chapter 38 Diamond Strong Bull Battle Soul

Max coughed up several mouthfuls of blood in succession, his eyes glaring red. He had never imagined that he would be defeated, let alone by a Late-stage Battle Master Cultivator. For him, this was a stark humiliation, one that would undoubtedly leave him feeling inferior in the eyes of others. Justin took a deep breath, observing Ethan intently. He murmured to himself, "First, he taunted Max Hudson into fighting at the same level, injuring him with one punch. Then, he forced Max to use his full strength, before unleashing a sudden burst of power to further injure him, thus intimidating everyone. I bet he's not feeling too good himself." Justin was almost the only one present who understood what had just transpired. As he had mentioned, Ethan's blood was roiling within him. The previous sword strike had depleted most of his soul power. Continuing the battle would undoubtedly lead to defeat. But Justin also knew that Max likely lacked the courage to continue fighting. If he were to press on, it would only serve to diminish him further in the eyes of others. "You said you'd fight me at the same level and can't accept defeat now? What does that make you, shedding the mantle of the Hudson Family?" Ethan cast a cold glance at Max, then turned and walked away. As for Stella, Ethan didn't even spare her a glance. Stella's expression was one of extreme displeasure. Little did she know that in less than a month, Ethan had grown so formidable. For some reason, a sense of fear crept into her heart. She regretted not killing Ethan when she had the chance. The Little Witch and Little Gold Lion followed without hesitation. Justin glanced at Max, shaking his head with an air of disdain. The crowd slowly dispersed, and Zachary Hudson approached with a bruised face, glaring fiercely at Justin's retreating figure. "Justin? No matter who you are, I have ten thousand ways to kill you in Ysleve City," he declared menacingly. "Yes, husband, we must kill Ethan," Stella chimed in hastily. "Ethan?" Max squinted, murmuring to himself, "Justin, all of you are going to die! Even if I kill you, your family won't be able to trace it back to me." "You go test your martial soul and soul power first," Max said, taking a deep breath to calm himself. At the War King Academy gate, ten long lines of people waited, all seeking entrance. However, gaining admission was no easy feat. For nobles of the Great Ysleve Dynasty, a Fourth-grade Battle Soul was required, while commoners needed a Fifth-grade Battle Soul, with soul power surpassing that of ordinary Cultivators of the same level by twofold. Ethan stood in line behind a lengthy queue. The Little Witch hesitated briefly before standing behind him. Justin approached her with a smile. "Zoey, this is too slow. Want me to help you jump the queue?" he offered. "No need," the Little Witch replied flatly, cutting him off. "I knew Zoey wouldn't cut in line," Justin said unabashedly, leaving Ethan speechless up ahead. The dynamics between the Little Witch and Justin were a mix of affection and disinterest, with Justin persistently pursuing her, but the Little Witch remaining unimpressed. Strangely, Justin seemed content with the situation. An hour later, only three people remained ahead of Ethan. The examiner, an elderly man in black, exuded an intimidating aura. "A Battle Ancestor powerhouse," Ethan breathed deeply. He was only a late-stage Battle Master, still a considerable distance from the Battle Ancestor realm. "Release your Battle Soul," the old man instructed calmly. He seemed unfazed. Glancing briefly at the Fourth-grade Battle Soul of the young man in white before him, he declared, "Illusion Heart Herb, Fourth-grade Battle Soul, disqualified. Next." "Examiner, my father is a Viscount," the young man in white protested indignantly. "Want to be thrown out? Next," the impatient old man in black snapped. The young man in white's face changed, then he left with a stiff upper lip. A Viscount was extraordinary for ordinary people, but in Ysleve City, it meant little, no longer among the nobility. Following him, a nervous girl in a blue dress stepped forward. "Brother, what's your Battle Soul?" At that moment, a chubby boy ahead of Ethan turned to ask him. Though the boy looked about sixteen or seventeen, his size was embarrassing. Ethan, reborn in the Battle Soul Continent, had never seen such obesity before. "I have no idea," Ethan shrugged, a bitter smile on his face. "You mean you haven't awakened your Battle Soul?" The chubby boy looked at Ethan in disbelief, then regained his composure, saying, "Being cautious when traveling is wise, but you'll have to summon your Battle Soul anyway. It won't hurt to tell me." "I truly don't know," Ethan looked helpless, "If you don't believe me, you can see for yourself later." "You really don't know?" The chubby boy rubbed his chin, appearing pensive. Eventually, he gave up. He knew Ethan probably wasn't lying to him. "By the way, I'm Alan Norris. Nice to meet you. Just call me Alan," the chubby boy said, looking familiar. Ethan felt puzzled. Why did this name sound like a girl's name? Why not just call him Fatty? It's friendly and vivid! Out of courtesy, Ethan extended his right hand and said, "Ethan Sigeweard." "Fourth-grade Battle Soul Black Eagle, disqualified, next," the examiner's voice continued. "It's my turn," Alan grinned and trotted up, his fat body trembling. It was as comical as it could get, and the nearby cultivators couldn't help but point and laugh. "Release your Battle Soul," the old man in black reiterated, still cold. "Roar," Alan bellowed, startling both the examiner and the surrounding Cultivators. "What's with the roar!" the old man in black yelled angrily. But when he looked up, his eyes froze, pupils trembling. "Dia… Diamond Strong Bull!" Some cultivators around exclaimed, horror in their eyes. The next moment, most people's attention in the square shifted to the three-meter-sized golden bull phantom in the void. A powerful momentum surged in all directions, making many Earth-level cultivators tremble and some even unsteady on their feet. "Grade Battle Soul!" Ethan's pupils contracted, unable to conceal the shock in his heart. He had just spoken with Alan for a while but hadn't realized he was a genius. Not even the Great Ysleve Dynasty, or the dynasty that governed it, or even the imperial dynasty, may have a Grade Battle Soul. If someone with a Grade Battle Soul were to grow up, they could become a presence akin to a Battle Saint. Throughout the Battle Soul Continent, such formidable individuals were few and far between. Whoosh! Gusts of strong wind swept by, and several figures suddenly appeared in the square, their speed so fast that nobody could react. Leading them was a middle-aged man in brocade clothes, appearing about fifty years old. His sharp, handsome features exuded a powerful majesty. "Welcome, Dean," the old man in black quickly stood up and bowed as he saw the man in brocade clothes. "Dean? That's Dean Hunter Quinn!" The crowd gasped in surprise as they recognized the man in brocade clothes. Their shock was understandable. Hunter had been the dean of War King Academy for over a decade and had never appeared on enrollment day. However, when their eyes fell on the huge Diamond Strong Bull, they understood. Not only was a Grade Battle Soul rare in the world, it was also unique. It made sense for Hunter to appear. "Welcome to War King Academy, young friend," Hunter said to Alan Norris with a smile, feeling exceptionally excited.