Douluo Continent Villain Simulator: Persecuting Qian Renxue at the Start

Chapter 61 Life is like floating, death is like rest (Two-part extended chapter)

On the college square, Su Cheng glanced at the crowd of nearly a hundred people and was somewhat surprised.

This accounts for almost one-fifth of the total number of students in the college.

He and Ning Rongrong had only been back for a short while, how come they gathered so quickly? Wasn't it said that the students in the academy were scattered in various simulated training grounds and it wasn't good for them to gather together?

Meng Shenji smiled and nodded at him, saying, "The fact that your second soul ring was at the thousand-year level somehow got out, and many people wanted to see it. It was quite a coincidence, but it saved a lot of time."

Su Cheng then realized that he probably attracted the attention of other students when he displayed his martial spirit upon entering the academy.

I glanced around the crowd and spotted a few distinct small groups, though I wasn't sure if any of them were from the avalanche.

It doesn't matter if he doesn't come. After today's battle, the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, will likely come knocking on our door. He's an ambitious fellow too.

In Su Cheng's imagination, Xue Beng should be a spoiled brat with low strength but arrogant and domineering. However, judging from the people he met, none of them fit the description. He guessed that the fourth prince was not among them.

Little did he know that Xue Beng was actually looking around in the crowd, but he had been dealt with badly by Xue Qinghe, who was actually Qian Renxue in disguise, over the past few years, so he had become much more low-key.

Meng Shenji looked at the group of students, his expression becoming somewhat serious, no longer as kind and approachable as before.

"As you've probably heard, we have a new student in our college, but you don't know much about him/her. Let me give you a formal introduction."

He then gestured towards Su Cheng.

"Su Cheng, a level 32 Power Attack-type Battle Soul Master, is not yet eleven years old this year, and his second soul ring is at the thousand-year level."

The students, who had initially been skeptical of the rumors, were instantly thrown into an uproar when they heard the Chief Education Officer, Meng Shenji, personally confirm the rumors. The room erupted in a cacophony of voices and discussions.

Some people frowned secretly, some looked scrutinizing, and some were dismissive; a variety of emotions were expressed.

But the biggest reaction was surprise.

Seeing this, Meng Shenji nodded to himself.

The students of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy are either of noble birth or exceptional talent, and they are usually too arrogant. It's not a bad thing to let them know that there are always people more capable than themselves.

However, Su Cheng's reaction was quite unexpected.

His expression remained calm; he showed neither nervousness nor pride at being the center of attention.

Meng Shenji gestured for silence and continued, "However, today's introduction isn't just about meeting this student, Su. The selection process for our Heaven Dou Royal Academy team for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament three years from now hasn't ended yet, and this new student also wants to participate."

Upon hearing this, the students' expressions immediately changed.

This person has already reached the Soul Venerable level at less than eleven years old. If we wait another three years, who knows how far he will go? If he also tries to grab a spot, wouldn't that reduce the hopes of others even more?

"However, Su Cheng said that the Soul Master world only values ​​strength and nothing else. If you are not as skilled as him today, you will have to wait until the next competition. Who among you wants to fight him first?"

Upon hearing this, Su Cheng glanced at him sideways.

This old guy is shrewd; he's made his decision definitively right here in front of everyone.

If he loses today, it means he will be completely ineligible to represent the Heaven Dou Royal Academy in this Soul Master Competition.

As Meng Shenji finished speaking, the students, regardless of their previous feelings about Su Cheng's arrival, now felt a sense of shared hatred.

Being able to participate in this competition is more than just a testament to one's ability.

The honors, status, and awards gained from participating in the competition are backed by complex web of interests, and no one would willingly give up a competitive opportunity.

Students like Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, who had already secured a spot on the first team, naturally had no interest in making a move.

But the others were clearly getting restless.

Ji Yuan was one of them.

His background was ordinary compared to others in the academy, coming from a fallen noble family. However, in his generation, his martial soul mutated, and his innate soul power reached level six or above.

At twenty-one years old this year, his soul power cultivation is also at level 34, making him one of the candidates for the captain of the second team.

Ji Yuan had long considered this spot as his own, as it represented the hope for his family's resurgence.

This was also when he felt the greatest threat.

Upon hearing what Meng Shenji said, he immediately stood up with a gloomy face.

"Boss, are you really going? That kid is quite a genius."

"I'm the one who beats geniuses."

genius?

He's just a child who's not even eleven years old.

The Heavenly Dou Royal Academy has more than 500 students. Apart from those useless, incompetent members sent in by nobles, who among them isn't a genius?

What use is a genius who never grows up?

Ji Yuan slowly walked to the center of the square, looked down at Su Cheng, who was now almost a head shorter than him, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"Kid, fighting isn't just about levels. Of course, you can't beat me in terms of soul power either. Silver Wolf, possess me!"

As he spoke, a layer of bright silver light shone on his body, and silver fur appeared on his exposed arms, enhancing his defensive capabilities. His arms were outstretched, his muscles bulging, almost bursting through his bright yellow school uniform.

Sharp claws shot out from their fingertips, gleaming like short daggers. The claws clashed, producing a resounding metallic clang, clearly indicating their extreme sharpness.

He shook his bones, making crackling sounds, and his body was stretched slightly. His eyes gleamed with a ghostly light, and silver hair like steel needles emerged from his temples.

As he completed the Beast Martial Soul possession, a faint fishy smell seemed to permeate the surrounding air.

Three soul rings, two yellow and one purple, rose up one after another beneath his feet, and the surging soul power surged like waves.

Ji Yuan flexed his fingers and lazily said, "Ji Yuan, Martial Soul: Silver Wolf, Level 34 Battle Soul Venerable."

Seeing this, Su Cheng also raised his right palm, and the Longevity Sword appeared in his hand.

Three spirit rings, one yellow and two purple, appeared beneath his feet.

"Su Cheng, Martial Soul: Longevity Sword, Level 32 Battle Soul Venerable."

As his martial spirit manifested, a new round of discussion erupted from the audience.

Ning Fengzhi glanced at Meng Shenji standing beside him and casually asked, "Who do you think has a better chance of winning, Meng?"

After pondering for a moment, Meng Shenji said, "Ji Yuan should have a higher chance of winning. Su Cheng has reached such a level of cultivation at this age. No matter how talented he is, he must have practiced diligently. He probably has little experience fighting against Soul Masters in the past. Moreover, he has not received any basic education in this area."

Ning Fengzhi shook his head upon hearing this, "I think young friend Su has a good chance."

He then added in his mind, "If he really has some connection with the person that Uncle Jian mentioned before."

"He can't win."

At that moment, a clear, girlish voice broke into their conversation.

Ning Fengzhi turned his head in slight surprise, only to see his daughter pouting. "That Su Cheng just told me that he hasn't systematically studied the knowledge of Soul Masters before, and he doesn't even understand how to choose Soul Rings. I'm afraid the Soul Skills attached to his Martial Soul won't be very strong."

Ning Fengzhi looked at her with some surprise.

This tone suggests that the lack of confidence in Su Cheng is not only due to these objective reasons, but also that the interaction between the two just now was not pleasant.

This is not a good thing.

"Look how slow his reaction is."

At this moment, Ning Rongrong's words drew his attention back to the battle.

In the square, Ji Yuan did not intend to conduct any further probing.

After the possession was completed, his physical attributes and combat instincts were greatly enhanced. His wolf-like body lunged forward, leaving a trail of foul stench.

At the same time, the sharp claws attached to his ten fingers popped out and grabbed at Su Cheng's body.

The first spirit ring under his feet lit up, and gusts of wind seemed to appear out of thin air, flowing between his claws.

He used his first soul skill, Silver Wolf Divine Wind Claw, right at the start!

It's obvious that Ji Yuan wants a quick victory.

However, Su Cheng showed no reaction whatsoever, with no indication of using any soul skills.

"It's over!" Ji Yuan thought with delight.

The effect of his soul skill is to greatly increase the instantaneous burst speed and explosive power when he swings his claws. If the opponent cannot prepare in advance, they will easily fall into a disadvantageous position.

Su Cheng hasn't even used his soul skills, let alone prepared in advance; the outcome is already predictable.

It was much easier than he had imagined.

"it's over."

Meng Shenji sighed, somewhat disappointed.

He didn't want Su Cheng to compete with the senior students for team spots, but he also didn't want this freshman to be just a cultivation genius.

However, at this distance, Su Cheng had not yet used his soul skill, so at this point, it was too late to react.

The circulation of soul power takes time; if you are slow at one step, you will be slow at every step.

Ning Fengzhi frowned slightly upon seeing this.

"Junior, let me teach you a lesson today. Soul Master battles don't depend on cultivation talent." Ji Yuan's voice came with the sound of wind.

"I was able to defeat you because I knew how to utilize my strengths, understood psychological warfare, and even considered the terrain. I used my strongest single-target attack right from the start!"

Su Cheng looked calmly at the body lunging at him, seemingly not having heard what the other person was saying.

His soul power instantly flowed through several meridians, and the Longevity Sword in his hand slashed upwards, arriving before him and blocking his path.

The sword strikes are swift and extremely powerful.

A flash of silver light appeared on the sword's edge, and the sword seemed to instantly become much sharper.

Kendo Thirteen Styles: Sword Seven, White Tiger!

The roles of offense and defense shifted instantly, and Ji Yuan's actions at this moment were as if he were deliberately running into Su Cheng's sword.

In an instant, all his attack and dodge paths were blocked.

Ji Yuan's pupils contracted slightly, the hairs on his body stood on end, and his silver beard stood up like steel needles.

He didn't understand what had happened and couldn't comprehend why Su Cheng's sword strikes were so bizarre.

But the attack had already come, so he had no choice but to stop himself and swing out his claws in advance, clashing with the sharp blade.

"Clang—"

With a loud clang of metal clashing, Ji Yuan let out a muffled groan and staggered back a few steps, a few drops of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his lungs and internal organs already wounded by the sword.

This is normal. He reacted hastily, and his power had not yet reached its peak when Su Cheng preemptively intercepted him. Given the lack of an overwhelming power advantage, it is not surprising that he was at a disadvantage in this clash.

However, before Ji Yuan could make any move, Su Cheng's next attack arrived in the blink of an eye.

He then thrust the sword forward with such speed that Ji Yuan had no time to react.

As far as the eye could see, the sword light was like a white rainbow piercing towards the space between his brows.

Jianwang 3, Shadowless!

Ji Yuan was startled, feeling as if the sword shadow had almost pierced through his head, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. It was too late for him to dodge, so he could only desperately defend himself with his still-intact wolf claws.

It seems that life and death are separated by only a moment.

At that moment, a murderous intent swept by, making Ji Yuan's scalp tingle and his eyes widen in horror as he looked at Su Cheng.

Unexpectedly, Su Cheng suddenly changed his move with his longsword, instead of launching a further attack, he raised it upwards.

What followed was a towering sword shadow that seemed to topple over like a mountain.

Life is like a fleeting dream, death like a passing rest. How much joy can life hold?

Sword Thirteen, the common people have feelings!

However, what Su Cheng used at this moment was merely the starting stance of the Sentimental Sword, which was triggered by the residual power of the previous sword move.

However, Ji Yuan felt an immense, boundless pressure, and everything around him seemed to be gradually fading away.

He felt as if he had returned to the time when he was competing with his family peers for resources; when he was bullied and oppressed by the strong in the academy; when he was ostracized and expelled from the academy's battle team...

Status and wealth were gained and then lost.

Glory and power passed each other by.

The vast expanse of sword shadows rose higher and higher.

Ji Yuan felt as if he were standing on a cliff edge, one wrong step and he would be smashed to pieces.

As if walking on thin ice, as if standing on the edge of an abyss.

He wanted to roar.

I want to throw a punch.

He wanted to unleash every soul skill he could.

They want to use all their trump cards and killer moves.

However, he couldn't move even a single finger.

Soul power and soul skills were all firmly suppressed within his body.

The fear of losing everything made his body tremble slightly.

He could only stare wide-eyed at the boy opposite him.

No, it wasn't just him.

The senior students standing behind him, including Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan and others, were all enveloped by a sword aura.

A feeling of despair welled up in my heart and then gradually took root and sprouted.

Gazing at that sword aura was like gazing at an insurmountable mountain.

"You...you..." Ji Yuan's throat trembled as he squeezed out a few scattered words in an off-key voice.

"My ability to defeat you has nothing to do with tactics; it's simply because I'm stronger than you."

Su Cheng's gaze was calm and indifferent, his eyes passing over his shoulder and looking at the group of figures behind him.

"Who's next?"

The audience was silent.

Meng Shenji, Ning Fengzhi, and the others standing behind Su Cheng exchanged glances, their expressions solemn.

Ning Rongrong's gaze was blank.

The battle ended in less than a minute.

During this time, Su Cheng did not use even a single Soul Ring skill.

She suddenly realized that perhaps there was some truth to what Su Cheng had said earlier.

To maintain plot coherence, the two chapters have been combined, which is why I'm posting this a bit late today.

Thank you to Sixteen Sake for the 500 coins, thank you to Sister Not Bad for the 400 coins, and thank you to Immortal for the 100 coins.

(End of this chapter)