Chapter 48: The Phantom Fox and the Ice Jade Scorpion: The Future Is Yours, Now

“Brother Yun, are you really going to let that child keep challenging?”

High above the Spirit Ice Plaza, Saint Spirit Douluo Yali gazed down at the two boys facing off on the Ice Arena, her emerald eyes shimmering with concern.

“Let him fight,” Yun Ming chuckled. “Shrek Academy is revered as the number one academy on the continent; students come here with pilgrim’s hearts, strictly obeying rules, all as meek as quails. How many years has it been since we had a student so distinctive?”

“Good-looking, yet utterly unbound by convention—excellent. His personality reminds me of myself.”

Yali let out a soft laugh and lightly punched Yun Ming; they had shared life for many years, and she understood his meaning perfectly.

Back then, he had come alone with his spear to Ming City, snatched her away before countless eyes, and vowed to face every rival suitor. That battle shook the heavens and earth, nearly shattering space itself, until he finally won her heart.

“The academy has been too calm for too long. A little turbulence now and then isn’t bad—it’ll motivate the outer academy students once they feel the gap. But there’s no referee down there; safety isn’t guaranteed.” Yali reminded him.

Yun Ming waved his hand toward the distance, dispersing the academy enforcers rushing over. “Zhao Xuanzhen knows his limits. When the Holy Angel fell earlier, he could’ve delivered another blow—but he gave up the chance to cripple the Holy Angel outright.”

The Holy Angel knew he was being spared, so even with a sliver of strength left, he admitted defeat.

The top of the Young Genius Ranking is only at the Soul King level. With you and me here, no accident can occur. Just watch.

“That makes sense.”

Yali relaxed. Even if Lord Qingtian Yun Ming weren’t here, her own 98th-level Supreme Douluo power was more than sufficient to save either of them.

Could a 98th-level Titled Douluo not stop a Soul King?

Who would be so embarrassing?

On the Ice Arena, Li Qiankun’s muscles swelled, standing like an insurmountable peak. Four luxurious purple soul rings rose, golden auras swirling around him; as he clenched his fingers, a gilded bronze ball etched with ancient runes materialized out of thin air.

The Qiankun Ball—a top-tier defensive martial soul weapon. Li Qiankun was also known as the strongest defensive force on the Young Genius Ranking!

“Zhao Xuanzhen! Li Qiankun is a weapon soul master—attack his physical body!”

A silver-haired girl stood in the front row of spectators, her eyebrows curled in delight, her exquisite face flushed with excitement; she cupped her hands like a megaphone, shouting encouragement loudly.

Rumors always spread fastest; after the Body War Angel’s defeat, more and more spectators gathered—word of mouth multiplied tenfold, then a hundredfold, and the atmosphere erupted.

All students from Second Year, Class One were present: Swan Mo Jue, Lan Dian Yu Yuanheng, Ning Qian, Chu Yan… they stood united, all there to support their class president, Li Qiankun.

In another corner, Ye Xinglan tightly pressed her red lips, her slightly curved chest heaving violently, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the arena, burning with blazing fire.

Two paces away from Ye Xinglan, the chubby Xu Li stared with envy at Zhao Xuanzhen and Li Qiankun, the two battle soul masters. If only he had combat power, perhaps everything would be different.

“Hum—”

The first and second soul rings flared in succession; soul power surged forth. The Qiankun Ball formed a pale golden shield, the first soul skill, Qiankun Shield, firmly protecting Li Qiankun’s towering frame. Then a black-and-white fist slammed hard against the shield, exploding into dazzling starfire—suddenly, like a tree of silver blossoms, breathtakingly beautiful.

Taiji Yang Hand was brutally powerful; the force surged through the shield. Li Qiankun grunted, stepping back half a pace, lowering into a horse stance, adjusting the soul power output of the Qiankun Shield, his entire body hunched inward, seemingly offering no counterattack.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

A series of violent explosions echoed across the arena as Zhao Xuanzhen landed punch after punch, each sending ripples of black-and-white auras outward.

Li Qiankun braced both hands on the Qiankun Shield, his arms, thighs, and facial muscles tensed like hardened statues, temples bulging with veins, pupils shrunk to needle points.

He looked utterly passive, yet remained crouched motionless, maintaining both soul skills. Zhao Xuanzhen’s gaze darkened—Li Qiankun’s ranking above Yu Yuanheng was no accident; every strike against the Qiankun Shield delivered a powerful recoil!

Qiankun Ball’s second soul skill: Qiankun Shock!

The effect resembled Yin-Yang Reversal, but while Yin-Yang Reversal bounced back ranged attacks, Qiankun Shock returned damage from close combat—truly a divine technique for defensive soul masters!

Li Qiankun gritted his teeth, nerves taut as steel cables.

Qiankun Shock could inflict counter-damage, but only if Li Qiankun first absorbed Zhao Xuanzhen’s strikes. Taiji Quan carried both fierce and soft energies, their harmony nearly making him vomit blood—any lapse meant instant defeat!

“Unbreakable Li Qiankun… truly worthy of the name.”

Zhao Xuanzhen sighed. The top three on the Young Genius Ranking were all prodigies among thousands; Li Qiankun’s defense was the strongest he’d ever faced among his peers.

“Golden Awakening only happens once a day—I can’t waste it on you. So…”

Compared to third-place Li Qiankun, the top two on the Young Genius Ranking were Zhao Xuanzhen’s true targets. True Self Golden Awakening couldn’t be used yet.

The next instant, Li Qiankun heard the sharp cracking of bones. He watched as Zhao Xuanzhen rotated his wrists, his entire skeleton—from wrists to feet—popping and clicking like countless gears locking into perfect alignment!

Body Sect Secret Art: Battle Bones!

Muscles tightened sequentially, bones realigned themselves—the ultimate secret technique of the Body Sect’s flesh lineage, elevating physical strength to a new level: the perfect battle form!

“No good!”

Li Qiankun roared, unleashing his third soul skill: Qiankun Power. The pale golden aura surrounding the Qiankun Shield intensified twofold, pushing outward into a new layer of energy barrier.

With a crisp crack, a hand shattered the barrier and shot through the fissure, striking straight for Li Qiankun’s chest!

At the last possible moment, Li Qiankun barely managed to press the Qiankun Ball against his abdomen, taking Zhao Xuanzhen’s shock palm full force!

“Boom—”

As if struck by a fixed soul tool artillery shell, his sternum and ribs groaned under unbearable strain. Had Li Qiankun not been a defensive soul master, this blow alone would’ve knocked him out cold!

Even so, his mighty frame was blasted backward—just then, Li Qiankun activated his fourth soul ring!

Golden light surged like molten lava through his meridians; his muscles bulged and twisted, his skin glistening with metallic sheen. When his feet touched ground, the ice arena cracked underfoot, leaving half-a-foot-deep craters!

Like Yin-Yang Reversal, Qiankun Shock had a damage threshold. Li Qiankun’s battle experience was immense—he knew Zhao Xuanzhen in Battle Bones state had surpassed his defensive limit. Defense and counterattack were useless now—he had to shift to offense!

Qiankun Ball’s fourth soul skill: Stabilize Heaven and Earth!

All remaining soul power poured into the Qiankun Ball; the gilded bronze sphere became a falling meteor, trailing a black vortex behind it, releasing a powerful suction force like heaven and earth reversing, pulling Zhao Xuanzhen’s body toward it.

Zhao Xuanzhen clenched one fist, his first soul ring flaring; black-and-white energies twisted and intertwined, condensing into a single point. The force resonated, violently tearing a rift through the Qiankun Ball’s suction vortex!

Cracking Force: Lift-Block Hammer!

The Qiankun vortex shattered into fragments; the bronze sphere shrieked as it flew backward. Li Qiankun spat blood, his towering frame collapsing instantly.

“Class President!”

Second Year, Class One surged forward in alarm; half rushed to lift Li Qiankun up, half formed a human wall before Zhao Xuanzhen, eyes blazing red—as if to say: Touch him, and you’ll have to walk over our corpses!

“Don’t rush—I’m fine…”

Li Qiankun calmed his classmates, rose, wiped blood from his lips, and said firmly:

“Unbelievable power… Mo Jue, Yu Yuanheng, and I lost fairly. Second Year, Class One will train harder, improve, and challenge you again.”

Zhao Xuanzhen calmed his breath, restored his soul power, and nodded. “I await you anytime.”

Bowing respectfully, Li Qiankun led Second Year, Class One away in firm strides. Above, Saint Spirit Douluo Yali’s eyes gleamed with admiration:

“According to the Young Genius Ranking evaluation criteria, soul master combat power carries the highest weight. Defeating Li Qiankun in a one-on-one battle—next update, Zhao Xuanzhen will unquestionably be ranked third.”

Here, Yali paused, frowning slightly. “Brother Yun, I feel Xuanzhen could’ve finished more cleanly. The Qiankun Ball excels in close-range defense—if he’d used lightning elements to bombard repeatedly, the Qiankun Ball’s defense wouldn’t have held so firmly.”

“Your logic is sound, but you don’t understand his intent,” Yun Ming said, gently stroking Yali’s silken emerald hair. “Lightning shattered Lan Dian’s Tyrannosaurus, aerial dominance crushed the Holy Angel, ancient martial arts clashed head-on with the Qiankun Ball’s defense.”

Each time, he broke through his opponent’s strongest domain. He demands absolute domination.”

“So bold… Zhao Xuanzhen…” Yali exclaimed.

“And that boy fought smart—mostly using only his first soul ring. That bone-controlling secret art gives far less enhancement than a second awakening, but consumes far less energy. After two battles, his soul power remains nearly full, at peak condition.

I suspect he’s saving strength for the final two opponents—they’re not on the same level as Li Qiankun.”

On the Ice Arena, Shrek students no longer cheered wildly. After Le Zhengyu and Li Qiankun’s defeats, plus Lan Dian Yu Yuanheng’s crushing loss, their gaze toward Zhao Xuanzhen grew increasingly respectful.

On the Douluo Continent, strength commands respect.

Encouraging shouts for Zhao Xuanzhen rose sporadically around him. Na’er glanced at the boy’s impassive face, then through the torn fabric left by his Body Sect’s wing technique, glimpsed the sinewy curve of his waist. She muttered under her breath:

“Stupid Zhao Xuanzhen, deliberately showing off his waist to flirt with girls.”

“Tap. Tap. Tap.”

The noisy Spirit Ice Plaza suddenly echoed with the crisp clack of high heels striking the ground. A pair of long, flawless white legs ascended the arena, their owner’s voluptuous figure swaying like a blooming branch with every step.

The woman had a face of breathtaking seduction—her eyes tipped with faint crimson, lips full and lush, the curve of her smile brimming with lingering allure.

Seeing her delicate face and voluptuous figure, Na’er’s expression instantly changed. She couldn’t help secretly comparing herself—and then stomped her foot in defeat. This time, age had betrayed her; her figure was utterly outclassed!

“Damn it! Three years east, three years west—don’t underestimate a girl’s potential!”

The silver-haired girl screamed inwardly in frustration.

“Second place on the Young Genius Ranking, vice-class president of Third Year, Class One—Mihu Nan Gong Yao.”

Her voice was soft and lingering, like a tiny hand caressing the listener’s mind. Shrek students familiar with her quickly shook their heads, forcibly expelling the hypnotic sound.

Li Qiankun was the top defensive soul master on the Young Genius Ranking; Nan Gong Yao was the top spiritual soul master, her martial soul, the Phantom Fox, having reached an extremely advanced level of charm cultivation!

The phantom fox’s shadow flickered like flame; five purple soul rings—each a thousand years—blazed wildly. The tips of her fox tails glowed with faint pink auras, rippling outward.

Nan Gong Yao’s eyes shimmered with an eerie peach hue. Pink mist spread silently, thick with sweet, cloying scent. Where it passed, the wind seemed to lose its bones, thickening into sluggish, viscous air.

Combined Soul Skill: Phantom Mist!

Perception reduced by thirty percent, soul power suppressed by thirty percent, movement slowed by thirty percent!

“Little brother, Soul King isn’t your match. The game ends here.”

Her fox tail exploded into a thousand illusions, fluffy fur releasing peach-colored smoke. As Nan Gong Yao danced, her fingertip brushed her neck—fifth soul skill: Fox Charm activated.

Spiritual soul skills struck directly at the spirit sea. Zhao Xuanzhen’s vision twisted entirely: the woman’s pale arms coiled around him, her lips smiled seductively, her breath sweet as orchids, her waist swayed alluringly, whispers surged from all directions, the Phantom Fox searing a burning mark onto his retinas.

Nan Gong Yao smiled, lips curved in seductive confidence—but the smile froze. She saw a pair of eyes: blazing, radiant gold, terrifying to behold.

Pressure poured like a celestial river. Nan Gong Yao felt an iron will, through Fox Charm, strike back at her with even greater force.

The entire world spun chaotically. She couldn’t tell up from down; her ears rang, her vision blurred with blood. The Phantom Mist receded like a retreating tide, chaos and agony flooding her mind.

Until a searing pain tore across her delicate face—she snapped back to awareness. Her vision was filled by a fist. The wind from the punch stirred her loose strands.

“You faked it—you never fell under the charm!” Nan Gong Yao hissed. “I still had my Doukai…”

“That’s why I had to subdue you in one strike.”

The radiant gold slowly faded. Zhao Xuanzhen replied calmly.

Spiritual Erosion—a soul combat technique created by Soul-Psyche Douluo Han Tianyi. It stimulates brain activity, granting the user a temporary surge in spiritual power, shattering the opponent’s spirit sea!

In another timeline, Mo Jue and Li Qiankun had crafted full sets of Yi Zi Doukai in their third-year second semester. Nan Gong Yao was still in her third-year first semester. Zhao Xuanzhen guessed her Yi Zi Doukai was already over halfway complete.

The highest compatibility Yi Zi Doukai could grant a twenty-level soul power boost. Zhao Xuanzhen would never let Nan Gong Yao activate her Doukai—even if incomplete.

Non-Spirit-Forged metal Yi Zi Doukai had a fatal flaw: the soul master must wear it. The best way to counter a Yi Zi Doukai user is to attack with lightning speed, preventing them from donning it.

“Little brother, I’ll remember you!”

Nangong Yao descended from the icy arena, her seductive waist swaying, making Naer’s temper flare up.

Zhao Xuanzhen ignored Nangong Yao, his dark pupils fixed on a boy standing arms crossed a hundred meters away; their gazes met across the distance, and the boy sensed the unyielding, icy determination transmitted through them.

“Tang Dong, are you going to keep watching forever?”

“I thought Nangong Yao would win. Who knew she couldn’t even summon her Doukai?” Tang Dong grinned.

Far away, Nangong Yao’s face instantly darkened, her silver teeth grinding together with a sharp screech.

“Young Brother Zhao, you recognized me—that proves you’ve at least studied me.”

Tang Dong spread his hands, sighing: “Next month I turn eighteen and automatically drop off the Young Genius List. Isn’t it easier to just wait and claim the top spot? Why rush?”

“First place is won by strength,” Zhao Xuanzhen said coolly. “One reason I entered Shrek Academy was to fight you before you turn eighteen.”

“I admire your courage. As a third-year senior, for fairness, I won’t use my Doukai.” Tang Dong slowly ascended the arena, his tone casual.

“All talk. You broke through to a five-ring Soul King at eighteen—your energy went entirely into cultivating soul power. How many pieces of Doukai did you forge? Do you even have half as many as Nangong Yao?”

“Damn it.”

Tang Dong shrugged, disgruntled: “I was just trying to play it cool, and you blew it open.”

“I’ll tell you this much—I only have one chest plate. Yet even Nangong Yao with her eight pieces of Doukai isn’t my match.”

With martial soul activation, Tang Dong’s arms were sheathed in diamond-like ice crystals, his entire body glowing emerald green as his towering tail hook rose high, its tip a shimmering silver hook, unleashing boundless cold energy!

“Young brother, the future is yours—but the present belongs to me.”

Purple, Purple, Purple, Black, Black!

Five soul rings surged upward—the number one Young Genius, the supreme ice user Tang Dong, martial soul: Ice Jade Scorpion!

(End of Chapter)