Soul Duelling Arena Matters! (Happy New Year!)

"Xiaoya!" Yu Beibei called from outside the classroom.

"Beibei." The three walked toward Yu Beibei, while Tang Ya greeted her with a smile.

"Let's go eat." Zhu Ziyang spoke, then took the lead toward the cafeteria.

Jiang Nannan kept close behind Zhu Ziyang, while Tang Ya and Yu Beibei followed without hesitation.

"Zhu Ziyang, you don't seem nervous at all?" Seeing Zhu Ziyang's unchanged expression, Tang Ya could no longer suppress her curiosity. "Are you really that confident you'll beat Wang Qiao this afternoon?"

"Of course!" Zhu Ziyang answered confidently.

"What happened?" Having heard Tang Ya and Zhu Ziyang's exchange, Yu Beibei looked curious as she asked.

Tang Ya told Yu Beibei the whole story. After hearing it, Yu Beibei looked surprised, and her gaze toward Zhu Ziyang gained a little more regard. "So that's what happened! Looks like you're certain to win, Ziyang!"

"Heh." Zhu Ziyang chuckled without replying.

That afternoon.

Inside Freshman Class 4's classroom.

"Everyone's here, so follow me." Xia Yu looked over the packed classroom with a meaningful smile and headed outside.

The Freshman Class 4 students followed him out, with Zhu Ziyang at the front.

They made their way to the Soul Duelling Zone.

It was currently class time, so aside from a few fourth- and fifth-year students, there was no one else in the Soul Duelling Zone. Once the hundred students of Freshman Class 4 entered, the place immediately became much livelier.

"This is Shrek Academy's Soul Duelling Zone. Here, as long as you pay, you can hold any kind of match," Xia Yu said, leading them to a standard Soul Duelling Arena. "As for the cost, the base fee is ten Gold Soul Coins per person for both sides!"

"Good heavens, the academy really knows how to make money!" Tang Ya cried in surprise upon hearing Xia Yu's words.

"Mm! It really does!" Jiang Nannan, beside her, nodded in complete agreement.

"In the Soul Duelling Zone, every victory earns you a certain amount of points. These points count as bonus marks during your advancement exams," Xia Yu continued, unconcerned by the students' murmuring. "Once you successfully advance to the fourth year, Soul Duelling Zone points will become a necessary condition for advancement. For example, to advance from the fourth year to the fifth, you need at least ten victories in Soul Duelling matches against students of the same year, or one hundred Soul Duelling points. The requirements for advancing from the fifth year to the sixth will only be greater and more difficult."

"Teacher, how are points earned, and how do the additions and deductions work?" asked a beautiful girl. She was also one of the students who had raised her hand to run for Class Monitor.

"As for points, it's actually very easy to understand." Xia Yu smiled. "As freshmen, your points are naturally at zero right now. In every Soul Duel, the winner gains one point, while the loser does not lose any points.

"However, that is only the most basic situation. If a Soul Duel is a cross-year match—that is, a lower-year student duelling a higher-year student—then if the lower-year student wins, they gain five points, while the higher-year student loses one point. Conversely, if the higher-year student wins, they gain one point, while the lower-year student does not lose any points.

"Therefore, the academy strongly encourages capable students to challenge those above their year."

As he spoke, he smilingly glanced at the few upper-year students in the Soul Duelling Zone. Those upper-year students immediately felt a chill run down their spines.

Zhu Ziyang also heard Xia Yu's words. Listening to the explanation of Soul Duelling points, he could not help thinking of an organization common throughout the continent: Soul Duelling Arenas! Those Soul Duelling Arenas controlled by nobles also had a points system similar to Shrek Academy's. He had reason to suspect that Shrek Academy's Soul Duelling points system had drawn inspiration from them, since Soul Duelling Arenas had existed and developed far longer than Shrek Academy.

After all, Soul Duelling was one of the few forms of entertainment available to nobles!

"Oh, right. All students are allowed to watch Soul Duelling matches, though they still have to pay—one Silver Soul Coin per person!" Xia Yu said. "Since this is your first time watching a Soul Duel, your teacher here will take a small loss and treat you to one. For Zhu Ziyang and Wang Qiao's match, you won't need to pay the spectator fee."

"Awesome!" The Freshman Class 4 students all cheered.

Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan once again witnessed Shrek Academy's money-making methods. They exchanged looks, both feeling envious.

"Oh, and one more thing: the spectator proceeds are split evenly between the academy and the winner. If a student is short on money, Soul Duelling matches are undoubtedly an excellent way to earn some—as long as you're famous enough and strong enough!" Xia Yu added.

Then, leading the large group of freshmen, Xia Yu brought them to the front row of the spectator stands. By then, Zhu Ziyang and Wang Qiao had both finished preparing in the arena.

It was worth mentioning that Xia Yu had paid their match fees for them.

Zhu Ziyang now understood that although his homeroom teacher looked ordinary, he was definitely a rich man!

Because of the timing, the enormous Soul Duelling Arena contained only Freshman Class 4's students and a dozen or so upper-year students. Those upper-year students all sat in the stands with great interest. Soul Duelling matches between freshmen were not something one saw often.

In the arena.

"Ready to get beaten up?" Zhu Ziyang asked Wang Qiao with a smile.

"What?" Wang Qiao flew into a rage at once. "Are you provoking me? You lowborn wretch! Fine, you've successfully pissed me off. Just wait until you're kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy!"

"First-year Zhu Ziyang versus first-year Wang Qiao. The match is about to begin. Are you ready?" A very amiable-looking middle-aged teacher walked to the center of the arena and asked.

He was the Referee for this Soul Duel.

The two nodded at the same time.

"Begin!" the Referee shouted. Then he instantly vanished from the center of the arena and reappeared outside it, a move that dazzled quite a few freshmen.

However, Zhu Ziyang and Wang Qiao were not among them.

The moment the Referee's command ended, Wang Qiao summoned his Martial Soul. His body grew more muscular, his outstretched hands transformed into huge claws covered in red fur like flames, and his red hair instantly lengthened and puffed up. Two yellow Soul Rings floated behind him, making him look exceptionally imposing.

"My Martial Soul is the Blazing Flame Lion, a Level 23 Soul Grandmaster!" Wang Qiao's voice brimmed with pride. At eleven years old, reaching Level 23 was indeed something to be proud of.

The Blazing Flame Lion—Zhu Ziyang happened to know this type of Martial Soul. It was a high-grade Beast Martial Soul. A marshal of the Dou Ling Empire had possessed the Blazing Flame Lion as his Martial Soul, so Wang Qiao was clearly that Dou Ling Empire marshal's descendant.

A pure-blooded noble Soul Master. Zhu Ziyang's lips curled into a scornful smile. Looking at Wang Qiao, he stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Make your move."

"Hm?" Wang Qiao froze, then instinctively asked, "Where's your Martial Soul?"

"No rush. If necessary, I'll release my Martial Soul." Zhu Ziyang's tone was calm, but his words were incomparably arrogant.

Brothers, happy New Year! I wish everyone a happy New Year and may all your wishes come true!

PS: Please vote with recommendation tickets! Monthly tickets! Investment!