"Bullshit! Are you messing with me? I don't care. I'm eating today! Nannan wants some, so you'd better make it for me!"
Before he'd finished speaking, a powerful surge of Soul Power exploded, sending the students around them stumbling in every direction.
"Bang!"
A dull thud rang out, accompanied by the crackling of broken charcoal, and the crowd erupted into commotion.
Ji Jing frowned and pushed through the crowd. The grilled fish stall had been left in shambles.
A tall young man stood there, furious, reaching swiftly for Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao had fallen awkwardly to the ground, his face full of shock and helplessness.
Ji Jing recognized the man. He was one of the Outer Court's most prominent figures: fourth-year student Xu Sanshi.
"Picking on one of our classmates. What an accomplishment."
A voice tinged with coldness rang out.
Xu Sanshi's vision blurred. A fiery red figure appeared between him and Huo Yuhao, as if out of thin air.
In the next instant, an ordinary-looking fist rapidly enlarged before his eyes.
Too fast!
Xu Sanshi had no time to react—not even enough to summon his Martial Soul.
"Thud!"
A heavy, muffled impact rang out.
The fist landed squarely on Xu Sanshi's face.
An immense force erupted. Xu Sanshi was sent flying as if a Soul Beast had slammed into him head-on. His feet left the ground, and he crashed into a table seven or eight meters away, smashing it to splinters.
The entire place fell silent.
Everyone stared, dumbstruck, at the red-haired youth standing in front of Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao's jaw dropped in shock. He recognized him as the class monitor the teacher had chosen that day.
"C-Class monitor!"
Ji Jing didn't turn around. With a thought, he took a gleaming Gold Soul Coin and four deep-sea fish, each as thick as a forearm and silvery white from head to tail, from his storage ring and tossed them to Huo Yuhao.
"Huo Yuhao, right?"
Ji Jing's voice softened.
"I brought my own ingredients. Could you prepare them for me? After they're grilled, bring them to my dorm. If there's any money left over, just put it on my tab."
Just then, a roar mingled with pain and fury came from the wreckage.
Xu Sanshi staggered to his feet. His left cheek had swollen visibly, with a clear fist mark stamped across it.
His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Ji Jing.
"You're asking for death!"
A dense black Soul Power erupted. A turtle-shell shield covered in strange patterns appeared out of thin air and blocked his way.
Then three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—rose from beneath his feet. The powerful aura of a Soul Elder swept across the entire Snack Street!
"It's the Black Tortoise Shell Shield! Senior Xu Sanshi is getting serious!"
Someone in the crowd cried out in alarm.
Ji Jing slowly turned to face the furious Xu Sanshi and said to Huo Yuhao behind him,
"Leave this to me. It's time for your class monitor to deal with this guy."
As soon as he finished speaking, he slowly clenched his left hand into a fist.
"Vmmm—!"
A wisp of crimson-gold flame ignited out of nowhere, instantly becoming a surging fire dragon that coiled around his entire arm.
The flame's aura was sacred and scorching, as if it could burn away every evil thing in the world!
It was the Bingwu Primordial Yang Sacred Fire!
Immediately afterward, three purple Soul Rings appeared. Their presence overwhelmed Xu Sanshi's aura, making everyone there shudder with unease!
Three thousand-year Soul Rings!
How was that possible?!
A first-year student wasn't just a Soul Elder—every one of his three Soul Rings was a thousand years old!
This completely overturned the common understanding of Martial Soul cultivation for everyone present, Xu Sanshi included.
This was a true monster!
All the anger vanished from Xu Sanshi's face, replaced by horror. He even took an involuntary half-step backward.
The talent he had always been so proud of seemed like a joke beside this red-haired youth.
"Private fights are forbidden within the academy."
A stern voice rang out at just the right moment. A teacher in a Shrek Inspection Team uniform appeared between them as if teleporting. The powerful aura of a Soul Saint made the air around them feel thick and viscous.
"If you want to fight, take it to the Soul Fighting Arena."
The teacher's gaze lingered on Ji Jing's three purple Soul Rings for a full three seconds, his eyes brimming with undisguised shock.
"That's exactly what I had in mind."
Ji Jing suppressed his Soul Rings and Sacred Fire, his expression still calm.
"Senior, dare to take me on in the Soul Fighting Arena?"
With so many people watching, especially with the woman he loved, Jiang Nannan, standing nearby, Xu Sanshi couldn't back down.
He gritted his teeth and thrust out his chin.
"Why wouldn't I? Let's go!"
Shrek Academy, Outer Court Soul Fighting Zone.
The news spread like wings. Xu Sanshi was going up against a new Soul Elder with three purple Soul Rings!
This eye-catching matchup immediately drew a large crowd of Outer Court students.
On the Soul Fighting Arena, the Soul Saint teacher personally acted as referee.
"If we're going to have a Soul Fighting match, there ought to be something at stake."
Ji Jing looked at Xu Sanshi and spoke calmly.
"Hmph. What do you want?"
Xu Sanshi tried to keep up his brave front.
"Your sect has Mystic Water Pills, right?"
Ji Jing glanced at Huo Yuhao, who was watching tensely from the stands.
"If you lose, give my classmate two Mystic Water Pills. That's fair, isn't it?"
Huo Yuhao felt a warm glow in his chest at the offer.
He didn't know what Mystic Water Pills were, but he was still touched that his class monitor would stand up for him and go so far as to make a bet.
Xu Sanshi's expression changed.
He had used his family's secret method and spent a great deal of effort and precious medicinal ingredients to refine the Mystic Water Pills. They were incredibly valuable, and he couldn't even bring himself to use them. How could he give them away so easily?
"Impossible! The Mystic Water Pills are too—"
"I see."
Before Xu Sanshi could finish, Ji Jing turned his right hand over. A section of arm bone appeared in his palm, radiating immense power. It was crystal-clear, like red crystal.
The powerful Soul Power rippling from the bone made the entire Soul Fighting Arena hum.
"A ten-thousand-year Great Strength Wild Boar Right Arm Bone. Its attached skill is Ten Thousand Jun, which instantly amplifies the user's strength."
Ji Jing tossed the Soul Bone casually, as if it were an ordinary stone.
"If I lose, it's yours. Now, do you still think those two Mystic Water Pills are too much to ask?"
"Boom—!"
The audience seats erupted!
A ten-thousand-year Soul Bone!
A treasure countless Soul Masters dreamed of!
It even had the reputation of being the Treasure of the Blood River!
And this guy was using a ten-thousand-year Soul Bone as a wager? Was he crazy?!
Xu Sanshi's breathing instantly grew heavy. He stared at the right arm bone, his longing practically spilling from his eyes!
"Fine! I'll take that bet!"
Xu Sanshi practically roared the words. He was completely caught up in the moment.
The referee took a deep breath and announced,
"Both sides, get ready. The Soul Fighting match begins!"
Xu Sanshi didn't hesitate. He immediately activated his strongest state.
Second Soul Skill, Black Tortoise Shield Formation!
Third Soul Skill, Mystic Nether Power!
A barrier that rippled like black water instantly enveloped him. At the same time, vast quantities of water elemental energy rushed toward him, causing his Soul Power to more than double in a short time!
With offense and defense combined, he would secure victory by the safest means possible!
Before you continue