I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! Douluo: Seven Kill Shock the World
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In the outskirts of Mingdu, Sun Moon Empire, a secret estate shrouded in layers of soul-guided barriers stood as the private meeting place for Mo Hongchen's most important discussions. The atmosphere was heavy with tension.
Gu La stood at the center of the courtyard, bathed in moonlight, his long shadow stretching across the ground. His expression remained calm, and beside him stood a figure cloaked in black robes.
"President Hongchen, please observe." Gu La's voice was low as Yin Wansheng removed his hood, releasing an overwhelming surge of pure, icy death energy that erupted like a volcanic explosion!
The rare flowers and exotic plants meticulously cultivated within the estate instantly withered and decayed, and a thin layer of black frost formed on the ground.
Even Mo Hongchen, a Title Douluo, felt a bone-chilling cold pierce his very soul, momentarily freezing his soul power.
Under Mo Hongchen's wary gaze, Yin Wansheng revealed his true appearance.
Tall and lean, he wore a loose black cloak that seemed to absorb all light. The hood covered most of his face, leaving only a pale, bloodless chin exposed.
Around him swirled visible streams of gray energy—pure yin qi—that flowed across his body like living creatures.
Standing there, he resembled an eternal block of dark ice or a bottomless ancient well, exuding an unsettling stillness and coldness.
Slowly raising his head, his emotionless eyes, with ghostly green flames flickering deep within their pupils, locked onto Mo Hongchen.
"Yin Wansheng," Gu La introduced, his tone akin to presenting a rare treasure. "Meet President Hongchen."
Yin Wansheng gave a slight nod, his movements stiff like a rusted puppet, making no sound. Yet an invisible, icy wave of spiritual force quietly spread outward.
Mo Hongchen's pupils contracted sharply! In the instant Yin Wansheng raised his head, it felt as if he had been plunged into a sinister underworld!
The surrounding scenery blurred and twisted, the light dimmed, sounds faded, and even his perception of soul power became sluggish and sticky! A chilling sense of dread and oppression rose from deep within his soul, causing even this Title Douluo to shudder involuntarily!
Without lifting a finger, merely through the natural release of his spiritual force, such a terrifying suppressive effect was achieved! This domain's ability to weaken perception and spirit was a nightmare for offensive-type soul masters!
"Incredible domain!" Mo Hongchen's mind was shaken, but he quickly dispelled the discomfort with his soul power, his gaze sharpening further. "Show me your martial soul and abilities!"
Yin Wansheng silently raised his right hand. His palm was equally pale, with a faint bluish-gray hue beneath the skin, resembling metal.
Buzz!
Concentric circles of deep black soul rings rose from beneath his feet—only four, but each was pitch-black, radiating a chilling, ominous fluctuation!
Roar—!
A deep, guttural roar echoed as if from the depths of hell! A towering three-meter apparition, clad in tattered black robes and holding chains and shackles, coalesced behind Yin Wansheng!
The apparition was enveloped in thick, impenetrable gray-black yin qi, with countless distorted, suffering soul shadows flickering faintly within its sleeves, emitting silent wails! Even the mere manifestation of his martial soul caused the temperature of the entire estate to plummet below freezing!
Martial Soul—Yin Ghost King!
"Attack that target!"
Mo Hongchen pointed to a high-strength alloy training dummy in the corner of the courtyard, signaling a nearby Soul Emperor-level guard to strike. It was both a test and a probe.
The Soul Emperor guard let out a low shout, six soul rings lighting up around him as flames ignited on his blade. A fiery crescent slashed toward Yin Wansheng like a streak of silk!
Yin Wansheng's eyes under the hood glimmered with spectral light.
"First Soul Skill, Lingering Yin Soul!"
The Yin Ghost King's scythe-like projection lightly swung, releasing several nearly invisible gray streams of energy that slithered like snakes, silently wrapping around the fiery crescent.
Something bizarre occurred! The blazing, violent flame soul power instantly dimmed and extinguished upon contact with the gray streams, as if doused with cold water! The attack's power was significantly weakened!
Seizing the moment of weakness, the ghostly green flames in Yin Wansheng's eyes flared violently! An intangible, yet intensely cold and malevolent mental shockwave instantly crossed space, piercing directly into the attacking Soul Emperor's mind!
"Ugh!"
The Soul Emperor guard let out a muffled groan of pain, his attack crumbling instantly. He staggered back, clutching his head, his face pale with fear and confusion, as if he had witnessed the most horrifying thing imaginable!
"Second Soul Skill, Yin Qi Parasite!"
With ease, Yin Wansheng defeated a Soul Emperor without any emotional fluctuation. If not for the lack of a suitable cultivation environment, he would have already fused a soul spirit and broken through to Soul King rank.
He pointed distantly at the alloy dummy. A fine, almost imperceptible thread of gray-black yin qi shot forth like a living creature, instantly penetrating the dummy's body!
Crack! Crack!
The hardened alloy dummy emitted a teeth-grinding sound of corrosion and freezing! Its surface rapidly frosted over with a gray-white layer of ice, its movements becoming stiff and sluggish. The internal soul-guided core components appeared to be severely corroded and disrupted!
More terrifyingly, Mo Hongchen acutely sensed that this thread of yin qi acted like a seed, capable of lying dormant, growing stronger, and even… potentially being remotely detonated or controlled by Yin Wansheng!
"Enough!" Mo Hongchen barked, halting the guard's further actions. His gaze fixed intently on Yin Wansheng, his expression shifting uncertainly.
Strong! Too strong! That eerie domain, that domineering mental attack, that insidious yin qi parasite… each ability was ruthless, targeting vital weaknesses!
Moreover, Mo Hongchen keenly noticed that when the Soul Emperor was struck by the mental shockwave, Yin Wansheng seemed to subtly influence the direction of his retreat! What did this mean? It meant his control over spiritual force could reach an incredibly precise level!
What shocked Mo Hongchen even more was Yin Wansheng's body! When the Soul Emperor's stray flame soul power grazed Yin Wansheng's arm during the attack…
That molten-metal-melting flame left only a faint white mark on his pale arm! Not even his skin was burned! Beneath the bluish-gray skin lay something seemingly not flesh and blood, but rather an extremely tough, cold metal—or perhaps… a zombie-like body!
"Potential… unquestionably extraordinary, truly unparalleled!" Mo Hongchen's mind churned with waves of astonishment. The talent Yin Wansheng displayed rivaled Bai Yuan and Mu Yi! In some aspects, it was even more bizarre and harder to defend against!
But… he was far too similar to an evil soul master! That sinister ghost king martial soul, the ability to manipulate yin qi and death energy, that zombie-like body… every aspect tread dangerously close to the forbidden zones of orthodox soul master knowledge! If discovered, it would bring catastrophic damage to the reputation of the Sun Moon Academy!
Mo Hongchen was caught in fierce internal conflict. Gu La stood quietly to the side, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if savoring Mo Hongchen's inner torment.
Time ticked by. Mo Hongchen's gaze repeatedly scrutinized Yin Wansheng, his powerful spiritual force meticulously probing every fluctuation of energy emanating from him.
Cold, still, pure… yes, pure!
Mo Hongchen's brows slightly relaxed.
He had caught a crucial detail: the yin qi emanating from Yin Wansheng, though terrifyingly dense and icy, was exceptionally pure in essence!
There was no trace of bloodlust, malice, or the filth and impurities characteristic of evil soul master powers!
This purity felt more like something nurtured naturally or refined through an extremely special process that didn't involve killing! Like the purest ice—cold, yet free of impurities.
Moreover, though Yin Wansheng's movements were somewhat stiff, his eyes lacked complete madness or bloodlust. Instead, they held a suppressed, icy rationality.
He resembled a finely honed weapon of terrifying power, rather than a rampaging beast.
Huge risks accompanied unimaginable rewards! A genius with such terrifying potential, abilities difficult to defend against, and, for now, seemingly "pure" power! If he could be controlled and nurtured, combined with the Sun Moon Empire's top-tier soul-guided technology…
The hesitation in Mo Hongchen's eyes gradually gave way to a gambler's resolve. He took a deep breath, as if making a monumental decision.
"Yin Wansheng," Mo Hongchen's voice regained its steadiness, carrying the authority of a Title Douluo, "Your talent is undeniable. The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy welcomes you."
He paused, his gaze sharp as a blade: "However, you must abide by the academy's rules. Your power… is unique and requires specific resources to guide and compensate for it. The academy will provide you with the finest yin-attribute treasures, and we may even attempt to find legendary items that balance yin and yang to help mitigate your physical rigidity and stabilize your strength."
"But in return, your abilities must be strictly controlled within the academy. You are not to reveal your Yin Ghost King martial soul unless absolutely necessary, and under no circumstances are you to harm academy staff or students! Can you comply?"
The ghostly green eyes beneath Yin Wansheng's hood flickered slightly, as if digesting Mo Hongchen's words. After a few seconds, he gave a slow, barely perceptible nod. His movements remained stiff, but the gesture conveyed clear compliance.
"I agree."
"Excellent." Mo Hongchen felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He turned to Gu La, his gaze complex: "Young Master Gu La, the 'surprises' you've given me just keep getting bigger. This person—I accept him into our academy! The resources promised to you will be delivered as agreed."
Gu La smiled faintly, his expression filled with the composure of one who held all the cards: "President Hongchen has courage. I believe this will be a mutually beneficial deal. Yin Wansheng is yours."
He cast one final glance at Yin Wansheng, who stood like an icy sculpture, his figure gradually fading into the moonlight, merging with the shadows until he disappeared entirely.
In the courtyard, only Mo Hongchen, Yin Wansheng, and the still-shaken guards remained.
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