No Title

"How interesting. These people are so casual with their naming sense."

Qian Renxue and her two companions felt that whoever named Rising East Creek was truly a talent.

"Alright, let's set off to take a look at Rising East Creek."

After being treated by the healing soul masters, the three boys and Xiao Wu had long since regained consciousness.

The Shrek Seven Devils and several teachers were gathered in a room, discussing how to deal with the match six days later.

Flender had come to terms with it.

If things truly went south, he would just take the little monsters and go seek refuge with Er Long.

She had an academy in Heaven Dou Imperial City, and she could still let the little monsters participate in the Soul Master Tournament.

A foolish, sycophantic grin appeared on his face.

He would be able to see Er Long every day by then; just thinking about it made him happy!

The violent Zhao Wuji spoke up aggressively.

"Regardless of who they are, we are two Soul Saints—can't we take down just one of him?"

"When the time comes, won't it be up to us to decide the outcome!"

Ning Rongrong spoke slowly, explaining Lin Huai's status to the group.

"Whenever I go out, my father always has at least several Soul Saints following me, and sometimes even a Soul Douluo."

Upon hearing that Ning Rongrong had a Soul Douluo by her side, Xiao Wu tried her hardest to restrain her aura, terrified of being exposed.

"When Lin Huai became the Holy Son, over a dozen Title Douluo congratulated him in unison."

"Even the Pope's coronation didn't receive such treatment. Teacher Zhao, do you really think he would have only one Soul Saint by his side?"

Ning Rongrong's words extinguished the teachers' attempts to consider a sneak attack.

Ning Rongrong recalled Ning Fengzhi mentioning that Martial Soul Hall was undergoing drastic reforms, and that the continent would soon face turmoil.

She looked at Zhao Wuji, who was still trying to come up with other underhanded schemes.

"Teacher Zhao, I advise you not to act on your own. Martial Soul Hall not pursuing your past responsibilities might just be because they discovered you didn't actually kill the wrong person."

"Before this, Martial Soul Hall decisively executed a batch of soul masters who violated the bottom line of the law, and among them were several Soul Douluo!"

Zhao Wuji's breath hitched, and the others present were also inwardly shocked.

They hadn't expected that Martial Soul Hall would even execute Soul Douluo!

"So, Teacher Zhao, although you luckily escaped Martial Soul Hall's accountability, I can guarantee that if you make a move against Lin Huai, only my father stepping in could save me alone. You would certainly face death!"

Only then did everyone realize the power of Martial Soul Hall, and Dai Mubai's expression turned particularly ugly.

He remembered five years ago, when two of Martial Soul Hall's elders, both above level 96, openly broke into the imperial palace, delivered a notification, and then openly left.

Ever since then, the soul master subsidies had been distributed by the City Lord's Mansion instead.

Ma Hongjun shivered, his voice trembling as he asked:

"Then what are we supposed to do!"

Yu Xiaogang coughed, wanting to rally the seven of them.

"Do not worry. Since he said he would give us a chance to challenge him, let us discuss it properly and see how to respond."

He looked at Ning Rongrong, as she was the only one who knew some information.

"Rongrong, I need you to provide information on Lin Huai and his group so we can prepare a countermeasure."

Ning Rongrong shook her head helplessly.

"I only know that Lin Huai is currently twelve or thirteen years old. I have no other information, including about those three women."

"The deep-cover agents Martial Soul Hall helped us plant cannot get near them."

Everyone was shocked by Lin Huai's youth.

They also recalled how, yesterday, Lin Huai had defeated Tang San and the others without even using a single soul ring.

Flender thought that since they were going to disband anyway, it didn't matter if they had a fight, so he encouraged Yu Xiaogang to devise a plan.

"Xiaogang, with your world-shaking wisdom, I believe you can certainly arrange this."

After saying this, Flender left with the other teachers.

Thinking about how he would soon see Er Long, Flender almost laughed out loud as he walked out the door.

The seven of them all looked at Yu Xiaogang, hoping he could offer some useful advice.

Yu Xiaogang walked to the window and stood with his hands behind his back, looking out.

"We only know now that Lin Huai has Twin Martial Souls; one is a blade, and the other should be light-attribute. His combat power is terrifying."

"As for the other three girls, we know absolutely nothing. This is going to be difficult!"

Tang San noticed a loophole in Lin Huai's words, and the corner of his mouth curled up.

"Teacher, that Lin Huai only said he would let us choose one person to challenge; he didn't say it had to be a one-on-one duel!"

Everyone except Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had their eyes light up.

Tang San thought to himself, this time he would make that Lin Huai taste the feeling of having his beloved severely injured!

Hehehe...

Yu Xiaogang also suddenly realized, clapping his hands together.

"That's right, us seven against one doesn't violate the rules!"

"I'm withdrawing, don't include me."

Ning Rongrong spoke up quickly.

Regardless of whether the rules allowed it, she had no desire to provoke Lin Huai.

Zhu Zhuqing's cold voice followed.

"I'm withdrawing too; I feel like I'm going to have a breakthrough in the next few days."

Just as Dai Mubai was about to reprimand Ning Rongrong for lacking team spirit, Yu Xiaogang spoke first:

"That's fine. When the time comes, we'll choose that youngest girl; we might not even need five people!"

Yu Xiaogang turned to face Tang San and the others.

"I will train the five of you in coordination over the next few days. As for you two, consider it a few days off; go cultivate on your own!"

After saying this, Yu Xiaogang led the five of them away.

Inside the room, Ning Rongrong studied Zhu Zhuqing and said with certainty:

"Zhuqing, you just can't stand their behavior, can you!"

Zhu Zhuqing revealed a faint, imperceptible cold smile.

"Yes, I can't stand them acting like this. I didn't expect you to see through it."

Ning Rongrong didn't expose her own thoughts, instead pulling her along to go shopping in Suotuo City.

On the east side of Suotuo City, beside Rising East Creek.

Lin Huai was on the mountaintop contemplating the flowing water, while Qian Renxue and the others were training by the creek.

The stream meandered from the mouth of the valley. Suddenly, a chunk of soil collapsed from the valley wall, falling into the water and stirring up streaks of muddy turbulence.

The muddy water followed the current, carried away by the stream toward a distance beyond Lin Huai's sight.

Lin Huai felt as if he were about to grasp something, yet in reality, there was nothing there.

Just as he was thinking, Lin Huai saw a piece of rotten, withered branch land on the water's surface.

The stream carried it, nimbly bypassing the scattered rocks in the shallows and rushing straight through the whirlpools created by the drop-offs, only to be shattered by the current in the flat areas and carried off into the distance.

Yet, even after passing through the muddy silt and the decaying branches and leaves, the stream remained clear.

He stood up, and the long blade in his right hand appeared quietly.

He closed his eyes, but the blade in his hand moved slowly.

The blade technique Lin Huai was using now was something he had evolved over the years by integrating basic blade techniques into the Flowing Water Sword Technique.

The technique had no name. Even though Lin Huai had already grasped the momentum of flowing water, he hadn't named the technique, fearing that naming it too early would limit his understanding of the water.

The blade momentum began to swirl around Lin Huai, the rustling sound it produced as it brushed past leaves and flowers echoing the murmuring of the creek.

The blade technique was continuous and unending, the rustling of the vegetation never ceased, and the creek's low murmurs never stopped.

Lin Huai's 'momentum' began to change.

If Qian Renxue and the others were here now, they would surely feel as if an unending stream were circling Lin Huai's body.

With a sudden clarity in his mind, the rushing, ceaseless stream slowly dissipated.

The surrounding trees also stopped swaying.

A long while later, Lin Huai opened his eyes.

"Congratulations, Lin Huai!"

"You have successfully grasped your own blade intent!"