Chapter 47 – The Delusion of the Grandmaster
Zhu Zhuqing stood in a clearing on the outskirts of Suotuo City. Her aura had shifted; the 30,000-year Void-Stalking Panther had granted her a presence that felt like a cold blade pressed against one's throat.
"Try it," Lakan commanded, standing perfectly still.
Zhuqing vanished. Not through speed, but through Shadow Severance. She didn't run toward Lakan; she stepped into the shadow of a nearby tree and emerged from Lakan's own shadow. Her hand, shaped like a claw and vibrating with black-violet energy, stopped millimeters from his neck.
"Good," Lakan remarked, not even flinching. "Your soul power is dense, and your meridians are holding the pressure of the Black Ring perfectly. The Narcissus Jade Flesh Bone has truly turned you into a vessel of the divine. You are no longer a 'cat,' Zhuqing. You are the Hellberry Phantom."
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Back at the dilapidated Shrek Academy, the mood was somber. The "Monsters" were broke, their reputation in the city was tarnished, and Tang San was plagued by the huge commotion that shook the Star Dou Forest before they left.
The next morning, a thin, middle-aged man with a stiff posture and a face that seemed incapable of smiling arrived: Yu Xiaogang.
After the initial greetings, Tang San pulled his teacher aside. "Teacher, I... I saw something in the forest. A boy from my village, Lakan. He has attained a Rank 60 Spirit Emperor level at the age of twelve. And his companion, a girl, absorbed a 30,000-year Black Ring as her third. Your theory says the limit is 1,760 years... how is this possible?"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered with a brief, sharp flash of insecurity, but it was quickly buried under a mountain of arrogance. He let out a dry, condescending chuckle.
"San-er, you are young and easily deceived," Xiaogang said, his voice dripping with "wisdom." "What you saw was likely an illusion or a forbidden sacrificial technique. There are dark methods in the Spirit Hall to temporarily boost a ring's color or a person's level at the cost of their future potential and life span. That boy has traded his entire future for a moment of glory. By the time he is twenty, his meridians will shatter. My theories are based on the universal laws of balance. Do not let 'cheap' tricks distract you from the true path of the of the hidden weapon."
"San-er, do not mistake a natural disaster or a Titled Douluo's battle for the power of a peer," Xiaogang said, his eyes narrowing with practiced authority. "A freak occurrence Lakan may be, even if he is an innate level 20. But my theory states that the body has a limit. Even if he obtained a 10,000-year ring as his third, which is a suicidal gamble, it only means he has ruined his foundation for early gains. He is a tiger made of paper. Your Hidden Weapon arts and my 'Limit Theory' are the only paths to true longevity."
Tang San nodded, clinging to his teacher's words. He chose to believe that Lakan's 30,000-year ring was an illusion, a "Spirit Hall Trick." His ego, nurtured by Xiaogang's constant praise, refused to accept a world where he was not the protagonist.
Tang San exhaled, a wave of relief washing over him. Of course. Teacher is right. It was just a sacrificial trick. Lakan is just a shooting star that will burn out, while I am the steady sun. The delusion was complete; the "Grandmaster" had successfully protected his ego by poisoning his student's perception.
While Yu Xiaogang began his grueling "training" for the remaining six—Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong—Lakan and Zhuqing dominated the Suotuo Great Spirit Arena.
Lakan registered under the name "The Sky Sovereign." He didn't use his martial soul most of the time. He fought in the Silver Class, wearing a simple white robe and a silver half-mask.
His battles became legendary. He would stand in the center of the ring, hands behind his back, and win every match with a single Echoing Strike. He became a phantom that the commoners worshipped—a symbol of absolute, effortless power.
Zhu Zhuqing, as the "Hellcat," fought her way through the ranks with a ferocity that terrified her opponents. Under Lakan's guidance, she became the highest-earning Agility Master in the arena's history. They didn't just earn money; they earned the "Faith" of the city.
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Three months passed. Yu Xiaogang, realizing that his students needed more than just "running with rocks" to grow, decided it was time for the second phase of their training.
"To truly be monsters, you must experience the life-and-death struggle of the Arena," Xiaogang declared to the Shrek Six. "We are going to Suotuo City. You will fight until you reach the Silver Rank. Only then will you be worthy of the name Shrek."
Tang San tightened his belt, his eyes flashing with a renewed competitive fire. He wanted to prove his Teacher right. He wanted to show the world that "Solid Theory" and "Hidden Weapons" were superior to sacrificial tricks.
But as they entered the bustling hallways of the Suotuo Arena, they didn't hear the names of great clans or famous schools. They heard one name, chanted by thousands of voices in the main hall.
"SKY SOVEREIGN! SKY SOVEREIGN!"
Lakan, standing on a high balcony with Zhuqing at his side, looked down at the group of green-clad students entering the lobby. He saw Tang San's determined face and Yu Xiaogang's stiff, proud gait.
A thin, razor-sharp smirk played on Lakan's lips. "The 'Monsters' have arrived to collect their pennies, Zhuqing. It's time to show them that in this arena... there is only one King."