At the mention of fighting three opponents alone, Ma Hongjun deflated like a punctured ball, instantly losing his nerve. He shrank back sharply and looked at Lin Kong with a miserable expression, wailing, "Brother Lin! You're setting me up!"
"Why panic?" Lin Kong glanced at him, his tone as light as drifting clouds. "That female student over there is a level thirty-one support-type. The other six men are all level twenty-one. You're a level twenty-eight Power Attack System Soul Master. Taking on three of them will be a breeze."
Lin Kong confirmed their levels more precisely because, once their emotions flared, the Soul Power within their bodies became active, making their exact circumstances easier to judge.
"Holy shit!" Ma Hongjun swore outright, his eyes round and his face filled with disbelief.
Everyone from Shrek turned toward Lin Kong at once, their eyes full of shock.
He could even tell that? Brother Lin's perception was downright terrifying!
Ning Rongrong couldn't help moving closer, a hint of doubt in her eyes. "Brother Lin, is that true?"
Lin Kong nodded with complete confidence, his tone certain. "Trust me. There's absolutely no mistake!"
"Everyone, look!" Oscar suddenly pointed toward the people from Canghui Academy and shouted.
Whoosh!
Everyone followed his voice and looked over. The Canghui Academy group had gone deathly pale, each of them visibly flustered. Even Ye Zhiqiu's face had darkened enough to drip water. Clearly, Lin Kong had exposed their true strength!
Seeing this, Ma Hongjun straightened his back, brimming with confidence. He stepped forward, planted his hands on his hips, and roared with laughter, his arrogance soaring into the clouds. "Hahaha! Come on! I'm taking on three of you today! Anyone with guts, get out here!"
"You brat!" Ye Zhiqiu ignored Ma Hongjun's taunts entirely, staring fixedly at Lin Kong with shock and resentment in his eyes. Just where had this boy come from? How could he have such a piercing eye?
He had lived for decades, yet misjudged them; a wet-behind-the-ears brat had hit the nail on the head with a single remark. What did that make him? Had all the meals he'd eaten over those decades gone into a dog's belly? As a Soul King and a teacher, he couldn't even compare to a student?
Ye Zhiqiu was so angry that his chest felt tight, his face alternating between green and white.
"Teacher Ye, what do we do?" The Canghui Academy students panicked, turning toward their supervising teacher, their voices full of fear.
Seeing this, Ma Hongjun grew even more carried away. He craned his neck and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Level twenty-eight Power Attack System Soul Master, martial soul: Evil Fire Phoenix! Come on! Send up three weaklings, and watch me turn you all into roast chickens!"
Level twenty-eight?! Evil Fire Phoenix?!
At those words, everyone from Canghui Academy went numb, their minds booming as they fell into utter bewilderment.
At such a young age, he was already a level twenty-eight Soul Master? And he even had a top-tier beast martial soul like the Evil Fire Phoenix?
No wonder he dared boast about taking on three at once!
For a moment, the Canghui Academy side fell silent as crows and sparrows, with no one daring to make another sound.
Lin Kong looked at that bunch of cowards and shook his head disdainfully, a mocking smile curling his lips. "Tsk, tsk. So little courage, yet you still dare come out and stir up trouble? Fatty, step back."
Ma Hongjun withdrew reluctantly.
Before anyone could react, Dai Mubai stepped forward. Soul Power erupted from his entire body, and the pressure of a level thirty-seven Soul Elder spread in an overwhelming wave. His eyes widened, and his voice thundered furiously:
"I'll fight five!"
Dai Mubai's furious shout carried the domineering pressure of his Evil Eye White Tiger martial soul, exploding through the inn's main hall like a thunderclap.
As the pressure swept over them, the Canghui Academy students' expressions changed instantly.
Aside from Ye Zhiqiu, who remained as steady as Mount Tai, everyone turned deathly pale, their legs shaking like sieves. One male student's knees even buckled. Had he not reached out in time to brace himself against a table, he would probably have sprawled ignominiously on the floor-if he had actually fallen, he would have lost every last scrap of face!
Lin Kong cast a sidelong glance at those fellows, fierce on the outside but weak within, his tone as cold and indifferent as ice. "Well? Still want to continue?"
With Dai Mubai's temperament, when that fellow from the other side had slyly come looking to provoke him, he would ordinarily have slapped him and injured him to settle the matter long ago. With Lin Kong's intervention, both sides had revealed their trump cards before exchanging blows, reducing the casualties!
This dispute should have lowered its banners and silenced its drums right there...
Yet Ye Zhiqiu's face remained full of resentment. His eyes shifted as he quickly calculated, then he spoke gravely, deliberately emphasizing his status. "I am Ye Zhiqiu, director of Canghui Academy's external affairs department. May I ask which sect you young disciples belong to?"
"We're from Shrek!" Ma Hongjun immediately rushed to answer, his chin raised high and his tone brimming with smug pride. As he spoke, he didn't forget to sneak another glance at the female student opposite them.
Ye Zhiqiu paused, his brows knitted tightly as he rapidly searched his mind for information about "Shrek." But however much he rummaged through his memories, he found not the slightest impression. Looking utterly puzzled, he asked, "Shrek Academy? I don't believe I've ever heard of it."
Dai Mubai immediately snorted, his eyes full of disdain. "That's because you're ignorant and ill-informed!"
"Hmph!" Unwilling to be outdone, Ye Zhiqiu abruptly unleashed his Soul King pressure. Invisible pressure spread in an overwhelming wave, and even Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, despite their considerable strength, couldn't help showing slight changes in expression.
Seeing their wary looks, Ye Zhiqiu immediately felt much better. He straightened his back and assumed a sanctimonious air. "You children don't know any better and have no restraint over your mouths. Watch what you say from now on! Call your teacher out!"
He knew perfectly well that if they really were disciples of some major sect, he might have been somewhat wary. But since they were academy students, there was nothing to fear. He understood academy practices all too well-when students caused trouble outside, unless there was absolutely no other choice, their academy would never readily step in to restore their standing.
After all, one class of students came and another left. How were they like teachers, bound to their academy for a lifetime?
So he stepped forward now both to recover his dignity and, more importantly, to seize the opportunity to test the strength of their teacher!
With the little abacus in his heart clacking away, Ye Zhiqiu hesitated no longer and bellowed, "Black Tortoise, possess!"
As his words fell, five Soul Rings abruptly rose from beneath his feet-one white, two yellow, and two purple, unmistakably a Soul King's configuration! With Martial Soul Possession, his arms and legs abruptly shortened, a heavy Black Tortoise shell emerged on his back, and a bone-chilling presence radiated from his entire body.
"A Soul King!"
Gasps and startled cries rang out throughout the inn's main hall. Experts at the Soul King level were exceedingly rare on this continent!
The Shrek group's expressions shifted. They were somewhat surprised, but showed little panic.
Ye Zhiqiu stepped forward, his Black Tortoise shell producing a dull clunk. His sharp gaze swept over them, his tone oppressive. "Where is your teacher? Have him come out and see me!"
Just then, Lin Kong slowly stepped forward. His gaze actually held a trace of indescribable pity as he looked at Ye Zhiqiu and asked, "Do you really want to fight?"
These words both offered Ye Zhiqiu one final way out and posed a question from afar to Zhao Wuji upstairs in the inn-were they going to fight this battle or not?
But that pitying gaze stabbed viciously at Ye Zhiqiu's pride, turning his humiliation into rage. He snapped at Lin Kong, "If your teacher doesn't come out, I'll take his place today and teach you ill-mannered brats a proper lesson!"
Lin Kong asked again, his tone frighteningly calm. "Really?"
Ye Zhiqiu's patience had long since run out. He roared, "You brat! Why all this pointless talk?!"
Lin Kong's gaze turned cold, an icy curve forming at the corner of his lips, his tone thick with mockery. "Very good. I hope you don't regret this in a moment!"
"It's too cramped here. There's no room to move." Lin Kong raised a hand and pointed outside the inn, his voice clear and loud. "Let's go outside!"