After the Snow Empress Soul Beast Embryo was converted into Ye Fan's Soul Spirit.
Kong Deming did not intend to stay in the Undead Demiplane any longer. This time, he left the Undead Demiplane together with Ye Fan.
Kong Deming briefly spoke with Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and the others. "Jing Hongchen, I still have matters to handle at the Worship Hall."
"I'll leave Mingde Hall to you."
"I hope you can lead the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy to the very pinnacle of the continent."
"Yes!"
Before his words had even faded, Jing Hongchen solemnly promised Kong Deming, "This disciple will certainly do everything in his power to bring the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy to the very pinnacle of the continent."
"Mm."
Kong Deming nodded slightly and drifted away.
Only Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Ye Fan remained at the scene.
Jing Hongchen composed himself and said sternly to the three of them, "Xiao Xiao, Meng Meng, Xiao Fan."
"You all now possess considerable cultivation. It is time for you to represent the academy and stand at the pinnacle of the continent."
Hearing this, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Ye Fan answered in unison, "Yes, Teacher!"
"Yes, Grandpa!"
Seeing the confidence on Ye Fan and the other two's faces, Jing Hongchen felt greatly gratified.
He then said to Ye Fan, "There are just over three months left until the Continental Soul Master Tournament. Your most important task now is to obtain an internal qualification to compete for the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy."
"Teacher, what do you mean by that?"
Ye Fan was a little confused by Jing Hongchen's words.
"Xiao Fan, you usually seem quite clever. Why are you acting so silly now?"
Meng Hongchen chimed in.
Ye Fan turned slightly and listened to what Meng Hongchen had to say next. "Grandpa means that you need to defeat several people the academy has already selected."
"Xiao Fan, let me also tell you this: my brother and I have already earned the qualifications to compete on behalf of the academy."
Meng Hongchen then ran over to Jing Hongchen in a coquettish manner, shaking his arm as she asked, "Grandpa, wasn't I right?"
Jing Hongchen smiled. "Meng Meng is absolutely right."
"Xiao Fan, while you were in Mingde Hall these past few months, Meng Meng and Xiao Xiao successfully challenged the old team members. That is why they now have the qualifications to represent the academy."
Only then did Ye Fan understand. "Teacher, you mean I'm the only one left who isn't qualified to compete for the academy."
"Mm!"
Ye Fan said helplessly, "All right!"
"Teacher, who can I challenge?"
Before Jing Hongchen could introduce them, Meng Hongchen had already left his side and come to Ye Fan, patiently explaining:
"Xiao Fan, the academy currently has seven official team members."
"That includes my brother and me."
"The other five are Xiao Xiafeng, a food-system Soul King. His martial soul is a bun, and he provides the entire team with endurance and Soul Power replenishment boosts."
"Chen Fei, an agility-attack Soul King. His martial soul is the Lightning Bird. He specializes in high-speed flanking and sneak attacks, and he is a Level-Five Soul Engineer."
"Mijia, a Level-Five Soul Engineer specializing in agility-attack and lightning Soul Tools. He is a lightning-type Soul Tool armor assault fighter."
"Lin Xi, a defense-system Soul King specializing in defense and barrier-type Soul Tools. He serves as the team's frontline shield."
"Ma Rulong, the captain, is a tank-like assault Soul Emperor. His martial soul is the Big-Headed Spirit Ape. He is a level sixty-three assault-system Battle Soul Emperor, a Level-Six Soul Engineer, the team's strongest fighter, and its frontline tank and assault core."
After introducing them, Meng Hongchen looked at Ye Fan, who was nearly as tall as she was, and blushed. "Xiao Fan, what do you think? Who do you plan to challenge?"
"My suggestion is Chen Fei, Mijia, or Lin Xi. Any of them would work."
As soon as she finished speaking, Ye Fan's gaze blazed with determination. "Sister Meng Meng, I want to challenge Ma Rulong."
"What? Xiao Fan, are you crazy?"
"Ma Rulong is a Six-Ring Soul Emperor!"
"And you're only a mere Soul Ancestor right now."
"No, no, that's far too risky."
At the same time, Xiao Hongchen could not help but frown slightly upon hearing Ye Fan's plan.
As for Jing Hongchen, he did not try to dissuade Ye Fan.
"Xiao Fan, do you want to think it over again?"
Hearing this, Ye Fan thought to himself, Ever since becoming a Soul Master, I've been cultivating and improving. I've never had a chance to test my true combat strength.
Based on his own assessment, Ye Fan's strength definitely surpassed that of an ordinary Soul King by far. Therefore, there was nothing wrong with choosing a Six-Ring Soul Emperor like Ma Rulong as his opponent.
In the end, Ye Fan persisted. "Sister Meng Meng, Teacher, I've decided. I'll challenge Ma Rulong."
Meng Hongchen asked, "Xiao Fan, why?"
Ye Fan answered confidently, "Because I want to do it in one step. I don't want to accept anyone else's challenges afterward."
Hearing this, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen both gaped.
"Good!"
Jing Hongchen did not waste any words. "Then I'll arrange for you to fight tomorrow."
"Good!"
The next day, Ye Fan followed Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen out of Mingde Hall and arrived at the Soul Fighting Arena of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's Outer Court.
At this moment, five students with considerable cultivation were already standing in the arena.
The five figures stood tall in the Soul Fighting Arena, each with a different bearing. All of them were elites selected layer by layer by the Sun Moon Academy.
The person on the far left was somewhat plump, with a gentle face and mild, harmless-looking features. A steady, soft aura surrounded him, making him seem exceptionally approachable.
The person beside him was lean and agile, with sharp, lively eyes and an air of extreme speed and ferocity around him.
The person in the middle wore specially made lightning-patterned Soul Tool armor. He stood straight and neat, faint sparks of lightning flickering around him as an aggressive aura radiated from his body.
The person to the side was solidly built and composed, his expression calm and solemn. He naturally carried the stable, dependable presence of a boulder.
The leader standing at the very front was tall and burly, with taut, hard muscle lines and domineering, fierce eyes. The immense pressure of a Six-Ring Soul Emperor swept toward everyone, intimidating the entire arena.
Ye Fan looked over and roughly guessed, These five should be the five students competing in the Continental Soul Master Tournament.
While Ye Fan was assessing the five of them, they were also assessing him.
Among them, Ma Rulong's eyes were filled with anger.
Because Jing Hongchen had informed him yesterday that Ye Fan would be challenging him.
Originally, he had thought his opponent would be a Five-Ring Soul King no weaker than Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
Yet now, he saw that Ye Fan's cultivation was only at the level of a four-ring Soul Ancestor.
Although Ye Fan's age surprised him.
It only made him feel even more humiliated.
Just as the smell of gunpowder between both sides grew stronger, Jing Hongchen spoke at the right moment.
"All right, now that everyone is here."
"I won't waste any more words. Ye Fan will now face Ma Rulong."
Hearing this, everyone withdrew from the arena.
They left the battlefield to Ye Fan and Ma Rulong.
Ye Fan and Ma Rulong each walked toward opposite sides.
They stopped about fifty meters apart.
Ma Rulong spoke first. "Kid, I know you're the dean's disciple."
"But the Continental Soul Master Tournament concerns the academy's reputation. I won't go easy on you today."
Hearing this, Ye Fan smiled and replied to Ma Rulong, "Then I'll return those same words to you."
"For the academy's honor, and for Teacher's reputation, I won't go easy on you either."
"Good. You've got guts."
"Likewise."
The great battle was on the verge of erupting, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.
The spectators on both sides watched the arena closely and discussed the match excitedly.
"Brother, do you think Xiao Fan will win?"
"Lin Xi, how many exchanges do you think it will take Boss to knock that kid Ye Fan down?"
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