14: Wouldn't They Cry and Make a Fuss? How Pitiful!

After Dai Mubai explained the Soul Arena's competition rules, Tang San and Xiao Wu finally understood. So this was the kind of place the Soul Arena was...

"What kind of status do referees at the Soul Arena have?"

Tang San asked doubtfully. Neuvillette's attire did not look like that of an ordinary soul master. Could it be that referees made a lot of money?

"The status of most referees is equivalent to that of hosts of the same rank. Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Dai Mubai asked in confusion. This should have been Tang San and Xiao Wu's first time encountering a Soul Arena, right?

Why were they suddenly asking about referees?

A referee's status could be considered high on the arena stage, but low otherwise. After all, referees worked for the Soul Arena.

"Nothing. I just thought of someone I used to know."

Tang San waved his hand as he spoke.

Before he turned six, poverty had terrified him. Only after awakening his martial soul and obtaining a soul ring, which allowed him to receive a subsidy from Spirit Hall, had his life improved somewhat.

He had not expected a Soul Arena referee to look far wealthier than he was.

That left Tang San feeling somewhat unbalanced. Fortunately, his swollen face was red and bore clear palm prints, preventing everyone from noticing the change in his expression.

"Third Brother, you weren't thinking of Neuvillette, were you?"

Xiao Wu blinked and asked.

Tang San's face darkened at those words. He had only mentioned referees, not a name, yet Xiao Wu immediately called out Neuvillette's name!

"Phew..."

Tang San exhaled a breath of stale air. He was probably overthinking things, right?

How could Xiao Wu possibly have taken an interest in Neuvillette after meeting him only once?

He had to be overthinking it!

After arriving in Suotuo City, the only referee Xiao Wu knew was Neuvillette. It was perfectly normal for her to think of him.

"That's right. Neuvillette has always given me a strange feeling. I suspect he's an expert!"

"Of course, I only wanted to learn about Neuvillette's status in the Soul Arena. I meant nothing else by it."

Tang San offered a brief explanation. That was indeed what he thought. Though he was somewhat resentful of the wealthy, he had no past or recent grudge against Neuvillette. It was not as though Neuvillette had earned a death sentence.

Besides, judging by Neuvillette's attitude toward Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong, he truly upheld fairness and did not wish to have personal dealings with anyone.

"Neuvillette? You mean the referee we met at the Rose Hotel that day... ahem, the hotel?"

Dai Mubai asked doubtfully. Halfway through, he remembered that Zhu Zhuqing was beside him, so he glossed over the Rose Hotel part.

What he did not know was that the girl in black standing behind Neuvillette that day had been Zhu Zhuqing!

"Yes, that referee."

After receiving their reply, Dai Mubai thought for a moment before saying, "To be honest, when I heard him say he was a referee, I was completely stunned."

"I've never seen him in the Soul Arena. He must have only arrived there within the past few days."

"Do you know how many Gold Soul Coins that outfit of his costs? Even I... ahem."

Dai Mubai paused before continuing, "Even I can't casually wear clothes that expensive. I simply can't afford that kind of expense."

"How much?"

Neuvillette's attire was magnificent yet dignified, but Tang San and Xiao Wu truly had no idea how much it was worth.

"Not counting the other accessories, the clothing alone is worth at least ten thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

Dai Mubai clenched his right hand and extended his index finger as he spoke to Tang San and Xiao Wu.

"Was he holding a Hydro Blue cane?"

Flender, who had been drinking tea nearby, suddenly spoke up.

"Huh? Headmaster, you've met him?"

The corner of Flender's eye twitched. He had done far more than meet Neuvillette. Because of Neuvillette, he had practically sold off that entire general store.

"I have. He bought a piece of broken crystal from my general store and paid ten thousand Gold Soul Coins for it."

"I had originally planned to sell it to him for one Gold Soul Coin, but he said I did not know that crystal's value, while he could not pretend not to know. Fairness and justice—that was why he gave me ten thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"That child's character is the noblest I've seen in all my years traveling across Douluo Continent."

"What a pity. He's affiliated with the Soul Arena. Otherwise, I would definitely invite him to Shrek Academy."

Flender spoke with some disappointment. He truly wanted to invite Neuvillette to join Shrek Academy, but given the man's identity and status, it was almost impossible for him to join their academy.

"???"

Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar froze, staring at Flender in disbelief. It was the first time they had ever heard Flender praise someone so highly!

"Headmaster, are you sure he wasn't putting on an act? Maybe he spent ten thousand Gold Soul Coins just to earn your favor?"

Dai Mubai asked cautiously. There was nothing wrong with what he said.

After all, Flender was a powerful rank seventy-eight Soul Sage. If certain nobles learned of that, it would not be impossible for them to spend some Gold Soul Coins to win his favor.

Hearing this, Flender shook his head. He had been in Suotuo City for so many years. It would be strange if the Soul Arena did not know his strength.

But when had the Soul Arena ever invited him?

Besides, Neuvillette did not look like that kind of person!

"Impossible. That child isn't that sort of person."

Flender waved his hand as he spoke.

Just then, voices came from outside, interrupting everyone's thoughts.

"News from the Soul Arena: that handsome young man will be serving as referee at the Eighth Branch Arena tonight!"

"What does that have to do with me? He's a man!"

"Your girlfriend went to the Eighth Branch Arena to watch!"

"???"

"Fuck! Come on, let's go! I want to see just how handsome this Neuvillette is, if he can actually draw my girlfriend there to watch!"

The man spoke with a face full of anger, yet he was helpless. The other man was a Soul Arena referee who was merely handsome; he had not actively tried to steal anyone's girlfriend.

"My god, are there really this many female soul masters signing up to compete today? If they can't get assigned to the Eighth Branch Arena, wouldn't they cry and make a fuss..."

"Yeah, how pitiful! Hahaha!!!"

Neuvillette had now become a celebrity at the Soul Arena. To attract spectators and female soul masters entering the competition, the Soul Arena directly spread word of where Neuvillette would be officiating.

Spectators could head straight to the Eighth Branch Arena, but soul masters registering to compete needed to be assigned there.

Tickets for the Eighth Branch Arena had already sold out!

"The Eighth Branch Arena?"

"Neuvillette is serving as referee?"

"He really is a referee?"

They had originally still been somewhat doubtful about whether Neuvillette was truly a referee...