First Battle

As Xiao Chen headed to the agreed meeting place, Hu Liena and Xie Yue went with him.

The moment Chu Ruolan saw Hu Liena and Xie Yue, she sensed their exceptional bearing.

Though she couldn't discern the depth of their Soul Power, she knew full well that these two were no ordinary Soul Masters.

Chu Ruolan was curious, but didn't ask. Meanwhile, when the teacher leading Canghui Academy saw seven young people on the Fabia Academy side, his face darkened at once.

"Teacher Chu, what do you mean by this?" the Canghui Academy teacher demanded. He assumed Hu Liena and Xie Yue were reinforcements Chu Ruolan had brought along.

Chu Ruolan smiled. "Teacher Su Ming, don't get the wrong idea. These two are only here to watch."

The Canghui Academy students finally relaxed at that.

"Hey, isn't that the kid who stood in front of the hotel earlier?" One of the Canghui Academy students who had told Xiao Chen to get lost at the hotel recognized him.

"Oh? The kid who was afraid he'd explode absorbing a high-year Spirit Ring, so he settled for a Ten-Year Spirit Ring?" Su Ming sneered.

Clearly, Xiao Chen's remarks at the hotel had already spread.

"Teacher Chu, how many years has the Second Soul Ring you hunted for this kid?" Su Ming continued.

Chu Ruolan stiffened slightly, a hint of embarrassment crossing her face.

She knew perfectly well that Xiao Chen's Second Soul Ring was also a white, ten-year ring. For a moment, she couldn't think of how to respond, so she changed the subject. "That doesn't matter. Let's have the kids begin the match."

Su Ming caught her reaction. His expression froze, then he looked incredulous and asked in a low voice, "No way... Could his Second Soul Ring really be white?"

Chu Ruolan and the others wanted to refute him, but it was an undeniable fact. They had no way to argue.

From the expressions on Ma Yan, Su Qing, and the others, Canghui Academy's group realized Su Ming had guessed correctly—and burst out laughing.

"Laugh, laugh, laugh. What's so funny?" Hu Liena couldn't hold back when she saw them mock her junior brother.

Xie Yue quickly stopped her. "Nana, don't do anything rash. Elder Ju said we weren't to get involved."

"Hmph!" Hu Liena snorted. "Let's see if you're still laughing in a bit!"

Hu Liena was breathtakingly beautiful, and her innate Demon Fox Martial Soul naturally carried an irresistible, bewitching allure.

Even without activating a Soul Skill, that captivating aura lingered around her. Her every glance seemed to ensnare the mind, and the moment she stepped forward, several of the Canghui Academy boys fixed their eyes on her.

Seeing such a beauty defend Xiao Chen, the strongest student from Canghui Academy laughed. "I didn't know this piece of trash had such a grand entourage. He even has a beauty protecting him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the others from Canghui joined in. Their eyes were all fixed on Hu Liena, and their remarks grew increasingly lewd.

"Looking to die?" Xie Yue's gaze turned icy, and the temperature around him plunged in an instant.

Seeing Xie Yue about to make a move, Xiao Chen hurriedly stopped him. He knew that if Xie Yue attacked, someone on the other side would end up dead.

Xiao Chen didn't care whether the people from Canghui Academy lived or died. But Xie Yue was part of the Spirit Hall Golden Generation. If he killed someone here, word would get out and damage Spirit Hall's reputation.

"Brother Xie Yue, leave this to me," Xiao Chen said, his voice calm but carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

Until now, he'd felt only faint distaste for the people from Canghui Academy. Now that little irritation had become deep disgust.

He'd come to this sparring match only to keep his promise, but the people from Canghui Academy had managed to make him lose his temper.

Ma Yan, Su Qing, and the others were already arguing with the Canghui Academy students. Both sides were trading barbs, and a fight seemed imminent.

"Su Ming, is this the kind of conduct you teach at Canghui Academy?" Chu Ruolan's expression had also turned cold.

Su Ming merely curled his lips, his smile careless and flippant. "Young people say whatever comes to mind. It was only a joke. Why take it so seriously, Teacher Chu?"

Seeing that Su Ming was just as bad, Chu Ruolan saw no reason to waste any more words on him.

"If that's the case, then let's settle this with our fists!" Chu Ruolan said coldly. Then she turned to Ma Yan. "Don't hold back."

"Understood!" Ma Yan immediately understood what she meant.

Chu Ruolan had originally forbidden Ma Yan from revealing his Soul Bone during the spar. But the people from Canghui Academy had gone too far, and she couldn't stand by and watch.

Besides, with Xiao Chen joining the match, she was afraid he might get hurt. So she lifted the restrictions on Ma Yan's Soul Bone.

With Chu Ruolan's permission, Ma Yan had already decided to teach the foul-mouthed student a lesson he wouldn't forget.

Su Ming saw this and gave his own students an order as well. "You heard Teacher Chu. Don't hold back!"

"Yes!" the Canghui Academy students answered in unison, their faces wearing disdainful smirks.

The two sides soon reached an open area, and the spar drew many Soul Masters from the town.

As the battle began, both sides immediately formed their teams and released their Martial Souls and Spirit Rings.

The strongest of Canghui Academy's five was the foul-mouthed student: a Level 23 Strong Attack Battle Soul Master with the Blazing Claw Bear Martial Soul, positioned on the left flank.

On the right flank was a Level 22 Agility Attack Soul Master with the Phantom Cat Martial Soul.

At the center of the front line was a Level 21 Defense System Soul Master with the Rock Armor Turtle Martial Soul.

Behind the three was a Level 22 Control System Soul Master with the Shadow Vine Martial Soul.

At the very back stood a Level 20 sound-based Support System Soul Master with the Silent Wind Bell Martial Soul.

In terms of Soul Power Level, Canghui Academy did have a slight advantage over Fabia Academy.

But they never would have guessed Ma Yan had a Soul Bone, much less that Xiao Chen was hiding his true strength.

When they released their Martial Souls, everyone's eyes were on Xiao Chen. Seeing his Martial Soul was a battered Wooden Bow and both his Spirit Rings were white, they could barely hold back their laughter.

The Canghui Academy students laughed even harder, completely disregarding Xiao Chen.

That was when things went badly for them. Xiao Chen had no intention of wasting words. He raised his hand and fired an arrow infused with Brute Force, sending it through a gap in their front line and straight toward the Support System Soul Master at the back.

"Ah..."

A scream rang out from the rear, instantly drowning out the laughter around them. The Canghui Academy students turned to look and saw their teammate on the ground, groaning in pain.

Xiao Chen's arrow had struck her in the thigh, instantly leaving her unable to move.

If Xiao Chen hadn't held back, that arrow would have taken her life.

The battle had barely begun, and the other side had already lost a fighter.

"You bastard! How dare you attack from behind!"

The Strong Attack Battle Soul Master from Canghui Academy roared and charged at Xiao Chen, but Ma Yan stopped him halfway.

Ma Yan's Soul Power Level was one level lower than his opponent's. But after being tempered by a Soul Bone, even without activating its special skill, Ma Yan's overall strength was in no way inferior.

The fight was upon them, and the melee erupted at once.