The Great Soul Arena, the Name of the Black Robes

Dai Mubai was explaining the situation at the Great Soul Arena in a muffled voice.

Xiao Xian, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun had long since put on their black robes and masks.

The three stood to one side without saying a word, radiating cold, murderous silence. They were completely different from how they had been at the academy, even Oscar.

But the more Tang San listened, the less he understood.

Spirit Masters, a profession he had always considered so noble, actually fought and performed like monkeys for ordinary people to watch? And charged admission?

In his previous life, the experts of the Tang Sect had all been extremely proud.

If anyone had wanted to make monkeys out of them, the moment they dared say it, hidden weapons would have flown their way.

Xiao Wu was also somewhat puzzled.

Ning Rongrong, however, showed no obvious confusion. Her expression merely turned unpleasant.

Clearly, she knew what the Great Soul Arena was.

Dai Mubai paid no attention to the changes in their expressions and continued explaining on his own.

This included the ranks of Spirit Duel Badges, how Spirit Duel points were earned, and most importantly, the Gold Soul Coins awarded for victory.

"Alright, it's about time. Follow me." Flender spoke calmly, then turned and entered Suotuo City.

All eight had put on their black robes and followed Flender through the city gates.

Suotuo City at night seemed even livelier than during the day, with vendors of every size calling out to sell their wares.

Although Tang San and Xiao Wu had stayed in Suotuo City for two days, they had never gone out at night.

Xiao Wu in particular was brimming with excitement. But since Flender had warned them beforehand, she did not dare move around or make a sound. She could only keep walking in her black robe, her eyes darting everywhere.

Before long, Flender led them to a stop before a magnificent building.

Tang San had not even had time to marvel at it.

The Spirit Masters entering and leaving by the roadside all changed their expressions when they saw them.

"It's the black robes...!"

"The black robes are back!"

"There are more of them now!"

"Where's Number One? Which one is Number One?!"

"Number Two! Which one is Number Two?!"

"Bullshit! Number Four is the strongest! Wasn't that fire awesome?!"

The nearby crowd grew noisy, everyone becoming excited.

Many residents who had merely been passing by and had not planned to enter the Great Soul Arena rummaged through their pockets and turned toward it instead.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the others were surprised and confused.

Black robes...!

Weren't those their senior brothers' codenames?

But Flender's expression did not change in the slightest as he led the eight of them inside.

Xiao Xian and the others remained silent as well.

"Number Three, help them register."

"Yes!" Dai Mubai's voice remained muffled, making it impossible to identify his tone. He beckoned to Tang San and the other three. "Follow me."

Before long, the four underwent the Spirit Power Test. After each paid ten Gold Soul Coins, their registration was complete.

Tang San was Black Robe Number Five, Xiao Wu was Black Robe Number Six, Zhu Zhuqing was Black Robe Number Seven, and Ning Rongrong was Black Robe Number Eight.

When Ning Rongrong received her Spirit Duel Badge, her face truly turned completely pale.

No way?

Shrek Academy really intended to make a Support System Spirit Master like her take part in spirit duels?!

When she heard that tonight's lesson would be held at the Great Soul Arena, she had known she had come for nothing and assumed she was only there to fill out the numbers.

She had never expected... they would actually make her register?!

Fortunately.

Flender glanced at her and said blandly, "Number Eight, Number Two, you don't need to sign up. Follow me."

Hearing that, Ning Rongrong finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly stood behind Flender with Oscar.

Then Flender left behind a calm instruction. "Number One, Number Three, they're in your hands." As he spoke, he turned and headed deeper into the spirit arena.

Xiao Xian and Dai Mubai nodded and replied in equally muffled voices, "Understood."

"..."

Xiao Xian and Dai Mubai helped them register for their spirit duels, then headed together to the Ninth Sub Arena in the competition zone.

The difference was that Xiao Xian had not signed up.

His Spirit Duel Badge had already advanced to Silver Spirit Duelist. If he registered, he would only be assigned to the Main Arena.

Oscar was the same. Thanks to Xiao Xian's crazy staged losses, his badge had also become Silver Spirit Duelist.

The fame of Black Robe Number One, Number Two, and even Number Four had almost all been built by Xiao Xian alone.

For the current Xiao Xian, spirit duels offered no great benefit.

They were far less worthwhile than cultivating with Xiao Jue.

It was merely the first lesson of the term, so he had to give the dean some face. It would not look good if he did not show up, just as it had been back at Nuoding Academy.

Besides, Tang San and Oscar should be close to breaking through Rank Thirty. They would soon be heading to the Star Dou Great Forest.

At a time like this, it was best to fit in a little more.

Once all of this was over.

He would no longer accompany Tang San and the others, wasting time in places like this for no reason.

The six entered the Rest Area and waited for their turns.

The other Spirit Masters waiting to compete immediately grew solemn when they saw them, their expressions turning ugly. "The black robes... the black robes that disappeared for one or two months..."

Yet quite a few Spirit Masters became excited, eager to make a move. Some even began discussing in low voices without thinking:

"Did you know? I heard there's a competition system among the black robes. Whoever's strongest becomes Black Robe Number One...!"

"My friend at the spirit arena said Black Robe Number Two is only from the Food System, and he's just a Soul Grandmaster, but he can suppress Black Robe Number Three, who's already a Soul Elder! That's why he's Number Two!"

"Number Four isn't weak either, but apparently he has some kind of split soul disorder. Sometimes he's strong, sometimes weak. When he's strong, his control over flames is exquisite. When he's weak, he can only breathe fire, so he can only rank fourth!"

Under their masks, the corners of Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's mouths twitched hard.

They had only been gone for a while. Where had all these rumors come from?!

How could they possibly lose to Oscar?!

It was only because he had registered with Brother Xian earlier!

Still, Dai Mubai stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Whoever was strongest became Number One... that was not a bad idea!

He was Boss Dai. How could he rank third?

Though Tang San and Xiao Wu were confused, they listened with great interest. Oscar had that side to him? He could suppress Boss Dai? He did not look like it!

Very soon, Black Robe Number Six was called—Xiao Wu.

As she followed the staff member into the arena passage, Xiao Xian waved a hand and led the rest to the Spectator Area for competing Spirit Masters.

Xiao Xian had not registered, so he should not have been allowed here.

But he was a Silver Spirit Duelist, and the name Black Robe Number One was somewhat famous throughout the Soto Great Spirit Arena. The staff member was also something of a fan, so letting him in was easy.

"..."

It was Xiao Wu's first time standing on an arena stage, yet she was not very nervous. Instead, she was rather curious.

Her opponent was a Soul Grandmaster whose martial soul was a leopard. Both of his soul rings were white.

Following Flender's instructions, Xiao Wu said nothing and merely stared silently at her opponent.

But unexpectedly.

The other party directly jumped off the stage and admitted defeat.

Xiao Wu stood there in stunned disbelief.

Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing in the Spectator Area were also somewhat confused.

Ma Hongjun lowered his voice and sneered. "That's normal. Not everyone has the courage to make a move against these black robes."

The audience in the stands was deeply dissatisfied, shouting curses one after another. Sweat even began to run down the Host's face.

The same happened with Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun's opponents.

The moment they saw the black robes, they conceded cleanly and decisively.

The audience in the stands became even more restless.

It was not until Tang San's turn that his opponent hesitated for a while before finally choosing to attack. Tang San barely knocked him off the stage using Suction Palm together with Blowing Fire Palm.

Even though they had fought, the audience seemed even more dissatisfied, wildly booing Tang San.

Tang San was somewhat embarrassed, having no idea what had happened.

After leaving the stage, it happened to be Dai Mubai's turn.

As they passed each other, Dai Mubai patted Tang San on the shoulder. A faint voice softly sounded, "Once you put on the black robe, you can't fight like that."

"We're not just here to win."

After Dai Mubai stepped onto the stage.

His opponent was clearly somewhat excited and disdainfully tossed out a remark. "Just Number Three."

Compared with Black Robe Number One, Number Two, and Number Four.

Number Three, the only Soul Elder among them, seemed far more ordinary.

When he summoned his martial soul, it was a rhinoceros. Three yellow soul rings floated around him as he charged without hesitation!

Hearing this, Dai Mubai's gaze turned cold. He stomped heavily on the ground and charged forward as well!

Boom—!

On the stage, two burly figures crashed together like cannonballs without using any techniques!

At the sight of this familiar scene.

The audience fell silent for an instant, then—Boom!—erupted into fervent, howling cheers!