Ling Luocheng was momentarily stunned, not expecting Shui Lingguang to be so direct.
After glancing at Yan Shaozhe beside her, Ling Luocheng's delicate lips parted slightly, and with a hint of barely restrained excitement, she said, "I'm willing."
She had intended to join the Ice God Palace from the start, which was why she had accompanied them here.
Moreover, the Ice God Palace had invited her multiple times, which was already giving her a lot of face. If she continued to refuse, it would be a case of not knowing how to appreciate kindness.
After all, whether it was Su Yu or Shui Lingguang, both held highly esteemed statuses. Didn't she see how even Yan Shaozhe and Xu Jiujiu treated Shui Lingguang with the utmost respect?
In her estimation, Shui Lingguang's strength might even surpass Yan Shaozhe's. This was truly a peerless powerhouse.
Although Ling Luocheng had a cold and aloof temperament, she was reasonable and discerning, knowing when to make the right choice. Naturally, this was one of the reasons Su Yu valued her.
Among the students of Shrek Academy, there were still some clear-headed individuals, and Ling Luocheng could be counted as one of them.
Hearing Ling Luocheng agree so directly without even a courtesy refusal, Yan Shaozhe, despite mentally preparing himself, still felt so angry his liver hurt.
It was unbearable.
Not only was there no alliance formed with Su Yu, but their student had been poached by someone else right in front of him.
But Yan Shaozhe dared not utter even half a word of objection.
He had heard about the Ice God Palace's unique rules.
All ice-attribute soul masters were considered inherently belonging to the Ice God Palace. The palace might not claim them under normal circumstances, but… if an ice-attribute soul master willingly joined the Ice God Palace, no other faction could stop them—otherwise, they would be considered enemies of the Ice God Palace.
Yan Shaozhe didn't have the guts to provoke the Ice God Palace.
He could only watch helplessly as Ling Luocheng joined the Ice God Palace's ranks.
Of course, Yan Shaozhe was somewhat prepared for this outcome. After all, Ling Luocheng had volunteered to accompany him here, not the other way around.
This girl's heart had long been set on the Ice God Palace, and there was no way to keep her.
It was just unclear what Su Yu had said to Ling Luocheng last time to make this usually cold and reserved girl so proactive.
Su Yu, that boy, was certainly no slouch when it came to poaching people.
As these thoughts ran through his mind, Yan Shaozhe kept a seemingly gratified expression on his face, as if he were genuinely pleased with what had just happened.
"Miss Luocheng, welcome to the Ice God Palace. From now on, this will be your home," Shui Lingguang said with a soft smile when she heard Ling Luocheng agree.
Even Lu Yuan's fierce expression seemed to soften slightly.
The Ice God Palace was notoriously protective of its own.
Xu Jiujiu quietly observed the scene, feeling an overwhelming sense of crisis.
She hadn't expected the Ice God Palace to invite Ling Luocheng to join.
Originally, she thought Zhang Lexuan was her biggest rival, but now it seemed Ling Luocheng was no less of a threat.
Two female students from Shrek Academy, both highly valued by the Ice God Palace?
Unbelievable.
This Yan Shaozhe was playing dirty.
To curry favor with Su Yu, he was even willing to completely give away his own students. Truly ruthless.
She couldn't underestimate him now.
The overthinking Xu Jiujiu's thoughts spiraled further and further, believing Yan Shaozhe to be a formidable and cunning opponent who must not be underestimated.
Little did she know that Ling Luocheng's situation had absolutely nothing to do with her assumptions.
"Everyone, please follow me. I'll take you on a tour of the Ice Snow City. As for Miss Luocheng, since you've officially joined the Ice God Palace, we'll need to prepare an induction ceremony for you." Shui Lingguang's gentle voice broke the silence.
"Induction ceremony?" Ling Luocheng asked, puzzled.
Shui Lingguang didn't explain but merely smiled faintly. "You'll find out soon enough, Miss Luocheng."
Shui Lingguang and Lu Yuan led Yan Shaozhe and the group through the Ice Snow City. The unique sights within the city indeed left them amazed.
But both Yan Shaozhe and Xu Jiujiu seemed somewhat distracted. Yan Shaozhe was curious to see what the induction ceremony entailed, while Xu Jiujiu was eager to meet Su Yu. After all, she had come here specifically for him.
The scenery was beautiful, but it wasn't what Xu Jiujiu wanted to see.
However, it was clear that Shui Lingguang and the others didn't care about Xu Jiujiu's thoughts. After a while of sightseeing, the group gradually arrived at the center of Ice Snow City.
There, nine massive palaces came into view. From a distance, they looked imposing and majestic.
Yan Shaozhe became intrigued. These nine palaces were undoubtedly the core of the Ice God Palace. If only he could explore them.
But he understood that with such tight security, these grand halls were likely off-limits to outsiders.
Last time, he had seen several Title Douluos guarding just the gates.
A place like this was forbidden territory. Although curious, he didn't dare to wander around recklessly.
Shui Lingguang led the group along the streets until they arrived at a spacious plaza—the Ice God Plaza.
The Ice God Plaza was one of the most significant locations in Ice Snow City, second only to the nine great palaces.
Because here stood the towering 100-meter Ice God Pillar.
Typically, anyone who wished to join the Ice God Palace had to come here for a test.
Even the nine great guardians were no exception.
The Snow Empress had been allowed to take the test directly in the main palace only because Su Yu had accompanied her. Otherwise, she too wouldn't have been qualified.
The guards at the Ice God Plaza were equally formidable.
Two thousand elite Ice God soldiers stood watch, including two Title Douluo and at least ten Soul Douluo.
Such a lineup could humble even an ordinary Super Douluo.
Yan Shaozhe and Xu Jiujiu couldn't help but fall silent at the sight.
Yan Shaozhe fared slightly better, given his own strength, but Xu Jiujiu was stunned, her lips slightly parted and her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.
A force of two thousand elite soldiers?
The sheer presence of these two thousand individuals was enough to leave even a Soul Douluo feeling shaken.
This wasn't any ordinary army, but two thousand soul masters with cultivation levels above the Soul Elder rank.
If these two thousand soldiers launched an attack, even a Title Douluo would be forced to retreat.
On a battlefield, they could easily tear through an army of a hundred thousand.
The combat power of a soul master army was not something anyone dared to underestimate.
Xu Jiujiu's expression shifted, realizing she had underestimated the Ice God Palace.
The Ice God Palace's strength was far beyond what she had imagined.
A large number of soul masters wasn't too terrifying on its own. After all, if they acted individually, there were ways to counter them.
But if these soul masters not only possessed great strength but were also well-coordinated and disciplined, then they were truly fearsome.
In Xu Jiujiu's eyes, this two-thousand-strong army was far superior to the White Tiger Duke's White Tiger Guard.
The united and cohesive aura emanating from this force was deeply intimidating.
"This is the Ice God Plaza. Anyone wishing to join the Ice God Palace must come here and undergo a test to truly become a member of the palace," Shui Lingguang explained casually as she led the group into the plaza.
The Ice God soldiers guarding the perimeter saluted Shui Lingguang and Lu Yuan as they approached.
Shui Lingguang gestured for them to relax before leading the group to the center of the plaza.
There stood a massive blue pillar, about one meter thick and a hundred meters tall, forged from the rare Ice Extreme God Crystal.
This was the Ice God Pillar.
The two Title Douluo guarding the pillar saluted Shui Lingguang as she approached the group.
After exchanging greetings, Shui Lingguang turned to Ling Luocheng.
"Miss Luocheng, please step forward."
Ling Luocheng nodded and slowly approached the Ice God Pillar.
Shui Lingguang formed a hand seal, and the Ice God Pillar seemed to awaken, glowing with radiant light.
A blue light enveloped Ling Luochen, and then, from the base of the Ice God Pillar, a glow began to rise slowly.
The peculiar patterns on the Ice God Pillar lit up, ascending gradually. At first, the glow was white. However, as the patterns on the ice pillar were illuminated, the white light transformed into yellow. At this point, about one-fifth of the pillar had been lit up.
The light continued to spread upward. When it reached approximately one-third of the pillar, the yellow light suddenly turned into a purple glow.
Yan Shaozhe watched quietly, a guess forming in his mind.
Everyone in the Ice God Palace bore a mark, which was likely obtained here. The different colors probably represented different levels, which might also indicate one's status within the Ice God Palace.
He couldn't help but wonder what level of mark Ling Luochen would receive. Yan Shaozhe sincerely hoped Ling Luochen could obtain a higher-level mark, as it would elevate her status.
After all, Ling Luochen was from Shrek Academy. No matter what, they shared a connection—"breaking bones still leaves the tendons connected." In Yan Shaozhe's view, Ling Luochen joining the Ice God Palace wasn't entirely a bad thing.
What he didn't realize, however, was the true implications of accepting the Ice God's assessment. No one in the Ice God Palace had ever betrayed it.
The patterns on the pillar continued to light up, eventually reaching halfway. The originally purple glow flashed briefly before transforming into pure black.
The black patterns etched on the icy blue column were strikingly prominent.
The illumination continued to rise but seemed to encounter some invisible resistance when it reached about two-thirds of the pillar. It struggled to ascend further and eventually stopped there.
Buzz!!!
Suddenly, the Ice God Pillar trembled and emitted a deep humming sound.
From the top of the Ice God Pillar, a beam of light shot straight into the center of Ling Luochen's forehead.
In the air, six faint light screens flickered briefly before disappearing. Ling Luochen seemed momentarily dazed. When she recovered, a black snowflake mark had appeared on her forehead.
This black snowflake had six edges but seemed slightly incomplete.
"Black-level six trials."
Shui Lingguang and Lu Yuan exchanged glances but didn't show any sign of disappointment in their expressions.
After all, true prodigies were rare. Every newcomer to the Ice God Palace couldn't be assigned the highest-level trials or guardian-level trials.
In their eyes, a black-level six trial was already quite good.
Among the younger members of the Ice God Palace, fewer than twenty had ever received a black-level six trial. Ling Luochen still had the potential for cultivation.
"Black-level six trials?"
Ling Luochen had now fully regained her composure. She touched the black snowflake mark on her forehead, looking slightly confused.
Shui Lingguang smiled and explained, "The Ice God bestows an assessment upon every soul master who joins the Ice God Palace."
"The levels are ranked by color: white, yellow, purple, black, red, and finally ice-blue—six levels in total."
"A black-level six trial is already considered an advanced assessment. Those who receive black-level assessments have the potential to become Titled Douluo."
"Moreover, with a black-level six trial and the resources of our Ice God Palace, it's possible for you to reach the realm of a Super Douluo."
"Luochen, your talent is impressive."
Black-level six trials offered the possibility of becoming a Super Douluo. Top-tier seven trials are almost guaranteed to reach Super Douluo within one's lifetime.
Ling Luochen's talent wasn't considered the best, but as a member of Shrek's Seven Monsters, she was certainly no ordinary person. Receiving a black-level six trial seemed fitting for her.
Curious, Ling Luochen asked, "Honored Guardian, if I may ask, what level of trial did you receive?"
"And what is the highest possible trial?"
Lu Yuan responded with a booming voice, "Lingguang here is an unparalleled genius of the Ice God Palace. She received a Guardian-level eight trial."
Shui Lingguang had always possessed extraordinary talent. At a young age, she had already reached level 97 as a Super Douluo. Even Mu Wu dared not claim to have cultivated faster than her.
Although Lu Yuan's martial soul was strong, his cultivation speed was still slightly slower in comparison to Shui Lingguang.
Now, with her martial soul evolution, Shui Lingguang's progress had skyrocketed.
After all, Lu Yuan was already no match for Shui Lingguang. Anyone who faced this level-98 peak Douluo with an ultimate martial soul would understand—she was a force to be reckoned with.
"Eight trials? Two levels higher than me?"
Ling Luochen looked at Shui Lingguang, her heart filled with admiration.
To think she was this powerful!
"It's not two levels, but three," Lu Yuan corrected. "Seven trials are divided into standard seven trials and Guardian-level seven trials. Lingguang's eight trials are Guardian-level, so she's three levels above you."
"As for me, I only surpass you by two levels. I have Guardian-level seven trials."
Lu Yuan spoke straightforwardly, without any filter.
"Second Brother!"
Shui Lingguang shot Lu Yuan a glare. Why did he have to emphasize this so much? Wouldn't it hurt the young woman's self-esteem?
Scratching his head, Lu Yuan said awkwardly, "Luochen, don't take my words to heart. I tend to speak bluntly."
Ling Luochen shook her head. "Second Guardian, you're too kind. I didn't take it to heart."
Her mind, however, was slightly unsettled. At this moment, she felt the gap between herself and others.
This stunningly beautiful woman, Shui Lingguang, who resembled a celestial being, was three full levels above her.
Ling Luochen couldn't help but feel a little discouraged.
Pressing her lips together, she asked, "What is the highest trial level?"
Shui Lingguang smiled sweetly and said in a gentle tone, "The highest is nine trials. Nine trials don't belong to the six levels—they're unique."
"At present, only the Young Master has received nine trials."
Yan Shaozhe's eyes widened in shock.
Nine trials?
Did he hear that correctly?
Nine trials?
So Su Yu had already accepted the Ice God's assessment?
As recorded in Shrek's ancient texts, the ancestor Tang San had once received the Sea God's nine trials. Upon completing them, he inherited the Sea God's divine position.
It seemed Su Yu was already on the path to godhood.
Shrek Academy must hold onto this connection tightly!