Facing Xiao Chenyu

"Sure! I'm part of Dorm Seven too!"

Ling Yun agreed, though he had other reasons for doing so. Xiao Chenyu was the son of Notting City's lord, and Ling Yun might be able to make a killing off him—earn a few Gold Soul Coins.

With his talent for Innate Full Soul Power, it would take less than three years to reach level twenty. By then, he wanted to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring beyond his level.

To absorb a Soul Ring beyond his level, he would have to take Whale Rubber to strengthen his body. But even in this era, Whale Rubber was still incredibly expensive.

So he had to do everything he could to make money! And Xiao Chenyu was as good a source as any.

With that in mind, Ling Yun sat on his bed, meditating to cultivate and recover his Soul Power.

The next morning, the Dorm Seven students, led by Ling Yun and Xiao Wu, hurried to the grove behind the school.

Looking at the lush trees all around them, Ling Yun couldn't help smiling. The trees here were so thick and green that the Divine Wood Ape could fight at full strength!

Soon, at the center of the grove, they spotted a group of fifteen kids. Every one of them wore fine clothes and looked far more polished than the work-study students. They were clearly from wealthy families.

"Ling Yun, they're all sixth-year students. The one at the front is Xiao Chenyu!"

Xiao Wu pointed at a fair-faced boy in a gray, close-fitting outfit and said fiercely,

"When the fight starts, leave Xiao Chenyu to me. I'll beat him so badly even his own mother won't recognize him. Ling Yun, you can take care of everyone else!"

"Heh, no need. I'm pretty strong now. I can handle this lot by myself."

Ling Yun smiled confidently. As he spoke, they reached Xiao Chenyu and the others.

Looking at Xiao Wu and Wang Sheng, Xiao Chenyu sneered. "Well, well! You actually dared to come. You've got guts, I'll give you that. I thought you work-study students would be too scared to show up—or go running to a teacher to complain that I was bullying you!"

"Hmph! Enough talk!" Xiao Wu stepped forward and snapped, "I'll knock you flat on your butt and make you kneel and call me Sister Xiao Wu!"

"Heh. We'll see if you've got what it takes."

After looking them over, Xiao Chenyu continued, "Don't say I'm picking on you. You've only got eleven people, so we'll put up eleven too. We'll fight one-on-one, taking turns until everyone on one side is down.

"The losing side will be the other side's lackeys from now on. How about it? You can still back out!"

"Who's backing out? I agree—"

Before Xiao Wu could finish, Ling Yun stepped forward and said with a cocky laugh, "How is that fair? You'd be at a huge disadvantage."

He pointed at Xiao Chenyu and the others, sneering. "I can handle opponents like you all by myself. The fifteen of you can come at me together.

"If you lose, I won't make you my lackeys. Just give me five Gold Soul Coins every month to feed the work-study students. What do you say? Do you dare?"

With Xiao Chenyu's family background, he ought to be able to afford five Gold Soul Coins a month. Besides, he was a Soul Master too, so he could collect an allowance from the Martial Soul Branch Hall every month.

But as soon as Ling Yun said this, everyone was stunned. Wang Sheng, behind him, went pale with worry and hurriedly said, "Ling Yun, what are you talking about? You want to take them on by yourself—"

"Relax. They're no match for me!"

Before Wang Sheng could finish, Ling Yun cut him off. Then he turned to Xiao Chenyu. "Are you going to fight or not? Give me a straight answer.

"Of course, if you're scared, I can give you a chance to back out."

"The nerve of this guy! He's even more arrogant than me!"

Xiao Chenyu was furious. He said coldly, "Since you're so eager to get yourself killed, let's do it! If you can beat all fifteen of us, forget five Gold Soul Coins. I'll give you ten a month!"

"Heh. You said it!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, Ling Yun gathered his Soul Power and released the Five Spirit Lock. A bright yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.

"Ling Yun. Martial Soul: Five Spirit Lock. Level twelve Control-System Soul Master. Please guide me!"

"A Hundred-Year Soul Ring!"

Xiao Chenyu's expression changed in shock. He never imagined Ling Yun would have a Hundred-Year Soul Ring. Even though he was the lord's son, his own First Soul Ring was only a Ten-Year Soul Ring.

Xiao Chenyu wasn't the only one surprised. When Wang Sheng and the others saw Ling Yun's Hundred-Year Soul Ring, their faces filled with astonishment, then broke into delighted smiles.

With a Hundred-Year Soul Skill, Ling Yun might really be able to beat Xiao Chenyu and the others!

"A Hundred-Year Soul Ring... No wonder you dared challenge all of us. Its Soul Skill may be powerful, but with your current cultivation, how many times can you use it? Soul Power is what truly matters to a Soul Master. Martial Soul Possession!"

His Martial Soul was a wolf too, but it was nowhere near as good as Director Su's Wind Wolf. It was just a low-grade Martial Soul.

As he released his Martial Soul, his lackeys behind him did the same, surrounding Ling Yun.

"Don't say we're picking on you. We'll let you make the first move!"

"Heh, thanks for that. Five Spirits Power, transform!"

In an instant, the Five Spirit Lock flared with light. Wood-attribute Soul Power poured out, surging into Ling Yun like a mighty river.

His body suddenly swelled, transforming into a towering ape that stood before Xiao Chenyu.

Wood-Attribute Beast Warrior: Divine Wood Ape!

"What? He turned into a monkey? What kind of Soul Skill is that?"

Xiao Chenyu's expression shifted as he looked at Ling Yun in his Divine Wood Ape form. He was just about to tell everyone to attack together, but Ling Yun wasn't about to give him the chance!

"Power of Wood Spirit!"

With a roar, thick green vines burst from the ground. In the blink of an eye, they had tightly wrapped around Xiao Chenyu and the others.

For a moment, Xiao Chenyu and his group experienced the suffocating feeling of being constricted by a python.

"Oh no, we're restrained!"

"He can restrain all of us in an instant? Is this the Soul Skill granted by a Hundred-Year Soul Ring?"

"It's worlds apart from my Ten-Year Soul Ring."

Xiao Chenyu and the others were horrified. A few of the more timid kids were so scared that they wet their pants.

Ling Yun also used the vines to wrap around a boulder. Then he applied a little force, and the rock suddenly shattered, sending countless fragments flying through the air.

Staring at the boulder reduced to rubble, Xiao Chenyu looked terrified. He seemed to see himself strangled to death by the vines, and hurriedly begged for mercy.

"Stop, stop! Don't hit me! I give up! I surrender!"

Seeing Xiao Chenyu surrender, Ling Yun's lips curled up. He had only meant to make an example of one of them. Then he looked at the others and smiled.

"Your leader has given up. What about you?"

"We surrender! We surrender too..."

Xiao Chenyu had surrendered, so his lackeys had no desire to keep fighting. They all surrendered as well, and the match ended in victory for the work-study students.