Sea God Island.
Inside the Golden Treehouse.
Su Wen sat cross-legged on the bed, clutching a card inlaid with a black crystal. Heat flashed through his eyes. It was a Black Crystal Card, usable across the continent's major auction houses and firms.
As eras changed, the Douluo Continent's financial system evolved as well.
Ten thousand years ago, it ran on credit. For example, the first five-million gold soul coin deposit Ning Fengzhi paid to Tang San after they struck a deal took the form of a golden card.
That golden card was like a check, symbolizing Ning Fengzhi's credit with the major auctions and chambers of comrce.
With soul tools becoming widespread,
the continent's financial system had now entered the soul tool era. It was a bit like a bank card in his previous life—just a cold string of numbers, yet capable of changing with each expenditure and deposit.
He toyed with it for a while. Once the novelty faded, he slipped the black card into his storage soul guide ring.
Their group had returned to the academy just last night.
After a night's rest, it wouldn't be long before Yan Shaozhe sent Dai Yaoheng and the others to bring him to the inner court's dueling grounds to resu their special training.
"Xiao Wen…"
Sure enough, half an hour later, Dai Yaoheng appeared at the door of Su Wen's wooden hut. He tilted his head; Su Wen, in tacit understanding, dressed in a fitted inner court red-and-white uniform. The two headed to the inner court.
As they neared the inner court,
the dueling arena's outline ca into view. Su Wen looked up. Dark gray clouds blanketed the sky, the shadow cooling the world below. A gentle, cool wind blew, easing the early sumr heat for a mont.
"You're here?"
Yan Shaozhe smiled broadly at Su Wen.
With the Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear, Su Wen wouldn't be the sa chicken rib who needed Ling Luochen's help to bring out his best like a week ago. His combat strength would skyrocket.
He hoped to give these heaven's proud children a small monster shock.
Su Wen swept his gaze around. Ma Xiaotao was already in the arena, chatting idly with Ling Luochen. Looked like those plastic-sister relations hadn't completely broken.
Gongyang Mo was sashaying and teasing Chen Zifeng in a soft voice. The latter seed used to it, eyes closed, feigning death.
The rest mostly sat cultivating.
Su Wen nodded slightly.
The inner court's vibe wasn't bad.
Even without teachers pushing them, these geniuses were insanely diligent.
"All right, let's begin."
Yan Shaozhe wore a white robe and gold-rimd glasses. A touch of white at his temples and his signature gentle smile gave him the air of a middle-aged heartthrob keeping up with the tis. He clapped his hands, drawing all eyes.
"First round, Xiao Wen's on my team," Ma Xiaotao said first, yanking Su Wen over.
Ling Luochen nodded calmly, saying nothing.
Dai Yaoheng did the sa. He wouldn't fight Ma Xiaotao over Su Wen. In last week's training, Su Wen's potential had been terrifying, but his actual strength… so-so.
Even with a new soul ring, he didn't think it would change much. Just one more soul skill—could that make him soar to the heavens?
A senior had to keep his dignity, after all.
Final team lists:
Ma Xiaotao, Su Wen, Yao Haoxuan, Xixi… (seven per side)
Dai Yaoheng, Ling Luochen, Gongyang Mo, Chen Zifeng…
…
"Match start!"
"Ahh!"
Ma Xiaotao threw back her head. Crimson flas surged out of her, shaping into a pair of fiery wings behind her. She sprang into the air, seizing control of the skies and intercepting the roaring Dai Yaoheng.
Though a bit weaker, Dai Yaoheng was no slouch. He unleashed the Dai Clan's ancestral technique: White Tiger Vajra Transformation. With a roar his clothes burst, his body swelled a size, and his aura grew thicker and heavier. The strongest of both teams clashed first.
The others weren't idle.
Chen Zifeng drew his blade. His longsword flashed cold light as two purple soul rings lit under his feet. He intercepted Yao Haoxuan, who had blown up from a skinny guy to a three-ter-tall hulk.
Another inner court female speed-type soul master intercepted Xixi on Su Wen's side.
Gongyang Mo laughed behind a hand. The Rainbow Dragon spirit appeared at his back, seven-colored radiance spilling like the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's light onto his teammates.
"Strength of Orange!"
"Speed of Yellow!"
As yellow and purple rings flared in turn,
Dai Yaoheng's side instantly gained the upper hand. He t Ma Xiaotao's phoenix flas head-on, stubbornly pinning down the arena's only Soul Emperor.
At fifty-three, Chen Zifeng already pressured the newly advanced Soul King Yao Haoxuan. Now, with strength and speed buffs, his sword grew ever keener, every strike aid at a vital spot, driving Yao Haoxuan into a sweat.
"Xiao Wen!"
Ma Xiaotao shouted.
Su Wen nodded silently.
In the next instant, a two-ter-tall Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion appeared behind him: body erald with a hint of ocean blue, as if he'd manifested the true form of his spirit. Its segnted, bony tail arched over Su Wen's head, needle-tip gleaming as it pointed at the enemy.
"Eternal Frost Domain."
Su Wen spoke softly.
A surge of extre cold spread at once, pouring out from the Ice Emperor like a storm of frost, blanketing the arena above.
In a heartbeat, it suppressed Ling Luochen's ice!
Everyone was stunned.
Because this chill was several tis stronger than the one Su Wen had shown last week!
He'd only obtained one soul ring—how could it change so much?!
"No way, why don't I feel anything!" Ma Xiaotao blurted. In previous sessions, as a fire-type, she'd naturally clashed with Ultimate Ice and felt its effects the most. She'd already prepared to be weakened, but…
"I don't feel it either!" Yao Haoxuan's eyes lit up. "Xiao Wen, your skill can evolve?!!"
By contrast, Chen Zifeng and the others wore looks of shock.
They could clearly feel the cold gnawing at them. That ultimate chill was crazily consuming their soul power and stamina, shaving at least twenty to thirty percent off their combat strength!
"Luochen, what are you doing? Move!" Dai Yaoheng, starting to falter against Ma Xiaotao, turned and shouted.
"I—I can't resist his Ultimate Ice…" Ling Luochen's beautiful eyes flickered with awe as she forced out the words.
"What?!!"
Everyone froze.
Sa support-control type, sa elent—the contest between Ling Luochen and Su Wen lay in who held greater authority over ice.
It was like fighting for a right of dominion.
Last ti, despite Su Wen's Ultimate Ice, the gap in soul power had given Ling Luochen the advantage.
But this ti…
A full twenty levels!
Dai Yaoheng's mouth twitched hard.
He didn't think Ling Luochen was useless—after years as teammates, he knew how strong she was. For soone twenty levels lower to suppress her so firmly—
How terrifying…
>>
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