After Flender explained, everyone understood what the lesson entailed. They didn't have to take part today, though. They would watch Huo Yuhao and learn from his experience.
"All right, go register, then meet back here." Flender said lazily.
Everyone registered quickly, then gathered together to wait for Huo Yuhao's match assignment.
"14th Soul Fighting Arena. I'll head to the waiting area to get ready. You guys go to the stands."
After seeing the results, Huo Yuhao informed everyone, waved, and left.
Having learned the rules, the others wanted to earn as many points as possible each day. With some time before the match, they also registered for two-on-two bouts. Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu teamed up.
Tang San and Ma Hongjun teamed up.
As for Huo Yuhao, he was already a Soul Elder, so he couldn't team up with them. Dai Mubai had been tempted to cling to him, but Huo Yuhao's words from that day still rang in his ears. Even if he took shortcuts and graduated, what then?
He would still have to fight his own brother to the death for the throne. Giving himself free rein now would only leave him with even less chance of winning.
Just then, Oscar's voice rang out from the stands. "Come on, Yuhao's match is about to start!"
Everyone hurried back to the spectator stands. "I wonder what kind of person Yuhao's opponent is."
Xiao Wu's eyes gleamed with anticipation. She loved a fight, but she couldn't beat Huo Yuhao, and getting thrashed by him over and over wasn't much fun.
But she was delighted to watch someone else get thrashed by Huo Yuhao. If Dai Mubai knew, he would surely have considered Xiao Wu a kindred spirit.
She wasn't the only one. Everyone from Shrek stared intently at the Soul Fighting Platform.
A host in a tailcoat stood in the center.
"Up next, we have two Soul Elders. First, our newcomer, Huo Yuhao, a Battle Soul Elder with a Dark Spirit Eye Martial Soul. His opponent is Yue Meng, a Battle Soul Elder with a Blood Mantis Martial Soul, who has won four matches in a row. A thrilling clash between newcomer and veteran! Who will claim the glory of victory? Let's wait and see. Please welcome our fighters!"
There weren't many people in the stands, and most were cheering Yue Meng's name. Unlike Huo Yuhao, who had no fans at all, Yue Meng had managed to build a modest following.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu curled her lip. "Hmph, Yuhao's definitely the strongest!"
She rolled up her sleeves, ready to take on the other man's fans, but the others quickly stopped her in alarm. What was she planning to do, beat up his fans?
"Is Yuhao really that strong?"
Oscar and Ma Hongjun had never seen Huo Yuhao fight, so they were a little doubtful. Even Dai Mubai often lost his Soul Elder-level matches.
This newcomer had cultivated quickly and reached the Soul Elder rank at such a young age, but neither of them thought he could be stronger than Dai Mubai.
"Ahem. Just watch." Dai Mubai felt a little awkward. Those two really had no idea what they were in for, but he was sure they would understand after seeing Huo Yuhao fight.
Soon, the two stepped onto the Soul Fighting Platform. When the spectators saw how young Huo Yuhao looked, many cried out in surprise.
"A Soul Elder this young? He looks less than thirteen!"
"Is that for real?"
Just then, Xiao Wu shouted loudly, immediately drawing the attention of the spectators around her. "Yuhao, you're so handsome! Go, Yuhao!"
Huo Yuhao's opponent was an ordinary-looking man, around thirty years old. He looked thin, but his muscles were clearly defined. He was obviously an Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master.
"Young man, reaching the Soul Elder rank in your teens—you must be a genius from some academy. Which one?" Yue Meng's voice was a little hoarse.
Huo Yuhao answered with a smile. "Shrek Academy."
Yue Meng paused. Most Soul Master Academies had "Soul Master" in their name. It was rare for one not to.
But he didn't give it much thought. There were so many academies; he couldn't possibly know them all.
"Young man, watch yourself."
"Martial Soul, Possession!"
The spectators watched Yue Meng's skin turn a dark, dull red. His hands became mantis-like blades, gleaming with a metallic sheen.
One white, one yellow, and one purple Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet. The combination wasn't ideal, but the Thousand-Year Soul Ring still gave the spectators a bit of a shock.
Huo Yuhao released his Martial Soul as well. When Yue Meng saw his strange eyes, he couldn't help feeling uneasy.
This was one of the Spirit Eye's evolved traits: simply meeting its gaze could unsettle an opponent's mind.
The pressure in his heart made Yue Meng anxious. He decided to strike first. His Second Soul Ring lit up, and his body blurred forward. The spectators could see only a streak of blood-red rushing toward Huo Yuhao.
But in Huo Yuhao's eyes, Yue Meng's every movement—from leaping forward to spreading his twin blades—was as clear as a slow-motion sequence.
He didn't intend to dodge. He planted his foot hard and shot forward like a black shadow, charging straight at Yue Meng.
Yue Meng's heart lurched. Wasn't his Martial Soul a pair of eyes? How could he be so fast? He'd misjudged him! This wasn't a control-type Soul Master!
There was no time to dodge now. He could only go all out. His First Soul Ring flashed, and the mantis blade on his arm grew by about half. He swung it viciously at Huo Yuhao.
As if he'd predicted it, Huo Yuhao bent low and slipped beneath the blade. He kept his momentum, turned slightly, and drove what looked like a light shoulder-check into Yue Meng.
Yue Meng's eyes nearly popped out of his head. It felt as if a bull had smashed into him, making his internal organs shudder. He went flying backward.
He snapped the protective rope at the edge and fell off the platform. Before he passed out, only one thought remained in his mind: "Agility Attack System, my ass! He's a Power Attack System!"
The stands fell silent. A moment later, loud cheers erupted.
"That newcomer's incredible! He beat Yue Meng so easily!"
"I knew that kid was no ordinary person!"
The host finally came to his senses. He checked Yue Meng's injuries and confirmed he was all right.
Only then did he loudly announce, "The winner is Huo Yuhao! His record is one win and zero losses. Please wait a moment and register your result."
Huo Yuhao nodded and stepped off the platform. Before leaving, he waved to everyone in the stands.
"He's amazing..." Oscar's gaze followed Huo Yuhao's retreating figure, while the scene replayed over and over in his mind.
It had all happened in an instant. Huo Yuhao had defeated his opponent without even using a Soul Skill! And he'd looked so cool doing it!
When Huo Yuhao returned to the stands, everyone congratulated him. Only Ning Rongrong stood to the side, pouting and turning her head away so she wouldn't have to look at him.
"Yuhao, that was incredible!"
Ma Hongjun was full of amazement. He hadn't seen Huo Yuhao fight Zhao Wuji one-on-one, and his battle prowess had left him utterly stunned.
A Control System Soul Master with the speed of an Agility Attack System Soul Master and the strength of a Power Attack System Soul Master—he seemed to have no weaknesses at all.
"Hmph, what's so great about him?" Ning Rongrong muttered. She couldn't stand hearing anyone praise Huo Yuhao now.
Just then, Flender came over and nodded at Huo Yuhao. "Good fight. I'm heading back now. The rest of you can stay and watch more matches if you want. Just remember to make your own way back to the academy later."
Everyone nodded, and Flender walked straight out of the arena.
Huo Yuhao had barely sat down before he got up and said,
"I still have the remaining twenty laps to run, so I'll head off first. You guys keep watching and learn from the other fighters' experience."
He waved goodbye to everyone and left.
When he got back near the village, no longer needing to hold back for the team, Huo Yuhao finally showed off his terrifying physical prowess.
The twenty laps the team had taken the whole day to run, he finished in just over two hours.
Walking leisurely back to the academy, he couldn't help shaking his head. "That level of exercise is completely useless. Looks like I'll have to add some weight..."
After six years of having his body continuously transformed by the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's energy, he was so monstrously strong that even he was shocked. Calling him a human-shaped Soul Beast wouldn't have been an exaggeration.
"Hm?"
As he approached his dormitory, he spotted someone unexpected standing at the entrance. Huo Yuhao paused in surprise.
That fiery figure and cool, beautiful face—it was none other than Zhu Zhuqing. From the looks of it, she had been waiting outside Huo Yuhao's room for him to return.
Zhu Zhuqing noticed Huo Yuhao walking toward her. She seemed to want to greet him first but didn't know how to begin. In the end, she lowered her head slightly and fidgeted with her fingers.
Huo Yuhao scratched his head. When he got closer, he asked softly, "Good evening, Zhu Zhuqing. Were you waiting here because you needed something?"
"Y-You can just call me Zhuqing. I came because there's something I'd like to ask you."
Huo Yuhao nodded in understanding. So that was why she'd been waiting for him so late at night. She needed his help. "Go ahead. If I can help, I'll do my best."
Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet Huo Yuhao's. "I hope you can guide me and help me become stronger."