"The old man truly never imagined that such a monstrous genius would emerge in our soul master world!"
"Little friend, I was rash just now—please forgive the offense."
"The Young Master calls you Brother Chen. If you don't mind, this old man would like to address you the same."
Titan, having just seen Yu Chen withdraw his triple martial spirits, also retracted his own Strong Gorilla spirit. Despite his towering frame and silver-white hair, the patriarch of the Strength Clan now smiled in a friendly manner at a junior—a sight that felt almost surreal to those watching.
"..."
Everyone around was visibly stunned by Titan's words. A heavy silence followed before whispers of disbelief echoed through the courtyard.
Especially Tyrone—his face froze in astonishment!
As the head of the Power Clan, Titan had always been blunt and overbearing. When had he ever spoken this humbly, let alone to a youth?
"Ahem."
"Senior need not act this way. I am called Yu Chen."
Even Yu Chen had to clear his throat, replying politely but cautiously.
He wasn't quite ready for someone old enough to be his grandfather to address him as a brother. If word of this spread, Titan might be fine, but Yu Chen would likely become the talk of the entire continent!
"Haha! Very well, then I shall refer to you as little friend Yu Chen from now on. Should you ever require aid, do not hesitate to call upon me."
"As for the Young Master—I still wish to ask about the Master's whereabouts."
Titan, perhaps realizing the awkwardness of the situation, shifted the conversation back to Tang San and turned toward him with a solemn tone.
Tang San nodded silently, then stepped aside to speak with Titan privately, their conversation drifting toward the Clear Sky Clan.
Through Titan's detailed account, Tang San gradually learned more about his father Tang Hao and the history of the Clear Sky Sect, slowly coming to terms with his identity as the son of the Clear Sky Douluo.
However, Tang Hao's current location remained a mystery.
"I will search for the Master's whereabouts, no matter what."
"Now that the Young Master's identity is confirmed, I shall return immediately to contact the other three subsidiary clans—Defense Clan, Speed Clan, and Royal Clan!"
"From today forward, Titan, you are tasked with safeguarding little friend Yu Chen and the Young Master."
Having fulfilled his goal of verifying Tang San's identity, Titan left Shrek Academy swiftly, with a final instruction to his grandson.
"Yes, Grandfather!"
Tyrone bowed deeply, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Protecting Yu Chen and Tang San? That was no small task—but it was an honor beyond measure!
"Senior, travel safely."
Flender and Yu Xiaogang stood at the academy gates, respectfully watching the Titan depart.
Despite his impulsive nature, Titan was still a Spirit Douluo—an eight-ringed expert—and deserved proper deference.
"Tang San, you're really the son of Haotian Douluo!"
"Back then you barely spoke a word. Who would've guessed?"
After the Titan's departure, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun approached Tang San, still in disbelief.
Of course, since Tang San himself had only recently learned of his background, his teammates were even more surprised.
"Let's get back to cultivation."
Clearly uninterested in discussing the matter further, Tang San responded calmly and shifted focus.
"Understood."
Yu Chen, empathetic toward Tang San's emotions, simply nodded and summoned the [Mimicry Space] with a wave, blanketing the entire training ground in its unique energy field.
"Brother Chen, what is this?"
"It feels even more potent than the secret training lands of the major clans!"
"I once trained in a sacred land of a minor sect, which boosted my progress by 10%—but this space is exponentially stronger!"
The students from Lanba Academy, unfamiliar with the effects of [Mimicry Space], were in awe. They marveled at the energy surge they felt within the space and continuously sang Yu Chen's praises.
While their admiration rang out, Yu Chen's group began their training sessions.
Despite his reluctance, Ma Hongjun was the first to spar with Yu Chen under the arrangement of Yu Xiaogang.
Though gifted with formidable spirit power and a rare evil fire phoenix martial spirit, Ma Hongjun was still overpowered by Yu Chen's strength. Even though Yu Chen held back significantly, Ma Hongjun was quickly overwhelmed.
Boom!
Yu Chen's pale golden dragon aura flared, materializing into a dragon-shaped shockwave that hurled Ma Hongjun backward, landing him hard on the ground.
"Ack—Brother Chen! That's enough!"
"One more hit and I'll look like a roast pig!"
Clutching his backside and deactivating his spirit, Ma Hongjun surrendered with a wry smile.
Despite his defeat, he—like the others—knew that learning from Yu Chen offered the best chance to identify their weaknesses and grow stronger.
"You rascal."
"Next."
Yu Chen chuckled, then glanced toward the others—Dai Mubai, Tang San, Oscar, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong.
One by one, they sparred with Yu Chen.
Though each of them had their strengths and unique spirit abilities, none could match Yu Chen's overwhelming triple-spirit combination and his high-tier soul rings. He emerged victorious in each bout.
Eventually, all seven of them joined forces against Yu Chen in a group battle.
Even then—Yu Chen stood unshaken, defeating them all.
"Brother Chen! Brother Chen!"
Excitement erupted among the combined students of Shrek and Lanba Academy.
Their respect for Yu Chen had reached unprecedented heights.
"Brother Chen is too powerful. If we don't train harder, we'll just be holding him back."
With clenched fists and determined expressions, Dai Mubai and the others dove back into training with renewed vigor.
Yu Chen, hearing their voices, smiled faintly and resumed circulating his soul power, beginning his own cultivation once more.
——
Within the [Mimicry Space], every student was immersed in diligent cultivation.
Whether sparring, meditating, or preparing for real combat in the Soto City battle arena, all students were striving to improve.
Everyone's strength grew rapidly.
And just like that, seven days passed.
Today marked the day when the "Old Poison" Dugu Bo was set to arrive at Shrek Academy—bringing Dugu Yan with him!
During these seven days, both Yu Chen and his companions—Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the rest—had each achieved significant growth in strength.
The Duel doesn't end here… it only gets more intense.
30+ chapters ahead are already waiting.
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