After Li Yuan left the classroom, every student in the class except Xie Yue and his two companions came over to Tian Chen's seat and crowded around him.
This was the norm on the Douluo Continent. As long as you had strength, others would respect you. Before, they had only been polite to Tian Chen because his grandfather was Golden Crocodile Douluo.
Now, however, they were genuinely won over by Tian Chen's talent and strength.
He had already become a Soul Master upon enrolling. There was only one possibility: Tian Chen had Innate Full Soul Power.
Most of their elders were prominent figures in Spirit Hall, so they could not possibly be unaware of what Innate Full Soul Power meant.
According to Spirit Hall's clear records, a total of twenty-three Soul Masters with Innate Full Soul Power had appeared on the Douluo Continent over the past century. Among them, most who did not die young had eventually attained a title.
With a Level 98 Super Douluo for a grandfather on top of that, only an idiot would make an enemy of him.
Tian Chen readily accepted the goodwill these students offered. Then he began chatting with them without putting on any airs.
It was worth mentioning that every future member of the Spirit Hall Team was actually in this class.
There was Li Kai from earlier, along with Xie Yue and his two companions. There was also Sun Chuantao, whose Martial Soul was the Giant Ring Blade, and Zhang Ping, an Agility Attack System Soul Master with the Golden-Waisted Flying Swallow Martial Soul-a young girl whose looks were likewise only slightly inferior to Hu Liena's.
Then there was the Support System Soul Master, Xu Yu. His Martial Soul, the Brilliant Gold Scepter, was a very good Support System Martial Soul.
Of course, its support capabilities certainly could not compare with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's direct-line Martial Soul-the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Speaking of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Tian Chen coveted this Martial Soul's support capabilities quite a bit. With its support, your combat strength could almost double.
Seeing that these people still intended to keep pestering him with questions about everything under the sun, Tian Chen no longer felt like dealing with them.
Exchanging a few casual words was fine, but he really could not handle talking to a whole crowd all by himself.
Just as he was looking for an excuse to brush them off and slip away, he happened to catch sight of the dejected Li Kai out of the corner of his eye. Delighted, he spoke up.
"Li Kai, I still don't know where the No. 1 Beast Fighting Arena is. Take me there."
With that, Tian Chen hurried out of the crowd and came over to Li Kai. He patted him on the shoulder and smiled faintly at his overwhelmed expression.
"What are you standing there for? Don't keep Teacher Li waiting."
"I... I..."
At that moment, Li Kai only felt that happiness had come too suddenly. His face flushed as he nodded like a chick pecking at rice, stammering too excitedly to get anything coherent out.
"All right, just take me there."
Tian Chen was not annoyed. He left the classroom side by side with Li Kai, who was still somewhat at a loss.
As one of the Douluo Continent's top second-generation rich, surely it would be inexcusable not to take in a few lackeys.
Besides, Li Kai's talent was pretty good, making him worth nurturing. Of course, more importantly, Tian Chen had a mischievous streak. He also wanted to see what Li Kai would look like fighting as a Black-Horned Mountain Boar after cultivating to Soul Saint.
He really was rather grateful to have been born into good circumstances. If he had ended up with a pig or cow Martial Soul, his fragile glass heart really might not have been able to take it.
Tian Chen's departure drew almost the majority of the class along with him.
The group followed grandly behind Tian Chen and Li Kai, heading straight for the No. 1 Beast Fighting Arena.
Xie Yue looked at the disgruntled Yan beside him, then at his sister, who was likewise pouting in defiance, and shook his head helplessly.
"Let's go. If you want to regain face, prove yourselves with your strength."
Hearing Xie Yue's words, the already disgruntled Yan immediately curled his lip in disdain.
"He's just some kid who only just advanced to Soul Master. We're already level sixteen, and Liena broke through to level thirteen a few days ago too. What's he got to be so smug about?"
"Exactly, Brother. He's the Second Worship's grandson, not on the same side as Teacher. We have to knock him down a peg later."
Hu Liena seemed to thoroughly agree with Yan. Clenching her small, delicate fists, she spoke fiercely. Yet her exquisite face, whose features had not fully matured, carried a trace of maturity at odds with her age. Every slight frown carried a seductive charm, making her a contradictory blend of innocence and allure.
She raised her fair hands and tied her shoulder-length golden hair into a ponytail, revealing a flawless profile, then followed them.
Xie Yue and Yan exchanged a glance before hurriedly jogging after Hu Liena.
The No. 1 Beast Fighting Arena was a dedicated venue at Spirit Hall Academy for honing students' practical combat skills.
Various kinds of Soul Beasts were kept inside, including even Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, though there were not many of those.
Most were Ten-Year and Hundred-Year Soul Beasts they had captured in the Soul Hunting Forest.
Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were scarce in the Soul Hunting Forest, and capturing them alive and then taming them involved numerous difficulties. Thus, even with Spirit Hall's resources, they had not managed to keep many Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
Viewed from above, the entire arena measured over a hundred meters across, enough to accommodate several thousand spectators at once.
As Tian Chen's group entered through the passage, they could even hear the roars of various Soul Beasts, while a faint smell of blood rose from the floor.
It seemed the arena wasn't as safe as I'd thought.
After passing through the oppressive passage, they reached the open-air arena.
At its center was a beast-fighting platform paved with smooth marble, with various passages connecting to it from all sides. Refined-iron bars sealed off the passages from the platform.
Through the gaps between the bars, Tian Chen could practically see parts of the enormous Soul Beasts' bodies, glowing with various lights of Soul Power.
Tian Chen withdrew his gaze and scanned the stands. Soon spotting Li Yuan, he led Li Kai and the others straight over to him.
When Li Yuan saw Li Kai following beside Tian Chen, his smile deepened. Then, seeing Xie Yue and his two companions approaching together nearby, he nodded to a staff member not far away.
"Since everyone is here, let's begin today's practical combat lesson. Considering that some of you have only just awakened your Martial Souls and have yet to acquire Soul Rings, you may freely choose your own opponents. I'll score you according to the circumstances."
"Of course, the requirements differ for each type of Soul Master. For example, Power Attack System Soul Masters are required to defeat their opponents head-on, while Control System Soul Masters must control their opponents and prevent them from hurting you. The longer you maintain control, the higher your score."
"Xu Yu, you're a Support System Soul Master. You may find a partner and take part in the practical combat as a pair."
Li Yuan had been quite accommodating in taking Support System Soul Masters into consideration.
"If there are no questions, let's begin."
With that, Li Yuan shifted his gaze to Tian Chen, his meaning self-evident.
He simply wanted Tian Chen to establish his authority. Having lived two lives, how could Tian Chen fail to understand?
He immediately walked up beside Li Yuan and spoke confidently.
"Teacher Li, I'll go first. I choose a Hundred-Year Diamond Tiger."
Infused with Soul Power, his voice carried throughout the arena. Not just Li Yuan, but every student looked toward Tian Chen in astonishment and doubt.
"A Hundred-Year Diamond Tiger? Are you sure?"
Li Yuan clearly had not expected Tian Chen to choose a Soul Beast like the Diamond Tiger, much less a hundred-year one.
Tiger-type Soul Beasts already held a very high standing among Soul Beasts. Moreover, there had never been a Hundred-Thousand-Year tiger-type Soul Beast in the Star Dou Great Forest. Tiger-type Soul Beasts were too domineering, and the Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape in the Star Dou Great Forest would not tolerate such an existence.
Diamond Tigers were outstanding even among tiger-type Soul Beasts. Not only did they possess astonishing attack power, but their defense and strength were also exceptionally formidable.
In the original story, Dai Mubai's third Soul Ring had come from a Thousand-Year Diamond Tiger, granting him the powerful Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation.
Faced with the doubtful gazes of Li Yuan and the others, Tian Chen had no intention of explaining much.
No amount of words could convince people as well as facts.
"Don't worry, Teacher Li. I'm confident."
As he spoke, Tian Chen jumped straight down from the stands.