"Pfft."
Chrysanthemum Douluo couldn't help but scoff softly, though deep down, he felt a hint of admiration.
Well, admiration for his thick skin.
Suddenly, Lu Leng felt a tightness around his body. Looking down, he realized his clothes had become too small, constricting him uncomfortably.
"Absorbing your first soul ring has made you grow taller as well," Bibi Dong remarked.
Lu Leng nodded. At just six years old, he was already 1.2 meters tall.
"What's your first soul skill?"
"It's called 'Blade Draw'," Lu Leng explained. "This skill temporarily grants the blade immense force, allowing it to crush enemies with overwhelming power. Additionally, when the blade is drawn, it has armor-piercing properties, enhancing the strike's effectiveness. Moreover, as my strength increases, the power and duration of this skill will grow stronger and longer."
Bibi Dong listened with a satisfied expression. "A formidable skill indeed, one that could allow you to challenge opponents above your level. How long does it last now?"
"Three seconds!"
"Not bad."
.......
After absorbing his first soul ring, Bibi Dong decided not to let him absorb the second one immediately. Instead, she wanted him to familiarize himself with his new abilities first.
Back in his room, Lu Leng finally had some time to relax. As he reflected on everything that had happened, it still felt somewhat surreal.
Meanwhile, not far away in the neighboring room:
"Nana, why have you been so down lately?" Yan asked, holding some gifts his voice filled with concern as he addressed Hu Liena.
"What's it to you?" Hu Liena retorted sulkily.
Ever since her teacher brought Lu Leng back two months ago, she had received much less attention. Her teacher seemed to be very focused on Lu Leng, visiting him almost every day, which left her feeling bitter. She noticed it all and kept it in her heart, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
After all, she knew Lu Leng was a genius with innate soul power of level 21.
"Is it because of that guy, Lu Leng?" Yan wasn't foolish the biggest change recently was the arrival of Lu Leng.
"What do you think?" Hu Liena shot him a glare, her tone sharp.
Hu Liena was exceptionally beautiful, and because of her martial soul, every move she made was incredibly alluring. Yan had always had feelings for her, and seeing her in such a vulnerable state made his heart race.
Especially that resentful glance she just gave him it sent his heart pounding to the extreme. (dude is hopeless)
"If its him! I'll go teach him a lesson for you!"
In Yan's heart, Hu Liena was the most important. No one, not even a disciple of the Pope, was allowed to bully her.
With that, Yan stormed off toward Lu Leng's room, filled with rage.
Hu Liena was momentarily stunned. She thought about stopping him but then decided against it.
Hmph, it wouldn't hurt to give him a little lesson.
Hu Liena thought about Lu Leng's arrogant demeanor over the past few days, and it only fueled her anger.
Lu Leng's room wasn't far from Hu Liena's, and within a few breaths, Yan arrived at Lu Leng's courtyard.
"Lu Leng, get out here!"
"Who is it? Can't you let people sleep at night?" Lu Leng was washing his face when he suddenly heard someone shouting. Annoyed, he stepped outside.
He saw a young man standing in the courtyard, seething with anger.
"Who are you? Are you out of your mind?"
"So you're Lu Leng?" Yan said coldly.
"That's me. And who are you? What do you want?"
"My name is Yan, and I came here specifically to beat you up for bullying my Nana!"
"Pah, shameless! What do you mean 'your Nana'? You're just a simp. Does she even like you?"
"You!!! If Nana doesn't like me, does she like a brat like you?"
"Let me give you some advice simps end up with nothing in the end. You'd better give up sooner rather than later," Lu Leng advised kindly.
"Enough nonsense! I'm going to beat you up today!" Although Yan didn't fully understand what "simp" meant, he knew Lu Leng was insulting him. Without further ado, he decided to take action.
Hiding behind the door and secretly watching, Hu Liena wanted to intervene at first. But then she thought, Yan was just giving him a lesson, and it probably wouldn't escalate into anything serious. Since it was also a way to vent her own anger, she decided to wait and see.
When Lu Leng saw Yan charging at him without a word, his expression turned to one of utter disbelief.
Hu Liena truly was a femme fatale. The simp, it seemed, completely brainwashed.
But as they say, timing is everything. Coincidentally, he had just absorbed a spirit ring today, so he might as well test his newfound strength on Yan.
Gripping the Zhanluo Blade in his hand, Lu Leng looked at Yan with cold arrogance.
On Yan's side, the massive figure of his martial soul, the Flame Lord, appeared behind him. With a roar, scorching heat surged forward, and intense flames painted the surroundings in a fiery red. His body also transformed, turning into a state of molten rock, as if covered in a suit of stone armor.
At the same time, two yellow spirit rings floated up and down around him.
Yan was not yet twelve, slightly younger than Hu Liena. His martial soul was the Flame Lord, and his spirit power was at the 28th level.
"Kid, aren't you going to release your martial soul?" Yan shouted, seeing Lu Leng remain motionless.
Lu Leng raised the Zhanluo Blade in his hand. "This is my martial soul."
Yan's pupils contracted. "Are you messing with me?"
Yan was truly furious. Even if this broken blade was his martial soul, the fact that Lu Leng didn't even show his spirit rings was a blatant insult. Did he think so little of him?
This kid didn't know his place. Today, he would beat him until he was crawling on the ground! With a fierce leap, Yan threw a punch at Lu Leng. The force of the punch tore through the air.
"Granite Fist!"
Mid-air, Yan activated his second spirit skill. His hands instantly enlarged, surpassing the size of his body, resembling burning molten boulders. They came crashing down toward Lu Leng with a wave of scorching heat.
With the Zhanluo Blade in hand, Lu Leng's demeanor suddenly shifted. His expression turned cold and stern, completely different from before.
Yan's fist was about to land, but Lu Leng remained motionless, as if frozen in fear.
Hmph, the Pope's disciple is nothing special, Yan thought, a look of disdain in his eyes.
But at that moment, Lu Leng suddenly moved. He raised his head sharply, his eyes flashing with a chilling light. An icy, overwhelming aura erupted from him. At the same time, a purple spirit ring lit up around him.
When Yan saw the purple spirit ring on Lu Leng, his heart trembled violently, and a wave of intense fear washed over him.
The purple spirit ring was dazzling, so dazzling that it shook his very soul. It was so overwhelming that his body stiffened, and his mind went blank. He forgot what he was doing. All he saw was Lu Leng's blade being drawn. A flash of light, and before he could even process it, the blade was already sheathed.
"Draw-Slash!"
Lu Leng's voice softly drifted by his ear, and a tremendous force suddenly struck his chest, as if he had been hit by a mountain. His internal organs felt compressed, and he was overwhelmed by a suffocating heaviness. With a loud retch, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a kite with its string cut.