The training grounds of Shrek Academy were quiet under the silver moonlight, save for the rhythmic thud of a body hitting the earth and the heavy breathing of three exhausted youths.
Lin Feng sat cross-legged in the center of the arena, his eyes closed. To his teammates, he appeared to be in a deep state of meditation. In reality, his mind was submerged in a interface that no other soul in the Douluo Continent could perceive.
[System Interface: Martial Soul Evolution Path (HIDDEN)]
Target: 1st Spirit Ring (Current: 1,100-Year Purple)
Evolution Goal: 10,000-Year Black (Soul King Tier Foundation)
Status: 15% Progress.
Point Requirement: 30,000 System Points.
Warning: Visual Cloaking Active. To outside observers, your rings will always appear as standard tiers unless manually revealed.
"Thirty thousand points," Lin Feng thought, the digital numbers flickering behind his eyelids. "The price of breaking the laws of this world is high. But once this ring turns black, my 'Golden Spirit Body' will reach the level of a true Diamond Overlord."
Character Development: The Shadow Mentor
"Again!"
Wang Dong shouted, his blue-gold wings fluttering as he struggled to stand. He was wearing the Gravity-Anchor Bracers. To Wang Dong, these were simply high-level Soul Tools Lin Feng had "found" or "bought" from a traveling merchant. He had no idea they were constructs of a universal exchange system.
Beside him, Huo Yuhao was trembling, his forehead drenched in sweat. He was holding a meditative pose while Lin Feng's Absolute Gravity pressed down on him. Yuhao believed this was a rare soul skill of Lin Feng's "Bronze" body—he had no inkling it was the latent authority of the Clear Sky Hammer.
"Why are we doing this, Feng?" Yuhao gasped. "You're pushing us beyond any training manual I've ever read."
Lin Feng opened his eyes. The gold in his pupils was cold, calculated. "Because manual-taught geniuses die in the first month of real combat. Wang Dong, you rely on your beauty and speed. Yuhao, you rely on your eyes. I am teaching you to rely on your weight. If you cannot stand under my pressure, you will never stand under the pressure of a Title Douluo."
Wang Dong bit his lip. He looked at Lin Feng—a boy the same age as him, yet possessed of a mysterious depth that felt like an abyss. "You always have these 'treasures,' Lin Feng. These bracers, the marrow you gave Yuhao... where do they come from?"
"I have my own path, Wang Dong," Lin Feng replied, his voice flat. "Just as you have the secret of your wings, and Yuhao has the secret of his sudden spiritual growth. We don't need to explain the 'how.' We only need to prove the 'result'."
The two boys silenced themselves. In the world of Soul Masters, everyone had secrets. They accepted Lin Feng's mystery because his results were undeniable.
The Investment: Secret Exchanges
Lin Feng walked over to them. He didn't tell them he was spending "System Points." To them, he was simply a wealthy, well-connected prodigy.
"Yuhao, drink this." He handed him a vial of Deep-Sea Soul Marrow. "I traded a rare ore for this. It will stabilize your foundation. Don't ask questions, just cultivate."
He then turned to Wang Dong, adjusting the weight on the bracers. "I'm increasing the load to 750kg. If you can move through the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step while wearing these, no one in the Freshman Tournament will even see your shadow."
[System Notification: Hidden Manipulation Successful.]
Current Points: 4,500.
Bond Level: 'Trio of the Golden Hammer' – Level 2.
Note: Teammates perceive your growth as 'natural genius.' Suspicion levels: Low.
The Final Push: The Star Tournament Announcement
As the sun began to peek over the Shrek Academy walls, Zhou Yi appeared at the edge of the field. She watched the three—clothed in the dust of the arena but radiating a terrifying pressure—with a narrow-eyed scrutiny.
"The Shrek Star Tournament starts in three days," she rasped. Her eyes lingered on Lin Feng. She felt something 'off' about him—a weight that didn't match his Rank 16 cultivation—but she couldn't put her finger on it. "The winners get a choice of a Spirit Bone. Though, Lin Feng, you seem to have enough treasures already."
Lin Feng stood up, his golden skin retreating. "A Spirit Bone from Shrek is a trophy of honor, Teacher. We intend to take it."
[New Secret Quest: The Unseen Eclipse.]
Objective: Win the Shrek Freshman Tournament.
Constraint: Do not reveal your 2nd Martial Soul or the true age of your 1st Ring.
Reward: 20,000 System Points.
Hidden Bonus: Unlock 'First Ring Evolution' upon victory.
Lin Feng clenched his fist. If he won this, he would have the 25,000+ points needed. He would evolve his ring in total darkness, in the middle of the night, and the next day he would walk into Shrek with the power of a Soul King hidden under the guise of a student.
"Teacher Zhou," Lin Feng said, his voice calm. "We're ready."
[Current Status:]
Lin Feng: Rank 16 (Actual combat power: Rank 45).
Huo Yuhao: Rank 15.
Wang Dong: Rank 26.
Points: 4,500 / 30,000 (To Black Ring).