I Haven't Even Started, So How Are You Already Done for?

Dai Mubai and the other two timed it just right, then called Tang San and Xiao Wu over and knocked on Lin Chen's door.

"Lin Chen, it's lunchtime. Want to come eat with us?"

Dai Mubai called out loudly as he knocked.

Lin Chen, who had been getting ready to leave, couldn't help pausing in surprise.

Dai Mubai had actually come to invite him to eat? Had the sun risen in the west?

When something unusual happened, there was always a reason.

His instincts told Lin Chen that Dai Mubai was up to no good today.

"Then let's see what he's really scheming."

Lin Chen didn't try to avoid them. Instead, he walked to the door and opened it.

The whole Shrek gang stood neatly outside.

"Let's go."

As he spoke, Lin Chen discreetly studied their expressions.

The others seemed fine. Nothing particularly unusual.

But the amusement on Ma Hongjun's face was practically spilling over.

That expression.

He might as well have told Lin Chen outright, We're going to mess with you.

"Heh!"

Lin Chen gave a cold laugh inwardly and headed toward the stairs.

Xiao Wu followed with a cheerful hop.

"Lin Chen, we found a hidden gem in town yesterday. The food there is delicious. Want to try it this afternoon?"

At that, Tang San's expression darkened instantly, and his fists clenched unconsciously. But he said nothing and simply followed in silence.

Dai Mubai and the other two exchanged glances, then hurried after them.

"Not interested."

Lin Chen uttered the three words indifferently, without slowing his stride in the slightest.

Hearing this, Xiao Wu couldn't help pouting.

She just couldn't understand why he was so cold toward her.

She wasn't bad-looking, after all.

"Lin Chen!"

Once they were outside the dormitory, Dai Mubai quickened his pace and caught up beside Lin Chen.

Lin Chen glanced sideways at him.

Dai Mubai got straight to the point. "How about a Soul Fighting match this afternoon?"

Lin Chen glanced at Tang San.

The latter's eyes lit up. He clearly wanted to spar with Lin Chen, too.

But judging by his reaction, it didn't look as though he'd secretly put Dai Mubai up to it.

If it wasn't Tang San...

Then it could only be Yu Xiaogang, or Flender and Zhao Wuji.

Lin Chen shook his head. "No. I'm afraid of pain."

Dai Mubai: "???"

He'd expected Lin Chen to refuse, but he hadn't expected him to use that as his reason.

Afraid of pain?

What kind of lame excuse was that?

If you were afraid of pain, why bother cultivating?

"Lin Chen, cultivating as a Spirit Master isn't just about improving your Soul Power Level."

"Practical experience is essential, too."

"Without enough real combat experience, you won't be able to bring out your full strength, no matter how high your level is."

"Shutting yourself away to study won't get you anywhere."

Dai Mubai patiently tried to persuade him.

Tang San hurriedly chimed in.

"Exactly. If you don't have enough practical experience, you might end up losing to someone lower-level than you. The whole Soul Master World would laugh at you."

Ma Hongjun joined in, trying to persuade him as well.

"Don't worry. We're all classmates, so we'll be careful. We guarantee we won't hurt you. You can't just stay cooped up in your dorm all day, either."

Oscar nodded repeatedly. "That's right, that's right."

Xiao Wu frowned slightly, her gaze sweeping over their faces.

Why did she feel like something was off?

Still, their arguments didn't seem all that unreasonable.

Practical experience really was important.

Lin Chen looked over the group, taking in their ugly faces.

At last, his gaze settled on Dai Mubai.

"Are you really that good at fighting?"

Dai Mubai glanced at Xiao Wu, then smiled confidently.

"To be honest, I'm from the Star Luo Royal Family, and my Martial Soul is the White Tiger. I wouldn't claim to be invincible among those at my level, but there are few at the same level who can beat me."

Xiao Wu and Tang San were both stunned.

They already knew Dai Mubai's Martial Soul, but they hadn't known where he came from.

He was from the Star Luo Royal Family?

Why would a member of the Star Luo Royal Family come all the way to a backwater like Nuoding City?

Lin Chen feigned surprise.

"The White Tiger Martial Soul?"

"I read in a book that Spirit Masters with tiger-type Martial Souls are all quite strong."

"You must be very strong, right?"

Dai Mubai was unusually modest. "I suppose I'm passable."

Lin Chen asked, "Can I find out for myself?"

Dai Mubai responded generously. "Of course. How would you like to find out?"

Lin Chen stopped walking and held out his right hand.

Dai Mubai instantly understood what he meant, without needing an explanation.

He held out his own right hand and clasped Lin Chen's.

"I'll count to three, then we'll both push at the same time," Dai Mubai said.

Lin Chen nodded. "All right!"

Tang San and the others watched the two without blinking.

"One, two, three, go!"

Lin Chen didn't play around or hold back. The moment Dai Mubai said "go," he suddenly exerted his strength.

In that instant, Dai Mubai's expression changed drastically.

He felt as though his right hand had been caught in an iron vise. Terrifying force immediately began crushing his palm.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

The crisp sound of bones cracking rang out, drawing Tang San and the others' gazes to Lin Chen's face.

Yet Lin Chen's expression hadn't changed in the slightest.

"Ow, ow, ow! Let go, damn it, let go!"

Dai Mubai grimaced in agony, struggling to wrench his right hand free from Lin Chen's iron grip.

Only then did Tang San and the others react.

So the cracking sounds hadn't come from Lin Chen. They'd come from Dai Mubai!

Lin Chen let go, looking utterly innocent.

"Wait, I haven't even started yet. How are you already done for?"

Dai Mubai's right hand trembled uncontrollably, searing pain sweeping through his whole body.

He knew the bones in his fingers, and even the bones in his palm, were cracked.

Lin Chen's words twisted the knife even deeper.

Already frustrated at having taken a hidden loss, Dai Mubai instantly saw red.

"Fuck—"

As he cursed, Dai Mubai suddenly launched a straight kick at Lin Chen's chest.

Lin Chen's eyes widened. He dodged to the side, then brought his elbow down in a strike.

His elbow hit Dai Mubai's knee squarely.

"Crack!"

The sound of a bone breaking rang out again.

But before Dai Mubai could even scream, Lin Chen's side kick was already on its way.

It was fast, accurate, and vicious.

Before Dai Mubai could react at all, he felt an immense force slam into his chest.

"Bang!"

Dai Mubai's body shot into the air, folding into a U-shape.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Dai Mubai flew more than ten meters before crashing to the ground in a heap.

He rolled several times before finally bleeding off the force.

"Boss Dai!"

Ma Hongjun and Oscar's expressions changed drastically as they hurried over to Dai Mubai.

"Cough, cough..."

As Ma Hongjun helped Dai Mubai up, he coughed weakly, a thin trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Oscar was furious.

"Are you fucking sick? It was just a spar. Was there any need to hit him that hard?"

Tang San and Xiao Wu stared at Lin Chen in shock.

They truly hadn't expected Lin Chen to be so powerful.

He was strong, and unbelievably fast, too.

In that brief instant, even they wouldn't have been able to react in time.

Tang San was the most shocked of all.

Earlier, when Lin Chen had gone to Xiao Wu to complain, he'd always thought Lin Chen was afraid of him.

But now, that didn't seem to be the case.

With strength like this, why would he be afraid of someone his own age?

He had no idea that Tang San had the Tang Sect Secret Arts hidden up his sleeve.