In the spring of the 2474th year of the Douluo calendar, Yu Yuanchen turned eighteen and a half.
Bidding farewell to his family, he embarked on his journey once more. His destination was clear: Elemental City, a unique city located in the heart of the Heaven Dou Empire, built around the five great Elemental Academies.
He did not reveal his true appearance, opting for a simple disguise that made him look slightly older than his actual age, roughly in his early twenties. With a composed temperament and sharp eyes, he fit the image of a promising young Soul Master. Dressed in simple blue training gear with his aura restrained to the level of a newly advanced Soul Emperor, he held a handwritten letter of recommendation from his grandfather, Yu Boxuan, and arrived before the distinctive city gates of Elemental City, which were decorated with the symbols of the five elements.
Inside Elemental City, the architectural complexes of the five distinct academies occupied their own sectors. The air was filled with fluctuating soul power of various attributes, making the atmosphere exceptionally vibrant. Yu Yuanchen headed straight for Thunder Academy, located in the eastern part of the city.
The buildings of Thunder Academy were primarily colored in deep blue and silver-white, featuring sharp angles, with faint arcs of electricity often dancing between the eaves and pillars. After presenting his recommendation letter, he was quickly led to the office of the dean, Lei Dongtian.
Lei Dongtian was a man in his fifties, tall and sturdy with a resolute face. His short hair stood up like steel needles, and faint lightning flickered in his eyes whenever he blinked. His aura was unmistakably that of an eight-ring Soul Douluo! He took the letter and read the handwriting of his teacher, Yu Boxuan, carefully, his gaze occasionally falling on Yu Yuanchen, who stood respectfully below.
The letter praised Yu Yuanchen (using the pseudonym "Yu Chen") without reservation, describing his talent as exceptional and noting his unique insights into the power of lightning. Due to his family connections, he was recommended to the academy to teach, with the hope that he would gain valuable training.
"Yu Chen?" Lei Dongtian set down the letter, his voice resonant with a thunderous echo. "My teacher speaks very highly of you in this letter. However, although Thunder Academy has close ties with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, teaching qualifications must still be earned through true ability. Since you are a Soul Emperor, according to academy rules, you must pass an assessment to determine your rank."
"This junior understands. Please proceed with the assessment, Dean," Yu Yuanchen replied, bowing neither servilely nor overbearingly.
"Good!" A hint of appreciation flashed in Lei Dongtian's eyes. "The academy's practical combat courses prioritize the instructor's own strength. The assessment is simple: spar with the head of our practical combat department, the seventy-third-level Soul Sage, Lei Leopard. You don't need to win; you only need to hold out for a quarter of an hour without being defeated to earn the position of lecturer. If you perform better, your position may be adjusted accordingly."
"This junior will comply," Yu Yuanchen nodded. A Soul Sage-level opponent was exactly what he wanted; it would allow him to demonstrate his strength while remaining within his controllable range.
A short while later, at the central Martial Arts Arena of Thunder Academy.
Word had spread that a new teacher was being assessed, and since the opponent was the notoriously fierce Department Head Lei Leopard, many students and teachers who were free rushed over to watch, packing the area around the arena until it was impenetrable.
In the center, Lei Leopard already stood waiting. He was lean and muscular, his eyes as sharp as a real leopard. He radiated the formidable aura of a Soul Sage, and seven soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—slowly rotated beneath his feet, exerting powerful pressure.
"Kid, the dean wants you to last a quarter of an hour against me? Don't worry, I'll control my strength; I won't let you lose too miserably!" Lei Leopard grinned, carrying the confidence and slight arrogance of a Soul Sage.
Yu Yuanchen smiled slightly without saying a word, simply walking to the opposite side of Lei Leopard. With a thought, he circulated his soul power in a special way, quietly triggering the technique developed by his family elders to hide soul ring colors. An invisible, faint fluctuation of soul power covered his soul rings, cleverly interfering with light refraction and the manifestation of his soul power.
The next moment, five soul rings rose from beneath his feet—two yellow, two purple, and one black!
A standard, optimal soul ring configuration for a Soul King! He deliberately hid his sixth soul ring and his Soul Emperor-level soul power fluctuations, revealing only the cultivation level of a Soul King. This was a decision he had made with his grandfather; an eighteen-year-old Soul Emperor was too shocking and would easily attract unnecessary attention and trouble. Operating as a Soul King was safer. This technique was not perfect and might be exposed under the careful scrutiny of a Titled Douluo, but it was sufficient to deceive Soul Douluos and those below.
"A Soul King?" A low murmur rippled through the crowd, with many people showing surprise or confusion. Although such a young Soul King was extremely rare, how could a Soul King possibly hold out against a Soul Sage for a quarter of an hour? Wasn't the dean's assessment too harsh?
A hint of surprise flashed in Lei Leopard's eyes, but he then laughed, "A Soul King? Kid, you've got guts! Watch yourself!"
Before the words had even faded, Lei Leopard's first soul ring lit up. His figure suddenly blurred, becoming like a bolt of real blue lightning, and he lunged straight at Yu Yuanchen with a piercing sound of breaking air! The speed was so fast that it dazzled many of the students.
However, under the perception of Yu Yuanchen's powerful Spiritual Power, Lei Leopard's movements, while fast, were not without traces. He moved his feet, employing the improved Dragon Swimming Steps! His figure swayed like a willow in the wind and twisted like an electric eel, dodging Lei Leopard's pounce at an incredibly precise angle, without even the hem of his clothes being touched!
"Eh?" Lei Leopard missed his strike and let out a soft sound of surprise, his eyes losing a touch of their contempt. He could feel that the opponent's footwork was extremely bizarre; it wasn't just about speed, but a mastery of timing and angles that was nothing short of perfect.
"Second Soul Skill, Thunder Claw Rending the Sky!" Lei Leopard growled, his hands forming claws covered in sharp lightning. His speed increased further, and the wind from his claws whistled, shrouding all of Yu Yuanchen's vital points.
Yu Yuanchen still did not meet the attacks head-on. He unleashed his Dragon Swimming Steps to their full extent, leaving behind trails of afterimages on the arena floor. Like a slippery dragon, he wove through Lei Leopard's fierce offensive. Occasionally, when he couldn't dodge, he would block with his dragon-transformed right arm (revealing only the arm and controlling the degree of transformation). His tempered, formidable physique, combined with his soul power, always managed to deflect Lei Leopard's force, resulting in dull, thudding sounds of impact.
He did not use any offensive soul skills, focusing entirely on defense and evasion. To outsiders, he appeared to be completely on the defensive, chased and beaten by Lei Leopard, caught in precarious situations as if he were about to lose at any moment. But only Lei Leopard knew that while the opponent looked disheveled, his breathing was steady, his footwork never faltered, and every block and dodge was perfectly timed, neutralizing his wild force into nothingness. This level of control was extraordinary!
"Good kid! You've got some tricks!" Lei Leopard's fighting spirit was ignited, and his third soul ring lit up. "Third Soul Skill, Thunder Sound Explosion!"
He opened his mouth and let out a roar, the sound wave mixed with the power of lightning, spreading out like a physical force. It carried a strong stunning and paralyzing effect, attempting to disrupt Yu Yuanchen's footwork.
Yu Yuanchen frowned slightly, his Spiritual Power guarding his spirit platform, easily neutralizing the stunning effect. At the same time, he infused a trace of imperceptible Thunder God Power into his soul power, forming a thin layer of defense on his skin, which greatly reduced the paralyzing effect. His Dragon Swimming Steps only faltered for a split second before returning to their fluid state.
Time ticked by, and in the blink of an eye, half a quarter of an hour had passed. Yu Yuanchen was still "struggling to hold on" under Lei Leopard's fierce assault, drawing gasps from the watching students, whose gazes shifted from initial skepticism to surprise and sympathy.
Unable to secure a victory after a long offensive, Lei Leopard began to feel impatient. After all, he was a Soul Sage; if he couldn't take down a "Soul King" within the allotted time, he would lose face.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Leopard Phantom Kill!" He growled, his fifth soul ring shining with black light. His speed instantly soared to the limit, and he transformed into three indistinguishable leopard phantoms, lunging at Yu Yuanchen from different directions simultaneously, sealing off all his escape routes!
With this strike, he had finally used a powerful Soul Sage-level soul skill!
The onlookers held their breath, all believing that the assessment was about to end.
Facing this inescapable situation, a gleam of light flashed in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. He knew he could no longer rely purely on evasion. As his thoughts raced, his first and third soul rings (the simulated ones) lit up simultaneously, and a vast amount of Furious Lightning Power instantly condensed into his dragon-transformed right arm!
He did not choose to attack, but instead slammed the condensed power into the ground beneath his feet!
"Boom!"
The violent Furious Lightning Power exploded on the ground, creating a circular shockwave. Dust and lightning filled the air, instantly disrupting the sight and perception of the three phantoms! At the same time, the recoil of the explosion propelled Yu Yuanchen's body backward, narrowly escaping the range of the phantoms' combined strike!
As the dust settled, Yu Yuanchen landed in the distance, looking slightly "disheveled" with his clothes stained by dust and his breathing intentionally appearing rapid, yet he remained standing firmly.
Lei Leopard's three phantoms merged back into one. Looking at the unscathed Yu Yuanchen, his face was filled with shock. He hadn't expected the opponent to use such a method to break his fifth soul skill!
"Time's up!" the teacher responsible for timing announced loudly.
A quarter of an hour had passed!
The area around the arena was silent for a moment before erupting into heated discussion! A "Soul King" had actually managed to hold out for a full quarter of an hour against the Soul Sage-level Department Head Lei Leopard! Although he looked disheveled, he had held on! This resilience, this mastery of timing, and especially the quick wit used to break the fifth soul skill at the very end, all earned him great respect!
Lei Leopard retracted his Martial Soul, looked at Yu Yuanchen with a complex expression, and walked up to pat him on the shoulder. His voice was loud but carried a hint of admiration: "Kid, not bad! Your footwork is bizarre, and your ability to adapt is extremely strong! I, Lei Leopard, acknowledge you!"
Dean Lei Dongtian, sitting in the main seat, also had eyes full of brilliance. He could naturally see that this "Yu Chen" had far from exhausted his strength; his true power was likely far greater than that of a mere Soul King. Especially that strange footwork and the calmness and wit shown in dealing with the fifth soul skill were definitely not things an ordinary Soul King could possess. The person recommended by his teacher was indeed no ordinary individual!
"Assessment passed!" Lei Dongtian stood up, his voice echoing throughout the arena. "From this day forward, Yu Chen is a lecturer for the practical combat course at our Thunder Academy!"
Yu Yuanchen bowed slightly: "Thank you, Dean. Thank you for your guidance, Department Head Lei."
He had successfully gained a foothold in Thunder Academy, one of the five major powers in Elemental City, in a position that was inconspicuous yet sufficient to earn respect. Next, he would use this lecturer position as a springboard to begin his journey of observing, learning the power of various attributes, and exploring the methods of Viscera Quenching. The waves of Elemental City would quietly begin to change due to the arrival of this "Teacher Yu Chen," who had hidden his true strength.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan