At the peak of Spirit Mountain, three shadows lunged, palms aimed at Daoling's body. They dared not kill here—while they could flout Starfall Academy's rules, murdering a top-ten freshman would incriminate even Wang Junyi.
"Can you handle this?" Lin Shishi gripped her sword, her rosy lips parting to reveal crystal-clear teeth.
"They're here to deliver money. Must've heard I'm short," Daoling said, stepping forward to meet the three incoming fists with a faint smile.
Lin Shishi rolled her eyes, curious to see how he'd fend off three attackers.
Three fists erupted with beams, targeting non-vital areas to wound him. Daoling's palm划过 (swept) the air, conjuring golden runes—each as heavy as a mountain, radiating brilliant light like a river of符文 (runes) flowing forward. The runic energy shattered the incoming attacks, then surged ahead.
"A runic divine ability! He must've gained it from the Scripture Pavilion," Wang Feibai's eyes lit. This trip would yield both the Azure Crystal and a divine ability. His fist surged with天地精华 (cosmic essence), splitting vacuum as it扭曲 (twisted) the golden river.
But Daoling moved faster. As the river struck, he crossed the distance, arms outstretched, palms slamming into Wang Feibai's lackeys. Golden runes pressed down, sending them flying, vomiting blood—shocked at his strength.
Lin Shishi's eyes brightened. "Not bad," she smiled.
"What?" Wang Feibai's face fell. Those two, though newly entered Soul Convergence, weren't weak—yet Daoling had swatted them away.
"You whelp! No wonder you're bold, but you're no match for me!" Wang Feibai roared, palm turning pitch-black, oozing demonic波动 (waves) as runes formed a massive black handprint fed by surging energy.
"Careful! That's the Mighty Ox-Demon Palm!" Lin Shishi's face changed. This academy divine ability, even in its minor form, could split mountains.
"Die!" The black handprint crashed down, runes dense. Daoling's eyes flared, aura roiling. His fist slammed out, golden blood-energy roaring like an inverted river, shattering the handprint and shaking Wang Feibai.
Daoling's leg rose like a sheathed sword, smashing into Wang Feibai's chest. The blow sent him flying, bones cracking. "He's resisting a divine ability with raw body strength! His physique is terrifying," Lin Shishi gasped.
The trio scrambled to flee, but Daoling strode over, expertly relieving them of their beast-hide pouches. "You bastard! Return my things! Offending the Wang Clan means death!" Wang Feibai shrieked.
"Hmph. You're the ones dying. Still threatening me?" Daoling kicked them down the mountain.
"Brutal," Lin Shishi muttered, watching the trio roll like snowballs. She stuck out her tongue playfully.
Daoling happily opened the pouches. Wang Feibai had a 100,000 gold coin card and a spiritual herb—pleasant surprises.
"His strength seems manageable," the Crimson Fire Spirit Bird lurked in the clouds, watching. It had awaited revenge, and now, in Soul Convergence, it sensed an opening. Cloaked in scarlet light, its feathers glowed like divine gold, trailed by fiery wisps.
As it prepared to strike, it saw Daoling lift an 80,000-jin boulder. *What's he doing?* The bird wondered. With a roar, Daoling hurled the stone into the clouds—his enhanced灵觉 (spiritual sense) had detected the spy.
"Damn you!" The bird recalled losing its beast-hide pouch—a rare item that hid auras. Now this insult! It flapped its wings, unleashing罡风 (astral winds) and crimson flames that shattered the stone, then dove.
Lin Shishi gaped as a giant bird—a primeval凶禽 (ferocious bird)—burst from the clouds.
"Boy, I'll subdue you today!" The bird's body swelled, casting a shadow over the peak as flames rained down. Daoling stomped, golden runes floating around him, weaving together to reverse the fire toward the bird.
"Curse you! Subdue!" The bird spat a scarlet treasure seal, mountain-sized, overflowing with fire. It smashed the rebounding flames and descended.
"A powerful treasure," Lin Shishi marveled as bamboo forests burned, drawing onlookers. Daoling's palms moved, golden runes forming a massive mountain.
"Strange runes," Lin Shishi whispered, eyes wide. A purple-haired youth in the distance recognized the runes—they could mimic all things, a rare divine ability.
The runic mountain clashed with the treasure seal, shaking the sky. Daoling frowned—something in his abdomen vibrated when he催动 (activated) the runes.
"Feel my might!" The bird poured blood-energy into the seal, which now shimmered with dao韵律 (rhythms), crashing down like a meteor. It feared close combat with Daoling's physique.
Clang! A golden runic seal rose to meet the scarlet one. Onlookers noted their similarity. Daoling realized the runes'恐怖 (terrifying) potential—and their link to his abdomen.
"The runes are more profound than elders said," the purple-haired youth thought. The bird freaked out—why did the golden seal resemble its treasure?
Daoling prepared to investigate his abdomen, but the scarlet seal struck again. Impatient, he spread his hands, summoning twin forces.
"Yin-Yang Palm!" he shouted. A colossal hand formed, spanning heaven and earth, its aura like the Five-Finger Mountain. The bird's feathers stood on end—this palm could crush it. The illusory hand swatted the bird from the sky, smashing it into the ground with a thunderous crash.