Douluo Continent: Starting from the Fusion of My Martial Soul with Xiao Xiao

The icy seawater flowed slowly past her ears, and Xue Yuheng's gaze was fixed on the bottomless trench.

20,000 meters.

This is a depth that even a Limit Douluo cannot easily reach.

The terrifying water pressure is enough to crush even the hardest level nine soul-guided alloy into an iron disc, let alone the fragile human body.

Even if he now possesses the physique of a Title Douluo, he would still have to pay a huge price to delve deeper into it.

"Let's go back first." Xue Yuheng withdrew her gaze and said softly, "The secret of the Ice God cannot be solved overnight. Our current strength is not enough; going down rashly will only lead to our deaths."

Xue Qingwu nodded, but her eyes still held an undisguised excitement.

The Ice God bloodline within her continued to surge, and the soul fluctuation from the depths of the trench, like an invisible thread, drew her heart.

Xiao Xiao tugged at Xue Yuheng's sleeve and whispered, "Xiao Xue, let's come again later, okay? By then you'll be even stronger, and you'll definitely be able to help that guardian beast."

"Mm." Xue Yuheng smiled and ruffled her hair. "Let's go back to the academy first. The year-long vacation is almost over. If we don't go back soon, Director Zhao will send people to arrest us."

The three turned and swam towards the sea.

Golden sunlight pierced through the seawater, shining on them and dispelling the chill of the deep sea.

The trench behind us fell silent again, as if the ancient voice we had just heard was nothing but a dream.

But Xue Yuheng knew that it was not a dream.

He will one day uncover the secrets of the deepest part of the Eternal Ocean.

Two weeks later, at Tianzheng Academy.

The early summer sun shines through the dense sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

The campus was filled with students in short-sleeved school uniforms, their laughter echoing everywhere, a stark contrast to the icy, snowy landscape of the far north.

Xue Yuheng, Xiao Xiao, and Xue Qingwu, carrying their schoolbags, walked along the tree-lined path, attracting many sidelong glances.

After a year away from the academy, all three have changed quite a bit.

Xue Yuheng has grown quite a bit taller. His once slightly immature face has become more angular, his eyes are deep and calm, and he exudes a composed aura.

Xiao Xiao has lost some of her childishness, and her eyes and brows have gained a touch of liveliness and heroism.

Xue Qingwu remained aloof and ethereal, her long, silvery-white hair tied in a high ponytail. Walking among the crowd, she resembled a snow lotus, standing alone in the world.

"Finally back!" Xiao Xiao took a deep breath and a bright smile appeared on her face. "It's so much more comfortable at the academy. I don't have to be soaking in the icy seawater every day."

Xue Qingwu also breathed a slight sigh of relief. The human world is really easy.

Xue Yuheng smiled and turned his gaze toward the back mountain of the academy.

There stood a huge black stone tablet, which was the Heavenly Ranking.

"Go report to the administration office first," he said. "Then, it's time to meet the top student on that day's list."

Inside the disciplinary office, Zhao Yan looked at the three people standing in front of him, his expression a mixture of surprise and delight.

"You're finally back!" He stood up, circled the three of them, his eyes full of inquiry. "Where have you been this past year?"

"I went to the far north for some training," Xue Yuheng said casually.

Zhao Yan raised an eyebrow but didn't ask any further questions. The training of a Soul Master was inherently shrouded in mystery; he only cared about the outcome.

"How's the training going?" he asked expectantly.

Xue Yuheng smiled but didn't say anything; he simply released his soul power.

The fluctuations of soul power slowly spread out, and two soul rings rose from beneath Xue Yuheng's feet.

"This... what kind of spirit ring is this?!" he exclaimed, "I've never seen a spirit ring of this color before!"

"This is the Soul Ring," Xue Yuheng said calmly. "My second Soul Ring."

"A Soul Ring..." Zhao Yan murmured to himself, his eyes filled with shock. He had taught for thirty years and seen countless geniuses, but he had never heard of a Soul Ring with soul attributes.

What shocked him even more was that Xue Yuheng's soul power level had actually reached level 20!

A year ago, he was only at level 15.

In one year, he was promoted five levels.

This might not be much for ordinary Soul Masters, but for a genius like Xue Yuheng who already possesses the ultimate attributes, each level up is incredibly difficult.

"Where's Xiao Xiao? And you?" Zhao Yan suddenly looked at Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao stuck out her tongue and released her soul power.

Xiao Xiao is only level 30 and still only has the two god-level soul rings of the Wind Dragon King.

Xue Qingwu didn't speak, but she also released her aura.

Three purple, thousand-year-old soul rings surrounded him, and icy soul power instantly filled the entire office.

Level 36 Control-type Battle Soul Master.

Zhao Yan slumped into the chair, speechless for a long time.

Three eight-year-old children.

One is level 20 with two rings, one is level 30 with two rings, and one is level 36 with three rings.

This can't be described as genius anymore. This is simply monstrous!

"Director Zhao," Xue Yuheng's voice interrupted his thoughts, "we've come back to register for the Heavenly Ranking."

Zhao Yan snapped back to his senses, looked at the three of them, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"Great! Great!" he exclaimed twice, a smile of excitement spreading across his face. "I knew the three of you wouldn't let me down! So, who do you want to challenge?"

"First place on the individual leaderboard." Xue Yuheng's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Zhao Yan paused for a moment, then frowned: "Yuheng, I know you are exceptionally talented, but the number one spot on the Heavenly Ranking is not so easy to challenge."

The current number one on the individual leaderboard is Lin Cang, a reserve teacher at the academy, a level 68 Control-type Battle Soul Emperor, whose Martial Soul is the Azure Divine Wood.

He has held the top spot on the Heavenly Ranking for two whole years and has never lost.

Above the senior students at Tianzheng High School, there are more than a dozen reserve teachers who can also participate in the Tian Ranking. After all, before becoming formal teachers, they were just students.

"His Azure Divine Tree Martial Soul has extremely strong defensive capabilities and can also control plants for attack and control, making him very difficult to deal with. You're only at the second ring, a full four major levels below him, it's too risky."

"Rank doesn't mean everything," Xue Yuheng said calmly. "Director Zhao, make the arrangements."

Seeing Xue Yuheng's determined gaze, Zhao Yan pondered for a moment before finally nodding.

"Alright! I'll arrange it for you. Tomorrow afternoon, the first simulated martial arts arena, in a forest environment. I want to see if you, this prodigy, can create a miracle."

The next afternoon, at the No. 1 Mimicry Arena.

The news had already spread throughout the entire college.

An eight-year-old Soul Master with two Soul Rings challenges the number one spot on the Soul Emperor Heavenly Ranking at level sixty-eight.

This is absolutely the most outrageous competition in the history of Tianzheng Academy.

The arena was packed with students, three or four deep, completely overflowing. Everyone wanted to see what this legendary eight-year-old prodigy possessed that dared to challenge the number one on the Heavenly Ranking.

"How many moves do you think Xue Yuheng can last?"

"I think it will take at most three moves. Senior Lin Cang's Azure Divine Tree is notoriously difficult to deal with, with super strong control abilities. Xue Yuheng can't even get close to it."

"I also think it's hopeless. After all, the level difference is too great; there's a world of difference between a Soul Emperor and a Soul Master."

"It's hard to say. Have you forgotten his strange gray spirit ring? Maybe it has some special ability."

Amidst the murmurs, Xue Yuheng slowly walked onto the dueling platform.

He was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, his posture upright and his expression calm. Facing thousands of eyes below the stage, he showed no nervousness whatsoever.

Across from them, a young man dressed in a blue robe also walked up. He was about sixteen or seventeen years old, but his actual age was close to twenty-five. He had a handsome face and a gentle temperament; he was none other than Lin Cang, the number one on the Heavenly Ranking.

Upon seeing Xue Yuheng, Lin Cang smiled gently: "Junior Brother Yuheng, I've long admired your name. Your talent is known throughout the entire academy. However, a competition is a competition, and I won't hold back."

"Please." Xue Yuheng nodded slightly.

Zhao Yan stood on the referee's stand, looked at the two, took a deep breath, and announced loudly, "The competition begins!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Lin Cang made his move.

"First Soul Skill: Entangling Vine!"

Two yellow, century-old soul rings lit up, and countless thick green vines burst forth from the ground, coiling towards Xue Yuheng like venomous snakes. The vines were covered with sharp barbs, shimmering with an eerie green light.

Xue Yuheng remained standing, and his first spirit ring lit up.

"The Realm of Eternal Freeze!"

A massive ice wall instantly rose before him. The green vine slammed into the ice wall with a dull thud, but could not advance an inch. Extreme cold spread along the vine, instantly freezing it into an ice sculpture.

"Oh? Extreme ice attribute?" A hint of surprise flashed in Lin Cang's eyes, then he smiled. "Interesting. However, extreme ice attribute may not necessarily be able to counter my Azure Divine Tree."

"Third Soul Skill: Abundant Growth of Trees!"

The purple millennium soul ring lit up, and the ground of the entire arena began to tremble. Countless towering trees rose from the ground, their branches and leaves flourishing, transforming the entire arena into a dense forest.

Countless branches lashed out like arms, attacking Xue Yuheng from all directions.

Xue Yuheng flashed through the woods.

The extreme ice was continuously released, freezing and shattering the attacking tree branches one by one.

But the Azure Divine Tree has an extremely tenacious vitality; broken branches will quickly grow back endlessly.

"Second Soul Skill, Thorn Forest!"

Lin Cang made his move again. A yellow spirit ring lit up, and countless poisonous thorns sprouted from the ground, densely covering all of Xue Yuheng's escape routes.

Xue Yuheng snorted coldly, circulated his soul power, and a strong chill erupted from his body.

"A world of ice and snow!"

Extreme cold swept through the entire forest in an instant. The temperature plummeted to below zero, freezing all the trees and thorns into ice sculptures, and even the air seemed to solidify.

Lin Cang's expression changed slightly.

He hadn't expected Xue Yuheng's ultimate ice to be so powerful, capable of completely freezing even his Azure Divine Tree.

"Junior Brother Yuheng, you are truly the strongest two-ring Soul Master I have ever seen." Lin Cang looked at Xue Yuheng and said seriously, "However, this ends here."

He took a deep breath, and his sixth spirit ring, a dark 30,000-year spirit ring, suddenly lit up.

"Sixth Soul Skill, Spirit Wood Reaching Heaven!"

A loud bang.

A colossal tree, hundreds of meters tall, burst forth from the center of the arena, soaring into the sky. Its trunk was incredibly thick, requiring more than a dozen people to encircle it.

Countless thick tree roots twisted on the ground like giant dragons, and the canopy of trees blocked out the sky, casting shadows over the entire arena.

A terrifying pressure emanated from the sacred tree, making it difficult for the students below the stage to breathe.

"Is this Senior Lin Cang's sixth soul skill? It's terrifying!"

"It's over, Xue Yuheng is doomed to lose. The Spirit Wood Reaching the Heavens is Senior Lin Cang's strongest soul skill, even Soul Saints have to avoid its edge."

Standing atop the sacred tree, Lin Cang looked down at Xue Yuheng and said in a deep voice, "Junior Brother Yuheng, admit defeat. You are no match for me."

Xue Yuheng looked up at the towering tree, her face showing no fear.

He slowly raised his right hand, and the second pale gray soul ring suddenly lit up.

Second Soul Skill: Divine Control.

A faint gray light emanated from him, and an invisible soul force surged toward Lin Cang like a tide.

The smile on Lin Cang's face froze instantly.

He felt a sharp pain in his head, as if his soul had been grabbed by an invisible hand, rendering him completely immobile.

He tried to control the sacred tree to launch an attack, but found that the connection between him and the sacred tree had been forcibly severed.

"Wha...what happened?!" Lin Cang's face changed drastically, his eyes filled with terror. "What did you do to me?!"

Xue Yuheng didn't speak, but simply gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Snap!"

The colossal tree, hundreds of meters tall, snapped in two instantly and collapsed with a deafening roar. The massive trunk crashed to the ground, creating a deafening sound, and the entire arena trembled slightly.

Lin Cang fell from mid-air and crashed heavily to the ground, his face pale and a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He lost control of his martial spirit, and his soul power also fell into chaos.

Xue Yuheng walked slowly to him, looked at him, and said calmly, "You lost."

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Everyone stared blankly at the scene on the dueling platform, their faces filled with disbelief.

A seven-year-old Soul Master with two Soul Rings actually defeated the number one Soul Emperor on the Heavenly Ranking of level sixty-eight!

And it was done in one move, instantly killing him!

"I...I lost." Lin Cang gave a bitter smile and said with difficulty, "I admit defeat wholeheartedly."

Zhao Yan, recovering from his shock, quickly announced loudly, "I declare Xue Yuheng the winner of this match!"

From this moment forward, Xue Yuheng is ranked number one on the Tianzheng Academy's individual leaderboard!

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in thunderous cheers.

Xue Yuheng stood in the center of the arena, bathed in sunlight and cheers, his expression remaining calm.

This is just the beginning.

His goal was never simply to be number one on the Heavenly Ranking of Tianzheng Academy.

As the cheers subsided, Zhao Yan walked to Xue Yuheng's side, unable to hide the smile on his face.

"Good lad! You've got real talent!" He patted Xue Yuheng on the shoulder and said excitedly, "I knew you could create miracles!"

He paused, looked at Xue Yuheng, and then said, "How's it going? You've taken first place on the solo leaderboard. Interested in challenging the duo leaderboard?"

Xue Yuheng smiled and looked at Xiao Xiao below the stage.

"certainly."

"Great!" Zhao Yan was overjoyed. "The top two on the duo list are Qin Feng and Su Mei, a couple from the sixth year of the advanced department. They are both level 67 offensive-type battle soul saints."

Their martial souls are the Thunder Eagle and the Fire Phoenix, and they possess the martial soul fusion skill Thunderfire Eagle Phoenix, making them extremely powerful.

"Normally, according to the rules, you need to fight your way up from last place. However, since you have the ability, I'll grant you a special privilege: directly challenge the number one player on the duo leaderboard!"

"Tomorrow morning, the same arena, simulated volcanic environment. Any problems?"

"No problem," Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao said in unison.

The next morning, at the No. 1 mimicry arena.

There were even more students watching than yesterday.

Everyone wanted to see if Xue Yuheng, who had defeated the Soul Emperor, and his partner Xiao Xiao could create another miracle and defeat the two Soul Saints.

On the dueling platform, scorching lava flowed across the ground, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur. This was a volcanic simulated environment, which had a strong restraining effect on ice-attribute martial souls.

Qin Feng was dressed in a red, fitted outfit; he was tall and had a resolute face. Su Mei, on the other hand, wore a purple dress; she was beautiful and had a fiery personality.

The two stood side by side, displaying perfect understanding.

"Junior Brother Xue Yuheng, Junior Sister Xiao Xiao," Qin Feng said seriously, looking at the two of them. "We know you're both very strong. However, my wife and I have never lost when we team up. We won't go easy on you just because you're young."

"Please enlighten me." Xue Yuheng nodded slightly.

Zhao Yan announced loudly, "The competition begins!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Qin Feng made his move first.

"First Soul Skill, Thunder Eagle Claws!"

A yellow spirit ring lit up, and Qin Feng unfurled a pair of enormous thunder eagle wings. His body was crackling with purple lightning, and he pounced on Xue Yuheng like lightning. His sharp claws gleamed coldly, accompanied by a whistling sound that tore through the air.

At the same time, Su Mei also moved.

"Second Soul Skill, Phoenix Blaze!"

Two yellow spirit rings lit up, and a huge phantom of a fire phoenix appeared behind her, with blazing flames surging towards Xiao Xiao like a tide.

"Xiao Xiao, prepare for fusion," Xue Yuheng said in a deep voice.

"Okay!" Xiao Xiao nodded.

Xue Yuheng reached out and grasped Xiao Xiao's hand. Their soul energies instantly merged together.

"Dragon Girl Transformation!"

Golden light burst forth from Xiao Xiao. Her figure instantly grew taller, and her once childish face became stunningly beautiful.

A pair of golden dragon horns grew from its head, and a pair of huge golden dragon wings spread out from its back.

Surrounded by the power of wind and space, a terrifying aura swept across the entire arena.

A 500% increase in all attributes!

Xiao Xiao's soul power level instantly soared from level 30 to nearly the level of a Soul King!

"This... what kind of spirit fusion skill is this?!" Qin Feng's expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with shock. He had never seen a spirit fusion skill with such terrifying amplification before.

"First Soul Skill, Dragon King True Form!"

With a sharp cry, Xiao Xiao summoned a colossal phantom of the Wind Dragon King behind her. The dragon's roar shook the heavens and earth, its terrifying power making it difficult for Qin Feng and his wife to breathe.

"Second Soul Skill, Wind Tunnel Domain!"

Endless gales raged across the arena, forming a massive wind tunnel. Scorching lava was whipped up by the wind, transforming into countless fiery red meteors in the air. Enveloped by the gale, Qin Feng and his wife's movements became incredibly sluggish.

"Third Soul Skill, Mind Storm!"

An invisible mental storm swept towards the two of them. Qin Feng felt a sharp pain in his head, and his soul power instantly became chaotic. Su Mei let out a muffled groan, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

"Fourth Soul Skill, Dragon King's Other Dimension - Thirty-Three Heavens Storm!"

Xiao Xiao clasped her hands together and suddenly raised them upwards.

The sky darkened instantly.

Thirty-three enormous pillars of wind fell from the sky, connecting heaven and earth.

The columns of wind swirled and merged together, forming a massive storm that blotted out the sky.

At the eye of the storm, space itself was torn apart, revealing dark cracks.

A terrifying suction force emanated from the storm, causing the entire volcanic mimicry environment to collapse. Lava, rocks, and trees were all swept into the storm and instantly pulverized.

"Not good! Quickly use the Martial Soul Fusion Technique!" Qin Feng's expression changed drastically, and he shouted sharply.

"Soul Fusion Skill, Thunderfire Phoenix!"

Qin Feng and Su Mei embraced tightly, their soul powers instantly merging. The phantoms of the Thunder Eagle and the Fire Phoenix merged together, transforming into a gigantic Thunderfire Phoenix. The phoenix, wreathed in purple lightning and red flames, let out a resounding cry and charged towards the storm.

"boom-!"

The Thunderfire Phoenix and the Thirty-Three Heavens Storm collided violently.

A deafening explosion rang out.

A terrifying energy shockwave spread out, causing the entire protective shield of the arena to shake violently and become covered with countless cracks.

The light dissipated.

The Thunderfire Phoenix had vanished. Qin Feng and Su Mei collapsed to the ground, pale-faced and covered in wounds, completely incapacitated.

Xiao Xiao slowly put away the Dragon Girl Transformation and landed next to Xue Yuheng. Her little face was flushed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, but a bright smile appeared on her face.

The entire venue fell silent once again.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the two children on the dueling platform, their eyes filled with shock and awe.

Two seven-year-old children actually defeated two level 67 Soul Saints!

This is absolutely an unprecedented miracle!

Zhao Yan took a deep breath, suppressing his shock, and announced loudly, "I declare Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao the winners of this match!"

From this moment forward, they are the number one duo on the Tianzheng Academy rankings!

The cheers erupted again, even more enthusiastic than yesterday.

Xue Yuheng held Xiao Xiao's hand as they stood in the center of the arena. Sunlight shone on them, bathing them in a golden glow.

Below the stage, Xue Qingwu looked at them, a relieved smile appearing in her cool eyes.

Next, the three of them will team up to challenge the Seven-Person Ranking.