Recruitment and Growing Stronger

"Erlong, listen to me. Calm down."

Qian Mo's clear voice rang out across the arena once again.

But this time, his second Martial Soul, the Heaven Ring, appeared behind his head. Clearly, Qian Mo had used his ultimate Attunement ability in an attempt to calm Liu Erlong down.

Because Qian Mo's spiritual power far surpassed Liu Erlong's, the madness and killing intent within her were immediately soothed considerably.

Seeing this, Ye Lulu's eyes lit up. She immediately grabbed Liu Erlong's hands and restrained her with a joint lock.

At that moment, Qian Mo walked over as well, while pale golden holy radiance gradually rippled from his body.

This was Qian Mo's only soul skill: Holy Light's Grace!

Under the sacred radiance, Liu Erlong's injuries rapidly healed. Even the foul stench that had lingered at the tip of her nose seemed to fade somewhat.

Coupled with the dual effects of Attunement, Liu Erlong finally regained her senses completely, though she said unhappily.

"Lulu, that's enough. I won't attack again."

Ye Lulu immediately released Liu Erlong, though she spoke with some apology on her face.

"Sorry, Sister Erlong. Your condition was truly terrible just now. To restrain you completely, I used a little too much force."

Liu Erlong shook her head, indicating that she did not mind.

She merely rubbed her somewhat aching wrists as she looked at Qian Mo, disgruntled yet puzzled, and asked.

"Qian Mo, why did you stop me? Deaths and injuries in fights between Soul Masters shouldn't be a big deal, should they? Or does he have some special identity?"

Although Liu Erlong was not particularly educated, she was not stupid. And because she viewed Qian Mo as a wise man, she asked this question.

As Liu Erlong had expected, Qian Mo nodded, indicating that this was indeed the case.

He then pointed at Yu Xiaogang and explained.

"You must have noticed earlier that I know this man. His surname is Yu. Surely you can think of something?"

Liu Erlong's pupils suddenly contracted.

But recalling how Luo Sanpao's appearance had been utterly unrelated to a dragon Martial Soul, Liu Erlong still asked uncertainly.

"He's from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect?"

Qian Mo nodded again in confirmation and added.

"That's right. He is no ordinary member of the Yu family. He is also the second son of Yu Yuanzhen, the current sect master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, the Thunderclap Title Douluo.

"So if you had killed him just now, it would have brought us a great deal of trouble."

Having received Qian Mo's second confirmation, Liu Erlong fell silent.

Already dissatisfied with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, she found the clan even more unpleasant after this incident!

After calming Liu Erlong down, Qian Mo headed toward Flender and Yu Xiaogang.

Under the healing effects of Holy Light's Grace, their injuries gradually recovered, and Yu Xiaogang woke up as well.

But his eyes were vacant. It was unclear whether the explosion had made him stupid or whether he was thinking about something else.

At that moment, Qian Mo looked at Flender, who had taken Liu Erlong's strongest attack head-on and was still pale and not fully recovered, then said with a smile.

"Sir, through the battle just now, I witnessed your sincere heart in protecting your companion, as well as your considerable potential.

"So I hereby formally extend an invitation to you.

"Would you be willing to join us? I can guarantee you this.

"Once you join us, whether it is money, cultivation resources, or the hunting of Soul Rings, I can satisfy all your needs."

Hearing this, Flender was stunned for a moment.

They had just been fighting to the death, so why was Qian Mo suddenly trying to recruit him? He truly could not process it.

But after a brief daze, Flender smiled and shook his head.

"Sorry, young man. Although I'm grateful for your treatment, I'm used to freedom. I don't want to join any faction and be constrained by others."

Qian Mo did not get angry at being rejected. He simply said it was fine and left.

Flender's talent was indeed not bad. If he encountered some opportunities in the future and received guidance from a Title Douluo, he might not be unable to step into the Title Douluo realm.

But in Qian Mo's eyes, that was all there was to him.

There were far too many such talented people on Douluo Continent.

The real reason Qian Mo had invited Flender was because he valued the fortune surrounding him.

In the world of Douluo Continent, fortune truly existed. Otherwise, there would not be such a term as a child of fortune.

And Flender's fortune was somewhat special.

Just imagine it: a shabby academy located in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to its name.

If not for Flender's unusual fortune, how could he possibly have talked more than sixty geniuses with Innate Soul Power of level seven or above, talents no weaker than his own, into joining over twenty years?

But regrettably, among all those geniuses, only fourteen had truly graduated according to Shrek Academy's standard of reaching level forty before the age of twenty.

And perhaps because Shrek's brainwashing school motto of "Those Who Dare Not Cause Trouble Are Mediocrities" had been too brainwashing in the future.

In the end, only Qin Ming had made something of himself among those fourteen. The others had probably gotten themselves killed through their own antics.

Yet even Qin Ming was merely a trash Soul Emperor who did not even possess the optimal Soul Ring configuration.

This showed just how much of a pit Shrek Academy truly was!

Qian Mo's lips curled slightly as he thought to himself.

Not accepting my recruitment? That's no big deal.

Flender, once you build Shrek Academy, I'll have someone poach them.

Since you can't handle these geniuses, let me do it when the time comes.

Still, hehe.

Sixty Soul Masters who all have the potential to become Soul Saints at the very least—just thinking about how you'll ruin all of them in the future, you truly are steeped in sin.

But before Qian Mo had gone very far, Yu Xiaogang finally came back to his senses and shouted at Qian Mo's retreating back.

"You're clearly only a Grand Soul Master. Why are you so strong?!"

Qian Mo paused.

But he had already found his amusement, and he truly could not be bothered to deal with someone like Yu Xiaogang. He continued walking toward Ye Lulu and the others.

Still, Qian Mo felt like complaining a little about Yu Xiaogang's question.

Isn't the reason I'm so strong obvious?

Don't rely solely on soul power. Strengthen and temper your body and spiritual power.

The history of Soul Masters on Douluo Continent has developed for tens of thousands of years, yet this is all it amounts to? That's ridiculous.

If Innate Soul Power limits one's cultivation talent, then temper your spirit and body. Raise those two, and you can still become strong.

After all, the ceiling of the Soul Master system is right there. A Soul Elder cannot even crush an egg, while even a god struggles to lift the one-hundred-and-eight-thousand-jin Sea God's Trident.

Yu Xiaogang's expression gradually twisted as he was completely ignored.

If his head were not still buzzing from the blast, he would definitely...

Go argue with Qian Mo!

But Yu Xiaogang soon snorted coldly, struggled to his feet, and instinctively touched his rear, which burned from the backlash of Luo Sanpao's disintegration. His eyes were filled with determination.

"Hmph, damn bastard, how dare you ignore me! But don't get smug. I've already found a way to become stronger!"