Following Ling Yuan's steps, Wang Zhong arrived at the third floor of the Great Soul Arena. Unlike the crowded second floor, this level was sparsely populated, with numerous individual rooms covering the entire area. As far as the eye could see, there were hundreds of rooms, each with a server-like attendant, both male and female, standing outside.
Ling Yuan led Wang Zhong into a room. It was luxuriously decorated, spacious, and fully furnished. The most striking feature was a floor-to-ceiling window that covered an entire wall.
In front of the window was a row of large, soft sofas, allowing anyone to comfortably watch the soul masters battle in the arena below, whether sitting or lying down.
Ghostly sat before the window, a table in front of him displaying eight soul tools that resembled jewelry, each distinct from the others.
"Come here, little one."
"I will arrange your training at the Soul Arena for the next six months."
His hoarse voice was as usual.
Wang Zhong withdrew his hand from Ling Yuan's and sat opposite Ghostly, gazing curiously at the eight soul tools on the table.
"These eight soul tools are all disguised type soul tools."
"Their sole purpose is to disguise soul rings!" Ghostly solemnly explained the function of these soul tools to Wang Zhong, and continued to explain why he brought Wang Zhong here.
"At the academy, the school rules prohibit students from engaging in any private battles or challenges. No matter the conflict or resentment, everything is reserved for the grand competition at the end of the year."
"If you were to remain in the academy, your practical combat experience would be very limited. Furthermore, Her Holiness the Pope mentioned some issues regarding your third soul skill."
"After careful consideration, the Great Soul Arena in Spirit City is the best place for you to hone your skills for the next six months."
Wang Zhong nodded in understanding of this reason.
His third soul skill required coordination that could not be achieved through solitary practice. Without hundreds or thousands of battles to refine and ponder, Wang Zhong would never be able to unleash its true power.
"These eight soul ring disguise soul tools are for concealing the colors of your three soul rings and making your Wood Clone soul skill appear more human."
"While Ghostly and I, with our abilities, could completely alter the rules of the Great Soul Arena to allow you to challenge seven or more people as an individual,"
"Her Holiness the Pope told me that it is not yet time to expose you to the public."
"Your talent is too astonishing. Once revealed to the world, it could attract countless assassins. Even if we can block ninety-nine percent, any sliver that reaches you is not something Her Holiness the Pope wishes to see!"
"Therefore, until you possess the strength to protect yourself, you must conceal your true identity as much as possible!"
Ghostly crossed his arms, his expression extremely serious. He was not joking.
The combination of yellow, purple, and black for his three soul rings, even to a Titled Douluo like himself, was astonishing when he first heard it. How much more so for others?
Such talent and ability were enough to stir every sect, family, and empire on the continent. If they were to approach Wang Zhong and discover he was affiliated with the Spirit Hall, who knew what despicable, dirty, or even vulgar methods they might employ.
Despite their outwardly respectable appearances, claiming to be righteous sects or noble royalty, once their core interests and futures were at stake, they would stop at nothing to extinguish any burgeoning threat in its infancy.
If not used by me, then destroyed by me!
This was the common, dark disposal method employed by the major sects and families on the continent towards geniuses who refused to join them and had no backing!
Let no one be an exception!
"Yes, I understand."
Wang Zhong nodded, picked up a bracelet-shaped soul tool, and put it on his wrist. He examined it, noticing only four colored gems—white, yellow, purple, black, and red—with nothing else remarkable.
"Activate the gems on it with your soul power, then open your soul rings and manifest your martial soul to see." Ghostly watched Wang Zhong's movements and guided him on how to use the soul tools.
Soul power surged, and Wang Zhong lit the first white gem, revealing his Tree martial soul and simultaneously releasing his soul rings.
Unlike before, Wang Zhong's displayed soul rings were all white.
Three pure white soul rings spun beneath Wang Zhong's feet, exuding a sense of paleness and weakness.
After all, such a soul ring configuration truly represented the epitome of weak aptitude and background.
Looking at the three white soul rings rising from his feet, Wang Zhong channeled soul power into the yellow gem on the bracelet, lighting it up.
As Wang Zhong expected, his soul rings beneath him simultaneously changed to three hundred-year soul rings.
"You can try, light the yellow gem twice, then try lighting the purple gem once," Ling Yuan said with a light laugh, leaning against the doorframe.
Wang Zhong followed her instruction, wiping the soul power from the gem. At this moment, his original soul ring colors were revealed.
One yellow, one purple, one black—three soul rings, boldly displayed before the two. Even though Ghostly was mentally prepared, his heart raced at the sight of the third, black, thousand-year soul ring.
Ling Yuan, though she had heard of it, was not prepared. Her normally spirited face was filled with shock and disbelief.
She had heard from her younger brother that there was an exceptionally terrifying prodigy in their class, and from Ghostly and Moon Guan that there was a peerless genius in the academy whom the Pope herself considered taking as a disciple. However, seeing it firsthand, she hadn't expected such a monstrous genius.
A ten-thousand-year soul ring wasn't particularly impressive; as a Titled Douluo, she had five of them! But what was truly shocking was the position of that ten-thousand-year soul ring!
The third ring!
In a position where others used thousand-year, hundred-year, or even ten-year soul rings, someone had placed a ten-thousand-year soul ring. This disparity was enough to instill genuine fear in anyone's heart.
However, Wang Zhong, as if he had found a new toy, paid no attention to their expressions. Following Ling Yuan's instruction, he lit the yellow gem twice, then the purple gem once. The soul rings beneath his feet consequently changed to yellow, yellow, and purple.
Nodding in satisfaction, Wang Zhong then pulled down his sleeve, concealing the bracelet. While it might still be visible, it was merely an accessory, and no one would pay it much attention.
Even if noticed, they wouldn't dwell on it. In this day and age, what was so strange about someone wearing a bracelet or other trinkets?
He reached out again and picked up another soul tool that resembled an arm ring. Wang Zhong first infused some soul power, successfully lit the gem, and then activated his third soul skill.
Before Ghostly and Ling Yuan's eyes, a perfect wood clone, identical to Wang Zhong, was squeezed out from behind him like toothpaste.
After the wood clone emerged, Wang Zhong didn't place the soul tool on it; instead, he forcefully pushed it into the wood clone's body. Once the soul tool was fully submerged,
the wood clone's rigid face suddenly softened, changing and showing expression.
Soul power surged from within the wood clone, and two yellow and one purple soul rings rose from its feet.
"Hello there, my main body!" the wood clone greeted Wang Zhong with a wide smile.
Ghostly was stunned, and Ling Yuan looked as if she had seen a ghost.