Douluo: My Clone Is Groudon

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As Wu Zhangkong's slender fingers glided over the soul-guided runes on the inner wall of the private booth, a pale blue light curtain rippled across the walls like water.

The outside noise was instantly cut off, and even the auctioneer's passionate concluding remarks faded into a muffled hum.

Tang Wulin could clearly hear the sound of his own blood rushing. Carefully, he picked up the lotus seed glowing with a faint green aura from the jade box, and its rich fragrance immediately spread through the enclosed space.

Gu Yue gently rubbed the surface of her lotus seed with her fingertips. The intricate patterns on it faintly lit up at her touch.

Beside her, Xu Xiaoyan couldn't wait any longer and popped the seed into her mouth. A pale green glow instantly enveloped her face.

Seeing this, the others closed their eyes to meditate. Only Wu Zhangkong waited a moment before consuming his seed and beginning the refinement process.

Half an hour later, Gu La was the first to finish digesting the seed. The energy consumed by using the Tree Avatar Clone soul skill had also recovered. He slowly opened his eyes.

Not long after, Wu Zhangkong, Gu Yue, and Tang Wulin woke up in order of their spiritual strength.

The lotus seeds had little effect on those at the Spiritual Sea Realm, especially since their potency was halved. At best, they helped stabilize one's foundation.

Wu Zhangkong and Gu Yue used the time spent refining the seeds to organize their spiritual power. For the next week, they would experience heightened mental clarity and improved cultivation efficiency.

Gu La examined the lotus seed in his palm. The tender sprout that had just emerged already possessed a faint soul power and spiritual energy. This was both due to the unique traits of the Six-Sense Pure Lotus and the special nature of his Tree Avatar Clone soul skill.

When everyone woke up, no one spoke. They quietly savored the feeling of mental relaxation.

After a short while, Wu Zhangkong deactivated the soundproofing device. The auction hall's signature amber lighting reappeared, and an ice crystal cage rose onto the stage.

A pure white dragon spirit soul swam through the cold mist. Each swing of its tail caused frost flowers to condense in the air.

Before the auctioneer could even begin the introduction, a flurry of bids erupted throughout the circular venue.

"Item number 108: A ten-thousand-year-old White Ice Spirit Dragon spirit soul from the deep sea, suitable for dragon-type or ice-attribute martial souls. The seller requests an ice-attribute spiritual object in exchange. Interested parties, please place your bids."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wulin and Xu Xiaoyan perked up. This soul ring was undoubtedly perfect for them. However, as a dragon-type spirit soul, the value of the required spiritual objects quickly exceeded the equivalent of one hundred million federal credits. Both were astounded and had to reluctantly abandon their hopes.

Gradually, new items were brought up for auction, but none were suitable for the group. After Tang Wulin successfully purchased some Dragonblood Grass, everyone returned to the hotel.

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At dawn the next day, Gu La stood on the hotel's observation deck, overlooking the entirety of Shrek City.

Tang Wulin occasionally touched the silver ring-shaped soul device hanging from his chest, which contained the materials needed to unlock the second seal. Having been accepted as Zhuo Shi's disciple, he no longer worried about failing the entrance exam. Thus, he hadn't taken the risk of unlocking the seal prematurely. Naturally, there would be no tardiness this time—and no need for makeup exams.

As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, Wu Zhangkong's snow-white figure appeared punctually at the revolving door of the lobby. After confirming everyone was present, his aloof voice rang out:

"Let's go."

Arriving at Shrek Academy, the grand bronze gates gleamed coldly under the sunlight. Nine golden dragons carved into the gateposts seemed to breathe mist, their whiskers trembling delicately in the wind as if they might come alive at any moment.

Gu La tilted his head to gaze at the towering main building of the academy. Every brick on the granite exterior was engraved with intricate soul-guided runes, giving it a hardness comparable to metal.

As his gaze swept over the glowing patterns, his eyes narrowed slightly. Those runes were clearly synchronizing and adjusting the entire building's soul power field—the dense soul power environment of Shrek Academy wasn't solely due to the Golden Tree.

While passing through the corridor lined with statues of the original Seven Monsters of Shrek, Wu Zhangkong's brief introductions elicited only amused smiles from Gu La and Gu Yue.

The moment they stepped into the examination hall, the golden dragon eyes in the ceiling mural seemed to come alive. The twenty-meter-high circular space was suddenly filled with an oppressive dragon aura that left everyone breathless.

"Step forward. Only those who pass the first trial may proceed."

Wu Zhangkong didn't approach, instead watching from a distance.

"This mural…"

Xie Xie had barely lifted his head when he stumbled back half a step. A massive black dragon coiled within the enormous mural, each scale seemingly brimming with infinite darkness that drew one in irresistibly.

Xu Xiaoyan clutched the star-wheel necklace around her neck so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She noticed how the dragon claw in the mural seemed to shift into a grasping pose depending on the angle of observation, causing her neck to tense.

Gu La, however, narrowed his eyes with interest. A flash of blue-golden light flickered deep within his green-golden pupils. To him, the dragon scales that were unbearable for ordinary people to look at returned to their original state.

This mural was drawn using a drop of Di Tian's essence blood and carried an overwhelming dragon aura. A single glance could shatter the resolve of ordinary people. Only those with sufficient willpower and spiritual strength could endure it for ten seconds on their own.

As the group approached the Profound Iron wall inscribed with Di Tian's essence blood, the air suddenly thickened like glue.

Tang Wulin's temples throbbed as a primordial roar echoed from deep within his bloodline. Soon after, he ignored the pressure of the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King entirely.

Gu La casually scratched the back of his head and blinked, unfazed.

Gu Yue reacted similarly, appearing as relaxed as if she were out for a leisurely stroll.

In contrast, Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan fared poorly. Their willpower and spiritual strength were far inferior to Gu La and the others.

Unsurprisingly, they would barely earn two or three points.

Just as Xie Xie's forehead veins bulged and he was about to collapse to one knee, Tang Wulin suddenly stepped forward. Golden blood energy erupted like molten lava.

He placed his palms on their shoulders, helping them resist the dragon aura. Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan finally managed to adapt.

"It's unfair! That's cheating!"

Some of the still-testing soul masters couldn't help but report the incident. They had almost passed on their own but hadn't received any assistance.

Xu Xiaoyan's cheeks flushed, and Xie Xie clenched his fists. If the dragon aura hadn't rendered him speechless, he would have certainly spat out a few words in retaliation.

"This isn't cheating. Shrek Academy values teamwork, but in the subsequent trials, you must also complete them together."

A voice came from the high walls, simultaneously announcing the results: "Gu La, Gu Yue, and Tang Wulin perfectly adapted to the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King's aura, earning ten points each. Xie Xie scores five points, and Xu Xiaoyan scores four."

"The second trial begins."

Tang Wulin felt the voice sounded familiar, but before he could dwell on it, the scene shifted as if transported to another space. The stone slabs beneath their feet suddenly turned into quicksand.

The surrounding scenery twisted into kaleidoscopic fragments, and the sensation of weightlessness made him instinctively release his Blue Silver Grass martial soul. Blue vines snaked across the ground, growing and spreading, resembling Gu La's domain tactics.

When his feet touched solid ground again, an arm-thick icicle grazed past his ear and exploded into a shower of ice crystals against the rock wall behind him.

"Mission objective: Eliminate the pack of thousand-year-old ice wolves within ten minutes."

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