"You talk too much.
The host already announced the start, so I was naturally allowed to attack.
Who says Soul Masters have to activate their Martial Souls before they can make a move?"
Li Han's face was icy beneath his mask. He looked at the host.
"Was there anything wrong with what I said?"
"Not at all! Let's congratulate Li Feiyu once again!
Wang Lang, don't make a scene. Let's get the next match started right away!"
With the host saying that, Wang Lang could only swallow his anger, even though he was still unconvinced.
After all, the Great Soul Arena was a powerful establishment. It wasn't somewhere he could afford to provoke.
"Li Feiyu! I'll remember you! Just you wait! I'll defeat you fair and square in the arena one day! Hmph!"
Wang Lang stormed off. Li Han returned backstage to collect his hundred Gold Soul Coins.
"Soul Masters really do earn money fast."
Li Han happily pocketed the hundred Gold Soul Coins, then asked, "Hello, can you arrange another match for me tonight?"
"Sorry, the rules of our Soul Fighting Arena state that a contestant can only sign up for one match per day.
"But you can choose to compete in doubles or team matches. You can also participate in one of those modes each day, and they don't count against your individual match."
Li Han was rather disappointed by the answer.
Where was he supposed to find a teammate?
Especially after taking on this false identity, he couldn't possibly team up with anyone he'd known before.
Otherwise, there'd be no point in hiding his identity at all.
So he could only look for new teammates.
"Never mind, then. I'm on my own."
Just as Li Han was about to leave, he saw someone block his way.
"I need a teammate. You can join me. If we win, you can have all the prize money."
Hearing this, Li Han looked up at the person who had approached him.
She was a blue-haired girl who looked about eleven or twelve.
"Is that... Meng Yiran?"
Meng Yiran wasn't wearing any disguise, so Li Han recognized her at a glance.
That smoky makeup, like something worn by a rebellious girl, made her incredibly easy to recognize.
Meng Yiran was the granddaughter of the Dragon and Snake Couple, a student at Exotic Beast Academy, and the wielder of the Serpent Cane Martial Soul. She had decent talent and was also skilled with Hidden Weapons like the Soul-Breaking Blade.
"Ding! Sign-in target: Dong Xuan'er. Reward: Heavenly Eye Technique.
"Heavenly Eye Technique, a basic spell. It can see through an opponent's cultivation and determine the exact age of a Soul Beast. However, it cannot see through anyone whose cultivation far surpasses the host's."
"Lucky me. I've gained another spell.
"Heavenly Eye Technique? I won't have to go to the trouble of researching Soul Beast ages anymore."
Li Han thought to himself, then turned his gaze to Meng Yiran.
He activated the Heavenly Eye Technique!
"Level twenty-one? She's not weak.
"Come to think of it, she seems to reach level thirty in four years. That sounds about right."
"Are you willing or not? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Meng Yiran grew a little anxious when Li Han didn't respond.
If she hadn't wanted to keep her grandparents from finding out she was competing in Soul Fighting, she wouldn't have been short of teammates.
She'd seen Li Han fight from below the stage and thought he was strong, so she'd wanted to team up with him for the doubles match.
"I have to prove to Grandpa and Grandma that I can make a name for myself in the Soul Master World through my own efforts!"
Meng Yiran had set herself this modest goal before coming.
"Will I really get all the prize money if we win?"
"Of course! I, Meng Yiran, don't care about that little bit of money.
"Besides, you're stronger than me. You'd be at a disadvantage teaming up with me, so naturally you should get the larger share."
She was considerate, at least.
Li Han smiled to himself, then nodded.
"Fine. Let's team up."
Meng Yiran was delighted when Li Han agreed.
"Then let's register now! I'll pay the registration fee!
"What do you want to name our team?
"If it were up to me, I'd call us the Soul Breaker Duo. What do you think?"
"Fine by me. I don't mind."
"Then it's settled!"
Meng Yiran immediately registered them at the front desk. Their next doubles match was in half an hour.
In the lounge, Meng Yiran eyed Li Han's mask curiously.
"Li Feiyu, why are you wearing a mask? We're teammates now. Can't you let me see your face?"
"There's a reason I wear a mask. I can't just show my face to anyone.
"Just assume I'm ugly and don't want people to see me."
"Tch, how stingy. Then let's tell each other about our Soul Skills so we can coordinate later.
"My Martial Soul is the Serpent Cane. My first Soul Skill is Snake Blade. It lets me shoot a poisoned blade from the serpent's head on my cane.
"My second Soul Skill is Snake Body. It makes my body as supple as a snake."
After finishing, Meng Yiran summoned her Serpent Cane Martial Soul, and two yellow Soul Rings appeared.
"How about it? Not bad, right? Now let me see your Martial Soul and Soul Skills."
Li Han swept his right hand, and the Gold-Devouring Thunder Spear, formed from Heavenly Thunder Bamboo, appeared. Its head was triangular, and blue lightning patterns ran along its shaft.
His Soul Ring appeared, its color yellow under the effect of his second Soul Skill.
"I won't tell you my Soul Skills for now. We probably won't need them in the next match."
"What? I told you all about mine. Why won't you tell me?"
Meng Yiran protested.
"I never asked to know. You were the one who insisted on telling me."
"You!"
Meng Yiran felt like Li Han was about to drive her to her grave.
How could anyone treat a beautiful girl like that?
"During the fight, stay back. I'll go first."
"Are you planning to take on both of them by yourself? My Soul Power is only at level twenty-one, but even a typical Soul Grandmaster might not be a match for me."
"It's a tactic. I'll launch a feint, and you look for an opening to finish them in one strike.
"Aren't you good with poison?
"Poison should be used to catch people off guard. Who poisons someone head-on?"
"Is that so?"
Meng Yiran paused, then thought it over. It really did make sense.
If you were strong enough to poison someone head-on, what was the point of all that effort? You might as well just stab them to death.
Seeing Meng Yiran's suddenly enlightened expression, Li Han couldn't help but rub his forehead.
"She really is a sheltered scion who's never been through a life-or-death battle."
Half an hour later, the two stepped into the doubles arena.
Their opponents were a pair of brothers named Niu Tie and Niu Tong. Both had the Iron-Hide Rhino Martial Soul; one had level twenty-seven Soul Power, and the other level twenty-five.
"Haha, Brother, we really are lucky.
"Not only are they a rookie team, one of them has only level twenty-one Soul Power."
Niu Tong burst out laughing.
"We'll have a feast tonight after we win!"
Niu Tie was just as certain of victory.
"Li Feiyu, I think we've had a bit of bad luck. We've run into such a powerful team right away."
Meng Yiran was a little nervous.
"Don't worry. Just stick to the plan."
"Okay."
Seeing how confident Li Han was, Meng Yiran felt much more at ease.
"The match begins!"
"Activate your Martial Souls!"
Niu Tie and Niu Tong activated their Martial Souls at the same time. Two Soul Rings, one yellow and one white, appeared alongside their Iron-Hide Rhinos.
A powerful wave of pressure swept over them.
"What a fearsome presence. Their Soul Ring Configurations aren't ideal, but their Soul Power really is several levels higher than mine.
"In a one-on-one fight, I'm probably no match for either of them."
While Meng Yiran was thinking this, Li Han had already darted forward.
He swept his right hand, and the Gold-Devouring Thunder Spear appeared. He seized it and thrust forward in a single motion!
Before you continue