Internal Conflicts Within Shrek Academy (Please Follow, Please Vote Monthly)

By evening, Dai Mubai invited everyone to a lavish meal in Suotuo City.

Afterward, with the sky growing dim, they waited for Flender outside the restaurant.

"Boss Dai is really generous. That meal was incredible." Ma Hongjun rubbed his stomach, looking thoroughly satisfied.

As a Commoner Spirit Master, he rarely got to enjoy such an extravagant spread.

"Why didn't you just eat yourself to death!" Dai Mubai was in a foul mood and snapped at him.

All day long, he had tried to speak with Zhu Zhuqing. Not only had she ignored him, but she had even given him the cold shoulder.

How could someone as chauvinistic as Dai Mubai possibly endure that?

Ning Rongrong poked Zhu Zhuqing's arm and asked curiously, "Zhuqing, what's your relationship with Dai Mubai?"

Xiao Wu said bluntly, "Isn't it obvious? Dai Yin Hu wanted to pursue Zhuqing, and Zhuqing turned him down."

The conversation reached Dai Mubai's ears. Wary of Tang San's Hidden Weapons, he did not rebuke Xiao Wu. Instead, he turned his head away and sulked.

Tang San frowned and quietly reminded her, "Xiao Wu, Teacher told you before. Don't say things that harm unity."

Making her apologize to Dai Mubai was clearly impossible. Besides, Tang San would not make his sister suffer such a grievance.

In the end, he merely had Xiao Wu keep quiet for the moment.

Thinking back to the task his teacher had assigned before they set out, Tang San felt helpless.

Yu Xiaogang wanted him to become the leader of the team.

Leaving aside the three senior students led by Dai Mubai, even among the new students, Ning Tianchen commanded greater prestige than he did. Getting the team to willingly follow his commands would be a long and arduous task.

Before long, the eight of them unconsciously split into three groups.

The girls, led by Xiao Wu, kept talking about Dai Mubai's misdeeds. Dai Mubai stood alone, simmering with anger. Ning Tianchen and the others stood between them, watching the show.

This situation did not last long before Flender walked over.

"Very good. The place where we'll be training is still some distance away. Walking there will help you digest."

The three senior students were not in high spirits, but the new students were full of enthusiasm.

Though Dai Mubai and the other two had enrolled earlier than them, they had not actually learned much.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun could already be considered geniuses. Yet in the Great Soul Arena, they could easily defeat opponents with lower Soul Power Levels. Whenever they encountered opponents with higher Soul Power Levels, however, they had never won a single match.

Even against opponents at the same level, their win rate was less than twenty percent.

What use was it in the Spirit Master world if all they could do was bully weaker opponents?

Because they could not win their spirit battles, they gradually became more and more resistant to the Great Soul Arena.

Before a magnificent building, Flender stopped and looked up at the sign above it.

"Dean, classes haven't officially started yet. Is it really appropriate to bring everyone here already?" Oscar could not help questioning.

Ma Hongjun nodded in complete agreement, though he did not dare show too much on his face, afraid Flender would notice him.

Before he could speak, Dai Mubai, whose chest was full of anger, snorted coldly. "What's inappropriate about it? We have to come here sooner or later. What's wrong with coming early?"

Right now, all he wanted was someone to vent his anger on, and the opponents in the Great Soul Arena were the best targets for that.

"Th-this..." Oscar was momentarily speechless.

That morning, Dai Mubai had been the one leading the opposition. How had he changed his mind in only half a day?

Flender pressed his hand down and explained his thoughts. "You have already left the junior Soul Master Academy. Whether it is Shrek Academy or any other advanced Soul Master Academy, developing a Spirit Master's practical combat ability is the foremost priority."

"The first lesson this dean will teach you is practical combat. The building behind me is where your lessons will take place."

"I believe you all know that this is the Great Soul Arena, a place for Spirit Masters to fight."

At this time of day, many spectators were entering and leaving the Great Soul Arena.

Seeing this, Tang San could not help asking, "Are all these people Spirit Masters?"

Flender shook his head. "No. Most of those who come here are spectators. They've come to watch spirit battles."

Since Tang San was young, Yu Xiaogang had instilled in him that Spirit Masters were the most sacred and noble profession in the world.

If that was the case, why were ordinary people allowed to watch battles between Spirit Masters?

Oscar patted his shoulder and explained in a low voice, "The Great Soul Arena needs to make a profit too. Xiao San, you don't need to worry about that."

Ning Tianchen added, "Spirit Masters are a naturally combative group. Without the Great Soul Arena, battles between Spirit Masters might take place in the city instead, seriously affecting public order."

He had to admit that with the Great Soul Arena around, violent crime across the continent had decreased significantly.

Suddenly, he changed the subject. "Those are the positive effects, but the Great Soul Arena also has quite a few negative effects."

"The Great Soul Arena is essentially a service institution. As long as you have money, you can enjoy any treatment here. And the people providing those services may very well have been obtained by the Great Soul Arena through various channels."

A place like the Great Soul Arena would inevitably give rise to human trafficking.

They would train a group of loyal arena defenders and attendants. Most of these people were pitiful souls who had been sold here.

Filled with righteous indignation, Xiao Wu said angrily, "The people here are far too awful. We're not going in."

Flender glanced at her and urged, "All right, those are matters within the rules and have nothing to do with us. What we need to do is use the Great Soul Arena to improve our strength."

After entering the Great Soul Arena, Flender led everyone to the service counter.

"To compete here, everyone has their own Spirit Arena Badge. Win a match, and you gain one point. Lose, and one corresponding point is deducted."

"Once your points reach a certain level, your badge rank will be upgraded accordingly. From lowest to highest, they are Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, Purple Gold, Sapphire, Ruby, and Diamond Badges."

At that, Flender swept his gaze over them one by one. "The task I'm giving you is to reach at least the Silver Spirit Arena Badge rank before graduation."

Xiao Wu did some quick calculations and smiled. "The Silver Spirit Arena Badge is only the third rank. It shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"How could it be that easy?" Oscar explained. "The arena only matches opponents of the same level. If you're a low-rank Soul Elder, you won't have any advantage in the Soul Elder Stage. Instead, you'll be more likely to suffer consecutive defeats. On the other hand, higher-ranked people at the same level will naturally have an easier time winning."

Oscar went on at length. In short, the three senior students had been competing here for quite some time, yet they still only had Iron Spirit Arena Badges. None of them had even obtained a Copper Spirit Arena Badge.

"Then wouldn't someone be able to keep winning streaks forever just by staying at level twenty-nine?" Ning Rongrong asked.

Ning Tianchen rubbed her forehead irritably. "Rongrong, don't tell me you don't want to advance? Besides, after you get a winning streak at the Great Soul Arena, the opponents you're matched against will also be on winning streaks. If you want higher points, you can only rely on real strength. There's no room for tricks."