All or Nothing

"Should be this way, right?"

It was already getting late. After classes in the afternoon, he had gone to the library, and with the time spent on the road, quite a few vendors had already set up their stalls outside Shrek Academy's gates.

Strictly speaking, the area outside Shrek Academy's gates was already beyond Shrek City. However, because of Shrek Academy's presence, it had gradually developed into a small commercial street. There were no proper storefronts, but there were vendors selling just about everything.

The most numerous and popular of them were all kinds of snack stalls. Simple, affordable snacks made from ordinary ingredients truly offered no help to Soul Masters' cultivation, but anyone would grow tired of eating cafeteria food every day. These snacks were merely for a change of taste.

Surely no one actually expected to spend so little and buy snacks made with all sorts of rare soul beast meat, right?

In truth, "affordable" was only relative to the prices inside Shrek City and Shrek Academy. Compared with cities outside the capitals of the major empires, prices here were still quite high.

But in a commercially developed city like Shrek City, those prices were still quite accessible. Moreover, over eighty percent of Shrek Academy's students came from wealthy or noble backgrounds and did not care about such trifling sums, causing the small commercial street outside the Academy to grow larger and larger.

Perhaps after enough years, this place would truly become a commercial street with proper buildings.

Including the days of freshman registration, Jiang Yue had been at Shrek Academy for several days already. Yet during that time, he had never left the Academy, and had only come to glance outside its gates before.

As a result, despite the commercial street's size, Jiang Yue had no idea where Huo Yuhao's stall was located.

On one hand, since certain events had already diverged from the original plot, Jiang Yue wanted to see for himself whether this scene would still unfold as it had in the original work. He also wanted to see whether he could infer Huo Yuhao's current soul skills.

Soul skills and martial souls were among a Soul Master's most private secrets. In the Soul Master world, even some married couples might not know the full effects of their spouse's soul skills or the traits of their martial soul.

On the other hand, Jiang Yue himself wanted to try Huo Yuhao's grilled fish. It could be called the most outrageous food in all of Douluo Continent 2; even those accustomed to delicacies from mountains and seas could not resist the taste of Little Huo's grilled fish.

Just as Jiang Yue was feeling troubled over how to find Huo Yuhao's stall in such a large commercial street, an unusual, enticing fragrance drifted over from one direction and stirred his sense of smell. It was entirely different from the aromas of the food sold by the surrounding vendors, carrying an indescribable quality.

Jiang Yue was not the only one. Many people who caught that scent had their attention drawn to it and began searching for the source of the unfamiliar aroma.

Because his spiritual power far surpassed that of his peers, Jiang Yue quickly locked onto the source of the scent and rushed toward it at top speed. However, there was some distance between him and the stall, so although he located Huo Yuhao's stall quickly, he was not the first to arrive.

That was fine. Jiang Yue's main purpose was to see whether the plot involving Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan would still be triggered, so he could determine whether there was an opportunity for profit.

Since Huo Yuhao was an unfamiliar face, although his grilled fish smelled excellent, most people remained hesitant. Still, the scent was simply too tempting, and quite a few people had already gathered around Huo Yuhao's stall.

Only five or six people stood ahead of Jiang Yue, eager to be the first to try it. Even with Spirit Eyes as his martial soul, Huo Yuhao could only grill a limited number of fish at once, so it would still take some time before Jiang Yue's turn came.

When it was finally Jiang Yue's turn, Huo Yuhao visibly relaxed upon seeing him and smiled.

"Classmate, if you want to eat my grilled fish, this one's on me."

Although Huo Yuhao did not know Jiang Yue's name, Jiang Yue's appearance was simply too striking to forget.

Huo Yuhao had already been deeply grateful to Jiang Yue for saving him from the Datura Snake and pointing him toward a suitable soul beast. Yesterday, Jiang Yue had even beaten up Dai Huabin, the enemy who had killed his mother. To Huo Yuhao, that was simply incredible news, especially the latter matter.

No matter who it was, as long as they could thoroughly beat Dai Huabin up, grind his insignificant pride into the dirt, and make that arrogant bastard lose all face, Huo Yuhao would be grateful to them.

"No need. I appreciate the kindness, but this is a small business. The money you earn from setting up this stall is probably for your living expenses, right? It's only five Copper Soul Coins. I can afford that much. Give me two."

After Jiang Yue handed Huo Yuhao a Silver Soul Coin, all of Huo Yuhao's grilled fish for the day had been sold. Aside from the two Jiang Yue bought, the remaining two had been specially reserved for Tang Ya.

It was at that moment that the students gathered around Huo Yuhao's stall, who had been enjoying the scent of his grilled fish, neatly made way. A fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl with flowing golden curls, jade-like features, and a delicate, graceful bearing arrived at Huo Yuhao's stall with several girls also wearing purple fourth-year uniforms.

With that hair color and appearance, Jiang Yue did not even need to guess. This breathtaking girl before him was Jiang Nannan. It seemed that Huo Yuhao's grilled fish had successfully stirred Jiang Nannan's appetite.

As everyone knew, there was a fact at Shrek Academy during the era of the Unrivaled Tang Sect: wherever Jiang Nannan appeared, Xu Sanshi was bound to spawn nearby. Since Jiang Nannan had already appeared and there was no grilled fish left, Xu Sanshi would definitely be anxious to overturn Huo Yuhao's stall.

Then Xu Sanshi would trigger the rich fool event, be struck by Tang Ya's Dragon Beard Needle, lose to Bei Bei with Huo Yuhao assisting him in the Soul Combat Arena, and hand over two Mysterious Water Pills.

The Mysterious Water Pill cleansed impurities from the body and improved a Soul Master's physical constitution. The lower one's Innate Soul Power, the better its effects. Those two Mysterious Water Pills could be said to help Huo Yuhao far more than the Soul Ascension Pill, allowing him to escape the turtle-crawl cultivation speed caused by his low Innate Soul Power in the early stages.

"Junior, how much is your grilled fish?"

Huo Yuhao looked up and saw Jiang Nannan. For a moment, even he was drawn in by her beauty, but he quickly shifted his gaze away from her. After handing the grilled fish in his hand to Jiang Yue, he looked back at Jiang Nannan.

"Senior, my grilled fish costs five Copper Soul Coins each."

"That's a little expensive. Including the ingredient and preparation costs, shouldn't three Copper Soul Coins be enough at most? You'd still make a profit."

"I'm sorry, Senior, but my grilled fish has a fixed price. Besides, the last two fish were just sold."

"Sorry, I bargained without thinking. I'll come try your grilled fish next time if I get the chance."

Huo Yuhao had not expected Jiang Nannan to haggle. He had not expected that at Shrek Academy, where most students were wealthy or noble, a fourth-year senior would bargain over two Copper Soul Coins.

Normally, even if their family circumstances were not particularly good, fourth-year students were at least Soul Elders. On the Douluo Continent, Soul Masters at the Soul Elder level had already escaped the ranks of low-level Soul Masters. Making money was incredibly easy for them.

Seeing Jiang Nannan turn and leave, Jiang Yue warily looked around. Sure enough, in the next instant, a figure in a black school uniform strode forward.

That figure flicked out a Gold Soul Coin at the same time. Clearly, he had set his sights on the grilled fish Huo Yuhao was holding for Tang Ya and intended to force a sale.

That figure was indeed fast, but with the aid of his first soul skill, Huo Yuhao noticed his intentions as well. He grabbed the grilled fish and quickly retreated several steps.

"Kid, you dare refuse to sell?!"

The tall young man in black failed to grab the grilled fish. His hand continued into the grill with the momentum and seized two burning coals, but he did not seem to feel any heat at all. With a disdainful expression, he crushed the coals in his hand, sending sparks flying everywhere.

Jiang Yue's expression darkened. He raised his hand and released a stream of Soul Power, dispersing the scattered sparks.

Feeling the Soul Power fluctuations emanating from Jiang Yue, Xu Sanshi paused and warily watched the first-year freshman before him, whose Soul Power did not seem weaker than his own. He clearly took Jiang Yue for Huo Yuhao's companion.

At the same time, when Bei Bei and Tang Ya noticed the disturbance at Huo Yuhao's stall, they forced their way through the crowd and arrived before Xu Sanshi, glaring at the troublemaker with unfriendly expressions.

When Tang Ya saw Xu Sanshi overturn Huo Yuhao's stall, she immediately became furious. A flash of golden light shot from her fingertips straight at Xu Sanshi. Xu Sanshi instinctively released Soul Power to block it, but when the golden light came into contact with that Soul Power, it actually burrowed directly through it. After piercing his Soul Power defense, it embedded itself in Xu Sanshi's flesh. Before that golden light, Xu Sanshi's defensive measures were completely useless.

Dragon Beard Needle—a natural hidden weapon obtained by smashing the golden hair of a metal plate. It specialized in piercing defenses. After the Tang Sect's downfall, it was one of the few hidden weapons that remained, passed down only to the Tang Sect's sect master.

"Hiss—! Tang Ya! Isn't that going too far?! Don't think that just because Bei Bei is protecting you, I won't dare do anything to you!"

"Come on, then! Who's afraid of who?!"

"Enough, Xu Sanshi. The one you bullied is my little junior brother. Today, you must give us an explanation!"

"Give you an explanation? It's not like I didn't pay. Don't you just want to fight? Fine! Let's go to the Soul Arena! It's been a while since we last sparred."

After saying that, Xu Sanshi strode toward the Soul Combat District.

After confirming that Huo Yuhao was unharmed, Bei Bei's gaze toward Xu Sanshi's retreating back gradually turned sly. Clearly, he had his sights set on Xu Sanshi.

However, with an unfamiliar person like Jiang Yue beside them, Bei Bei could not openly state his plan to trick Xu Sanshi.

"Junior, I didn't expect us to meet again so soon. I didn't get the chance to introduce myself last time. Hello, I'm Tang Ya, the current sect master of the legendary Tang Sect."

"Junior, have you considered joining a sect? Our Tang Sect possesses supreme techniques passed down by Ancestor Tang San. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Would you like to consider it?"

Tang Ya blinked at Jiang Yue and immediately extended the invitation to join the Tang Sect that she had not had time to make last time.

Bei Bei rubbed his forehead awkwardly. He had not expected Tang Ya to be so eager to promote the Tang Sect. She was far too anxious; it made the Tang Sect seem cheap.

At the side, Huo Yuhao looked at Jiang Yue expectantly. He truly hoped that a genius his own age like Jiang Yue could join the Tang Sect and help it rise again.

"Um, sorry, Senior, but the elders in my family probably won't permit me to join any sect for the time being."

"I see. What a pity."

That counted as a tactful refusal. Strictly speaking, Jiang Yue did not have a single relative. Aside from that mysterious old man, the only people who had shown him kindness were the lord of Maple Leaf City and his senior from the junior academy.

Neither of them would interfere with Jiang Yue's choice no matter what, but they were quite useful as an excuse.

"Senior, that guy's strength doesn't seem too far from yours, right? Can you win?"

"Why do you ask, Junior?"

"Nothing much. I heard that people usually open betting pools for matches in the Academy's Soul Combat District. You can place bets. I've spent my allowance a little too aggressively lately, and it's not quite enough for daily expenses. I was thinking that if you can win for sure, Senior, I'd place a small bet and earn a little."

"I see. People do usually open betting pools for Soul Combat matches. Don't worry, I'll definitely win. Still, small gambling is entertaining, while big gambling is harmful. Just a friendly reminder not to bet too much."

"Don't worry. I just want to earn some living expenses and buy a few little things."

Seeing the confidence on Bei Bei's face and the genuine emotional fluctuations he could not fake, Jiang Yue did not even need to know Huo Yuhao's soul skills. Bei Bei was definitely going to win.

Normally, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi's Soul Power differed by only one rank, and both had hidden trump cards. Whether in their normal states or after using those hidden cards, their combat strength was about the same—especially since they had known each other for years and understood one another well.

If Bei Bei did not have absolute confidence in defeating Xu Sanshi, he would never have had such a joyous, everything-is-under-control emotional fluctuation.

In fact, if Shrek Academy had not prohibited first-year freshmen from entering the Soul Arena, Jiang Yue would definitely have gone up to fight himself.

The Soul Combat District was an extremely important place located in the northwestern corner of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department. Teachers served as referees there to ensure the students' safety, allowing Shrek Academy's students to truly fight without restraint.

After reaching the fourth year, students had to defeat ten students of the same year in the Soul Combat Arena to advance to the fifth year. The requirements for fifth- and sixth-year students were even higher.

Once the staff of the Soul Combat District confirmed that Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi would be fighting, they immediately activated the Academy broadcast in order to attract more people to watch the match.

A battle between the Outer Court's number one assault-type Soul Master and number one defense-type Soul Master was highly appealing, and many newly enrolled freshmen were drawn over.

"The betting pool for Thunderbolt Bei Bei versus Xu Sanshi is open! Both sides are five-to-one! Anyone who wants to bet, hurry up! Bets are final! Bets are final!"

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi were indeed extremely popular, but the problem was that when the two fought, they practically alternated wins and losses, resulting in low odds.

Arriving before the person running the betting pool, Jiang Yue looked at the odds and felt delighted. He might not be able to gather enough money for the Spirit Devouring Carving Knife in one go, but earning a little was still better than earning nothing. Small gains accumulated into great wealth.

Taking out a Gold Soul Card containing nearly all of his savings from his Storage Soul Tool, Jiang Yue could not help feeling a little nervous.

"Hello, I'd like to bet thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins on Bei Bei's victory."

"Th-thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins? Student, are you sure you want to bet that much?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Being timid would never accomplish great things. Hesitation led to defeat! He had to go all in!

Even if he lost everything, he still had that Soul Bone from the Freshman Assessment as a safety net. No need to panic!

After verifying the amount on the Gold Soul Card, Jiang Yue successfully obtained a betting voucher for thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins. He then found a relatively forward spot and watched the match that was about to begin.

After Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi entered the arena, Jiang Yue looked toward Huo Yuhao in the distance. Sure enough, a different gleam had already appeared in his eyes.

Good. Now it was even more certain.

If Jiang Yue truly had even a single coin left on him, he would definitely have placed another huge bet. Unfortunately, he had not met any rich people lately and could not even borrow money. Otherwise, Jiang Yue might really have gathered all the money for the Spirit Devouring Carving Knife in one shot.