You're Stepping with the Same Hand and Foot, Sweeping Thousand Armies

"Up ahead is the Soul Fighting Arena. Su Chen, are you sure you want to participate in soul fighting?"

"Of course!"

Dugu Yan was not much use as a sparring partner. She could not even take one strike from Su Chen's spear, so he could only get some practice at the Soul Fighting Arena.

Dugu Yan, who was leading the way, looked somewhat pale.

Though Ye Lingling wore a veil, the parts of her face that showed were equally pale.

Dugu Bo's "Life-Taking Thirteen Porridge" was simply too potent. After drinking it, they had completely lost their appetites and wanted to eat nothing at all.

It was not that Dugu Yan doubted Su Chen's strength.

Given that Su Chen had knocked her down with a single spear strike, she did not believe anyone at the same level could be his match.

However, with Dugu Bo's warning still fresh in her mind, Dugu Yan had to make sure. She was worried that something might go wrong.

She had only asked once. Having received a definite answer, she did not try to persuade him further.

Still, there was something else bothering her.

"Su Chen, did you know from the beginning that my grandpa's porridge was awful? Did you deliberately want to see me make a fool of myself?"

Although she already had a fairly certain answer, she still wanted to ask.

"No."

"No?"

Su Chen said solemnly, "That medicinal porridge was made by your grandfather, after all. I thought it suited your taste."

"Suited my taste?"

Dugu Yan became somewhat agitated.

"I swear, that medicinal porridge absolutely does not suit the taste of any human being."

Beside her, Ye Lingling gave her a faintly resentful look.

At the same time, her soft, resentful voice sounded.

"And you deliberately made me drink that bowl of porridge too. You even told me to take big mouthfuls."

Dugu Yan smiled sheepishly.

Wasn't it because she would have felt even worse if she had been the only one drinking it?

"Lingling, I'm sorry. I promise I'll never do that again. And although that bowl of porridge tasted terrible, it was still very nourishing."

"See? You said it yourself," Su Chen cut in from the side.

"Your grandfather's kind intentions are something you were quite happy to accept."

Dugu Yan thought, Accept my ass.

She wanted nothing more than to pluck out her grandfather's beard strand by strand. Let him poison his precious granddaughter with that stuff.

As they spoke, they arrived at the Soul Fighting Arena.

Dugu Yan had already registered her badge, so she knew the place well.

Before long, an iron Soul Fighting Badge was placed in Su Chen's hand.

Dugu Yan attended to everything from registration to signing up for a soul fight to drawing lots, as though she were serving some grand master.

She had learned a lesson: people had to push themselves to find out just how capable they could be.

Before today, she had never known she could be so good at serving others.

Ye Lingling acted as Dugu Yan's assistant, holding a small notebook as she said,

"Your next soul fight is in twenty minutes. You can go to the waiting area and prepare now."

"Alright."

Just as Su Chen headed toward the waiting area, Dugu Yan suddenly remembered something.

"Lingling, go with Su Chen first. I have something to take care of."

"Hey, Yanyan."

Ye Lingling had barely called out when Dugu Yan had already run off into the distance.

"Honestly."

Ye Lingling stamped her foot in displeasure, feeling deeply kidnapped by sisterly affection.

This was clearly Dugu Yan's business. How had she ended up handling most of it?

The reason she had agreed to help Dugu Yan was not entirely because of their sisterly bond.

Like Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ye Lingling also felt a natural sense of closeness toward Su Chen and instinctively wanted to help him.

However, that sense of closeness clearly had not fully overcome her dislike of conversation.

So although she followed Su Chen, she spoke very little.

She was the type to do more and talk less.

"You seem a little nervous?"

After Dugu Yan left, Ye Lingling became much quieter, walking with her head lowered.

"Huh? You... were you talking to me?"

Ye Lingling looked up and asked.

"Isn't that obvious? Is there anyone else here besides you?"

"No, I'm not nervous."

Su Chen was not a complete stranger, but they had only known each other for a short time. Moreover, Su Chen's identity was mysterious, making it even harder for Ye Lingling to figure out how to get along with him. She automatically switched into her cool and distant mode.

"Then why are you stepping with the same hand and foot?"

As Ye Lingling spoke with Su Chen, the closeness she felt at such close range caused a slight change in her gait.

"Huh?"

Well, Ye Lingling, who had already been quiet, now became even more like an invisible person radiating cold air.

However, the reddened ears visible beyond her veil revealed how unsettled she was inside. Perhaps she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into and cool off for a while.

It was all Yanyan's fault. No matter what, she would not agree to help her again today. She had been set up by her several times already.

Ye Lingling secretly swore to herself while hoping Dugu Yan would return soon.

Yet Dugu Yan did not arrive until Su Chen had stepped onto the soul fighting stage.

"What were you doing?"

The moment Dugu Yan returned, Ye Lingling questioned her.

"Huh? I went to place a bet. Su Chen doesn't have any reputation yet, and he looks so young. Hardly anyone knows how strong he is. Betting on him is guaranteed profit."

"You..."

Ye Lingling choked with frustration.

Here she was, feeling awkward, while Dugu Yan had been busy making money.

Dugu Yan was equally confused.

"Lingling, what's wrong? Don't tell me Su Chen bullied you? It doesn't look like it."

"No," Ye Lingling said coldly.

He had not bullied her. He had merely seen her awkward walk and pointed it out.

But Ye Lingling would never tell Dugu Yan about something like that.

She knew Dugu Yan's personality all too well.

If she told her, she would not receive comfort, only unrestrained mockery.

She did not want Dugu Yan to get hold of such embarrassing history and bring it up from time to time to tease her.

"You're already so rich. Do you still need to make money by betting on soul fights?"

Dugu Yan said, "You can never have too many Gold Soul Coins. Any amount I can earn is worth earning. I still have to support my precious Lingling."

Dugu Yan's coquettish tone gave Ye Lingling goosebumps all over.

"Ew. Go support your little grandpa instead."

"What a vicious mouth."

"Likewise."

Dugu Yan suspected Ye Lingling had eaten gunpowder. Why had her attacks suddenly become so fierce?

Now was not the time to make an enemy of her.

"The battle is about to begin. Let's hurry and watch."

Su Chen's first opponent was a burly man who looked to be in his thirties. His features appeared rather honest and simple.

"Kid, did you come to the wrong arena? This is the soul fighting stage for Soul Grandmasters."

Anyone who saw Su Chen's appearance would have this suspicion.

Even with the host's introduction beforehand, the burly man still wondered whether there had been a mistake in the match arrangement.

But once Su Chen summoned his Life-Killing Spear, his doubts vanished.

"Can we begin now?"

Hearing the discussion and astonishment around her over Su Chen's age, Dugu Yan sat up noticeably straighter.

Let them experience the shock I felt before.

An even more shocking scene awaited the audience.

When the battle began, the burly man charged forward while swinging his Martial Soul, a Broad-Backed Blade.

His momentum was decent enough, but his movements had no real technique. His blade work was extremely crude.

Su Chen thrust out his spear and knocked the man's blade aside.

The burly man's right hand went numb, and he nearly lost his grip on the weapon.

"What tremendous strength. You're so young, yet you're incredibly strong. Is it Innate Divine Strength? I almost couldn't hold onto my blade."

It was not merely almost.

Had Su Chen not held back, the man's blade would already have flown from his grasp, and the battle would have ended.

Su Chen had come to temper his spear techniques and witness more soul skills, not merely to win.

After their first exchange, the burly man realized Su Chen's strength and no longer dared to test him. He unleashed his first and second soul skills at the same time.

His first soul skill appeared to be a boosting-type soul skill, perhaps something like Strength Enhancement. His second soul skill transformed his one-handed Broad-Backed Blade into a three-meter greatblade that required both hands to barely hold.

"Watch out! Take my Sweeping Thousand Armies!"

The man shouted "Sweeping Thousand Armies," yet chopped straight downward. Whether it was a tactic or a slip of the tongue, no one knew.

But it no longer mattered.

Su Chen thrust out his spear once more, once again easily knocking the greatblade aside.

This time, however, the burly man could not hold onto the hilt. Su Chen did not withdraw his spear, instead stopping its tip before the man's throat.