I Told You That Working with Me Was Your Only Chance to Win. Do You Believe Me Now?

Jiang Yang lifted his foot and kicked the side of the Soul Suppressing Cauldron's belly with pinpoint accuracy. A deafening clang of metal rang across the arena.

The heavy Soul Suppressing Cauldron was sent flying by his kick. It spun through the air and crashed into an open patch of ground, making the earth tremble. Its light dimmed, and it slowly flew back to Xiao Xiao's side. Xiao Xiao stared at it, dumbfounded.

At the same moment, Jiang Yang turned slightly aside. His opponent's blade-like wings skimmed past the tip of his nose and slammed into a tree trunk, leaving a deep gash.

Wang Dong's strike had missed, and she was in the brief opening between one burst of strength fading and the next taking shape. Jiang Yang's right hand, which had been held behind his back, shot out like a ghost and clamped firmly around her wrist.

"Ah—"

A tremendous force surged from Jiang Yang's palm, and Wang Dong cried out in pain.

In an instant, her entire arm went numb and began to ache, while the Soul Power inside her body suddenly turned sluggish. Before she could react, Jiang Yang pulled her along with the motion, and she stumbled forward.

Jiang Yang advanced instead of retreating, closing the distance with unhurried steps. His tall figure drew nearer to Wang Dong's petite frame, and an overwhelming pressure enveloped her.

She could clearly feel his presence and hear his steady heartbeat. Trapped beneath his shadow, she couldn't move an inch, left in a disheveled state with an indescribable hint of intimacy.

The entire chain of events had taken place in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Xiao stared at the Soul Suppressing Cauldron, its light dimmed, her mind completely blank as she stood rooted to the spot.

Wang Dong was even more mortified and furious, her cheeks flushed bright red. With all eyes on her, she wanted to struggle, but her body had gone limp. All that remained was her quick, uneven breathing and her frantic heartbeat.

"This... This is way too insane, isn't it?"

"Is it over?"

"I didn't see a thing!"

"Could they be putting on an act?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"You don't know? Wang Dong and Jiang Yang are roommates. They're as thick as thieves—it's hard not to suspect they're putting on a double act."

"So Jiang Yang's going to go back on his word?"

"I doubt he'll back out. He's probably just trying to scare us so we won't wager anything too valuable."

"Oh, so that's what's going on..."

The fight had been far too fast.

As a result, many people hadn't managed to see the whole thing, even though they'd been standing nearby.

Even Mu Jin had only caught most of it.

But she was experienced and well-informed. Even from a few scattered clues, she could piece together what had happened.

Naturally, she wasn't going to write the fight off as a performance like those others.

"Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, what's going on with you two?"

"Give me a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, don't blame me for enforcing the academy's rules."

Mu Jin was kind by nature and didn't like kicking students out at the drop of a hat.

But if a student refused to behave and had already caused a serious disturbance, she would still teach them a lesson.

"Sorry, Teacher. I was the one who told Wang Dong to—"

"Teacher, this has nothing to do with Xiao Xiao. I acted on my own and dragged her into it."

"Jiang Yang, how do you want to handle this?"

Seeing Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao each take responsibility for the other, Mu Jin felt a surge of satisfaction.

At least it meant that the students she taught had decent character.

The only question left was what Jiang Yang, the person involved, thought.

As the Outer Court Chief, his standing carried considerable weight.

Especially over a matter that could be treated as serious or brushed aside. If Jiang Yang insisted on pursuing it, then even if Mu Jin was willing to step in and protect Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, she might not be able to save them.

"It's no big deal. Think of it as an early practice run."

Jiang Yang waved a hand.

It was only a minor matter.

There was no need to make a mountain out of a molehill.

With that, he leaned back against the tree again, sat cross-legged, and resumed meditating.

Wang Dong secretly made a face at him.

Then she pulled Xiao Xiao over and sat down not far from Jiang Yang. The two began discussing the details of what had just happened.

Before long,

two and a half hours had passed.

Seeing that everyone was more or less ready, Mu Jin got up and walked over to Jiang Yang to tell him.

After getting his approval,

Mu Jin eagerly made her way to a higher set of steps and stood there.

"Students, the friendship matches for our Freshman Class One are now—"

"Officially underway!"

"For the first match, the challengers are Tai Long, Tang Ling, and Yun Xiaopiao. They'll be taking on the defender, the Outer Court Senior Brother—Jiang Yang!"

"The stakes are twenty Gold Soul Coins and a bottle of healing medicine worth more than ten Gold Soul Coins."

"Who will emerge victorious?"

"Let's wait and see!"

"Now, I declare the first challenge match—"

"Officially underway!"

As soon as Mu Jin finished speaking,

Tai Long and the others immediately activated their Martial Souls.

All three were One-Ring Soul Masters, but their team was well-balanced:

one assault type and two control types.

"Senior Brother—"

"Here we come!"

With that, Tai Long summoned his Mad Dog Martial Soul into his right hand and charged at Jiang Yang.

Tang Ling and Yun Xiaopiao flanked him, making up for Tai Long's lack of damage while also controlling Jiang Yang's movement.

But then,

Jiang Yang, who had been standing still, suddenly flickered out of sight!

He moved so fast that only afterimages remained.

By the time Tai Long and the others came to their senses, they had already been sent flying.

"What?!"

Dai Huabin, who had been watching Jiang Yang the whole time, suddenly sprang to his feet, visibly shaken.

Even he felt a chill at such strength.

"What just happened?!"

"How did Tai Long and the others lose already?!"

"My goodness! Senior Brother is so handsome—"

"Senior Brother!"

"Senior Brother!!"

"..."

As the crowd buzzed with chatter, a group of smitten girls stood up to cheer Jiang Yang on.

They couldn't help it.

They simply couldn't resist a handsome young man with high status and strength that was so astonishing.

"Second match—"

Seeing that Jiang Yang truly was astonishingly strong, Mu Jin was overjoyed.

Once she'd earned enough class funds, she'd be able to help even more students in her class pass the Freshman Assessment.

"I told you that working with me was your only chance to win. Do you believe me now?"

As one student team after another was crushed by Jiang Yang in short order, Huo Yuhao arrived at Dai Huabin's side under the guidance of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in his spiritual sea.

Although the legitimate heir of the Duke White Tiger's family disgusted him so much that he wanted to tear him apart and eat his flesh, he still had to seek Dai Huabin's cooperation for the plan ahead.

Of course,

even so, Huo Yuhao was still reluctant to approach Dai Huabin. But the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had advised him against it.

On top of that, he resented Jiang Yang.

And he wanted to become stronger.

All those feelings had piled together, finally driving him to take this step.

"Tch. Why should I trust you, a One-Ring Soul Master whose First Soul Ring is only ten years old?"