Grouping

Lin Chen listened to Zhou Yi's angry outburst from the side, feeling rather speechless. But he was also puzzled. Why had Demon King Zhou kept him behind?

In her view, Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes Martial Soul and Spirit Sharing skill were clearly support-oriented. Wang Dong was undoubtedly an Attack System Soul Master, while Xiao Xiao's Soul Suppressing Cauldron was obviously suited for both offense and defense, with a greater emphasis on defense.

Additionally, Lin Xiaolei was in the Control System, while Zhou Mingxing was in the Food System.

Huo, Wang, and Xiao: "..."

Huo Yuhao was the first to explain. "Teacher, although my Spirit Eyes' current First Soul Skill is support-oriented, the Spirit Eyes Martial Soul can possess offensive Soul Skills as well. I don't want to be only a Support System Soul Master."

Xiao Xiao said, "Teacher, my Soul Suppressing Cauldron is actually a mutation called the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron. Besides combining offense and defense, it can also control the entire field. And I have another Martial Soul, the Nine Phoenixes Coming to Greet Flute. With the two working together, I'm more suited to be a Control System Soul Master."

As for Wang Dong, she had nothing to explain. She was unquestionably an Attack System Soul Master; she simply wanted to be with Huo Yuhao. By now, she had already shrunk behind him.

"Twin Martial Souls?" Everyone looked at Xiao Xiao in surprise, except Lin Chen, of course, since he was only pretending.

"I kept you behind mainly to discuss the team arrangements. Xiao Xiao, Xiaolei, which team do you two want to join?" Zhou Yi asked.

Zhou Yi naturally meant Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's team, or Lin Chen and Zhou Mingxing's team. After all, they were in the same dormitory, and each team could only have one Attack System Soul Master, so Zhou Yi had already assumed those pairings.

"Um..." Xiao Xiao and Lin Xiaolei exchanged a glance, both somewhat hesitant.

At that moment, Lin Chen stepped in to smooth things over.

"Xiao Xiao, join the Squad Leader's team."

Everyone turned to look at Lin Chen.

"Little Earth, why do you want me to join the Squad Leader's team?" Xiao Xiao asked in confusion.

"Obviously, the Squad Leader's abilities currently lean more toward support, and his team lacks a defensive Soul Master. So you should go." As he spoke, he even gave Xiao Xiao a push.

And just like that, with Lin Chen's assist, the team arrangements were settled.

"Little Earth, are you afraid I'll hold you back?" As they walked through Shrek Academy, Xiao Xiao pouted unhappily. She had wanted to team up with her good sister too.

"No, Xiao Xiao. You're very strong," Lin Chen said.

"Then why did you shove me onto the Squad Leader's team?"

"It's nothing. Don't you like that handsome guy Wang Dong? Now you're on the same team as him." Lin Chen teased with a smile.

"Lin Xiaotu!" Xiao Xiao instantly summoned the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron and hurled it at Lin Chen.

A young girl's heart was always shy. Lin Chen, a shut-in bachelor for eighteen years, clearly knew nothing about that.

"Xiao Xiao!" Huo Yuhao's voice came from behind Lin Chen's group of four.

"Oh, you're here too. I came to find Xiao Xiao. The Freshman Competition is about to begin, and Wang Dong and I want to get familiar with Xiao Xiao's Soul Skills."

Lin Xiaolei bumped her good sister's shoulder. "Go on, Xiao Xiao."

Xiao Xiao's cheeks were a little hot, but she still followed Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong away.

"Alright, let's get familiar with each other's Soul Skills too," Lin Chen suggested.

"Okay," Zhou Mingxing and Lin Xiaolei replied.

The group walked into a small grove and began talking about their Martial Souls and Soul Skills.

"My Martial Soul is the Seven Kill Sword, known for its attack power."

"The Seven Kill Sword?! Could it be the Martial Soul of Sword Douluo, the Sect Protecting Douluo of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect from Ten Thousand Years Ago?" Lin Xiaolei asked in surprise.

Zhou Mingxing, meanwhile, was no longer surprised, since Lin Chen had already told him in the dormitory.

"That's right. Xiaolei, you're really knowledgeable."

"Little Earth, I understand every word you said, but why do I feel like you meant something else?" Lin Xiaolei looked at Lin Chen warily.

"..."

After a brief awkward silence, Lin Chen said to Lin Xiaolei, "Alright, tell us about your Martial Soul."

"My Martial Soul is the Withered Wood Curtain Sound Qin, a Control System Tool Martial Soul. By plucking its strings, I can produce qin music to control and attack enemies. My First Soul Skill is Lingering Qin Sound, which briefly stuns enemies. My Second Soul Skill is Qin Sound Surrounding the Beam, which attacks enemies with qin music and restricts their movements."

"My First Soul Skill is Long Sword Peaks, which creates Seven Kill Swords to attack enemies and increases attack power by fifty percent. The more swords I create, the weaker they become. My Second Soul Skill is Sharpness Revealed, which increases attack power, speed, and piercing power by seventy percent. It's a thousand-year Soul Skill."

As Lin Chen spoke, he demonstrated the effects of his Soul Skills.

"First Soul Skill, Long Sword Peaks! Second Soul Skill, Sharpness Revealed!" In an instant, several Seven Kill Swords appeared. Lin Chen controlled them as they attacked a massive boulder.

With a bang, the boulder shattered into pieces.

"Wow!" Zhou Mingxing exclaimed. "Brother Lin, your Martial Soul's attack power is so strong!"

"Of course!" Lin Chen said proudly. Then he used the Seven Kill Sword to slash out streams of Sword Qi at the other boulders. Though they were not as powerful as before, they could still slice the boulders apart.

"My Martial Soul is Dumpling, a Food System Martial Soul. My First Soul Skill is Mango Dumpling, and its effect is to increase the consumer's Soul Power by ten percent." As Zhou Mingxing spoke, he released his Soul Skill.

After spending several days together, Zhou Mingxing had finally become able to converse normally with Xiao Xiao and Lin Xiaolei.

"Dumpling, dumpling, my Mango Dumpling." After he recited the soul incantation, two yellow dumplings appeared in Zhou Mingxing's hands. He handed one each to Lin Chen and Lin Xiaolei.

The soft, sticky dumplings entered their mouths, and Lin Chen and Lin Xiaolei both felt invigorated. It was not only because of the Soul Skill's boosting effect—more importantly, they were delicious!

"Little Star, your dumplings are way too tasty!" Lin Xiaolei praised.

"Really? Haha." Zhou Mingxing scratched his head awkwardly. It was the first time someone had praised him, and his face reddened slightly.

"Alright, now that we're familiar with each other's Soul Skills, I'll handle the main attacks. Xiaolei, you'll protect Mingxing and control the enemies. Mingxing, you're our team's healer—the most important person. Our entire team's supplies will depend on you," Lin Chen summarized.

Lin Xiaolei and Zhou Mingxing both responded with a simultaneous "Mm," having no objections to Lin Chen's arrangements.

"Little Earth, whose name should we use for our team name?" Lin Xiaolei asked.

"Uh..." Lin Chen found himself troubled as well. Although he was the team's main attacking Soul Master, every member of the team was important. He did not want to simply put his own name on the team, and he had been rather low-key in his past life too.

"How about using Brother Lin's?" Zhou Mingxing suggested.

"Okay!" Lin Xiaolei immediately agreed. When she had asked the question, she had been considering whether to use Lin Chen's name or Zhou Mingxing's. She had never considered using her own. Girls were always shy about such things.

"This... Xiaolei, Mingxing, you..." Now it was Lin Chen's turn to hesitate.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's settled then. The captain has to treat us to milk tea tonight." Lin Xiaolei gave Lin Chen no chance to refuse.

"Alright, milk tea's on me tonight," Lin Chen said with a smile.

The next day, the first-year freshmen finally welcomed the assessment competition. The entire Outer Court Soul Fighting Arena became incredibly lively. After all, they were all young and high-spirited, their competitive drive and desire to fight overflowing.

Lin Chen's team was assigned to Area One.

Looking at the high-spirited youths, Lin Chen felt as though he had returned to his high school days in his previous life.