You're Forcing Me to Show Off

Could they last as long as one incense stick burned?

Please. If they all came at him together and he still lasted that long, Dai Mubai would count himself lucky to be alive.

Those were two Soul Ancestors and two Soul Elders. One of the Soul Elders was a support specialist who could boost the two Soul Ancestors' strength by at least forty percent.

Even without the other three, Zhu Zhuqing alone was more than capable of picking him up and beating him senseless.

Had he lasted as long as one incense stick in their fight the other day?

Probably not.

Seeing Dai Mubai drag his feet with a face as bitter as a gourd, Zhao Wuji's temper flared. "Dai Mubai, if you're itching for a beating, I don't mind loosening your bones for you."

Zhao Wuji had dared to provoke even Spirit Hall. Some playboy from the Star Luo Empire hardly amounted to anything in his eyes.

At worst, he would never set foot in the Star Luo Empire again. What was the big deal?

Dai Mubai looked even more miserable. "Teacher Zhao, I'm not slacking off. I really can't beat them."

For someone as proud as Dai Mubai to admit defeat was worse than killing him.

"You can't beat them?" Zhao Wuji laughed in exasperation. "They're twelve-year-old kids, and you're a level-thirty-seven Soul Elder. You're telling me you can't beat them?"

Dai Mubai lowered his voice. "Teacher Zhao, I'm telling the truth. Apart from the dark-skinned boy, the weakest of the other four is a Soul Elder. I don't know the level of the fair-skinned girl in green, but her Martial Soul is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. The girl in the black leather outfit is a level-thirty-nine Agility Attack Soul Master, and the other two are both Four-Ring Soul Ancestors. With a lineup like that, you still want me to last as long as one incense stick burns? You're asking for my life!"

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up. "Is all that true?"

"Every word!" Dai Mubai was one raised hand away from swearing an oath to the heavens. "Teacher Zhao, if I've told even half a lie, you can twist my head off and kick it around like a ball!"

"Good, good! The academy has struck it rich this year, with so many new little monsters joining us." He rose from his deck chair, his already burly frame looking more imposing than ever. "Since you can't do it, I'll play with them myself!"

Lu Shiyuan had been studying Zhao Wuji the whole time.

Zhao Wuji's Martial Soul was the Great Strength Vajra Bear, and he was currently a level-seventy-six Soul Saint.

Lu Shiyuan kept wondering what his chances would be if he fought Zhao Wuji one-on-one.

With two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, four high-age Soul Rings, and level-fifty Soul Power, Lu Shiyuan could now hold his own against an ordinary Soul Saint.

But Zhao Wuji was no ordinary Soul Saint. He was a tough nut to crack.

The Great Strength Vajra Bear ranked in the first tier below the top Beast Martial Souls. Zhao Wuji was also rich in battle experience; years ago, he had carved a bloody path out of Spirit Hall's encirclement.

While Lu Shiyuan was running through the fight in his mind, Zhao Wuji strode toward them with an overwhelming presence.

"I hear you little monsters are all pretty high-level. How about this? If the five of you join forces and last as long as one incense stick burns against me, you'll pass the final test."

They were only two Soul Ancestors, two Soul Elders, and a Soul Grandmaster there to make up the numbers. Zhao Wuji was confident he could crush them effortlessly with his strength.

With that, he flicked his wrist, and an Incense Stick appeared in his hand.

"Need some time to discuss a strategy?"

Tang San was a Control Soul Master. In team Soul Fighting, Control Soul Masters were often the brains and commanders on the field.

He was just about to speak up and show what he could do when Lu Shiyuan beat him to it. "No need. I can do it alone."

Everyone froze. Ning Rongrong immediately tried to dissuade him. "Lu Shiyuan, if I'm not mistaken, this teacher is Zhao Wuji. His Martial Soul is the Great Strength Vajra Bear, and his Soul Power is as high as level seventy-six."

At her introduction, Zhao Wuji gave a noncommittal grunt. The other two girls looked at Lu Shiyuan with worry.

Lu Shiyuan, however, looked relaxed. Beating Zhao Wuji right now would be very difficult.

But if he only had to fight until an incense stick burned out, he could manage that.

Dai Mubai and Tang San were secretly delighted.

True, they couldn't beat Lu Shiyuan, but Teacher Zhao was a Soul Saint.

If Lu Shiyuan insisted on showing off, he was asking for trouble!

They wanted to watch that arrogant bastard get thrashed with their own eyes.

Zhao Wuji laughed in disbelief. "You're sure you want to fight me one-on-one?"

Lu Shiyuan gave the girls a reassuring look, then stepped forward. "Lu Shiyuan. Martial Soul: Heterochromatic Twin Eyes. Level-fifty Battle Soul Ancestor. Teacher Zhao, please instruct me."

Zhao Wuji sucked in a sharp breath. "What level did you say you were?"

"Level fifty." Lu Shiyuan's expression remained calm. He wanted to find out where his limits lay.

Two purple Soul Rings, two black Soul Rings, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot he had eaten, the tempering his body had undergone in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones.

If he still couldn't withstand a Soul Saint until an incense stick burned out with all that, he might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes.

Zhao Wuji asked incredulously, "How old are you?"

"Twelve. Didn't a teacher already check at the Registration Desk?"

"Fuck!" Zhao Wuji forced the curse through clenched teeth.

A twelve-year-old Quasi-Soul King? Was this kid even human?

Even if he had started cultivating in the womb, his level shouldn't have risen this fast.

As for why Lu Shiyuan hadn't absorbed his fifth Soul Ring, Zhao Wuji saw nothing strange about it.

Registration at Shrek Academy was about to begin, after all. Wasn't it reasonable to register first and absorb a Soul Ring afterward?

Perhaps Lu Shiyuan thought a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for his fifth Soul Ring would be hard to take down and hoped to borrow the academy's strength.

That made even more sense.

Tang San's face burned. Remembering how he had bragged to Xiao Wu that he was already a level-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster, he felt utterly humiliated.

Lu Shiyuan's level was almost twice his own.

Lu Shiyuan hadn't summoned his Martial Soul at school in years, so Tang San had assumed the gap between them was only a few insignificant levels.

Once he began adding Soul Rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, that small gap would be easy to erase.

Who would have thought that while he was congratulating himself, Lu Shiyuan had left him so far behind he could no longer see his shadow?

Dai Mubai's heart sank too. How the hell was he supposed to compete with that?

Zhu Zhuqing alone was already far stronger than him. Now there was Lu Shiyuan, who was even more monstrous. How was he supposed to play this game?

Might as well swing a hammer around for show and call it a day.

Zhao Wuji finally came back to his senses. He eyed Lu Shiyuan suspiciously, clearly unconvinced that he was truly a level-fifty Quasi-Soul King.

Lu Shiyuan sighed softly, and four Soul Rings appeared around him.

Yellow, purple, purple, black—the four Soul Rings lined up in order, leaving everyone speechless with shock once again.

You're forcing me to show off.