Skywater Academy, Battle Arena.
This massive platform, carved from a single piece of extreme-cold northern jade, reflected a magnificent ice-blue light under the sunlight.
At this moment, the area around the Soul Arena was already packed with people. Countless students stood on tiptoe, stretching their necks, their gazes fixed on the agile figure on the stage.
"Zing—!"
A sharp cry rang out, followed by a piercing cold light.
On the stage, a young woman with neat short hair lightly flicked her wrist. The ice-like thorn in her hand drew a beautiful yet terrifying arc, like a living snake.
Wherever the thorn passed, moisture in the air instantly condensed into fine ice crystals, sparkling with cold light under the sunlight. It was breathtakingly beautiful, yet terrifyingly dangerous.
Her opponent, a tall and handsome young man, was currently struggling to survive.
Five soul rings surrounded him—two yellow, two purple, and one black. It was clear he was a Soul King!
Yet before this woman, his proud flame martial soul was completely suppressed. Every time he released flames, they were easily extinguished by the strange ice thorn and corroded by the cold air.
"Defeat him!"
A flash of urgency appeared in the woman's eyes. She suddenly accelerated the speed of the thorn in her hand. Countless ice-blue lightning bolts exploded at once!
"Bang!"
The young man had no time to react. His vision blurred, and the next moment, a tremendous impact struck his chest. He was sent flying backward, slammed hard into the edge of the Soul Arena, rolled several times, and finally came to a stop.
After a moment of silence, the entire stadium erupted in thunderous cheers!
"Teacher Mu is the best!"
"Ice Thorn Fairy! Ice Thorn Fairy!"
"Unbelievable! He was a Soul King, yet he was defeated so easily?"
The woman slowly withdrew the ice thorn from her hand. Her battle spirit dissipated, and the six soul rings surrounding her—two yellow, two purple, two black—also vanished.
She looked down at the young man struggling to stand up below the stage and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Is that all you've got? You dared to provoke me?"
Her words were straightforward, but combined with the overwhelming strength she had just displayed, there was no room for rebuttal.
The young man in the audience smiled bitterly as he stood up, dusted off his clothes, and bowed deeply to Mu Xi on the stage.
"Teacher Mu's skill is superb. I admit defeat gracefully."
He was not yet thirty but had already reached the Soul King realm. Within his family, he was known as a "genius once in a century" and considered himself one of the top figures in the entire Heaven Dou Empire.
Upon hearing that the "Ice Thorn Fairy," one of the two great beauties of the north, was still single, he had come confidently to propose, planning to impress her with his talent and family background.
And the result? He was defeated in fewer than twenty moves!
Fewer than twenty moves! He couldn't even force her to fight with full strength!
The more the man thought about it, the redder his face became with shame. He wanted to disappear into the ground.
"Teacher Mu is still only 37 this year? Yet she's already Level 64 Soul Emperor! This talent is truly terrifying!"
"The dean said Senior Mu has the potential to become a Soul Douluo! Soul Douluo are top figures across the entire continent!"
Mu Xi raised her chin slightly and ignored the surrounding chatter. Indeed, she found dealing with these arrogant suitors troublesome, but it was wiser to warn one or two so they wouldn't mistakenly think they were on equal footing.
"Sister Mu."
The crowd naturally parted. A gentle-looking middle-aged woman slowly walked over. She glanced at the disheveled young man but said nothing, simply looking at Mu Xi.
"The dean wants you to go over there."
"Teacher wants to see me? What's the matter?"
"You'll know when you get there." The middle-aged woman shook her head. "The dean didn't say anything."
Mu Xi nodded thoughtfully, then turned into an ice-blue streak of light and flew at high speed toward the back mountain of the academy.
...
The dean's courtyard was located on the hills behind Skywater Academy.
At that moment, inside the pavilion in the courtyard, Qing Yun smiled as she looked at the old man standing opposite her.
The old man had white hair and a white beard. Wrinkles from wind and rain were etched on his face, and he wore a simple gray robe. He looked no different from an ordinary old man commonly seen in the countryside.
If not for the occasional sparkle in his eyes, no one would have noticed him.
"It has been many years, yet Senior Yuan still looks as impressive as ever," Qing Yun said with a smile, her tone full of emotion.
Yuan Hua waved his hand and smiled self-deprecatingly. "Sister Qing Yun, please don't tease this old man. I'm just a frail body; how could I have any charm?"
Qing Yun smiled lightly but said nothing more.
In her opinion, Yuan Hua's talent surpassed even that of Tang Xing, the sect master of the Clear Sky Sect, and Qian Xunji, the Pope of the Spirit Hall.
He was truly a genius. Especially his talent for creating his own soul skills—it was breathtaking.
It was a pity…
When Yuan Hua was young, he had been too obsessed with creating his own soul skills, overconsuming energy and delaying his cultivation. As a result, he had been stuck at Level 89 for twenty years.
For the past twenty years, he himself had declared that he had no hope of becoming a Title Douluo in this life.
But Qing Yun did not think so.
Only those who truly understood Yuan Hua could know the depth within this person.
Indeed, he was stuck at Level 89, but his true strength had long surpassed that level.
An ordinary Title Douluo might not be able to gain the upper hand before him.
"Senior Yuan, what brings you here?" Qing Yun composed herself and asked seriously.
Yuan Hua chuckled and turned to look at the man in black standing not far away.
"A silver-level genius has emerged from the sect again. This time, I brought him out to find some sparring partners."
Qing Yun's gaze fell on the man in black.
The man appeared to be in his early thirties, tall and sturdy, with a resolute expression and a calm, modest demeanor. Standing motionless there, he was like a quiet mountain, exuding an invisible sense of pressure.
A silver-level genius?!
Qing Yun was surprised.
A silver-level genius meant that as long as this person did not die young, he would almost certainly become a Title Douluo!
"I never imagined that such a genius would emerge from your sect in this generation." Qing Yun said sincerely. "It seems that a new Title Douluo will soon be born in the Body Sect."
She paused, looked at the man in black, and asked gently, "May I know your name?"
The man in black stepped forward, bowed lightly, and showed a simple, honest smile. "Chen Zhen is the fourth generation of this generation in our sect."
Qing Yun nodded inwardly.
If her memory served her correctly, Hong Yue, ranked first in the Body Sect's generation, was still only 45 this year, so the Chen Zhen before her should be even younger.
For a silver-level genius not yet 45, such achievements were truly astonishing even when considering the entire history of the Body Sect.
"41 years old, Level 79." Yuan Hua seemed to see through Qing Yun's guess and added, "Awakened at 6, cultivated for 35 years."
41 years old, Level 79!
A strange light flashed in Qing Yun's eyes. This meant that Chen Zhen had a very high chance of reaching Title Douluo before age 60.
"Truly a dragon among men," Qing Yun exclaimed. Then she looked at Yuan Hua with a half-smile. "Senior Yuan, you brought him here with some ulterior motive, didn't you?"
Yuan Hua did not deny it and laughed heartily. "My nephew happened to need some sparring partners, and by the way… I wanted to broaden his horizons and gain experience. Besides, my sister might know more about those annoying people in the northern territory."
"I see." Qing Yun nodded and was about to say something when suddenly hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard, followed by a clear, decisive voice.
"Master! I'm here!"
Before the words finished, a short-haired woman rushed into the courtyard. It was Mu Xi.
Seeing this, Qing Yun's expression darkened slightly. This girl was already 37 yet still so impulsive and reckless, completely lacking the calmness a woman should have.
"What poor manners!" Qing Yun lightly scolded. "Quickly greet Senior Yuan and Senior Chen."
Mu Xi was startled. Only then did she notice the two unfamiliar figures in the pavilion. She quickly composed herself, stepped forward respectfully, and bowed to Yuan Hua and Chen Zhen.
"Disciple Mu Xi greets Senior Yuan and Senior Chen."
Yuan Hua smiled and waved his hand, using gentle force to help Mu Xi up. "Rise, rise. I have long heard that Qing Yun has two proud students…" "Young one, meeting you today, I can feel your extraordinary talent."
The moment she heard this, a bright smile appeared on Mu Xi's face.
Since childhood, she had respected her teacher Qing Yun and modeled herself after him, dreaming of one day crossing the northern border and becoming as powerful a force as her teacher.
Being praised by seniors made her very happy.
However, Qing Yun bluntly pointed out her flaw.
"Senior Yuan, there is no need to give her face. This girl's talent is ordinary and far inferior to Chen Zhen."
Mu Xi's smile instantly froze.
She looked at her teacher in disbelief, then curiously observed the tall man in black behind Yuan Hua.
Did this big guy really have special abilities?
Mu Xi carefully observed Chen Zhen. The more she looked, the more solemn her expression became.
She realized she could not see through the other party's cultivation level at all.
This could only mean one thing—the other party's strength far surpassed hers!
Mu Xi took a deep breath. The anger she felt at being belittled by her teacher instantly vanished.
"Mu Xi, martial soul: Frost Thorn, 37 years old, Level 64, Power Attack Type: Battle Soul Emperor. Greetings, Senior Chen."
Hearing this, Chen Zhen also suppressed his honest smile and returned the greeting with a solemn expression.
"Chen Zhen, martial soul: Body, 41 years old, Level 79, Power Attack Type, Battle Soul Saint. Greetings, Sister Mu."
Level 79!
Mu Xi's pupils contracted slightly.
41 years old, Level 79—what did that mean?
It meant that the seemingly simple and honest man before her had already reached the threshold for becoming a Soul Douluo and had a very high chance of reaching Title Douluo before age 60.
"Senior Chen's strength is extraordinary. Mu Xi is truly in awe." Mu Xi sighed and bowed again with heartfelt respect.
She had always been arrogant, believing herself outstanding among her peers at 37, but compared to Chen Zhen, she was nothing.
This gap completely shattered the last bit of pride in her heart.
Yet when she raised her face again, a flash of interest appeared in her eyes.
Such a person was rare. Now that she had met him, how could she let him go easily?
As if seeing through her thoughts, Chen Zhen laughed heartily. "Sister Mu, there is no need to belittle yourself. At 37, being a Soul Emperor is already top-tier among your generation."
He was not just praising her. On the Douluo Continent, female powerhouses were extremely rare. For Mu Xi to reach the Soul Emperor realm at this age, she was truly a genius among geniuses.
Even Chen Zhen, who was obsessed with martial arts and immersed in cultivation, couldn't help glancing at Mu Xi several times.
Mu Xi felt Chen Zhen's gaze. After a slight pause, she smiled.
She suddenly realized that this big man, who seemed simple at first glance, was actually not a bad person.
"Ahem." Qing Yun's voice rang out at the perfect moment, breaking the delicate atmosphere between the two.
"Next, you will take Chen Zhen around the academy to show him the situation. Your Uncle Yuan and I have some things to discuss."
"Understood!" Mu Xi answered immediately, then looked at Chen Zhen. "Senior Chen, please come this way."
Chen Zhen bowed lightly to Qing Yun and Yuan Hua, then followed Mu Xi out of the courtyard.
...
Mu Xi led Chen Zhen along the tree-lined paths of Skywater Academy.
"Senior Chen, are you from the Body Sect?" Mu Xi asked as they walked. As Qing Yun's disciple, she could guess Chen Zhen's origin.
"Yes." Chen Zhen nodded. "The sect is in the northern border, quite far from here. The reason I came with Senior Uncle this time is twofold: to polish my skills and to see talented individuals from across the continent."
"How many people has Senior Chen met so far?"
"Not many. Skywater Academy is the first stop."
Hearing this, Mu Xi paused, turned to Chen Zhen, and asked, "First stop? Does that mean there are more stops ahead?"
Chen Zhen smiled but did not answer.
"Um…" Mu Xi looked around, suddenly stopped, and turned to Chen Zhen. "Senior Chen, why don't we test our skills here first?"
Chen Zhen was surprised. "Sister Mu means…"
Mu Xi raised her chin, her eyes full of anticipation. "I want to spar with Senior Chen!"
She paused, then said, "Of course, I know I am far from being your match. Please do not hold back. I just want to know how big the gap is between a genius like you and me."
Chen Zhen saw the fighting spirit in the short-haired woman's eyes and couldn't help smiling.
It had been a long time since he had met such an interesting person.
People like Mu Xi, who knew they were no match yet still wanted to fight, were truly rare.
"Alright." Chen Zhen nodded, his honest and sincere smile appearing. "Then, Sister Mu, please guide me."
Mu Xi's eyes sparkled. Without another word, she turned and ran toward the nearest training ground.
Chen Zhen smiled and followed behind her.
Sunlight filtering through the leaves cast dappled shadows on the ground.
At the end of the path, two figures disappeared one after another.
In the distant dean's courtyard, Yuan Hua looked away, a meaningful smile on his lips.
"Being young is really good."
…