First Blood

To participate in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, one had to be from an Advanced Soul Master Academy.

A third-rate academy like Shrek probably did not even meet the entry requirements.

Under the hazy night sky, after two days of travel, the Imperial Dou Team finally arrived at Silvis City, the transit stop on the way to Suotuo City.

They would stay here for the night and continue their journey tomorrow.

Ye Hao had been assigned to share a room with Yu Tian Heng. Sitting alone on the balcony and looking out at the bustling night market, he felt a deep longing rise within him.

Well, Tian Heng had gone off to find Sister Yan. Young couples really had it good. He just wondered where his destined girl was.

It really made him look forward to it...

It was still too early for Ye Hao to sleep, so he went downstairs and knocked on the door of the room where Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan were staying.

Click—

Before long, Ye Lingling opened the door and saw Ye Hao.

"What is it?"

Ye Lingling asked indifferently.

Ye Hao casually glanced into the room. "You're alone?"

"Is there a problem?"

Ye Lingling replied coolly.

Yu Tian Heng and Dugu Yan had gone out on a date, leaving Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan's roommate, alone in the room. She and Ye Hao were both lonely souls far from home.

"How about we go for a walk? No idea where Brother Tian Heng went. I'm guessing he's getting cozy with Sister Yan."

Ye Lingling rolled her eyes at Ye Hao. Since she was alone anyway, there was no harm in going out to clear her head.

The two left the inn together and walked along the bustling streets, where carriages and pedestrians flowed endlessly.

Ye Hao and Ye Lingling walked hand in hand. At first, Ye Lingling felt awkward about it, but after thinking it over, Ye Hao was only an eleven-year-old child. What bad intentions could a child possibly have?

Ye Hao was like an old hand, constantly taking detours. As long as there was somewhere worth seeing, the two of them visited it.

As night drew on, Ye Hao and Ye Lingling sat down on a bench in front of a building. Ye Lingling rubbed her sore legs and shot Ye Hao a glare. How did this boy have so much energy? He was still full of vigor, as though he had not had enough walking around.

Ye Hao smiled faintly. After resting with Ye Lingling for a while, he was just about to get up and leave.

Then several burly men, drunk out of their minds and dressed in ragged clothes, stumbled out in small groups, empty wine bottles still in their hands.

Ye Hao and Ye Lingling exchanged a glance and chose to ignore them. Better to avoid trouble than invite it.

Ye Hao had always looked down on Shrek Academy's belief that those who did not stir up trouble were mediocrities. The other party had not provoked you, yet you insisted on provoking them. Wasn't that just asking for it?

Ye Hao and Ye Lingling passed by the men. They had only taken a few steps when...

Several burly men surrounded them, sealing off every direction. Ye Hao and Ye Lingling's expressions darkened at once as they realized something was wrong.

Before either of them could say anything, one of the men stretched out a large hand to pull Ye Lingling into his arms. The greed in his eyes had already exposed his intentions.

"Ah—"

A scream rang out. Ye Hao's face remained expressionless as he coldly gripped the man's wrist and gave it a light squeeze.

Crack.

The man collapsed to the ground, wailing. The pain in his wrist made his entire body convulse uncontrollably, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Sis, let's go."

Seeing this, Ye Hao hurriedly grabbed Ye Lingling and pulled her away. But before they could escape more than a few meters—

A powerful oppressive force bore down on them from behind. Ye Hao and Ye Lingling split apart and swiftly dodged.

The men released their martial souls, their already powerful bodies swelling with bulging muscles. A thick stench of blood began to emanate from them.

Ye Hao remained calm in the face of danger. Three Soul Rings lit up beneath his feet. The Death Spider Emperor possessed him, black armor wrapping around his body as eight black spider lances spread from his back.

There were six Soul Ancestors on the other side, each with four Soul Rings. The colors of their rings varied, and the bloody stench on their bodies made it clear that they had committed no small amount of murder.

"Brat, you dared provoke our Fierce God Team? Didn't you ask around? In all of Silvis City, who would dare mess with us?"

Ye Hao paused slightly. "The Fierce God Team?"

The infamous Fierce God Team was a registered Soul Master team of the Silvis Great Soul Arena. Because they often killed opponents without cause during soul battles, they had been banned by the Great Soul Arena. From then on, the Fierce God Team gradually faded from prominence, appearing less and less at the Silvis Great Soul Arena...

During their final appearance, the Fierce God Team was pierced through by the Shrek Seven Devils' Godly Zhuge Crossbows, leaving them crippled for life.

Ye Hao rubbed his nose and looked at the six vicious men before him. Another was lying on the ground, crying in agony after Ye Hao had broken his wrist. That pain was not easy to endure.

Of course, they had brought this upon themselves. Who told them to set their sights on Ye Lingling?

"Brat, hand over the chick beside you, then kill yourself. That way, we won't have to do it ourselves."

One of them spoke with extreme arrogance, his gaze involuntarily sweeping over Ye Lingling's slender figure.

Ye Hao took a deep breath. He had originally intended to be merciful, but with things having come to this, to hell with being merciful.

"Third Soul Skill, Spider Prison."

The instant he spoke, the Third Soul Ring beneath Ye Hao's feet flared brightly. A black toxic miasma rose beneath the Fierce God Team, and the smell of decay assaulted every one of their brains.

Immediately afterward, Ye Hao viciously raised his right hand. Black venomous spider spikes suddenly burst from the ground. Under Ye Lingling's shocked gaze, the spikes began harvesting lives without exception. Blood flowed freely, staining the pristine ground red.

Ye Hao appeared calm and composed. For some reason—perhaps due to the influence of his martial soul—the more he killed, the more exhilarated he felt. That was not a good sign.

The Death Spider Emperor had always been bloodthirsty. As the emperor among Demon Spiders, its murderous nature was in no way inferior to the Man-Faced Spider Emperor's—if anything, it surpassed it.

Ye Hao clenched his teeth and withdrew his martial soul and soul skills. Looking at the mangled corpses on the ground, he let out a lingering breath of relief. He had nearly lost control.

After that bout of slaughter, Ye Hao was surprised to discover a white aura surrounding him. Its solemn, chilling presence made even Ye Lingling, several meters away, feel a trace of unease.

"Killing intent? Or..."

"Sis, let's get back quickly."

Ye Lingling snapped out of her shock. Suppressing the unease in her heart, she hurried away with Ye Hao. Killing soul masters without cause was a serious crime. No matter how vicious and heinous the Fierce God Team had been, rules were still rules.

Fortunately, this place was rarely visited, and there were no cameras like in his previous life. What happened today ultimately sank without a trace. With the fall of the Fierce God Team, their sinful lives finally came to an end...