"Lin Xiao was actually hiding his cultivation!"
"Peak Battle General?! A Peak Battle General at twenty-one?! How is that possible!"
"Born a commoner, without the resources of a noble family, yet he reached Peak Battle General at the age of twenty-one. He's only a step away from a Rank 5 Battle Marshal. With such talent, if it weren't for his humble background, he might be another Chen Beiyuan."
"Black Dragon Battle Soul? Such a ferocious beast-type Battle Soul. This is one of the strongest beast-type Battle Souls below the top-tier ones. Once it can successfully transform into a dragon, it will be a top-tier Battle Soul, soaring into the heavens!"
"With the cultivation of a Rank 4 Peak Battle General, coupled with this Black Dragon Battle Soul that's about to transform, I'm afraid that even ordinary Rank 5 Battle Marshals won't be a match for Lin Xiao!!!"
"Chen Beiyuan is in trouble now. No one expected Lin Xiao to hide so deeply. He probably didn't even reveal thirty percent of his power before..."
"It seems today is destined to be a battle of dragons and tigers!"
It's no wonder the audience and the high-ranking officials of the academy were so shocked!
Twenty-one years old, at the peak of the Fourth-Rank Battle General!
Such a feat wasn't unheard of in the Donghua Empire.
However, those who achieved it were all core members of prominent clans, or the next in line to inherit their families.
Each of them had been cultivated from a young age with unimaginable resources, coupled with their own terrifying talent, allowing them to advance step by step.
But Lin Xiao came from a commoner background!
This meant he had access to very few resources.
To put it bluntly, the dogs raised by those aristocratic families since childhood ate better than Lin Xiao did!
He was able to cultivate to such a level, more because of his own talent!
In this situation, Lin Xiao was still able to narrow the gap with the young masters of the aristocratic families through his own efforts, standing on the same starting line as them. Such talent was simply astounding!
What was even more shocking was that Lin Xiao was able to nurture a Black Dragon Battle Soul, second only to the top-tier Battle Souls, at the fourth-rank Battle General level!
The cultivation system of this world was extremely special. Not only were there powerful ferocious beasts and different races, but there were also "Battle Cultivators" unique to humans.
For "Battle Cultivators," the Battle Soul was the most important source of power and reliance.
First-rank warriors tempered their bodies, able to lift thousands of pounds, possessing the strength to lift a cauldron.
Second-rank Battle Masters cultivated qi, giving birth to battle qi, which could be added to the body or objects, possessing all sorts of mystical powers.
Third-rank Battle Spirits could draw spirit into the body, attracting the special spirituality between heaven and earth, beginning to merge with the battle qi and soul within the body, giving rise to all sorts of extraordinary special abilities.
However, the first three realms are all about laying the foundation for the upcoming rank four Battle General!
A rank four Battle General has their soul and battle qi highly integrated. The spiritual radiance cultivated within their body reaches its peak, allowing them to awaken their Battle Soul!
The Battle Soul can be said to be a cultivator's "core."
Everyone's Battle Soul is different. Many factors influence its creation, including the strength of the spiritual essence it draws upon, one's own talent, and the deepest, truest aspects of their heart...
Under the influence of these various elements, Battle Souls naturally have different grades: low-grade Battle Soul, mid-grade Battle Soul, high-grade Battle Soul, and top-tier Battle Soul.
Among Battle Cultivators of the same rank, one might awaken a low-grade Battle Soul – a Shukun Chicken, while another might awaken a top-tier Battle Soul – a Bloodfiend Tyrant Dragon. The former's Battle Soul only slightly increases the Battle Cultivator's speed, while the latter's Battle Soul grants the Battle Cultivator the strength and defense of a giant dragon. The disparity in strength is immediately apparent.
If they were to fight, the latter would likely treat the former like a grandson and beat them to a pulp!
Low-quality Battle Souls are almost at the bottom of the pecking order within the same rank.
High-level Battle Souls allow Battle Cultivators to fight above their cultivation level!
Cultivators from wealthy families can often rely on their families for help. With the aid of precious treasures to absorb powerful spiritual energy, they rarely fail to awaken a Battle Soul. They generally start with low-level Battle Souls, sometimes even mid-level ones.
As for high-level Battle Souls?
Among the top families in the Donghua Empire, only a select few can awaken high-level Battle Souls. Once discovered, they are immediately inducted into the core membership.
In contrast, cultivators from humble backgrounds can only rely on their own luck. If they are fortunate, they can successfully awaken a Battle Soul. But if they are unlucky, and the spiritual energy in their bodies is too weak, they cannot even awaken a Battle Soul, being stuck halfway and unable to advance further...
The gap between them is apparent from the very beginning!
Of course, there is still the chance to defy fate!
If they can obtain a special opportunity, they can cause their Battle Soul to transform and advance to a more powerful Battle Soul!
Of course, such a heaven-defying opportunity is something one can only hope to encounter.
A loach wanting to transform into a dragon?
The difficulty of that, naturally, is imaginable.
Why would Lin Xiao go crazy and desperately want to win this academy competition?
Even to the point of sending his beloved woman to Chen Beiyuan's bed?
It was all for a chance to defy the heavens and change his fate!
That Dragon Blood Pool, which contained the essence blood of the eighth-rank凶兽 Bloodfiend Tyrant Dragon, was incredibly important to him!
That Dragon Blood Pool could not only allow Lin Xiao to break through his current realm and reach a higher level, but also allow his Black Dragon Battle Soul to successfully transform into a dragon, becoming a truly top-tier Battle Soul!
Let him truly stand shoulder to shoulder with those freaks of the Empire!
The heirs cultivated by those major powers in the Donghua Empire, which of them doesn't possess a top-tier Battle Soul?!
The heaven's favored daughter from the Donghua Bai family possesses the legendary top-tier Battle Soul, the Baize, said to know all things in the world with a single smell, communicate with all things, and have the ability to ward off evil and slay demons.
The martial arts fanatic from the Donghua Zhu family is said to have awakened the legendary top-tier Battle Soul, the Zhu Yan. It controls the aura of slaughter, can transform into a berserk beast, and tear enemies to shreds.
The high-ranking heir from the Donghua Lin family has awakened the legendary top-tier Battle Soul, the Taotie, which can devour all things in the world and turn them into nourishment for itself...
The Donghua Wei family...
And then there's Chen Beiyuan right in front of him!
Being chosen as the young master of the Donghua Empire's Chen family, and thus the next heir, meant Chen Beiyuan had to have awakened a legendary, top-tier Battle Soul.
Otherwise, how could Chen Beiyuan have killed a Rank 5 ferocious beast with a single punch and palm strike five years ago?!
It's just that Chen Beiyuan had never revealed his mysterious, top-tier Battle Soul to the outside world.
High-level Battle Souls and top-tier Battle Souls seemed to be only a hair's breadth apart, but in reality, the difference was vast!
If he didn't transform into a dragon, he'd only ever be a foil to those monsters!
If he didn't transform into a dragon, he'd only ever be second-rate!
"My fate is in my hands, not heaven's!"
"Today, is the day I, Lin Xiao, defy the heavens and change my fate, the day I successfully transform into a dragon!"
"Chen Beiyuan, today, you are doomed to lose!"
"Secret Technique—Ascending Dragon Slash!"
Lin Xiao's aura actually merged with the terrifying black dragon behind him, erupting with a pressure far exceeding that of an ordinary Rank 5 Battle General.
With a roar, the man and the dragon transformed into afterimages, stirring up waves of air, and their undisguised killing intent devoured Chen Beiyuan in front of them.
Years of forbearance, years of humiliation, could finally be completely released at this moment!
At this moment, Lin Xiao felt that his cultivation had begun to loosen slightly, showing signs of a breakthrough, and even his state of mind underwent a transformation.
His aura at this moment also became more profound and heavy!
Boom!
At this moment, Lin Xiao erupted with a terrifying killing intent, as if transforming into a colossal ancient giant. The massive Black Dragon Battle Soul seemed to become a pitch-black dragon sword, merging with him and unleashing a horrifying killing intent.
He wouldn't strike unless it was a killing blow!
The furious killing intent instantly enveloped the entire battle stage, the overwhelming killing intent instantly shocking everyone present, with gasps of surprise erupting continuously.
No one had expected Lin Xiao to unleash such a terrifying and frightening battle power at this moment!
With such a terrifying attack, most Fifth-Rank Battle Commanders would probably have to avoid its edge, not daring to meet it head-on!
Ordinary Fifth-Rank Battle Commanders would likely be killed instantly!
Facing such a terrifying attack, could Chen Beiyuan endure it?!
Even though many people present had great confidence in Chen Beiyuan.
Seeing Lin Xiao's consecutive displays of astonishing combat power, even they were starting to feel uncertain!
Even Leng Ruobing's expression shifted slightly; it was clear she was seeing Lin Xiao's true strength for the first time.
However, for some reason, a trace of worry inexplicably appeared on her face.
A last-minute power-up?!
He certainly lived up to the protagonist's standard!
Chen Beiyuan's eyes were as dark as an abyss, his expression calm. He stood in place, hands behind his back, like a towering giant peak.
He ignored the terrifying killing intent surging from all directions and the frenzied shouts, as if he had foreseen everything.
In the original story, when the original body was about to fight Lin Xiao, his cultivation suddenly vanished, leading to a crushing defeat and a severe humiliation.
Too bad, none of that would happen now that he had transmigrated!
This time, history was about to be completely rewritten!
A hint of mockery played at the corners of his mouth, yet he still didn't bring his right hand, which was behind him, forward.
Instead, under the gazes of everyone, he slowly raised his left hand.
He actually intended to fight with just one hand!
"Noisy!"
Under a multitude of disbelieving eyes, Chen Beiyuan, as if swatting a fly, slapped his palm towards Lin Xiao, who was attacking him.
In an instant, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth became violently agitated, as if drawn by a special kind of energy, forming a huge vortex that easily tore apart the overwhelming killing intent.
The light around them began to dim at that moment.
Chen Beiyuan, standing with his hands behind his back, instantly became the center of attention!
Just from the opening stance, such a strange phenomenon appeared. Once he really attacked, who knew what earth-shattering scene would unfold.
Seeing such a terrifying phenomenon appear, Lin Xiao didn't show the slightest fear. Instead, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes, and a sinister grin appeared on his face!
"You've been poisoned by my Phantom Poison, yet you dare to use such a powerful battle skill? I'm afraid that before you even use it, your cultivation will dissipate, and you'll become a cripple... This is impossible!"
The sinister grin on Lin Xiao's face instantly froze, and a chill ran through his body.
He saw a terrifying giant palm emerge from the huge vortex of spiritual energy. It was completely black, covered with forbidden runes, and brimming with surging demonic flames, and it was directly pressing down towards him.
Forbidden Demonic Flame Palm