Supervisor Ao's Request, Pufferfish Douluo's Investigation

Qin Ming stood at the door, studying Yu Tianlin for a long while. His gaze held scrutiny and emotion, but in the end, he merely shook his head with a smile.

"I've been at Heaven Dou Royal Academy for over ten years. I started as an ordinary teacher and worked my way to where I am now. My roots are planted there. Your invitation is sincere, but I can't accept it."

Yu Tianlin did not try to persuade him further. If Qin Ming had agreed so readily, he would not have been Qin Ming. Yu Tianlin understood people like him well—loyal, nostalgic, and valuing his students above his own prospects. As one of Shrek Academy's first-generation graduates, Qin Ming possessed the potential to become a Title Douluo. The value of such an uncut gem did not lie in the present, but in the future. There was no need to rush this matter; it had to be considered carefully over time.

He rose to his feet and respectfully bowed to Qin Ming, seeing him to the entrance of the waiting area. Qin Ming paused at the door, turned his head, and said, "Tianheng and the others are in your hands." Then he strode away.

Watching Qin Ming's back vanish at the end of the corridor, Yu Tianlin turned and returned to the rest area.

Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling were seated on a bench in the corner of the rest area. Yu Tianlin walked over and told them that he and his teammates needed to complete today's soul fighting matches first, asking them to wait here for a while.

Their opponents that day were a mid-ranked Silver Soul team. The entire group battle lasted less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn.

Several hours later, Yu Tianlin led everyone back to the hotel and called Yu Tianheng's group into his room. The room was not large, and with ten people squeezed inside, it felt somewhat cramped. Yu Xiaolou sat on the edge of the bed, swinging his legs. Lei Dong leaned against the window frame, Lei Jiu sat cross-legged on the floor, and Lei Li stood by the door with his arms folded. Qing Luo and Yu Tianxin sat on opposite sides of the table.

Yu Tianheng sat in a chair by the window, with Dugu Yan taking the seat beside him. Ye Lingling sat quietly at the far end.

"Since we'll be forming a team together from now on, let's formally get acquainted first." Yu Tianlin's gaze swept over Yu Tianheng and the other two. "Tianheng, you start."

Yu Tianheng stood and spoke first. "Yu Tianheng. Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Level thirty-nine assault-type."

Dugu Yan did not stand. She merely leaned against the back of her chair, raised a hand, and stated her Martial Soul and level. Her tone was casual, but she did not neglect basic courtesy.

Ye Lingling spoke last. "Level thirty-five support-type. Martial Soul: Nine Heart Begonia."

The members of the Ji Ni Tai Mei Team then introduced themselves one by one. From Yu Tianxin to Yu Xiaolou, they clearly stated their Soul Power Levels and Martial Soul traits.

Then it was Yu Tianlin's turn.

He stood, and three soul rings—purple, purple, and black—lit up. They slowly revolved around him, casting the entire room into shifting light and shadow. Immediately afterward, a vast and imposing aura burst from his body. The phantom of the Prison-Suppressing Azure Dragon gradually solidified behind him, its emerald dragon scales glimmering with an eerie chill beneath the candlelight, its dragon eyes filled with majesty.

"Yu Tianlin. Martial Soul: Prison-Suppressing Azure Dragon. Level thirty-nine assault-type."

Yu Tianheng's gaze locked onto that black soul ring, and he remained stunned for a long while. Although he had already heard Dugu Bo mention the ten-thousand-year third soul ring in the lounge, seeing that black ring light up before him was utterly different from merely hearing someone describe it.

Dugu Yan's expression finally changed as well. She straightened in her chair, and her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul automatically appeared behind her. Its tongue flicked rapidly—an instinctive warning response from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent upon sensing danger.

The petals of the Nine Heart Begonia in Ye Lingling's palm trembled lightly. She raised her head to look at the Azure Dragon phantom behind Yu Tianlin, too shocked to say a word.

Lei Jiu rubbed his hands together, his tone carrying a complicated feeling of having seen it many times yet still being unable to stop himself from marveling. "No matter how many times I see the captain's strength, it's always this shocking. Compared to the captain, we... no, there's simply no comparison."

Yu Tianlin withdrew his Martial Soul and soul rings, then sat down again. "Now that everyone understands one another, it's getting late. Go back and rest for now. Tomorrow, we'll work on our coordination properly in the Soul Fighting Arena."

Everyone rose in succession. Yu Tianheng helped the still-dazed Dugu Yan to her feet, while Ye Lingling followed behind them. Yu Tianxin led the three of them to their newly arranged rooms in the hotel.

Early the next morning, the Ji Ni Tai Mei Team and Yu Tianheng's group arrived at Soto Grand Arena on time. There were not many people in the Silver Soul waiting area when a middle-aged man in a brown robe hurried over.

The man stood straight, his face wearing a professional smile. A supervisor's badge was pinned to his chest. He stopped before Yu Tianlin, bowed first, then let his gaze pause briefly on the Withered Wood Mask.

"You must be the captain of the Ji Ni Tai Mei Team, sir. Truly, heroes emerge in their youth. My surname is Ao. I am a supervisor of Soto Grand Arena."

Yu Tianlin nodded, his tone calm. "Supervisor Ao. What is it?"

The smile on Supervisor Ao's face faded somewhat, replaced by a troubled expression. "It's like this. Recently, a team called the Ferocious God Team arrived at our Soul Fighting Arena. They've already achieved more than ten consecutive victories and are about to advance to a Gold Soul badge. But the problem is that nearly every team that fights them suffers severe casualties. Yesterday's team was even gravely injured across the board. Three of them are still lying unconscious in the treatment room. Now, not a single Silver Soul team is willing to fight them. Yet according to the arena's rules, we cannot send a Gold Soul team into the match either. Therefore, I would like to ask your team to take action and fight the Ferocious God Team."

Yu Tianlin did not answer immediately. He lightly tapped the tabletop twice with his fingers, then looked up. "What do we get out of it?"

Supervisor Ao had clearly come prepared. "If your team wins, you will receive Gold Soul badges directly, without needing to fight promotion matches. There will also be a Gold Soul Coin reward, and the amount will certainly satisfy all of you. In addition, you'll receive a Soto Grand Arena special discount card. At any shop, hotel, or restaurant under our banner, you'll receive a thirty percent discount. If you lose..." He paused. "We will also provide compensation, along with a ten percent discount card."

After hearing the terms, Yu Tianlin did not hesitate for long. They could obtain Gold Soul badges directly, saving them at least a month of matches. As for the Ferocious God Team, he had learned that they truly were brutal. Every member was a desperado, and their fighting style involved trading injury for injury. Many teams were not incapable of defeating them; they simply were unwilling to pay the price of losing members.

For a team like theirs, trading injury for injury was precisely what they feared least. With Azure Dragon Longevity's restorative ability and Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia providing a double layer of healing, so long as someone did not die on the spot, they could be pulled back from the brink.

"Fine."

The troubled look on Supervisor Ao's face vanished at once, and his smile returned. He said "Good" three times in a row before turning to arrange the match schedule.

Meanwhile, at the front desk of Soto Grand Arena.

A plump figure stood before the announcement crystal. He had orange hair, abnormally dark-yellow skin, and an aura so deeply restrained that it was nearly impossible to sense.

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the match records scrolling across the announcement crystal. Ji Ni Tai Mei Team. Silver Soul rank. Their consecutive victories continued to rise. In the captain's information column, the name, Martial Soul, and soul ring fields were all marked "Unknown."

Pufferfish had not alerted the enemy. He had questioned people who regularly watched soul fighting matches about the Ji Ni Tai Mei Team, and after verifying the matter through multiple sources, he had confirmed that the captain of the Ji Ni Tai Mei Team definitely possessed a ten-thousand-year third soul ring.

Pufferfish slowly rubbed his fist. Since the information was true, I'll find this person tomorrow and recruit him under the young master. If he refuses, then he can't blame me for being ruthless.