Combination

Before long, Zhu Zhuqing and Tang San's match began. Everything went just as Shi Yi had expected. Tang San did not even need to take the initiative to attack; he could easily use his Purple Demon Eyes to lock onto Zhu Zhuqing's position. Once Zhu Zhuqing attacked, he could respond calmly. Tang San's hand-to-hand skills were no slouch.

As Zhu Zhuqing launched her assault, Tang San calmly dealt with every move she made. At this point, Zhu Zhuqing also felt the gap between herself and Tang San. She was in Beast Soul Possession, with her Martial Soul enhancing both her speed and strength, while Tang San's Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass, which provided no physical enhancements whatsoever.

"Don't go easy on me. Let me see the gap between us," Zhu Zhuqing said coolly, then charged at Tang San again.

Tang San chose to respect her wishes. As they traded move after move, Blue Silver Grass leaves danced through the air and easily sliced open Zhu Zhuqing's sleeve.

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at her torn sleeve, then charged at Tang San once more. Her First Soul Ring lit up in an instant.

"First Soul Skill: Hell Stab!"

Watching this, Shi Yi could not help but say, "Smart. She knows Xiao San's eyes have already locked onto her, so she's using the stab as a burst-speed skill. But this distance isn't enough."

As the stab ended, Zhu Zhuqing instantly appeared before Tang San. Tang San reacted in that flash of lightning.

Whoosh, whoosh... rip...

Blue Silver Grass leaves swirled through the air, instantly cutting across her other sleeve. The Blue Silver Grass gave off an intense sharp aura as it stopped at Zhu Zhuqing's neck, leaving her afraid to advance another inch.

"I lost. So your Blue Silver Grass can do more than just shoot out at will," Zhu Zhuqing said flatly.

"Thanks for letting me win. I can still manage short-range control," Tang San said with a soft laugh.

Watching from the stands, Shi Yi chuckled. "Xiao San's precision is absurd. He only cuts clothes without hurting people. Pretty suitable for... hehe."

Ma Hongjun, watching the arena, understood what Shi Yi meant and let out a strange snicker in agreement.

Xiao Wu's face reddened as she glared at Shi Yi. "You filthy bastard! Xiao San isn't as perverted as you!"

"I'm afraid someone will get to experience it in private someday," Shi Yi said to Xiao Wu with a lewd grin.

"You filthy bastard, I'll tear that mouth of yours apart!" Xiao Wu shouted.

"Enough. This is the Great Soul Arena. Settle down, all of you!" Flender's words instantly extinguished Xiao Wu's fury.

Flender looked at Shi Yi with helplessness on his face. If not for Shi Yi's Martial Soul situation and his extensive knowledge, Flender would truly have suspected whether Shi Yi was really Yu Xiaogang's disciple. How had such a serious, taciturn man taught a disciple with this kind of personality?

Dai Mubai, meanwhile, let out a breath of relief. He was glad he had given Tang San a heads-up. Otherwise, with Zhu Zhuqing's tight, practical outfit, it would have been rather awkward if he had cut certain crucial places.

Before long, Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing returned to the stands.

"Next, please welcome contestant Soft Bone Charm Rabbit against contestant Plundering Wolf!"

Upon hearing the Host's voice, Xiao Wu shot Shi Yi another glare and headed angrily toward the contestants' passage. Shi Yi knew that Xiao Wu's next opponent was probably in for a miserable time. Tang San, meanwhile, looked at everyone in confusion.

"Senior Disciple Brother, what's wrong with Xiao Wu? She seems unhappy," Tang San asked doubtfully.

"Disciple Brother, women have a few days like this every month. She might be fine tomorrow," Shi Yi said with a smile.

Very soon, Xiao Wu vented her anger in the arena. Charm, combined with Xiao Wu's Soft Technique, directly threw her opponent unconscious, at least giving him a quick end.

Dai Mubai also finished his own battle.

It was Ma Hongjun's turn to take the stage.

As he watched the match, Flender suddenly said, "Xiao Yi, what do you think of Hongjun?"

The eyes of everyone from Shrek immediately turned to Shi Yi. Looking at Ma Hongjun in the arena, Shi Yi smiled faintly. "If I'm not mistaken, this is the mutation you mentioned."

"That's right. He is my disciple," Flender said softly, looking very much like an old father.

"Let me explain first. In my view, Martial Soul Mutation has no inherent good or bad. So-called beneficial and harmful mutations are always relative. Do you think this little fatty's mutation is good or bad?" Shi Yi asked Flender quietly.

"Hmm..."

Flender looked at Ma Hongjun in the arena. Indeed, although the Martial Soul Mutation had brought Ma Hongjun some harmful effects, it was undeniable that it had directly increased the Martial Soul's power.

"Alright, why are you lecturing people like your teacher at a time like this? Just tell me the solution," Flender said with a dark expression.

"The issue lies precisely there. Since this mutation is neither inherently good nor bad, theoretically, there is nothing wrong with the little fatty," Shi Yi said softly.

"Then his..." Before Flender could finish, he felt the gazes of the Shrek students and stopped himself.

"Dean, we all know already. What are you embarrassed about?" Shi Yi said, winking at Flender.

Tang San and Xiao Wu both blushed.

Flender coughed awkwardly. "Since you already know, I won't say much more."

"Dean, great power always comes at a certain price. A Fire Phoenix—do you understand what kind of existence that is? The little fatty's situation is somewhat like Teacher's, but his luck is better. His talent is higher than Teacher's. The power of that talent enabled the phoenix bloodline to awaken, but this bloodline came from a mutation after all, so it isn't pure enough. If he wants to solve his problem, he needs to cultivate diligently without stop. And when you add Soul Rings for him, it would be best to choose fire-attribute bird Soul Beasts. The phoenix is the king of all birds; only one that bathes in fire and does not die is a true phoenix. Do you understand?"

"Of course, there is also a way to suppress it. Whenever he starts thinking about those things, find an ice-attribute Soul Master to cool him down. A Fire Phoenix Martial Soul won't freeze to death. That will guarantee there won't be any lustful fire. If things continue as they are and he keeps indulging himself freely, his body won't hold up before he can properly cultivate his Martial Soul. By my estimate, he probably won't live past forty. His height has already been affected. You must have given him plenty of supplements, but they all turned into fat. As for how to keep him in line, that depends on you as his teacher."

Hearing this, Flender turned serious. "I understand."

Aside from Tang San and Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing both wore astonished expressions. At this moment, Shi Yi's vast knowledge was plain for all to see.

"Just don't tell the little fatty this was my idea. I'm afraid he won't be able to spend the Gold Soul Coins he won tonight," Shi Yi said with a chuckle.

"Concern clouds judgment. Sigh... it seems I, his teacher, understand Hongjun less than you do," Flender sighed.

"You only acted out of concern. Seeing your own disciple suffer, of course your heart would soften," Shi Yi agreed, giving Flender plenty of face.

Ma Hongjun's fight also ended at this point. Under the suppression of his Martial Soul bloodline and Phoenix Evil Fire, Ma Hongjun defeated his opponent as well.

When Ma Hongjun returned to the stands, before he could even show off, he sensed the strange looks everyone was giving him. Dai Mubai even stepped forward and patted Ma Hongjun on the shoulder, as if telling him to pray for himself.

"What's going on?" Ma Hongjun asked in confusion.

Flender's light cough interrupted Ma Hongjun's questions. "The six of you will now form teams of two and participate in two-versus-two combination soul fights."

Everyone nodded. Tang San and Xiao Wu naturally stood together. When Dai Mubai walked toward Zhu Zhuqing, however, Zhu Zhuqing instead went to stand beside Shi Yi.

Dai Mubai's expression quickly darkened. Ma Hongjun, who knew nothing, stood beside Dai Mubai and sighed. "Boss Dai, looks like I'm going to be dragged down by you again."

Shi Yi looked at Zhu Zhuqing beside him in surprise. "Is this really appropriate?"

"There's nothing inappropriate about it. It's just a fight," Zhu Zhuqing said impassively.

"I don't mind. It's just that, don't you two need to practice your Martial Soul Fusion Skill?" Shi Yi asked casually.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing and simply headed toward registration. Seeing this, Shi Yi spread his hands at Dai Mubai. "I did my best. Stop glaring at me."

With that, Shi Yi followed after her.

"Martial Soul Fusion Skill?" Tang San looked at the pair's backs in surprise.

They arrived at the two-person soul fight registration desk.

The receptionist spoke rapidly, her voice reaching them before either could speak. "Please give your combination a name."

Zhu Zhuqing remained silent. Shi Yi, who had always been terrible at naming things, casually said, "Ant Cat Combination."

"Alright, Yi Mao Combination." The receptionist swiftly completed the registration, as though afraid Shi Yi might raise an objection.

Soon, another line of four engraved characters appeared on Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing's Iron Soul Badges: Yi Mao Combination.

Seeing this, Shi Yi nodded in satisfaction. "You're better at naming things than I am."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Shi Yi in confusion, then took her badge and saw the words on it. A smile involuntarily curled across her cool face. Indeed, compared with Ant Cat Combination, the name the receptionist had chosen was far better than Shi Yi's.

"Looks like you think so too," Shi Yi said.

At that, Zhu Zhuqing immediately resumed her previous cool expression.

After completing their registration, the two returned to the stands to wait. Dai Mubai's gaze still looked as though he wanted to devour Shi Yi alive.

Shi Yi acted as though he had not seen it and quietly waited for the match. He did not think too much about it. From his own experience, he knew that he had never been one to take the initiative in matters of love. Rather than pursuing someone himself, he preferred for the right person to be waiting for him in the distant future.

The wait for two-versus-two soul fights seemed much longer than for one-versus-one matches. By the time it was their turn, both of their Soul Power had already recovered to their peak.

At that moment, the Host was announcing the Soul Master combinations onstage.

"...the fifth two-versus-two match: Tiger Wolf Combination versus Yi Mao Combination."

Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing slowly walked onto the stage. Shi Yi smiled at Zhu Zhuqing. "Looks like I'm not the only one who can't name things."

Shi Yi did not even need to observe them. Their opponents' combination name had already revealed everything. Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing's opponents were two youths around eighteen or nineteen, both broad and sturdy, with leopard-like heads and ringed eyes. They truly had the bearing of a tiger and wolf.

The other pair were slightly surprised upon seeing Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing, but quickly returned to normal. Their combat experience was clearly substantial, and they did not look down on Shi Yi and Zhu Zhuqing because of their age.

The two let out low growls in perfect unison and released their Martial Souls. Four yellow hundred-year Soul Rings pulsed around them.

Dense red and green phantoms instantly appeared behind the two of them.

"Let's release our Martial Souls too," Shi Yi said with a smile. Amid the audience's surprise, he summoned Little Ant, while Zhu Zhuqing instantly completed her Martial Soul Possession.

This time, the Host had clearly done some research and introduced them to the audience. "This is a mutated Martial Soul capable of animating a Beast Soul..."

"My name is Zhan Hu!"

"My name is Tan Lang!"

The two shouted in unison, "Watch out."

Shi Yi curled his lips slightly and said softly to Zhu Zhuqing, "Just look for an opening."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded. An Agility Attack System Soul Master never clashed head-on with an opponent. That was the most basic principle.

As soon as he spoke, the black shadow beside Shi Yi shot forward, leaving six deep craters in the ground beside him.

The Shrek students looked at the pits Little Ant had left behind, their faces filled with shock. It had only leaped once.

"Is his Martial Soul really that strong? It made holes in the ground just by kicking off," Ma Hongjun said in astonishment.

"Senior Disciple Brother's two Soul Rings both came from Thousand Jun Ants of different ages. Even I am far inferior to Senior Disciple Brother in terms of strength. In Senior Disciple Brother's words, Little Ant's greatest strength isn't its power, but its living creature-like potential for growth. Not only can it grow alongside its Soul Master, but Little Ant can eat like a normal Soul Beast. Over the years, Senior Disciple Brother always disappears for a while during holidays. If I'm not mistaken, he probably takes Little Ant to the Soul Beast Forest to devour Soul Beasts," Tang San explained to the others.

The Shrek students were all astonished. No wonder the power Little Ant displayed was nearly comparable to that of a thousand-year Soul Beast.

The two youths across from them instantly faced a formidable threat. They could not catch sight of Little Ant at all. Their First Soul Rings lit up at the same time, and the Beast Soul phantoms behind them also shone brightly. The roars of tigers and howls of wolves instantly rang throughout the arena.

"First Soul Skill: Boiling Blood!" "First Soul Skill: Howling Moon!"

"Status-type skills? Little Ant has those too," Shi Yi murmured softly. His First Soul Ring instantly lit up. "First Soul Skill: Thousand Jun Great Strength!"

"Boss, charge straight at his body!" Tan Lang called to Zhan Hu.

"Naive." As Shi Yi's voice fell, Little Ant instantly appeared above the two men. Its six powerful exoskeletal legs stabbed down toward them.

The two felt an intense rush of wind and instinctively looked up. A black shadow appeared in their sight.

"A perfect opportunity." Zhu Zhuqing circulated her Soul Power. Purple light flared brilliantly, her figure flickering in rapid succession as the Soul Power claws in her hands instantly descended toward the two men's backs.

"First Soul Skill: Hell Stab!"

"Finish them," Shi Yi said flatly.