For Xiao Huohuo,
now that a "Yan Jun" with two thousand-year soul rings had finally appeared, he was an absolute hot commodity.
Naturally, he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by.
And for Lu Lin, Xiao Huohuo's proposal really would help him earn a Silver Soul Badge faster.
A win-win!
Thinking it over, Lu Lin nodded. "All right, I agree."
"But if I take part in a Cross-level Challenge, can I still only fight once a day?"
At that, Xiao Huohuo nodded first, then awkwardly waved his hand.
"Yes, those are the rules. There's nothing I can do about it.
"But Lord Yan Jun can also fight in team matches. That would just require registering again."
Lu Lin felt a little put out.
Registering cost ten Gold Soul Coins.
What a rip-off!
Luckily, he didn't need to. Where was a lone wolf like him supposed to find a team to enter a team match?
Although Lu Lin agreed, this was a serious matter, so naturally he couldn't just leave it at that.
A verbal agreement wasn't enough; they still needed to draw up an agreement—in other words, sign a contract.
So Lu Lin and Mo Yin followed Xiao Huohuo to his office to discuss the details.
In a way, Lu Lin was practically a VIP customer at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.
Half an incense stick later,
Lu Lin and Xiao Huohuo—or rather, Lu Lin and the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena—finally signed the contract.
The specifics were that Lu Lin would use his Soul Grandmaster strength to fight in Soul Elder matches as part of the Cross-level Challenge.
For every match Lu Lin won, he'd receive 10 points, and his points would skyrocket after a winning streak.
Of course, in return, if Lu Lin lost a match, 10 points would be deducted from his total.
Meanwhile, under the arena's rules, anyone who lost to Lu Lin would only lose 1 point.
The "Cross-level Challenge" matches would begin promptly at eight every evening, becoming a "regular feature" of the Great Soul Arena.
Lu Lin only needed to show up at that time each day to fight.
The challenge would run in seven-day cycles.
At the end of each seven-day period, Lu Lin could decide whether to enter the next cycle or end the challenge.
As for Lu Lin's opponents, the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena wouldn't rig the matches or deliberately assign Yan Jun opponents who were either too weak or too strong.
Everything would be decided by the standard matchmaking system.
Most importantly, Xiao Huohuo also handed Lu Lin a Stored Value Card containing five thousand Gold Soul Coins on the spot as payment for signing "Yan Jun."
They certainly had deep pockets.
Lu Lin silently accepted the card.
At the same time, he thought, If I take this card and run, the Great Soul Arena will be out a fortune...
A little while later, Lu Lin and Mo Yin left the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.
Lu Lin rubbed his fingers over the patterns on the pale gold card, gazing at the bustling crowds with a strange expression.
He'd gone out for a bit and come back with a windfall. Who could've expected that?
But who ever complained about having too much money?
After a moment's thought, Lu Lin looked at Mo Yin. "Elder Mo, could you tell me which place in Heaven Dou City serves the best wine?"
Mo Yin raised an eyebrow. "If you want something, just say so."
"It's just that I'll be fighting for the next few days. Could you help me place a few bets? Ahem, just bet on me to win."
As he spoke, Lu Lin handed Mo Yin the gold card.
Mo Yin took it and tucked it into his robe, then nodded slightly.
"Sure, but let's get this straight first: if I lose your money, don't blame me."
Then Mo Yin added,
"As for the best wine in Heaven Dou City, that'd be the Immortal Wine Pavilion. Come on, I'll take you there."
Lu Lin's eyelid twitched. Why does that sound expensive?
The Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena worked even faster than Lu Lin had expected.
The two had just left the Immortal Wine Pavilion and hadn't even made it back to their hotel when they saw people handing out flyers from the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena on the street.
Lu Lin casually took one.
The flyer's star was none other than him, "Yan Jun."
In short, it announced that starting at eight the next evening, there would be one Cross-level Challenge match every day, with a Soul Grandmaster fighting a Soul Elder. During the event, tickets would be ten percent off...
Whether you were a Soul Master or an ordinary citizen, you shouldn't miss it if you passed by.
After reading the flyer, Lu Lin was completely dumbfounded!
Most importantly, where had they gotten his picture? He wasn't nearly that ugly!
Mo Yin leaned over to take a look and immediately grinned. "Young Ji, you're famous now. But if that girl Nan sees this flyer, she'll definitely tease you."
At that, the image of his mischievous senior sister flashed through Lu Lin's mind, and he immediately felt a headache coming on.
But then another thought occurred to him. What does Yan Jun's ugly picture have to do with Ji Ming?
And what does Ji Ming have to do with me, Lu Lin?
Thinking that, Lu Lin felt a little better.
The two returned to their hotel, and the night passed without incident.
The next day, at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.
Eight in the evening.
After a full day of publicity from the Great Soul Arena, it was packed to the rafters, with every seat occupied.
Without a doubt, most of these prime targets had been lured in by Xiao Huohuo using "Yan Jun's" name. Soul Master nobles living in the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire certainly weren't short on money, and even ordinary people could afford tickets to a match or two.
The host was the same woman who had hosted Lu Lin's match the day before.
Today, she wore a fiery red gown that only enhanced her peerless beauty.
After a few empty pleasantries, the host raised her voice. "And now, let's welcome the star of tonight's show—Yan Jun!"
Dressed in black and wearing a wolf-shaped mask that covered half his face, Lu Lin calmly walked onto the arena.
The moment he appeared, the audience members who had watched his match the day before immediately began chanting "Yan Jun," and the atmosphere once again reached a fever pitch.
Were these people plants Xiao Huohuo had hired? Lu Lin wondered inwardly.
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena,
in an elegant private room,
Mo Yin sat facing a middle-aged man of about forty who exuded an air of nobility.
Behind the man stood another middle-aged man in a blue outfit, his manner as steady as a deep abyss. He was probably the other man's bodyguard or something of the sort.
The middle-aged man in fine clothes looked at Mo Yin.
"Elder Mo, as you said, this Yan Jun is another direct disciple of Sect Master Si?"
Mo Yin nodded slightly and replied in a calm voice.
"That's right. The Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber that the Sect Master traded with His Majesty for back then was prepared for him."
The man seated across from Mo Yin was none other than the current emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire—Wei Qianhe.
"I see."
Wei Qianhe was taken aback, then fell into thought. Si Yuan Ye really had been willing to invest in him.
No wonder this "Yan Jun's" First Soul Ring had been a thousand years old.
He'd been wondering why such a prodigy had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
What a pity his daughter was too old and already married. Otherwise, he would have found a way to bring them together no matter what.
Hmm, perhaps he could find a suitable girl from the imperial clan and adopt her into the family?
As Wei Qianhe pondered, he glanced at Mo Yin from the corner of his eye.
He sighed inwardly.
If only I could tie the Body Sect to the imperial family.
Other people might not know the Body Sect's true strength and foundation, but how could he not?
Mo Yin, for his part, had no idea what Wei Qianhe was scheming. He simply savored the fine wine as he watched Lu Lin on the central arena below.
Well, to be fair, the wine here was pretty good.
Lu Lin's opponent for this match was a Power Attack System Battle Soul Master with the codename Magic Tiger, whose strength was level thirty-two.
As "Magic Tiger" appeared, the crowd fell silent.
Anyone who often came to the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena to watch matches would know this:
Although Magic Tiger was only a Copper Soul Master, he was still a hot favorite.
He was already on a five-match winning streak.
And his soul ring configuration was two yellow and one purple.
Magic Tiger had a thousand-year soul ring too.
Lu Lin, however, didn't know anything about Magic Tiger's background or record.
If he had, he would surely have cursed Xiao Huohuo out.
And you call this not rigging the matches?!
Before you continue