The inner-court student who had started the provocation stopped in his tracks at Lin Yao's words. He turned to look at Lin Yao. "I didn't want to stoop to your level, but now you're asking for it, huh? So what do you say, man to man? Shall we settle this?"
Lin Yao simply extended one hand with a gentlemanly air and pointed straight at the gates of Shrek Academy. "After you."
His gesture was courteous, but the provocation in his eyes was almost impossible to hide. The red-uniformed student standing beside the other student frowned, then tugged at his sleeve. "Have you forgotten what the teacher told us to do? Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?!"
The inner-court student turned to face the classmate holding him back, bristling with indignation. "Did I start this? The guy over there said that whoever backed down was a coward. How can I let him call me a coward? If I do, how am I supposed to show my face around the academy?"
Lin Yao simply took Ye Guyi by the hand and walked past the group led by the student. As he passed him, he said coolly, "The truth doesn't need to be shouted. Don't stand here bawling like a baby. It's undignified."
The student was so enraged by Lin Yao that he completely lost his reason. Pointing at the back of Lin Yao's head, he said, "I'm not stopping until I beat the shit out of you!"
And so, before he had even finished enrolling, Lin Yao was already following the inner-court student to Shrek Academy's Soul Fighting Arena.
An inner-court student entering the outer-court arena was an absolute novelty, especially since he was wearing the inner-court uniform. That red uniform was like a thunderclap in the outer court—a piece of explosive news.
In no time, the outer-court Soul Fighting Arena at Shrek Academy was packed to an astonishing degree for the first time. Nearly everyone without a class had come to watch. They mainly wanted to see who was bold enough to provoke a full-fledged inner-court student of Shrek Academy.
When Lin Yao appeared on the arena, however, a question mark popped into the minds of the outer-court students. Who's that?
By then, the arena's host had obtained information about Lin Yao through a special channel within the academy, and began his introduction.
"Today's special Soul Fighting match is a truly unprecedented event in Shrek Academy's history. It is an official spar between an inner-court student and an outer-court student. The contestants are Lin Yao, a newcomer about to join the outer court, and Wang Qingming, a newly advanced Soul Emperor who, due to his age, will never have the chance to compete in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."
Lin Yao remained unruffled. He might not be unable to fight a Soul Emperor. He had just obtained his fourth Soul Skill, and was about to face the warm-up first divine trial left to him by the God of Destruction. If he couldn't even handle a Soul Emperor, then taking on a mature Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast would be nothing but empty talk.
If even the warm-up divine trial was being left until he had five rings, he might as well go home and sleep.
Lin Yao stood opposite Wang Qingming, who was already unleashing his Soul Emperor pressure in a frenzy, trying to make Lin Yao yield without a fight and crush him to the ground.
Lin Yao and Wang Qingming stared at each other for a while. Then Lin Yao yawned and said, "Didn't you even bother looking at my file? Or did the academy not give it to you at all?"
As he spoke, Lin Yao took a step forward. One yellow, two purple, and one black Soul Ring slowly revolved beneath his feet, while the phantom of an Ender Dragon appeared before him.
The moment the phantom appeared, its head—already transformed into that of an Ancient Ender Dragon—turned toward Wang Qingming. Wang Qingming's knees trembled for an instant, but years of practical experience in the inner court let him steady himself with Soul Power at once.
Although the era of Douluo III had not yet arrived, the bloodline suppression of Martial Souls had already begun to take shape. As it happened, Wang Qingming's Beast Martial Soul was that of an Eagle Dragon, a draconic species.
This unusual creature, with an eagle's head and a dragon's body, took several steps back the moment it saw the Ender Dragon's head. Even Wang Qingming's Soul Power dropped a little.
In the era of Douluo III, when Soul Spirits held sway, the Soul Rings on his body might have shut down on the spot. But for now, he managed to hold his ground, spread his arms into a fighting stance, and said to Lin Yao,
"It seems Lin Xueli really isn't useless after all. In that case, let me see what you're made of, Junior Lin."
After speaking, Wang Qingming braced himself and lunged forward, driving a punch toward Lin Yao's chest.
Scales instantly sprouted across Lin Yao's chest as it underwent Dragon Transformation. He didn't even make another move; he simply took the punch with his transformed chest.
Over the years, Lin Yao had eaten his fill of nourishing supplements like Whale Rubber, and the Ender Dragon's Soul Power had constantly nourished his body. By now, his physical strength was no weaker than his Soul Power cultivation.
Lin Yao seized Wang Qingming's wrist and forced his hand open. In a casual tone, he said, "That punch of yours is nothing."
As he spoke, Lin Yao swung his fist and struck Wang Qingming squarely in the chest, returning the blow with interest.
Wang Qingming didn't dare to take Lin Yao's punch head-on. Instead, he raised his other, unrestrained hand to shield his chest. A crack rang out, and blood spurted from his arm as he was sent stumbling backward.
Wang Qingming's fingers were now unnaturally straight. Lin Yao's punch had broken his arm outright.
"You've got some skill. Try this!" Wang Qingming said, whipping his clawed hand forward. A blue eagle claw shot out from his palm.
This time, Wang Qingming aimed straight for Lin Yao's head. Clearly, he had begun to fear Lin Yao's abilities.
Then the sight that filled him with despair unfolded before his eyes. The pitch-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring beneath Lin Yao's feet flashed, and purple, viscous Soul Power began to gather in his mouth.
As Lin Yao unleashed his fourth Soul Skill, Evil Flame Dragon Breath, a stream of purple liquid dragon breath swallowed the blue eagle claw Wang Qingming had fired.
But after swallowing the eagle claw, the dragon breath didn't stop. It shot straight toward Wang Qingming.
Wang Qingming froze for an instant, then twisted aside in an attempt to dodge. Lin Yao turned with him, and the liquid dragon breath changed direction with his movements, like a water gun swiveling to follow its target.
A mass of dragon breath still struck Wang Qingming squarely, unavoidable as an arrow. The next moment, wisps of white smoke rose from his skin, and the smell of roasting meat spread across the arena.
Wang Qingming felt a violent, searing pain spread through his body. It started where the dragon breath had struck, then consumed him from head to toe. The breath seemed capable of shattering bone and devouring the heart, and Wang Qingming's whole body began to tremble...
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