Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

"Is that… it?"

Cheng Xiao was somewhat stunned. He had originally planned not to release his Spirit during the battle to avoid attracting the attention of those with ulterior motives. But what happened? Before he could even think of a solution, the Shadow Monarch made a move and easily resolved the situation.

"Having a powerful backer is really nice..." Cheng Xiao couldn't help but sigh.

He didn't question the authenticity of the voice in his mind; the power of the Shadow Monarch was unimaginable. Simply changing the color of a Spirit Ring was no trouble at all for him.

With the issue of the Spirit Ring's color resolved, Cheng Xiao decided to head to the Spirit Hall in Nuoding City for a Spirit Master evaluation and to collect the Spirit Master allowance.

Although he had refused Su Yuntao's suggestion to join the Spirit Hall, that didn't mean he disliked it. On the contrary, he had a good impression of the Spirit Hall.

Of course, this goodwill didn't stem from the institution itself but from those Spirit Hall deacons who traveled long distances to awaken the Spirits of the commoners in over a dozen villages.

To put it plainly, there was nothing wrong with the Spirit Hall itself; the problem lay with the higher-ups.

"Boss Xiao, those work-study students are really ungrateful. Let me handle it first later. I'll beat them until they can't find their teeth."

"Liu Long, since you're so eager, you can fight the first match. I'm guessing the first one they'll send out will be Wang Sheng. Beat him up good for me!"

"Ling Feng, you'll go second. Let those ignorant work-study students understand what it means to be the fastest in Nuoding Academy!"

"Boss, that little rabbit looks pretty good. Can we…"

"Relax, following me, Boss Xiao, means that what I enjoy, you'll enjoy too!"

"Boss Xiao is the best! Boss Xiao! Boss Xiao!"

Just as Cheng Xiao was about to leave, a loud commotion suddenly came from outside the small forest.

Cheng Xiao paused and looked in the direction of the noise. He saw a group of more than twenty senior students slowly approaching. Leading them was a tall, imposing figure wearing the uniform of Nuoding Junior Spirit Master Academy. Without a doubt, this was the infamous Boss Xiao of Notting Academy, Xiao Chenyu.

"What? Only one of you work-study students came?" Xiao Chenyu's face darkened, and he growled, "Are you work-study students looking down on me? Liu Long, go beat him up!"

At his command, Liu Long, one of Xiao Chenyu's lackeys, immediately stepped forward.

"?" Cheng Xiao was slightly taken aback. He glanced at Xiao Chenyu's fierce expression and then at Liu Long, who had stepped forward. His face remained indifferent as he uttered two words, "Are you crazy?"

"You dare call me crazy?" Xiao Chenyu's eyes widened in anger. "Liu Long, what are you waiting for? Go beat him up! Make sure his parents can't recognize him afterward."

Liu Long nodded and immediately emitted a yellow glow from his body. A two-meter-long staff appeared in his hand as he quickly advanced, swinging it down toward Cheng Xiao's head.

Cheng Xiao made no attempt to dodge. He allowed the staff to come at him, and just as it was about to hit, his body was suddenly enveloped in a dark purple aura. His right hand shot out, gripping the incoming staff firmly.

"You dare to catch my Spirit with your bare hands?" Liu Long was momentarily stunned, then sneered. "You don't even know the basics. A work-study student like you should hurry home to your mother!"

As soon as he finished speaking, dark purple mist began to spread from Cheng Xiao's palm. Liu Long was shocked and tried to pull his staff back, but he found Cheng Xiao's eyes glowing with a purple light.

In the next instant, with a dull "thud," Cheng Xiao's fist had slammed into Liu Long's abdomen. A wave of intense pain surged through Liu Long's body, and he crumpled to the ground, clutching his abdomen and gasping for air as if doing so would lessen the pain.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiao didn't continue to attack. He had infused his punch with Spirit Power, and since the abdomen was a vulnerable area of the body, that punch was enough to incapacitate Liu Long.

"Too weak," Cheng Xiao said, his eyes now fixed on Xiao Chenyu's face, which was full of disbelief. With a slight smirk, he beckoned him with a taunting gesture.

"Damn it! Does he think we're weaklings?" Xiao Chenyu cursed, his temper flaring. "Ling Feng, kill him! I want him to know the consequences of acting arrogant!"

At Xiao Chenyu's command, Ling Feng leapt into the air, his body glowing faintly. As he flipped in the air, he spread his arms, gliding toward Cheng Xiao in an aggressive attack.

Cheng Xiao didn't even bother to move. This flawed attack was not worth dodging.

"Is he looking down on me?" Ling Feng fumed, angered by Cheng Xiao's nonchalance.

However, just as Ling Feng was about to make contact, Cheng Xiao's eyes gleamed. In his vision, Ling Feng's body was riddled with weaknesses.

Strike the weak point!

With a low murmur that only he could hear, Cheng Xiao sidestepped Ling Feng's attack, grabbed his arms, and, using the momentum, slammed him hard into the ground.

Without giving Ling Feng a chance to recover, Cheng Xiao quickly moved behind him, grabbed his collar, spun him around, and flung him several meters away.

Ling Feng crashed heavily onto the ground, his eyes rolling back as he passed out.

Satisfied with his handiwork, Cheng Xiao mused that the "targeting weak points" technique was more effective than he had imagined. If he had struck at Ling Feng's weak points for real, the outcome would have been far worse.

Xiao Chenyu was dumbfounded. He hadn't expected a newly enrolled work-study student to be so formidable. "Even Ling Feng lost? Are today's work-study students really this fierce?"

"Boss Xiao, should we retreat? This work-study student doesn't seem easy to deal with."

"Don't be ridiculous! Boss Xiao is a Spirit Master with one ring. Beating a work-study student should be a piece of cake!"

Amid the chatter of his subordinates, Xiao Chenyu's expression darkened. He glared at Cheng Xiao, clenching his fists.

"Still not convinced?" Cheng Xiao noticed Xiao Chenyu's clenched fists and raised his brow slightly. He said calmly, "Come on, if I beat you, it'll count as the work-study students' victory, right?"

"Damn it! If I don't beat you today, I'm not Xiao!" Xiao Chenyu cursed loudly.

"Fine, then try me." Cheng Xiao cracked his neck, showing no fear.

Xiao Chenyu's gaze grew cold, his earlier fury replaced by a more serious demeanor.

"Xiao Chenyu, sixth-year student. Spirit: Wolf. Eleventh-level Spirit Master with one ring."

In the Spirit Master world, it was customary to announce one's Spirit and level as a sign of respect for the opponent.

As he finished speaking, a layer of green light enveloped Xiao Chenyu's body. Under the glow, his muscles bulged, his eyes turned light green, and his claws grew sharp. At the same time, a white Spirit Ring rose from beneath his feet.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiao smiled and said, "Cheng Xiao. Spirit: Shadow Soldier. Thirteenth-level Spirit Master with one ring. Please, go ahead."