Beat the Younger One, and the Older One Comes

Buzz!

A brilliant streak of golden light suddenly shot out from the crowd to the side, moving so fast it left only an afterimage as it reached the center of the arena in an instant.

Xiao Jun never even got a clear look at what was coming. He only felt a sudden, fierce, overwhelming force strike his abdomen, sending his blood churning and his entire body rigid. Then his vision abruptly went black, and he completely lost his balance.

By the time he came to his senses, he had already tumbled ignominiously out of the arena, his entire body aching and his Soul Power in disarray.

Meanwhile, a Lightning Rat covered in flickering lightning crouched in front of Su Lin on the platform.

[Your battle report has been generated]

[Your Pokémon Lightning Rat experienced an easy battle, defeated an opponent of mediocre strength, and gained 10 experience points]

"Senior Xiao, looks like I won." Su Lin planted his hands on his hips and smiled at Xiao Jun below the platform.

"You cheated!" Xiao Jun instantly boiled over, his face flushed scarlet as he pointed at Su Lin and roared in fury, "I never even fought you! That Soul Beast you suddenly brought out knocked me off! You're playing dirty!"

Hearing this, Su Lin spread his hands innocently. "But that's my Martial Soul's ability. The Poké Ball is used to command Soul Beasts in battle. That was me making my move."

"Impossible! What kind of bizarre Martial Soul does that?!" Xiao Jun still looked utterly unconvinced, growling through gritted teeth, completely unable to accept losing to such a young new student.

Just as he was about to argue further, a squad of students wearing academy patrol uniforms approached from the side entrance of the Soul Fighting Zone. Their leader was a rather tall young man with a steady bearing and a bronze patrol badge pinned to his chest. Seeing the crowd gathered around the platform, he hurried over with his two teammates. "What's going on? Why are so many people gathered here?"

The moment Xiao Jun saw the patrol arrive, he reacted as though his savior had appeared. He hurried forward, pointed at Su Lin, and loudly accused him. "Captain Xu! You're just in time! This new student cheated and played dirty! We agreed to a fair match, but he released a Soul Beast to ambush me and swindle me out of my merit points! Please help me get justice!"

The patrol captain addressed as Captain Xu looked up toward the platform. Once he got a clear look at that young face, the corner of his mouth immediately twitched. He apparently had not expected to see that familiar face here again.

It was this kid!

Su Lin was equally surprised to see Xu Mu. What a coincidence-Captain Xu Mu was none other than the senior student Xiao Wu had knocked down during yesterday's practical assessment. He immediately smiled and waved enthusiastically in greeting. "Senior Xu, we meet again! What a coincidence."

"Ahem, hello, hello." Xu Mu gave a couple of awkward chuckles, then caught sight of Xiao Wu standing quietly nearby, sending his embarrassment straight to its peak.

He could not be bothered to listen to any more of Xiao Jun's accusations. Pulling him aside, he lowered his voice and explained helplessly, "Stop making a fuss. He didn't cheat. The examiner already reported and verified this child's special Martial Soul throughout yesterday's assessment. The academy's teachers all know about it. It's a legitimate Martial Soul ability, completely within the rules."

"What?!" Disbelief filled Xiao Jun's face. The flames of his fury were instantly doused, and he completely lowered his banners and stilled his drums.

His face alternated between green and white. After agonizing for a long while, he could only reluctantly pull five medals bearing merit-point markings from inside his clothes and fling them at Su Lin. Without another word, he turned, pushed through the crowd, and strode away.

"All done." Su Lin put away the merit-point medals and waved in the direction Xiao Jun had left, regardless of whether he could see him.

"Thanks for your help this time, Senior Xu." Su Lin walked briskly over to Xu Mu and thanked him cheerfully.

"Just doing my duty." Xu Mu waved a hand, his expression growing a little grave as he solemnly warned him, "But you need to be extra careful. Xiao Jun's older brother is at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's main campus next door. Apparently, he broke through to rank thirty-three not long ago. Xiao Jun lost face in public today, so he'll most likely bring his brother over to settle the score."

"Really?" Su Lin's eyes lit up at those words, and he almost laughed aloud.

It's a deal. This counts as a double blessing.

He had actually provoked someone with backing with just a casual taunt. Wasn't his luck a little too good?

Seeing that Su Lin was not afraid in the slightest and instead looked eager to try, Xu Mu was left like a ten-foot monk trying to feel the top of his own head, utterly baffled. He could not understand what Su Lin was thinking and could only conclude that geniuses thought differently from everyone else.

In any case, he had given every warning he should. If Su Lin lost all his merit points afterward, it would have nothing to do with him.

After a brief farewell, Xu Mu left with the patrol members.

Xiao Wu skipped over to Su Lin and asked curiously, "What do we do next?"

"Just wait." Su Lin led Xiao Wu into the shade of a nearby tree to wait quietly.

Sure enough, just an hour later, Xiao Jun, who had left looking utterly dejected, returned with his back ramrod straight and an aggressive air. "Brat, you said it yourself earlier-five merit points a match. Don't go back on your word and refuse to pay!"

"Of course not." The corners of Su Lin's lips curled slightly as he put on an innocent, guileless expression.

"Good!" Xiao Jun immediately turned and shouted behind him, "Brother, come teach him a lesson!"

Accompanied by footsteps, a young man who bore a strong resemblance to Xiao Jun but had a more mature, sharper bearing slowly stepped forward. His expression was dark, his gaze fixed firmly on Su Lin. "You're the one who toyed with and swindled my little brother?"

At those words, a stir passed through the spectators beside the platform, and the students began discussing in hushed voices.

"That kid's in serious trouble now. Xiao Feng is no pushover."

"It'll do him good to suffer a little, so he doesn't get too arrogant at such a young age and offend some important figure he can't afford to cross later."

Su Lin spread his hands and said openly, "How did I swindle him? We agreed beforehand-ten merit points a match, winner takes all. Honest dealings, whether you're young or old."

"Fine! In that case, we'll settle this in the arena!" Xiao Feng sneered, then leaped up and landed steadily on the bluestone platform.

A heavy, pitch-black Mountain-Splitting Hammer Martial Soul appeared in his palm. Three Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet, yellow, yellow, and purple circling in sequence. The tremendous Soul Power of a rank thirty-three Soul Elder swept toward them, exerting an overwhelming pressure.

"Brat, why aren't you getting up there? Don't tell me you're scared?" Feeling his older brother's vast, powerful presence, Xiao Jun grew even more confident and shouted provocatively from below the platform.

Su Lin said no more. With a thought from him, Pikachu leaped onto his shoulder. He then took the stairs two at a time and lightly climbed onto the platform.

"Let the match begin!"

Once Xiao Wu saw that both of them had taken their positions, she raised her clear voice to announce the start of the match. The very next instant after her voice fell, Soul Power erupted beneath Xiao Feng's feet. Like a surging mass of mountain rock, he charged straight at Su Lin, carrying a fierce wind with him!

His first Soul Ring abruptly lit up with yellow light.

"First Soul Skill, Mountain-Splitting Heavy Strike!"