"Pfft—"
Hu Liena threw herself straight into Yin Zhang's arms. Her petite body was already beginning to develop, and her pure, delicate face carried a contradictory hint of natural charm.
"Brother Zhang~"
She wrapped her arms tightly around him, pressing close without restraint, making Yin Zhang blush despite himself.
He gently pushed away the reluctant Hu Liena, then glanced at Xie Yue standing not far away and offered a faint smile to his future brother-in-law. Only then did he speak to Hu Liena.
"Nana, there are so many people here. Behave yourself."
Unexpectedly, Hu Liena just giggled.
"Then does that mean when we're alone, Brother Zhang, I don't need to behave?"
Yin Zhang looked around. The knowing, experienced smiles on the surrounding students' faces made him sigh as he covered his forehead.
"What exactly are you thinking about all day?"
"Brother Zhang."
Xie Yue walked over at that moment and greeted him.
"Mhm."
Yin Zhang nodded with a smile, then looked down at Hu Liena again.
"Come on. Class just ended—everyone's watching."
"La la la~"
Hu Liena happily followed behind Yin Zhang like a little fox. Xie Yue walked up beside him and asked,
"You're a Soul Elder now?"
Yin Zhang nodded slightly. "As expected. I absorbed a three-thousand-year Crimson Flame Roar Tiger. My soul power reached Rank 33."
"Three thousand years? Rank 33?!"
Xie Yue was stunned and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"I really admire you. Most people would use a three-thousand-year spirit ring as their fourth ring."
Although the optimal age for a fourth spirit ring was closer to five thousand years, most Soul Masters simply couldn't hunt one—or couldn't find a suitable spirit beast of that age. In the end, many settled for three to four thousand years.
As for commoner Soul Masters, just having a spirit ring to absorb was already fortunate enough. They wouldn't demand too much—three thousand years was already considered excellent.
"But absorbing it like that… weren't you afraid of the danger?" Xie Yue asked.
"Danger?" Yin Zhang chuckled. "That kind of thing can't stop me. I knew three thousand years would be fine—and the result is right in front of you. Not a scratch on me."
His words were filled with confidence.
It was precisely this confidence, paired with his strength, that made Xie Yue feel little resistance toward Yin Zhang "abducting" his sister.
After all, a man like this was the dream partner of countless women—rare even if one searched for him deliberately.
Although eight years old was admittedly early, on the Douluo Continent, aside from age restrictions, children matured mentally quite fast.
"Brother Zhang! Brother! What are you two talking about that you won't let me hear?"
Hu Liena pouted in dissatisfaction and moved to Yin Zhang's left side.
"Nothing much," Yin Zhang said with a grin. "Just discussing when to trick you into coming home."
He exchanged a glance with Xie Yue. Xie Yue rolled his eyes.
"Oh, you're so annoying~"
Hu Liena's face flushed red, but inwardly she was delighted.
Brother Zhang really likes me! He's already thinking about marrying me and taking me home. Then, at that time…
It had to be said—once a girl fell head over heels, her imagination could be truly terrifying.
Yin Zhang then asked about Xie Yue and Hu Liena's current soul power levels.
Both were at Rank 16, exactly as Yin Zhang had expected.
Eventually, the three walked down from the teaching building and stopped by a flower bed. Just as they sat down, they heard two students approaching while chatting.
"Hey, did you hear? The number one student in Spirit Hall Academy—Qiangu Yunying—is fighting again before dinner. This time, they say two Soul Ancestors are teaming up against her."
"Really? Then I've got to see that. I still remember her—when she was in the Elementary Division, her class was right next to mine, just one wall away."
"Oh? Then why are you still stuck in the Intermediate Division?"
"You brat, you really know how to rub salt in the wound! Do you think I want this? What can I do with low innate soul power? Isn't it the same for you?"
"Uh…"
Yin Zhang stood up, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Xie Yue and Hu Liena.
"How much do you know about Qiangu Yunying?"
The siblings exchanged glances and shook their heads.
"Not much," Xie Yue said. "I've only heard that she's the strongest person in Spirit Hall Academy—and that she's only nineteen!"
Hu Liena excitedly raised her hand, as if claiming credit.
"My teacher mentioned her before! She's the granddaughter of the Seventh Consecrator of the Hall of Worship. Her martial soul is a mutated top-tier one, she has innate full soul power, and at only nineteen she's already a Soul King. I don't know her exact rank now."
Yin Zhang nodded. Qiangu Yuan had already told him most of this that morning.
He hadn't mentioned innate full soul power, but Yin Zhang had guessed it himself. After all, reaching Rank 53 at nineteen—it was practically guaranteed.
"In that case, let's go watch the fight," Yin Zhang said. "I really want to see just how strong Qiangu Yunying is—and what her soul skills can do."
He narrowed his eyes and glanced around. Many people were already discussing the upcoming battle.
The fight between Qiangu Yunying and the two Soul Ancestors was set to take place at the Elite Division training field.
Yin Zhang, Hu Liena, and Xie Yue hurried over, only to find the area already packed with people.
She's really famous, Yin Zhang thought.
Before long, he finally saw Qiangu Yunying. The moment he did, he couldn't help feeling surprised.
Why does she look so familiar?
Yunying?
Suddenly, Yin Zhang remembered a certain MOBA game that also had a character named Yun Ying.
There was no Yun Ying in the original Douluo story. The current Douluo Continent had already deviated significantly from what he remembered.
"Honor of Kings… I knew it," Yin Zhang muttered inwardly. "First the Holy Grail, now a hero from Honor of Kings. Don't tell me her soul skills are actually based on those abilities?"
"Is this even still Douluo anymore…?"
He couldn't help complaining silently.
"Flame-Plundering Spear!"
Qiangu Yunying summoned her martial soul. The Flame-Plundering Spear appeared in her hand as five spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—rose beneath her feet, drawing a wave of astonished gasps from the crowd.
The two Soul Ancestors facing her didn't hesitate either. They summoned their own martial souls, four spirit rings—two yellow and two purple—rising beneath each of them.
As Yin Zhang focused on the battle, Golden Crocodile also learned of his disciple's intention to skip grades and enter the Elite Class. He couldn't help frowning.
Turning to the wrinkled old man in front of him, he said,
"As the dean of Spirit Hall Academy, you don't need to consult me on everything. In situations like this, just follow standard procedure. It's no problem for him to enter the Elite Class—but first, he must defeat a Soul Ancestor from the Elite Class. After that, whether he wants to challenge Yunying or not is entirely up to him."