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After Bai Xu's explanation, Leng Jiuming quickly grasped the significance of the half-cultivation manual. The two immediately left the Spirit Pagoda and returned home to study it, though it was mostly Leng Jiuming poring over the text while Bai Xu clarified the details.
Strangely, however, Leng Jiuming was unable to unlock the secrets of the human body.
He couldn't perceive the essence of the five viscera, nor could he sense his own "spirit." Despite his spiritual power being a level higher than Bai Xu's, it was as if his eyes were veiled—unable to see the alternate path before him.
Days passed in a flash, with no progress made.
Leng Jiuming sighed in resignation. "Forget it. If fate denies me this fortune, there's no point forcing it. But remember—unless absolutely necessary, never reveal this. If you must, claim you have a second elemental martial soul. I'll vouch for you."
"Understood."
Satisfied, Leng Jiuming nodded and continued, "Enough about that. Do you remember that Heavenly Phoenix Douluo?"
"I do."
"The girl beside her that day was named Gu Yue. She was taken as a personal disciple by Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, with the Elementalist martial soul and high-level Spirit Connection Realm. For some reason, she didn't return to the Spirit Pagoda headquarters with her master but stayed at East Sea Academy instead."
Bai Xu was surprised, his expression turning odd. "Master, are you suggesting…?"
"Exactly. I want you to challenge her. There's no reason she should be considered superior to you. In my eyes, you're far more talented than Gu Yue. And there's another pleasant surprise—during my investigation, I learned that East Sea Academy also has a teacher from Shrek Academy. I think it's worth paying them a visit."
Bai Xu chuckled. "Master, if I defeat Gu Yue, word might reach Heavenly Phoenix Douluo. Wouldn't that displease her? If she comes after you, wouldn't the gains outweigh the losses?"
Leng Jiuming waved it off. "It doesn't matter. At worst, I'll lose my job. When I left Shrek Academy without entering the inner sect, I'd already planned to make money at the Spirit Pagoda. Now that I've accumulated some wealth, whether she fires me or not is irrelevant." His eyes burned with anticipation as he looked forward to Bai Xu's battle of geniuses.
He explained further, "This is for your benefit. Those from Shrek Academy all have their own stubborn pride—they rarely take students lightly. I've heard that fellow alumnus has also taken on students, and their talents must be exceptional. A good fight will only help you grow."
"Very well."
"Good. I've already contacted that alumnus. In a few days, we'll visit East Sea Academy. Prepare yourself. Here—a thousand-year Golden Spirit Grass I bought for you at an auction." With that, Leng Jiuming handed Bai Xu a treasure box.
It was perfect timing—Bai Xu needed it to achieve full mastery of the Metal Phase.
Bowing deeply, Bai Xu said, "Thank you, Master."
"I'll continue researching the secrets of the human body. I'll return for you in three days."
As Bai Xu examined the Golden Spirit Grass, he couldn't help but feel amused. After their discussions on human body development, Leng Jiuming had learned the true purpose behind Bai Xu's need for spirit herbs and fruits. Without hesitation, he had spent his own wealth to procure them.
Since the Douluo Continent lacked knowledge about the body's secret techniques, Leng Jiuming would sometimes listen attentively to Bai Xu's explanations of the Five Phases theory, displaying remarkable humility.
However, he had his flaws. He firmly believed that true strength lay not in teamwork but in individual power. Whenever the topic arose, he would immediately argue, sometimes leading to heated disagreements.
It was precisely because of this belief that Bai Xu still had no companions—most of his interactions with other talented individuals were limited to challenges.
Or perhaps, in Leng Jiuming's eyes, no one was worthy of standing beside Bai Xu.
---
Three Days Later.
Leng Jiuming knocked on Bai Xu's dormitory door right on schedule, his excitement palpable. "Let's go. Today's the day we challenge East Sea Academy. Do your best!"
Bai Xu grinned. "How confident are you in me?"
"One hundred percent."
"Then let's go."
Taking a specialized soul-powered car from the East Sea Spirit Pagoda, the two arrived at the gates of East Sea Academy in just over ten minutes.
A red banner greeted them:
[Welcome Spirit Academy to East Sea Academy for Exchange]
Leng Jiuming frowned at the spectacle. "This seems a bit excessive. Why has East Sea Academy turned this into a formal event? I explicitly agreed with Wu Zhangkong that this would be a private spar."
"It doesn't matter." Bai Xu followed the welcoming procession, where students even waved flags to guide them.
Turning a corner, they spotted the academy's dean and a frosty figure waiting in front of the teaching building.
Long Hengxu hurried forward, bowing. "Welcome, esteemed Spirit Envoy! Allow me to first show you around our exhibition hall—"
"Unnecessary. Proceed directly to the matches." A cold voice cut in, making Long Hengxu stiffen before glancing at Wu Zhangkong for help.
Wu Zhangkong studied Bai Xu briefly before stepping forward. "Let's head to the combat arena. My students are already there."
"Sure."
On the way, Leng Jiuming—a Shrek Academy alumnus—tried recalling where he'd seen the icy figure before. "Have we met at Shrek?"
"We haven't." Wu Zhangkong shut down the conversation, and the four walked in silence to the arena.
"Teacher Wu!" Tang Wulin's face lit up at the sight of Wu Zhangkong before his gaze shifted to Leng Jiuming and finally settled on Bai Xu.
This composed boy of the same age must be their challenger.
Wu Zhangkong announced, "This is Bai Xu, your sole opponent today. This is an exchange match between Spirit Academy and East Sea Academy. Remember—friendship first, competition second. No excessive force."
Leng Jiuming added with a smile, "Indeed, a friendly exchange. But give it your all. With Teacher Wu and me here, you'll be safe."
Below, Bai Xu and Gu Yue locked eyes. Neither showed surprise—as if they'd anticipated this duel long ago.
"Enough talk. Begin." Leng Jiuming, impatient with formalities, declared the start.
Long Hengxu hesitated. "Esteemed Spirit Envoy, we haven't finalized the match format—"
Leng Jiuming's aura dominated the arena. "It doesn't matter. Team battle or one-on-one, we only have Bai Xu. Do as you please."
Bai Xu's lips twitched in exasperation. His master's confidence in him was… excessive.
Wu Zhangkong interjected, "Then let's do one-on-one. Losers step down. We won't take advantage of numbers. Xie Xie!"
"Here!"
"You're first!"
And so, Xie Xie became the first to face Bai Xu.
---
Combat Arena.
The two exchanged salutes, and the battle began.
Bai Xu stood firm, adopting a defensive stance.
Xie Xie summoned his Light Dragon Dagger, two yellow soul rings shimmering. "Be careful!"
With a whoosh, he vanished, leaving only afterimages in his wake.
Yet Bai Xu bent his knees slightly before exploding forward—faster than Xie Xie. The match was decided in an instant.
Bai Xu's palm stopped just above Xie Xie's forehead, while the Light Dragon Dagger pressed against Bai Xu's abdomen—held immobile by Bai Xu's left hand.
"What?!" Tang Wulin gasped. A speed-specialized Agility Attack System soul master had been outsped—and Bai Xu hadn't even revealed his martial soul!
Wu Zhangkong's eyes flickered with astonishment.
How could someone's physical body reach such heights without a martial soul? This defies all logic.
"Xie Xie, you've lost. Step down."
Xie Xie protested, "What? He just touched my forehead! I could've taken it!"
Without a word, Bai Xu swung his palm down—embedding it into the arena floor with a thud. The message was clear: had that strike landed, Xie Xie might not have survived.
Silenced, Xie Xie stepped off.
Next was Zhang Yangzi, the only flying soul master in Class Zero, with the Dark Phantom Eagle martial soul.
He immediately took to the skies. "First Soul Skill—Darkness Shroud!"
Dark energy flooded the arena, obscuring Bai Xu's vision.
"Second Soul Skill—Eagle Soars the Sky!"
Soul power condensed into razor-sharp talons as Zhang Yangzi circled behind Bai Xu in the darkness, striking at his shoulders.
Ambush under cover of darkness was a sound strategy—but Bai Xu's senses were far keener.
The instant the talons neared, Bai Xu whirled around, seizing them with both hands. Withstanding the impact of Zhang Yangzi's dive, Bai Xu swung him like a ragdoll, slamming him repeatedly into the ground until he collapsed, defeated.
Two matches in, Bai Xu had demonstrated overwhelming speed and strength—surpassing even specialized soul masters. But most terrifying was his combat intuition, countering flawlessly at every opening.
"Wang Jinxi." Wu Zhangkong's expression remained unreadable.
A lean, gloomy-faced boy stepped forward. His Bone Dragon martial soul made him appear even frailer.
The two clashed—dragon claws against fists, a contest of raw power.
But Wang Jinxi's retreating steps betrayed the outcome.
"Second Soul Skill—Bone Spirit Shift!"
Suddenly, the dragon claws turned incorporeal. Bai Xu's fists passed straight through, throwing him off-balance.
The moment they crossed, Wang Jinxi solidified again, twisting with a roar. "First Soul Skill—Bone Dragon Claw!"
Dark energy coated his claws as he struck at Bai Xu's back. At the last second, Bai Xu arched backward, kicking Wang Jinxi away to narrowly evade.
"Again!" Bai Xu surged forward, a blur of speed and power. Even the Bone Dragon's defenses couldn't withstand the relentless assault.
Fists like a storm of shadows pummeled Wang Jinxi until his martial soul dissipated in defeat.
Another victory for Bai Xu.
"Incredible speed and strength. To rival martial souls with just his physical body…?" Tang Wulin analyzed, tense.
"Tang Wulin. Your turn." Wu Zhangkong's voice was low, carrying a hint of displeasure as he glanced at the defeated trio, who shuddered.
They knew—after this, their teacher's "training" would be brutal.
Before stepping up, Xie Xie warned, "Be careful. He's strong—faster and stronger than us, and he hasn't even used his martial soul yet."
Tang Wulin smiled, bumping fists with him. "Leave it to me!"
On the arena, Bai Xu studied Tang Wulin—his first meeting with Tang San's son, the future Dragon Emperor Douluo. For the first time, the word "adorable" crossed his mind to describe a boy.
Tang Wulin introduced himself, "I'm Tang Wulin, 17th-rank Control System Battle Soul Master, martial soul: Blue Silver Grass."
Bai Xu blinked, then smirked. Trying to fish for my info, huh? It was some unspoken tradition in Douluo—announcing one's rank and martial soul before a fight. If one side did it, the other was expected to reciprocate.
With a light laugh, Bai Xu replied, "I'm Bai Xu, 29th-rank Control System Battle Soul Master, martial soul: Heavenly Eye."
Twenty-ninth rank?!
Tang Wulin's heart lurched. He wasn't even using half his strength earlier!
"Begin!"
At Wu Zhangkong's command, Bai Xu resumed his stance, expecting Tang Wulin to attack. Instead, the boy stood still—Blue Silver Grass in his left hand, a gleaming tungsten steel hammer in his right, eyes closed.
He's trying to sense me like metal during forging! Bai Xu nearly laughed.
Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Claw remained hidden—clearly an ambush tactic.
But Bai Xu was no pushover either.
When Tang Wulin didn't move, Bai Xu blurred forward, his afterimages flickering.
Yet in Tang Wulin's mind, Bai Xu's movements were as clear as pieces on a chessboard—his perception sharp as a hawk's.
"There! First Soul Skill—Entangle!"
Blue Silver Grass wove into a net, golden veins glowing as it shot toward Bai Xu's left flank—wrapping around his ankle.
The hammer followed in a crushing arc.
Ordinary Blue Silver Grass couldn't have restrained Bai Xu, but infused with the Golden Dragon King's bloodline, its toughness was extraordinary. Bai Xu barely tore free, dodging at the last second.
BOOM!
The hammer left a crater in the stage.
Leng Jiuming shot to his feet. How does a Blue Silver Grass user have such strength? That recoil should've shattered a 17th-rank's arm!
On the stage, Bai Xu frowned. Without revealing the Five Phases, beating Tang Wulin will be troublesome. A spiritual attack is out of the question—if Tang San's consciousness awakens, I'll be the one knocked out.
Guess I'll treat the Metal Phase as my second martial soul from now on.
Charging again, Bai Xu let the Blue Silver Grass near—only for it to disintegrate within ten centimeters of him, shredded by golden light.
A golden sword materialized in his hand, slashing toward Tang Wulin.
Instinctively, Tang Wulin raised his hammer—but the blade sheared through it like butter. At the last moment, his right hand transformed into a dragon claw, blocking the strike.
"You've been hiding a second martial soul?!" Tang Wulin exclaimed.
Bai Xu feigned equal surprise. "Likewise. Weren't you keeping that dragon claw a secret too?"
Clang!
Both pushed off, creating distance.
That sword's sharpness is terrifying—even the Golden Dragon Claw feels threatened. But why reveal a second martial soul instead of using the Heavenly Eye?
Tang Wulin's expression darkened. With Blue Silver Grass neutralized, Bai Xu's speed was unchecked. Though the dragon claw could block the sword, the rest of his body was vulnerable—and his soul power wouldn't last in a drawn-out fight.
After several exchanges, Bai Xu's blade halted at Tang Wulin's waist—match over.
"Impressive. This kid's strong—first time I've seen Bai Xu forced to use a second martial soul," Leng Jiuming remarked approvingly.
Wu Zhangkong remained impassive. Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon bloodline held limitless potential, but he wasn't yet ready to rival true geniuses. Against Bai Xu, only Gu Yue stood a chance.