"Good morning, Teacher Li!"
Teacher Li Yusong's dormitory was closest to Shrek Academy's Playground. Le Bai wanted to spar with Dai Mubai as soon as possible, so there was no reason to go somewhere farther away.
"Le Bai, and Xiao Ao and Hongjun too—what are you all doing here?"
Li Yusong had no classes that day and nothing else to do, so he was basking in the sun outside his dormitory.
"Teacher Li, the Dean brought a new student over today. His name is Dai Mubai, a Power Attack System Battle Soul Master. I want to spar with him, so I'd like to trouble you to act as referee."
Le Bai introduced Dai Mubai to Li Yusong, then turned and said, "This is Teacher Li Yusong, a Tool Soul Emperor."
"Hello, Teacher Li!"
Dai Mubai politely greeted Li Yusong. "I'll have to trouble you with the refereeing."
"You want me to be the referee?"
Li Yusong did not agree right away. He first looked at the eager Le Bai, then at the calm-faced Dai Mubai, and finally at Oscar and Ma Hongjun, who wore expressions of spectators enjoying the show. He asked Dai Mubai, "Child, may I call you Mu Bai?"
"Of course!"
Dai Mubai was very polite. "You are my elder!"
Li Yusong was very pleased with Dai Mubai's attitude. Like most elders, he preferred polite children. "Mu Bai, how much do you know about Le Bai's strength? Why did you agree to spar with him?"
Dai Mubai thought Li Yusong was worried he would hit Le Bai too hard, so he explained, "Don't worry, Teacher Li. Although Le Bai and I only met for the first time today, we are already companions. When we spar later, I will definitely stop at the right point."
"No, I'm not worried about Le Bai. I'm worried about you."
Li Yusong spoke seriously. "You may not believe it, but Le Bai is very strong, especially in actual combat."
Dai Mubai looked at Li Yusong in confusion. "But Teacher Li, he... Le Bai's Martial Soul is Food System. It has no offensive power, does it?"
"Forget it. You probably won't understand just from my explanation."
Li Yusong gave up on explaining it to Dai Mubai in detail. After all, it had taken him quite a while to understand and accept this fact himself.
Li Yusong stood up from his reclining chair. "I'll referee this spar for you. But let me make this clear first: if I intervene to stop you, neither of you is allowed to keep fighting."
Although Dai Mubai found Li Yusong's attitude strange and became wary, based on his own common sense and understanding of Martial Souls, he still believed Le Bai posed no threat to him. "All right, Teacher Li. I'll be careful."
Sigh, I was talking to Le Bai...
Li Yusong sighed softly. "Le Bai, go easy on him later."
"Ahahaha, I'll try. I'll probably have to trouble Teacher Li."
Le Bai felt a little embarrassed, as though he were causing Li Yusong trouble. "No matter what, it wouldn't look good if I knocked down a new student on his first day."
Dai Mubai felt as though his long-held understanding of the world had been challenged. Still, caution never hurt, and he decided to use his full strength once the fight began. Since Teacher Li trusts this Le Bai so much, even if I fail to hold back, I probably won't be blamed, right?
There was a fairly large open space beside Li Yusong's dormitory, usually used for him to exercise. After all, he was a Battle Soul Master. Even after becoming a teacher, he would decline if he went too long without physical activity.
Taking this into account, the Academy had provided every teacher's dormitory with a corresponding "Martial Arts Arena." Though it was only a somewhat larger open space, the teachers all praised it highly.
Le Bai and Dai Mubai stood facing one another at opposite ends of the open space, about five or six meters apart.
Li Yusong stood between them. "Before I say start, neither of you may release your Martial Soul or use Soul Power."
The two nodded and remained still.
Li Yusong retreated to the edge of the open space and raised a hand. "Ready—begin!"
As his hand dropped with the word "begin," Soul Power fluctuations erupted from Le Bai and Dai Mubai almost simultaneously.
But Le Bai was faster.
The spectators sensed two waves of Soul Power. The latter was clearly stronger than the former.
Two Century Soul Rings appeared around Dai Mubai, radiating golden Soul Power.
In comparison, the single white Soul Ring around Le Bai looked utterly shabby.
"His First Soul Ring is only a Decade Soul Ring?"
Dai Mubai unconsciously looked down on Le Bai a little more. I'll test him first without using a Soul Skill.
Just as Dai Mubai was about to rush over and test him with an ordinary punch, Le Bai moved. He was so fast that before Dai Mubai had even finished lifting his foot, before the sole had left the ground, Le Bai had already rushed in front of him and thrown a punch.
"So fast!"
Dai Mubai was startled, but he could still keep up with that speed. He threw his own fist at Le Bai's. But that's also stupid! He doesn't know how to use his speed advantage and actually attacks head-on! I'm a Power Attack System Battle Soul Master!
Thud!
Their fists collided with a dull sound.
Under the unsurprised gazes of the onlookers, Dai Mubai's tall body staggered back several steps, disbelief still written across his face.
Le Bai did not retreat even half a step, though the ground beneath his feet had sunk slightly.
"Tsk! As expected of a top-tier Beast Martial Soul, its attack boost is incredible! Without using a Soul Skill or investing much Soul Power, just an ordinary punch made my hand hurt a little!"
Le Bai shook the hand that felt a faint twinge of pain, his fighting spirit blazing like fire. "But that's exactly why this is good! Otherwise, it wouldn't feel like much of a fight! Soul Power Overclocking!"
Dai Mubai steadied himself, enduring the distinct pain in his right fist as he stared tensely at Le Bai. He discovered that Le Bai's Soul Power fluctuations were growing stronger, yet becoming harder to perceive.
"It feels like a venomous snake hiding in the grass, ready to strike!"
Dai Mubai shuddered and no longer dared to underestimate Le Bai in the slightest. "First Soul Skill—White Tiger Protection Barrier!"
"Done buffing up? Then I'm coming!"
Le Bai laughed and charged forward, throwing a punch twice as fast and powerful as the first. "Round two!"
Dai Mubai did not flinch at all. He clenched his fist and met him head-on!
Because of the age gap, there was a huge difference in Soul Power and strength between Dai Mubai and his older brother. It made him feel that he could never surpass his brother, giving rise to thoughts of giving up and running away.
However, Dai Mubai was still a confident and arrogant person. He did not believe he could lose to a Support System Soul Master like Le Bai, especially one whose Soul Power was far lower than his. "Don't underestimate me!"
Dai Mubai roared, as if venting all the grievances he had suffered from his brother. Soul Power surged as explosive force forced Le Bai back. At the same time, his second Soul Ring lit up, and a mass of intense golden light gathered in Dai Mubai's mouth. "Second Soul Skill—"
"What oppressive power. As expected of a Second Soul Ring. To achieve the same power, I'd need to consume several times more Soul Power! With my ordinary talent, if I didn't have the Panel, I couldn't compete on the same stage as people like them at all."
Le Bai kept his breathing steady, his focus at its peak. Parallel Thinking operated at the limit of its current level as he maintained Soul Power Overclocking and concentrated as much compressed Soul Power as possible into his next attack. My current total Soul Power is enough for two minutes of all-out combat... No! Teacher Li is right beside us, so it doesn't matter if I can't hold back! Gather all my Soul Power. At a time like this, one strike should decide the winner!
Le Bai's emotions surged as he resolved to imitate a hot-blooded youth.
Sensing the Soul Power fluctuations from both sides, Li Yusong also began gathering Soul Power, ready to intervene at any moment.
Dai Mubai's charge reached its peak. He abruptly opened his mouth. "White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"
A golden light wave a full meter thick shot toward Le Bai!
"Finishing move—"
Le Bai neither dodged nor avoided it. He met the light wave head-on. "Serious Punch!"
It was merely an ordinary punch infused with all his Soul Power.
Le Bai did not understand martial arts techniques, nor did he have the talent to create his own. Due to the restrictions of his Martial Soul, he could not perform the offensive techniques of this world that had been developed around Martial Souls.
All Le Bai could do was launch simple, direct basic attacks and pour more Soul Power into them.
But that was enough!
The punch containing all of Le Bai's current Soul Power forcibly scattered Dai Mubai's White Tiger Intense Light Wave.
This consumed part of the Soul Power gathered around Le Bai's fist, but enough remained.
It did not land—Le Bai's fist stopped just before it made intimate contact with Dai Mubai's forehead.
The fist compressed the air, generating a powerful gust that sent Dai Mubai's golden hair flying.
"Le Bai, what did you say earlier?"
Li Yusong's overwhelming Soul Power forcibly stopped Le Bai's advancing fist. "You call this trying?"
"Didn't I know Teacher Li would definitely step in? Ahahaha..."
Le Bai was in the wrong, and his laughter lacked confidence. "Sorry, Teacher Li. I got a little carried away."
"You really are something."
Li Yusong shook his head and released his hand. Turning to Dai Mubai, who was still standing there in a daze, he said, "All right, Mu Bai. Now you know how strong Le Bai is, don't you? Though you might not find a second Support System Soul Master like him even if you searched the entire Soul Master world, underestimating an opponent is never a good habit."
"Yes, Teacher Li. I'll remember that."
Dai Mubai bowed sincerely, tucking away the last traces of his arrogance.
"The spar is over. You should leave now."
Li Yusong returned to the reclining chair outside his door. "I'm going to keep resting."
"Thank you, Teacher Li! Goodbye, Teacher Li!"
Le Bai called out to Li Yusong, then looked at Dai Mubai. He held out his palm and said with a smile, "I had a great time fighting today. I hope we can spar and exchange pointers more often in the future, Mu Bai!"
Dai Mubai instinctively reached out and shook his hand. "We will!"
"Oh, right, Mu Bai."
Le Bai's smile did not change. "There's something I want you to do."
"What is it?"
Dai Mubai had the self-awareness of a loser. "Just say it."
"Don't be so serious. It's a good thing for you."
Le Bai said, "I want you to become the 'boss' among the few of us."
"Boss?"
Dai Mubai was very surprised. "Why? You're stronger than me. You should be the boss."
"Exactly!"
Oscar said unhappily, "I have no objection to Le Bai being the boss, but Mu Bai is only older, has higher Soul Power, and is pretty average in strength. If he can do it, why can't I?!"
"You don't have the right aura."
Le Bai shook his head at Oscar. "Besides, it would already be impressive if you could take care of yourself."
Then he spoke about himself. "As for me, forget it. Being the boss isn't just about being strong."
"What about me?"
Ma Hongjun said unhappily, "Why aren't you mentioning me?"
Le Bai and Oscar said in unison, "You're too young!"
"Is that your request?"
Dai Mubai nodded calmly. "Understood. I'll do as you say."
"That works."
Le Bai nodded. "From now on, when we're outside, you'll be our Boss Dai."
Thanks to [Book Friend 20170619202634666] for the suggestion.
Revised again.
Revision date: November 30, 2020
Before you continue