Try Harder Next Time

Changing a world required an enormous amount of money. As a transmigrator, the one thing he lacked least was ways to make money.

He also had another reason for seeing Zhou Hansheng: he wanted him to help look into Na'er's whereabouts. New Soul Tool Technology Company was so large; finding someone should be easy.

Na'er had been missing for more than half a year. He was afraid she might have run into some danger.

Knock, knock, knock!

Meng Li was writing rapidly when someone knocked on his bedroom door.

"Who is it?" Meng Li stopped writing and tucked the finished pages beneath a book.

"Me!"

Xie Xie's voice came from outside.

Meng Li opened the door and found Xie Xie, Xu Xiaoyan, and Tang Wulin standing there with smiles on their faces—the kind that meant trouble.

As a swordsman, Meng Li immediately sensed that something was off.

"What is this?" Meng Li asked.

"We're here to spar with you!" Tang Wulin could not suppress the smile curling at his lips.

"Call Gu Yue too. We're all in the same class, after all."

At night, there was no one else on the training field besides Meng Li and the others.

That was just how academy life was. They had already trained all day, yet they still had to compete at night—what kind of virtue was that for modern youth?

"Let's begin. Looking at those unfriendly expressions, I'm sure you're up to no good!" Meng Li rubbed his chin with a faint smile.

"How could we be?" Xie Xie frowned, seeming annoyed by Meng Li's misunderstanding.

"Brother Meng, let's have a fair fight. No relying on talent. You have to suppress your strength until your speed and power are at least about the same as ours. Then you and Gu Yue can form a team!"

Meng Li glanced at Gu Yue, who stood behind him.

"No problem." Gu Yue's voice was calm.

"I have no problem either!" Meng Li nodded.

Soul rings lit up around them. Tang Wulin had a purple soul ring, Xie Xie had two yellow soul rings, and Xu Xiaoyan had one yellow soul ring.

Gu Yue had one yellow soul ring and one purple soul ring. Only Meng Li released his martial soul without any soul rings appearing.

"Come on, Brother Meng. How long are you going to keep your martial soul hidden? Can't you show it to us?" Xie Xie asked curiously.

"Less nonsense. Beat me, and I'll let you see it."

Meng Li said.

The battle erupted at once. Tang Wulin's mutated Blue Silver Grass shot toward Meng Li and Gu Yue, trying to bind them.

Gu Yue released fireballs, burning the Blue Silver Grass.

Meng Li's martial soul behind him moved, and the golden spear in his hand rose high.

Second Soul Skill: Judgment!

Meng Li's gaze met Xie Xie's for an instant. Xie Xie only felt his entire body stiffen, unable to move. The state lasted for just a breath before he regained control.

"Lucky you." Meng Li was somewhat surprised that it had failed. A thirty percent chance of failure. My luck isn't very good today.

He had no time to think further. Purple light flashed in Tang Wulin's eyes as his Golden Dragon Claw tore toward him.

Purple Demon Eyes! Meng Li recognized the cultivation technique Tang Wulin was using at a glance.

At the same time, Meng Li's gaze changed. Within his golden pupils, Tang Wulin's attack seemed as slow as someone leisurely reaching for an object.

Following the move Secret Manual he had read some time ago, Meng Li did not need much speed to sidestep the attack.

"Too slow!" Meng Li chuckled.

Second Soul Skill: Twin Dragon Storm!

"What about me?" Xie Xie held the Shadow Dragon Dagger and Light Dragon Dagger while the three Ghost Cutter swords behind him slashed down at Meng Li together, forming a small tornado.

"So this is Three-Sword Style!" Meng Li said, preparing to block.

"Great name!"

Xie Xie's three blades struck the ice shield Gu Yue had formed.

Xu Xiaoyan was being held back by Gu Yue. They were now in a one-on-one fight, and whenever they had the chance, they would help their teammates.

Tang Wulin's movements were too slow, even with Purple Demon Eyes activated.

Taking advantage of the gap after Tang Wulin's attack, Meng Li slashed down with Murasa.

At that moment, a golden hexagram surrounded by a halo silently appeared beneath his feet. Streaks of golden light coiled around his body, turning into ice Chains that bound him.

Meng Li struggled, but with only level-twenty Soul Power, he had no way to break free. Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Claw was already closing in.

At that critical moment, Gu Yue flashed in front of Meng Li.

Meng Li's heart stirred. The golden spear in his martial soul's hand rose again, and the ice chains around him instantly vanished. Just as Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Claw closed in, Meng Li stepped in front of Gu Yue.

No one had expected Meng Li to be the first one eliminated.

"Get revenge for me." Meng Li walked off the field and smiled at Gu Yue.

"Hehe." Xu Xiaoyan rubbed her little head. "Sorry!"

"I surrender." Gu Yue walked behind him expressionlessly.

"You..." Meng Li sighed.

"Yeah, we finally won!" Xu Xiaoyan, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie exchanged smiles and high-fived in celebration.

This was their first time defeating the Li Yue Combination. It might have been somewhat unexpected, but winning still made them very happy.

"Meng Li, my Star Wheel Ice Chain lasted two-thirds less time on you than before. Can you tell me what happened?" Xu Xiaoyan looked at Meng Li in confusion.

"Oh, that. It's a special effect of my soul skill. It can remove control effects from my body." Meng Li gave a vague explanation.

In truth, this was an additional effect of his second soul skill. If Judgment failed, it would activate a second effect for a certain period. The next time he used his second soul skill, he would become immune to all control effects of the same level.

"Your martial soul is way too powerful. A soul skill that grants control immunity is incredibly rare." Tang Wulin was somewhat envious.

Back when he had faced the ten-thousand-year Three-Eyed Demon Ape, if he had possessed Meng Li's soul skill, he would not have been so miserable.

"A bet is a bet. You can show us your martial soul now, right?" Xie Xie's face was full of curiosity. Everyone in the first grade wanted to know how many years Meng Li's first soul ring had.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Meng Li asked seriously.

He truly did not want to reveal it. His first soul skill was already ten thousand years old—how could he still have any fun after that?

"I'm sure I want to know." Xie Xie nodded.

Tang Wulin nodded.

Xu Xiaoyan nodded as well.

"Even if you're sure you want to know, I'm not telling you." Meng Li smiled.

"It's getting late. Good night, guys!"

"You're way too shameless!"

After saying that, Meng Li headed back toward the dormitory.

"Try harder next time!"

Gu Yue glanced at everyone, smiled, and followed Meng Li away.

"..."

"I should have known he was that shameless. Believing him is worse than believing a ghost!" Xie Xie gritted his teeth.

"Forget it. Maybe Brother Meng has some unspeakable reason." Tang Wulin tried to comfort him.

"Maybe his first soul ring is only ten years!" Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan looked at one another, smiled, and nodded, confirming this guess.

"Achoo! Who's badmouthing me?" Meng Li sneezed.

"Sneezing means someone is saying bad things about you?" Gu Yue looked puzzled.

"Yeah, that's what people say where I'm from. I don't know if it's true." Meng Li said.

"Get some sleep early. We still have training tomorrow." Gu Yue yawned and headed for her room.