"Twelve-year-old Soul Elder?"
Even Yu Tianheng and the other members of the Emperor Team looked incredulous.
"Teacher, you must be joking! Breaking through to Soul Elder at twelve? How is that possible?" Dugu Yan questioned, waving her hand dismissively.
Except for Ye Lingling, the rest of the Emperor Team frowned deeply.
Geniuses always have their pride. They were all Soul Elders with spirit power levels above thirty-five, but aside from Ye Lingling, they were all nearly twenty years old. Now, a twelve-year-old Soul Elder stood before them, shattering their sense of pride.
Qin Ming noticed the expressions of his students and smiled slightly without explaining much. Instead, he turned to Lan Si and nodded with a smile, "Lan Si, show them your martial soul."
This was the reaction he was aiming for. He knew his students were arrogant due to the power of their martial souls. In team battles in the Great Spirit Arena, they were undefeated, acting like they were the best in the world. Yet, the tallest tree catches the wind.
Lan Si nodded and raised his right hand. Blue and white light emerged from his body, and a blue lotus flower with ghostly white flames floated above his palm.
Two yellow and one purple spirit rings rose from his feet, swirling around him in a dazzling display. This was the hallmark of a Soul Elder.
"Lan Si, Martial Soul: Green Lotus, level thirty-two." Lan Si paused briefly. "Control-type Soul Elder."
The Emperor Team members, except for Ye Lingling, couldn't help but gulp, while Ye Lingling seemed lost in thought, staring at Lan Si's martial soul. Her gaze occasionally swept to his left wristband as if contemplating something no one else could fathom.
At this moment, Dugu Yan's voice broke the silence again, "Teacher, I admit he's talented. But joining the Emperor Team isn't just about talent; he needs to prove his strength."
"True." Qin Ming agreed, knowing his students needed to be convinced. They were, after all, going to represent the Heaven Dou Empire in the Spirit Master Tournament in two years. He turned to Lan Si, "Lan Si, what do you think?"
"I have no objections." Lan Si shrugged casually.
"Alright, Osler, you will spar with Lan Si. Remember, hold back. Osler's spirit power is thirty-five, three levels higher than Lan Si. If Lan Si can hold his ground for the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, he will officially join our team. No objections, correct?"
"No objections." The Emperor Team members were full of confidence. While Osler was the weakest among them, he was strong enough to represent the team.
Both sides agreed, and the sparring session was set to take place on the plaza next to the pavilion.
For spirit masters, sparring is inherently exciting, especially between prodigies.
Some students passing by the pavilion heard that Osler of the Emperor Team was going to spar with the new student who had beaten Prince Xue Beng. They quickly gathered around, and soon the plaza was packed.
The two combatants stood thirty steps apart in the center of the plaza.
"Osler, Martial Soul: Ghost Leopard, thirty-fifth-level agility-type Soul Master. Please guide me."
Facing Lan Si, Osler did not hold back. He immediately summoned his martial soul, and two yellow and one purple spirit rings rose from his feet, shining brilliantly.
"Lan Si, Martial Soul: Blue Flame Lotus, thirty-second-level control-type Soul Master. Please guide me."
Lan Si also summoned his martial soul, showing interest in the fight. Aside from the scuffle with Xue Beng's cronies, this was his first proper fight with a Soul Elder, and an agility-type one at that. He wanted to see how his fourth layer of the Sacred Universe Technique compared to the speed of an agility-type Soul Master in Douluo Continent.
"Remember, this is a spar. Stop if it gets too intense. No deadly force is allowed." Qin Ming reminded them, signaling Yu Feng to light an incense stick before retreating to watch.
As soon as Qin Ming spoke, Osler took the initiative. His first spirit ring lit up, and his figure became a black blur, zigzagging toward Lan Si. Control-type spirit masters naturally counter agility-type ones—common knowledge in Douluo Continent. Though his spirit power surpassed Lan Si's, he needed to act quickly before the latter could employ his control skills, or he'd risk a stalemate.
Having fought against the Soul-Devouring Spider with its incredible speed, Lan Si felt disappointed when he compared Osler's speed. He almost wanted to sarcastically say, "Is that all?"
Lan Si's eyes glowed with blue and white flames. Using his keen dynamic vision, he casually sidestepped Osler's attack and raised his right fist to strike Osler's cheek.
Osler didn't react in time. When he finally realized it, a fist was already waiting for his face.
In front of the stunned crowd, it looked as if Osler had delivered his face to Lan Si's fist.
With a loud thud, Osler was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing heavily to the ground.
He was dizzy and saw stars. The crowd was silent.
Was Lan Si that strong, or was Osler that weak?
"Haha, Osler, are you holding back? I get that you're going easy on the new guy, but did you have to lean into his punch?" Yu Feng jeered gleefully, taking pleasure in Osler's misfortune.
Hearing Yu Feng's taunts, Osler's face burned with shame, but he couldn't retort. His second spirit ring lit up, and a dark mist enveloped his body as he lunged toward Lan Si again.
Lan Si raised his hand, his first spirit ring glowing. The blue lotus in his hand transformed into eight sharp blades, lined up in front of him, shooting towards Osler.
The blades moved in a fan shape, with Osler as the focal point. Controlled by the Sacred Universe Technique, they moved at incredible speed, making it impossible for Osler to dodge in his normal state. Left with no choice, he activated his second spirit skill, spinning in the air to deflect the blades while using the momentum to approach Lan Si again, aiming a clawed hand at him.
The result was predictable. Just like before, Osler flew back, this time getting punched on the right cheek.
Now, Osler went from a handsome guy to a swollen-faced "panda."
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