Typhoon

After Meng Li talked him through it, Tang Wulin felt much better.

After returning, Xie Xie called Meng Li, Tang Wulin, and Gu Yue over to discuss how they should challenge Class One next.

Meng Li could naturally deal with those little trash from Class One with a single finger, but to avoid exposing his strength, he could only choose another method.

Recently, he had been considering doing something with his 'Murasa.' Murasa had originally not counted as a Soul Tool, but after being nourished by his blood, it had unexpectedly become capable of absorbing and releasing Soul Power. This meant Murasa could be used like a Martial Soul. Of course, there were still differences—it could not absorb Soul Rings or augment his own Light Element attacks.

Xie Xie said, "Class One of our year is called the strongest freshman class in a hundred years. No wonder the dean of studies threw me into Class Five without even blinking."

"Don't you have any self-awareness about your own strength in Class Five?" Gu Yue spat, countless words of "useless" flashing through her eyes.

"You, you, you..." Xie Xie pointed at Gu Yue, yet could not force out a single sentence. Why was this woman always against him?

"Want to fight?"

"Enough, keep going," Tang Wulin interrupted. "They're that strong? Don't tell me they have four Two-ring Soul Grand Masters!"

"No, they have three, and their Martial Souls are the extremely powerful kind." Xie Xie looked serious.

"With the four of us being One-ring Soul Masters, our chances of winning are very, very small."

The difference between one ring and two rings was a qualitative one. Even someone normally invincible among those of the same rank would find it extremely difficult to win against an opponent one level higher, unless they were one of those top-tier prodigies.

As for Meng Li, a level-forty-five Soul Master, daring to put his blade against Guang Biao's neck, that had been purely luck. If Guang Biao had been even slightly on guard, he might not have fallen for it.

Their opponents were actually this powerful. A strange look flashed through everyone's eyes, as though they were all considering how to raise their ranks quickly.

The match was tomorrow. No one could possibly improve themselves in such a short time.

"Relax, you've got Brother Meng." Meng Li looked utterly composed. He had just been about to bluff everyone by saying he was actually a Two-ring or Three-ring Soul Master, to steady their nerves.

At that moment, the broadcast sounded.

"Attention, teachers and students. Attention, teachers and students. An emergency announcement will now be broadcast. We have received notification from the meteorological department that a severe tropical storm will strike tonight. This powerful typhoon is expected to last for over a week. Therefore, during the coming week, students are asked not to leave the academy unnecessarily. All classes are suspended. Please remain in your dormitories and wait calmly. The Promotion Tournament is suspended and will resume after the typhoon has passed."

A holiday? Nice. I can sleep in again. Meng Li was delighted.

At once, hope lit up everyone's eyes.

"Maybe we still have time!" Xie Xie was the first to rise.

"I'm going out." A thought flashed through Tang Wulin's mind: I have to become stronger. I have to break that seal.

After Xie Xie and Tang Wulin left, only the two of them remained. Meng Li had noticed that recently, those two boys had been avoiding the two of them, as if deliberately.

The atmosphere shifted slightly, but Meng Li remained calm and unmoved.

"Before the announcement started, you seemed to have something you hadn't finished saying." Gu Yue looked at Meng Li curiously.

"Mm, actually, I'm a very powerful Soul Master!" Meng Li had intended to bluff Gu Yue by claiming he was Two-ring. Usually, lies came out of his mouth without effort, yet facing the girl before him, he found himself unable to say it.

"I can more than handle protecting you all." Meng Li patted his chest in assurance. Weren't they just three One-ring Soul Masters? What trouble could they cause?

"Me too?" Gu Yue asked.

"You too!" Meng Li nodded.

Gu Yue's sudden question caught him off guard. He had meant protecting everyone in the arena.

But Gu Yue seemed to have misunderstood what he meant.

Following the usual novel formula, it meant Gu Yue had some formidable enemies in her past. As for just how formidable, that was not something he could come into contact with yet. Still, once he had made a boast, how could he take it back? Just as Meng Li was considering how to answer—

Gu Yue smiled like a flower. "I'm joking. I'm pretty strong myself, maybe even stronger than you imagine. Maybe you'll need me to protect you when the time comes."

"Oh? I can't tell. Who gets scolded by Wu Changkong every day?"

"You're right. How can we relax on the eve of a competition?"

The words "extra training" flashed in Gu Yue's eyes.

"Be my sparring partner."

"My sleeping in is ruined..." Meng Li sighed as he looked at the fired-up Gu Yue.

"It's already so late. Isn't that inappropriate...?"

Meng Li wanted to refuse. Once the typhoon came and the city was locked down, they would only be able to spend the next few days in the indoor training grounds.

It could be said they would neither eat well nor sleep well.

"Come on, I'll treat you to a meal."

"Wait for me."

After saying that, Meng Li packed up all his blankets, clothes, pillows, and toiletries.

"What are you doing..." Gu Yue was somewhat bewildered. We're going to train, not sleep.

"Listen to me, I'm right. Bring some food too. If the city gets locked down, we'll have no choice but to spend these days in the indoor training grounds."

"That actually makes sense."

Everyone at Eastsea Academy hurriedly packed their clothes and began stockpiling snacks. A holiday naturally meant having as much fun as possible. Then, they suddenly saw three people carrying huge bags as they ran in one direction, more than once, and found it strange.

After Meng Li, Gu Yue, and Xie Xie set up where they would sleep and stored enough food for several days, they realized a serious problem. Where was Tang Wulin...? Why was he gone?

Meng Li took out his Soul Tool Communicator and made a call. Tang Wulin happened to be calling them as well.

He said he would be staying somewhere else for a few days and would not be coming back.

Meng Li naturally was not worried that the protagonist would run into trouble. He was the protagonist, after all—he had protagonist luck. Maybe he had encountered some fortuitous opportunity this time. Their opponents were Soul Grand Masters in their twenties, so the protagonist had to improve.

"Wulin said he's going away for a few days and won't be back," Meng Li said truthfully.

"Could he be in danger?" Xie Xie was somewhat worried.

"He won't be." Meng Li smiled confidently.

"Brother Meng, let's spar." Xie Xie had just been mocked by Class One that morning, and now he was as fired up as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

Meng Li did not need training to ensure he could win, but they were a group. He should still help when he could.

"Sure, but before that, I need to practice a Fusion Skill with Gu Yue for a while." Meng Li smiled faintly.

"A Fusion Skill?" Xie Xie said in shock. "You two are already that close? You can even use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

"Huh?" Gu Yue stood frozen, her face flushing. She had no idea what Fusion Skill he was talking about.

"Not a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, a Fusion Skill. They're different. This move would work for you too if your Martial Souls are elemental types." Meng Li gave a mysterious smile.