Zhou Mingxing Equipped with a Soul Tool

At his words, Lin Chen's heart immediately trembled.

Wasn't that familiar, gentle voice Zhang Lexuan, the Senior Sister of the Inner Court?

Looking up, he saw an exquisitely beautiful face. Zhang Lexuan stood gracefully before him, looking at him as well.

"Where's my milk tea? I already paid for it," Zhang Lexuan said.

"Oh, right, here." Lin Chen handed her a freshly made cup of milk tea.

Seeing Lin Chen's dazed expression, Zhang Lexuan burst into laughter. "All right, I won't disturb your business for now. Do you have anywhere to sit?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Lin Chen hurriedly replied, then pointed to several tables and chairs behind his stall. "The space behind here is all part of my stall. Sit wherever you like, Sister Lexuan."

Zhang Lexuan nodded and walked over to sit in a chair.

After closing up his stall, Lin Chen took two cups of milk tea and sat beside Zhang Lexuan. "Why are you so free today, Sister Lexuan?"

"I didn't come here specifically for you. I just finished a mission today and didn't feel like cooking, so I came over to buy something to eat. Who would've thought I'd find a freshman running a stall instead of cultivating?" Zhang Lexuan answered bluntly.

"Sister Lexuan, balancing work and rest is important. If I work too hard, this little body of mine won't be able to take it," Lin Chen said with a smile.

"You're really good at talking." Zhang Lexuan rolled her eyes at him.

Then she asked, "I heard the Freshman Competition has started. How are your results?"

"We've only fought two matches so far, and we've won both," Lin Chen said proudly.

"But compared to you, Sister Lexuan, it's nothing."

"Mm."

As if remembering something, Lin Chen took out the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber he had picked up for cheap from his Soul Tool. "Sister Lexuan, I bought this Whale Rubber from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. Can you use Soul Power to melt it for me? I want to eat it while cultivating tonight."

"Sure, but this Whale Rubber... looks a little spoiled," Zhang Lexuan said.

"No, no, no, Sister Lexuan, this is Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber."

"Oh?" Zhang Lexuan circulated her Soul Power, and the Whale Rubber melted beneath her formidable Soul Power, becoming a soft, mushy mass.

"It really is Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber, and it's in excellent condition. The medicinal effect should be very strong. Absorb it now. I'll stand guard for you," Zhang Lexuan said, her tone leaving no room for objection.

Lin Chen nodded and immediately swallowed the Whale Rubber. He sat cross-legged, circulated his Soul Power, and began absorbing its medicinal effects.

Only when a pale streak of dawn appeared in the east did Lin Chen slowly awaken from his cultivation. He found Zhang Lexuan looking at him with an amused smile.

"Sister Lexuan, why are you looking at me like that?" Lin Chen asked, puzzled.

Seeing Lin Chen's bewildered expression, Zhang Lexuan felt an inexplicable urge to tease him. "I'm really curious. Someone merely absorbed a piece of Whale Rubber, yet entered deep meditation for an entire night. What kind of freak is that?"

"I don't know either... Huh?! What? I meditated for an entire night?!" Lin Chen's mouth fell open.

"S-S-Sister Lexuan, I'm sorry. If you ever need someone for hard labor, just call me. I'm going to the Freshman Competition first. Bye, Sister Lexuan!" With that, he directly summoned the Seven Kill Sword, stepped onto it, and flew away.

Lin Chen rushed anxiously to the Soul Fighting Platform and found Lin Xiaolei and Zhou Mingxing already waiting there. Fortunately, they were not in the first match, or Lin Chen might have died of embarrassment.

As for the match, they naturally won without any surprises.

When he returned to the Dormitory at noon, Lin Chen examined his body and found that it could now withstand a Four-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. A Soul Ring of that age already rivaled the Fourth Soul Ring of an ordinary Soul Master.

However, Zhou Mingxing was not in the Dormitory. Lin Chen was somewhat puzzled. Although Zhou Mingxing was from the Food System, he cultivated extremely diligently, even more diligently than Lin Chen himself.

Why wasn't he cultivating now?

When the afternoon match began, Zhou Mingxing, holding a Soul Tool, answered Lin Chen's question from noon.

Good lord, he had gone to buy a Soul Tool!

"Freshman Class One's Lin Chen team versus Freshman Class Three's Ma Hongguang team! Contestants, please take the stage!"

"Freshman Class One, Lin Chen."

"Freshman Class One, Lin Xiaolei."

"Freshman Class One, Zhou Mingxing."

"Freshman Class Three, Ma Hongguang."

"Freshman Class Three, Xiao Yang."

"Freshman Class Three, Li Renba."

"Begin!"

The six people on the field simultaneously unleashed their Martial Souls.

Ma Hongguang was a two-ringed Soul Grandmaster, while the other two each had one ring.

Ma Hongguang curled a finger at them from across the field, his provocation obvious.

"Damn it. Little Earth, beat him up!"

"Wait. This team isn't simple."

Lin Chen had observed this team before. Apart from the earlier team of three Soul Grandmasters, they had crushed every opponent with absolute dominance. Xiao Yang's Martial Soul was thread, similar to steel wire from Lin Chen's previous life. Li Renba's Martial Soul was a boomerang, but Lin Chen could not determine Ma Hongguang's Martial Soul.

From watching their previous matches, Lin Chen knew that Ma Hongguang's First Soul Skill was a Mental Control-type Soul Skill. Therefore, Lin Chen concluded that Ma Hongguang was the opposing team's main controller.

Seeing that they had not taken the bait, Ma Hongguang tilted his head toward his teammates. Xiao Yang and Li Renba immediately understood and charged toward Lin Chen's group.

"Watch the situation. I'll deal with these two first."

"Little Earth! Brother Lin, be careful!"

Lin Chen nodded, gripped the Seven Kill Sword, and charged forward, clashing with Xiao Yang and Li Renba.

With the strength of his Martial Soul and the physical enhancement from absorbing a Millennium Soul Ring, Lin Chen was not at a disadvantage even while fighting two opponents alone.

"First Soul Skill, Long Sword Peaks!" Lin Chen used his First Soul Skill, creating two Seven Kill Swords that slashed toward his opponents.

At that moment, Ma Hongguang, who had remained behind Xiao Yang and Li Renba, moved. "First Soul Skill, Mental Control."

Lin Chen went blank.

"First Soul Skill, Lingering Qin Sound!" Lin Xiaolei used her First Soul Skill on Ma Hongguang. He instantly fell into a daze, but his Soul Skill had already landed on Lin Chen. Even though Lin Chen's Spiritual Power was strong among those of the same rank, he could not break free immediately.

Moreover, Ma Hongguang possessed an illusion-type Martial Soul, so his Spiritual Power was also stronger than that of ordinary Soul Masters.

Xiao Yang and Li Renba had no intention of watching Lin Chen break free from Ma Hongguang's control.

"First Soul Skill, Spinning Boomerang!"

"First Soul Skill, Thread Cutting!"

Immediately, a huge boomerang flew toward Lin Chen from one side, while dense threads shot toward him from the other.

Even the referee below the stage had prepared to intervene.

Just as Li Renba and Xiao Yang's Soul Skills were about to strike Lin Chen, Zhou Mingxing ran to Lin Chen's side and took out a Level-2 defensive Soul Tool.

The Level-2 Soul Tool split into two small shields, forming a small energy barrier that helped Lin Chen block the incoming Soul Skills.

A Soul Tool?

Disdain rose in the hearts of everyone present. When had Shrek Academy ever seen freshmen use Soul Tools in a match? Relying on external objects at such a young age—how could he become a powerful Soul Master?

But Zhou Mingxing did not care about that. He was from the Food System to begin with, so what was wrong with using a Soul Tool to give himself some extra protection?

Zhou Mingxing increasingly felt that every word Lin Chen had said made perfect sense.

"Referee, I report them for using a Soul Tool," Li Renba said.

"That is only a Level-2 Soul Tool, which is within the rules. The report is invalid. Continue the match!" the referee said coldly.

Ma Hongguang sneered, seized the opportunity, and released his Second Soul Skill. "Second Soul Skill, Paradise Environment!"

Immediately, a large amount of white mist appeared around Lin Chen and Zhou Mingxing. The figures of Lin Chen, Zhou Mingxing, Ma Hongguang, Li Renba, and Xiao Yang were all concealed by the mist, leaving only Lin Xiaolei outside.

Lin Xiaolei remembered what Lin Chen had told her before the match. "If I'm not mistaken, that Ma Hongguang should be an illusion-type Soul Master. During the match, we can't let all three of us fall into the illusion. At least one person has to remain outside to provide support."

The facts proved that Lin Chen's guess was correct.

At that moment, Lin Chen and Zhou Mingxing found themselves in an amusement park.

"Brother Lin, what do we do?" Zhou Mingxing asked.

"Find his weakness!"

"But I can't see any weakness here." Zhou Mingxing looked around at the bustling amusement park.

"Generally speaking, illusion-type skills pull both the caster and the enemy into the illusion, then use the illusion's support to kill the enemy. Besides, this is only a Hundred Year Soul Skill. The illusion itself can't possibly possess offensive power, so Ma Hongguang and his teammates should have entered the illusion too."

As he spoke, a thread shot toward Lin Chen at extreme speed.

A small lock of Lin Chen's hair was cut off and fell to the ground.