Soul Land: I Am the True Grandmaster

Chapter 196: The Interception Squad, Part Four

Snake Lady seized the opportunity to attack, wasting no time with formalities a seasoned soul master had no room for excessive decorum in a true battle.

"Sixth Soul Skill: Viper Transformation!"

The sixth black ring around her body flashed as she hurled her staff forward. Instantly, it extended, transforming into a massive, menacing cobra. Although her staff left her hands, Snake Lady could still activate her spirit abilities.

"Third Soul Skill: Venomous Serpent Swarm! Fifth Soul Skill: Plague of Serpents!"

In an instant, a horde of serpents emerged, forming a flood of venomous shadows that surged toward Ye Tianxin.

Ye Tianxin, her previous disgust now replaced with excitement, found Snake Lady's martial spirit fascinating. The way she wielded her staff made it seem more like summoning a beast than controlling a weapon. She knew from the intelligence reports her father, Ye Wen, gathered that this style was unique, resembling the rumored abilities of the elusive Serpent Spear Douluo. Though no other power on the continent knew of him, Ye Wen's sources within Spirit Hall had passed on this secret knowledge.

In her mind, Ye Tianxin could not shake the feeling that the Serpent Spear Douluo if they ever met might have ulterior motives toward her father. Though they'd never met, something in her instincts resisted the idea.

Clearing her thoughts, Ye Tianxin placed her left hand on the coiled dragon pattern of her Blue Gold Overlord Spear, focusing her intent.

"Focus the intent. Accumulate!"

The fiery energy surrounding her body rapidly concentrated at the spearhead, blazing with an intensity like the sun itself. Ye Tianxin smiled confidently as she activated her third soul skill.

"Charge!"

In a burst of unstoppable momentum, she lunged forward. The blinding light from her spear swept through the swarm of vipers like an unstoppable force. The onlookers could only watch in awe as the mass of snakes dissipated in an instant.

When the light faded, Ye Tianxin's spear was suspended an inch from Snake Lady's forehead, radiating enough heat to make Snake Lady tremble. The dark ground bore the scorched marks of her path, and Snake Lady's silver hair had singed and curled from the intense heat. Fear gripped her heart as she realized she had narrowly escaped death, her cold sweat instantly evaporating from the lingering heat.

"Thank you for the match, Senior," Ye Tianxin said with a composed smile. She then retracted her spear and returned to her group, where Liu Yuanyuan swiftly dispatched the Phoenix Tailed Crested Serpent.

It took Snake Lady a moment to recover, haunted by the specter of death lingering in her mind.

"Grandmother, are you alright?" asked Meng Yiran, full of concern.

The scene of a Soul Emperor being so completely dominated by a mere Soul Elder had shaken her confidence.

Snake Lady patted her granddaughter's hand, reassuring her as she spoke. "For the daughter of a master like Ye Wen to be this powerful it is to be expected. Don't let this affect your confidence, Yiran. Ordinary soul masters walk their own path, just as monsters like her walk theirs. But perhaps having you train here with us has limited your growth. When Tianxing Academy opens for enrollment next year, go apply. Their Dean of Studies, Lu Feng, is an old acquaintance and a master of the serpent martial spirit. He'll teach you well."

Meng Yiran nodded, reluctantly helping her grandmother up. Gazing at the students from Tianxing Academy, she felt a new resolve awaken within her, a longing to become just as strong.

Suddenly, a fierce surge of soul power exploded nearby, and a figure leapt down from the trees in fury.

"Who dares harm my woman?" the old man thundered.

This man was Dragon Duke Meng Shu, who had been nearby searching for another soul beast. Given the safety of the Star Dou Forest's outer region for experts of his level, he and Snake Lady had split up to cover more ground. But sensing his wife in a fierce clash with a powerful opponent, Meng Shu's heart filled with dread, and he rushed to her side.

Unlike most powerful clans, Meng Shu was famously devoted to Snake Lady, his sole partner, and the two were revered as an exemplary couple in the soul master world.

The immense pressure of Meng Shu's soul power weighed down upon the students of Tianxing Academy, making it difficult for them to breathe. But before a moment could pass, an equally powerful, scorching aura rose to counter Meng Shu's pressure.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "Who dares to lay a hand on my wife? Though our Meng clan may not be a top family, we are not to be trifled with."

At that moment, their hidden protector stepped forward. Dressed in fitted red armor embroidered with golden threads spelling "Tianxing Academy," she gave a slight bow. "Lu Erlong, Second Deputy Dean of Tianxing Academy's Office of Academic Affairs, greets you, Dragon Duke."

Although her words were respectful, her expression held no reverence, and a deadly gleam lurked in her eyes. Lu Erlong had been deeply affected by her feelings for Ye Wen over the years. She knew she could not compete with others for his affection, and yet she was grateful for the warmth he had given her in Tianxing Academy, which felt like a true home. Focusing entirely on her cultivation, Lu Erlong trained tirelessly, especially under the exceptional training environment at the academy. Now, she had reached level 82, a Soul Douluo in her own right.

Lu Erlong had applied to be the protector on this mission, primarily to look after Ye Tianxin, whose fiery nature reminded her of herself in her younger years. Over time, she had grown to care deeply for the girl. When Meng Shu's oppressive aura had almost harmed the students under her protection, her anger flared, and she immediately opposed him.

Standing proudly, Meng Shu exuded arrogance, one hand resting on his dragon headed staff. "Tianxing Academy, you say? Hmph! No matter where you come from, anyone who harms my wife must pay."

Lu Erlong chuckled coldly, her patience thinning. An aura of intense, violent energy burst forth, manifesting as the shadow of a dragon looming behind her.

"Martial spirit: possession!"

Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.

Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10