Unbeknownst to him, Lu Jingming had been in this world for eight years. During these eight years, he had gradually come to understand a portion of his "True Authority." When he first transmigrated, the True Power he possessed was completely depleted by the manifestation of Jingliu.
The True Power he later gained came from the various impacts he and Jingliu had on this world, thus receiving "feedback from reality." Simply put, whether it was he himself or the characters he manifested, the greater their impact on this world, the more True Power he would acquire.
In these past few years, the one who provided him with the most True Power was neither the powerful Jingliu nor Chang Li, who controlled Haiyuan City, but Herta, who rarely left her abode, much like a recluse.
This was because some of the soul tools Herta created, her discarded works, after being sold by Lu Jingming, triggered a series of chain reactions on the Douluo Continent, and these impacts were all attributed to Herta.
Therefore, Madam Herta was undoubtedly Lu Jingming's largest source of True Power at present.
"I'm a few years older than you, so I'll just call you Xiaotao. Don't worry, I'll suppress my soul power level to match yours. We'll have a fair fight." Although Zhang Lexuan didn't quite like Ma Xiaotao's attitude towards Lu Jingming, she was kind-hearted and wouldn't truly bully someone younger.
At this moment, she earnestly stated her intention to suppress her strength, ready for a fair and just soul duel with Ma Xiaotao.
"Heh, I don't need you to hold back! It's not like I haven't won against people older than me before," Ma Xiaotao said, brimming with confidence, her chin slightly raised, her eyes gleaming with pride.
In Shrek Academy, her talent was considered top-tier. Among her peers, no one was her match, and she had defeated students several years older than her on multiple occasions.
Because of this, despite her young age, she was already highly renowned in Shrek Academy, earning the nickname "Fiery Demon." It's worth noting that Shrek Academy was widely recognized as the continent's foremost academy, a sacred place where countless geniuses gathered.
To stand out in such a place teeming with experts proved that Ma Xiaotao's strength made her a truly top-tier genius across the entire Douluo Continent.
"Shrek Academy, Ma Xiaotao, martial soul Evil Fire Phoenix, forty-first level offense-type Soul Ancestor." Ma Xiaotao placed one hand on her hip, striking a cool and dashing pose.
She snapped her fingers crisply, and a wisp of vibrant red flame instantly ignited the surrounding air with a soft puff.
Immediately after, two yellow and two purple soul rings, a total of four, slowly emerged from beneath her feet, neatly arranged and emitting powerful soul power fluctuations.
This was the optimal soul ring configuration that Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent dreamed of, showcasing Ma Xiaotao's solid foundation of strength.
In the soul dueling arenas of the Douluo Continent, there was an unwritten rule: before a battle began, both parties had to state their name, martial soul, and soul power level.
After all, soul dueling was essentially a competitive activity, not a life-or-death struggle, so these basic rules were naturally observed.
Zhang Lexuan's expression remained as calm as still water. Her cool voice, like a gentle breeze, softly entered Ma Xiaotao's ears: "St. Freya Academy, Zhang Lexuan, martial soul Silver Moon, sixty-eighth level offense-type Soul Emperor."
In Ma Xiaotao's slowly widening pupils, a radiant silver moon gently rose, emitting a soft and sacred light.
Simultaneously, two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings, a total of six, shimmered forth from beneath Zhang Lexuan's feet. Each soul ring flowed with powerful soul power fluctuations, intertwining to form a heart-pounding force.
This power stirred a fierce wave of air, whistling as it swept forth, causing Zhang Lexuan's ink-black hair to fly wildly, like a dynamic and breathtaking painting.
Bathed in the soft silver moonlight, Zhang Lexuan at this moment resembled a moon goddess descended to the mortal world, exuding an otherworldly beauty that was breathtaking, making one involuntarily intoxicated.
Her cool demeanor, complementing the softly glowing silver moon, added an extra layer of mystery and nobility.
Ma Xiaotao subconsciously licked her dry lips, her mouth twitching uncontrollably several times. She inwardly groaned in misery, feeling as though she had firmly kicked an incredibly hard steel plate.
It was well known that in a place like Shrek Academy, teeming with geniuses, even the most exceptionally talented and highly regarded inner court disciples, at seventeen years old, mostly only reached the Soul King level.
Those capable of breaking through to the Soul Emperor realm were an extremely rare few among the top prodigies. Yet, someone like Zhang Lexuan, who had already reached the terrifying height of sixty-eighth level soul power, was likely unparalleled in all of Shrek Academy.
Although Ma Xiaotao was extremely confident in her own talent, firmly believing she could also break through to the Soul Emperor realm by the age of seventeen, she knew very well that she absolutely could not reach such a terrifying level as sixty-eight.
After all, for Soul Masters, the difficulty of cultivation increased exponentially at higher levels; every step forward required unimaginable effort and cost.
Moreover, the powerful aura and perfect soul ring configuration she sensed from Zhang Lexuan were definitely not achievable through methods like relying on elixirs; that was genuinely formidable strength.
"Soul Emperor, big deal! I'll still fight!" Despite feeling a little uneasy inside, Ma Xiaotao's inherent stubbornness, her refusal to admit defeat, made her exceptionally defiant.
Even though she inwardly recognized the difficulty of this battle, she still feigned a fearless and unyielding facade.
Zhang Lexuan easily saw through Ma Xiaotao's bravado. Her lips curved slightly into a faint, gentle smile as she softly said, "As I said at the beginning, I will only use my first four soul skills and suppress my soul power level. While this isn't absolutely fair, you wouldn't mind, would you?"
"Heh, I've never been afraid of anyone when fighting at the same level!" Ma Xiaotao's words were tough, but this time she didn't boast about not needing the other party to hold back, unlike before.
She wasn't a foolish simpleton; if she truly let Zhang Lexuan go all out, the sheer soul power suppression alone would be enough to give her a hard time.
Seeing that both were ready to fight, Lu Jingming pulled Keqing to sit under a beach umbrella, complete with snacks and drinks. Clearly, the two were prepared to watch the show, looking like spectators enjoying gossip.