At these words, Ling Yun gave an awkward laugh and humbly replied, "Thanks for the compliment, Senior Feng. I was just lucky, that's all."
"A ten-year-old Soul Elder? You can't achieve that just by getting lucky. You're a real monster."
As he spoke, a fervent fighting spirit flashed in Feng Xiaotian's eyes. He grinned and said, "Come on, come on! Have a spar with me and let me see how strong you are!"
He had originally only come to spend time with Huo Wu, but after seeing Ling Yun, he genuinely wanted to fight him.
"Feng Xiaotian, can you stop messing around?" Huo Wu frowned. "Ling Yun still has to go shopping in Heaven Dou City with us, and I'm taking him to compete at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena."
"Shopping? And you're going to the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena too? Count me in! I want to go!"
At that, Feng Xiaotian instantly turned into a lovesick puppy. Meanwhile, he thought smugly, Once we get to the Great Soul Arena, I'll show little sister Huo Wu how valiant I am. Maybe then she'll fall in love with me, and I'll win the heart of a beauty. Heh heh heh...
"Fine, let's all go together."
Huo Wu sighed. She hadn't wanted Feng Xiaotian to come along, but with his personality, he'd probably tag along shamelessly anyway. They might as well bring him with them.
The group climbed into a carriage and set off for Heaven Dou City.
Heaven Dou City wasn't far from Blazing Academy, and it took them less than two hours to get there.
Upon arriving in Heaven Dou City, Ling Yun experienced the bustle of a major city for the first time. Compared to this vast metropolis, Notting City was practically a little village.
As soon as they entered Heaven Dou City, Ling Yun saw a commercial street stretching as far as the eye could see. Shops of every kind lined both sides of the road, their goods dazzling to behold. Hawkers called out one after another, their voices rising and falling without end.
"Heh heh, I told you, didn't I, little brother Ling Yun? Heaven Dou City is bustling!"
As she spoke, Huo Wu ruffled Ling Yun's hair, then grinned mischievously. "And this isn't the only commercial street here. There are more than ten streets just like it.
"Once you get a girlfriend, you can bring her here on a date."
"Heh heh, exactly! This is a dating hotspot for Soul Masters. Even if you don't buy anything, just taking a stroll here is enough to put you in a good mood. Isn't that right, little sister Huo Wu? Heh heh heh..."
Feng Xiaotian looked at Huo Wu with a silly grin, practically drooling. Huo Wu just rolled her eyes at him and left him to figure it out for himself.
"Ahem. More than that, I'd like to know where the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena is. I can't wait to compete."
Ling Yun said with a helpless expression, adding silently, Women will only slow down my sword!
"Honestly, you really are just a little kid. You're not interested in romance at all."
Huo Wu looked helpless too, then said, "All right. Since you're so eager to fight, let's head to the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena first!"
With that, Huo Wu led Ling Yun toward the center of Heaven Dou City. Before long, a tremendously tall building came into view.
It was a massive Soul Fighting Arena, ten meters tall and divided into two levels. Built entirely from white granite, it looked extraordinarily imposing.
Even from outside, Ling Yun could hear a wave of frenzied battle cries and cheers.
He could also clearly sense that the immense building was filled with one astonishing wave of Soul Pressure after another.
"This is the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena. Let's hurry inside." Huo Wu smiled, then took Ling Yun by the hand and led him in.
The moment Ling Yun entered, he saw dozens of circular platforms at the center of the Great Soul Arena, each more than a hundred meters in diameter.
Many Soul Masters were sparring on the platforms. Their bizarre Martial Souls, dazzling Soul Skills, and the rousing cheers from the spectators were enough to ignite the fighting spirit in anyone's heart!
Huo Wu's breathing gradually quickened. She had originally planned to bring Ling Yun here to broaden his horizons before going shopping, but seeing the clash of blades on the platforms made her want to fight too.
"Come to think of it, I haven't competed here in ages. Let's have some fun while we're here."
As she spoke, Huo Wu looked at the others and smiled. "I'll take little brother Ling Yun to register for the competition first. Then we can enter the two-on-two doubles event together. My brother and I will team up, while you, Ling Yun, can pair with Feng Xiaotian.
"He may be a bit of a fool most of the time, but just as my father says, he's very strong. He can definitely protect you."
"That might not be a good idea."
Feng Xiaotian unusually turned Huo Wu down and shook his head. "My Soul Power has already reached level forty-one, so I'm a Soul Ancestor now.
"If Ling Yun teams up with me, he'll have to compete against Soul Ancestors. There's no holding back on the platform, and I don't know if something might go wrong. If he gets hurt, that'll be a problem."
"That's true. Then Ling Yun can team up with me—"
"That's fine. I'm willing to team up with Senior Feng."
Before Huo Wu could finish, Ling Yun raised the corner of his mouth and smiled. "What's the point of fighting Soul Elders? With my current strength, I can spar with Soul Ancestors.
"And even if something unexpected happens, I can always forfeit. Sister Huo Wu, let me team up with Senior Feng, all right?"
"Hmm... all right, then. I'll take you to register first."
After considering Ling Yun's strength, Huo Wu finally agreed. She then took him to the front desk to register.
Generally, Soul Masters entering a competition had to give themselves a nickname; otherwise, they had to use their real names. Ling Yun had already chosen his nickname. It was:
Five Spirit King!
After completing the registration, the staff quickly arranged a match for him. Ling Yun and Feng Xiaotian then headed to the Soul Ancestor waiting area to prepare for the competition.
While they waited, Ling Yun looked over the platforms and studied the Soul Masters fighting on them. By chance, he spotted two familiar figures.
Lightning crackled around one of them, making him seem like a thunder god descended to earth. His every punch and kick carried tremendous force, and each move was accompanied by a piercing dragon's roar.
The man wore a black, close-fitting outfit. He was handsome, with sharp brows and bright eyes, and looked exceptionally dashing.
The woman beside him looked strangely alluring. Her deep purple hair and green, serpentine eyes gave her an eerie air. She looked like a poisonous snake, making people instinctively wary.
The moment Ling Yun saw the pair, his eyes widened. He whispered in surprise, "That's Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan? I didn't expect to run into them here."
They were both top students at Heaven Dou Royal Academy and occasionally came here to compete and test their strength.
Both were now three-ring Soul Elders, with cultivation on par with Huo Wu's. On top of that, they had the top-tier Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon and Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Souls. They quickly defeated their opponents, then stepped down from the platform and left the arena.
Ling Yun was just about to follow them when the host called out his nickname.
"Next up are Five Spirit King and... Godwind Academy's Number One Lover! Please welcome both contestants!"
At the host's words, Ling Yun's mouth twitched.
Godwind Academy's Number One Lover? What kind of ridiculous name was that? Just like you, Feng Xiaotian!
Before you continue