A few days later, at Notting Junior Academy's graduation ceremony, Jiang Huai and Gu Yue stepped onto the stage to receive their honors.
Jiang Huai and Gu Yue were the youngest Soul Elders in the history of Notting Junior Academy. Everyone in Nuoding City cheered outside the academy, and the two would even have statues of themselves erected on the academy grounds.
Dean Skru personally presented them with Honorary Dean Medals. Their statues had been carved long ago, and when the red cloths were pulled away, two statues of them standing with their arms folded appeared before the graduating students.
Dean Skru had spent his personal savings on a large quantity of bronze, then hired top craftsmen to cast the statues.
The statues were already worth well over three thousand Gold Soul Coins. Jiang Huai's Soul Power Level was four levels higher than Gu Yue's, and he was now the young man Dean Skru considered most likely to become a Titled Douluo.
Although Jiang Huai's Martial Soul was food, who said food couldn't attack? If I couldn't beat someone, couldn't I just throw a hamburger at him?
A few days later, in Suotuo City, Balak Kingdom
Jiang Huai, Gu Yue, Tang San, and Xiao Wu walked along the city streets. On Jiang Huai's right, Gu Yue was still complaining that she didn't understand why Yu Xiaogang, that useless man, had sent them to an academy called Shrek that they'd never even heard of.
Jiang Huai and Gu Yue had become a couple years ago. Tang San and Xiao Wu's relationship, though, was hard to define. They were technically siblings, yet closer than siblings. They weren't a couple, but they were unusually intimate; say they liked each other, and they'd both deny it.
Jiang Huai patted Gu Yue's head and smiled warmly. "It's fine. There's no harm in taking a look. Yu Xiaogang said Shrek Academy had better teachers than other schools. Let's check it out before we make up our minds."
Gu Yue snorted. "Hmph! Dean Skru even got us spots at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but now who knows if those spots have fallen through."
With his hands behind his head, Jiang Huai strolled along. "Who cares? Even if we don't have those spots, with us reaching Soul Elder rank at eleven, academies everywhere would be fighting to take us."
Gu Yue nodded. "True."
Soon, the four reached a place called the Rose Hotel. Jiang Huai turned to the others. "Should we rent a room here first? Registration at Shrek won't start for a while."
Tang San nodded. "Sure. It's been a long time since we've had a proper place to rest."
Xiao Wu jumped happily. "Yay! We can finally rest!"
Gu Yue smiled, shook her head, and followed Jiang Huai and Tang San inside. Jiang Huai knocked on the front desk. "I'd like two rooms."
The receptionist replied coldly, "We're out. There's only one room left."
Jiang Huai frowned, about to lose his temper, but Gu Yue stopped him with a look. She said gently, "Then give us one room. Let us know when another room becomes available, and we'll take it."
The receptionist nodded and tapped at the keyboard. Just as a key appeared on the counter and she was about to hand it to Gu Yue, a shout came from the doorway.
"Hey! I'm talking to you, beautiful lady. I already reserved this room!"
A man in a white suit, with a full head of blond hair and mismatched eyes, walked in. He had an arm around each of two women who seemed to be twin sisters.
He walked over to Gu Yue and brushed aside the loose hair over her forehead. Jiang Huai saw this and kicked him away, sending him crashing into a pillar.
Jiang Huai's foot lingered in the air. He slowly lowered it and said coldly, "Didn't your mother teach you not to touch a girl's hair without permission?"
The hotel manager came out after hearing the commotion. Seeing the blond young man in the white suit getting up from the floor, he hurried over and brushed off his clothes.
"Young Master Dai, I'll have them thrown out right away. I'll compensate you in Gold Soul Coins for all the time you've lost."
The young man called Young Master Dai shoved the hotel manager away, glared fiercely at Jiang Huai, and pointed at him. "You've got some strength, kid. Come spar with me."
Jiang Huai sneered. "I don't spar with people who can't even take one punch from me."
Young Master Dai sneered in response. "Fine! Fine! Fine! You've got guts. You're the first person in Suotuo City to dare say that to me."
As he spoke, Young Master Dai brought his hands together and then spread them apart. A white tiger reared up behind him.
He then announced, "I'm Dai Mubai, a level-thirty-seven Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. Please instruct me!"
Jiang Huai knew the fight couldn't just end there, so he stepped forward and rubbed his hands together.
"I'm Jiang Huai, a level-thirty-eight food-type Soul Elder. Please instruct me."
Dai Mubai paused, then relaxed. "You're a food-type Soul Master, yet you've got the nerve to challenge a Power Attack System Soul Master?"
Jiang Huai smiled. "Only the most useless of the useless fail to cultivate their Martial Souls. I'll be the first person to defeat a Battle Soul Master with food. Come on."
Dai Mubai's expression sharpened, and he sneered. "Fine! Let's see how good you are."
"Second Soul Skill: White Tiger Intense Light Wave."
Jiang Huai dodged with an easy sidestep and smiled. "Too slow."
Dai Mubai's Soul Rings spun around him as he laughed. "Don't get cocky."
Dai Mubai lunged forward. Jiang Huai gave him an eerie smile. "Just what I was hoping for."
Jiang Huai suddenly landed lightly on the ground. Dai Mubai threw a punch, and Jiang Huai dodged it with a sidestep.
Jiang Huai seized Dai Mubai's wrist and drove an elbow into his joint.
Gu Yue, Xiao Wu, and Tang San all shut their eyes, unable to watch such a brutal scene. They sucked in a sharp breath before closing them.
Dai Mubai's arm bent sharply at a horrifying angle. Then Jiang Huai slammed into him with an Iron Mountain Lean, sending him flying. Everyone looked over and saw him crash into another pillar.
Jiang Huai traced a taiji in the air before him and took a deep breath. At first glance, he looked quite dashing. It was just hard to tell whether Dai Mubai was alive or dead.
If Jiang Huai hadn't held back on that Iron Mountain Lean, multiple broken bones would have been the least of Dai Mubai's injuries.
Dai Mubai struggled to raise his hand and give a thumbs-up. Jiang Huai nodded, then relaxed and walked over to help him up.
Jiang Huai took out a hamburger. This one hadn't been infused with a Soul Skill; it was a Healing Burger. He said to Dai Mubai, "Eat this. It can heal your injuries."
Dai Mubai eyed it suspiciously, then took a bite. He found that his arm had returned to normal. The broken bones in his body hadn't healed, but his Soul Power had actually risen a little.
Dai Mubai took a deep breath and held out his hand. "Welcome to Suotuo City. We'll meet again."
With that, Dai Mubai left the Rose Hotel with his arms around the two women. Hearing his words, Jiang Huai nodded.
Tang San stepped forward and asked Jiang Huai, "Huai, are you all right?"
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