Soul Duel Challenge, Yuwen Tuo Intervenes

Xiao Xiao could not help shifting her chair, sitting a little closer to Yuwen Tuo.

Yuwen Tuo smiled. "Xiao Xiao, eat slowly. There'll be quite a show to watch later, so don't choke."

"A show?" Xiao Xiao was still puzzled when—

A commotion suddenly broke out ahead.

Jiang Nannan had wanted to buy a grilled fish, but Huo Yuhao's eighteen fish for the day had already sold out, with the last two reserved for his sect master, Tang Ya. Besides, Jiang Nannan also found five Copper Soul Coins per fish too expensive.

This immediately enraged Jiang Nannan's bootlicker, Xu Sanshi, known as the outer courtyard's number one in defense.

Xu Sanshi gave Huo Yuhao a brutal beating, setting off a chain reaction that sent the protective Tang Ya into a rage. With Bei Bei, the wife-protecting fanatic, joining in, it became quite the spectacle.

"Wow, how exciting. It really is a good show!" Xiao Xiao said, taking a bite of the grilled fish in her hand. Hers was spicy, and paired with the tense atmosphere, it felt even more thrilling.

Yuwen Tuo offered her the one in his hand as well. His was sprinkled with cumin, its fragrance rich and intense, making the atmosphere even livelier.

The two watched while swapping fish, looking exactly like a pair of spectators enjoying the drama.

In the end, Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei decided to settle things on the Soul Duel Stage.

"How interesting! Yuwen Tuo, let's go watch too. I looked into it—these two are the outer courtyard's number one in offense and defense. We can't miss a Soul Duel like this," Xiao Xiao said excitedly.

"Just watching would be too boring." Yuwen Tuo stepped forward.

At that moment, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi were still confronting each other, their Soul Power having broken through level thirty crashing against one another.

Anyone with weaker Cultivation Power who approached rashly would surely be injured by the two of them.

Seeing Yuwen Tuo walk straight over, Xiao Xiao worriedly called out, "Yuwen Tuo, what are you doing? You can't go over there."

These were two Soul Elders with the most top-tier Beast Martial Souls locked in battle. Even she, a Soul Grandmaster, did not dare charge in recklessly. Yuwen Tuo was merely a one-ring Soul Master—wasn't going over there just courting death?

Yet to everyone's surprise, when Yuwen Tuo stepped directly between them, their surging Soul Power seemed to pose no threat to him at all.

Blazing flames rose around Yuwen Tuo, forcing back both of their Soul Powers at once.

This was a difference in Soul Power quality. Yuwen Tuo's Soul Power was indeed not as deep as theirs, but the Soul Power cultivated through the Divine Fire Doppelganger's internal art was so pure, tyrannical, and vast that ordinary people could not compare.

Xu Sanshi looked at the Yuwen Tuo who had suddenly appeared and asked, "Who are you?"

"Yuwen Tuo, a freshman, a one-ring Battle Soul Master!" Yuwen Tuo replied. "I just heard the two seniors mention that you wish to have a Soul Duel. I wonder if I may join? The outer courtyard's number one in offense and number one in defense—I have heard of you both for a long time and greatly admired you. Such an opportunity is rare. I hope the two of you will not hesitate to offer me your guidance today."

"A one-ring Battle Soul Master?" Xu Sanshi froze. Was this guy crazy? A one-ring Soul Master actually dared provoke two three-ring Soul Elders?

"Yuwen Tuo, what are you doing? Come back, now!" Xiao Xiao was nearly frantic. Wasn't it good enough to watch the drama? Why did he have to join in?

"You overestimate yourself. What makes you worthy of challenging the two seniors? Get lost."

"Exactly. This guy has no self-awareness at all."

Whispers rose one after another, mostly filled with mockery.

But Yuwen Tuo did not care in the slightest. No matter how many doubts there were, once he proved himself with his strength, such talk would naturally disappear.

Besides, since Yuwen Tuo had already decided to win the Freshman Competition, his strength would be exposed sooner or later. There was no need to hide it.

He knew that this Soul Duel was not merely a simple duel; an extremely valuable treasure was at stake.

That treasure would also be of great help to him right now.

Finally, every Soul Duel like this came with betting. However, Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei were close in strength, so their odds would certainly not be very high. No matter whom one bet on, there would not be much profit.

But if Yuwen Tuo joined, his odds would surely be extraordinarily high. As long as he bet on himself, he could make a fortune.

Although he was not short on money now, all of his money had been given to him by Ma Xiaotao. Yuwen Tuo kept a small notebook recording everything he had received from Shrek Academy.

On the day he left in the future, he would return every last thing. Only after returning what he had taken from Shrek Academy would he have the confidence to one day reclaim what Shrek Academy owed him.

Besides, money was actually quite useful. So long as a treasure was not precious beyond measure, it could be valued in money.

For example, the Golden Earth Dragon King Left Arm Bone that would later appear at the Shrek Treasure Fair was unquestionably a top-tier soul bone second only to a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. Even someone of Wang Dong's status would be tempted by it, yet such a treasure actually had a clearly marked price: 9.5 million Gold Soul Coins.

In other words, if one had enough money, money could also be transformed into strength.

Thus, ignoring Xiao Xiao's anxiety and everyone else's mockery, Yuwen Tuo looked at Bei Bei and said, "Senior Bei Bei, with your status, you should have heard of me. I was held back for six years before finally getting out. I want to spar with the so-called strongest offense and defense among you. Would you do me the honor?"

"Yuwen Tuo? So it's you!" Bei Bei remembered. He had heard that name from the Progenitor. This was the pitiful person whose Soul Power Ma Xiaotao had absorbed for six years.

The Progenitor had told him that Shrek Academy owed this person.

Thinking of that, Bei Bei said, "You want to challenge us? Fine. But how about after I finish fighting Xu Sanshi? Once I defeat him, I believe I'll still have enough strength left to spar with you."

In Bei Bei's eyes, Yuwen Tuo had been driven crazy from being held back and wanted an outlet.

After all, he had been forced into this state by their own Progenitor. Since he wanted to spar, what was the harm in granting him his wish once? It could count as a small bit of compensation on the Progenitor's behalf.

"He agreed! Senior Bei Bei actually agreed!" Everyone exclaimed in shock.

How could Bei Bei possibly think highly of a challenge from a mere one-ring Soul Master? They could not understand it at all.

"Hmph, if you ask me, Senior Bei Bei only wants to teach this junior, who doesn't know his place, not to aim too high. Didn't he say he would spar with him after defeating Senior Xu Sanshi? He obviously doesn't take him seriously."

"Hey, Bei Bei, what do you mean, after you defeat me? If someone needs to teach this junior a lesson, it'll probably be me. I won't lose to you." Xu Sanshi clearly thought the same as everyone else.

Bei Bei merely wanted to teach Yuwen Tuo a lesson.

Yuwen Tuo smiled faintly. "In that case, I'll head to the Soul Duel Arena first. I look forward to the victor between you two properly teaching this ignorant youngster a lesson."

He did not care whom he fought. As long as he could fight, that was enough. He wanted to obtain what he wanted, and make a fortune besides.

Those were the things that truly mattered.

Mockery, admiration, and all that—none of it meant anything.