Seeing this, Tang San paused slightly and could not help asking:
"Dean, where are you going?"
Flender slowed to a stop, glanced back at Tang San, then at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun lying in bed, their faces bruised and swollen. He snorted coldly.
"Where else? They beat up the young ones, so naturally the old one has to come out and seek justice."
Tang San's gaze flickered slightly at those words.
His feelings toward Gu Ling were equally complicated. Six years ago, back at Notting Academy, the two had clashed before, and he had even lost to Gu Ling.
Now, six years had passed.
Tang San had originally thought the gap between them would no longer be as great as it had been.
Yet judging by Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's description, Gu Ling had not only become a Three-Ring Soul Elder, but his strength had improved tremendously. Tang San found that difficult to accept.
With that thought, he immediately spoke up.
"Dean, let me go with you."
"If that person really is Gu Ling, I should be able to recognize him at a glance."
Hearing this, Flender nodded without a second thought.
"Fine."
"Since you knew him before, come with me."
After saying that, neither of them delayed any longer. They quickly left Shrek Academy and headed for Suotuo City once again.
However, over the next several hours,
Flender and Tang San searched nearly every street where the conflict had occurred, as well as several nearby hotels, yet they never found any trace of Gu Ling.
After all, Suotuo City was enormous, and it was currently the Lantern Festival.
No one knew how many people were coming and going through the city.
Trying to find Gu Ling in that sea of people based solely on "a black-clothed youth" and "a black-haired girl wearing a veil" was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
What was more, Gu Ling and Ye Lingling had long since returned to the hotel where the Imperial Fighting Team was staying. Naturally, the two sides did not run into each other, and night grew deeper and deeper.
Tang San looked at the streets, which had gradually grown quieter, and could not help saying,
"Dean, it looks like we won't find him tonight."
Flender's expression was equally unpleasant. He had originally wanted to find Gu Ling that very night and demand an explanation for Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, but after wandering around for so long, he had not even seen a ghost.
In the end, he could only snort coldly.
"Forget it. Since that brat came to Suotuo City, he can't have left so quickly."
"Let's go. We'll return to the academy first and deal with this another day."
Tang San nodded lightly. The two turned and walked in the direction of Shrek Academy.
The next day.
As night had just fallen, the area outside the Soto Great Soul Arena became incomparably lively.
Large numbers of Soul Masters and spectators who had come to watch the fights streamed inside. From afar, the entire Great Soul Arena was brilliantly lit and exceptionally magnificent.
At this moment,
Qin Ming also brought the Imperial Fighting Team here. Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Yu Feng, Oslo, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Gu Ling all followed behind him.
The moment they entered the main hall, Qin Ming turned around and said to everyone,
"Today, we'll follow the usual arrangement."
"One-on-one, two-on-two, and finally the team battle. Register for as many as you can, but pay attention to distributing your Soul Power properly. Especially those participating in the team battle tonight—don't exhaust yourselves too badly in the earlier matches."
Everyone nodded. Over the past month or so, they had fought all the way from Heaven Dou City to Suotuo City and were already familiar with this arrangement.
Qin Ming quickly led them to the registration desk. The Soul Fighting Arena's matches were generally divided into three types.
One-on-one, two-on-two, and seven-person team battles.
As usual, Gu Ling first registered himself for several individual soul fights, then prepared to participate in two-on-two matches and the team battle later that night.
However, this was his first time at the Soto Great Soul Arena. Identity registrations from other cities could not be used directly, so Gu Ling first had to register a soul-fighting alias of his own.
The staff member in charge of registration looked up at the black-clothed youth before him and asked,
"Name?"
"Gu Ling."
"Age?"
"Twelve."
Hearing that age, the staff member subconsciously looked up at Gu Ling, then continued asking, "Martial Soul?"
"Bone Dragon."
Hearing that Martial Soul, the pen in the staff member's hand paused slightly.
Bone Dragon?
That was quite a rare Martial Soul.
However, the Great Soul Arena encountered plenty of rare Martial Souls every day, so he quickly returned to normal.
"Soul Power Level?"
"Thirty-seventh level."
"A twelve-year-old Soul Elder?"
This time, the staff member was genuinely surprised.
A twelve-year-old, thirty-seventh-level Soul Elder?
Still, he did not ask any further questions. He swiftly completed the registration information, then said,
"First, choose a soul-fighting alias for yourself."
"From now on, you'll usually use an alias when competing in the Soul Fighting Arena."
Gu Ling stroked his chin. After thinking for a moment, a rather strange smile suddenly curled across his lips.
"Call me... Spicy Rabbit Head Lover."
"Ah?"
The staff member was clearly stunned and even thought he had misheard.
"Spicy Rabbit Head Lover?"
Gu Ling nodded with a perfectly serious expression.
"Yes, that one."
Dugu Yan, standing beside him, could not help laughing.
"Gu Ling, what kind of terrible name is that?"
Yu Feng wore an equally strange expression as he asked in confusion,
"Spicy Rabbit Head Lover?"
"Since when did you like eating rabbits so much?"
Gu Ling waved a hand calmly and explained, "My old hometown was nicknamed Bashu Land. They say not a single rabbit can leave that place alive, so of course we love rabbit heads!"
Ye Lingling glanced at him from the side. Though she said nothing, there was a faint smile in her eyes. Clearly, she had been amused by him.
The staff member's mouth twitched slightly, but he had seen far too many strange soul-fighting aliases. In the end, he registered it according to Gu Ling's request.
"Spicy Rabbit Head Lover."
"Registration complete."
"Your individual soul fights will be arranged shortly. Please watch the announcements in the main hall."
Gu Ling accepted his soul-fighting badge, casually tucked it into his clothes, and cupped his hands.
"Thank you."
Soon, the other members of the Imperial Fighting Team also completed their registrations.
Not long after they left the registration window, two familiar figures entered the Great Soul Arena one after the other. They were Tang San and Xiao Wu.
As Xiao Wu walked inside, she said somewhat boredly, "Third Brother, Tiger Dai and Fatty were injured way too badly this time. They can't even take part in the team battle tonight."
Tang San nodded.
"The dean said they'll need to rest for at least a few days."
Since Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were both injured, Shrek Academy naturally could not assemble its original team battle lineup. Thus, Flender had not arranged for them to participate in the team battle today. Instead, he had the remaining members who were physically fine continue accumulating practical combat experience through one-on-one and two-on-two matches.
Xiao Wu did not care at all. Instead, she seemed eager to give it a try as she said excitedly,
"No team battle is no team battle. We still have one-on-one and two-on-two matches anyway!"
Tang San smiled, then raised a hand and rubbed Xiao Wu's rabbit head.
"Xiao Wu, go register first."
"Mm!"
The two quickly arrived at the registration area. Since they had already registered at the Soto Great Soul Arena before, they did not need to register their identities again. They only needed to sign up for that night's matches.
The staff member lowered his head to check the records.
"Thousand-Handed Asura Tang San, registering for a one-on-one soul fight?"
Tang San nodded to confirm.
"Yes."
"Also, register me for a two-on-two soul fight."
The staff member quickly completed the registration, then looked up at Xiao Wu beside him.
"And you?"
Xiao Wu stepped forward with a grin, hands on her hips. "Register me for a one-on-one soul fight too!"
The staff member nodded and quickly entered both their names.
A while later.
Soto Great Soul Arena, first-floor main hall.
Not long after Tang San and Xiao Wu found a place to sit, the enormous soul tool screen hanging above the hall suddenly changed.
Immediately afterward, a booming voice rang out from all around them.
"Will the two contestants participating in the one-on-one soul fight at the Thirteenth Soul-Dueling Arena please prepare!"
"Soft-Boned Enchanting Rabbit Xiao Wu—versus—Spicy Rabbit Head Lover! Both contestants, please proceed to the waiting area of the Thirteenth Soul-Dueling Arena immediately!"
Before you continue