The VIP room at Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena was lavishly decorated, with fruit and pastries covering an entire table. With Lin Kong, the newly minted Silver Soul Fighter, among them, everyone from Shrek naturally enjoyed top-tier treatment unlike anything they had experienced before.
Everyone clustered around Lin Kong, chattering nonstop, their voices full of admiration and envy.
"Brother Lin, you're a beast! Forty consecutive wins-that's god-tier play!"
"Brother Lin, Brother Lin, take me along next time you do team Soul Fighting! Carry me, please!"
"Forty matches undefeated! That record is terrifying! I'll be counting on you to help me get my Silver Soul Badge!"
The room buzzed with excitement, an excited smile on every face.
Just then, Tang San, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke. A perfectly measured look of puzzlement appeared on his face as his gaze settled on Lin Kong, his tone almost impossibly sincere. "Lin Kong, I never expected you to have beaten fire-attribute Soul Masters during your forty-win streak. That's really impressive!"
He paused, then added, "Your Dark Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is naturally afraid of fire, just like my Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. Beating fire-attribute Soul Masters must have been quite difficult. Could you teach me how you did it?"
The abacus in Tang San's mind clacked away-he was clearly exposing Lin Kong's weakness on purpose.
He did not believe for a second that Lin Kong could beat a fire-attribute Soul Master, instinctively feeling that something fishy lay behind those forty consecutive wins. If Lin Kong could not answer, the prestige of "Black Prison Asura" would take a serious hit; even if Lin Kong really had a way to deal with them, he could seize the chance to learn a trick. Either way, he would lose nothing.
Sure enough, the moment those words fell, the lively atmosphere stiffened somewhat, and even the air seemed to congeal.
Secretly delighted, Tang San poured more oil on the fire. "If he really can beat fire-attribute Soul Masters, Hongjun, even your Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul might not be a match for Lin Kong."
Ma Hongjun's eyes darted around twice, and he gave a chuckling grin, but refused to say another word. He was no fool. Only an idiot would get involved when swords were drawn and bows were bent like this.
Lin Kong glanced at Tang San, then swept his gaze over the subtle expressions around him. He merely shook his head lightly, his tone calm and even. "During my forty-win streak, I never faced a fire-attribute Soul Master."
"Really?" Tang San immediately adopted an expression of extreme surprise, as though he had heard something unbelievable.
Lin Kong nodded openly. "Yes."
Tang San promptly stroked his chin and began analyzing the situation with a perfectly serious expression, his tone sounding entirely reasonable. "Hmm, in that case, Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena must have deliberately arranged it internally. Otherwise, there's no way you could fight forty whole matches without encountering a single fire-attribute Soul Master."
Those words were like cold water splashed into hot oil, changing the way everyone looked at Lin Kong.
What forty consecutive wins? What Black Prison Asura? So his record was padded that much!
Tang San's smugness nearly spilled over, and he could not stop the corners of his mouth from lifting slightly.
The others' expressions also became particularly subtle. Their gazes held less admiration for Lin Kong and more doubt.
Only Lin Kong remained as unruffled as drifting clouds and a light breeze, showing not the slightest emotional fluctuation.
"Tang San, what are you getting at?" Ning Rongrong was the first to bristle. Her willow-leaf brows shot up as she glared at Tang San, her voice full of displeasure. "Are you saying Lin Kong's record is fake?"
Tang San spread his hands, putting on a well-reasoned air, his tone so sincere that no one could fault it. "I'm only drawing conclusions based on normal circumstances. I don't mean anything else."
"You're just up to no good!" Ning Rongrong cared nothing for his deductions and planted her hands on her hips as she retorted.
Tang San sighed instead, looking worried. "I'm just afraid that if the challenger turns out to be a fire-attribute Soul Master, Lin Kong will suffer. I'm simply worrying in advance."
"..." Ning Rongrong was left speechless. The anger faded from her face, replaced by deep worry.
The others grew nervous too-yes, fire-attribute Martial Souls were the bane of plant-type ones. If the challenger really had the fire attribute, wouldn't Lin Kong face more peril than hope?
Only Tang San was blooming with joy inside, wishing desperately that the challenger was a fire-attribute Soul Master. Better yet, he could give Lin Kong a vicious beating and leave his dignity in the dust.
At that moment of widespread anxiety, the VIP room's door suddenly swung open.
Flender walked in, first casting an unobtrusive glance at Tang San, a meaningful look in his eyes. Clearly, he had heard every word of their conversation from outside.
Clear Sky Douluo's child, Grandmaster's personal disciple-why did he have to be someone who couldn't bear to see his classmates do well?
Looking at Tang San's seemingly innocent expression, Flender felt his head swell to twice its size, utterly plagued by a headache.
Flender cleared his throat, set a sheet of intelligence on the table, and said gravely, "We have the opponent's information. Shi Liyuan, Martial Soul: Lie Yan Tiger. Two Hundred-Year Soul Rings, a rank twenty-nine Power Attack System Battle Soul Master. His first Soul Skill, Flame Protective Barrier, forms a layer of flames to defend against attacks; his second Soul Skill, Lie Yan Fierce Tiger Blast, is an offensive Soul Skill with tremendous explosive power."
Having finished, he raised his eyes to Lin Kong, his expression grave and his voice carrying a measure of worry. "Are you confident?"
Instantly, everyone's eyes focused on Lin Kong, filled with expectation, hoping to hear a firm answer.
"Beat him?" At those words, Lin Kong shook his head, his tone almost blunt in its honesty. "How could I possibly do that?"
Everyone's face fell, and the atmosphere grew heavier.
Off to the side, Tang San muttered quietly, a trace of barely perceptible schadenfreude in his voice. "That's what I said..."
Ning Rongrong shot him a fierce glare, but she was too worried about Lin Kong to bother arguing with him.
Xiao Wu felt Tang San was acting wrongly and secretly tugged at the hem of his clothes.
Flender sighed and rubbed his brow, his face full of self-reproach. "It's all my fault!"
Huh?
Everyone turned to him in unison, their eyes full of confusion-how had this become the dean's fault?
Flender explained with a bitter smile, "Back when I discovered that Lin Kong was very strong in combat, but that his Martial Soul was naturally afraid of fire, I secretly approached the person in charge of the Great Soul Arena and had a private discussion with him. That's how Lin Kong avoided fire-attribute Soul Masters throughout all forty matches and smoothly secured forty consecutive wins. As for me... I placed bets on that winning streak and made a fortune."
"So that's it!" Ma Hongjun exclaimed in sudden realization. "No wonder you're usually so stingy, Teacher, yet suddenly became generous today!"
Flender immediately glared at him and gave a deep grunt. "Hmm?"
Ma Hongjun shrank back in fright and hurriedly covered his mouth, not daring to say another word.
Now everyone understood the whole story.
Oh, so there was this inside story behind those forty consecutive wins!
This had nothing whatsoever to do with Lin Kong's own strength. It was all that cheapskate Flender pulling strings behind the scenes!
To think he could come up with something like this just to make money. He truly lived up to his name as Shrek's famously miserly dean!
Everyone silently grumbled, looking at Flender with understanding in their eyes.
Seemingly sensing their thoughts, Flender hurriedly added in a solemn tone, "But one thing must be made clear-apart from fire-attribute Soul Masters, Lin Kong faced Soul Masters of every other attribute and role during those forty consecutive wins, and won every time! His strength is beyond question!"
Listening from the side, Tang San's face turned alternately green and white, its changes particularly spectacular.
He had intended to use the matter of "avoiding fire-attribute Soul Masters" to splash dirty water on Lin Kong's title of "Black Prison Asura" and his forty-win record, leaving his dignity in the dust. Who could have known that, after Flender's explanation, the dirty water would miss Lin Kong entirely and instead make Tang San himself look petty?
Instead, Lin Kong's strength became even more convincing.
Tang San gritted his teeth, silently reassuring himself. It's fine, it's fine. So what if everyone knows Lin Kong is fairly strong? He can't beat Shi Liyuan next, so he'll still suffer a crushing defeat. Black Prison Asura, utterly defeated on the very first day he gets his Silver Soul Badge-let's see how he holds his head up then!
At that thought, a trace of secret anticipation stirred in Tang San's heart again.
Flender knew nothing of his thoughts and only felt his headache worsening. He looked at Lin Kong and asked with a worried frown, "Lin Kong, what exactly should we do about this next fight?"
"Wait! Wait!" Just then, Ma Hongjun abruptly sprang to his feet, his eyes astonishingly bright and his voice full of wild delight, as though he had thought of a brilliant idea.
Flender irritably slapped him on the head. "If you've got something to say, say it! If you've got a fart, let it out!"
Clutching his head, Ma Hongjun hurriedly pointed at the bewildered Tang San beside him and said loudly, "Tang San! Him! Doesn't he have lots of weird little gadgets? The Soul Fighting Arena doesn't restrict the use of external items. Have Tang San lend his treasures to Brother Lin!"
Tang San froze. Pointing at his own nose, his face covered in disbelief, he blurted out, "Huh?!"
Have me help Lin Kong?
Are you out of your mind?!
He stared at Ma Hongjun, so angry that he nearly stopped breathing, unable to think of a retort for a moment.
"That's right!"
"Holy crap, Fatty, you're a genius!"
"Exactly, exactly! That's what we should do."
"Hahaha, great! We can win!"
"Tang San, hurry, hurry! Take out your stuff!"
Tang San lost his composure and blurted out, "Why should I help Lin Kong?"
One after another, their expressions gradually changed as they stared unwaveringly at Tang San.
At that moment, Tang San regretted it immensely.
Xiao Wu was so anxious that she nearly cried. "Th-this, this is..."