When We Meet Again, Lingling Will Not Disappoint You, Sir
Dai Mubai let out a low growl, his eyes bloodshot.
"If you charge in now, that purple-haired woman only needs one slash to cripple you. Even Teacher Zhao and Dean Flender won't be able to save you!"
Tang San lowered his voice and quickly shouted him back to his senses, speaking so only the two of them could hear.
Dai Mubai's whole body went rigid, his fury as though a basin of ice water had been poured over it.
Looking at Keqing across from him, her hand pressed against empty air and her gaze icy, he recalled the miserable sight of Zhao Wuji's Immovable Bright King Body being shattered by a single slash, sending him staggering back eight steps. Cold sweat instantly beaded on Dai Mubai's forehead. He forcibly halted his advance, leaving only his heavy panting.
Only after seeing Dai Mubai steady himself did Tang San release him and slowly take a step forward.
Xiao Wu immediately followed and stood beside Tang San, though her bright, expressive eyes could not resist stealing another glance at Chu Yuan.
The closer she came, the more clearly she sensed the pure breath of life within Chu Yuan that originated from [Irminsul]. It was like a spring breeze brushing over ten-thousand-year-old permafrost, stirring waves of tingling yearning and desire in the Soft Bone Rabbit's origin bloodline within her.
Tang San naturally did not notice anything unusual about Xiao Wu.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the lingering wariness deep in his eyes from the backlash he had suffered last night, and cupped his fists at Chu Yuan, neither servile nor overbearing:
"Your strength is profound, sir. I am Tang San, and today I have had a taste of it. But quarreling in the street is unbecoming, and we at Shrek Academy are not the incompetents you can slight at will, as you claim."
At this, Tang San's gaze sharpened slightly. He swept a glance over Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, then spoke in a clear voice:
"On Douluo Continent, strength has always had the final say. Grievances between Soul Masters should naturally be settled the Soul Master's way. Since you look down so much on Shrek Academy's cultivation methods, do you dare make a wager with us?"
Flender had been fretting over how to bring things to a dignified close, but at Tang San's words, his eyes lit up behind his lenses!
As expected of the fine disciple Xiaogang taught!
If they fought in the street, with that purple-haired girl whose strength rivaled a Soul Saint's present, they would gain no advantage and would also violate Suotuo City's ban. But if they moved the battlefield to the Great Soul Arena, where there were strict level restrictions, and fought opponents of the same level one-on-one or two-on-two, then with Dai Mubai's strength as a level thirty-seven Battle Soul Elder and Tang San's endless array of methods, they might well be able to fiercely reclaim the face they had lost today!
Seeing that Chu Yuan had not interrupted him, Tang San felt slightly reassured and continued in a deep voice:
"Three nights from now, at the Soto Great Soul Arena! We won't involve the academy's teachers. Only young Soul Masters of the same generation will fight, fairly and according to the Great Soul Arena's rules! If your people lose, please take back the words you just used to insult Shrek Academy, and allow Miss Zhu Zhuqing and Miss Ning Rongrong to choose freely whether to stay or leave. What do you say?"
As he saw it, though the purple-haired girl's combat strength had been terrifying, registration at the Great Soul Arena required tests of bone age and Soul Power Level.
Since she had been able to drive Zhao Wuji back, her Soul Power had to be extremely high. There was no possibility she would be matched in the same Soul Fight as Soul Grandmasters and Soul Elders like them, whose levels were in the twenties and thirties.
As long as he avoided the purple-haired girl, even if he faced Zhu Zhuqing or Chu Yuan himself, he was confident he could join forces with Dai Mubai and fight using his Tang Sect Hidden Weapons techniques and Mysterious Heaven Skill!
By now, Dai Mubai had fully caught on as well. Ferocious fighting spirit burned anew in his eyes, and he stared fixedly at Chu Yuan as he sneered:
"That's right! A fair match between peers at the Soto Great Soul Arena! Brat, don't tell me you only dare throw your weight around from behind a woman, and don't even have the guts to step onto the Soul Fighting stage?!"
Faced with Tang San's calculating challenge and Dai Mubai's crude attempt to provoke them, Ning Rongrong immediately let out a displeased huff:
"In your dreams! I chose to stay by my lord's side. Who asked you to hypocritically fight for my freedom to stay or leave?"
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze was equally cold:
"You lost to me. What makes you worthy of setting terms with my lord?"
Mona, standing to Chu Yuan's right, blinked her beautiful mint-green eyes. An amused smile touched her lips as she leaned close to his ear and whispered:
"That kid Tang San is full of nasty tricks. He thinks he can avoid A-Qing's sharp edge by getting onto the Soul Fighting stage. Still, I hear the Great Soul Arena has tens of thousands of spectators every night. It must be quite lively."
Her warm breath brushed his ear, carrying the faint, delicate fragrance of stars unique to the young woman.
Something stirred faintly in Chu Yuan's heart.
Just now, when Keqing's single slash had sent Zhao Wuji reeling and drawn gasps of awe from the Soul Masters all along the street, the [Crown of Heavenly Principles] floating in his sea of consciousness had actually absorbed faint wisps of awe and prestige Vow Power gathered from the surrounding crowd!
Though this Vow Power was still very weak, it had made the radiance of the [Crown of Heavenly Principles] noticeably more substantial.
As the new ruler of Heavenly Principles, his divine authority not only came from the anchoring of the Ley Lines of both worlds, but could also draw on the power of faith formed from the reverence and awe of all living beings.
Rather than squabble in the street, he could use the Soto Great Soul Arena, a stage that brought together the entire city's nobility and tens of thousands of Soul Masters, to crush the pride of these so-called Shrek geniuses openly and decisively, branding the mighty name of the [Heavenly Principles Divine Court] across the skies above all of Suotuo City in one stroke!
Besides, Tang San was far too naive to think the Great Soul Arena's Soul Power Level rules could restrict Keqing and Mona, who possessed Visions.
"The Great Soul Arena... interesting."
Chu Yuan smiled faintly, looking down from on high at Tang San and Dai Mubai, who stood ready for a fight:
"Ants are trying to shake their fists at the heavens. I shall grant you the chance to step onto the stage and look up at them. Three nights from now, at the Soto Great Soul Arena, whether you fight alone or attack together, everyone from Shrek Academy is welcome to take the stage."
"However, I never make a wager without stakes. If you lose, there will be no need for you to perform menial chores-Dai Mubai will cripple both his arms in public to apologize to Zhu Zhuqing. As for Shrek Academy, you will post a notice of your defeat at the Soto Great Soul Arena and get out of Suotuo City while you still can."
Boom!
At those words, Dai Mubai's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart gave a violent shudder. Flender and Zhao Wuji's expressions grew even uglier!
Cripple his own arms! Post a notice and get out of Suotuo City!
The stakes could hardly have been more ruthless and overbearing, but Tang San and Dai Mubai had been the ones to start this. Before the hundreds of Suotuo City Soul Masters lining the long street, if they backed down now and dared not accept, Shrek Academy would never be able to hold its head high again from this day forward!
"Fine! It's a deal!"
Dai Mubai gritted his teeth. Confident that a level thirty-seven Battle Soul Elder could never lose to a Soul Grandmaster in the twenties in a contest between peers, he immediately agreed:
"Three nights from now, at the Soto Great Soul Arena, we'll see how arrogant you can be!"
Tang San also gave Chu Yuan a long look and said in a deep voice:
"Three days from now, we'll see you at the Great Soul Arena!"
"Let's go!"
Flender swept his sleeve, his face dark. Afraid that Dai Mubai might say something rash again, he immediately led Zhao Wuji, Dai Mubai, Tang San, and Xiao Wu away at a brisk pace.
Only Xiao Wu, as Tang San pulled her away, could not resist looking back at Chu Yuan several times, glancing over her shoulder every few steps, her large eyes full of confusion and an inexplicable reluctance to leave.
Watching the Shrek group retreat in disarray, the Soul Masters gathered on both sides of the street revealed looks of awe. They stepped back several yards of their own accord, making an exceptionally wide path for Chu Yuan and his four companions.
The news that, three days from now, the people under this mysterious young man in white would face Shrek Academy at the Soto Great Soul Arena was destined to spread throughout Suotuo City before the day was out!
Chu Yuan's expression remained as calm as ever, as though he had merely swatted away a few noisy flies.
He turned his head and looked at Ning Rongrong, who stood behind him with an obedient, eager expression:
"You said just now that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has a quiet residence in the east of the city?"
Ning Rongrong quickly came back to her senses. She smiled sweetly, stepped forward, and answered respectfully:
"Yes, my lord. It's deep on Poplar Street in the east of the city. My father had someone acquire it years ago as a place to stay. It has a private courtyard and a mimicry pool, and normally only two old servants look after it. It's extremely quiet! I'll take you, Sister Keqing, and Sister Mona there right now!"
The Rose Hotel was crowded, with too many eyes and ears. It was indeed not as peaceful or convenient as a private residence, which would also be just right for reshaping this little girl's Martial Soul Origin next.
"Lead the way."
Chu Yuan nodded slightly and reached out to draw Keqing's slender, supple waist close. Walking shoulder to shoulder with Mona, and attended by Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong on either side, he headed slowly toward the east of Suotuo City.