69novels Chapter 25 This kid is the smartest.
Chapter 25 This kid is the smartest.
The next day.
The three had truly entered the territory of the Jingyang Mountains. Jing Hongchen, unlike his easygoing demeanor on the journey, clearly told them that from now on, unless they encountered a crisis they were absolutely unable to handle, he would not intervene. The three young men exchanged glances, their faces filled with eager excitement, but their tense bodies betrayed their inner nervousness.
What they didn't know was that Jing Hongchen, who appeared calm and collected on the surface, was ten times more nervous than they were at that moment.
There was no other way. With two grandsons and Ye Chenxing, whom he cherished as much as the entire Mingde Hall, if anything were to happen to them, Jing Hongchen might as well just find a block of tofu and smash his head against it.
Of course, what teacher in the world would be careless in supervising their juniors or students? Even if they say it's for training, no normal person would do something like letting the children fend for themselves or go off to drink and eat on their own.
I don't think so.
Jing Hongchen came here to be a bodyguard, not to be a beast.
At the end of their journey, the three will definitely venture into the area inhabited by ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. The reason is simple: Ye Chenxing's soul ring must be of the ten-thousand-year level, as his physical strength and mental power have already met the requirements, and the Jingyang Mountains happen to have many spirit-type soul beasts.
Jing Hongchen believed she had a backup plan and would not allow the three children to be under any real threat.
What he wants to see now is how far they can go on their own.
The deeper one ventures into the main ridge of the Jingyang Mountains, the more precipitous the terrain becomes. Towering peaks rise one after another, their exposed rock faces faintly revealing the cold glint of metallic veins reflecting off them. And proportionally so is the density and strength of the soul beasts.
We have been in the main channel for an hour.
Along the way, they encountered many low-level soul beasts that were ten or a hundred years old. The plant-type soul beasts, such as the ten-year-old Lone Bamboo, couldn't escape, while the rest scattered and fled as soon as they sensed the three's presence. A few hundred-year-old soul beasts, oblivious to their own mortality, tried to approach and probe, but were all blasted away by a few soul-guided rays fired by Xiao Hongchen, howling as they scurried back into the bushes.
Xiao Hongchen was unusually proactive today. Whenever a soul beast showed its face along the way, he was always the first to rush up, unleashing soul-guided cannons and soul-guided rays in turn, as if afraid that Ye Chenxing wouldn't be able to see his actions.
Ever since his martial soul was crushed, he, who always believed himself to be the most talented person in the world, even the most talented person in the entire Douluo Continent, has always had a burning desire to win.
This fire can't be directed at Grandpa, can't be directed at my sister, and definitely can't be directed at Ye Chenxing—so it can only be directed at the soul beast. Besides, showing off my strength in front of Ye Chenxing and surprising him would at least save some face.
Finally, his chance came.
The bushes on both sides suddenly burst open, and two golden figures rushed out, accompanied by a stench. They were two thousand-year-old golden tigers, robust in build, their fur gleaming with a metallic sheen in the sunlight. Judging from the aura emanating from them, they were not very old, around three thousand years old.
The strength of a thousand-year-old soul beast typically corresponds to a human soul master's level 30 to 50. Having both attacking simultaneously would indeed be a considerable challenge for an ordinary soul master.
Xiao Hongchen's eyes lit up when he saw the two golden tigers.
Admittedly, in the mineral-rich Jingyang Mountains, the combat power of metal-attribute soul beasts will be enhanced to a certain extent. Numerically, they do have an advantage.
But so what? Soul beasts can only increase stats.
His three-legged golden toad was practically the same as Ma Hongjun visiting a brothel—he'd gone home.
"Leave both to me, you don't need to lift a finger," Xiao Hongchen said without turning his head, his tone filled with barely suppressed excitement.
Even so, he didn't hold back at all. After all, they were two thousand-year-old soul beasts, and he dared not be careless.
As a Soul Master, and one who specializes in firepower coverage, he understands the importance of distance better than anyone else.
He pushed off with his feet, his body rapidly retreating, and at the same time, a dazzling golden light burst forth from his body.
Martial Spirit Possession!
Behind Xiao Hongchen, another leg emerged from his buttocks. This leg was entirely golden, as if cast from pure gold, forming a peculiar yet harmonious triangular support with his body. At the same time, a layer of golden luster covered his entire body, and fine metallic patterns faintly appeared on the surface of his skin.
Ye Chenxing watched quietly from the side. To be honest, every time he saw a Beast Soul Master release their Martial Soul, he felt it was no different from winning the lottery. If you were lucky, the Martial Soul would be majestic and imposing after possession; if you were unlucky, well, who knows?
Ten thousand years ago there was Bibi Dong, and ten thousand years later there is Xiao Hongchen, both of whom are top-tier martial souls, but the appearances they create after possession are more and more abstract than the last.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but think of Huo Yuhao. That kid was the most cunning. He drew a tattoo on his face and insisted that he had the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion Martial Soul.
Xiao Hongchen, with three legs, crouched slightly, and three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—rose from beneath his feet, shimmering with light.
He arched his back, and golden bulges rose from beneath his clothes, emitting a soft metallic glow. His first and third spirit rings lit up simultaneously, and he waved his hands repeatedly, scattering hundreds of metal balls like a shower of petals.
These metal spheres did not land, but hovered in mid-air, completely surrounding him.
A bizarre scene unfolded.
With those metal spheres as the core, thick metal cannon barrels "grow" out of the void.
Yes, it was growth—those cannon barrels formed entirely from nothing, as if an invisible hand was forging them at an astonishing speed. In just a few breaths, Xiao Hongchen transformed into a giant metal hedgehog.
First Soul Skill: Metal Control. Third Soul Skill: Metal Formation.
The metal spheres he threw were essentially the core magic array of the soul-guided cannons. The dense array of cannon barrels around them were temporarily formed by him using his soul skills to control the metal powder he carried with him.
Nearly sixty level-three soul-guided cannons, their dark muzzles all aimed at the two golden tigers.
The two golden tigers had clearly never seen anything like it. Their ferocious attack abruptly stopped, their limbs pawing the ground nervously, low growls emanating from their throats. Their animal instincts screamed at them that this three-legged creature was dangerous.
Xiao Hongchen's lips curled into a smile. His second spirit ring lit up.
All the cannons simultaneously began to charge up energy, and golden light gathered deep within the cannon barrels, emitting a soul power fluctuation that made one's heart tremble.
He'd been through too much these past few days. He'd been crushed in the entrance exam, used as a negative example in theory class, and even his own sister was siding with outsiders. Now, he was determined to give Ye Chenxing a good beating.
Sixty soul-guided cannons firing simultaneously—this display must have left the enemy speechless.
Thinking of the surprised expression on Ye Chenxing's usually composed face, Xiao Hongchen felt that all the frustration of the past few days had been worthwhile.
But if he knew that Ye Chenxing wasn't paying attention to his "heroic appearance" at all, but was instead criticizing his image, I wonder what his expression would be.