Half a year had passed, and the seasons had shifted from winter to summer.
The entire Poseidon Island was enveloped in lush greenery, adorned with vibrant, eye-catching exotic flowers of various colors.
Xu Zihuang arrived at a protruding, rugged rock at the edge of the Poseidon Pavilion, leaping up and using his second soul skill, Mirror Shatter, to drift toward the southern side of Poseidon Island.
With his Golden Eyes martial soul activated, his originally clear, deep purple eyes transformed into an indifferent, radiant gold, making it impossible for others to discern his true thoughts.
Over the past two years, Elder Mu had indeed treated him as a close junior, nurturing him with care. However, Elder Mu subtly instilled his own ideologies into Xu Zihuang. But Xu Zihuang's heart had long been as cold as eternal ice, naturally immune to Elder Mu's attempts at persuasion.
His ambitions and goals were far too grand, and the path ahead was destined to be fraught with thorns. He pursued power, but that didn't mean he would become a cold vessel for authority. As a normal person, he could have emotions, but for the current him, such things were far too luxurious.
Moreover, with his aloof personality, it was difficult for outsiders to truly enter his heart. Perhaps only through shared hardships and mutual support could someone touch his soul.
Just like his past with Tianmeng Iceworm. It was only after facing such perilous circumstances together in the Yin-Yang Love Querying Valley that his attitude toward Tianmeng Iceworm began to noticeably change.
Poseidon Island's radius was only a few kilometers, and soon Xu Zihuang steadily landed on a spacious, flat area by the lakeshore on the southern side of the island.
Not far away stood a two-story wooden pavilion built by the lake, used to entertain guests. Two years ago, Princess Weina of the Heavenly Soul Empire and Muxue, the daughter of the Snow Demon Sect's leader, had stayed here for a time.
However, most of the time, these wooden pavilions remained unoccupied. Xu Zihuang enjoyed the tranquility and would come here every so often to completely clear his mind, reflecting on insights related to his cultivation.
Before he could reach the lakeshore, the rippling blue surface of Poseidon Lake suddenly churned, and a massive splash erupted. Amid the sound of rushing water, a giant turtle with a dark green body and a black shell revealed itself.
This was the mysterious turtle kept around Poseidon Island. Nourished by the life aura of the Golden Tree, this turtle's cultivation speed was undoubtedly much faster than that of soul beasts in the wild. The main part of its shell exceeded two meters in diameter, indicating its cultivation was over five thousand years old.
As per his habit, Xu Zihuang would fish here for several hours. The fish he caught naturally all ended up in the belly of this mysterious turtle.
Having tasted the benefits, the turtle lazily sprawled by Xu Zihuang's feet, even stretching out its dark green head to rub against his pant leg. Its actions seemed to urge Xu Zihuang to quickly catch a few delicious silver fish for it.
With this turtle's cultivation, catching the silver fish living in the waters around Poseidon Island wouldn't be difficult. In fact, its usual diet consisted of those silver fish schools.
But who would refuse free food delivered right to their mouth while lying down?
Silently, Xu Zihuang sat on a smooth pebble by the lakeshore, roughly the size of the turtle's body. He took out a fishing rod from his soul tool, cast the line with practiced ease, and sank into deep thought.
Half a year ago, Elder Mu had mentioned the opportunity to study as an exchange student at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Mentor Academy. His decision to go wasn't solely due to Elder Mu's request; it was also his own choice.
Learning the core knowledge of soul tools at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Mentor Academy was secondary. His primary goal was to connect with Juzi, the future commander of the Sun Moon Empire's armies.
Although Juzi's talent in soul master and soul mentor aspects was unremarkable—barely distinguishable from Huo Yuhao in his eyes—her genius in military leadership made her a worthy pawn in his plans.
He had no intention of stopping Juzi from starting a war; in fact, he would do his utmost to facilitate it. Only in a chaotic continental situation would he have the chance to exact his revenge and fulfill his ambitions.
In his mind, he had already outlined a rough framework for his upcoming plans. Now, it was just a matter of executing them step by step.
Xu Zihuang sat there for four or five hours, only putting away his fishing rod in the afternoon. The mysterious turtle lying at his feet had happily devoured dozens of silver fish and was now lazily basking in the sun.
Raising his head to glance at the sun, already slanting westward, Xu Zihuang withdrew his gaze.
Ning Tian, Beibei, and the others were aware of his upcoming trip to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Mentor Academy. A few days ago, they had agreed to have a farewell dinner together the day before he left Shrek Academy.
The meeting point he had arranged with Beibei and the other inner courtyard disciples was right here.
There were four people in total: Tang Ya, Beibei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan.
Tang Ya, Beibei, and Xu Sanshi needed no introduction.
As for Jiang Nannan, although Xu Zihuang had interacted with her less, their relationship was still quite amicable. Moreover, they were both members of the previous Continental Shrek Team's reserve squad.
It could be said that Xu Zihuang currently has the image of a universally liked figure in Shrek Academy. With his appearance, temperament, talent, and strength all so outstanding, almost no one harbored ill feelings toward him.
Of course, those with dark, envious minds were an exception.
The original plan was for the five of them to meet here first, then head to the outer courtyard to pick up Ning Tian and He Caitou.
Wang Dong wasn't invited because, at the end of his third year, he had inexplicably chosen to drop out. Even Xu Zihuang had been surprised at the time, though he understood once he considered Wang Dong's true identity.
Wang Dong's departure suited Xu Zihuang perfectly, as he genuinely had no desire to have close ties with him. After all, he had no interest in being scolded like a dog by a certain God King.
Still, a trace of unease lingered in his heart. He couldn't shake the feeling that Wang Dong's sudden dropout was the calm before a storm.
The golden-red sunset dyed the tranquil surface of Poseidon Lake the same hue.
Standing up, Xu Zihuang's wrist-bound storage soul tool flashed, and a peculiar long sword appeared in his hand. The blade was about four feet long and three inches wide, with a bright silver body. The slender blade seemed almost transparent, shimmering with faint golden halos under the sunlight's reflection.
The black hilt, about a foot long, was engraved with intricate gold and silver patterns. Beyond that, there were no other ornate decorations, giving it a simple, ancient charm.
It felt comfortable and perfectly suited in his hand.
By its design, this sword was a hybrid between a rapier and a heavy sword—weighty yet retaining sharpness.
Unlike typical swords, one side of this blade retained a sharp edge only at the tip, while the rest was serrated, extending all the way to the hilt. The evenly spaced serrations resembled the sharp teeth of a shark-like soul beast, exuding a menacing aura.
The mysterious turtle resting at Xu Zihuang's feet instinctively assumed a defensive stance, glancing toward him. Its small, gem-like black eyes held a hint of human-like wariness and caution, and it let out a few low grunts.
The turtle's strong reaction was because the main material of this level-six close-combat soul tool in Xu Zihuang's hand was the tooth of a ten-thousand-year Demon Soul Great White Shark.
This was also the first level-six soul tool he had personally crafted.
Using the tooth of a ten-thousand-year Demon Soul Great White Shark as the primary material, supplemented by part of a thirty-thousand-year Diamond Mammoth's tusk he had acquired half a year ago, and smelted with various rare and precious metals, it had taken considerable effort to create this close-combat soul tool. The hilt, in particular, was made of extraterrestrial meteoric iron, which took nearly two months to fully refine of impurities, even using his Ultimate Thunder.
But the result was undoubtedly a top-tier level-six close-combat soul tool, among the finest of its kind.
When he had successfully crafted it a few days ago, even the typically strict Fan Yu had praised it endlessly.
Xu Zihuang named this soul tool longsword Shark Tooth. It paired perfectly with his other level-six close-combat soul tool, the short blade Whale Fang.
However, when soul power was infused into the longsword Shark Tooth, it didn't activate a thunder attribute ability. Instead, it unleashed pure metal attributes, pursuing ultimate sharpness.
Xu Zihuang held the longsword Shark Tooth in his right hand, testing it with a few swings. He had been busy crafting another soul tool of comparable quality to Shark Tooth, leaving him no time to test this exceptional level-six close-combat soul tool's power.
Now, with the vast Poseidon Lake before him, it was the perfect testing ground.
As soul power poured in, the golden halo on the bright silver blade of Shark Tooth grew more intense, as if enveloped in a tangible golden light. An aura of extreme sharpness emanated from the blade, as if it could tear through the surrounding space.
This time, the mysterious turtle was even more startled, letting out a "hiss" before diving into the lake. From a distance, it poked its head above the water, cautiously observing Xu Zihuang.
If it were a Golden Tortoise, the king among turtle soul beasts, it wouldn't fear the aura of a Demon Soul Great White Shark. But this mysterious turtle's bloodline was far inferior to that of the oceanic overlord.
This was a fear rooted in its bloodline.
In the world of soul beasts, bloodline disparities were even harder to overcome than the quality differences in human soul masters' martial souls.
Take the ten most ferocious beasts recognized in the soul master world, for example. Only the Myriad Demon King's bloodline was considered unremarkable, with its body being an ordinary Demon Eye Demon Tree. The other nine ferocious beasts all possessed ancient, top-tier bloodlines.
Xu Zihuang swept the longsword Shark Tooth horizontally with his right hand, and a radiant golden sword beam flashed. The next moment, a golden sword mark over thirty meters long was carved across Poseidon Lake.
The lake water on either side of the mark was split, rolling outward to reveal the lakebed's water-stained gravel and aquatic plants. Mist sprayed into the air, and it took a long time for the water to converge again, creating waves before gradually calming.
This was the advantage of soul tools. Even with pure soul power, a soul tool could unleash formidable combat strength.
If that sword strike had hit a non-defense-type war soul master head-on, surviving unscathed would be nearly impossible.
"Tianhuang, is this your latest close-combat soul tool?" A deep voice sounded behind Xu Zihuang, and he turned, sensing its source.
Xu Sanshi strolled over casually, his face beaming with a mix of delight and astonishment.
"Senior Xu," Xu Zihuang greeted with a slight smile, nodding.
"This is the level-six soul tool I recently completed, the longsword Shark Tooth."
"Shark Tooth?" Xu Sanshi raised an eyebrow, then crossed his arms behind his back, adopting a mock-serious tone. "Tianhuang, your naming skills are lacking. How about I offer some suggestions?"
Xu Zihuang, speechless, changed the subject. Xu Sanshi had given him naming suggestions before, but they were all too flamboyant.
"Senior Xu, didn't Senior Bei and Sister Xiaoya come with you?"
"They went to find Nannan. They'll be here soon," Xu Sanshi said with a smug grin.
Ever since that incident in the cafeteria half a year ago, Jiang Nannan's attitude toward him had worsened, leaving him quite distressed. Today's gathering was a perfect chance to interact with her, wasn't it?
"It'll be a while before Beibei and the others arrive. How about it, Tianhuang? Want to spar with me and test your soul tool's power?"
"Sure." Xu Zihuang agreed readily. Xu Sanshi was a defense-type soul master with soul power cultivation not much weaker than his own, making him the perfect opponent to go all out against without holding back.
Xu Zihuang tucked the longsword Shark Tooth at his side, and his aura shifted instantly. Standing calmly, he seemed to merge into a single, cohesive whole.
This was the realm of Man and Nature as One. Having comprehended this state, he was destined to reach the rank of Super Douluo in the future.
"Man and Nature as One?!" Xu Sanshi's smile vanished abruptly. He and Beibei weren't far from touching this realm themselves, so he naturally recognized the technique Yu Tianhuang was using.
Black light surged as he released his Mysterious Underworld Turtle Shield martial soul.
Holding the Mysterious Underworld Turtle Shield in his right hand before him, the black light on it rippled like water, helping him resist the pressure Xu Zihuang exuded.
Two yellow, two purple, and one black—five optimally matched soul rings rose from his feet, pulsing slowly.
On the other side, a faint golden light began to rise from Xu Zihuang's body, gradually turning into a light golden mist. His soul power and mental strength fused and compressed continuously. In his eyes, radiant golden light flared, tinged with a hint of vibrant purple, as his aura surged dramatically.
Golden and black stood in stark contrast.
Then, Xu Zihuang, holding the longsword Shark Tooth, slowly swung it downward.
It was a seemingly simple motion, yet in his hands, it carried the weight of a thousand tons. It felt as though it took an eternity, yet it was over in an instant.
Flawless and unbroken, the motion flowed seamlessly.
A trench several meters deep appeared in the ground before him, extending and deepening with his downward slash.
Xu Sanshi's heart tightened. He knew this sword strike from Yu Tianhuang condensed his entire essence, energy, and spirit. It even carried the aura of Sovereign's Descent. Having sparred with Beibei often, how could he be unfamiliar with the Sovereign's Descent technique?
Yet Yu Tianhuang's mastery of Sovereign's Descent surpassed Beibei's in every way.
In this situation, he couldn't hold back. The Mysterious Underworld Turtle Shield in his hand instantly transformed into a shield wall. Behind him, a faint turtle-snake phantom flashed. The shield wall morphed into the shape of a turtle shell.
A massive shield, over ten meters in diameter, stood before him.
Four of Xu Sanshi's soul rings lit up.
Under the amplification of his third soul skill, Mysterious Underworld Power, and the effect of his second soul skill, Mysterious Underworld Shield Array, he unleashed his strongest ten-thousand-year fifth soul skill, Turtle God Strike, combined with the effect of his first soul skill, Mysterious Underworld Shock.
At the center of the shield, deep black light formed a massive black vortex.
Xu Zihuang's sword strike unleashed a golden sword beam, incredibly solid and sharp, brimming with the aura of unparalleled dominance. Xu Sanshi's judgment was correct—this strike indeed fused Sovereign's Descent.
Sovereign's Descent wasn't a soul skill but surpassed one. It could be applied to any soul skill, though it required fusing mental strength with physical attacks, meaning it was still rooted in physical strikes. Naturally, it could be used with soul tools and weapons.
Boom—
The golden sword beam collided with the black vortex, unleashing a deafening roar. The surface of Poseidon Lake nearby trembled.
Centered at the point of impact, the ground cracked and collapsed, spreading nearly a hundred meters in all directions before gradually subsiding.
Xu Zihuang stood gracefully, still holding the longsword Shark Tooth.
But Xu Sanshi, who had thrust forward with his black giant shield, was forced back. The golden sword beam seemed embedded in the black vortex, with golden light flooding the vortex, as if it would consume it entirely in the next moment.
At that moment, Xu Sanshi's right arm, veins bulging, suddenly turned a brilliant white crystal. A layer of diamond ice crystal instantly covered his right arm, spreading across half his body and enveloping the black turtle shell before him.
The thirty-thousand-year Diamond Mammoth Right Arm Bone skill: Diamond Ice Crystal.
Not only could it protect the body, but it could also enhance the martial soul. It was a perfect match for Xu Sanshi's Mysterious Underworld Turtle Shield martial soul. Otherwise, how could the Mysterious Underworld Sect behind him have paid eight million gold soul coins and three Mysterious Martial God Pills for it?
With all his trump cards unleashed in this full-force outburst, even a Soul Saint wouldn't break his defense quickly.
Yet the moment the golden sword beam touched the diamond ice crystal, it showed signs of breaking from within, with countless fine cracks appearing in the crystal.
But the golden sword beam was ultimately blocked by Xu Sanshi.
Retracting his martial soul, Xu Sanshi felt his right arm numb from the shock. He looked at Xu Zihuang as if he were a monster.
They were both Soul Kings, with similar soul power cultivation. Yet Yu Tianhuang had forced him to use all his trump cards with a single sword strike.
Perhaps, as Beibei had once said, they would never catch up to Yu Tianhuang in their lifetime.
Seeming to sense something, Xu Zihuang met Xu Sanshi's gaze and said instinctively, "Senior Xu, one more time?"
That sword strike had given him a mysterious, profound feeling. If he had to guess, it was likely the so-called intent.
Ji Juechen of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Mentor Academy had spent his life comprehending the sword intent within his meteoric iron sword.
If Xu Zihuang wished, he could achieve the same and do it better than Ji Juechen.
But that path wasn't for him. He did not need to focus solely on one aspect. His two martial souls held limitless potential waiting to be explored.
As Fan Yu had once said, he simply wasn't interested, while others lacked the talent.
Xu Sanshi grumbled irritably, "One more time? Like hell! I don't have a masochistic streak. If you want to spar in the future, go find that sly bastard Beibei. That guy's been all lovey-dovey with Xiaoya lately, feeling smug, right? Let him come get humbled by you."
Have no choice, Xu Zihuang had to let it go.
Depressed, Xu Sanshi sat on the smooth pebble next to Xu Zihuang, curiously eyeing the longsword Shark Tooth in his hand.
Though Yu Tianhuang's terrifying attack relied heavily on the Sovereign's Descent technique fused with compressed soul power and mental strength, this longsword Shark Tooth seemed extraordinary, too.
With that thought, he chuckled with interest. "By the way, Tianhuang, does your soul tool department have anything particularly suited for us defense-type war soul masters? When you have time, I'd like to commission a few custom pieces."
"Of course there are. The other level-six soul tool I made should be quite suitable for you, Xu Sanshi," Xu Zihuang said with a gentle smile, taking out another soul tool from his storage device. It resembled an armored wrist guard.
The wristguard's main body consisted of silver-white scales that gleamed like a small mirror, shimmering with a faint blue light. As soon as it appeared, it snugly fit onto Xu Zihuang's left hand.
The wrist guard was engraved with exquisite patterns. Compared to the plain longsword Shark Tooth, this soul tool was far more aesthetically pleasing, compact, and refined. It even had a slightly feminine touch.
"But this soul tool is meant as a gift for Ning Tian."
Having been teased and thoroughly defeated, what could Xu Sanshi say? He could only shoot Xu Zihuang a resentful middle finger, his eyes full of grievance.
"Sigh, everyone's pairing up, but I don't know when Nannan and I will get there."
Xu Zihuang didn't tease further. With a flick of the longsword Shark Tooth in his right hand, a faint sword beam shot toward the mysterious turtle, which had long since dived into Poseidon Lake.
Instinctively, the turtle's head, poking above the water, opened its mouth and spewed a black, icy current toward Xu Zihuang.
The current instantly engulfed the sword beam. The intense cold froze the nearby lake water, forming a large ice sheet.
Just as the black icy current was about to hit Xu Zihuang and Xu Sanshi, the wristguard on Xu Zihuang's left hand glowed with a deep light.
Clenching his left hand into a fist and raising it before him, a silver-white shield shimmering with faint blue light materialized instantly, like an ice mirror formed of crystal, breathtakingly magnificent.
The cylindrical black icy current struck it and, like refracted light, veered off, passing by Xu Zihuang's side.
This was the other level-six soul tool Xu Zihuang had crafted—an exceptional level-six defensive soul tool. Its main material was the most precious brow scale of a ten-thousand-year Mirror Shadow Beast. The Mirror Shadow Beast was an extremely powerful and rare soul beast, nearly extinct ten thousand years ago, found only in the wild soul beast habitats of the continent's north.
Back then, Oscar, one of the original Shrek Seven Monsters, had absorbed a twenty-thousand-year Mirror Shadow Beast's soul ring, granting him that heaven-defying soul skill to replicate others' martial souls.
This ten-thousand-year Mirror Shadow Beast brow scale had once fetched over a hundred thousand gold soul coins, making it an ideal material for crafting many powerful soul tools. Like the ten-thousand-year Demon Soul Great White Shark's tooth, it had been acquired through Ning Tian's connections with the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
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