"You are the Cheng Xiao that His Highness mentioned?" Meng Shenji looked at Cheng Xiao and paused for a moment before speaking.
"Young man, since you were introduced by His Highness the Crown Prince, show us your credentials." An elder standing beside Meng Shenji said calmly.
This elder was named Bai Baoshan. His martial spirit was the Sky Star Furnace, known for its extremely strong defense. He was an eighty-fifth level Defense-Type Soul Douluo with eight rings. In stark contrast to Meng Shenji, he was short and stocky, with a height of only four feet and a waistline of the same measurement.
"Of course," Cheng Xiao smiled and waved his hand, causing a golden token to float onto the table in front of them. On the front of the token, the word "Xue," symbolizing identity, was engraved.
Upon seeing this token, the three members of the Board of Elders nodded silently. After confirming that the token was indeed Xue Qinghe's personal one, they slowly spoke.
"In that case, Sun Buyu, arrange for our young friend Cheng Xiao to enroll." Meng Shenji's eyes showed a hint of surprise as he looked at Cheng Xiao. Clearly, he knew well the significance of the token with the word "Xue."
Hearing this, Sun Buyu glanced at Cheng Xiao beside him, then asked with some doubt, "Elders, Cheng Xiao here has already reached the realm of a three-ringed Soul Elder at only twelve years old."
"And based on His Highness's intentions, it seems that he wants Cheng Xiao to directly join the Royal Battle Team. With his talent and strength, there should be no problem."
"I ask the three Elders to consider this carefully. If Cheng Xiao joins the Royal Battle Team, it will be beneficial without any downside."
"Oh? A twelve-year-old Soul Elder at the thirtieth level? And innately full of soul power at that. No wonder His Highness holds him in such high regard."
The last elder of the three finally spoke. His name was Zhi Lin, and his martial spirit was the Sky Blue Vine. He was a Control-Type Soul Douluo at the eighty-third level with eight rings.
Among the three, Zhi Lin appeared the most ordinary. His looks were plain, but his eyes occasionally flashed with a bright light, hinting at something unique.
Looking at Cheng Xiao, Zhi Lin smiled and said, "Young friend Cheng Xiao, all seven members of the Royal Battle Team are among the best in the academy's Heaven Dou division. Joining them isn't easy, but it's not impossible either if you're willing to try."
After he spoke, Zhi Lin's gaze turned to Sun Buyu. Although Cheng Xiao was brought by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, the Elders of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were determined to maintain fairness.
They couldn't afford to be careless in their attitude towards Cheng Xiao, but if they let him join the academy's elite Royal Battle Team without any testing, it might lead to criticism behind their backs—something they neither wanted nor needed.
Therefore, if Cheng Xiao were to join the Royal Battle Team without going through a test, it might be hard to win over the others.
"If there's an opportunity, then I'd like to try." Cheng Xiao took a step forward and bowed slightly toward Zhi Lin, the Soul Douluo who had just spoken.
"Haha, young man, I already like your attitude," Zhi Lin chuckled softly. As he focused on Cheng Xiao, the air around him seemed to distort. "If you can withstand the soul power pressure I'm about to unleash, no one will object to you joining the Royal Battle Team. How about it?"
"Alright, I'll accept the challenge." Cheng Xiao nodded.
Seeing this, Zhi Lin extended his hand forward, and a barrier of soul power appeared above Cheng Xiao before descending abruptly.
Cheng Xiao felt the air around him solidify, and a massive wave of soul power surged towards him, making it impossible for him to move.
"Interesting, a thirty-five level soul power suppression seems easy for him." Seeing Cheng Xiao standing unaffected, Zhi Lin's previously calm eyes showed a hint of surprise.
Typically, when a low-level soul master faced the pressure from a higher-level soul master, they could only withstand up to two-thirds of their own soul power. If they could hold up against an equal level, they were considered exceptional. And if they could endure pressure beyond their own soul power, they were unquestionably a genius.
As Zhi Lin's black Soul Douluo robe fluttered without wind, he steadily increased the soul power pressure on Cheng Xiao. He did so carefully, raising the pressure slowly to avoid overburdening Cheng Xiao, as this was merely a test. If he saw any sign of Cheng Xiao faltering, he could withdraw immediately to prevent any physical harm.
After all, Cheng Xiao was a prodigy sent by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, and Zhi Lin had no desire to upset the future Emperor over such a small matter.
Feeling the increasing pressure around him, Cheng Xiao's expression remained unchanged, while the shadow energy within him flowed rapidly, much faster than usual. He understood that this was a test of his strength.
"This young one is truly remarkable. Most lower-level soul masters would crumble under such pressure from a higher-level master, yet he hasn't even summoned his martial spirit. Truly worthy of being called a genius."
The two elders beside Zhi Lin commented with smiles, and Zhi Lin himself became more and more astonished. Was this boy really only twelve? The soul power pressure he was releasing had reached thirty-sixth level, yet Cheng Xiao still showed no signs of struggle.
All humans have a competitive nature, and Zhi Lin, being a Soul Douluo, was no exception.
Seeing Cheng Xiao's calm face, Zhi Lin continued to increase the pressure—thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thirty-nine levels… It wasn't until the pressure reached forty levels that Cheng Xiao's expression finally shifted.
Yet, even at this point, he hadn't summoned his martial spirit, which only heightened Zhi Lin's curiosity. He didn't realize that the pressure was being shared, not only by Cheng Xiao but also by the shadow soldiers hidden within his shadow.
When Zhi Lin's soul power pressure reached fifty levels, Cheng Xiao finally raised his right hand with difficulty.
Since his soul resonance with Qian Renxue half a month ago, his Shadow Monarch martial spirit was no longer a mere martial spirit. Now, it was a part of him, though he still had a long way to go before becoming a true Monarch.
As Cheng Xiao raised his hand, a cloud of black mist burst from his palm, instantly cooling the entire hall.
"What a unique martial spirit. I doubt there's another like it on the entire continent," Zhi Lin exhaled with relief upon seeing the black mist, sensing a release of tension from Cheng Xiao.
As time passed, Zhi Lin's astonishment grew. His soul power pressure had reached fifty-three levels. This level of pressure would be unbearable even for a Soul King, yet Cheng Xiao endured it.
Sweat poured down from Cheng Xiao, his clothes sticking to his body as if he had just been pulled out of water.
"Impressive. I wonder where your limit lies!" Satisfied with Cheng Xiao's performance, Zhi Lin decided to push further. He increased the pressure to fifty-five levels, twenty-one levels above Cheng Xiao's current soul power.
As the pressure increased, the air around Cheng Xiao distorted violently, as though it were being crushed.
"Is he finally reaching his limit?"
Watching Cheng Xiao's bent posture, Zhi Lin kept a close eye, fearing that Cheng Xiao's body might collapse under the strain.
...
If you enjoy my work and would like early access to extra chapters, consider supporting me on Patreon:
[https://www.patreon.com/Firesight323]
I'll be incredibly grateful for your support!