Chapter 47 – The First Freshman to Clear the Stele Challenge

Silence!

Deathly silence!

Everyone stared blankly at the scene before them, their mouths dry, unable to utter a single word.

A single basic Soul Arrow had actually wounded the Four-Armed Ape, a Tier 4 Pet Beast.

Everyone who witnessed this felt an unreal sensation, as if they were dreaming.

This was simply too absurd!

Even a Bronze Beast Tamer couldn’t wound a Tier 4 Pet Beast with just a Soul Arrow!

Let alone one that was a Tier 4, Rank 8 Pet Beast!

Snapping back to their senses, many examinees couldn’t help but draw in sharp breaths, looking at Lin Ze as if they were staring at some kind of monster.

“Unbelievable!”

“This is the first time I’ve seen a Soul Arrow with such terrifying power!”

“How high is that Soul Arrow’s level? Level 4? Or Level 5?”

“Relying solely on a Level 5 Soul Arrow couldn’t achieve this—Lin Ze’s Soul Strength definitely exceeds 5!”

Exclamations of astonishment continued without end.

Even Guo Xinyi, Tan Yong, and the others had eyes filled with disbelief and shock at this moment.

“This guy… even his Soul Art Attainment is this astonishing!”

The few of them stared at Lin Ze’s back, and a deep sense of powerlessness suddenly welled up from the depths of their hearts.

With talent this dazzling and extraordinary, they would probably never be able to surpass him in their entire lives.

“Amazing! So amazing!”

Zhang Xiaoyun nearly jumped up from where she stood, her face full of excitement and thrill.

“I didn’t expect Brother Lin to be this skilled at Soul Arts too!”

Guan Ning was equally both surprised and delighted.

Of everyone present.

She could be said to be the one who understood Lin Ze the best.

But until today.

She had never known that Lin Ze possessed such astonishing attainments in Soul Arts as well.

In fact, over these past days.

Guan Ning had discovered that this brother, who had always seemed so ordinary in her eyes, was in truth unfathomably mysterious.

Every time she grew accustomed to Lin Ze’s performance, he would always bring her new surprises.

The more she interacted with him, the more towering and mysterious Lin Ze’s image became in her heart.

Of course.

Guan Ning didn’t mind this at all.

A girl in her adolescence always harbors an eager longing for mystery and strength.

On the other side.

Jing Tao, who had just snapped out of his shock, still wore a face full of disbelief.

“Is this for real? Is this guy really only eighteen years old?”

“Could he have started cultivating from the womb or something?”

No one answered Jing Tao’s question.

Zhang Man beside him was equally stunned beyond measure.

When they were eighteen, being able to master a Level 2 Soul Art was already quite impressive.

But judging from what just happened, Lin Ze’s Soul Arrow had been cultivated to at least Level 5.

This was simply inconceivable!

Not to mention that Lin Ze also had two Tier 4 Pet Beasts.

How outstanding would one’s talent have to be to achieve such astonishing accomplishments in both Pet Beasts and Soul Arts simultaneously?

Zhang Man couldn’t even imagine it.

If even they were this shocked, then Wu Tianze, as the one directly involved, needed no further explanation.

He was dazed for quite a while before he finally snapped back to his senses.

It was fortunate that the stele challenge defaulted to not attacking Beast Tamers directly—otherwise, in that brief moment, he would have died several times over.

“Just a single Soul Arrow… has this kind of terrifying power!”

Wu Tianze glanced at the blood-drenched arm of the Four-Armed Ape, and the corner of his eye twitched violently.

Just what kind of monster was he fighting against?

At that moment, Lin Ze’s calm voice drifted over.

“Senior, letting your mind wander during battle isn’t a good habit.”

Wu Tianze turned his head to look, only to find that Lin Ze had already extended his palm once again.

He was taken aback and immediately ordered the Four-Armed Ape to dodge.

Unfortunately, no sooner had it moved than Xiao Xue’s Extreme Ice Chain struck.

The hard chain, formed purely of Ice Element, bound the Four-Armed Ape firmly in place.

The next instant.

With a piercing sonic boom, the Soul Arrow came streaking in like lightning, slamming into the Four-Armed Ape’s chest.

Bang!

A burst of blood blossomed from the Four-Armed Ape’s chest.

It let out a pained, miserable cry.

Watching this, Wu Tianze felt a bitter ache in his heart.

He had now witnessed firsthand what it looked like when a Beast Tamer with formidable Soul Art Attainment fought in tandem with their Pet Beast.

This pair gave him the feeling of facing two Tier 4 Pet Beasts at once.

And ones that were perfectly in sync, coordinating flawlessly!

It was utterly maddening!

With Lin Ze and Xiao Xue’s seamless cooperation, the Four-Armed Ape was completely trapped in a situation of being beaten without any chance to fight back.

The other Pet Beast, the Single-Horned Dragon, was firmly held at bay by the Rock Ghost.

Though it held the upper hand in the fight, it couldn’t break free to aid its companion anytime soon.

Wu Tianze also tried to support with his Soul Arts.

Unfortunately, his highest-level offensive Soul Art was only Level 3.

It couldn’t pose any threat to Xiao Xue at all.

Left with no choice, Wu Tianze could only pray that Lin Ze’s Soul Power would run out quickly.

But even as the Four-Armed Ape collapsed from severe injuries, Lin Ze’s Soul Power showed no sign of depletion.

The frequency of his Soul Arrow casts remained as swift as ever.

Following that, Lin Ze turned his Soul Arrow aim toward the Single-Horned Dragon.

As time passed.

The examinees watching from the sidelines gradually widened their eyes, expressions of utter shock spreading across their faces.

“How many Soul Arrows is that now?”

“Sixty-seven? Or sixty-eight?”

“More than that—it’s over seventy!”

“I recall the Soul Arrow’s consumption is 10 Soul Power points, right?”

“Correct, it’s a fixed cost.”

“Whoa! That means Lin Ze has already spent over 700 Soul Power? And he’s still casting Soul Arts—just how much Soul Power does he have?”

“This Soul Power reserve is insane!”

The crowd stared in disbelief.

It was the first time they’d seen an Apprentice Beast Tamer cast Soul Arts like this.

As if Soul Power were limitless!

Was this guy really just an Apprentice Beast Tamer?

It wasn’t until the Single-Horned Dragon fell that Lin Ze finally stopped casting Soul Arrows.

He let out a long breath.

Throughout the entire battle, Lin Ze had cast over ninety Soul Arrows.

If the Single-Horned Dragon had held on just a bit longer, he would have been forced to stop.

Fortunately, he managed to last until the very end.

And at that moment.

The surroundings had fallen into complete silence.

Everyone stared blankly at the scene before them, faces dazed, mouths agape, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.

Wu Tianze stood frozen in place as well.

His gaze was fixed on Lin Ze, as if looking at some inconceivable creature.

And indeed, that was the case.

Wu Tianze had never imagined he would lose to an Apprentice Beast Tamer in such a manner.

This young man before him cast Soul Arts like a human artillery platform.

One with nearly unlimited firepower.

He had single-handedly, with his Pet Beast’s help, shattered his Single-Horned Dragon and Four-Armed Ape.

Unbelievable!

It took a long while before Wu Tianze shook off his shock.

He let out a long sigh, looked up at Lin Ze, and said with a complex expression:

“Congratulations, Junior Lin Ze. You have successfully passed the Stone Tablet Challenge.”

As his words fell, the surroundings suddenly went still.

The next moment.

The crowd suddenly erupted in a thunderous uproar.

Since the founding of Ningjiang Academy.

No one had ever passed the stone tablet challenge.

But today.

At this very moment.

Someone had finally broken through.

The first Freshman to pass the stone tablet challenge had appeared!