In the quiet forest, Lin Fan spoke with a hint of anticipation.
"System, settle the mission rewards."
[Congratulations, Host! You've barely and painfully passed Zhao Wuji's incense-stick-long combat trial while injured.]
Barely? Painfully? Injured?
This system's ability to shamelessly lie was truly top-notch.
Lin Fan was already used to this idiotic system's nonsense.
He didn't even bother to complain anymore.
[Reward: Innate Full Soul Power Talent.]
Immediately, Lin Fan felt as if the world had become clearer, and his sensitivity to spirit energy had grown significantly sharper.
"So this is what Innate Full Soul Power feels like?"
"No wonder the higher your innate soul power, the faster your cultivation speed. Turns out, it all comes down to how quickly you can absorb spirit energy."
Lin Fan mused inwardly—this system wasn't entirely useless.
Sure, it was infuriating at times, but it wasn't completely without merit.
After all, it had given him a divine martial soul and now Innate Full Soul Power.
"System, when are you going to give me a godhood mission?"
Lin Fan asked seriously again.
[Host, please stop aiming too high. You're currently just a Rank 31 Soul Elder—a mere fledgling in the world of soul masters.]
A fledgling? Me?
"Did you get caught in a time-space storm on your way here and lose your intelligence somewhere?"
"Otherwise, how could you arrive forty years late?"
This damned system was treating him—a fully-fledged Titled Douluo—as a rookie in the soul master world.
Is this system discriminating against me?
Lin Fan was furious and cold all over.
He decided then and there—once he became a god, he'd abandon the system immediately.
Otherwise, if he stayed with it too long, it might end up scrambling his brain.
Just as Lin Fan's mind wandered off, the system's cold, mechanical voice echoed in his head again.
[New Mission Issued: Now that you've successfully enrolled in Shrek Academy and begun your academic journey, you'll soon participate in the Great Soul Arena as part of Shrek's special training. You've been placed in the Soul Elder bracket, but as you're at the lowest level of that bracket, the audience will mock you. Your task: Defeat a Soul Elder at least five ranks higher than you in the Great Soul Arena.]
[Note: This mission is optional.]
[Mission Reward: +3 Soul Power Ranks (no side effects), 1,000 Gold Soul Coins, and a Full Continent Map.]
Lin Fan noticed the rewards were quite generous.
Never mind the 1,000 gold coins—just gaining three soul power ranks without side effects was equivalent to many days of hard cultivation.
And the Full Continent Map? A must-have for soul masters venturing outside—no more getting lost.
The rewards were so tempting, but Lin Fan could only grit his teeth and give them up.
What a joke! I'm a Titled Douluo—why would I bother going to the Great Soul Arena to bully weaklings?
Besides, the reward's main benefit—raising soul power by three ranks—only worked on Soul Elders.
"System, I choose to forfeit this mission."
[Are you sure you want to forfeit this mission?]
"Yes."
Confirming once more to prevent accidental forfeiture. Are you sure you want to forfeit?]
"Yes."
[Are you su—]
"Yes!"
Lin Fan was convinced this system wasn't just faulty—it was basically like one of those annoying malware programs from his previous life.
[Mission forfeited successfully.]
The system fell silent after that.
Lin Fan blinked and waited for a while, but no new mission appeared.
"System, where's my next mission?"
[Please wait patiently, Host.]
Lin Fan was speechless.
So after forfeiting a mission, he couldn't even proceed to the next one right away?
Sigh… Forget it. The system's brain doesn't work properly anyway. I'll just wait for it to sort itself out.
"Well, since there's still time, let me try meditating with Innate Full Soul Power and see how it differs from my previous Level 6 innate talent."
Lin Fan sat down right where he was and began meditating.
Soon, he came to a clear conclusion.
The difference between Innate Full Soul Power and Innate Level 6 was massive—at least five times faster in terms of meditation and energy absorption.
"No, it's more than just speed—I can feel my cultivation ceiling isn't stuck at Rank 91 anymore."
Before obtaining Innate Full Soul Power, Lin Fan had always sensed a kind of invisible shackle when meditating after reaching Titled Douluo.
But now, with this new talent, those shackles and limitations had vanished completely.
Thus, Lin Fan sat there in meditation for two whole hours, feeling lighter and more refreshed than ever before.
"This system might have issues, but it's not entirely useless."
Lin Fan opened his eyes with satisfaction.
Seeing the morning clouds in the sky, he realized quite some time had passed.
"Lord Sword Shadow, come here for a moment."
Just as Lin Fan was about to get up, a deep and heavy voice suddenly rang in his ears.
He narrowed his eyes and glanced toward the depths of the forest, where a shadowy figure flashed by.
For someone to get that close to him without being detected, there could only be one person.
Tang Hao.
This "mysterious" Tang Hao thought no one could discover him.
But in truth, Lin Fan had sensed his presence back when he first entered Shrek Academy's plaza, right when he'd beaten up Tang San.
After all, Tang Hao was his father. No matter how well he hid, there was no way he could stay completely calm while watching his son get thrashed.
His emotions inevitably leaked out, revealing his presence.
If Lin Fan had shown any killing intent back then, Tang Hao would've revealed himself instantly—he wouldn't have waited until now.
"Tang Hao…" Lin Fan muttered under his breath as he headed deeper into the forest.
Lin Fan knew he wasn't Tang Hao's match yet, but he wasn't afraid either.
Though Tang Hao outclassed him in raw strength, Lin Fan was confident his speed surpassed Tang Hao's.
If he wanted to retreat, Tang Hao alone wouldn't be able to stop him, especially since Tang Hao wasn't in peak condition these days.
Lightly stepping through the grass, Lin Fan's speed was so fast he left behind a trail of afterimages, covering more than 500 meters in less than a minute.
Along the way, he summoned his martial soul, gripping the Azure Shadow Sword.
"Clear Sky Douluo, I know it's you. Stop hiding already. Tang San is your son, right?"
Lin Fan said calmly, his tone steady.
Suddenly, the air trembled, and the wind behind him stirred violently, followed by a sharp whooshing sound.
Lin Fan quickly turned around, raising his sword to block.
Boom—
His arms trembled violently from the impact, and the sheer force forced him to slide back several meters, his head slightly lowered.
Looking up, Lin Fan saw Tang Hao standing there, nine soul rings glowing around him.
Most eye-catching of all was the bright red ring among them—a hundred-thousand-year soul ring.
"The Clear Sky Hammer, known as the number one tool-type martial soul on the continent… Truly worthy of its reputation. That power is unmatched,"
Lin Fan remarked calmly.
Tang Hao's strength was indeed terrifying—after all, it was power gained through his wife's sacrifice.
In Lin Fan's eyes, Tang Hao fully deserved this strength, and Lin Fan didn't mind admitting he was no match in raw power.
"Who the hell are you? What's your purpose at Shrek Academy?"
"You even knew about me before seeing me. Tell me—are you a Titled Douluo from the Spirit Hall?"
Tang Hao hadn't intended to strike at first, but Lin Fan knew far too much, even identifying Tang San as his son.
How could Tang Hao not be wary?
"Tang Hao, watch your tone. I'm not your prisoner."
"My title is Sword Shadow. Do you think Spirit Hall has someone like me?"
Lin Fan's voice instantly turned cold at Tang Hao's interrogative tone.
"If you're not from Spirit Hall, then why would someone with your cultivation bully a mere junior?"
Tang Hao's "junior" naturally referred to his son, Tang San.
"Clear Sky Douluo, that girl named Xiao Wu…"
Lin Fan's tone suddenly shifted.
"Sword Shadow, don't even think about it. Even if you kill Xiao Wu, do you think you can snatch her hundred-thousand-year soul bone from right under my nose?"
"Besides… I had my eyes on her first."
Tang Hao's voice grew cold and dangerous.
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