; no matter where they looked, they saw at least ten different plant species.

Yali led them into a circular hall, over twenty meters high, its dome carved with a mural: a colossal black dragon coiled in the sky, its golden eyes especially striking.

The moment Zhao Xuanzhen and Na’er looked at the dragon, the mural flared black light—the dragon’s claws seemed to pierce through the painting, its tail sweeping across the heavens, shattering clouds in succession.

“Roar—”

As the dragon’s golden vertical pupils ignited, its draconic pressure erupted instantly. Its scales turned a deep black, swallowing all light; black mist seeped from the scale seams, obscuring the sky, as the entire hall echoed with the dragon’s furious roar!

The dragon’s overwhelming pressure descended, yet the two showed no reaction. Na’er patted her slightly heaving chest and complained:

“You scared me! That was so loud!”

“Geniuses come every year, but this year two monsters arrived.”

An old man in an ink-green robe appeared, his weathered face filled with astonishment: “I’ve guarded this first trial for a century—never before have I seen young monsters who ignore the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King’s pressure.”

The dragon carved in the mural was the continent’s first monstrous beast—the true form of the Beast God Di Tian, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King. The ink contained a single drop of his blood, simulating a fraction of his draconic aura.

Most candidates, facing this pressure, were paralyzed—those with dragon martial souls far inferior to Di Tian suffered even worse.

Zhao Xuanzhen and Na’er reacted as if nothing had happened—something the old man had never witnessed in his life.

“Little Li, how many points will you give this first trial?” Yali asked with a light smile.

Li Lao bowed respectfully: “Saint Spirit Immortal, since the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King’s pressure had no effect, their martial soul talent is exceptional—ten out of ten.”

From the moment they entered the hall, Shrek’s enrollment trial had begun. It consisted of ten tests, each worth a maximum of ten points. Sixty points granted admission to the Outer Academy; eighty-five or above qualified for early admission to the Inner Academy, like Ye Xinglan and Xu Li.

“Xuanzhen, Na’er, you scored ten on the first trial. The second trial begins.”

As the soft voice faded, Yali and Li Lao vanished. The dome spun wildly, the surroundings shifting violently.

When the spinning stopped, they stood in a desert blanketed in sand.

“It’s like the Spirit Core Tower’s true illusion.”

“Indeed.”

Zhao Xuanzhen spoke; Na’er agreed.

“Boom—”

The attack came silently. Spikes erupted from the sand, their tips gleaming with a cold, crystalline yellow light. Sand trickled down grooves, and translucent, sticky threads trailed behind, weaving into a tightening strangling net.

Na’er summoned the Silver Dragon Spear, slashing horizontally—space-force shattered the net. Zhao Xuanzhen stomped down with a thousand-jin force; the sand exploded into cracks, revealing a massive shadow rolling up from beneath.

A spider-like soul beast, eight slender limbs glinting under the sun, its carapace blending seamlessly with the shifting dunes, its bloated abdomen storing vast quantities of silk.

A cunning hunter: the Ten-Thousand-Year Underground Demon Spider!

(End of Chapter)