Ling Luochen stared unblinkingly at Zhou Sichen, trying her best not to show any signs of nervousness. She held three porcelain bottles in her hands and looked at him with a serious expression.
Seeing that Ling Luochen had gone silent, Zhou Sichen decided not to tease her any further.
With a smile, Zhou Sichen said, "You're about to break through to Rank 55. These Extreme Ice Marrow extracts should help give you a boost."
Ling Luochen nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face. "If there were more of it, maybe I'd gain even more from it."
"Hmm?" Zhou Sichen blinked in surprise. "What, you're asking for more now?"
Without hesitation, Ling Luochen stored the three porcelain bottles into her soul tool and sat down beside him. "If you're willing to give it, then I'm willing to take it."
Zhou Sichen was briefly silent, then cut straight to the point. "I can give you the Extreme Ice Marrow to aid your cultivation. But… what will you give me in return?"
Ling Luochen's smile didn't fade. "That depends on what you want. As long as it's something I can provide and something you're interested in, I won't refuse."
Zhou Sichen leaned closer to her face. Ling Luochen was caught off guard by his sudden approach, her cheeks instantly flushing bright red.
Still, she forced herself to remain composed. As long as Zhou Sichen didn't say anything outright, she would continue to play dumb.
She felt the warmth of his breath on her skin. It made her a little uncomfortable, but she didn't shy away. In fact, she met his gaze directly.
With a soft chuckle, Zhou Sichen leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Very well. I'm not interested in anything else. Since you offered... then what I want is you."
Ling Luochen's ears turned crimson, her body trembling slightly. She had never been this physically close to a man before.
His words left her mind blank. Was he being that direct?
Or was this just how all playboys acted?
After all, Zhou Sichen was constantly surrounded by beautiful women. Not only did he have close relationships with the stunning girls in their team, but even Senior Sister Han Ruoruo of the Golden Dragon Girls was unusually close to him.
No wonder he was so popular—and no wonder so many beauties were willing to chase after him.
Now it was happening to her, and she could see how difficult it was to resist.
Ling Luochen wanted to refuse—but when the words reached her lips, she somehow couldn't speak them aloud.
After a long pause, she gently pushed Zhou Sichen away. A wisp of cold air formed at her fingertips, cooling her flushed cheeks as she tried to compose herself.
"I dare to offer. Do you dare to take?" she asked, feigning calm.
Zhou Sichen chuckled. "If I didn't dare, why would I be here? Think I have too many treasures already?"
Ling Luochen let out a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind. "As long as you're capable of handling the whole 'close female friends' issue, I don't mind."
With that, she turned and walked out of the living room, leaving Zhou Sichen alone on the sofa.
He watched her retreating figure with a soft smile, then finished his tea in one gulp and left shortly after.
Not long after Zhou Sichen departed, Ling Luochen returned to the living room. Her expression grew serious as she stared at the large jade box on the table, exuding a faint icy aura.
Such a large quantity of Extreme Ice Marrow—she hadn't even heard of it before, let alone seen it. Now it was right in front of her. To say she wasn't tempted would be a lie.
But recalling Zhou Sichen's words… if she accepted this, wouldn't it essentially be a token of commitment?
And once she absorbed it, there'd be no way to return it.
She did like him—there was no denying that. But he wasn't lacking in beautiful admirers. What should she choose?
Zhou Sichen himself was a problem... neither assertive nor dismissive... a classic case of...
—
After leaving Ling Luochen's villa, Zhou Sichen returned to his sister's residence and focused on cultivating through the night.
His soul power had already reached Rank 54—he wasn't far from breaking through to Rank 55. Reaching it before the tournament began shouldn't be an issue.
To be honest, with his sister and Dugu Xianmeng joining the Shrek Team, and Ma Xiaotao having already broken through to the Soul Sage realm, they had almost no real competition for the championship.
So Zhou Sichen wasn't particularly concerned about the tournament itself. What he was more interested in were the events that would unfold during the competition.
This was also a chance for him to get familiar with other exceptional talents—maybe even profit from some of them.
—
The next morning, Zhou Sichen went to the Sea God's Pavilion early. Elder Mu, seeing him arrive, handed over a thumb-sized porcelain bottle without a word.
Elder Mu chuckled, "That should be enough blood for you for a while. Show me what the Mirror Shadow Beast can do."
Zhou Sichen accepted the bottle—it was filled to the brim with Elder Mu's blood.
The Mirror Shadow Beast's ability only required regular blood to activate, so this small amount wouldn't harm Elder Mu.
Zhou Sichen smiled. "With your blood, I can finally study and learn some of your legendary techniques."
With that, he pushed Elder Mu's wheelchair out to the open grounds outside the Sea God's Pavilion, then stepped back about ten meters and summoned his martial soul—the Book of Contracts.
As his martial soul appeared, five soul rings emerged—three black, one red, and one black—clearly marking his Rank 54 level.
Elder Mu nodded with a satisfied smile.
At that moment, several elders—Xuanzi, Elder Zhuang, Elder Song, and Elder Lin—appeared at Elder Mu's side without notice.
Xuanzi saw the porcelain bottle in Zhou Sichen's hand and casually tossed another one to him.
Zhou Sichen caught it and glanced at the elders.
Xuanzi laughed, "Use Elder Mu's ability first. Once you get tired of it, you can try mine."
Hearing this, Elder Mu and the others chuckled. That old guy still acted like a child sometimes.
Zhou Sichen grinned. "Then I'll thank Elder Xuan for the gift."
He put away the bottle from Elder Xuan, and his fifth soul ring lit up. The Book of Contracts flipped to its fifth page, releasing a stream of silver light that entered Zhou Sichen's body.
In the next moment, his form and appearance began to change. His entire body shimmered like a crystal mirror—like a humanoid Mirror Shadow Beast.
Not only did he look stunning, but he also gave off an air of advanced armor and technology.
After merging with the Mirror Shadow Beast, his martial soul and soul rings retracted. He opened Elder Mu's bottle, poured out a single drop of blood, then stored the bottle away.
Wrapping the drop in soul power, Zhou Sichen activated the Mirror Shadow Beast's ability and absorbed it completely.
Instantly, his aura shifted. The crystalline reflection faded from his body. Though his facial features remained unchanged, his hair turned golden, and his pupils turned into golden irises. A gentle but powerful aura of light radiated from him, and behind him appeared the spectral figure of a Holy Light Dragon, roaring into the sky.
As one of the three Extreme Douluo of the continent, Elder Mu's martial soul had evolved to the highest level. Now, having copied it through the Mirror Shadow Beast, Zhou Sichen had effectively inherited a portion of that strength.
He smiled—and even his smile now carried Elder Mu's elegant and composed demeanor.
Zhou Sichen slowly raised his hand, and the Holy Light Dragon behind him suddenly merged with his body.
With the spirit possession complete, five soul rings appeared—two yellow, one purple, and two black. A dense aura of light flooded outward.
Seeing this, Xuanzi and the other elders narrowed their eyes. Wasn't this exactly what Elder Mu had looked like in his youth?
In fact, Zhou Sichen's presence now seemed even more forceful and charismatic—possibly even more so than Elder Mu in his prime.
A smile tugged at Elder Mu's lips. It was like looking into a mirror of his younger, high-spirited self.
When he was thirteen, he certainly hadn't reached the five-ring level himself. This kid… he had truly surpassed "him" and reached a whole new height.
Yet Elder Mu was also once one of the most talented Soul Masters of his generation. When he competed in the Soul Master Tournament back then, he had already reached Rank 69 by the age of eighteen, and his fourth soul ring had been of the ten-thousand-year level.
Even the ancestors of the original Shrek Seven Devils from ten thousand years ago didn't reach such heights at that age.
Now, the current generation, including Zhou Sicheng, had gone even further—truly, the student surpasses the master.
While Elder Mu, Elder Xuan, and the others were filled with relief and admiration, Zhou Sicheng had already closed his eyes, quietly sensing the immense power of Elder Mu's Holy Light Dragon martial soul.
Holy light energy surged through his body, and Zhou Sicheng felt as though his entire being had been cleansed. It was incomparably refreshing and invigorating.
When he opened his eyes, a flash of golden light shot forth—as though a holy dragon had opened its eyes, exuding an aura that could suppress the entire world!
Zhou Sicheng clenched his fist slightly. With his extraordinary physique and the most elite strength-type beast martial soul in the world today, even without any external support, he felt that with five rings, he could easily take on a seven-ringed Soul Sage!
After all, the quality of his soul power was already on par with that of a typical Soul Sage. The only thing separating him from such experts was the amplification granted by a Martial Soul True Body.
In a flash, Elder Xuan appeared beside Zhou Sicheng. He examined him thoroughly—left, right, even pinching the young man's hardened muscles out of curiosity.
Moments later, Elder Xuan turned to Elder Mu and said, "Old Mu, this brat's scarier than you were back in the day."
Elder Song and the others couldn't even be bothered to mock Elder Xuan anymore—they simply watched with silent amusement.
Elder Mu chuckled. "The student surpasses the master indeed. At Sicheng's age, I fear there's no one on the continent who can match him. Not even I could compare back then."
"Now that he's inherited this power, perhaps he'll elevate the Holy Light Dragon's reputation even further!"
It was rare to hear Elder Mu joke like this, and everyone present nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, Elder Xuan let out a mischievous laugh. "Sicheng probably hasn't fully adapted to your martial soul's power and soul skills yet, right? Why don't I spar with him a bit to help him get used to it?"
Zhou Sicheng looked at Elder Xuan with a deadpan expression. "Elder Xuan, I'm embarrassed for you. Are you trying to help me train, or are you just trying to make up for the fact that you never managed to beat our teacher?"
Elder Xuan's face remained shamelessly calm. "What are you saying, child? I've been by Elder Mu's side the longest. No one knows his soul skills better than I do. Sparring with you is a favor."
Zhou Sicheng replied flatly, "If that's the case, wouldn't it make more sense for me to spar with the teacher himself?"
Elder Xuan already had his retort ready. "And wear out poor Elder Mu in his old age? Have you no heart, child?"
Zhou Sicheng didn't even bother to argue. "Fine. I'll grant you this wish—but I'm not doing this for free. Nutritional fees, medical fees, appearance fees..."
Elder Xuan waved his hand dramatically. "Don't worry, don't worry. I'll make sure you're well compensated."
Elder Mu couldn't help but laugh from the side. Elder Xuan was still the same as ever.
Fortunately, Shrek now had a promising new generation, so Elder Mu no longer had to sigh all day and lament that iron couldn't become steel.
As long as Zhou Sicheng grew up safely and steadily, everything else could remain as it was.
Elder Xuan could continue being his mischievous old self—it didn't matter, as long as he remained a steadfast guardian.
Suddenly, Elder Mu said, "Alright then, I'll act as referee. Elder Xuan, suppress your power to the five-ring level. Whoever loses has to serve as a sparring partner at the Soul Dueling Hall for a week. The Inner Court students can train however they like with you—no throwing tantrums."
Hearing this, Elder Song and the others, though all advanced in age, couldn't help but stifle their laughter.
Zhou Sicheng looked smugly at Elder Xuan. See? That's my teacher. You try to bully me, and someone will back me up!
Elder Xuan's smile froze, his face turning sour.
If it were anyone else, even with just three rings, he could easily overpower a five-ringed Soul King. His physical strength alone was enough.
But Zhou Sicheng was different. This little freak had an absurdly powerful body and now had the Holy Light Dragon martial soul to boot. Five rings versus five rings—his odds weren't great.
After all, all five of Zhou Sicheng's soul rings were ten-thousand-year at minimum—far beyond what most could compete with.
As for Elder Xuan, he only had one hundred-thousand-year soul ring and four ten-thousand-year ones...
But he couldn't back down now—not after all that talk. Wouldn't that be a loss of face?
Besides, if they really fought, it wasn't certain he would lose. He was still a Rank 98 Super Douluo, after all—his soul power foundation was far deeper than Zhou Sicheng's.
With determination, Elder Xuan shouted, "I accept! I don't believe a little brat can really best me!"
Zhou Sicheng didn't joke this time. "Elder Xuan, think carefully. When teacher was teaching Sister Guyi the Dragon Emperor's Radiant Rend, I was the one who sparred with her every single day!"
Hearing Elder Mu's famed self-created technique, Elder Xuan paused briefly, then waved it off with bravado. "I don't believe you've just received Elder Mu's martial soul and already mastered that move!"
The Dragon Emperor's Radiant Rend wasn't even a soul skill—it was a powerful technique Elder Mu had created by fusing the strengths of his martial soul and soul skills!
Zhou Sicheng smiled slightly. "Why don't you find out?"
Elder Xuan felt a slight pang of doubt. Could this kid actually have learned it?
Given Zhou Sicheng's terrifying talent, it was entirely possible.
Not to mention, he was now using Elder Mu's martial soul—he had a built-in buff!
Zhou Sicheng didn't waste words. His soul rings began to pulse, and he fixed Elder Xuan with a gaze that had become incomparably sharp. A terrifying pressure descended in an instant—it was as if an emperor had descended upon the world, looking down on all beneath him with supreme arrogance!
This was the activation of Zhou Sicheng's Dominion Over Heaven domain.
Although he had copied Elder Mu's martial soul, his own abilities had not changed—his Dominion Over Heaven domain was not a soul skill, after all.
Feeling this dense pressure and the top-tier draconic might of the Holy Light Dragon, Elder Xuan—who had suppressed his power to the five-ring level—now wore a grim expression.
So this was how it felt for the younger generation to face this monstrous youth.
If he weren't a Rank 98 powerhouse, he probably would've felt overwhelmed before the fight even began.
His own martial soul was also top-tier—the Taotie Divine Ox—but compared to the Holy Light Dragon, it was clearly a tier below. Adding Zhou Sicheng's domineering domain on top of that, Elder Xuan felt immense pressure.
Still, Elder Xuan remained calm. While his power was suppressed to five rings, no one said he couldn't use soul bones. He wasn't exactly the honest type. Using soul bones to beat up a junior was better than losing outright, right?
Elder Xuan's body expanded, his Taotie Divine Ox martial soul manifesting. A pair of massive horns appeared atop his head, and he radiated power and dominance.
Only five soul rings rose around him, and his soul power remained suppressed at Rank 54.
For a Rank 98 Super Douluo, such precise control over his power was child's play.
Elder Mu smiled and announced, "Begin."
****
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