For a moment, the room fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
But soon, the boys, led by Dai Mubai, burst into cheers.
"Damn! That's incredible, bro."
Dai Mubai threw an arm around Lin Yan's shoulders. Along with his congratulations and pride, there was a hint of ingratiating friendliness that went beyond brotherhood.
Ma Hongjun made no effort to hide his excitement, rushing over like a little lackey.
"Lin Yan, you just leaped over the dragon gate and became a big shot."
"After you graduate, you'll be able to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, won't you? No, you've gone straight to becoming one of the sect's core figures."
Dai Mubai chimed in again.
"So that's why Rongrong had to go home to get a Soul Ring. Turns out she was waiting for us to get here."
"Congratulations!"
Oscar also took the opportunity to come over to them.
For a moment, Lin Yan was the center of attention in the lounge, like a top scorer who'd just made the imperial examinations, receiving congratulations from all the boys—except Tang San, of course...
"Bro, once you make it big, don't forget the rest of us."
Oscar was probably the one with the least backing among them. Seeing Lin Yan "get in" with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he was envious and jealous, but he also hoped to get a share of the spoils.
Lin Yan didn't turn him down. He agreed at once.
"No problem! Brothers keep each other in their hearts."
"Brothers for a day, brothers for life."
"Damn! That line really hits the spot!"
Ma Hongjun let out a strange cry, then clenched his fists, visibly worked up.
"I'm gonna take on ten!"
The sight made everyone burst out laughing. The room had been thick with tension just moments ago, but now it was filled with laughter and cheer.
Among the girls, Ning Rongrong wore a sweet smile, feeling that her relationship with Lin Yan had been accepted.
Zhu Zhuqing was a little jealous, while Xiao Wu... had been deliberately avoiding Lin Yan's gaze ever since earlier.
As for Yu Xiaogang, who had stirred up trouble earlier, he was now glaring daggers at Lin Yan, his teeth clenched.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
"You're acting so high and mighty just because of an auxiliary sect. I'll make you pay for this."
Then he turned to Tang San, who also hadn't joined in the celebration. Seeing the same gloomy look in Tang San's eyes as he watched Lin Yan, Yu Xiaogang felt a pang of bitterness.
Little San, you used to stand up for your teacher without question. What happened to you?
That was right. Maybe it was just Yu Xiaogang's imagination, but he felt that Tang San had grown colder toward him ever since absorbing his third Soul Ring.
Now, even though Yu Xiaogang had been humiliated in front of everyone, Tang San remained unmoved.
Before long, an attendant's announcement cut through the cheerful chatter.
"Shrek Team, your Soul Fighting match is about to begin. Please prepare to enter."
The group came back to reality from their excitement.
"All right, let's get ready to go on."
Lin Yan smiled as he headed for the door first.
Everyone followed without hesitation.
Soon,
the two teams met on the Soul Fighting Arena.
On the left stood the Imperial Fighting Team, led by Yu Tianheng. Of the seven, only Ye Lingling kept her head bowed, like a socially awkward girl. The rest looked nonchalant, even openly contemptuous and mocking.
On the right stood Shrek Team, led by Lin Yan. Oscar wasn't competing, so with Lin Yan and Ning Rongrong included, they had exactly seven members.
The match hadn't officially begun yet, and both sides still had a brief moment to adjust their positions.
Just then, Ning Rongrong suddenly moved to Lin Yan's side.
"Lin Yan, take out that Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master first."
At the same time, Ye Lingling walked up to Yu Tianheng on the opposite side.
"Captain, take out that Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master first."
Both of them had independently identified the other team's support as the first threat to eliminate.
Lin Yan and Yu Tianheng met each other's gaze.
Yu Tianheng's lips curled into a scornful smile.
"A bunch of mangy mutts from who-knows-where. Today, I'll show you the might of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul."
Qin Ming must have said something to him before the match. Otherwise, he wouldn't have started off with such hostility toward the members of Shrek.
But Lin Yan didn't care in the slightest.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!"
"Since Yu Xiaogang cares so much about the status of his sect's Martial Soul, I'll show him just how fierce the world outside really is."
The two support Soul Masters each retreated to the back of their teams. The referee in the air seized the moment to whip up the crowd.
As the cheers reached their peak, the words "Soul Fighting match begins" rang out.
In an instant, Yu Tianheng launched the first attack.
[First Soul Skill: Thunder Dragon Claw!]
Blue lightning covered his hands. A moment later, he charged straight at Lin Yan.
[First Soul Skill: Dragon Fist!]
Boom!
Their fists collided. The shockwave from the clash between two Power Attack System Soul Elders raised the curtain on the battle.
Both teams quickly clashed.
Lin Yan faced Yu Tianheng.
Dai Mubai faced Shi Mo and his brother.
Zhu Zhuqing used her Eight Spider Lances to take on Dugu Yan.
Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, and Tang San were locked in a chaotic fight with Yu Feng and Osler.
The battle was chaotic, yet not without order. Both teams deliberately tried to shift the fight toward the opposing support Soul Master, but each time, the other side managed to stop them.
Outside the arena,
Qin Ming's gaze crossed the Soul Fighting Arena and landed on Flender. Flender smiled back at him.
They exchanged greetings with their eyes—a silent acknowledgment.
By rights, Shrek's overall strength was inferior to the Imperial Fighting Team's. The difference in levels was there for all to see.
But they had Lin Yan.
This battle played out the strategy of setting the superior horse against the middle horse, and the middle horse against the inferior horse, to perfection.
The strongest member of the Imperial Fighting Team was Yu Tianheng. On Shrek's side, besides Dai Mubai, who was level 38, there was also Lin Yan, who was level 38. With Lin Yan keeping Yu Tianheng occupied, Dai Mubai had plenty of room to shine.
With the White Tiger Martial Soul supported by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Dai Mubai tore through the battlefield. Yu Tianheng realized things were going badly and tried to intervene several times, but each time Lin Yan seized the opportunity and landed several hits on him.
As time passed, this "Tian Ji's horse-racing" match soon neared its end.
The God of War, Ma Lin Yan, stood in the center of the platform, his fists wreathed in flames as he looked down at the opposing top horse, Yu Tianheng.
By then, the fire blasts had left Yu Tianheng's clothes in tatters. If he'd been a beautiful woman, Lin Yan might have taken a few extra looks.
Too bad he wasn't.
As for the other members of the Imperial Fighting Team, they'd all been defeated too. Some had fallen off the Soul Fighting Arena; others were sprawled flat on the ground.
"Boring!"
"Is that all you've got?"
Before you continue