An Agreement on Qualifying for Gold Soul Fighting Badges

Leaving the self-righteous Grandmaster hanging, Su Chen then asked Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing for their Soul Arena handbooks to inspect.

The contents of the two handbooks read:

Immortal Little Darling

Soul Power Level: Level 36

Martial Soul: Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda

Support-System Soul Master

Immortal Senior Sister Pair

Soul Power Level: Level 33

Martial Soul: Hell Spirit Cat

Agility-Attack-System Soul Master

"Your names..."

Although the surroundings were clamorous, with countless young girls shouting Immortal's name, those sounds seemed to have been drawn far away. Su Chen only felt that the two lines before him were exceptionally glaring, every stroke baring its fangs and claws in the twilight.

He blinked once, then again, making sure he had not misread them.

"Teacher?"

Ning Rongrong stepped half a pace closer and tilted her head as she studied his expression. "Why aren't you saying anything? Don't you think our codenames are especially interesting?"

Su Chen first looked at Ning Rongrong, then looked past her at Zhu Zhuqing. The instant his gaze shifted to her, Zhu Zhuqing lowered her eyes. Her right hand unconsciously touched the wrist bone of her left hand; she was clearly nervous.

"These codenames."

Su Chen's voice was not loud, but it made the air tense slightly. "Change them. Pick something else."

"How can we do that? Teacher, I love these names!"

"Am I not your little darling~?"

Ning Rongrong looked pitifully at Su Chen as she wheedled.

"There are plenty of nice codenames. Do you have to use these?"

Ning Rongrong replied as though it were only natural. "Of course! Actually, Zhuqing and I came up with lots of names, like 'Gale Twin Beauties' and 'Colorful Netherworld.' They sounded pretty good at first, but the more we thought about them, the more boring they seemed.

"Then I suddenly thought of it—Teacher, you're Immortal, right? Everyone in Suotuo City knows that! Since we're under your tutelage, we can be Immortal's Little Darling~ and Immortal's Senior Sister Pair~ How affectionate is that!"

She started laughing before she had even finished, her brows and eyes curving as dimples faintly appeared in her cheeks. "And look, 'Little Darling' sounds so cute. Just thinking about how, when we're in the Soul Arena in the future, our opponents hear that codename and show you that unparalleled reverence, Teacher—it'll be so interesting!"

"Unparalleled reverence? I'm rather speechless right now."

Su Chen cut off her enthusiasm, his tone carrying a seriousness that allowed no perfunctory response. "As disciples, you must respect your teacher and honor the way. Using your teacher's name for amusement—just wait until we return to Immortal Mountain and see how I teach you a lesson."

Ning Rongrong blinked, and her smile gradually turned guilty. She edged closer to Zhu Zhuqing and secretly nudged her with an elbow. "Zhuqing, say something for me."

Zhu Zhuqing finally raised her eyes. She looked at Ning Rongrong, then at Su Chen. After hesitating, her thin lips moved. "Teacher... the three codenames Senior Sister chose... are actually not bad."

"Teacher, look!"

Ning Rongrong immediately jumped in. "Zhuqing agrees too!"

Watching this lovely girl act so righteous while also being a little bratty, Su Chen smiled helplessly.

"Teacher—" Seeing that he still had not answered, Ning Rongrong dragged out the last syllable and stepped closer. "Just agree. Look how suitable these codenames are for us. They're cute and distinctive, and they're related to you. Others will know at a glance that we're your students. When we win later, won't that bring you glory too?"

"Fine. I can agree to let you use these codenames, but I have one condition."

Unable to outargue the girl, Su Chen had no choice but to change his tune.

"Yay!"

At that, Ning Rongrong's eyes abruptly lit up, and her lips had already curved into an arc on the verge of a cheer.

"What condition? Just say it, Teacher. Rongrong will definitely do it."

"Even if Teacher wanted Rongrong to play the flute for him, Rongrong would agree!"

"Who wants you to play the flute? You little—honestly, I really—"

Clang!

Su Chen raised a hand and gave the jubilant Rongrong a hard knock on the forehead.

This girl was simply ruining his reputation out here!

Who would not overthink words like that if they heard them?

"My condition is that, in the upcoming Soul Fighting Badge qualification matches, the two of you must obtain Double Gold Soul Fighting Badges. Do that, and I'll agree to let you train in the Soul Arena under those three codenames. Otherwise, not only will you have to change your names, but your training intensity will increase in the future!"

He paused there, his gaze falling on Ning Rongrong's eyes, which had suddenly brightened before quickly calming down again. Then he turned his head and looked at Zhu Zhuqing's catlike eyes, which had finally risen to meet his gaze.

"If you can't do it... hmm." Su Chen's tone was even, with a hint of teasing. "Then your teacher will name you. You'll be called 'Ning the Timid' and 'Zhu the Weak.'"

"What?!"

Ning Rongrong's eyes nearly popped out. "Teacher, you're too mean! When have I ever been timid? Zhuqing, look at him!"

The corners of Zhu Zhuqing's lips lifted, so fleetingly it was like a night breeze skimming the water's surface. She quickly returned to her usual coolness, but when she looked at Su Chen, there was a thin gleam in her eyes, as though she had silently accepted this agreement.

"Fine."

"Then Double Gold Soul Fighting Badges it is."

Ning Rongrong sighed, lifted her chin, and planted both hands on her hips. "Just wait, Teacher. When the time comes, we'll slap those Soul Fighting Badges down in front of you and make you fully convinced!"

"Fine. Your teacher will wait." Su Chen's expression remained neither cold nor warm.

"Pinky swear!"

Su Chen looked at the little finger she held out. After hesitating for less than a breath, he still reached out, hooking his little finger around Ning Rongrong's.

"Pinky swear, no backing out!"

After reciting it, Ning Rongrong still savored the warmth of her teacher's hand for a moment, but she swallowed and let go. Then she turned and led Zhu Zhuqing into the Soul Arena.

"Come on, Zhuqing. They're only Gold Soul Fighting Badges. We can definitely do it!"

"Soto Great Soul Arena, just wait for the mighty names of 'Immortal Little Darling' and 'Immortal Senior Sister Pair' to resound through you!"

Su Chen stood where he was, the hem of his robe stirring without wind as he watched the two girls' retreating backs and repeatedly shook his head.

At that moment, the Soul Arena supervisor who had been following nearby smiled and said:

"Your Excellency Immortal, your relationship with your disciples is truly good. It's clear that both of your esteemed students like you very much."

"However, isn't it a little too demanding to require your two esteemed students to qualify directly for Gold Soul Fighting Badges?"

In Soul Fighting qualification matches, every Soul Master had only one opportunity.

That was after registering a Soul Fighting identity, before the contestant had received a Soul Fighting Badge.

Since the Soul Arena had no detailed information regarding a Soul Master's actual combat ability, opponents would be randomly assigned. One might encounter another newly registered contestant, or one might encounter Iron Soul Duel or Silver Soul Duel opponents.

At this stage, as long as a Soul Master won one match, they would qualify for an Iron Soul Duel badge. If they did not claim the Iron Soul Duel badge at that point, they would enter qualification Soul Fighting.

The Soul Arena would begin assigning opponents with Iron Soul Duel badges. If they won ten consecutive matches against Iron Soul Duel opponents, they would be judged stronger than ordinary Iron Soul Duel participants and enter Silver Soul Duel-level matches.

If they could then win ten consecutive matches against Silver Soul Duel opponents, they would be judged stronger than ordinary Silver Soul Duel participants and qualify directly for a Silver Soul Duel badge. Qualification for Gold Soul Fighting Badges and Purple Gold badges above Silver Soul Duel followed the same principle.

In other words, to qualify directly for a Gold Soul Fighting Badge, one needed consecutive victories against one randomly assigned opponent, ten Iron Soul Duel opponents, ten Silver Soul Duel opponents, and ten Gold Soul Duel opponents—a total of thirty-one Soul Masters. The difficulty was immense, and there had never been such a case in the entire Soto Great Soul Arena.

What was more, Immortal's two students would be fighting one against many!

Yet Su Chen merely smiled faintly and said to Supervisor Zhang:

"Sorry for the trouble, Supervisor Zhang. Please arrange Soul Fighting matches for my two students. Try to give them strong opponents with more victories and higher Soul Power Levels."

"Huh?"

Upon hearing that, the supervisor of the Soto Great Soul Arena was completely dumbfounded.

Was this Immortal hoping his students would succeed, or was he trying to make them suffer a crushing defeat?