As the Imperial Dou Team fought match after match, a month quietly passed.
After relentless effort in soul fighting, every member of the Imperial Dou Team finally obtained a Silver Soul Fighting Badge within a month.
In team soul fights, few teams could contend with them, so they often faced the same opponents repeatedly. The Jade Maiden Fighting Team, for instance, had fought the Imperial Dou Team in team battles many times, but they were always utterly defeated.
During team soul fights, whenever their opponent was not the Jade Maiden Fighting Team, Di Lintian left the frontal battlefield to Yu Tianheng and took responsibility for Ye Lingling's safety himself.
By now, all seven members of the Imperial Dou Team had become star figures and golden signboards of the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena:
With one sword drawn, ten thousand ghosts grieve—the Sword Demon, Di Lintian.
Master of the Five Elements—the God of Elements, Na'er.
Lord of Thunder—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Yu Tianheng.
Source of Ten Thousand Poisons—the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, Dugu Yan.
Netherworld Hunter—the Ghost Leopard, Osler.
Wings of the Storm—the Wind Bell Bird, Yu Feng.
Reverser of Life and Death—the Nine Heart Begonia, Ye Lingling.
"Word just came from Heaven Dou Royal Academy. They hope we can go to the Suotuo City Great Soul Arena for soul fights." Mystic Water pushed open the lounge door and walked in slowly.
"Go to Suotuo City? Why?" Ye Lingling asked in confusion.
"I don't know." Mystic Water shook his head. "But we're heading to the Star Dou Forest now to hunt Lin Tian's fourth Soul Ring. We can stop by on the way back."
"Boss broke through to Soul Ancestor!" Osler quickly came to Di Lintian's side and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Di Lintian nodded calmly.
"I'll break through soon too," Yu Tianheng said with a smile.
"Lin Tian was right. Your next phase of training is to head to the Star Dou Forest and help Lin Tian kill a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast," Mystic Water said.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go." Yu Feng, still leaning against the wall with a deliberately melancholy expression, spoke up.
"Once Boss gets his fourth Soul Ring, our team will have two Soul Ancestors. Tianheng is close to breaking through too." Standing beside Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan smiled brightly.
"Let's go!"
Di Lintian spoke softly, took Na'er's hand, and left the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, heading toward the Star Dou Forest.
At the same time, in Suotuo City, the Shrek Seven Devils were also heading to the Star Dou Forest under Zhao Wuji's lead. However, unlike the Imperial Dou Team, who traveled by carriage, they ran the entire way.
At dusk, outside the Star Dou Forest, three carriages bearing the banner of Heaven Dou Royal Academy entered the small town after traveling from Heaven Dou City.
Most Soul Masters who came to the Star Dou Forest to hunt Soul Rings made their final preparations here, and Heaven Dou Royal Academy was no exception.
"Rest here for the night. We'll enter the Star Dou Forest early tomorrow morning." After leaving those words for the seven members of the Imperial Dou Team, Mystic Water vanished.
"Let's get something to eat. I'm exhausted after sitting in a carriage all day." Osler stretched and looked toward the town's only inn in the distance.
"We should eat something. Are you hungry?" Di Lintian turned to Na'er.
"No."
Na'er still looked icy and aloof. Only when she was alone with Di Lintian did she occasionally reveal a different side of herself.
"Boss, Big Sis must be hungry too. Let's go." Wings spread from Yu Feng's back as he flew straight toward the inn.
"Yeah, yeah." Osler also turned into a streak of black light.
Di Lintian smiled and shook his head. Looking at the inn, he wondered whether Shrek had already headed for the Star Dou Forest and whether they might run into each other there.
If they did, Tang San would probably have to say goodbye to his Eight Spider Lances.
Di Lintian entered the inn and swept his gaze around, but he did not see any guests resembling the Shrek Seven Devils.
He walked over to Yu Feng and Osler's table and sat down. "Order."
"Got it!"
Starving after a full day, Osler called over a server. "This, this, and this." He pointed at several of the cheapest dishes. "Other than those, bring me one of everything else."
"Since the academy's paying, we have to bleed them dry," Osler said with a grin.
Before long, servers brought over the dishes Osler had ordered, quickly filling the entire table.
Di Lintian kept his eyes on the entrance. There, the Shrek Seven Devils walked into the inn.
That fatty was Ma Hongjun. The blond young man at the front should be Dai Mubai. There was also that uncle-looking Oscar, and... Di Lintian looked at Zhu Zhuqing, dressed in leather with her full chest, and found it hard to believe she was only twelve.
Then came Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the little witch Ning Rongrong in a blue dress.
Tang San, it seems the fortune of Douluo Continent isn't favoring you so much anymore.
Di Lintian thought wickedly.
"Boss, you should eat too," Osler mumbled through a mouth stuffed full of food.
Di Lintian turned back, tore off a chicken leg, and placed it in Na'er's bowl.
"You should try some too."
Na'er nodded lightly, wrapped her fair hand in Soul Power, picked up the chicken leg from her bowl, and ate it in small bites.
"Big Sis really is a lady. Even the way she eats is so elegant," Yu Feng teased as he watched Na'er.
The next moment, Na'er's gaze frightened him into drawing back his neck.
Just as the Imperial Dou Team was about to finish eating, seven people dressed in Blue Sunshine Academy uniforms swaggered in under the lead of an old man.
"That little chick is pretty nice, Boss Dai," Ma Hongjun said frivolously.
"What the hell is a tiny Blue Sunshine Academy acting so arrogant for?" Dai Mubai said loudly and disdainfully.
Before Blue Sunshine Academy could say anything, Yu Tianheng said without concealment, "Country bumpkins."
Dugu Yan also looked at the Shrek Seven Devils with disgust in her eyes.
"Oh? How did I not notice before that there are three such pretty little chicks here?" Ma Hongjun greedily swept his gaze over Na'er, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling.
The Imperial Dou Team's uniforms were quite eye-catching, making them look noble at a glance. But because they were headed to the Star Dou Forest, the seven members of the Imperial Dou Team were not wearing them.
Di Lintian's eyes turned cold. Soul Power surged around him as the chopsticks in his hand became a sword, shooting through the air toward Ma Hongjun with a tangible sword intent.
"Boss started the fight! Move!" Osler quickly swallowed the food in his mouth. Two yellow and one purple Soul Rings appeared as the Ghost Leopard Martial Soul instantly possessed him.
"Please leave this place first. All expenses and compensation today will be covered by Heaven Dou Royal Academy!" Yu Tianheng stood from his chair. Though his gaze toward Ma Hongjun carried a trace of killing intent, he spoke calmly to the uninvolved patrons.
Facing the chopsticks streaking through the air, Ma Hongjun did not even have time to react before he was sent flying backward at high speed. He only stopped after slamming into a wooden wall, then slid down to the floor.
"We're done for, we're done for. The dean said those who don't dare cause trouble are mediocrities, but we can't cause trouble this huge!" Oscar rapidly made Recovery Big Sausages in his hands as he said tremblingly.
The Shrek Seven Devils instantly rose to their feet. No, the Shrek Six Monsters, because Ma Hongjun had already passed out.
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