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Shrek City, Shrek Academy
After spending a warm and cozy day with Dugu Yan and Qian Renxue, Li Luochen set out alone. This time, he only called upon two people: You Tianshang and Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo was Li Luochen's most reliable trump card and protective umbrella, though he no longer needed protection. As for You Tianshang, he was more of a witness—but he also wanted to get his hands dirty.
You Tianshang had always been curious about the true level of the legendary Hao Tian Douluo. What made this so-called youngest Title Douluo so peculiar? How could someone who had just broken through to Title Douluo defeat three veteran Title Douluos?
"Old You, if you encounter him first, have some fun. Leave the killing to me. I want to test how strong the world's number one weapon-type spirit, the Hao Tian Hammer, really is."
Li Luochen glanced at the young man in green robes beside him.
"Hmm, I've wanted to fight that guy for a long time. Unfortunately, back then I was only a Soul Sage. Although I'm from the same generation as Tang Hao, there's over a decade between us.
Now that I've reached the Title Douluo realm, I want to see just how strong someone who defeated Uncle Xunji truly is. Can the top-tier weapon-type spirit, the Hao Tian Hammer, really stand up to the Six-Winged Angel?
Let my Jade Phoenix test his strength."
You Tianshang spoke with excitement. After all, it had been a long time since he last fought. His hands were itching for action. Since breaking through to Title Douluo, acquiring a hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone, though his soul power was still at level 93, his combat ability was at least on par with a level 96 Super Douluo.
You Tianshang himself was a prodigy. He broke through to Title Douluo at just forty years old, possessing a full set of hundred-thousand-year soul rings and soul bones—all premium-grade items above fifty-thousand years.
The most distinctive feature of You Tianshang's battle style was that he didn't like to engage in direct brute-force confrontations. Instead, he excelled at leveraging his speed advantage to overwhelm opponents.
When Li Luochen and Dugu Yan first fought against You Tianshang, even their Spirit Fusion Technique couldn't touch him—because they simply couldn't land a hit.
At least in this era, no one in the Agility Attack category could surpass You Tianshang. However, Agility Attack had a significant drawback compared to Power Attack—it lacked sufficient offensive power and defensive capability.
In simple terms, he was a squishy character with insufficient attack power. But now, You Tianshang was different. His offensive power had become exceptionally strong.
Even as a Soul Douluo, he was able to defeat Ling Yuan Douluo. His eighth soul skill, which was at the ninety-thousand-year level, packed considerable punch—not to mention his current hundred-thousand-year soul skill.
Furthermore, after absorbing the hundred-thousand-year Sky Lord, his already near-extreme wind attribute had fully evolved into an ultimate wind attribute, making him a Title Douluo with ultimate wind mastery.
He had speed, attack power, and even his previously weaker defense had been patched up. You Tianshang possessed a defensive soul skill—whether it was a soul skill or a soul bone skill wasn't clear—that created a repelling wind barrier around him, nearly impossible to break through.
You Tianshang once said that unless someone possessed demi-god-level attack power, his defensive skill couldn't be broken. And even if it were somehow broken, he still had other life-saving skills.
It was truly hopeless. This big brother's strength had improved yet again, and he was about to advance to level 94. In Li Luochen's eyes, You Tianshang might very well break through to Limit Douluo within twenty years.
Though three people had set out this time, Dugu Bo hadn't appeared. Li Luochen could sense that Dugu Bo was nearby, but he couldn't pinpoint his exact location. It seemed that Dugu Bo's strength had improved once again—Li Luochen's near-level 98 spiritual power had failed to detect him.
This time, Li Luochen intended to handle Tang Hao himself. While You Tianshang would take the lead, he would likely only toy with Tang Hao for a while. The real battle would fall to Li Luochen.
After breaking through to Soul Douluo, Li Luochen's Ring Fusion skill had also improved. He wanted to see whose technique was stronger: his Ring Fusion or the Hao Tian Sect's Exploding Rings.
Li Luochen's Ring Fusion involved merging two spirit rings' elements to release a combined effect, multiplying the power significantly without affecting the use of spirit skills.
However, it consumed a lot of spiritual power since it required precision. The Hao Tian Sect's Great Sumeru Hammer exploded its rings, greatly increasing power but causing the rings to disappear entirely, only re-forming after three days.
From this perspective, Li Luochen's Ring Fusion was clearly superior.
As Li Luochen and You Tianshang moved far beyond the range of Shrek City, roughly reaching the next city, Li Luochen's spiritual power detected three powerful soul force fluctuations.
"Hmm? Elder Qing Luan, Master, Second Master—why are they here? I didn't tell Xue'er about this. I wanted it to be a surprise." Li Luochen recognized the auras as those of the three familiar elders.
"Huh? Are you serious, Xiao Li? Granduncle's here? And Sixth Grandpa, Seventh Grandpa too? What are they doing here? Isn't this supposed to be known only by the three of us?"
You Tianshang was equally confused. Then, glancing at Li Luochen, he suddenly realized something and revealed an aunt-like smile.
"Oh my, looks like our little princess from the Spirit Hall doesn't trust someone, hmm? Tsk tsk tsk, going out without even saying where you're going—acting like a heartbreaker."
You Tianshang teased.
A vein popped on Li Luochen's forehead. You Tianshang was great in every way, except for his loose lips.
"You're not much better. How long have you been freeloading off me? Aren't you going back to your wife?"
"My wife's just not in Shrek City right now. Ling Yuan is guarding Xue too, but she and the Demon Bear and Ghost Leopard went off on another mission.
By the way, after this matter is settled, I'm taking Ma Hongjun for training. He's about to reach Soul King level, so it's time for him to learn avian combat techniques. I'll pass down my self-created Nine Techniques of the Jade Phoenix to him.
Don't worry about me keeping him away for too long. He'll return before the Soul Master Tournament—and when he does, he'll surprise you."
You Tianshang had already become Ma Hongjun's master, at Li Luochen's suggestion. Li Luochen himself couldn't teach Ma Hongjun avian-style attacks, but You Tianshang, despite being wind-attribute, could teach him more.
You Tianshang's understanding of avian-type spirits surpassed even Elder Qing Luan's. Moreover, he had long taken a liking to Ma Hongjun and insisted on making him the chief disciple of the Xuan Niao Sect.
Additionally, You Tianshang had invited Flender to serve as the honorary elder of the Blackbird Sect. His dream was to unite all avian spirits under the Xuan Niao Sect!
"Alright, there's still over a year left. He's currently a high-level Soul Ancestor. Bring me back at least a Soul Emperor by next year."
Li Luochen smirked mischievously. You Tianshang was a wealthy man, so who knew—he might have some premium soul bones suitable for Ma Hongjun.
"Get lost! Who advances over ten levels in a year? At most, I'll make him a mid-level Soul King."
You Tianshang was exasperated.
"Of course it's possible. Once Hongjun reaches level 50, take him to the Undying Volcano in the Star Dou Forest. There should be plenty of fire-attribute treasures there. Don't take everything you find, though.
I've got two fire-attribute experts here too. By the way, how did you convince Hongjun in the first place?"
Li Luochen was curious about how You Tianshang had persuaded Ma Hongjun.
"A hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone, plus a suitable eighty-thousand-year right arm bone."
You Tianshang waved his hand dismissively.
...Rolling in wealth, aren't we?
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