Great Spirit Arena, First Encounter with Shrek

"Level sixty-three control-agility battle spirit master."

"Are you... really here to participate in spirit battles for the first time?"

The middle-aged man caught his breath, seemingly unable to believe Lin Yichen's claim.

After all, who had ever seen someone over level sixty still wearing an iron badge?

"Please wait a moment. I'll notify the chairman."

The middle-aged man became excited as well. After all, he had encountered something extraordinary today.

There was no helping it. This build and this level of strength would draw attention anywhere.

Before long, the chairman arrived. Lin Yichen truthfully explained his situation.

The chairman was much calmer. He had seen people with even higher spirit power, so he naturally would not be shocked by such a "small scene."

Still, an eighteen-year-old Spirit Emperor did make his eyes light up.

"Young man, I regret to inform you that because your situation is special, you can only be matched in the intermediate division for levels sixty to seventy-nine. Most opponents in this range hold gold badges."

From lowest to highest, the badge ranks were iron, bronze, silver, gold, and purple-gold.

The higher the badge rank, the stronger the opponents and the more combat experience they had, making one's own battles more difficult.

Moreover, within the level sixty to seventy-nine range, the gap in spirit power between each level was enormous.

Thus, high-ranked badges generally exerted tremendous suppression over lower-ranked ones.

Lin Yichen was not hoping for some kind of overnight fortune.

He merely wanted to earn some funds first.

Of course, getting rich overnight would be fine too...

"Alright. I'll register later."

Lin Yichen nodded and headed straight for the rest area.

He planned to rest for half a day and register in the afternoon.

Because he was out of money, he could only stay in the Great Spirit Arena's rest area.

Fortunately, it was quite comfortable here, and spirit masters received special treatment.

Every so often, fruit and snacks would be brought out for the spirit masters.

Lin Yichen, however, was different. He would secretly release a seductive aura toward the attendants.

This caused the attendants' favorability toward Lin Yichen to soar, and as a result, he received far more food than ordinary spirit masters.

And whenever the attendant was a woman, she would leave with a sweet smile on her face.

Wonderful~ Wonderful~ Wonderful~

Just as Lin Yichen drank juice, nibbled on fruit, and enjoyed treatment far better than that of ordinary spirit masters...

His gaze suddenly flicked toward the registration desk.

There were four people there.

One adult led three youths.

The adult was a middle-aged man around fifty, with a long face and a rather sturdy build.

He wore glasses and gave off the unmistakable air of a shady merchant.

Of the three youths, the oldest looked sixteen or seventeen. He had waist-length golden hair and dark blue eyes.

However, the most handsome among them was another youth, with peach blossom eyes and a gentle, refined demeanor.

His temperament could not even be called somewhat similar to Lin Yichen's. It was simply the complete opposite.

Lin Yichen was the type who was soft yet strong, a somewhat "pretty" young man.

Their appearances were worlds apart as well.

A total crush!

The last one was a meatball, covered in lumps of black fat.

Lin Yichen recognized them. These three were Shrek's students.

The blond one was Dai Mubai, the one with peach blossom eyes was Oscar, and the meatball was Ma Hongjun.

Their teacher was Four-Eyed Cat Eagle Flander.

Looks really did say something. He looked like a shady merchant because he actually was one.

"What are they doing here? Competing?"

Lin Yichen slightly heightened his senses and listened to their conversation.

"Mubai, as a level twenty-nine spirit master, you should be at the very top of the level twenty range. How is your win rate still so unbearably awful?"

Flander spoke to Dai Mubai with the look of someone furious at iron for not becoming steel.

"Today, take Oscar and compete in two-versus-two matches to temper yourselves. I'll take Fatty to register."

Listening, Lin Yichen roughly understood. Xiao Wu was still a fifth-year work-study student at Notting Academy, so this was probably around two years before the original story's first visit to Shrek.

Ma Hongjun had likely only just broken through level twenty.

Lin Yichen could not help feeling a wave of disdain.

After all, Xiao Wu was already level twenty-three.

Perfect. Getting acquainted with the protagonists of the original story would be quite amusing.

He might even swipe a few Recovery Sausages from Oscar.

Lin Yichen carried a cup of juice and leisurely walked toward them.

Nearby, Dai Mubai's expression was extremely gloomy.

Flander's words, "your win rate is unbearably awful," kept echoing in his ears.

His fingers clenched tightly as he lowered his head without saying a word.

"Boss Dai, the dean told us to enter the 2v2 matches together. When are we going?"

As a member of Shrek Academy, Oscar was quite polite and showed great respect whenever he called him "Boss Dai."

But Dai Mubai had taken a blow and remained silent, walking with his head lowered.

There was a pent-up fury in his heart with nowhere to go.

Bang—

The sound of a cup falling to the ground rang out.

"Are you fucking blind?"

Dai Mubai roared, startling the nearby female attendant into shivering.

"Why are you shouting so loudly?!"

The person he had bumped into was Lin Yichen, and the cup of juice had just been handed over by that female attendant.

Lin Yichen's nature could be described as passing through a sea of flowers without a single petal touching him.

Naturally, he could not stand seeing others bully women.

Besides, the women working at the Great Spirit Arena all had decent figures and looks.

"You knocked my juice over first. Apologize."

"Fine, fine, fine."

Dai Mubai was so furious that his lips trembled. When had some wet-behind-the-ears pretty boy ever dared to bully Young Master Dai in Soto City?

"Kid, you're courting death!"

Dai Mubai raised his hand and struck with a tiger claw.

"Too slow."

Lin Yichen shook his head, filled with helplessness.

It seemed these little brats would need to be properly disciplined before they learned to behave.

Lin Yichen seized the moment and blocked the blow with his palm. The tiger claw collided with the back of his hand, and the resulting gust sent Lin Yichen's hair flying.

Damn it, Dai Mubai didn't hold back.

Lin Yichen immediately hooked out with his other hand, caught Dai Mubai's wrist, and flipped it upward.

Dai Mubai dropped to his knees with the motion. Lin Yichen then grabbed his wrist and pulled it up while kicking him in the back, completely restraining him.

Like apprehending a criminal.

"Calm down. Don't be so impulsive."

"You! You're courting death! Let go of me!"

"Stop shouting. You can't break free. Second spirit skill, Eye of Guanghan."

Lin Yichen cast Eye of Guanghan on Dai Mubai. He also wanted to see what would happen when he used it on a man.

Sure enough, Dai Mubai's struggles visibly weakened.

His furious roars also stopped.

At this moment, Flander and Ma Hongjun heard Dai Mubai's earlier roar and rushed over from the registration desk.

"What's going on?! Release my disciple!"

Seeing Dai Mubai restrained like this, Flander naturally could not stand by.

Lin Yichen could see that spirit power had already covered his right palm.

The slightest movement from Lin Yichen would prompt him to thrust out with a strike.

"Your disciple knocked over my juice first, then insulted my attendant and shouted at her. Apologize!"

Flander clenched his fingers, but inwardly he was assessing something.

To subdue Dai Mubai in such a short time, this person's strength had to be unfathomable.

Moreover, Lin Yichen was so young. He had to be a genius. After weighing the matter repeatedly, Flander decided to let Mubai suffer a little for now and try to recruit Lin Yichen into Shrek.

Though his age seemed somewhat unsuitable and did not fit Shrek's admission rules.

But to Flander, age was not a problem. So long as he was a genius, a monster, that was enough.

This deal would not be a loss!

"Young man, what is your name?"

"Lin Yichen."

"Good, good, good. Mubai, apologize to Brother Yichen and this staff member."

Dai Mubai did not dare disobey Flander's words.

He struggled twice, snorted angrily twice, then went along with it.

"Sorry... sorry!"

"That's more like it. Good boy."

Lin Yichen rubbed Dai Mubai's head and released him.

"Alright, it's fine now. Could you please bring me some more juice?"

Lin Yichen put away his stern expression and turned to the female attendant with a playful grin.

"O-okay!"

The female attendant's pretty face instantly flushed red.

Damn it! Eye of Guanghan hasn't been withdrawn yet!