After taking Ning Rongrong back to the girls' dormitory, Zhang Yang hurried back to the Fourth Stage examination grounds, carried Tang San on his back, supported Xiao Wu, and painstakingly got the two of them settled.
The dormitories housed two people per room. Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun shared one, while Tang San was assigned to room with Oscar, the sausage seller. Zhang Yang was thus fortunate enough to have a dormitory all to himself.
Once they had settled down at noon, Zhang Yang entered a cultivation state like Tang San and the others. However, Tang San and the others were healing their injuries, while Zhang Yang was recovering his Soul Power.
After his Soul Power had fully recovered, Zhang Yang saw that it was still early, so he began his daily Soul Power cultivation again. To his surprise, when he opened his eyes again, it was already the next morning.
Stretching lazily as the bones throughout his body erupted in firecracker-like crackling sounds, Zhang Yang said with a delighted smile, "Sure enough, a great battle always brings a breakthrough. level 29—this feels amazing."
Following the information Dai Mubai had given him yesterday, Zhang Yang found the school cafeteria. The food was average, but the portions were generous and filling.
The moment he entered the cafeteria, Zhang Yang spotted two lovely figures within.
"Rongrong, Zhu Qing, good morning." Carrying a tray, Zhang Yang sat across from Ning Rongrong and greeted the two beauties.
The two nodded. "Good morning."
Because of the strength Zhang Yang had displayed yesterday, both of them had a fairly favorable attitude toward him. Although Zhu Zhuqing was reserved by nature, Ning Rongrong was quite talkative, and soon the cafeteria was filled with laughter.
Before long, however, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Tang San, and Xiao Wu entered the cafeteria together. Excluding Oscar, who was still asleep, all of Shrek's students had arrived.
Seeing that all the new students were present, Dai Mubai, as the senior student, spoke first. "Let me introduce you. This fat guy is our academy's other student, Ma Hongjun. His Martial Soul is the Phoenix."
Ma Hongjun said, "Dai Laoda, I heard the new students made Teacher Zhao suffer quite a bit yesterday. Who was it?"
Dai Mubai said, "This one—Zhang Yang."
Since he had been mentioned, Zhang Yang greeted Ma Hongjun as well. "Zhang Yang. Martial Soul Borsalino. level 29 Battle Soul Master."
Ma Hongjun said in surprise, "level 29, and you still made Teacher Zhao suffer? He's a Level 76 Soul Sage."
"My Soul Skill is rather special." Zhang Yang did not explain further. Without seeing it firsthand, no one would believe that such an unstoppable skill existed in this world.
"Oh, oh." Ma Hongjun suddenly understood.
Everyone enjoyed the breakfast well enough, but after exchanging looks with Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun helplessly realized that the three newly arrived junior schoolmates seemed to have already been claimed.
He had come too late.
Ma Hongjun felt rather helpless. Why had he been so unlucky yesterday that he had been assigned to help out at the Third Stage?
Although Zhu Zhuqing left early after finishing breakfast, the remaining six continued chatting happily until they heard the clang-clang of metal striking metal.
Dai Mubai immediately stood up and said, "That's the bell summoning us. Fatty, take them straight to the main Training Ground. I'll go get Zhu Qing." With that, he quickly left the cafeteria.
Watching his departing back, Ma Hongjun muttered, "Dai Laoda seems a little different lately. I've never seen him care so much about a woman before."
Ning Rongrong burst into laughter. "How old are you? Talking about women this and women that."
Ma Hongjun snorted and said proudly, "I may not be that old, but I've had women before. Let's go. The dean doesn't like people being late."
As he said this, Ma Hongjun seemed to shudder, clearly having suffered for it before.
When the five arrived at the main Training Ground, the bleary-eyed Oscar had already arrived as well, holding and eating a sausage he had made himself.
Soon afterward, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing arrived together. Shrek Academy's eight students had finally all gathered.
Looking at the three youthful and beautiful junior schoolmates, each with her own distinct charm, Oscar felt that not shaving today had truly been a mistake.
When Shrek Academy's dean Flender slowly approached from afar, Tang San and Xiao Wu were visibly stunned. Wasn't this the shady uncle who had sold them the gold-plated crystal?
Flender stopped before the eight students. His distinctive hoarse voice, carrying a hint of magnetism, rang out. "This year is quite good. We've gained five more Little Monsters."
"I am Flender, dean of Shrek Academy. On behalf of the academy, I welcome you all. Later, each of you will pay one hundred Gold Soul Coins to Teacher Li, who handles the finances."
Then Oscar and Ning Rongrong, the support Soul Masters, were assigned to run laps, while the other Battle Soul Masters were told to recover their condition in preparation for that evening's First Lesson.
Then Tang San was called away by dean Flender.
Watching Tang San disappear around the corner behind Flender, Xiao Wu anxiously found Zhang Yang. "Zhang Yang, do you think Xiao San might be punished afterward for what happened? Uncle Big Sausage said the dean holds grudges."
Zhang Yang shook his head and said, "Probably not. Besides, the teacher has a letter for dean Flender. It seems the teacher and dean Flender are old acquaintances. I just don't know how the dean recognized Xiao San."
Xiao Wu suddenly understood. "I see."
"I'm going to pay the tuition. Are you coming?"
Xiao Wu shook her head. "All my money is with Xiao San. I have to wait for him to come back."
Zhang Yang nodded. "Oh, then I'll go first."
After paying his tuition, Zhang Yang returned to his dormitory, adjusted his condition, and entered cultivation once more.
If he wanted to avoid being left behind by Tang San, he could only sacrifice a great deal of rest time and cultivate diligently.
That evening, Flender brought Zhang Yang and the others to Suotuo City. Their First Lesson would begin at Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena.
"Soul Power and Soul Rings cannot fully represent a Soul Master's true strength. Only battle can prove everything. Before graduation, your task is to obtain at least a Silver Soul Arena Badge. Do you understand?"
Flender looked at the sky outside. "It's about time. Let's head over first. I'll explain the rest once we get there."
Soto Great Soul Arena was oval in shape and reached a height of one hundred and twenty meters. Inside were one main Soul Fighting Arena and twenty-four Sub Soul Fighting Stages. It could accommodate sixty thousand spectators at once, including one hundred private VIP boxes. This was not only a place where Soul Masters sparred and exchanged techniques, but also where various powers displayed their strength.
Upon entering the Great Soul Arena, the first thing they saw was a huge stone monument engraved with densely packed names. Flender told Zhang Yang and the others that these names belonged to people who had died in Soul Fighting battles.
Registering for Soul Fighting here was very simple. One only needed to fill out a form listing one's name, age, birthplace, and Martial Soul to receive an initial Iron Soul Fighting Badge. Of course, registration also required each person to pay ten Gold Soul Coins.
They also underwent a Soul Power test similar to the one at Spirit Hall to determine their respective levels. Dai Mubai told everyone that whenever they came to participate in Soul Fighting, they first had to undergo a Soul Power test to determine their opponents.
Of everything there, what interested Zhang Yang most was undoubtedly the information regarding Gold Soul Coins.
"Winning one Iron Soul Fighting match earns ten Gold Soul Coins. Losing earns nothing. Also, every match has bookmakers taking bets, with fluctuating odds. Winners also have to pay the bookmaker a certain handling fee."
"Can competing Soul Masters place bets too?" Zhang Yang leaned closer with interest. Given how unbeatable his ability was, this was practically handing him money.
"Only betting on yourself is prohibited." Dai Mubai understood what Zhang Yang meant. "If you want to place a bet, I can help you."
"Of course I want to bet. This money is practically free. Dai Laoda, I'll trouble you with it." Zhang Yang hurriedly took out three hundred Gold Soul Coins and handed them to Dai Mubai.
Zhang Yang had never taken on part-time work outside the academy. These three hundred Gold Soul Coins were the Spirit Hall subsidies he had saved over the past six years. Aside from a few scattered coins, this was all the money he had.
"It's nothing." Dai Mubai shook his head and reminded him, "Zhang Yang, your ability may be unbeatable, but you can't become dependent on it. If you ever encounter a Soul Skill with [Silence] or [dispelling] properties, you'll be in trouble."
"Even if the dean didn't say anything today, I think he'll definitely place restrictions on your Soul Skills in the future."
"You should prepare early, so you aren't caught off guard later."
Hearing Dai Mubai say this, Zhang Yang smiled slyly. "Of course I know. But hasn't the dean restricted me yet? Make some money while I still can."
As he spoke, Zhang Yang's 1v1 Soul Fighting match was about to begin. He patted Dai Mubai on the shoulder and ran off in a flash.
Weighing the money pouch in his hand, Dai Mubai sighed helplessly.
Tang San smiled beside him. "Dai Laoda, Xiao Wu and I are going to register as a 2v2 team first. See you later."
As he spoke, Tang San was pulled away from the 1v1 Soul Fighting area by Xiao Wu.
The Sub Soul Fighting Stage in the 1v1 area had a diameter of twenty meters, enough space for the vast majority of Soul Masters to fight.
At that moment, a middle-aged man in a tailcoat stood at the center of the Soul Fighting Stage. He cleared his throat and loudly announced, "Next will be the first one-on-one Soul Fighting match of our Twelfth Soul Fighting Arena. The contestants will be two Soul Grandmasters. They are:"
"Battle Soul Master Zhang Yang, who possesses the Beast Martial Soul Borsalino."
"Versus..."
"Tool Soul Master Lin Shuai, who possesses the Weapon Martial Soul Iron Staff and has already won five consecutive matches."
"Will Soul Grandmaster Lin Shuai continue his glory, achieve a sixth consecutive victory, and receive the winning streak point reward? Or will the newcomer Battle Soul Master Zhang Yang claim victory? Let us wait and see."
"Now, please welcome the two Soul Grandmasters to the stage."
The spectators in the stands gave only scattered cheers, though quite a few still called out Lin Shuai's name. The rest appeared largely uninterested.
A man quickly appeared on the Soul Fighting Stage. With his sturdy build, steel-like arms, and fan-sized hands, he was clearly skilled at wielding long weapons.
On the other side, the plainly featured yet well-proportioned Zhang Yang slowly stepped onto the Soul Fighting Stage.
"The match... BEGIN!!!"
"Martial Soul, possess." The instant the battle began, Zhang Yang released his Martial Soul. His opponent Lin Shuai released his Iron Staff Weapon Martial Soul at the same time and charged toward Zhang Yang.
The two stood ten meters apart. At a Soul Grandmaster's speed, that was merely a matter of one second.
Thus, in the blink of an eye, Lin Shuai had rushed before Zhang Yang. His dark Iron Staff was raised high, and the First Soul Ring set around it lit up at once.
"First Soul Skill, Thunderous Might."
As the Soul Ring lit up, not only was the Iron Staff Martial Soul affected, but Lin Shuai himself was suddenly enveloped in a layer of red light. Then Lin Shuai, already close at hand, brought his Iron Staff crashing down toward Zhang Yang's head.
Bang!
Zhang Yang narrowly evaded the blow in an almost mystical fashion. The Iron Staff whistled through the air and smashed viciously into the Soul Fighting Stage, creating a small crater and sending crushed stones flying.
There are no other offensive effects. This Tool Soul Master's First Soul Skill should be a Soul Skill that enhances strength or something similar, Zhang Yang thought.
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