Black Hood, Harsh to the Point of Madness Goal

When Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar arrived at Suotuo City's South Gate, panting for breath,

they found Flender already standing beside the city gate, staring at them with a cold expression.

At the sight, the three of them shuddered in unison and hurriedly stood before Flender. At the same time, they looked at Xiao Xian with gazes full of helplessness, resentment, and pleading.

Standing behind Flender, Xiao Xian merely gave them an innocent smile, as if he understood nothing.

Flender said nothing. After sweeping a cold glance over them, he led the group into Suotuo City.

In truth, Flender was fairly satisfied with the three of them.

But... what people feared most was comparison.

If Xiao Xian had truly possessed a powerful martial soul and excellent Innate Soul Power, that would have been one thing. But he was a standard "good-for-nothing."

Meanwhile, the monsters Flender had always been so proud of, monsters even more gifted than geniuses, now seemed so ordinary.

Suotuo City was bustling at night. The shops lining both sides of the streets were all lit up, and numerous vendors had set up stalls, hawking snacks and small goods.

Xiao Xian had no interest in any of it and simply followed Flender in silence.

Dai Mubai and Oscar were the same.

Oscar was even a little nervous. Naturally, he had guessed where Flender intended to take them.

It was none other than Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena.

On the way here, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun had already told him about it.

But he was from the Food System!

Could it be that because the Dean had seen Xiao Xian manage without using his martial soul, he thought Oscar could do the same?!

Ma Hongjun did not think that much. His eyes darted around, and he swallowed excitedly from time to time.

Since everyone had moved much faster than before, they actually arrived earlier than expected.

When Flender led them to a certain street, he circled back and entered an inconspicuous tea stall, ordering five cups of the cheapest Inferior Tea.

Without changing expression, Flender lifted a cup of tea, glanced at Xiao Xian, and said, "Didn't you ask where we were going? Do you see that place?"

With the hand holding his tea, he pointed toward a building not far away.

It was a cluster of towering buildings, at least a hundred meters tall.

Of course, Xiao Xian had long known what place it was, but he obligingly showed a trace of confusion.

"That place is called the Soto Great Spirit Arena. It is where spirit masters fight."

"Your situation is special. Mu Bai and the others still have time to study knowledge about martial souls and the circumstances of other spirit masters on the continent, but you do not."

"For you, your greatest goal at this stage is to put down roots here."

Hearing that, Xiao Xian stared at the buildings thoughtfully.

Flender set down his cup and stared at Xiao Xian. In a deep voice, he said, "For ordinary spirit masters, this is a place to gain fame and profit."

"For Mu Bai and Hongjun, this is a place to uncover their potential and gain practical combat experience."

"But for you, this is your only chance."

"After you register for spirit fighting later, I require you to deal with your opponents in the most violent, most brutal manner possible."

"Do not circle around them. Do not evade. Meet force with force, strength with strength!"

"Let the enemy's Soul Power strike your body, then crush them ruthlessly."

As he spoke, Flender pulled out four tattered hooded masks and four black robes.

"The Great Soul Arena's spirit fights are divided into One-on-one, Two-on-two, and Team Battles of Seven or More."

"For each type, the same spirit master may participate at most once per day."

"Mu Bai has already reached level thirty, so we will leave him aside for now."

"But Hongjun and Xiao Ao are both in their twenties."

"I require you, Xiao Ao, and Hongjun to each form Two-on-two spirit fighting teams. Every day, aside from your own One-on-one match, you must also enter two additional Two-on-two matches separately with each of them."

By the time Flender reached this point, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's expressions had already changed.

They looked at Flender in shock. Three high-intensity battles in one night?

These were battles between spirit masters!

One match was enough to leave someone utterly exhausted and severely drained of Soul Power, let alone three.

Wasn't this demand far too harsh?

But Flender was not finished.

He merely paused, shot Ma Hongjun and Oscar a cold glance, and continued, "At the same time, on days when they do not participate in One-on-one matches, you must wear a hood and take Xiao Ao and Hongjun's One-on-one slots."

"Or even take their Two-on-two slots!"

Flender turned back to Xiao Xian, his tone stern. "That means that in one day, at most, you will need to participate in six spirit fights: three One-on-one matches and three Two-on-two matches!"

"Xiao Ao cannot participate in One-on-one matches. So at the very least, there will be four."

"You may not use your martial soul, nor may you win through nimble movement and evasive footwork."

"No matter what spirit master you encounter, you can only force your way forward. Take their spirit skills with your body, and smash them hard with your fists!"

As Oscar listened, he could not help shivering.

This requirement was too harsh!

Ma Hongjun swallowed as well—not because he had seen some peerless beauty, but because he was simply scared.

Dai Mubai's expression looked even more off.

Flender's demands of Xiao Xian could not possibly have been this high for no reason.

Could it be that the Dean actually believed Xiao Xian could endure it?

How could that be possible?

Even Dai Mubai himself only came for a One-on-one match every few days!

Yet Xiao Xian's expression remained as calm as ever. He merely smiled gently at Flender, indicating that he understood.

"Fighting really is a good idea."

Xiao Xian murmured to himself.

His Innate Soul Power was low, and his meridians were poor as well.

With things already like this, what could he do?

Before level twenty, he could still solve part of the problem by increasing the flow rate of his Soul Power.

After level twenty, simply increasing the flow rate of his Soul Power was no longer very effective.

His Soul Power had grown too much, and his narrow meridians could not bear it.

That was why his Second Spirit Ring strengthened the quality of his Soul Power.

With the same amount of Soul Power, greater density would always mean less volume.

But a hundred-year spirit skill was still only a hundred-year spirit skill.

It could still produce results in the early stages of level twenty, but the further he progressed, the worse the situation became.

He had been stuck at level twenty-eight for a very, very long time.

Several times longer than before.

Flender's method was nothing more than using battle to temper his body and shake his Soul Power.

His physique would grow stronger, his meridians would become tougher, and his Soul Power would become more solid.

By consuming Soul Power madly, he would also recover it faster afterward.

In consecutive battles, he would have to conserve Soul Power, which would also strengthen his ability to use and control it.

Weren't these precisely the abilities he needed to break through now?

The only problem was whether he could endure it.

Fortunately, Dean Flender would accompany him throughout the entire process.

He was an Agility Attack Spirit Saint.

Even if some accident occurred in the spirit arena, he could appear at the first moment and help Xiao Xian concede.

That was one of the benefits of taking Master as his teacher.

After entering Shrek,

his Martial Uncle, Flender, was naturally his best—Protector.