(Dugu Yan · Picture Share 1)
Before them stood the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, sprawling across an immense area.
At its summit, beams from several dazzling Soul Guidance Lamps shone into the night sky, making the arena look resplendent and magnificent.
A vast, open plaza spread out before the entrance.
At that moment, crowds of people from all directions of Heaven Dou Imperial City had gathered to watch the Soul Fighting matches, surging together into the Great Soul Arena.
With Ye Lingling leading the way,
Tang Yin and Tang San entered the Great Soul Arena with the crowd, looking around in amazement and curiosity.
The space inside the Great Soul Arena was even more expansive than it appeared from outside.
The floor was laid with fine marble tiles, polished to a mirror sheen.
The surrounding walls were likewise covered in marble with exquisite patterns.
Under the glow of countless dazzling Soul Guidance Lamps overhead, the marble reflected a soft, luxurious sheen.
Tall green plants had been artfully arranged in every corner.
A faint, soothing incense also lingered in the air.
The interior was clearly divided into several areas.
Signs were clearly marked "Spectator Area," "Registration Area," "Solo Soul Fighting Registration," "Combo Soul Fighting Registration," and "Team Soul Fighting Registration," along with passageways leading to Soul Fighting Arenas of different ranks.
Behind the counters in each area stood attractive staff members in matching uniforms, wearing professional smiles.
Ye Lingling was evidently quite familiar with the place.
She led Tang Yin and Tang San straight to the registration area.
The process was not complicated. They had their Soul Power tested, registered their basic information, and paid the registration fee.
Afterward, each of them received a weighty iron Soul Fighting Badge.
"With this, you can sign up for Soul Fighting matches at your corresponding rank,"
Ye Lingling explained.
"Iron Soul Fighter is the lowest rank. By earning points through victories, you can advance to Bronze Soul Fighter, Silver Soul Fighter, and so on. The higher your rank, the stronger your opponents usually are, and the more rewards and attention you receive."
Tang Yin toyed with the Iron Soul Fighting Badge in his hand, smiling.
"Understood. Thank you, Miss Lingling."
The three of them then headed for the "Solo Soul Fighting Registration" counter.
A long line stretched before it.
But before they could join the queue,
a delighted cry rang out from within it.
"Lingling! Lingling!"
They looked toward the voice and saw a young woman in the queue, waving her slender arm excitedly.
She was tall, dressed in a well-tailored purple gown that outlined her already shapely figure.
Her purple hair was cut to her ears, and her features were exquisite and striking. An air of boldness uncommon in most women shone between her brows. Her emerald eyes glittered as she looked at Ye Lingling, full of laughter.
Ye Lingling turned at the sound. A faint smile appeared on her cool, beautiful face as she led Tang Yin and Tang San over.
"Yanzi, what a coincidence! I never expected to run into you here."
"Yeah! I came to compete in the Soul Fighting matches!"
Dugu Yan giggled. Her eyes soon fell on Tang Yin and Tang San beside Ye Lingling, and undisguised curiosity and scrutiny flickered in her gaze. She clicked her tongue in wonder.
"Well, now! This is a turn-up for the books!"
"Miss Ye Lingling, the famously aloof flower of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, is actually out with boys? Two of them, no less? Come on, tell me—which family do these young talents come from?"
Two crimson patches instantly bloomed on Ye Lingling's cheeks. She glared at Dugu Yan, embarrassed and annoyed.
"Yanzi! Don't talk nonsense!"
"These are Young Master Tang Yin and Young Master Tang San. A few days ago, Mother and I went to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt a Soul Ring for me, and we happened to meet these two young geniuses."
After introducing Tang Yin and Tang San, Ye Lingling introduced Dugu Yan as well.
"Young Master Tang Yin, Young Master Tang San, this is my good friend, Dugu Yan."
From the exchange between Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan,
Tang Yin had already figured out who she was.
Once Ye Lingling had finished introducing them, Tang Yin smiled and cupped his hands in a courteous greeting.
"Hello, Miss Dugu. I've heard a lot about you."
"My name is Tang Yin, and this is my younger brother, Tang San. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Tang San imitated his big brother and greeted her with cupped fists.
Dugu Yan's gaze lingered on Tang Yin's face for a moment.
The young man before her was a little shorter than she was and clearly younger, yet he was handsome, with clear, bright eyes and a composed, unhurried bearing. He spoke neither obsequiously nor arrogantly, putting her at ease.
She was straightforward by nature, and his forthright manner immediately endeared him to her.
"'Miss Dugu'? That's way too formal!"
"If you're Lingling's friend, then you're my friend too! Just call me Yanzi!"
"You two don't look very old. Are you here to compete in the Soul Fighting matches too?"
"Yes, Sister Yanzi,"
Tang Yin replied with a smile, taking her suggestion in stride.
"We just registered our Iron Soul Fighter Badges, and we're about to sign up for solo matches in the Soul Grandmaster division."
Tang Yin held up his Iron Soul Fighting Badge to show her.
"Soul Grandmaster division?"
Dugu Yan's purple eyes widened in disbelief.
"You're already Soul Grandmasters?"
"You look even younger than Lingling, don't you?"
"Lingling, how old are they?"
Dugu Yan asked Ye Lingling, clearly unable to believe it.
"Both Young Master Tang Yin and Young Master Tang San are not yet eight years old,"
Ye Lingling replied softly.
"Not yet eight?! Soul Grandmasters?!"
Dugu Yan drew in a sharp breath. Shock and disbelief filled her gaze as she looked at the Tang brothers.
She had Innate Soul Power of seven, nearly eight, and was considered exceptionally talented even at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
But a seven-year-old Soul Grandmaster... She had never heard of such a thing!
In that instant, Dugu Yan understood.
No wonder Aunt Ye had brought them straight home. She must have wanted to recruit them!
"We were just lucky to make a breakthrough, Sister Yanzi. You flatter us,"
Tang Yin said with a modest smile.
"That's not something luck can explain!"
Dugu Yan sighed.
Afterward, Tang Yin and Tang San successfully registered for solo Soul Fighting matches.
Next, Ye Lingling took them to the "Combo Soul Fighting Registration" counter, where they registered as a two-person team.
"Big brother, what should we name our team?"
When Tang San learned they had to choose a team name, he scratched his head.
He actually wanted to call it the Tang Sect Combo.
But he felt that would be disrespectful to the Tang Sect's name.
After all, his dream was to bring the Tang Sect back in this world and make it great once more!
And a mere Soul Fighting team simply wasn't worthy of the Tang Sect's name!
At that, Tang Yin scratched his head.
He wasn't good at coming up with names either.
After thinking it over, Tang Yin went with something simple.
"Let's call it the San Yin Combo! It rolls off the tongue!"
Since their teams had registered in the same batch, Tang Yin and Tang San were assigned to the same Soul Fighting Arena as Dugu Yan.
So the four of them headed together to the corresponding waiting room.
The waiting room was spacious, with rows of leather seats, and plenty of Soul Masters were already waiting or resting there.
After finding a relatively quiet corner to sit in,
Dugu Yan couldn't hold back her curiosity. She leaned close to Ye Lingling's ear and asked in a low voice,
"Lingling, tell me, how exactly did you meet them?"
"Why did Aunt Ye take them home? And why did she have you come with them to the Great Soul Arena?"
She glanced at the Tang brothers, who were speaking quietly, and added,
"The way Aunt Ye is acting, it seems like more than just admiration for their talent."
Ye Lingling was put on the spot. Beneath her long bangs, the tips of her ears turned faintly red.
She didn't know how best to answer Dugu Yan's question.
Saying that her mother wanted to bring her and Tang Yin together felt too embarrassing. She couldn't bring herself to say it.
As for saying that her mother wanted to recruit Tang Yin and Tang San—
Tang Yin and Tang San were sitting right beside them!
It didn't feel right to say something so bluntly, either!
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