A tremendous roar erupted beneath the Soul Battle Platform.
"Silencer lost!"
"Who's that guy? He's so strong! I want to make him our new boss!"
"I feel like even the air's gotten fresher!"
Lord Xiao's smile froze instantly. He stared venomously at the flaming wolf on the arena.
The teachers from Suotuo City Intermediate Soul Master Academy all turned their attention to the Fire Wolf.
"Unbelievable. This child hasn't obtained his First Soul Ring yet, but he must be close."
"How old does he look? Six? Seven?"
"He's already strong enough to get into the preparatory class."
Only one person paid attention to the other child beneath the Soul Battle Platform, the one carrying a huge hammer. That Yellow Soul Ring floating above him—it was real, wasn't it?
"Su Yan, you won!" Tang Chi shouted excitedly. "How are you so strong?"
Tang Chi knew she couldn't have taken that last blow head-on. If she used her Soul Skill to restrain her opponent, winning wouldn't have been a problem, but winning so cleanly was much harder.
Su Yan crouched down and said, "Even though I haven't obtained my First Soul Ring, the Soul Power I've accumulated through persistent meditation and cultivation is still there. So the only difference is the Soul Skill."
The little boy beside him was so happy he could have jumped for joy.
They'd suffered at the hands of the Xiao siblings for far too long.
"Boss Su!" the boy yelled, raising his hand.
The people around him joined in.
Soon, the whole crowd was chanting along.
"Boss Su! Boss Su! Boss Su!"
The shouts were deafening, their force sweeping across the arena.
Lord Xiao's expression darkened further, as if water might start dripping from his face.
"Everyone, shut up!" A law enforcer jumped onto the platform and glanced at Lord Xiao.
The latter gave a slight nod.
The law enforcer seized Su Yan's hands and pinned them behind his back, then announced loudly, "The outcome of this Soul Fighting match is suspicious. I have reason to suspect that you took a Soul Master's prohibited substance and were involved in the recent Strength Pill fraud. I'm taking you to the Enforcement Hall for questioning."
Su Yan knitted his brows slightly. With his hands restrained, he couldn't move.
He suddenly remembered that Xiao Chenyu had originally been the boss at Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy. Later, Tang San and Xiao Wu had defeated him, and he'd become their lackey.
Now Ah Yin was at the Main Martial Soul Hall, so Tang San couldn't possibly be here.
As for Xiao Wu, she probably wasn't here either.
Everything had been thrown off course from the very beginning.
"Impossible!" Tang Chi was the first to jump out and protest.
"Law enforcers are on a case. Run along, little brat." The law enforcer lifted Su Yan straight off the Soul Battle Platform and headed for the exit.
"Tang Chi, don't worry. I'm fine." Su Yan looked up at Tang Chi and smiled, then said, "Uncle, could you let go of my hands? I promise I won't run."
"You'd take a prohibited substance, but I'm supposed to trust you?"
"Can't you catch a little kid like me, who doesn't even have a Soul Ring?" Su Yan replied coolly.
The law enforcer fell silent for a moment, then let go. "Behave yourself. Don't even think about running."
Su Yan rolled his shoulders, rested one hand on his waist, and followed the law enforcer.
Director Su suddenly appeared and blocked their way.
The law enforcer wasn't sure whether to advance or retreat.
"Is Director Su going to obstruct an investigation too?" Lord Xiao asked coldly.
"Of course not. It's just that Ma Xiunuo himself brought this child to the academy." Director Su smiled faintly. "I'm sure Lord Xiao knows how Spirit Hall feels about prohibited substances. It's almost impossible that Su Yan took one."
Lord Xiao's expression faltered. He snorted. "Spirit Hall naturally forbids prohibited substances, but there are so many Soul Masters under its command. There are bound to be a few bad apples. I'm just helping Hall Master Ma Xiunuo look into it."
He didn't take the hall master of a little Notting City Spirit Hall seriously. Turning to the law enforcer, he barked, "Take him away!"
Director Su didn't interfere again, allowing Su Yan to leave the academy with the law enforcer.
The students around the Soul Battle Platform gradually dispersed. Several of Xiao Chenyu's lackeys helped him down from the platform.
Lord Xiao smiled and cupped his hands toward the people from the intermediate academy. "Everyone, my son was set up today and made a fool of himself. Let him rest for a little while, and he'll be able to take part in the admissions."
"No worries, no worries. Formal admissions haven't started yet. Let your son get some rest."
"Then let's head to the conference room." Lord Xiao led the way, taking the others with him.
Director Su whispered to Tang Chi, "Go back to Spirit Hall and find Hall Master Ma Xiunuo."
Then he hurried after them.
The Soul Battle Platform, which had been packed with people just minutes ago, now stood deserted. The wind swept by, stirring up dust across the ground.
Su Yan followed the law enforcer into the City Lord's Mansion.
"Uncle, isn't the Enforcement Hall inside Spirit Hall? Why are we at the City Lord's Mansion?"
"Why do you ask so many questions? Be quiet!"
"Fine, don't tell me, then!" Su Yan muttered, looking around.
Notting City wasn't very big, but the City Lord's Mansion was quite impressive.
Stone lions stood at the entrance, while inside, there were ornamental rocks, plants, and birds—everything one could expect.
Su Yan followed the law enforcer around seven or eight turns until they reached a place that looked like a woodshed. A large brass lock hung on the door.
"Get in. Behave yourself, and don't think about escaping." The law enforcer tossed Su Yan inside and locked the door again.
The place was much cleaner than he'd expected. Aside from the firewood piled up to fill half the room, more than a dozen children lay on bundles of straw.
They all looked very young, their faces still childish.
When Su Yan entered, the children barely reacted. They just huddled silently in a corner, trembling with fear.
Su Yan sat down at the very edge. Beside him was a little girl in black, her head buried in her knees as she trembled slightly.
She didn't look like someone he could get any information out of.
He glanced over each child's face. They all looked frightened and helpless, though their clothes ranged from luxurious to shabby.
Two words flashed through Su Yan's mind: human trafficking—the two words he'd hated most in his previous life.
He didn't know why.
But this was the City Lord's Mansion. Lord Xiao had so many children locked away deep inside his own residence. He had to be up to something shady.
He sat back in his original spot. The little girl beside him wore the finest clothes, clearly from a wealthy family.
Su Yan cautiously called out, "Little miss."
The girl raised her head. Her eyes were red, and her cool gaze was filled with fear.
"My name is Su Yan. What's yours?"
"Z-Zhu Zhuqing." The little girl's voice was faint, her throat already hoarse from crying.
But the name exploded in Su Yan's mind like a bomb. He blurted out, "Zhu Zhuqing of the Star Luo Empire? How did you end up here?"
Originally, she shouldn't have appeared until she arrived at Shrek Academy, at least six years from now. For the next six years, this little kitten should have been in the capital of the Star Luo Empire. How could she have ended up thousands of miles away in Notting City?
Zhu Zhuqing flinched and shuffled backward, watching Su Yan warily. "How do you know?"
"Sorry, I scared you." Su Yan did his best to soften his voice. "I'm not a bad person. I was captured too."
"Really?" Zhu Zhuqing hugged her knees tightly, though her voice had softened a little.
"Truer than pearls." Su Yan turned around, took a cup of water and a piece of sesame candy from his belt, and held them out to her.
Sure enough, it was a spatial storage tool. Just two words: so handy.
The food he'd packed away could come in useful at any moment.
"Have some water and a piece of candy," Su Yan said. "Don't worry, they're clean."
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a long while. Looking at the clear water in the cup, she finally couldn't stand her thirst any longer. She took the cup and gulped it down.
Then she took the sesame candy and put it in her mouth. A sweet taste immediately spread through her mouth.
Su Yan asked, "Do you know why we were brought here?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
Before you continue