Invitation from the Evil Golden Tiger

In the VIP seating.

Clang.

Dai Mubai slammed the wineglass in his hand down onto the table.

Wine splashed out, but he paid it no mind.

He stared fixedly at the silver-masked figure on the arena stage. The amusement on his face had completely turned into gravity.

No.

Shock!

That wasn't a Soul Skill!

Absolutely not!

There hadn't been any fluctuation of Soul Power!

Dodging an agility attacker could be called prediction.

Making the vines lose control could be explained as mental interference.

But blowing a breath and making an energy attack reverse course...

What the hell was that?!

That wasn't a technique! It was a... rule! An overwhelming force on the level of laws!

Within his domain, he was a god!

This person... was terrifying!

If... if I could bring him into Shrek...

A mad thought uncontrollably took root and sprouted in Dai Mubai's heart!

Ten consecutive victories.

Han Yuchen obtained the Iron Soul Master badge without any suspense.

The name Chen Xing had also completely become a legend within the Soto Grand Soul Arena—an undefeated phantom.

Every one of his appearances filled the venue to capacity, and countless gamblers made a fortune betting on him.

People frantically speculated about his identity, his Spirit, and his rank.

Some said he was a secret descendant of a great clan, sent out to gain experience.

Others said he was actually a seventy- or eighty-year-old Soul Sage, deliberately pretending to be weak.

But not a single reliable answer emerged.

After the match, the voluptuous female host, teetering on high heels and swaying her slender waist, blocked Han Yuchen's path.

"Mr. Chen Xing, congratulations on achieving ten consecutive victories!"

Her voice was sickeningly sweet, and her alluring eyes seemed to be sending sparks his way.

"Countless viewers are crazy about you. Is there... anything you'd like to say to the fans who support you?"

She held a fragrant microphone to Han Yuchen's lips, her body unconsciously pressing a little closer.

All around them, countless female spectators let out jealous screams.

Han Yuchen merely glanced at her indifferently.

"No."

One word, clean and decisive.

He walked around her and headed straight for the contestants' passage.

That aloof, abstinent aura of keeping strangers at bay did not discourage the female host. Instead, the light in her eyes grew even brighter.

The screams from outside became even more frenzied.

"Ahhh! So handsome! So cool!"

Han Yuchen could not be bothered with them.

He only wanted to leave this noisy place as soon as possible.

Yet just after entering the contestants' passage, before he had taken more than a few steps—

Someone blocked his way.

A little fish had taken the bait.

The passage was dimly lit. The man stood in the shadows, yet he carried an imposing presence all his own.

Golden short hair, sinister golden eyes, luxurious robes, and the pride belonging to one in a position of authority.

It was Dai Mubai.

He had brought no attendants. He simply stood there alone, quietly waiting.

His evil eyes locked tightly onto the silver mask on Han Yuchen's face.

"Chen Xing."

Dai Mubai spoke, his voice low and magnetic.

"My name is Dai Mubai."

He went straight to the point, without a shred of nonsense.

"I came because of your strength. Are you interested in joining my team?"

He paused, a confident curve rising at the corner of his lips.

"We only accept monsters."

Han Yuchen looked at him and stopped walking.

He could clearly sense the powerful Soul Power of a level-thirty-seven Soul Elder on Dai Mubai, the aura of a true powerhouse.

And...

Beneath that pride, there was a faint but impossible-to-hide trace of anxiety.

So, someone from Shrek Academy... has finally come.

Even sooner than I expected.

But what's with that anxious feeling?

Heh, looks like it has something to do with his fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing.

The plot of the original work really is still moving forward under its own inertia.

Han Yuchen's inner thoughts flashed by in an instant.

His answer was equally simple to the extreme.

"Not interested."

Those three words landed on Dai Mubai's face like three chunks of ice.

The confident smile on Dai Mubai's face instantly froze.

He was stunned.

He had imagined countless possible reactions: excitement, curiosity, or even feigned reserve.

But he had never expected that his personal invitation would be rejected so cleanly and decisively!

Without even the slightest hesitation!

He took a step after Han Yuchen and said in a deep voice.

"You won't even ask what kind of team we are or where we're going?"

Han Yuchen did not stop. With his back to Dai Mubai, all he left him was a lean, solitary silhouette.

His calm voice slowly echoed through the empty passage.

"Because no matter what kind of team you are, or where you're going..."

"It has nothing to do with me."

If you were going to act cool, you had to go all the way.

Playing hard to get was how you raised your value to the highest possible level.

That sentence stabbed like a needle straight into the pride Dai Mubai carried as a prince!

Fury instantly ignited in his evil eyes!

His competitive spirit had been provoked!

"Stop!"

Dai Mubai let out a low roar!

Boom!

Powerful Soul Power erupted!

Yellow, yellow, purple!

Three Soul Rings abruptly rose, their dazzling light instantly illuminating the entire passage!

His burly body swelled at once, muscles knotting as white fur covered his entire body. Sharp tiger claws sprang from his ten fingers!

Beast Spirit, Evil Golden Tiger—possessed!

A fierce, kingly aura swept through the entire passage like a storm!

The light of the First Soul Skill, White Tiger Body Protection Barrier, lit up, while the orb of the Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Roaring Light Wave, rapidly gathered in his mouth!

He wanted to test him!

He wanted to personally tear away the pretentious facade of this masked brat!

However.

At the very instant he prepared to launch his attack—

A sudden change occurred!

Han Yuchen, walking ahead of him, still did not turn around.

He did not even pause his steps.

But within a range of three meters around him—

The air suddenly became viscous!

So viscous that it was like mercury!

Dai Mubai's White Tiger Roaring Light Wave, about to burst forth, and the White Tiger Body Protection Barrier condensed around his body were both forcibly suppressed within him by an invisible, intangible, yet irresistible terrifying force!

They could not leave his body!

Even the circulation of his Soul Power became incomparably difficult!

To his utter horror, he discovered—

The powerful Soul Power he had always been proud of, far surpassing that of his peers, was before his opponent like a stream meeting a vast ocean!

Easily, silently, completely crushed!

His opponent had not even lit up a Soul Ring!

He had not even activated his Spirit!

He had not even turned his head!

This...

What kind of fucking monster was this?!

Dai Mubai's entire body stiffened as he remained frozen in his attacking stance. Cold sweat instantly broke out across his forehead.

He could only watch helplessly.

That silver mask, that lean silhouette.

Unhurriedly, step by step, disappeared into the darkness at the end of the passage.

As though the eruption of Soul Power that had just been enough to make any Soul Grandmaster tremble was nothing more than an insignificant breeze to him.