Three years ago.
Chu Qing had just arrived here. At first, he had defeated Dai Mubai and made quite a name for himself. But after about a year, his Soul Power had barely broken through to Level 29, and then he made no further progress. No matter how he cultivated, he couldn't reach Level 30.
The people at Shrek Academy had always been arrogant about their talents, and seeing this, they mocked him even more. What he remembered most clearly was the Chubby Kid, Ma Hongjun, provoking him that day.
Back then, he had given most of his Gold Soul Coins to the villagers, and his own daily expenses here were often short. So he thought he'd go to the Soul Fighting Arena to earn some extra money and, while he was at it, improve his combat experience.
That day, he stood at the eastern side of the ring, eyes closed as he waited for his twelfth match.
Chu Qing hoped he could improve his Soul Power through fighting. He fought many matches every day and had almost never lost.
"Hey! If it isn't the genius Chu Qing. What, still haven't broken through? Yours truly is about to reach Level 30!"
Chu Qing froze and looked up. A square-shaped creature, 158 centimeters tall and weighing 258 pounds, stood opposite him, shouting.
"What, you little chubby brat think you can mock me too?"
"Heh, everyone knows you're just a useless nobody who relies on Ning Rongrong! Without the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's resources in the early days, could you have reached Level 29? Now your true colors are showing, aren't they? You'll never break through to Level 30 in your whole life!" the Chubby Kid said with a mocking look.
He was Dai Mubai's good friend. After seeing their boss beaten up by this unknown brat, he had wanted to beat him up for ages. But he'd held back because of the gap in their strength. Now that he'd reached Level 29 himself, he wasn't afraid of him at all! Meanwhile, this brat had been stuck at Level 29 for a whole year. It looked like he was already a lost cause!
Anger showed on Chu Qing's face. As Soul Power coursed through his hand, the enormous phantom of the Void Devouring Flame rose up.
Seeing Chu Qing's flames, Ma Hongjun looked even more disdainful. "That lousy fire of yours came from who knows where, and it's not even useful. Compared with my Evil Fire Phoenix, it's worth less than dog shit! Hahahaha! I bet you only beat our boss that day by sheer luck!"
Then Ma Hongjun revealed his Martial Soul too. A pheasant that looked like a phoenix rose into the air! Chu Qing looked at it and couldn't help laughing. "What phoenix? Looks like a hen to me."
Ma Hongjun flew into a rage! Chu Qing had hit a sore spot. His phoenix really had come from a mutated pheasant, but since Dean Flender said it was a phoenix, then it had to be a phoenix! He said nothing more, channeled his Soul Power, twisted his fat body, and unleashed his Soul Skill.
"Second Soul Skill! Bathed in Fire Phoenix!"
"First Soul Skill! Phoenix Fire Line!"
A thick, straight stream of yellow fire shot from Ma Hongjun's mouth toward Chu Qing.
Ma Hongjun was proudest of his Soul Skills, which worked together perfectly. His second Soul Skill boosted the damage, while his first was an extremely powerful fire attack. An ordinary person hit by this combo wouldn't last even two rounds.
He watched Chu Qing smugly. Chu Qing's fire-based Martial Soul was sure to be no match for his phoenix!
But what happened before him was completely different from what he'd expected. The long, thick stream of fire reached Chu Qing, then cowered like a mouse that had spotted a cat and was swallowed by black flames.
His prized combo couldn't even break through Chu Qing's defenses!
The Chubby Kid panicked. Only now did he understand how Level 28 Chu Qing had defeated Dai Mubai, who was eight levels above him! What terrifying strength!
"What, is that all you've got? Now it's my turn!" Chu Qing smiled calmly. His inability to break through had long been a knot in his heart, and this Chubby Kid had mocked him over it again and again. He decided to hold nothing back!
"Fire God Domain! Unleash!"
In an instant, black flames covered the entire ring. Ma Hongjun's figure stiffened, and his body felt extremely weak. His Soul Power enhancement had been weakened by 30%!
Among the spectators, there were some who had seen a lot. "Look! That young man doesn't seem very old, yet he actually has a domain!"
"Senior, what is a domain?" a young man asked in confusion.
"Put it this way: even a Titled Douluo may not have a domain! And being inside a domain often brings all sorts of enhancements. You can imagine how terrifying it is!" The old man stroked his white beard and spoke gravely.
The young man immediately sucked in a sharp breath!
This kid was terrifying!
Seeing that things had taken a turn for the worse, Ma Hongjun was about to beg for mercy. By the rules, once someone conceded, the other party wasn't allowed to keep attacking.
But Chu Qing didn't give him the chance!
A clump of flame silently arrived and sealed Ma Hongjun's plump mouth, as fat as a pig's snout!
Ma Hongjun panicked at once, mumbling incoherently.
The Soul Fighting Arena's managers did nothing. They were happy to watch such a dramatic scene. Even if Ma Hongjun was seriously injured, it had nothing to do with them. After all, he hadn't actually said that he conceded.
A burst of thunderous laughter rang out across the arena!
Chu Qing said no more and immediately unleashed his Soul Skills!
First Soul Skill! Flame Devouring Heaven Burning!
Second Soul Skill! Flame Split Wave!
Flames covered Ma Hongjun's body in clumps. When the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, which looked like a pheasant, saw the black flames of the Void Devouring Flame, it trembled as if it had a mind of its own!
Chu Qing sneered. How could a mere fire phoenix from the Douluo World possibly stand against the Void Devouring Flame, which could devour all things?
Ma Hongjun was stunned by the sight too, but soon he couldn't even stay stunned. The relentless black flames were more than he could bear, and before long his vision went black and he passed out.
Only then did Chu Qing stop. He recalled his Martial Soul and walked over to the fallen Chubby Kid, looking down at him from above.
Twelfth match! Chu Qing, victory!
A burst of thunderous cheers erupted from the stands!
Chu Qing had fought for half a year straight without a single loss! What a dazzling achievement!
Chu Qing paid no mind to the applause from the audience. He was used to it by now. What troubled him was that today's battles had again brought him no progress at all!
The Void Devouring Flame seemed to have gone on strike, staying stubbornly at the same level. He had even tried hunting Soul Beasts, but aside from increasing the wicked thoughts in his mind, it had done nothing.
Could it be... He looked at the Chubby Kid in front of him and fell into thought.
Perhaps he really needed to find a way to vent those wicked thoughts?! Only with a clear mind could he truly succeed.
But he didn't want to be like the Chubby Kid and go in and out of brothels. He had his principles.
Rongrong was too young... Besides, he couldn't bring himself to do that.
Back in the present, Xiao Wu's arrival seemed to offer Chu Qing a chance to solve his problem.
"Brother! The dean said he's taking us to hunt Soul Beasts!" A beautiful figure came running over from nearby.