"Oh? You already have a teacher?"
Elder Cai's face flickered with regret, then softened into a smile.
Her cane tapped the floor, voice raspy yet curious: "May I ask who?"
Gu Yue remained serene, tone cool: "My teacher is Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, Leng Yaozhu."
"Leng Yaozhu?!"
Elder Cai's pupils shrank, shock lacing her voice. "So it's her…"
Regret deepened in her eyes.
That name carried continental weight:
- Deputy Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda
- Vice-Chair of the Spirit Pagoda Council
- Black-Rank Mecha Pilot
- One of the few living Four-Word Battle Armor Masters
- Dubbed "Spirit Pagoda's Greatest Beauty."
She knew—this student was beyond her reach.
After a pause, Elder Cail pressed: "Then… you've joined the Spirit Pagoda?"
"Yes," Gu Yue replied—calm as still water.
Elder Cai sighed deeply, disappointment raw in her voice: "What a waste… truly a waste…"
She waved her hand, dismissing the trial. "Next candidate."
But Gu Yue didn't retreat. She stood firm, black eyes locking onto Elder Cai: "My score?"
Elder Cai blinked, then smiled wryly: "Ten. Full marks."
Despite her sorrow, her gaze burned with respect: "You've earned it."
Gu Yue nodded, turning away—raven hair swaying like midnight silk.
---
Finally—Fang Yang stepped forward.
"Honored examiners," he bowed slightly, voice steady, confident, yet humble.
"Begin," Elder Cai said, anticipation gleaming in her eyes.
She wondered what this composed youth would unveil.
WHOOSH!
Six ten-thousand-year soul rings blazed beneath his feet:
Black, Black, Black, Black-White-Gold, Azure-Gold, Black!
Each ring pulsed with apocalyptic pressure, but the Black-White-Gold and Azure-Gold rings radiated cataclysmic power—as if holding creation and ruin in their glow.
"SIX RINGS—AND THIS CONFIGURATION?!"
Elder Cai jolted upright, cane clattering to the floor.
Her wrinkled face twisted in disbelief: "Impossible…"
The male examiners gaped.
Shen Yi stared, lips parted—stunned silent.
In the soul master world, ring colors were sacred law:
- White: 10 years
- Yellow: 100
- Purple: 1,000
- Black: 10,000
- Red: 100,000.
Special-colored rings? Legends of power.
Shrek's history held a few—but never like THIS.
Silence choked the hall.
All froze, awestruck by the unprecedented spectacle.
Fang Yang stood calm at the center, six rings orbiting him—pressure thick enough to crush mountains.
After an eternity, Elder Cai found her voice—hoarse, trembling:
"Your ring configuration… impressive."
Her cane floated back to her hand, but her voice shook: "Now—demonstrate your ability."
Fang Yang smiled faintly, right palm rising—a black flame bloomed in his grasp.
This fire swirled with arcane runes, halos of primordial chaos flickering.
It burned silently—yet threatened to devour souls.
"This… can't be!" Elder Cai gasped, terror flashing in her ancient eyes.
As Silver Moon Douluo—a Sea God Pavilion elder—she'd not felt such deathly dread in a century!
Fang Yang's arm lifted—the black flame exploded into a sky-obscuring palm.
"No!"
Elder Cai activated her martial soul, nine rings blazing—four purple, four black, one crimson-red—a luminous moon halo shielding her.
But—
Fang Yang clenched his fist.
The crushing pressure vanished.
The palm shrank back to a docile flame, dancing gently in his palm.
"Apologies for the alarm," Fang Yang smiled politely. "Merely a demonstration—it wouldn't have struck."
Elder Cai exhaled shakily, martial soul fading.
Sweat beaded on her brow, cane trembling in her grip.
As a Title Douluo, she hadn't felt such mortal peril in decades.
"You…" Her voice cracked. "What is this flame?"
"A mere ordinary fire—unworthy of your notice, Your Grace," Fang Yang replied humbly.
Silence.
An "ordinary" flame that terrified a Title Douluo—called "unworthy"?
"Then… my score?" Fang Yang asked, flame vanishing.
Elder Cai studied him—then declared:
"Fang Yang—PASS! FULL MARKS!"
"Fang Yang—you're the brother Na'er chatters about daily, aren't you?"
A gentle voice cut through the tension.
All turned—a young man strolled in, late twenties, face kind, draped in simple white robes, aura so unassuming he seemed utterly ordinary.
Yet—
Elder Cai, Shen Yi, and the examiners bowed deeply:
"We pay our respects, Pavilion Master!"
This "ordinary" man was Yun Ming—Pillar of Shrek Academy, Strongest Soul Master on Douluo Continent, Master of the Sea God Pavilion—Atlas Douluo himself.
Yun Ming smiled warmly, gaze settling on Fang Yang.
His eyes—deep as oceans, seeing through all illusions.
Fang Yang felt invisible pressure, but met the continent's apex with unwavering calm.
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