No! Why?! Why Is It Another Soul Tool?!

With a clank of turning gears, Defensive Soul Tools covered Jiang Hao from head to toe.

She had even tricked him into using a disposable Absolute Defense. It had activated on its own when it sensed danger. That alone was worth 400,000! It was the most expensive thing he had.

Jiang Hao flew into a rage!

"Fuck you!"

"This is Shrek Academy, and you attacked me in broad daylight. Do you have a death wish?

Answer me!"

Jiang Hao did not bother mentioning that he was Vice Dean Qian Duoduo's adopted son, or that his parents had shed blood and tears for Shrek.

Yet a mere teacher from Shrek Outer Court had casually tried to kill him in front of all these people.

Today, I'll win back my dignity myself!

Give me a boost!

Jiang Hao issued the command in his mind.

His physical condition surged higher and higher. Then his First Soul Ring pulsed, and he drew the greatsword from his wrist guard.

"You're Zhou Yi, right? Dare to face me in a Soul Fighting match?"

Jiang Hao raised the greatsword, flicked its tip toward Zhou Yi, and stared at her with unwavering eyes.

Was he truly afraid she would kill him? Of course not. Once this caused enough of a stir, word would reach Yan Shaozhe or Qian Duoduo sooner or later.

Besides, ever since he had gained his Soul Skill, he had never discovered the limits of his ultimate fighting strength.

This was the perfect chance to test himself against a Six-Ring Soul Emperor whose offensive abilities were hardly outstanding.

"Gladly. You actually dare challenge me to a Soul Fighting match?

Let's go to the Soul Fighting Arena. Don't think you can stall for time. You've got some nerve."

Zhou Yi left at once.

Only her voice lingered in the air.

"If you dare run, you and your entire family are finished. None of you will ever be admitted to Shrek."

This challenge drew in nearly half the academy's students. By the time Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo heard about it, the Soul Fighting Arena was already packed.

"What were you thinking, challenging a Six-Ring Soul Emperor?"

Qian Duoduo patted Jiang Hao on the head, then casually pressed a purse onto the table.

"Put me down for the six-ring teacher."

Meanwhile, Fan Yu was with Zhou Yi on the other side.

Fan Yu said helplessly, "Zhou Yi! That's Vice Dean Qian Duoduo and Dean Xian Liner's adopted son. Their child isn't some ordinary student!

You can't bully him just because you feel like it. Why are you picking a fight with a child?"

Fan Yu's head was pounding. His knowledge of and skill with Soul Tools had finally earned him recognition at Shrek. He had his own office now, and he had even taken on a disciple.

Everything had been going so well.

In a few years, he might even become a key figure in the Shrek Outer Court's Soul Tool Department.

He had been in seclusion working toward the Level Four Soul Engineer qualification. The moment he passed, he heard this devastating news.

His future wife was about to fight the child of his superiors. What was he supposed to do?

"It's that brat's fault. If he'd told me he was the deans' child, I wouldn't have made an issue of it."

"Now the whole of Shrek Academy knows about the match."

"Look down there. The stands are full. If I don't go up and put him in his place, what will become of my authority as a teacher?"

"If I don't teach him a lesson, how can I show my face here as a teacher?"

Fan Yu flushed with anger. He had never imagined that the woman he had spent the last three years with was like this.

"You were in the wrong from the start, and you're still worried about saving face? You should be worried about your life."

"You bullied the child of two Titled Douluo. All I can hope now is that you survive."

"Shut up, Fan Yu!"

"If you say another word like that, I'm breaking up with you!"

"You don't understand me at all."

Zhou Yi tore off her old-woman mask, her face twisted with rage.

She showed no concern for Fan Yu's feelings.

"You won't even speak up for me! Instead, you're joining outsiders in bullying me! Fan Yu, I was wrong about you! We're through!"

"Zhou Yi, don't do this!" Fan Yu stepped forward to take her hand, but she flung him away.

As the fighting platform rose, the surrounding chatter even drowned out the rich young wastrels who had come to watch the spectacle.

"Seriously, how old is she? She's ancient! A Six-Ring Soul Emperor bullying a kid whose Martial Soul has only just awakened!"

"What else would you expect? Old Demon Zhou Yi's reputation has spread throughout the Outer Court. Fewer than thirty percent of the students in her class advance."

"I heard she never dares leave Shrek City because she once expelled an emperor of the empire."

The murmurs reached Zhou Yi on the raised platform.

A pack of useless students dares gossip about me? Just wait. I'll expel every last one of you!

Zhou Yi slowly stepped onto the platform.

"Competitors, please enter the arena!" the referee called, and the entire venue fell quiet.

As Jiang Hao stepped up, everyone looked at him with pity.

"This is completely one-sided. He's just asking for a beating. There's no way he can win."

"Jiang Hao, admit you were wrong now, and I can forgive your recklessness!

All you have to do is hand in a written self-criticism."

Now that Zhou Yi knew Jiang Hao's background, she was frightened too.

She had grown used to throwing her weight around. She had never expected to run into someone she could not afford to offend.

She figured that if she offered him a way out, he would take it. Perhaps he was already scared because Qian Duoduo had not stopped the match.

That thought stiffened Zhou Yi's resolve.

A spoiled rich brat is still a spoiled rich brat. All he can do is throw his family's weight around.

For all I know, he's already wet himself at the sight of me.

As Zhou Yi considered this, a confident smile gathered at her lips. Soul Rings rose one after another from beneath her feet.

She began bearing down on Jiang Hao.

"In your dreams!" Jiang Hao held both hands before him. The greatsword Soul Tool dropped from his wrist guard and plunged into the stone platform.

Jiang Hao activated his First Soul Ring. His muscles gave a series of muffled tearing sounds as his body gradually grew taller and straighter.

He held the greatsword across his body!

"Come fight!"

He charged toward Zhou Yi like a fierce gust of wind. The greatsword's weight gave him immense momentum, and each footfall left a crack in the stone beneath him.

Zhou Yi released her Martial Soul. A dark-blue die appeared in her hand.

"This is outrageous! I'll teach you a lesson and beat you until you beg for mercy!"

"Eight-Sided Exquisite, First Soul Skill: Bind!"

The die turned to show three pips, meaning its effect was thirty percent stronger this time.

Tough, ribbonlike strands burst from the ground beneath Jiang Hao and seized his legs.

But his tremendous momentum snapped them in an instant. The die in Zhou Yi's hand shook violently.

How is that possible? With a three-pip enhancement, my First Soul Skill could trap a Hundred-Year Soul Beast until it died!

Yet he broke free in an instant!

That's already on the level of a thousand-year Soul Beast.

His physique is stronger than a three-ring Soul Elder's!

Only when the greatsword came hurtling toward her face did Zhou Yi react.

"Fourth Soul Skill!" An azure shield enclosed her as the die spun wildly and landed on one pip.

No enhancement!

The greatsword struck! A crack spread from the top of the energy shield, and with a shattering sound, the whole thing broke apart like paper!

"That's the kind of amplification only a high-level Soul Tool could provide! I underestimated him." Zhou Yi swiftly dodged aside.

The greatsword carved a deep trench where she had stood.

Looks like I'll have to get serious!

Zhou Yi swung a fist at Jiang Hao. She did not dare use an offensive Soul Skill against Shrek's precious young master.

If she accidentally injured him badly, she would be finished too.

But before her fist even reached Jiang Hao, a jarring clang rang out.

"Another Soul Tool!!" Zhou Yi gritted her teeth and threw another punch. A lion-faced shield now hovered in front of Jiang Hao!

The third-tier Soul Tool, Lion King's Guard!

The shield's recoil numbed Zhou Yi's entire arm and forced her back two steps.

No. I can't hold back any longer. If this goes on, he might actually beat me. And the longer I drag this out, the more face I'll lose.