The moment the dragon's roar echoed, Wu Feng with her Red Dragon martial soul and Bei Bei with his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon were hit first. The overwhelming bloodline suppression instantly made their soul power feel almost stagnant.
Even their glowing soul rings dimmed significantly.
Those without dragon-type martial souls didn't fare much better—because this was the Golden Dragon King, the temperamental Golden Dragon King!
It looked down on all their martial souls equally!
Even Xuan Zi, watching from above, wasn't spared. His Gluttony Bull martial soul trembled faintly, sending waves of instinctive submission. Only his sheer strength allowed him to suppress the feeling.
Meanwhile, Wu Feng had already dropped to her knees.
Bei Bei, though still standing, flushed red, his four soul rings flickering unstably as if they might retract at any moment.
What the hell is this?!
Every gaze locked onto Lin Yun, filled with nothing but shock.
Holy shit, he's cheating!
As Lin Yun's grin turned savage, the muscles in his arms bulged, golden scales tearing through his sleeves to reveal dazzling draconic claws. His golden pupils narrowed into vertical slits, his draconic majesty radiating like a king surveying his domain.
Hum—
Black!
Black! Black!
Red! Red!
Five soul rings—three ten-thousand-year, two hundred-thousand-year—hovered around him, marking him as a Soul King.
The moment those rings appeared, the fighting spirit of every student on the field was nearly crushed. They could only tremble as they watched Lin Yun in his invincible transformation sequence.
"?!"
Xuan Zi's drunken haze vanished instantly, his eyes locked onto those terrifyingly colored soul rings.
"Impossible… How is this possible?!" he muttered, voice thick with shock and dread.
"Last year, his soul rings were Purple, Purple, Black. That was already unbelievable, but given his Golden Dragon martial soul and all the rare treasures he must have consumed, it made some sense. But how could his fourth and fifth rings be hundred-thousand-year?! And how did his first two rings evolve to ten-thousand-year?!"
No—absolutely impossible!
The only ways to forcibly upgrade soul rings were either the cruel, life-draining methods of evil soul masters… or one other possibility.
A god.
Or more precisely—a god's trial.
And it was this second possibility that truly terrified Xuan Zi.
Lin Yun… received a god's trial?
In a continent where no one had ascended to godhood in ten thousand years, he had gained divine recognition?
Why him?!
Xuan Zi's face twisted with jealousy and resentment. Shrek was the true inheritor of divine legacy! Their ancestors had produced seven gods! So why wasn't it him? Why wasn't it someone from Shrek?!
Why this nobody from some hidden sect?!
Unfair… The heavens are unfair!
The Sea God is unfair!
(Tang San: ?)
But the battle didn't pause for Xuan Zi's meltdown. Even if Lin Yun's strength terrified them, even if his aura made their souls quake—they were still Shrek's elite!
"The real fight starts now!"
Xie Huanyue, the chubby second-year, was the first to shake off his fear. His three soul rings flashed as his body swelled—elephant hide, trunk, and monstrous strength bursting forth.
"Lin Yun! Let's see what you've got!"
With a booming laugh, the fleshy ball of a boy launched himself forward with surprising agility. His arms stretched like rubber before whipping down in a trunk-like strike.
The others watched, shame creeping in.
They had all hesitated—except a three-ringed second-year.
Xie Huanyue stood no chance. He might get one-shot.
But at least he had the guts to try.
"Screw it! So what if he's a Soul King? So what if he has two red rings?" The third-year who'd earlier rallied them against the upperclassmen gritted his teeth, battle intent flaring.
"Worst case, I get my ass kicked. Big deal! Come on, let's fight!"
Howl—!
A fierce wolf's cry erupted as cyan light enveloped him. The phantom of a Gale Demon Wolf materialized behind him, howling at the sky.
"He's outnumbered! There's no way we all lose!"
"Let's show him what Shrek's made of!"
"The 'Strongest Freshman King'—let's see if he lives up to the hype!"
"Fight!"
With Xie Huanyue and the Gale Wolf guy leading the charge, the others' fighting spirits ignited. Ignoring their fear, they unleashed their soul skills in a frenzied assault.
Even Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi exchanged a glance before joining the offensive. Only Huo Yuhao hesitated, pulling Wang Dong back instead of attacking.
In the end, aside from Xiao Xiao, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Jiang Nannan—everyone else charged at Lin Yun.
Thirty-four soul skills.
All aimed at one man.
"Ganging up on me?" Lin Yun's smirk faded into something more enigmatic. "Before, tossing you all out might've been a hassle. But now…"
Ting—
A crystalline shattering sound rang out as Lin Yun's fourth soul ring—the hundred-thousand-year Dark Demon Evil God Tiger ring—lit up.
Soul Skill—Golden Dragon Demon Flash!
Crimson light dyed the entire arena, illuminating the terror on thirty-four faces.
Then—Lin Yun vanished.
Only Xuan Zi, at Rank 98, could barely track the black streak of light that zipped across the arena faster than thought.
Near-instantaneous movement.
Even Xuan Zi doubted he could intercept Lin Yun in this state.
"No—wait!"
Xuan Zi's expression twisted in panic. He didn't even have time to drop his wine gourd before his right fist clenched, erupting with deep yellow light.
"Evil God Slash—!"
(End of Chapter)
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