Chapter 51

The next day, Shi Laike Academy.

Zhao Xuanzhen and Xiang Naer entered Shi Laike Academy, walking along the tree-lined path toward the teaching building.

A rustling sound came from the bushes, and a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl jumped out, her sweet little face full of excitement, holding a soul guidance communicator, and said:

"Junior Xuanzhen, I was conquered by your battle yesterday afternoon. Can I add you as a soul guidance communicator friend?"

"Sorry, Senior, it's not very convenient."

After Zhao Xuanzhen expressed his refusal, the girl did not give up, but looked up at the rising sun at forty-five degrees, her face bathed in radiance, filled with the glory of dedicating herself:

"I am the twenty-seventh on the Youth Genius Ranking, Martial Soul Spirit Kite. As everyone knows, the Spirit Tower is the organization with the best benefits on the Douluo Continent. I want to join the Spirit Tower and become a sacred Spirit Tower deacon. I wonder if Junior can introduce me."

"The Spirit Tower welcomes you."

"Hehe, thank you, Junior. Let's communicate more in the future!"

Successfully adding Zhao Xuanzhen as a friend through self-recommendation, the Spirit Kite girl left with satisfaction.

"Which one is this?"

Looking at the chat boxes increasing in Zhao Xuanzhen's soul guidance communicator, Xiang Naer puffed out her small mouth, the arc already enough to hang an oil bottle.

"The fifth one on the road," Zhao Xuanzhen nodded, "but she is the first genius on the ranking."

"Aunt Leng must have ordered the people below," Xiang Naer muttered, "Otherwise the Youth Genius Ranking wouldn't have been updated temporarily!"

The Youth Genius Ranking is released by the Spirit Tower. Early this morning, the ranking, which was originally refreshed once a week, suddenly changed. Taiji Zhao Xuanzhen reached the top of the list, his name marked in red and bolded below—this is a core disciple of the Spirit Tower!

In a sense, the Youth Genius Ranking represents the future pattern. Zhao Xuanzhen reached the top at the age of ten, directly shattering the soul master worldview and determining that his achievements would be limitless.

Those soul master families who sent their juniors to Shi Laike Academy moved upon hearing the news. Those with courage even placed bets in advance, letting their own juniors connect with Zhao Xuanzhen to join the Spirit Tower, winning a chance for their families to leap over the dragon gate.

Shi Laike Academy recruits a batch of students every three years, and the students are geniuses chosen from thousands. Geniuses take the initiative to join the Spirit Tower, and Zhao Xuanzhen has no reason to refuse. These people taking his path is equivalent to being deacons under his command.

Leng Yaoju revealed Zhao Xuanzhen's background, which was actually a hint for him to recruit some Shi Laike students to facilitate the formation of his future team.

The Xuan-Gu-Na trident is strong, but the three of them cannot control the entire Spirit Tower. Important branch towers such as the Eighteen Pillars still need various tower masters to sit in town, and Shi Laike geniuses are excellent candidates.

"Zhao Xuanzhen, you must be careful and cautious in the future. They are not only aiming at the Spirit Tower, but also plotting against you personally," Xiang Naer said earnestly.

"Really? I'm only ten years old. It shouldn't be that beastly."

"Stupid Zhao Xuanzhen, we are soul masters!" Xiang Naer was furious, "At this age, some soul masters have already been to the brothel. Ten years old is the best time to build a foundation. Young teenagers love it when big sisters teach them what a woman is!"

"What the hell?"

Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes jumped, and he severely scrutinized the pineapple-like silver-haired girl.

Under his righteous gaze, Xiang Naer felt a little guilty, her pretty face flushed slightly, and she argued with sound reasons: "Don't pay attention to the details. I mean that women outside have deep thoughts and can't wait to eat you up and fill the interests of themselves and their families.

Unlike me, Aunt Leng, Sister Dabai, and Sister Xiaobai, only people around us like this will treat you well without asking for anything in return!"

"I understand the truth, but why are you sweating..." Zhao Xuanzhen looked suspicious.

"It's hot, it's hot! Let's go, we're going to be late!"

Before the end of the first class of the semester, Shen Yi announced that today was a practical class, and the teaching location was sent to the soul guidance communicators of the four people in the zero class, with a note to gather here.

When Zhao Xuanzhen and Xiang Naer arrived at the teaching location, Shen Yi, Ye Xinglan, and Xu Xu Li Zhi had already arrived. Shen Yi led the four students into a blood-red teaching building.

The alloy giant gate stood majestically, complex patterns swimming on the surface of the door, two sculptures floating left and right—one side was a blue-gold plant, the other was a mysterious eyeball. The plaque on the gate was engraved with four ancient seal characters, the handwriting as vigorous as a dragon and snake coiling, faintly revealing a murderous aura.

Gate of Glory.

"Gate of Glory, the practical field for elite disciples of the Shi Laike inner court. Considering that your talents are unusual, the Red Dragon Douluo thought about it again and again and decided to open it as an exception."

Shen Yi introduced with a smile, releasing a burst of soul power. The moment she touched the eyeball sculpture, countless light filaments wove into a phantom light curtain. Her ten fingers flew as she entered a string of secret texts, and the alloy giant gate emitted a low hum, wisps of white mist overflowing from the door cracks, and a mechanical female voice sounded.

"Identity confirmed, Teacher Shen Yi.

Students entering the Gate of Glory, please wear the Blue Spirit Ring."

The blue-gold plant sculpture moved, and four metal rings floated out. Shen Yi turned and signaled the students to put them on.

Xiang Naer took the metal ring and attached it to her wrist bone. The ring automatically shrank and fit, and a circle of blue-gold light patterns lit up on the surface. Zhao Xuanzhen frowned slightly. After the metal ring was fastened to his wrist, his blood and energy were stimulated by external forces, like countless fine needles wandering in his meridians.

"Is it detecting soul power fluctuations?"

A flash of approval flashed in Shen Yi's eyes: "The Blue Spirit Ring will probe the wearer's vital signs and cultivation data and send them to the soul guidance intelligence of the Gate of Glory to decide what level of examiner to assign to you.

The protruding button on the Blue Spirit Ring is a protection device. If you feel you can't handle it, press the protrusion to exit actively. However, the Gate of Glory is very safe. Even if a soul master dies, it will not cause life danger. I suggest you stay a little longer."

As the voice fell, the giant gate opened with a bang. Behind the door was a twisted blue-gold vortex, and the endless starry sky could be vaguely seen in the center of the vortex, like an abyss devouring everything.

The four walked into the vortex side by side, the world spinning. When they opened their eyes again, they were already in a vast pure white world, countless firefly-like light particles wandering and floating, dyeing the pure white space with a layer of hazy light. They were located in four small spaces, separated from each other, yet able to see each other clearly.

"Welcome to the Gate of Glory, personal trial started. Student Zhao Xuanzhen, age ten, trial difficulty advanced, defeat the Shadow of Glory of the same cultivation, time unlimited."

The horizon in the distance suddenly twisted, and a figure appeared, blue hair reaching the waist, looking like twelve or thirteen years old, with a face Zhao Xuanzhen was familiar with.

"Tang San?"

Zhao Xuanzhen gave a light exclamation; the Shadow of Glory was actually Tang San!

Looking toward the other three directions, opposite Xiang Naer stood a stunning girl with a scorpion braid hanging to her knees, her legs exceptionally long and round.

Ye Xinglan's opponent was burly and sturdy, his evil eyes shining with cold light. Xu Xu Li Zhi's Shadow of Glory had the most special appearance—clearly a bearded uncle, but with soul-stirring peach blossom eyes.

The identity of the Shadow of Glory was self-evident—it was the first generation of Shi Laike Seven Monsters: Blue Silver Grass Tang San, Soft Bone Rabbit Xiao Wu, Bai Hu Dai Mubai, Sausage Oscar!

"Battle begins."

The mechanical sound simultaneously kicked off the prelude to the four battles. A cluster of deep blue grass leaves grew from Tang San's palm, each leaf looking very slender, covered with twisted snake patterns, and upon closer inspection, there were dense, tiny barbs.

Two yellow and one purple, three soul rings circled continuously. The first soul ring shone brightly, and dozens of vines broke through the ground, the tips of the grass leaves condensing into fangs like poisonous snakes, wrapping around with the sound of breaking wind and strangling from all directions.

Blue Silver Entanglement!

Witnessing the classic first soul skill of the God King with his own eyes, the arc of Zhao Xuanzhen's mouth could not be suppressed. Qi followed his heart and condensed into a Taiji diagram that fell, and the Yin and Yang energies swept out wantonly. The Blue Silver Grass shattered inch by inch upon touching the air wave, no different from wild grass on the roadside, debris flying like rain.

"Boom—"

The black and white figure tore through the sky full of debris. Tang San's face suddenly became solemn, his hands glowing with cyan-white cold light, and he slashed at the attacker with the Mysterious Jade Hand. Zhao Xuanzhen's Yang Hand clasped Tang San's wrist, his rigid strength cutting deeply into the white light of the Mysterious Jade Hand, splashing a string of blood beads.

Tang San endured the pain, using the trick of borrowing force to hit force with the Crane-Controlling-Dragon-Catching technique. What horrified him was that the power of the Crane-Controlling-Dragon-Catching technique did not work at all, and he was instead smashed in the face by Zhao Xuanzhen's more ferocious elbow, his body flying backward in mid-air, the sound of his nasal bone shattering mixed with blood foam flying!

"Parasite!"

The creator gave the Shadow of Glory extremely high combat intelligence. Although he was bleeding from his nose in mid-air, Tang San still forced his body to turn with all his soul power released, his second soul ring shone, and the blue light surged.

Blue Silver Grass sprouted from under Zhao Xuanzhen's feet, the snake patterns on the stems twisting, crazily entangling his limbs and joints. These parasitic seeds had quietly seeped into the ground when the Blue Silver Entanglement was activated, and now they suddenly attacked, the vines secreting the mixed poison of three major soul beasts: the Mandala Snake, Ghost Vine, and Human-Faced Demon Spider!

The Yin and Yang energies expanded. The Blue Silver Grass during the three-ring period was fragile, and the parasitic vines shattered and exploded. The powerful shockwave of the Qi Moving Mountains and Rivers destroyed the battlefield into a mess.

Looking at Zhao Xuanzhen approaching at phantom-like speed, Tang San wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and threw out a blue-green light ball. The light ball instantly grew larger, and a huge spider web unfolded, woven from Blue Silver Grass, ring after ring, extremely tight, flashing with purple luster under the light.

Third soul skill, Spider Web Binding!

At the same time, a tearing sound erupted, and eight deep purple spider legs drilled out from behind Tang San, their fully extended length exceeding three meters, like eight sharp spears!

External soul bone, Eight Spider Lances!

The Eight Spider Lances stabbed into the ground to support Tang San's body, the middle joints bent by more than half, then stretched straight with force, the powerful elasticity sending Tang San out.

At this moment, Tang San seemed to have transformed into a ferocious Human-Faced Demon Spider, the sharp tips of the eight spears changing direction to pierce, stabbing directly at the eight weak points of the human body such as the throat, heart, and brain, the air corroded by the poison flowing on the edges of the Eight Spider Lances, emitting hissing green smoke!

"External soul bone, huh? What a coincidence, I have one too."

Zhao Xuanzhen's smile was cold, ten dark golden sharp blades extending from his fingertips. Before the claw shadow arrived, the biting murderous intent seemed to freeze Tang San's breathing. The Dark Golden Terrorclaw's ten fingers crossed, and the Spider Web Binding was as brittle as thin paper under the claw blades.

Blue Silver Grass fragments drifted in the air, the two sides brushed past each other, a drop of blood dripping into the ground along the claw tip, the Eight Spider Lances breaking one by one, the fragments looking like flowers scattered by a goddess, the last scene reflected in Tang San's pupils was five golden lines sweeping across his neck.

A slender blood line extended and expanded like slow motion, blood spraying and staining one side, the head hitting the ground with a thud, the sound incomparably dull.

Decapitation in one strike!

"Advanced trial passed, time taken one minute and thirty-seven seconds," the mechanical voice announced the end of the battle.

Zhao Xuanzhen retracted the Dark Golden Terrorclaw and looked at the other three battlefields.

Ye Xinglan confronted the two-ring Dai Mubai, the sharp sword energy of the Star God Sword forcing the Bai Hu to raise the Bai Hu Body Protection Barrier, the spiritual realm of human and sword as one making her slightly occupy the upper hand.

The battle between Xu Xu Li Zhi and Oscar was exceptionally abstract. Two food-type soul masters with low combat ability twisted together, you slap me, I return a punch, occasionally mixed with various food-type soul spells.

"I have a big meat bun!"

"I have a big sausage!"

Each ate some food to recover from their injuries, and the two fought together again.

Moving his gaze to Xiang Naer's big battle with Xiao Wu, Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes suddenly condensed, because Xiang Naer's soul rings were no longer two, but three at the Soul Venerable level, three major purple soul rings jumping up and down around her delicate body!

Xiang Naer's soul power was about level twenty-eight. Breaking through to Soul Venerable overnight, Zhao Xuanzhen understood that she had most likely absorbed the hundred-thousand-year Thorn Dragon Emperor left leg bone, thus breaking through the level thirty mark in one fell swoop.

"Second personal trial started, difficulty increased to transcendent level."

The Gate of Glory mechanical voice prompted. A hundred meters away, Tang San's figure slowly condensed, holding a black giant hammer, black, black, black, black, four ten-thousand-year soul rings rising with a bang!

"Good, good, good, bringing in private goods..." Zhao Xuanzhen's forehead twitched.

He had watched three and a half Douluo Continent books; Tang San had a ghost of a Clear Sky Hammer soul ring as a Soul Sect!

And four ten-thousand-year soul rings were also wrong. What about the Titan Giant Ape's hundred-thousand-year soul ring? Since it's already open, just serve it all together!

Adding values to the ancestors, but not daring to add them too outrageously!

"Transcendent level trial, the examinee needs to persist for thirty seconds under the attack of the Shadow of Glory."

"Thirty seconds, persist?"

Hearing this, Zhao Xuanzhen's lips picked up a cold arc.

Perhaps retaining the memory of the last defeat, Tang San took the lead. Four ten-thousand-year soul rings exploded instantly, and dark golden patterns spread to the Clear Sky Hammer handle.

The hammer head bulged like a small mountain. As the dark golden light flowed, the air trembled and hummed, and spider-web-like cracks expanded outward with Tang San as the center.

Clear Sky Secret Technique, Ring Explosion!

Tang San gave a low shout, his arms bulging with blue veins, the giant hammer held high above his head, the patterns on the hammer body shining dazzlingly, and the dark golden air wave soared into the sky, the pure white world above being stirred into a vortex by the violent power!

Golden light bloomed brilliantly, Zhao Xuanzhen transformed into the secondary awakening form, accompanied by the clicking sound of bones self-adjusting, Yin and Yang air currents gathering on his fists!

The fists and hammer collided heavily, gold and dark gold intertwined into a light ball, the dazzling light explosion leveling the surroundings. Tang San's face was distorted, the patterns on the Clear Sky Hammer flashing crazily, but he saw that the fist edge was like a drill, piercing into the hammer body!

"Break!"

The third soul skill Dao of Infinity amplification erupted, Zhao Xuanzhen's fists tore to both sides, shaking the Clear Sky Hammer into the air, the hammer body covered in cracks. The aftermath did not stop, the golden fist shadow penetrated the light curtain, hitting Tang San's chest solidly, and that body annihilated under the Yin and Yang energies, dissipating into nothingness with the violent wind.

Zhao Xuanzhen slowly retracted his fists, a wisp of dark golden residual light appearing and disappearing behind him, proving that the once number one strong attack type tool martial soul in the world had existed.

"Advanced trial passed, time taken eight seconds, transcendent level trial passed. Detected that the examinee's combat level seriously violates common sense, suspected of hiding true soul power, triggered the annihilation mechanism of the Gate of Glory, difficulty increased to infinite level."

The mechanical voice suddenly became angry. Tang San appeared for the third time, holding a trident in his left hand, and Blue Silver Emperor sprouting from his right hand, his soul rings rising slowly.

Yellow, yellow, purple, black, red, red, red, red, red!

Zhao Xuanzhen was silent, staring at the Title Douluo form of Tang San for two and a half seconds, sighing faintly:

"Sanctioned by the system, a bit interesting..."

(End of chapter)