With the Shinobi system in Douluo Dalu

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Thanks for Patreon: Ruben Gene Dangpilen, Anaral

Current chapter on patreon: 49 - Duo in search of a ring - 2

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Amid the smoke and dust, a figure covered in navy blue energy suddenly emerged and, after a backflip, landed firmly on the ground. Tang San and the others focused their gaze—it was Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen looked a bit worse for wear. His once pristine cloak was now damaged in several places, and dust stained its surface. However, he stood there motionless, showing no visible signs of injury, at least on the outside.

This sight brought relief to Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and the others.

"Hahaha, kid, I really underestimated you." Zao Wou-ki's laughter echoed from within the smoke.

Moments later, Zao Wou-ki's large figure emerged, still enveloped in his Martial Spirit True Body. The golden aura of his "Immovable King Ming" shone brightly and appeared intact.

Judging by appearances, Zao Wou-ki seemed to have the upper hand. But in truth, he didn't.

During the earlier clash, Ye Zhen had managed to crack Zao Wou-ki's first spirit ability, forcing him to repair it with spiritual energy amidst the smoke and dust. Though Zao Wou-ki emerged looking fine, it was merely a facade.

The truth was that the level gap between the two remained significant. If Ye Zhen were at the same level, that strike alone would have utterly defeated Zao Wou-ki.

"Professor Zhao, your Martial Spirit True Body is indeed impressive—tougher than a turtle's shell," Ye Zhen remarked, adjusting his breathing. The spiritual energy surrounding his body slowly dissipated as the green glow faded away. He had closed his gates.

Leaving them open longer would have likely caused severe injuries. Currently, even opening six gates was a considerable strain on Ye Zhen, let alone pushing them to their limits. The aftershocks from their collision left him with minor internal injuries.

From this battle, Ye Zhen realized that reopening the gates anytime soon would not be possible without further harm.

Zao Wou-ki noticed the fading navy-blue glow around Ye Zhen and sensed his aura drop significantly. He couldn't help but grin to himself. "Heh, the kid can't keep it up, huh?" Abilities that drastically boost power typically come with a short duration and heavy drawbacks.

He was certain Ye Zhen wouldn't escape unscathed. Even with a move that advanced him from Soul Sovereign to rival a Soul Sage, the toll of such a heaven-defying ability had to be steep. "Some internal injuries are inevitable," Zao Wou-ki thought smugly.

"How about it? Want to continue?" Zao Wou-ki asked, arms crossed, his expression relaxed.

"Of course we're continuing," Ye Zhen replied without hesitation.

"Wait! The time for a stick of incense has already passed. Zhen, there's no need to keep fighting him," Tang San called out.

Dai Mubai nodded in agreement.

"This fight is meaningless. You've already proven your strength to everyone. Wasn't your goal to pass the evaluation? Now that you've succeeded, there's no need to push yourself any further."

Ning Rongrong also wanted to persuade him, but Ye Zhen raised a hand to stop them. Smiling faintly, he said,

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I've just encountered a rather strong opponent, and it's been a long time since I've had such an exciting battle."

As he spoke, Ye Zhen turned to face Zao Wou-ki.

"Professor Zhao, I'm going all out now. This time, I'll use 70% of my power to let you experience… the power of a god!" Ye Zhen declared, his expression serious.

Zao Wou-ki was momentarily stunned but almost burst out laughing.

"This brat is still boasting? Seventy percent? Power of a god? He's more like a clown!"

A rookie with just three spirit rings claimed he would let a Soul Sage with seven rings feel divine power.

"Alright then, show me—I'd love to experience this… divine power," Zao Wou-ki replied with a sly grin.

Even Tang San and the others in the distance were speechless. Ye Zhen, however, seemed entirely unbothered.

Just as the two were about to continue their clash, a group of figures appeared from all directions. The black ten-thousand-year spirit rings on their bodies stood out starkly. These individuals were at least level-50 Soul Kings.

The fastest of them flew in from the sky. Judging by his direction, he had been in Soto City moments ago. This man had three black ten-thousand-year spirit rings, alongside two yellow and two purple rings—a perfect spirit ring configuration for an ordinary spirit master.

Dressed in a formal suit, with short hair, pale skin, and wearing glasses, he appeared to be a middle-aged man in his forties. Behind him floated the shadow of a blue-black owl spirit.

"Dammit, Zao Wou-ki! There goes another year's salary!" The man's indignant voice echoed even before he arrived.

Zao Wou-ki flinched and looked up at the sky in the distance. Recognizing the newcomer, he silently cursed. "You have the nerve to talk about salaries? Since becoming a teacher at Shrek Academy, I haven't seen a single decent paycheck!"

"Susanoo!"

At this moment, Ye Zhen suddenly shouted, and the Eternal Mangekyō in his eyes spun uncontrollably. He couldn't wait any longer. Once these academy professors arrived, there would be no chance.

Before they could intervene, Ye Zhen reignited the battle, determined to win against Zao Wou-ki. Having fought this far, Ye Zhen was holding his breath, refusing to surrender. It wasn't in his nature to admit defeat—neither in the past nor in the future.

As Ye Zhen's voice fell, purple, bone-like structures emerged from the void behind him, neatly arranged like human ribs. On each "bone," purple soul power pulsed and burned like flames.

"CrackCrack"

One after another, bones materialized from the void and assembled themselves. Soon, they formed a semi-human phantom over ten meters tall.

A purple head, its eye sockets ignited with black flames, appeared atop the skeleton. The bony structure seemed to come alive. The spiritual power burning on its surface transformed into vein-like substances in the blink of an eye, covering the skeleton as if flesh and blood had grown from nothing. As the black flames in its eyes flickered, a destructive aura radiated from the over-ten-meter-tall purple figure.

This was the third stage of Susanoo.

At that moment, all eyes were fixed on Ye Zhen, filled with shock.

In its third stage, Susanoo lacked a lower body, yet it still stood over ten meters tall, with a waist width of seven or eight meters. Compared to it, Zao Wou-ki's seven-to-eight-meter Martial Soul True Body seemed small.

If Ye Zhen were to advance to the fifth stage—a fully-formed body—Zao Wou-ki's Martial Soul True Body wouldn't even reach its calf. However, doing so would be far too conspicuous. A 100-meter-tall Susanoo would be visible from Soto City. Ye Zhen had no intention of revealing it yet.

Protected within the Susanoo, Ye Zhen was untouchable unless it was broken.

"Professor Zhao, let's have a showdown—a real one-on-one duel!" Ye Zhen manipulated Susanoo, sending a massive fist hurtling toward Zao Wou-ki's Vajra Martial Soul True Body.

Zao Wou-ki was startled. "Why did it suddenly grow so massive? What kind of bizarre spirit ability is this? A True Body? But you're not at level 70!"

He cursed internally. "Why do you have so many hidden cards—one after another?"

Zao Wou-ki tried to retreat, but the Susanoo's punch was absurdly fast, and its massive frame didn't hinder its speed.

The punch struck with an explosive force that shook the air. A visible cyclone rippled around the fist, slamming directly into the golden shield formed by Zao Wou-ki's Martial Soul.

The scene resembled a powerful man delivering a devastating punch to a defenseless child.

"Boom~"

The sound resembled metal colliding violently with a massive bronze bell, ringing through the air.

Almost instantly, "Crack~" the golden shield was riddled with dense cracks.

Zao Wou-ki's first spirit ability, the golden shield of "Immovable King Ming," shattered in less than a second. With a resounding "bang," it exploded into fragments, scattering through the sky.

The Susanoo's punch paused momentarily, then gathered its strength and struck Zao Wou-ki's Martial Soul True Body. The spirit projection of the Vajra Bear collapsed under the force.

"Roar~"

Realizing there was no escape, Zao Wou-ki roared. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his skin toughened as he raised both massive arms to meet the Susanoo's fist.

"Boom~"

The void seemed to erupt as visible energy ripples spread in all directions. Violent winds swept through the area. Tang San and the others shielded their faces with their arms, peeking through to watch the center of the battle. Their eyes were wide with shock. The clash between Ye Zhen and Zao Wou-ki was utterly terrifying.

Despite the overwhelming force, Zao Wou-ki managed to withstand the punch, though it was a grueling effort.

At the heart of the battlefield, Susanoo's massive arm recoiled slightly, preparing for another strike. Zao Wou-ki, drenched in cold sweat, trembled slightly. Though he had endured the initial blow, he was in terrible shape.

But while Zao Wou-ki could withstand the force, the ground beneath him could not.

"Crack..."

A small crack suddenly appeared in the already damaged ground. It wasn't just the surface tiles fracturing—the very earth beneath gave way under the pressure.

The cold sweat on Zao Wou-ki's forehead grew heavier.

At that moment, Susanoo's retracted arm surged forward once more.

"Boom~"

A dull sound reverberated, making hearts race.

This time, Susanoo's fist struck squarely at the center of Zao Wou-ki's Martial Soul True Body.

Zao Wou-ki's complexion instantly turned pale as a terrifying force surged through his palms. It felt as though he were being crushed.

"Boom!"

The ground beneath his feet finally gave out. Dense cracks spiderwebbed outward before the entire area collapsed...

"Son of a bitch..." Zao Wou-ki barely had time to curse before being slammed into the ground by Susanoo's giant hand.

"Oh my God, is Professor Zhao going to get flattened like a pancake...?" Oscar wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, visibly worried.

Tang San thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't think so. Zhen always knows his limits. Professor Zhao's life certainly isn't in danger, but... it's inevitable he'll suffer a bit. After all, he's mocked Zhen plenty of times before, and Zhen's not one to let that slide quietly."

"Little San, aren't you surprised? That combat strength is terrifying..." Xiao Wu said, shaking her head in disbelief.

While they were talking, several instructors from Shrek Academy finally arrived at the training ground where the fight had taken place.

"I don't know what offense Shrek Academy may have caused Your Excellency. Could you kindly not seriously injure Zao Wou-ki?" said the Four-Eyed Cat Eagle Soul Sage, his expression solemn as he looked at Ye Zhen.

Ye Zhen was momentarily stunned. This guy had to be Flender from Shrek Academy, right?

Unable to hold back, Ye Zhen replied wryly, "Headmaster Flender, I think you've misunderstood. I'm a new student at this academy! It was Professor Zhao who insisted on sparring with me. I had no choice but to oblige him..."

As he spoke, Ye Zhen raised his hands in a helpless gesture, retracting his martial soul to show he had no hostile intentions. The towering Susanoo dissipated in an instant.

A freshman at our academy? Flender was momentarily confused. Can someone explain what just happened...?

At that moment, the older instructor who had conducted the initial entrance assessments stepped forward, leaned close to Flender, and whispered in his ear. Flender's expression grew increasingly colorful as he listened, looking as though he was hearing a wild tale.

Dai Mubai and Oscar also rushed over and eagerly added their explanations. The more they spoke, the more animated they became, while Zao Wou-ki, just emerging from the massive crater in the ground, wore an exceptionally dark expression.

Seeing there was no longer any tension, Ye Zhen shrugged and walked back toward Ning Rongrong and Tang San.

"Brother Zhen, you're amazing!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, shaking her small fist with excitement. Her eyes narrowed into crescent shapes as she bounced with enthusiasm.

"Are you hurt?" Ning Rongrong took a few steps closer, grasping Ye Zhen's arm and inspecting him closely.

Ye Zhen ruffled her hair with a smile. "Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine."

Tang San, who had been resting and had mostly recovered his strength, leaned forward with curiosity. "Zhen, I feel like you didn't use your full strength just now. How many tricks are you still hiding?"

"We want to know too!" Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu said in unison, both looking at Ye Zhen with wide, curious eyes.

Even Zhu Zhuqing, who was standing nearby, subtly perked up her ears to listen.

"Hmm..." Ye Zhen tilted his head as if in thought before smiling. "I still have a few cards up my sleeve."

"Just a few?" Everyone looked skeptical.

Ye Zhen could only give a helpless smile in response to their doubtful expressions. What he said was true; whether they believed him or not was their problem.

In truth, he had so many hidden techniques that he could barely keep track of them himself.

Some abilities were simply too powerful to reveal lightly, as they might directly injure—or even vaporize—opponents. Others were so unique that they would raise too many questions if exposed. In those cases, he could only rely on clones or illusions to act on his behalf.

Regardless of the reason, Ye Zhen was unwilling to fully reveal his hand.

From this battle, Ye Zhen not only gauged the combat level of a Soul Saint but also inferred the approximate strength of other high-level Soul Masters. More importantly, the fight sparked numerous new ideas in his mind.

For instance, what would happen if he paired the God of Thunder with Susanoo...?

Fighting was always the fastest way for a Soul Master to grow. These thoughts swirled in his mind as he reflected on Zao Wou-ki's impressive yet flawed techniques.

On the other side of the field, Flender finally seemed to grasp the situation. He shot a dark look at Zao Wou-ki before dismissing the other faculty members. Then, with Dai Mubai, Oscar, and a red-haired man following behind him, he made his way toward Ye Zhen and his group.

....

Flender approached Ye Zhen and the group, adjusted his glasses, and a sly smile crept to the corner of his mouth. "Kids, I've heard about your exploits. You're all outstanding. I hereby declare that you've passed the assessment. Furthermore..." Flender's gaze shifted sharply to Ye Zhen. "Your name is Ye Zhen, right? I have a question for you—does your third spirit ring truly have one hundred thousand years?"

As soon as Flender's voice fell, everyone nearby sharpened their ears and focused on Ye Zhen. They had all been stunned upon seeing Ye Zhen's spirit ring configuration, so how could they not be curious?

After a moment of hesitation, Ye Zhen nodded and said, "It does have a hundred thousand years. But don't ask me how I hunted it. Maybe it's just that a hundred-thousand-year soul beast found me handsome and decided to sacrifice itself for me. I had no choice but to accept."

Ye Zhen's face remained composed, as though he had said something completely ordinary.

The others stared at him with strange expressions, feeling that this boy was clearly bluffing. What kind of hundred-thousand-year soul beast would willingly sacrifice itself for him?

At that thought, most of them secretly cursed in their hearts, blaming Ye Zhen for being too slick and evasive about the truth.

"So your thousand-year first ring and ten-thousand-year second ring aren't just some spirit ability disguises?" Zao Wou-ki leaned forward, his voice tinged with frustration.

Ye Zhen glanced at him, noting with some respect that Zao Wou-ki—despite his title as the Immovable King Ming—had survived being slammed into the ground by himself. Though battered and embarrassed, he was otherwise unharmed.

"Professor Zhao, I never said my spirit ring colors were a disguise. That was your assumption," Ye Zhen said casually. Then, as if suddenly struck by an idea, he smiled faintly. "By the way, Professor Zhao, could we spar again in the future? I have a few ideas I'd like to test."

Zao Wou-ki's expression darkened instantly. His chest tightened in frustration as he turned away, clearly refusing to entertain Ye Zhen further.

"Ahem," Flender cleared his throat, lightly covering his mouth to gather everyone's attention.

"Mubai, take your younger brothers and sisters to the dormitory area and help them settle in. Also, since you're veterans, you can help fill in the giant crater in the training ground. Classes start at 7 a.m. tomorrow—don't be late."

"Understood..." Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun answered weakly, clearly overwhelmed by the events of the day.

Satisfied, Flender nodded and walked off with Zao Wou-ki in tow.

Seeing this, Dai Mubai's eyes lit up. He turned to Oscar and Ma Hongjun beside him and said, "Xiao Ao, Fatty, I'll take the younger students to the dormitory first. You two can start leveling the training ground. I'll join you later."

Oscar and Ma Hongjun immediately cursed inwardly, glaring at Dai Mubai. Unable to beat him, however, they could only begrudgingly agree. The two exchanged bitter looks and trudged toward the training ground with heavy hearts.

This time, unlike the original storyline, no one was seriously injured. Ye Zhen only suffered mild injuries from opening six of the Eight Inner Gates, straining his own soul power. While it caused minor internal damage, his strong recovery ability meant he would likely be fully healed by the next day.

With no severe injuries to delay them, the dormitory selection proceeded smoothly. Each room had two beds, and with Shrek currently having eight students, the pairing worked out evenly:

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun ,Oscar and Tang San, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, Ye Zhen and Ning Rongrong

At first glance, this arrangement seemed logical.

However, the others' gazes toward Ye Zhen and Ning Rongrong were filled with unspoken curiosity and mischievous thoughts. Ning Rongrong's small face turned bright red with embarrassment, and steam practically rose from her head as she hid behind Ye Zhen, nervously fiddling with the hem of her clothes.

Ye Zhen, however, remained calm. Looking at everyone with an indifferent expression, he said plainly, "I'm sorry, but I can only sleep with her by my side."

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Thanks for Patreon: Ruben Gene Dangpilen, Anaral

Current chapter on patreon: 49 - Duo in search of a ring - 2

Patreon: patreon.com/Jc_One_Day00

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