Just as Bei Bei had expected, Xi Feng's repeated attacks failed to break through Jiang Hai's defenses.
Boom!
Shattering stone, startling heaven!
The soul power within Jiang Hai surged, suddenly rising a notch. As he fought the icy power inside him, his soul power finally broke through to rank fourteen. To others, that might not even qualify them to enter Shrek Academy, but for Jiang Hai, it was a tremendous breakthrough. From a mere half-rank of innate soul power to his current rank fourteen, only he knew how many hardships he had endured.
"Kill!"
Jiang Hai clenched his fist, gathering golden light, and unleashed a punch with all his might. The ice shield, battered by his repeated blows, finally could withstand no more and shattered with a crash. Xi Feng spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward, his face haggard but his eyes filled with defiance. He had been so close, so close to winning, but his attacks were too weak.
Huang He sighed as well. "What a shame. If Xi Feng's attacks had been a little stronger, the tables might have turned!"
Zhou Yi smiled faintly. "Is that really the case? First, Gu Dao, who had the advantage in speed, lost to Jiang Hai by a single move. Then Xi Feng's attacks proved insufficient to break through Jiang Hai's defenses. Haven't you noticed? Jiang Hai has no obvious weaknesses at all. His offense and defense are both outstanding. If either had been lacking, he would already have lost!"
Huang He thought for a moment and nodded, but then asked curiously, "Teacher Zhou Yi, Jiang Hai's first soul skill must be something special too, right? Although Xi Feng excels at defense rather than offense, Shrek Academy students don't have glaring weaknesses. His attacks actually aren't weak, yet he couldn't break through a One-Ring Soul Master's defenses. Isn't that a little unbelievable?"
Zhou Yi nodded. The information she had read about Jiang Hai surfaced in her mind, and she said, "This child's first soul ring is indeed extraordinary. It came from an eight-hundred-year-old Diamond Tiger!"
"Eight hundred years? So that's why!" Huang He exclaimed, nodding.
Jiang Hai's battles had drawn more and more students from other years.
After all, a new student had challenged veteran second- and third-year students and kept winning. Whatever the outcome this time, Jiang Hai had already made quite a name for himself.
A tall boy approached through the crowd. Upon spotting Bei Bei, he ran over and asked curiously, "Bei Bei, what's happening here? Why are so many people gathered around?"
Bei Bei glanced at the newcomer and said flatly, "Xu Sanshi, what are you doing here?"
"I came to see the fun," Xu Sanshi said. "With so many people gathered here, there must be something worth watching."
Bei Bei shook his head. Why had this fellow, who wanted nothing more than to see the world in chaos, shown up? He said slowly, "Nothing much. A new student from this year came to challenge the second- and third-year veterans and beat quite a few fairly capable ones, that's all!"
"Something this interesting happened, and you didn't even call me? Second and third years-wait, isn't my Nannan a third-year student? This brat actually dared to challenge my Nannan? Watch me go beat him up!" Xu Sanshi said angrily.
Tang Ya couldn't help saying, "Xu Sanshi, have you lost your mind? Jiang Nannan advanced to fourth year ages ago. You're a sixth-year student, yet you have the nerve to bully a first-year newcomer? Have you no shame?"
"What business is it of yours whether I have any shame?" Xu Sanshi said.
Bei Bei snorted coldly. "Are you asking for a beating?"
Xu Sanshi retorted defiantly, "Then let's fight! You henpecked husband, you think I'm scared of you?"
Bei Bei shook his head with a wry smile. "Stop messing around. I don't have time to play with you right now."
Xu Sanshi snorted coldly and looked toward the center of the crowd as well.
Jiang Hai looked like a god of war descended to earth, golden light flashing all over his body as he pummeled a third-year veteran.
Xu Sanshi couldn't help saying, "Bei Bei, you're telling me this guy is a newcomer? One soul ring beating down two like a father thrashing his son? The class below yours is way too pathetic!"
"Young Brother Jiang Hai was born with divine strength," Bei Bei said. "If his soul power matched yours, beating your turtle shell would be just like thrashing his son too."
Xu Sanshi retorted defiantly, "Wait until he's my age before saying that. I'd still beat him until he couldn't tell north from south!"
Tang Ya said, "Xu Sanshi, your skin really is as thick as a city wall. How could he possibly be the same age as you?"
"That's his problem," Xu Sanshi said. "What does it have to do with me?"
Jiang Hai unleashed his strength and defeated the person before him once again. This was the third challenger after Xi Feng. Regardless of their soul power or martial souls, the previous two had both fallen to his golden fists.
Five fierce battles in succession, each exhilarating to the fullest-Jiang Hai felt his blood boiling, a sensation he rarely experienced.
Now this was what normal academy life should be like. A youth who never lived boldly wasted his youth. Young people ought to live with this kind of unbridled exhilaration.
In this state of mind, Jiang Hai also felt his soul power growing rapidly. After several clashes, he had fully consolidated his rank-fourteen soul power and was steadily advancing toward rank fifteen.
After five battles, however, Jiang Hai was also somewhat out of breath, and the golden light on his body had grown extremely dim.
"One last chance. After this, you'll have to wait until tomorrow. Who's coming?" Jiang Hai surveyed everyone imperiously and spoke calmly.
After so many consecutive fights, Jiang Hai intended to take a break.
Upon hearing his words, the others' faces filled with humiliation. Did their second- and third-year students truly have no chance to wash away their disgrace?
If they couldn't defeat Jiang Hai today, with so many people present, including plenty of newcomers and upper-year students, would the second and third years have any face left once word of today's events spread?
Xu Sanshi, who also wanted nothing more than to stir up chaos, called out, "Hey, brat, do you only dare bully these useless fools? Got the guts to trade a few moves with me? I won't use soul skills. As long as you can break through my defenses, I'll admit defeat. How about it?"
Xu Sanshi's words ignited everyone's anger. They all glared at him, but after seeing who he was, they didn't dare say much.
Xu Sanshi was a sixth-year student with a top-tier mutated Black Tortoise martial soul and soul power approaching rank forty.
Bei Bei hurriedly spoke up. "Young Brother Jiang Hai, don't fall for it! Xu Sanshi is a sixth-year student. His martial soul is the Xuanming Turtle, his turtle shell is incredibly hard, and his soul power is nearly rank forty."
Xu Sanshi said unhappily, "Bei Bei, you're a woman-chasing traitor who forgets his brothers! Brat, what do you say? Do you dare challenge me? I said I wouldn't use soul skills, and I won't fight back either. As long as you break through my defenses, I lose!"
Xu Sanshi!
Jiang Hai now knew who the newcomer was: Xu Sanshi, whose fame rivaled Bei Bei's, one of this generation's Shrek Seven Devils, with unparalleled defense.
"I agree, but if you want to fight me, you should know the rules, right?" Jiang Hai said with a nod.
"What rules?" Xu Sanshi asked.
"A guidance fee," Jiang Hai said. "If you want me to give you pointers on your martial soul, you should at least offer something, right? They're second- and third-year veterans, so I charge them ten gold coins. You're already in sixth year. You should be richer than them, shouldn't you? Charging you a little more wouldn't be unreasonable!"
Xu Sanshi's expression stiffened. You, giving me pointers? Forget it. Just bear with it. If he hadn't been so bored, he wouldn't have teased this brat, yet now the boy was putting on airs. Did he really think beating a few weaklings made him invincible? Xu Sanshi said, "Fine. I'll give you a thousand Gold Soul Coins!"
Jiang Hai gave Xu Sanshi a contemptuous look. "A thousand? Are you tossing scraps to a beggar? Forget it, forget it. I'm tired today. I'm going back to sleep!"
Jiang Hai yawned and muttered to himself, "I thought he was somebody important. No money, yet he has the nerve to come out puffing himself up like some big bad wolf. Is Shrek Academy full of this sort? What rotten luck!"
With that, he turned to leave.
Tang Ya stole a glance at Bei Bei and asked quietly, "Bei Bei, was Young Brother Jiang Hai this cutting when he spoke before?"
Bei Bei shook his head.
Xu Sanshi could no longer save face either, and called out, "Brat, then tell me how much you want!"
Jiang Hai stopped, finally revealing the dagger hidden at the end of the scroll. "We're Soul Masters. Talking about money is so vulgar. A Xuanming Turtle martial soul... I remember a certain family's inherited martial soul is a turtle, right? Looks like you're from that family. How about this? You have Mystic Water Pills, don't you? Just give me eight or ten as tuition. What do you say?"
"So this was what Young Brother Jiang Hai had waiting for Xu Sanshi. Mystic Water Pills really are good stuff. Bei Bei, should we get some for Yuhao too, to make up for his weak foundation?" Tang Ya said.
Bei Bei nodded.
Xu Sanshi, however, was getting flustered and furious. "You little brat, do you even know what a Mystic Water Pill is? A single pill is worth ten thousand gold coins, and you can only find one by luck! Eight or ten? You really dare to dream!"
"Broke bastard!" Jiang Hai gave Xu Sanshi a disdainful glance. It said everything without another word.
Xu Sanshi was furious too. "You little brat, I don't have ten Mystic Water Pills! At most, I can offer five... no, three! Take them or leave them! And you have to break through my defenses before I give them to you!"
Xu Sanshi wasn't stupid either. Naturally, he wouldn't hand over Mystic Water Pills lightly. He had absolute confidence in his defenses!
"Five!" Jiang Hai said calmly.
"No. Only three. Take them or leave them. If you don't want them, I'm leaving!" Xu Sanshi insisted.
"Fine. Since you're a broke bastard, three it is. But you have to give the Mystic Water Pills to Bei Bei first. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll refuse to pay up after you lose!" Jiang Hai said disdainfully.
"Brat, what kind of person do you take me for? Would I, Xu Sanshi, ever go back on my word?" Xu Sanshi demanded furiously.
Jiang Hai said, "For a broke bastard who can't even produce five Mystic Water Pills, isn't going back on his word perfectly normal? And you expect people to trust you? Where does that confidence come from?"
Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth. "Fine, you little brat. I agree!"
With that, he took out a jade bottle and tossed it to Bei Bei. "Can we start now?"
Jiang Hai glanced at Xu Sanshi and said calmly, "What's the rush? I just fought all those battles and used up quite a bit of soul power and strength. What? Trying to take advantage? Scared? If you're afraid of losing face, just give me the Mystic Water Pills."
"Me, scared?" Xu Sanshi fumed. "Fine! I'll wait right here while you recover."
Jiang Hai nodded, sat cross-legged, and began recovering his soul power under everyone's watchful eyes.
Before you continue