Mu Jin stood on the dais, watching the tense atmosphere in the classroom. The gentle smile at the corner of her mouth only deepened.
As a teacher, she should have stopped this seemingly ridiculous "two against the whole class" challenge. But as a Soul Master who also revered strength, she was more curious than anyone.
What was Dai Huabin relying on?
His thirty-three levels of Soul Power? Or his and Zhu Lu's Martial Soul Fusion Skill?
After all, Ning Tian was a Soul Elder with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and she had Wu Feng, a Red Dragon, as well as Nanmen Yun'er, a skilled agility-type fighter. Not to mention the more than twenty classmates waiting to swoop in and pick up the scraps.
Even a Soul Elder had limited Soul Power. Didn't this kid understand that enough ants could bring down an elephant?
"Since everyone's so enthusiastic,"
Mu Jin clapped her hands. A sly glint flashed in her ever-smiling eyes.
"Then we'll move this class to the No. 1 Soul Fighting Arena. After all, only a class monitor who's earned the position in a fight can command everyone's respect, right?"
The whole class erupted. The boys howled as they packed up, and some were already rolling up their sleeves, ready to teach this arrogant transfer student a lesson.
In the crowd, Wang Dong'er pursed her lips and stood still with her arms crossed. Her pink-and-blue hair stood out in the sunlight.
"Dong'er, Yajie, are you two going?" Xiao Xiao asked quietly from beside them.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I? Watching the show will be fun."
Wang Dong'er snorted and looked at Dai Huabin, who was leisurely straightening his cuffs.
"But I'd never stoop to ganging up on him with that bunch. Twenty people against two? If word got out, I'd be embarrassed on behalf of Class Nine."
Dai Huabin was just about to leave when his ears twitched. He paused, turned to look at Wang Dong'er, and amusement glimmered in his mismatched eyes.
"Then I'm much obliged for your mercy, Classmate Dong'er."
"W-Who said I wanted your thanks!"
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Wang Dong'er puffed out her cheeks.
"I'm just afraid you'll lose so badly that you'll blame me for it! If I fight you, I'll do it in a fair, one-on-one match!"
"Sure, sure. You're right."
Dai Huabin nodded perfunctorily, in a tone that sounded like he was placating a sulky child. Wang Dong'er was so furious she nearly summoned her Clear Sky Hammer and smashed him on the spot.
Cui Yajie covered her mouth with a laugh, her foxlike eyes curving into crescents.
"Oh, our class monitor is quite confident. But if you lose, you'll be paying for everyone's dinner tonight."
"Then you'll be treating us tonight."
Dai Huabin chuckled, took Zhu Lu's hand, and strode out of the classroom.
Zhu Lu followed behind him. Her cool face remained expressionless, but her grip on Dai Huabin's hand tightened.
The warmth in his palm seemed to stir the Soul Power within her.
As long as she was with him, she feared nothing—not even an army of thousands.
The No. 1 Soul Fighting Arena.
The morning sunlight poured through the vast dome and spilled over the arena, brightly illuminating this place steeped in the spirit of battle.
Since school had only just begun, the Soul Fighting Arena was empty. Only the large procession from Class Nine came streaming in.
The commotion was hard to miss. The new-student dean, Du Weilun, happened to be making his rounds nearby and spotted them.
"What's that Mu Jin up to? Is she planning to tear down the Soul Fighting Arena on the very first day?"
Du Weilun pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his brows furrowing. But his feet betrayed him: as if possessed, he followed them over.
On the arena.
The two sides had taken their positions.
On the left stood just two people.
Dai Huabin wore a white school uniform and stood with his hands behind his back, his golden hair stirring lightly in the breeze.
Zhu Lu stood half a step at his side, her body slightly lowered like an arrow drawn to the string, ready to fly.
On the right stood a dark, tightly packed crowd.
At their head, Ning Tian wore a solemn expression as she held a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda shimmering with multicolored light.
Beside her, Wu Feng's red hair blazed like flames, and fury blazed in her dragon eyes.
On the other side, Nanmen Yun'er's hands had already turned into jade-green blades, her gaze sharp.
Behind them stood more than twenty students.
Some were Soul Grandmasters with two rings, while others were Soul Masters with one. Their abilities varied, but their numbers spoke for themselves. The noisy fluctuations of Soul Power alone were enough to make anyone's heart skip a beat.
"Dai Huabin, it's not too late to back down."
Ning Tian took a deep breath, her voice clear and firm.
"If you take back what you said and admit that we have strength too, we can compete fairly for the position of class monitor."
"Back down?"
Dai Huabin looked as if he'd heard a joke, a teasing smile curling his lips.
"Ning Tian, remember our wager. If you lose, your people—and your pagoda—will be at my command."
"Arrogant!"
Wu Feng could no longer hold back. With a furious roar, her school uniform burst apart, dark-red dragon scales rapidly covering her body. Two yellow Soul Rings appeared beneath her feet.
"Young Mistress, stop wasting your breath on him! Everyone, attack! Take him down!"
The battle was about to erupt.
Dai Huabin tilted his head and whispered into Zhu Lu's ear, his voice audible only to the two of them.
"Lulu, I'll handle the three leaders. You take care of the rest of the rabble."
"Understood." Zhu Lu's reply was brief and crisp. "If things become too much..."
"Then we'll show them what true despair looks like." A cold glint flashed in Dai Huabin's eyes. "If you can't hold out, I'll signal you. We'll fuse right away."
"Good!"
Before the words had even faded, Dai Huabin moved.
"White Tiger, possess me!"
A deafening tiger's roar suddenly thundered through the entire Soul Fighting Arena.
Brilliant white light burst from Dai Huabin's body. Snow-white fur instantly covered him as his muscles swelled and his frame grew taller. The "King" marking on his forehead radiated an overbearing pressure.
Two yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring, the optimal configuration, revolved beneath his feet.
The terrifying presence of a top-tier Beast Martial Soul turned the faces of many one-ring freshmen across from him deathly pale. They instinctively took half a step back.
Was this the pressure of a three-ring Soul Elder?
"Don't be afraid! We outnumber him!"
Wu Feng roared and charged ahead.
"First Soul Skill, Dragon Fire!"
Scorching red flames wrapped around her fist, carrying heat that seared the air as she punched straight for Dai Huabin's face.
At the same time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in Ning Tian's hands shone brilliantly.
"Seven Treasures Have Names: First, Strength! Second, Speed! Third, Soul!"
Three beams of colorful light landed precisely on Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er.
With the boosts, Wu Feng's momentum surged. Her dark-red flames burned even deeper, and she moved so fast that she left a streaking afterimage.
On the other side, Nanmen Yun'er was just as eager to join the fight.
First Soul Skill, Jade Blade!
Both her arms transformed completely into sharp, jade-green blades. With Ning Tian's speed boost, she flashed like a streak of green lightning and slashed toward Dai Huabin's flank.
The more than twenty students in the back had also reacted. Soul Skill lights of every color flared up. Even a fireball or an ice spike would be enough to deal with on its own—taking this dense barrage of attacks all at once would be a real handful.
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