Flander didn't dwell on the unpleasant exchange any longer.
With a light touch of his toes, he spread his wings and soared towards Soto City, leaving only his hoarse voice on the training ground.
"Hurry up and catch up!"
Hearing this, everyone hurriedly followed.
Flander maintained a speed that wouldn't leave them too far behind.
Due to varying strengths, the team was divided into several groups.
Running at the forefront was Zhu Zhuqing, who already possessed the cultivation of a Soul Master.
As an agility-type Soul Master, she had a unique advantage in speed.
Following behind was Dai Mubai, whose expression wasn't very pleasant.
Looking at the graceful figure ahead, his anger grew even stronger.
He had gone to see Zhu Zhuqing that afternoon. He
thought that by lowering his stance and taking the initiative to talk to her, their relationship could ease a bit.
But within just a few words, he had completely broken down.
Even now,
that scene kept replaying in his mind.
Her icy face was filled with sarcasm, and her disdainful tone drove him crazy.
If it weren't for the fact that she was with Xiao Wu and he was outnumbered, he might have had to fight.
Behind Dai Mubai was Tang San, keeping close behind, his feet leaving many afterimages. The Ghost Shadow Steps technique is all about subtlety; its effectiveness for straight-line acceleration is limited.
At this moment, his mind was still replaying the conversation between Ning Rongrong and Flander.
He didn't agree with Ning Rongrong's words.
He had never considered Blue Silver Grass a constraint.
He always believed in Grandmaster's wise saying:
There are no useless spirits, only useless spirit masters!
Besides, he didn't only have Blue Silver Grass! His Clear Sky Hammer was the number one weapon spirit in the world!
In his view, his future held limitless possibilities!
A smile appeared on Tang San's lips, his movements seemed lighter, and his gaze drifted back to a pink figure.
In the fourth group, Fatty Ma Hongjun was in a league of his own, followed not far behind by the food-type spirit master Oscar!
No one spoke, except for Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu, who were running beside Oscar, chatting and laughing.
Hearing the cheerful laughter around him, Oscar looked at the smiling girl in blue beside him, a hint of fear in his eyes.
Ning Rongrong's earlier words, filled with murderous intent, made him uneasy.
"Xiao Wu, you must not be full! I brought you and Zhu Qing some good food! Look!"
Xiao Wu followed Ning Rongrong, her crimson eyes sparkling as she looked at the carrot Ning Rongrong took out from her soul tool .
"Great! Thank you, Rongrong!"
"You're welcome!" Ning Rongrong smiled and handed her the carrot.
"Rongrong, you were amazing just now! How did you do that?" Xiao Wu asked curiously, munching on her carrot.
"Haha... Ye Qiu taught me most of it!"
...
In the group ahead,
Dai Mubai, unwilling to fall behind Zhu Zhuqing, mustered all his strength and, using his powerful soul force, sprinted forward.
Arriving beside Zhu Zhuqing, he met her gaze with a provocative, wicked look.
"Boring." Zhu Zhuqing's gaze flickered away, her speed suddenly slowing, falling behind Tang San and Ma Hongjun.
She then approached Ning Rongrong and the other girl.
"Zhuqing! Do you want some too?" Xiao Wu, munching on her food, spoke haltingly.
"No, thank you! I'm full." Zhu Zhuqing's icy expression softened as she politely declined.
"Zhuqing, you carry such heavy things every day, you should eat more. Here, I bought you some caviar bread!"
"Rongrong! Can't you be serious? Always like this!"
Zhu Zhuqing blushed, giving her a charmingly disdainful look before taking the bread.
Dai Mubai, running at the front, had a livid face, like a tiger ready to pounce!
Led by Flander, the seven Shrek Academy students quickly entered the gates of Soto City.
The group stopped running.
"Dean, where are we going to have class?"
Tang San quickly walked behind Flander, looking around curiously.
These places didn't look like suitable for Soul Master instruction at all.
"Our destination...it's over there!"
Flander pointed ahead, adjusting his glasses, then tilted his head back.
"There!?"
Tang San and the others looked up.
All they could see was a dome, wide and towering, seemingly just a corner of a building.
"Alright, come with me, we'll explain as we walk! That place is called the Great Soul Arena!"
Flander walked slowly forward, hands behind his back.
Behind him, Tang San listened attentively, while Ma Hongjun's eyes darted around, swallowing frequently, regardless of age or build.
Oscar, compared to him, was much more restrained, his eyes more inscrutable.
Dai Mubai had no interest in anything today; Ma Hongjun tried several times to share his joy, but he remained unmoved.
Xiao Wu, though she had spent some time in Soto City, hadn't really explored it properly and was very curious about everything in this big city.
Whenever she encountered something new and interesting, she would jump forward to take a good look. If Zhu Zhuqing hadn't been watching over her, she might have already lost track of them.
Flander's voice came from ahead.
"The Great Soul Arena, simply put, is a place for Soul Masters to spar and exchange skills, and also an excellent venue for various forces to showcase their strength! It's also a place for gamblers to seek thrills!"
"Dean, I don't understand. Soul Masters are clearly a very noble profession, so why should they be treated like monkeys for people to watch?"
Tang San frowned, feeling somewhat displeased with this kind of place.
This kind of place shouldn't exist!
"Hehe, you're wrong. Although I don't like this place either, there's no doubt that only the Soul Arena can provide Soul Masters with a relatively fair environment for competition!"
"Its system is already very complete; it can be said to be a third-party force operating outside the Empire and the Spirit Hall. Even if you kill some powerful figures during a Spirit Battle here, your safety is guaranteed..."
After
Flander's explanation, Tang San and the other inexperienced individuals gained a certain understanding of this massive Spirit Arena.
Gradually, they approached the colossal structure that occupied Soto City. It
was oval-shaped, over a hundred meters high, and even from the entrance, the walls couldn't be seen to their full extent.
"What a tall, huge building!"
Xiao Wu exclaimed in amazement, craning her neck to look up, as if it stretched endlessly.
"Of course! It not only has a main Spirit Arena and twenty-four sub-arenas, but also over a hundred private boxes, capable of accommodating sixty thousand spectators simultaneously!"
Oscar explained from the side.
"Alright, I won't say anything more. Tonight's lesson will be practical training at the Soto Grand Arena. If you have any questions later, you can ask the staff here, or you can ask Hongjun and Mubai!"
"My requirement for you is that you must have at least a Silver Soul Badge by graduation! I hope you won't disappoint me!"
Flander led them into the arena, gave them a few more instructions, and then left alone to go to the audience seats.
"Brother Dai, is this Silver Soul Badge difficult?"
Faced with Tang San's question, Dai Mubai didn't have the mind to answer him and turned to look at Ma Hongjun, who was staring at the staff.
"Fatty, explain it to them!"
"Hmm? Okay!" Ma Hongjun put away his lewd look, cleared his throat, and began to explain.
According to him,
the Grand Arena has eight badge levels, distinguished by the quality of the minerals, from lowest to highest: iron, copper, silver, gold, purple gold, sapphire, ruby, and diamond.
Badge Upgrade Conditions:
Upgrading from Iron Soul to Bronze Soul: Reach 100 points (1 point for each win, -1 point for each loss; if you have a 5-game winning streak, you get +10 points for each subsequent win; if you have more than 10 consecutive wins, you get +100 points for each additional win).
Upgrading from Bronze Soul to Silver Soul: Reach 1000 points (Bronze Souls gain +10 points for each win, -10 points for each loss; the point gain for consecutive wins is the same as for Iron Souls).
Soul battles are divided into three types: Game, Deathmatch, and Gamble.
Tang San and his group will be participating in the Game type.
Generally, there will be no casualties.
They can only be matched with opponents of similar Soul Power levels.
"My current record is 33 battles, 21 wins, 12 losses, and nine Iron Soul Badge points."
"Brother Dai also currently has an Iron Soul Badge, 29 wins, 27 losses, and only two points!"
After listening to Ma Hongjun's explanation, Tang San couldn't help but smile bitterly. It's no wonder this academy only accepts monsters.
The methods of classes and assessments are also unique.
"Hey! You two fatso, you're both terrible! You've fought so many rounds and only got so few points!"
Xiao Wu stood with her hands on her hips, eager to try her hand at the Soul Battle.
"Hmph! What do you know? This Silver Soul Battle Medal isn't easy to obtain! At your level, if you encountered a level 39 Soul Master, you'd only end up losing!"
Dai Mubai sneered, his gaze deliberately sweeping over Zhu Zhuqing as he spoke of losing.
"Alright, enough talk, you guys should register first! We'll wait for you inside."
Dai Mubai patted Tang San's shoulder and turned to leave with Ma Hongjun and Oscar.
"Xiao Wu, let's go register first." Tang San turned around, wanting to call Xiao Wu to come along.
But all he saw was her back.
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong were already heading towards the registration area.
"Xiao Wu, wait for me!"
Tang San's expression froze for a moment, but he quickly recovered and hurried after Xiao Wu.
Hearing Tang San's call, Xiao Wu's beautiful brows furrowed.
Even Ning Rongrong was getting fed up.
"This guy is so annoying!"
"Just ignore him!" Xiao Wu hugged Zhu Zhuqing's arm, while Ning Rongrong hugged the other.
Faced with the two constantly rubbing against each other, Zhu Zhuqing could only blush and silently endure it.
"By the way, Rongrong, you're a support type, how are you going to complete the mission?"
"Didn't that fat guy just say I can participate in the two-on-two Soul Battle, but you and Zhuqing are both Soul Masters now, so you can't carry me!"
Thinking of this, Ning Rongrong felt a little discouraged. She didn't want to be partners with Tang San and that fat guy!
The registration process wasn't too complicated; each person just needed to pay a processing fee of ten gold coins.
Then they tested their Soul Power and registered their names, ages, and other information.
Soon, Xiao Wu and the others received their own Iron Soul Battle Medals.
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing even formed a cat-and-rabbit duo.
The three girls and Tang San had just entered the Soul Battle Arena where Dai Mubai and the others were.
Zhu Zhuqing heard her name called.
Upon hearing his opponent's name, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He looked ahead and met a pair of gloating, malevolent eyes.
Image
Ads by Pubfuture
In the center of the Soul Arena stood a middle-aged man in a tuxedo, loudly announcing the start of the next Soul Battle.
"Next up is a one-on-one Soul Battle, featuring two Soul Masters! They are Zhu Zhuqing, the Soul Master with the Beast Soul Nether Cat, against Dai Mubai, the Soul Master with the Beast Soul White Tiger, who has already won two consecutive matches!"
"Let's welcome our two Soul Masters to the stage! Cheers!"
As the middle-aged man's resounding voice rang out, cheers erupted from the surrounding stands.
Some who had placed bets even began cheering for Dai Mubai!
"Heh!" Dai Mubai glanced at Zhu Zhuqing with a cold smile, then turned and walked towards the Soul Battle tunnel.
"Zhuqing, this guy definitely has bad intentions. Be careful!" Xiao Wu worriedly clung to Zhu Zhuqing's arm; she knew what had happened that afternoon.
"Don't worry, he can't possibly be my match!" Zhu Zhuqing smiled confidently and walked towards the Soul Battle tunnel.
"Go Zhuqing!" Ning Rongrong cheered her on from behind.
The battle hadn't even officially begun.
As soon as Zhu Zhuqing appeared, cheers erupted from the stands, some even whistling.
Her long hair cascaded down to her hips, and a black leather jacket tightly hugged her voluptuous figure, highlighting her curves and perfectly proportioned waist, making her appear exceptionally tall.
Her cold expression and indifferent eyes further fueled the desires of the spectators. People's
moral compass followed their visuals.
Some who had initially cheered for Dai Mubai had already switched sides.
"I declare this battle officially open!" At the host's signal, both activated their spirits!
A tiger's roar and a cat's howl filled the air.
Dai Mubai's muscles bulged, a few white hairs sprouted from his body, a tiger claw extended from his hand, and his eyes were heterochromatic.
Three spirit rings—two yellow and one purple—rose beneath his feet.
Zhu Zhuqing's head was adorned with cute cat ears, and a long, slender tail appeared behind her. Her left eye was dark green, and her right eye was clear blue, adding to her allure.
Three spirit rings—one yellow and two purple—rose beneath her feet.
"Oh my god! Our newcomer, Soul Master Zhu Zhuqing, has a purple second soul ring! It seems the outcome of this battle has become uncertain!" The
moment Zhu Zhuqing's second soul ring appeared, another thunderous cheer erupted from the stands.
Those familiar with the Soul Master profession were speechless with astonishment.
"Zhuqing, you don't actually think you can defeat me with your second ring, do you? Should I go easy on you?"
Dai Mubai stood tall and imposing on the arena, looking at Zhu Zhuqing not far away, a mocking expression on his face.
"No need! You can't possibly beat me!" Zhu Zhuqing's face remained expressionless, as if she were looking at a stranger.
She had absolute confidence in this battle; no matter what, she had the Shadow Spider Spear as a backup!
"Are you really going to be so heartless? I'm still your fiancé!"
Dai Mubai's mockery vanished, replaced by anger, his disdain for Zhu Zhuqing turning into fury.
"I've already said, you're not worthy! The person I'm looking for here isn't you!"
"Hmph! Enough!" Dai Mubai roared.
No matter what she said, she was still talking about that wild man!
Dai Mubai's face darkened; the anger and frustration he'd harbored since meeting Zhu Zhuqing exploded within him in an instant.
"You think you can resist this? If you don't cooperate, your fate won't be any better! Today... I'll make you face reality!"
As Dai Mubai finished speaking, the purple soul ring beneath his feet lit up.
"Third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
His muscles bulged further, his fur grew back, black stripes appeared on his skin, the 'King' character on his forehead looked even more majestic, and his claws grew even larger.
He was going to crush Zhu Zhuqing's confidence with his strongest form!
Whoosh! With a powerful push of his hind claws, he attacked directly towards Zhu Zhuqing.
"Perfect! I also want to see what you've improved since you fled here like a stray dog, seeking pleasure here!"
Zhu Zhuqing responded coldly, her footsteps surprisingly fast, already circling the arena.
Her slightly lowered body seemed to be watching her prey, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment!
"First Soul Skill, Netherworld Thrust!"
Her speed increased dramatically, and Zhu Zhuqing quickly used Netherworld Thrust twice.
The first thrust brought her behind Dai Mubai, then she quickly turned and stabbed at his back.
"First Soul Skill, White Tiger Protective Barrier!"
Dai Mubai stopped, his first soul ring suddenly lighting up.
A white wave spread out, making it difficult for Zhu Zhuqing's claws to move.
Missing her attack, Zhu Zhuqing immediately retreated.
There was a five-level difference in soul power between the two.
Facing Dai Mubai's extreme output, regardless of soul power consumption, Zhu Zhuqing's attack was somewhat inadequate.
"Zhuqing! Why are you running!"
Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Blazing Light Wave!
Dai Mubai sneered.
Suddenly, he spat out a ball of milky-white light, which shot straight at Zhu Zhuqing.
He knew Zhu Zhuqing's strength very well and dared not hold back in the slightest. He couldn't afford to lose this battle, and he had no face to lose!
"Third Soul Skill, Netherworld Slash!"
Zhu Zhuqing fought and retreated, her two hands forming sharp claws that seemed to have combined into one. Suddenly, she swung them out, and a crescent-shaped purple blade directly collided with the white light ball.
Bang!
The two collided, and the aftershocks spread outwards, blowing Zhu Zhuqing's black hair.
"Dai Mubai, is this all you've got?" Zhu Zhuqing's expression was very calm. "This is how it ends!"
"Heh... How could it end like this!" Dai Mubai lowered his waist and instantly transformed into a white lightning bolt, running around Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing frowned. Dai Mubai's speed was now no less than hers.
"Did he sacrifice most of his soul power to increase speed and defense?"
Looking at the white aura around Dai Mubai, it was clear that he had been maintaining his first soul skill.
"Your second soul skill can even break through Teacher Zhao's defense, which I indeed cannot withstand. But now you can't lock onto my position either. Next, I just need to defeat you before my soul power runs out!"
"Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Blazing Light Wave!"
With that, a beam of light shot towards Zhu Zhuqing.
As soon as Zhu Zhuqing dodged, Dai Mubai immediately seized the opportunity. Before she could react, he closed in and was about to engage Zhu Zhuqing in close combat!
"This guy is shameless!" Ning Rongrong's indignant voice came from the Soul Battle waiting area.
Although Xiao Wu and the others couldn't hear their conversation, they still understood the situation on the field.
Because Dai Mubai had violently leveled the speed advantage, Zhu Zhuqing could only be forced to clash with him head-on a few times.
Her face turned pale, and she was in a bad mood.
"Third Soul Skill, Netherworld Slash!"
Dai Mubai's figure magnified again, and Zhu Zhuqing immediately retreated, unleashing her ranged attack.
Swish! Dai Mubai also barely dodged the sharp blade.
He wasn't feeling well either; the consumption of his soul power was far more severe than he had anticipated.
Whoosh! Without a moment's pause, he immediately charged towards Zhu Zhuqing again.
His tiger claws shot out, but he pounced on nothing!
His heterochromatic eyes trembled slightly; he had only attacked an afterimage!
"Dai Mubai! You're far too naive!"
Zhu Zhuqing's figure appeared behind him, eight spider legs strapped to her back. (PS: Some readers think the spider spears are too bulky, but they aren't the large, fleshy ones from anime; they're the slender, simple type like Tom Holland's, emphasizing agility!)
This was none other than Zhu Zhuqing's external soul bone, the Shadow Spider Spears!
Once activated, all of Zhu Zhuqing's attributes received a significant boost; her current speed far surpassed Dai Mubai's!
"How is this possible!?"
Dai Mubai's face showed disbelief. He had clearly pushed his speed to its maximum; with such a huge difference in soul power, how could he have lost!
A sharp claw pressed against Dai Mubai's neck, drawing several bloody marks with the slightest pressure.
A spider spear was also pressed directly against the back of his head!
"You lost!"
As Zhu Zhuqing's words fell, enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the arena,
along with insults directed at Dai Mubai—they had all lost money.
"That was fantastic! It seems the outcome of this battle is decided. Congratulations to the newcomer Zhu Zhuqing for winning her first point in the Soul Arena!"
The host's voice echoed throughout the arena. Zhu Zhuqing quickly retracted her spider spear!
She glanced around; thankfully, no one recognized its value.
Without another look at Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing swiftly left the Soul Arena.
"What was that?! Was it some kind of special soul skill?"
Tang San looked at the thing growing from Zhu Zhuqing's back with suspicion.
"Zhuqing! You're amazing!" Ning Rongrong rushed over and hugged her tightly.
Xiao Wu had also arrived beside them.
"Boss Dai, are you alright?"
Just now, Ma Hongjun's battle had also begun.
Oscar, who was still there, had already seen Dai Mubai slowly approaching.
He and Tang San went to greet him.
"I'm fine!"
Dai Mubai's eyes were fixed on Zhu Zhuqing's direction. He still couldn't understand why he had lost.
"Zhuqing, let's go! Our double spirit battle is about to begin!" Xiao Wu pulled Ning Rongrong away and grabbed Zhu Zhuqing's arm to leave.
At this moment, Ning Rongrong also noticed Dai Mubai's gaze, put her hands on her hips, and wore a contemptuous smile.
"What are you looking at! Zhuqing's defeated opponent!"
"Try looking at me like that again?!" Dai Mubai's cold voice was somewhat chilling. He hated this kind of look towards losers.
"Haha. Xiao Wu was right after all. What White Tiger! You're just a sick cat! You only dare to be fierce to a support like me!"
Ning Rongrong still remembered that this guy didn't want her to stay at all before and even tried to throw her things out.
"Ning Rongrong! Do you think your status as the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is so great? I'm not afraid of you. If you push me too far, believe me, I'll give you a good beating!"
Dai Mubai's evil eyes flashed coldly, his face icy!
"Oh dear, I'm so scared! You cowardly, weak, and furious idiot!"
"Rongrong!"
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, who hadn't gone far, heard Ning Rongrong's scream and quickly turned back to help.
"Boss Dai!"
Dai Mubai had reached his limit. His soul power surged, directly knocking Ning Rongrong away and knocking her to the ground.
Tang San and Oscar wanted to stop him, but it was too late!
"Today I'll show you whether I'm a coward or a weakling, whether I'm incompetent or not!"
"Dai Mubai! Stop! Rongrong, watch out!"
Ning Rongrong covered her bottom, looked up, and found a hand reaching out towards her.
"Ah! What is this?!" A shrill scream rang out.
...
In the darkness of night, a blue-haired youth had just crossed the city gates of Soto when he suddenly froze in place.
"Rongrong's Heavenly Harvest Fate has been triggered? Did Dai Mubai still say that line? He really dares to do that!" (